1. The Usage of Maps in Facilitating Conversations with Stakeholders about Educational Desegregation in Hartford Brittany Price December 18, 2009 Educational Studies

2. Literature Review Waterville Elementary School, Washington – Invasive toad population – Working with farmers in community – Now professionally funded Steve Obenhaus, Kansas teacher – using GIS to answer spatially-driven questions – philanthropic themes that involve communities near and far Well and clean water distributions in Haiti

3. Literature Review Salvatore Saporito and William & Mary – SABINS database – School attendance zones for largest 800 school districts using the GIS program Jack Dougherty and Trinity College – Visual guides to Sheff v. O’Neill – Display achievements and failures graphically

4. Research Question How do different stakeholders within educational reform in Hartford approach issues of desegregation and how do they interpret the same distribution maps?

5. Relevance Pursuit of solution for educational inequality in Hartford – Sheff v. O’Neill – Project Choice – Magnet Schools – Neighborhood Schools Spread awareness/importance of mapping software Furthering research from past and with the Regional School Choice Office (RSCO)

6. Thesis Through the analysis of the change agent interviews it can be clearly seen that three change agents can see the same distribution maps differently, depending on their stakeholder position within Hartford education; further, the maps allow change agents to see whether school reform in Hartford is working and suggest what changes should be made, whether administrative, desegregation or choice driven, to approach a solution to current educational segregation.

7. Methods - Maps Created Hartford school distribution maps – General Enrollment Population – English Language Learners (ELL) Population – Special Education (SPED) Population Data obtained from RSCO Selected one magnet school map and one neighborhood school map for interviews Institutional Review Board approval

8. Methods - Interviews Conducted three interviews (30-45 min. each) with Hartford change agents – Educational activist working inside or outside of the school system – Informed and written consent was used – Name and official titles omitted Two sections of interview – Current stance on education in Hartford – Opinions about distribution maps Interviews were coded for analysis with Atlas.ti

9. Interviews Stance on education system in Hartford Systemic Failure Superintendent instability Lottery ≠ Choice Test-driven culture Desegregation…necessary? Magnet school benefits Themes Neighborhood schools then turn into “dumping grounds” for leftovers

10. Comments “Parent Advocate”– Where do these students’ parents work? “School Board Member”- Racial distribution of towns sending students “Desegregation advocate”-- Towns that are not sending students and school needs to work on marketing/outreach

11. Kinsella ELL and SPED ELL and SPED populations mostly found in Hartford

12. Comments All -- Surprised how far some students come from “Parent Advocate” -- No hook to attract people outside of neighborhood

13. Sanchez ELL and SPED ELL and SPED are often further away from school

14. Interesting Thoughts “How many of the green are also red?” – “Parent Advocate” Title I free and reduced lunch – “I am curious as to whether students with free and reduced lunch are sticking to their neighborhood school, branching out to attend magnet schools or using the Choice program.” – “School Board Member” Who will use them and for what purpose? – “Desegregation Advocate”

15. Future Use for Maps Advertising/Marketing for schools SmartChoices website Recommended viewers – Board of Education members – Superintendent Adamowski – School principals – Hartford parents All wanted to see more maps than shown in interview

16. Conclusion Change agents do not always agree on the proper approach to educational reform – “Parent Advocate” concerned about whether desegregation is the right choice for success – “Desegregation Advocate” pushed that desegregation efforts are the best option because it is a similar to the real world – “School Board Member” concerned about the racial and socio-economic makeup of the magnet schools and the effect magnet schools have on neighborhood schools Controversial role of maps depending on person’s role in education system

17. Acknowledgements Professor Sandler Professor Dougherty The rest of the Ed 400 Seminar My interviewees Regional School Choice Office