Cheryl S. Greene, Ed.D. Kyrene de la Esperanza Voices of Color: Using student voice to achieve educational equity February 16, 2010 Phoenix, AZ 2010 Leadership for Equity & Excellence Forum

Welcome and Introductions!

Learning Outcomes: Recognize the power of student voice in exploring issues of equity and race Develop a deeper understanding of the intersection of race and student achievement, especially from the perspective of students Discover new methods for successfully using student voice to address equity and other critical issues within your learning environment

The difficulty inherent in the work of equity is that of breaking the silence…deliberately and purposefully engaging in conversations that often evoke feelings of defensiveness, resentment, and confusion.

Courageous Listen with an open heart and mind. Conversations Maximize the power of conversations to envision new possibilities and create a culture of change

Consider the achievement of students in your school or district. What are your successes? What are your challenges? What other critical issues come to mind when you think about your school, district or educational setting? –What are the current processes or strategies that are used to address these issues? –Who has been engaged and/or involved in the solution? Pair Share

The Kyrene Story “Academic Excellence”

Kyrene School District Kindergarten – 8 th Grade Located in Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler 6 Middle Schools (Grades 6 – 8 ) 19 Elementary (Grades K – 5) Student Demographics (2004) 71% White 13.5% Hispanic 7% Asian 6% African American 1.8% Native American

“Kyrene students excel academically” “Since the 2000 administration of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS), Kyrene students in grades 3, 5, and 8 have consistently out performed the state in the percent of the Meet or Exceeds Category.”

Kyrene School District A Top Performing District ( 2004) All 25 schools met or exceeded state performance and progress goals 19 Kyrene schools, including all 6 middle schools, received the "Excelling" rating All 25 schools ranked "Excelling" or "Highly Performing"

Kyrene and Arizona 8th Grade Math AIMS 2003

“Excellence without equity is a hollow victory.” --Mary Hatwood Futrell

Kyrene School District Challenges and Barriers A focus on aggregate v. disaggregated data Avoidance of courageous conversations Reluctance to acknowledge the racial achievement gap

“The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new landscapes but of seeing through new eyes.” --Marcel Proust

Student voice can serve as a catalyst for engaging staff in difficult equity conversations and provide the necessary lens to clearly identify critical issues.

Voices of Color The Power of Student Voice to Foster Courageous Conversations

As you watch Voices of Color, listen for the factors (identified by the students) that contribute to the achievement gap.

Stereotypes Expectations for Student Achievement Making School Real for Students Parental Support of Education Finding Your Voice Voices of Color What spoke to you?

The Changing Landscape of Schools Today: An Unprecedented Challenge for Educators: Ensure high levels of learning for all students.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” --James Baldwin

All students can learn. Schools can and do make a difference. Success in our future world depends on meeting unforeseen challenges. A New Vision for Kyrene

Dr. Schauer clearly communicates the message that “all means all” Leadership team examines disaggregated data June 2008: 3-day “Beyond Diversity” training for Leadership Retreat Ongoing professional development on race and equity, including workshops by Bonnie Davis November 2009 Board Study Session to share achievement gap data and Voices of Color Kyrene “Post Script”

In October 2008, a cross disciplinary team of 7 attended Glenn Singleton’s 2008 Summit for Courageous Conversations At this Equity Forum, we have a cross disciplinary team of 11, which includes again our Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, School and District Administrators, Prevention Specialist, etc. Kyrene “Post Script”

Seek multiple voices; value multiple perspectives Respect students’ need for safety Consider co-curricular and natural ways to involve students Talk less, listen more! Co-create/team up with students (Do with, not to!) Utilizing Student Voice to Transform Learning Environments

School and/or community forums Print or web-based forums or news columns Leadership/advocacy School announcements/assemblies Student Superintendency Advisory Council Examples of youth/student voice:

What are some ways students have given voice to issues of educational equity at your school, district or organization? What are some additional ways students can “give voice” to issues of equity (and other critical issues) impacting your school, district, or organization? Student Voice

“Once you've found your own voice, the choice to expand your influence, to increase your contribution, is the choice to inspire others to find their voice.” --Stephen Covey, “The 8 th Habit”

Find your voice. Express your voice. And, help others find theirs. Together, we can be the voice of equity.

“The courage to be great lies deep within each of us.” Fortune cookie

Cheryl S. Greene, Ed.D. Kyrene de la Esperanza

A feeling I have… A thought I have… A step I will take…