Continuous Improvement Through an Equity Lens PLL September 9, 2010

Outcomes Strengthen our understanding of educational equity Model and deepen learning of a root cause analysis using an equity lens Understand how equity impacts our school improvement planning Provide context to use the root cause analysis in your building

Group Agreements Respectful listening Share your own truth Confidentiality Act with honesty and integrity

Building Common Language Revisit the work from July and August Defining equity How will we get “there”?

Educational Equity “Equity means applying additional or different resources to ensure that all students receive what they need to succeed.” Adapted from EDEquity

Guiding Further Inquiry Why? What is our evidence? Less educational opportunity? More educational Opportunity? Pollock, 2008

Working towards equity in schools involves: Ensuring equally high outcomes for all participants in our educational system Removing the predictability of success or failures that currently correlates with any social or cultural factor Interrupting inequitable practices, eliminating biases, and creating inclusive multicultural school environments for adults and children; and Discovering and cultivating the unique gifts, talents and interests that every human possesses. BayCES Definition of Equity 2003

Using an Equity Lens in Root Cause Analysis Avoiding Equity Traps: Patterns of thinking and behavior that trap the possibilities for creating equitable schools for children of color, students with disabilities and other marginalized groups

Equity Traps –Deficit Thinking –Racial Erasure –Employment and avoidance of the gaze – Paralogic beliefs and behaviors (McKenzie & Scheurich, 2004)

2010 CSAP Writing Data

Root Cause Analysis Consider this: What are some reasons why our gap in writing exists between Students eligible for Special Education and those not eligible for Special Education? Small groups will write these reasons on their charts

Remember: –Student motivation –Student attributes (poverty) Are NOT root causes Ask clarifying questions in your group if they are unclear Don’t get hung up on which category a cause is written in

Root Cause Analysis S=Student Based A=Adult Based I=In our control 0=Out of our control –Go through your chart and mark each cause with S or A and I or O

Review your chart and cross off all items marked with S or O. Remember the group agreements as you discuss if there is another way to think about an item if it is identified as being Student based or Out of our control (i.e. Student is off task vs. Task does not engage student) Add an L next to causes that you believe you as a Leader have some control over

Root Cause Analysis Groups will complete a gallery walk to help synthesize the thinking in the room

Root Cause Analysis Each group has two stickers Go back around the room and place your stickers next to the two root causes that you determine to be the most important

Identified Root Causes

5 Whys 5 Whys Model Each group will have one identified root cause to explore using the 5 whys

Next Steps What other data do we need to look at?

Thank you for your hard work! Changing the gap “will require those in schools to rethink and restructure what expectations they hold for all students How their schools are organized to support teaching and learning What curricula will be implemented What practices include and exclude students How instruction will be delivered and assessed, etc…

…To accomplish this rethinking and restructuring of schools requires strong, focused, insightful, skilled leadership, specifically, the leadership of the school principal.” (McKenzie & Scheurich, 2004, p )

Next Steps Equity Traps article can be found on line: Root Cause Analyses with your staff Other places to use Root Cause