Educational equalization

Drawing on historical case study methodology informed by critical perspectives of education, this study examines the decision by Tucson United School District (TUSD) to ban its nationally recognized Mexican American Studies (MAS) program in 2012. Framing public education as a site of contestation for equality and democratization, the ban is examined within a five-phase historical context of the struggles of Chicanos for equity in the USA. The research questions address the dismantling of the program in terms of the ongoing historical disparities between the education of Chicanos and Anglo Americans in Tucson, diverse stakeholders’ perspectives on equality and inequality in the decision making, and the response of stakeholders who supported the program to the attempts to dismantle it. The theoretical framework of this study intersects Critical Race Theory and its corollary Latino Critical Theory, Critical Multicultural Pedagogy that centers Critical Pedagogy and Historical Discourse Analysis that focuses attention to the use of power in educational decision making.
The interview data from nine study participants who were closely affiliated with the MAS program and selected historical documents and archival data were analyzed to uncover Anglo and Chicano perspectives on education for Mexican Americans in Tucson. The analysis revealed that the differences between Chicano and Anglo perspectives on equity and the role of education in facilitating equality for Chicanos laid the groundwork for the conceptualization of the MAS program by its supporters, and the rationale for its banning by its opponents. The interview data revealed that all participants contextualized their work in the MAS within the history of struggle for Chicano education, they represented a cohesive “Dream Team” committed to implementing a program grounded in critical and culturally relevant pedagogies, and that initial marginalization provided them the space for unimpeded development of the program. Participants’ responses further revealed evidence of the deep psychological toll, intellectual energy demands, and civic engagement required of MAS supporters in the face of this particular episode in the ongoing history of the struggle for Chicano educational equity. The implications for critical multicultural education programs operating within culturally hegemonic policy and social contexts are examined.

This dissertation explores the perspectives of culturally and linguistically diverse learners and English learners on school conditions that enable them to share their heritage languages and cultures, as well as the ways that these learners propose that their heritage languages and cultures could be more recognized in an English-only middle school setting. This study focused specifically on the role that culturally and linguistically diverse learners and English learners perceived that they played in the process of their own social empowerment, a role that could be achieved through the development of their voices by becoming critically involved in creating spaces for their heritage languages and cultures in English-only settings. In this study, student voice is the means for the culturally and linguistically diverse and English learners' voices to emerge: the voices that are frequently oppressed because of the lack of power. This framework provides guidance to integrate the excluded learners' voices in a school milieu that habitually muffles these voices. Listening to the bicultural and bilingual voices is important but not sufficient to challenge the power structure of U.S. schools. In this study, culturally and linguistically diverse learners and English learners conceptualized ways that their heritage languages and cultures could be (more) recognized in their school settings. The voices of the students are important; they should be respected and valued. Hearing the students in this study reminds us and validates the assertion that students from diverse languages and cultures are not monolith. They have different and unique experiences and this study gave voice to some of those. Leaders from state level, district level, and school level could open the doors for students to share their experiences in the schools; in the case of this study, to learn from these students what a school milieu that authentically recognizes their cultures and languages is.

Multicultural education has been mandated in the state of Florida as part of State
Mandate 1003.42. In order for this mandate to be implemented, it is necessary for
teachers to know what effective multicultural education is and how it is to be
implemented. This study was designed to find out what English teachers know about the state mandate and multicultural education and how they use multicultural education in their classrooms. High school English teachers in one South Florida school district
participated in an online survey, and 11 of those respondents also participated in a
follow-up personal interview. According to multiple scholars, there are three categories
for multicultural education: Recognition, Transformation, and Action, with Recognition
serving to recognize and respect other cultures without any change to the mainstream
curriculum and instruction, Transformation serving to transform the curriculum and
instruction to reflect students and their various cultures while introducing them to others and meeting the various instructional needs of the students, and Action motivating students to take action to bring about social justice. Overall, high school English teachers’ understanding of effective multicultural education is on the Transformation level. The survey found that high school English teachers use multicultural education on the Action level; however, the follow-up interviews did not support that finding. Also based on the interviews, teachers are willing and eager to learn more and would like the district to implement their suggestions to help with their learning.

This quantitative study examined secondary schools across a south Florida school
district to determine the relationship between school characteristics and measures of
teacher quality with the aim of ascertaining the equitable distribution of the educational
resource, teacher quality. Data regarding student population, staff climate survey
responses, school points, and measures of teacher quality were requested from the school
district; however, the requested teacher quality data was not available from the district.
The researcher accessed publicly available teacher quality data from the Florida
Department of Education regarding advanced degree completion, out-of-field teachers,
and highly qualified teachers to serve as measures of teacher quality at secondary
schools.
Data were collected and analyzed using quantitative methods for 119 schools that
served as the unit of analysis. Using multiple regressions, the study found a significant negative relationship between the percentage of students participating in the free and
reduced-price lunch program and the percentage of teachers who possessed an advanced
degree. The study also found a significant positive relationship between the percentages
of Black students, English language learners, students with disabilities, students
participating in the free and reduced-price lunch program and the percentage of out-offield
teachers. Additionally, the study found a significant positive relationship between
the percentages of Hispanic students, students with disabilities, students participating in
the free and reduced-price lunch program, and the percentage of not highly qualified
teachers at schools. The investigation also discovered predictive relationships between
some of these school characteristics and the measures of teacher quality examined in the
study.
All of the findings provided evidence of structural inequality regarding the
distribution of teacher quality and were analyzed by the study’s theoretical framework,
which drew on critical race theory, critical multiculturalism, and other critical studies.
These works underscore the inequitable distribution of teacher quality. Implications and
suggestions for future research are offered for further examination of the equitable
distribution of teacher quality and the role of policy to inform the equitable distribution of
teacher quality across schools in order to address the most urgent problem facing U.S.
education: the unequal distribution of quality teachers.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine “pockets of success”
through the voices of participant stakeholders in low socio-economic status urban high
schools and communities to identify opportunities and structures that can improve postsecondary outcomes for students. Examining those pockets of success to rise above the dynamics that obstruct pathways to success, and identifying opportunities for students to transcend their social, economic, and human condition, are the impetuses for the study. The study design is grounded in portraiture, created by Lawrence-Lightfoot and Hoffman-Davis (1997), to detail the intricate dynamics and relationships that exist in high schools. Portraiture steps outside of the traditional boundaries of quantitative and qualitative research to converge narrative analysis with public discourse in a search for authenticity. Identifying what the participants value, how they create and promote opportunities for students, the school’s role in rebuilding the surrounding community, and the community’s priority for graduates, provided the groundwork. The review of the literature reconstructs the term “opportunity” in the context of the urban high school, aligning it with the moral purposes of education. It traces the history of educational and social justice barriers for minority students, outlines the impact of leadership decision-making on the evolution of the urban high school, and addresses increasing the capacity of schools to create opportunities for students to succeed. Participants revealed the foundations for success, challenges and goals toward success, conduits to facilitate that success, and collaborations required to build an agenda to couple school-based stakeholders, civic groups, and national organizations to the creation of a national platform to improve outcomes for urban public high school students in disenfranchised communities.

The increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to provide adequate teacher training and educational programs, thereby improving access to equal opportunity for ELLs. ELLs are also called limited English proficient (LEP) students in other states. This term was changed in Florida because the LEP label brought with it a negative connotation as it referred to proficiency within the learning of English as a limitation rather than as an asset. The study presents a comprehensive review of the MCD and its eleven main components. Through document and content analysis, the study intended to ix determine whether Florida's 67 public school districts comply with the decree and whether policies are in place to implement the court authorized processes. The study begins with an introduction, which includes historical data and Florida demographics that relate to the issue of second language learners. A review of the literature incorporates legal cases and pertinent educational policies that have preceded the decree.

This study was designed to determine the relationship between Florida School Recognition Program (FSRP) participation and adequate yearly progress (AYP) criteria met during school years 2004-2008. It also intended to discover whether schools' socioeconomic status, minority rates, and levels moderated this relationship as well as a difference in average AYP criteria met for schools that maintained FSRP participation and those that do not. The study further sought to determine whether these school characteristics and schools' grades predicted maintenance of participation in the FSRP. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was employed to respond to 6 research questions and test 14 corresponding null hypotheses. Three thousand and seventy-seven schools were identified for data collection and analysis. Six independent variables were defined as school level, average socioeconomic status, average minority rate, average percentage of AYP criteria, aggregate number of years 100% of AYP criteria was met, and average school grade. One dependent variable was defined as aggregate years of FSRP participation. The study found that there was a relationship between participation in the FSRP and AYP criteria met, and school level, socioeconomic status, and minority rate moderated this relationship. While school level and minority rate moderated a difference in average percentage of AYP criteria met in schools that maintained participation in the program and those that did not, socioeconomic status did not. Moreover, all independent variables served as predictors for maintenance of participation in the FSRP. The study found that schools' demographic characteristics influence student achievement and participation in incentive pay programs.

Researchers have determined that many factors, including school climate, may be contributing to the lack of academic achievement of many of our students. In an effort to better understand this issue, this study tested for possible relationships between the school climate of multiple schools in Palm Beach County, Florida, and their students' academic achievement. Separate analyses were done at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. For the purpose of this study, academic achievement (criterion variable) was measure by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Math and Reading sections. School climate (predictor variable) was measured by the school district's yearly climate survey. In order to test the study's hypotheses, a linear multiple regression model using SPSS software was run to measure for any relationship between the criterion and predictor variables at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The relationships of individual predictors with the criterion were tested with correlations and the model including all seven predictors was tested with multiple regressions.

The purpose of this study was to determine principals' attitudes toward the use of culturally relevant pedagogy and culturally responsive leadership in predominately African American schools. Culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching, culturally responsive urban leadership, and ethnohumanist leadership are the study's theoretical underpinnings. The research question was as follows: To what extent, if any, do principals of predominately African American schools promote culturally relevant pedagogy and utilize culturally responsive leadership? The sample for this mixed methods study was secondary school principals and teachers in predominately African American schools. Seven principals and 43 teachers participated in the study. The research methods used were vignettes, interviews, surveys, content analysis, and document analysis. Vignettes containing 10 scenarios of principals performing culturally responsive leadership practices were distributed to principals who were asked to rate them with a Likert scale. In addition, principals were asked 13 open ended questions about culturally relevant pedagogy and culturally responsive leadership in an interview. Teachers were asked to complete a 10 question on-line survey about their principals' leadership from a culturally responsive perspective. Reviews of school improvement plans, principals' messages, and mission and vision statements were also conducted.

On March 18, 2008, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida filed a class action lawsuit against The Palm Beach County School Board and its district superintendent on behalf of approximately 176,000 students under their jurisdiction (Schroeder v. The Palm Beach County School Board, 2008). The plaintiffs cited the defendants for their failure "to provide a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality education" (p. 7) as required by the Florida Constitution, Article IX, ß 1. They contended that their claim was substantiated by The School District of Palm Beach County's (SDPBC) dismal high school graduation rates. Spurred by the lawsuit, I wanted to understand the controversy surrounding high school graduation rates, in spite of decades of school reform measures, and why different calculation methods are utilized in the state of Florida. In respect to the latter point, I was curious to learn about the differences among graduation rate calculation methods and what impact, if any, these differences had on the reporting of high school graduation rates, particularly those for students of color. Black America's past and present reality in public education has illustrated the need for new paradigms to address the achievement gap promulgated by contextual factors that serve to impede the academic achievement of all students. The statistical analyses and Critical Race Realist perspective, which has evolved from Critical Race Theory when applied to policy research, offered in this study found Florida's definition and subsequent calculations of a public high school graduate to result in significant and consistent differences among graduation rates relative to student race and graduation rate calculation method.