1. 1 Vanessa Westbrook, Division Director Multicultural/ Equity in Science National Science Teachers Association Charles A. Dana Center University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas Success Stories in Meeting the Needs of Underserved Students in Science

2. First, some good news. After more than a decade of fairly flat achievement and stagnant or growing gaps, we appear to be turning the corner. 2 Kati Haycock, President Education Trust UMLN Conference 2009

3. What plays a role in student academic achievement? The Success Stories 3

4. Research Policy making Professional Development 4

5. 5 R

6. 6 Building Curriculum through Alignment Adapted from the work of Fenwick English R

7. Points from The Education Trust Focus on what students need to learn Teacher collaboration Assess frequently to see if students are learning Use data to inform instruction Build personal relationships 7 Webinar 2011 P

8. Urban Science Education Leadership Academy NSTA initiative The goal is to positively affect student achievement through the development of leaders who will help guide reform of the learning, teaching, and assessing of science in elementary/middle schools. 15 urban districts Year 3 of the academy (09’ – Orlando, Fla.; 10’ – New Orleans, La.; 11’ – Baltimore, Ma.) 8 PD

9. A Quick Look at NAEP 9 The General Report of Science The Urban District Study

10. NAEP Science Assessment Administered January through March 2009 –156,500 fourth-graders –151,100 eighth-graders –11,100 twelfth-graders Results available for –Nation at grades 4, 8, and 12 –46 states and Department of Defense schools at grades 4 and 8 Performance reported as –Average scale scores (0–300 scale) –Achievement levels (Basic, Proficient, Advanced) 10 NSTA web seminar, January 2011

11. Grade 4 Scores in 24 states higher than the national average 11 1 Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas and domestic schools). NSTA web seminar, January 2011

12. Grade 8 Scores in 25 states higher than the national average 1 Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas and domestic schools). 12 NSTA web seminar, January 2011

13. 2009 NAEP Science for Urban Districts Atlanta Austin Baltimore City Boston Charlotte Chicago Cleveland 13 Detroit Fresno Houston Jefferson County (KY) Los Angeles Miami-Dade Milwaukee New York City Philadelphia San Diego http://www.nagb.org/science2009/tuda/

14. 14 http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/district_summary.asp Austin, Charlotte, Jefferson County (Louisville, KY), and Miami-Dade had higher scores at both grades

15. Success Stories What is the success How was the success measured Who was successful 15

16. School Profiles (Looking at the Success) The School The Student population The Demographic The Success Identified 16

17. 2010 Newsweek’s 100 Best High Schools List 1.School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center Dallas, Texas 2.Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School Irondale, Alabama 3.Stanton College Preparatory School Jacksonville, Florida 4.School of Science and Engineering at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center Dallas, Texas 5.Corbett School Corbett, Oregon 6.BASIS Tucson Tucson, Arizona 7.Signature School Evansville, Indiana 8.Paxon School for Advanced Studies Jacksonville, Florida 9.Suncoast Community High School Riviera Beach, Florida 10.City Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park Buffalo, New York City 11.Oxford Academy Cypress, California 12.Science Academy of South Texas Mercedes, Texas Red indicates public school with high minority/majority student population with measureable success 17

18. School for the Talented and Gifted Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center Dallas, Texas School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 229 African American 21%; Anglo 39%; Hispanic (Latino) 31%; Asian/Pac. Islander 10%; Economically Disadvantaged 32% Success: Ranked #1 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high; passing rate 100% on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills for Science. Average score for ACT 29 compared to national score of 21.1 18

19. Stanton College Preparatory High School Jacksonville, Florida School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 1586 African American 26%; Anglo 49%; Hispanic (Latino) 7%; Asian/Pac. Islander 16%; Economically Disadvantaged 16% Success: Ranked #3 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high; passing rate 47% on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test for Science compared to 32% statewide. Average score for ACT 27.8 compared to national score of 21.1 19

20. Sc hool of Science and Engineering Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center Dallas, Texas School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 407 African American 18%; Anglo 16%; Hispanic (Latino) 58%; Asian/Pac. Islander 9%; Economically Disadvantaged 60% Success : Ranked #4 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high; passing rate 99.5% on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills for Science. Average score for ACT 27 compared to national score of 21.1 20

21. Oxford Academy Cypress, California School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 1457 African American 1%; Anglo 14%; Hispanic (Latino) 11%; Asian/Pac. Islander 59%; Economically Disadvantaged 20% Success: Ranked #11 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high for 2010 and ranked #16 in 2009; Ranked top 10% of the state of California according to the California Public Schools Accountability Report Card (Academic Performance Index (API) ; Average score for ACT 27.3 compared to 21.1 nationally 21

22. Science Academy of South Texas Mercedes, Texas School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 1457 African American.7%; Anglo 12%; Hispanic (Latino) 63%; Asian/Pac. Islander 15%; Economically Disadvantaged 43.5% Success: Ranked #12 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high for 2010; 99% passing rate on the on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS); Average score for ACT 24.8 compared to 21.1 nationally 22

23. Watch out for these schools! (They are not on the List but certainly worth looking at!) 23

24. Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High Elmont, New York School Type: High School (grades 7-12) School Population: 1919 African American 77%; Anglo 1%; Hispanic (Latino) 13%; Asian/Pac. Islander 8%; Economically Disadvantaged 21% Success: School pass rate 87% compared to 75% on New York Regents Exam Living Environment. Class of 2008 graduation rate was 96% compared to the state of 74%. 24

25. Ann Richards School for Young Women Austin, Texas School Type: Middle School (grades 6-9) All female students campus School Population: 437 African American 14.2%, Anglo 22.7%, Hispanic 59.7%, Asian/Pac. Islander 3.4%, Economically Disadvantaged 62.0% Success: State Assessment passing rate – 90% compared to statewide passing rate - 78% on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Science assessment is administrated to grade 8 students only. 25 Source: Austin Independent School District

26. Small Pockets of Wonderfulness! 26

27. Let connect, multiple, spread and/or enlarge the Pockets! 27

28. vwestbroook@austin.utexas.edu 28