Expanding Opportunity and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: A Broader and Bolder Approach to School Reform Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D. UCLA Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D. UCLA

The Reproduction Dilemma  Rather than reducing poverty education is implicated in the reproduction of inequality across generations  Inequality in society reinforces inequitable outcomes – achievement gap  Significant disparities remain between “visible minorities” and white middle class students  US education policies have failed to disrupt these patterns or break the cycle of poverty  Rather than reducing poverty education is implicated in the reproduction of inequality across generations  Inequality in society reinforces inequitable outcomes – achievement gap  Significant disparities remain between “visible minorities” and white middle class students  US education policies have failed to disrupt these patterns or break the cycle of poverty

The Biggest Obstacle: Concentration of the Truly Disadvantaged  Most cities have disinvested in schools serving poor children  Ignoring Learning Opportunities – Access to high quality learning programs (AP, IB, etc.), highly qualified teachers  Rationalizations – Blaming Teachers and administrators for low achievement  Beliefs – Belief that “no excuses” charter schools are a panacea rather than access to high quality, integrated schools  Most cities have disinvested in schools serving poor children  Ignoring Learning Opportunities – Access to high quality learning programs (AP, IB, etc.), highly qualified teachers  Rationalizations – Blaming Teachers and administrators for low achievement  Beliefs – Belief that “no excuses” charter schools are a panacea rather than access to high quality, integrated schools

Philadelphia: Disinvestment in Urban Schools

Narrow vs. Broad Approach Narrow Broad  Use pressure to foster accountability  Focus exclusively on achievement  Use test scores to rank  Adopt scripted teacher-proof curriculum  Hold principals accountable  Treat parents as consumers  Punitive approach to discipline  Encourage competition among schools  Use pressure to foster accountability  Focus exclusively on achievement  Use test scores to rank  Adopt scripted teacher-proof curriculum  Hold principals accountable  Treat parents as consumers  Punitive approach to discipline  Encourage competition among schools - Focus on learning conditions  Use assessment to diagnose  Develop teacher skills continuously  Focus on “whole child” – health, nutrition, safety  Hold all stake holders accountable  Treat parents as partners  Use discipline to develop character  Expand learning opportunities  Promote cooperation between and among schools

Poverty is not the problem?  In the debate over how to fix American public education, many believe that schools alone cannot overcome the impact that economic disadvantage has on a child, that life outcomes are fixed by poverty and family circumstances, and that education doesn't work until other problems are solved. This theory is, in some ways, comforting for educators… Problem is, the theory is wrong. It's hard to know how wrong -- because we haven't yet tried to make the changes that would tell us -- but plenty of evidence demonstrates that schools can make an enormous difference despite the challenges presented by poverty and family background. Joel Klein, Janet Murguia, Michael Lomax, Washington Post, April 9, 2010  In the debate over how to fix American public education, many believe that schools alone cannot overcome the impact that economic disadvantage has on a child, that life outcomes are fixed by poverty and family circumstances, and that education doesn't work until other problems are solved. This theory is, in some ways, comforting for educators… Problem is, the theory is wrong. It's hard to know how wrong -- because we haven't yet tried to make the changes that would tell us -- but plenty of evidence demonstrates that schools can make an enormous difference despite the challenges presented by poverty and family background. Joel Klein, Janet Murguia, Michael Lomax, Washington Post, April 9, 2010

Schools can’t address challenges related to poverty alone

Making equity central  Equity is:  Giving students what they need to be successful  Academic and social  Recognizing that not all students are the same  They learn in different ways and at different paces  Pervasive inequality makes pursuit of equity difficult but essential  Staying focused on outcomes – academic and developmental  Equity is:  Giving students what they need to be successful  Academic and social  Recognizing that not all students are the same  They learn in different ways and at different paces  Pervasive inequality makes pursuit of equity difficult but essential  Staying focused on outcomes – academic and developmental

What We Know  Student achievement is affected by a variety of social, psychological and environmental factors  Services must be provided in a coordinated manner to counter effects of poverty and improve developmental and learning outcomes  Changing outcomes for youth requires a focus on the needs of the “whole child”  Physical, social, psychological and emotional needs  Art, music and physical education must be included  Student achievement is affected by a variety of social, psychological and environmental factors  Services must be provided in a coordinated manner to counter effects of poverty and improve developmental and learning outcomes  Changing outcomes for youth requires a focus on the needs of the “whole child”  Physical, social, psychological and emotional needs  Art, music and physical education must be included

Harlem Children’s Zone

Focus on the Five Essential Ingredients for School Improvement - A coherent instructional guidance system - Ongoing development of the professional capacity of staff - Strong parent-community-school ties - A student-centered learning climate - Shared leadership to drive change

Brockton scholarship winners 2015

Key Elements of the Brockton Strategy  Shared leadership  Concerted effort to obtain buy-in around the strategy  A coherent strategy focused on student needs  Differentiated professional development  Follow through, examining the evidence, sticking with it  Shared leadership  Concerted effort to obtain buy-in around the strategy  A coherent strategy focused on student needs  Differentiated professional development  Follow through, examining the evidence, sticking with it

Turn Around at Brockton High  “Brockton High School has every excuse for failure, serving a city plagued by crime, poverty, housing foreclosures, and homelessness… But Brockton High, by far the state’s largest public high school with 4,200 students, has found a success in recent years that has eluded many of the state’s urban schools: MCAS scores are soaring, earning the school state recognition as a symbol of urban hope.”  James Vaznis, Boston Globe Oct 9,  “Brockton High School has every excuse for failure, serving a city plagued by crime, poverty, housing foreclosures, and homelessness… But Brockton High, by far the state’s largest public high school with 4,200 students, has found a success in recent years that has eluded many of the state’s urban schools: MCAS scores are soaring, earning the school state recognition as a symbol of urban hope.”  James Vaznis, Boston Globe Oct 9, 2009.

Empowered students at Hollenbeck Middle School

Parent Power in the Eastern Cape

Make expectations clear and standards explicit by modeling and exposing students to high quality work Utilize diagnostic tools to check for understanding Learn about their students interests in order to make their lessons culturally relevant Focus on motivation and engagement rather than achievement Analyze student work with a focus on evidence of competence and mastery Make expectations clear and standards explicit by modeling and exposing students to high quality work Utilize diagnostic tools to check for understanding Learn about their students interests in order to make their lessons culturally relevant Focus on motivation and engagement rather than achievement Analyze student work with a focus on evidence of competence and mastery Teachers must focus on evidence of learning…

Stay focused on the right questions:  Instead of “How do we raise achievement?”  How do we promote healthy development and get students excited about learning?  Instead of “How do we hold teachers accountable?”  How do we hold everyone accountable – Governors, Presidents, superintendents, teachers, students and parents?  Instead of “How do we close the achievement gap?”  How do we close opportunity gaps and create schools where a child’s race and class are not predictors of outcomes?  Instead of “How do we raise achievement?”  How do we promote healthy development and get students excited about learning?  Instead of “How do we hold teachers accountable?”  How do we hold everyone accountable – Governors, Presidents, superintendents, teachers, students and parents?  Instead of “How do we close the achievement gap?”  How do we close opportunity gaps and create schools where a child’s race and class are not predictors of outcomes?

We need a new vision to create schools that can counter the effects of inequality Teaching and Learning Extended Learning Safety, mentors Community partners Family engagement Health and Nutrition