Characteristics of Successful Schools

APPENDIX B
Characteristics of Successful Schools

WISCONSIN EQUITY FRAMEWORK

Educational Equity and School Improvement

Educational equity and school improvement are mutually inclusive goals.Excellence cannot exist without equitable experiences and results for all students. While educators make many efforts to "level the playing field" for all students, we know that some groups of students do not experience equal learning opportunities and do not achieve at the academic and citizenship levels necessary. Such groups of students include: children and youth who are female or male (depending on the academic subject), immigrants, ethnic minorities, American Indians, the migrant or homeless, the neglected or delinquent, those limited in their English language proficiency, individuals with disabilities, and children and youth who live in high poverty areas.

"Educational excellence" describes the condition that exists when educational programs challenge learners-regardless of their race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic status-to perform at the boundary of their individual abilities and to test and extend their limits in school, at home, at work, and as citizens. This condition reflects fairness and high expectations for all learners and also provides alternatives and support to help students reach them.

"Educational equity" means the educational policies, practices, and programs necessary to (a) eliminate educational barriers based on gender, race/ethnicity, national origin, color, disability, age, or other protected group status; and (b) provide equal educational opportunities and ensure that historically underserved or under-represented populations meet the same rigorous standards for academic performance expected of all children and youth. Educational equity knowledge and practice in public schools have evolved over time and require a comprehensive approach. Equity strategies are planned and systemic and focus on the core of the teaching and learning process (curriculum, instruction, and school environment/culture). Educational equity activities promote the real possibility of equality of educational results for each student and between diverse groups of students.

Major educational equity strategies include:

1. collecting, analyzing, and using disaggregated assessment data to make educational decisions and to establish school improvement efforts.
2. analyzing the intersections of gender, race, culture, disability, class, and orientation that collide to influence teaching and learning.
3. involving parents and citizens representative of all the diversity in the community, thereby affirming the growing pluralism that exists.
4. developing and delivering equitable and inclusive curriculum, extracurricular activities, and student services.
5. practicing equitable and inclusive instruction, such as accelerated learning, cooperative learning, reciprocal learning, active learning, de-tracking, de-grouping, and reducing differential expectations or treatment of students.
6. ensuring equitable classroom and school environments in which all students see their culture and other cultures authentically and positively portrayed.
7. providing meaningful professional development opportunities to build capacity for addressing equity and diversity (awareness level to advanced skill building).
8. improving leadership and administrative practice that enhances and takes responsibility for continually advancing the ideals of equity and diversity.
9. delivering equitable counseling and guidance, other student services, and citizenship experiences which support equity and diversity, expand educational planning and career options, promote resiliency, reduce prejudice and increase self-understanding and positive identity development for all youth.
10. restructuring school organizations to achieve greater educational equity by changing the roles, rules, and relationships that influence how people work, learn and interact. Democratic, inclusive, and peaceful principles are developed and practiced.
11. creating collaborations among schools, employers, and communities that provide opportunities for prejudice reduction, celebrating diversity and citizenship. Meaningful and ongoing involvement and partnership with diverse community members is essential.
12. promoting equity and nurturing diversity through public information and school organizations and activities.

A Framework for Monitoring Equity and Access

What makes the question of equal educational opportunities especially complex is that it results from a combination of many factors in a school, not any single one. Often these factors operate at an invisible or undetected level. The first step is to recognize all of the areas of schooling that influence educational equity. A school must look and strive for a pattern of access and equity across all aspects of students' education. The Tools for Accountability Project (Annenberg Institute for School Reform) has identified seven areas that influence the degree of access and equity in a school. Collecting data and reflecting on these seven areas must be included in all school improvement efforts. They are:

1. Access equity
   (opportunity to learn standards; de-tracking; equal access to classes, programs, and schools)
2. Fiscal and budgetary equity
   (investment per pupil, support services available per pupil, special programs funded, and investment per teacher)
3. Pedagogical equity
   (instructional techniques, classroom management, educator expectations)
4. Input equity
   (class size, quality of facilities, resources including computers and books)
5. Output equity
   (student achievement, test scores, citizenship, post-school earning, and other indicators of well-being)
6. Curricular equity
   (culturally inclusive and responsive lessons, bias-free assessment)
7. Attitudes and assumptions around equity, diversity, fairness, and inclusiveness
   (staff and student learning about diversity; shared understanding of the dynamics and experience of difference; understanding of how culture (broadly defined) affects learning; positive and welcoming climate for all (students, families, and communities); cross-cultural communication skills; evidence of application of new knowledge gained from ethnic studies, gender studies, and so forth)

PREVIOUS   NEXT

For questions about this information, contact Molly A. Garner (608) 266-3983

Last updated on 4/2/2009 8:47:03 AM