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158
explained that teachers who have not been selected or have self-selected to work
with EL students' feel that they are not adequately prepared to work with EL
students. This feeling of inadequacy perpetuates the unspoken practice of not taking
owne3rsip of EL students by teachers who feel they are not qualified to support
them.
Conversely, many ELD teachers feel overwhelmed with the magnitude of
responsibility that is placed on them to have ‘success with those students’. There is
also a belief that the majority of the staff who are not “responsible” for ELs are
“allowed” to put some distance between themselves and the problem of closing the
Hispanic achievement gap. There is a collective sense of low teacher efficacy, or
teachers’ perceptions that their efforts as a group will not positively impact student
achievement. This is important, since a low collective efficacy affects persistence
and can create a culture of low expectations.
“Given the importance of access to quality teachers for student achievement-particularly
among ELs-it comes to no surprise that access to high quality
professional development (PD) for general education teachers and EL teachers alike
was (is) instrumental in the reform initiatives of improving districts” (Great City
Schools, Oct. 2009, p.22). All the administrators and EL leads interviewed
understood the importance of PD, however, they expressed that Rowland does not
have a coherent strategy for building EL staff capacity through targeted professional
development. In Rowland USD, professional development is largely voluntary. In
the absence of centrally-defined, supported, and monitored professional
Object Description
| Title | An alternative capstone project: A gap analysis inquiry project on the district reform efforts and its impact in narrowing the Hispanic EL achievement gap in Rowland Unified School District |
| Author | Molina-Solis, Lesette Wendy |
| Author email | lwm5995@lausd.net; molinaso@usc.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Education (Leadership) |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2011-01-19 |
| Date submitted | 2011 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2011-04-28 |
| Advisor (committee chair) |
Rueda, Robert S. Marsh, David D. |
| Advisor (committee member) | Escalante, Michael F. |
| Abstract | The purpose of this case study was to conduct a gap analysis for the pervasive underperformance of Hispanic English Learner (EL) students in Rowland Unified School District. This qualitative inquiry project looked at educational practices from elementary through middle school throughout the district and how these aligned to district initiatives for narrowing the gap. Through the use of interviews, observations and surveys, the authors gathered information to develop perceived root causes and then formulate solutions to present to the Superintendent and her executive board.; The process of change, district support and cultural proficiency all contributed to the existing Hispanic EL achievement gap in Rowland Unified. Despite the district’s efforts in addressing the students’ needs via district wide initiatives supported from a grant through the Ball Foundation, high beliefs in collaboration and de-centralized nature of the district, Hispanic EL student needs were not adequately being addressed. In actuality, the fairly recent programs identified to address EL needs had not been fully implemented by all district stakeholders. Although district level personnel demonstrated much support and commitment to addressing EL student needs, the decentralized nature of the district hampered the implementation with fidelity of EL classroom strategies. Lastly, a sufficient percentage of staff members had perceived assumptions about their students’ academic progress. The staff overwhelming demonstrated limited cultural proficiency about their students’ home life, background and knowledge base to adequately aid their students in gaining access to the classroom curriculum. In addition to sustaining and ensuring implementation of research based effective teaching practices for ELs, staff members need to increase their understanding of their students’ cultural background through guidance and increased accountability from the district. |
| Keyword | Hispanic EL; achievement gap; gap analysis |
| Geographic subject | school districts: Rowland Unified School District |
| Geographic subject (county) | Los Angeles |
| Geographic subject (state) | California |
| Geographic subject (country) | USA |
| Coverage date | 2001/2010 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m3802 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Molina-Solis, Lesette Wendy |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-MolinaSolis-4309 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume14/etd-MolinaSolis-4309.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 165 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 158 explained that teachers who have not been selected or have self-selected to work with EL students' feel that they are not adequately prepared to work with EL students. This feeling of inadequacy perpetuates the unspoken practice of not taking owne3rsip of EL students by teachers who feel they are not qualified to support them. Conversely, many ELD teachers feel overwhelmed with the magnitude of responsibility that is placed on them to have ‘success with those students’. There is also a belief that the majority of the staff who are not “responsible” for ELs are “allowed” to put some distance between themselves and the problem of closing the Hispanic achievement gap. There is a collective sense of low teacher efficacy, or teachers’ perceptions that their efforts as a group will not positively impact student achievement. This is important, since a low collective efficacy affects persistence and can create a culture of low expectations. “Given the importance of access to quality teachers for student achievement-particularly among ELs-it comes to no surprise that access to high quality professional development (PD) for general education teachers and EL teachers alike was (is) instrumental in the reform initiatives of improving districts” (Great City Schools, Oct. 2009, p.22). All the administrators and EL leads interviewed understood the importance of PD, however, they expressed that Rowland does not have a coherent strategy for building EL staff capacity through targeted professional development. In Rowland USD, professional development is largely voluntary. In the absence of centrally-defined, supported, and monitored professional |
