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A case study of factors related to an outperforming urban charter high school
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Content
Running Head: FACTORS RELATED TO OUTPERFORMING CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
A CASE STUDY OF FACTORS RELATED TO
AN OUTPERFORMING URBAN CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
by
Luz Reynozo
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2018
Copyright 2018 Luz Reynozo
ii
Dedication
To my mother who is responsible for the fire in me. She is the source of my strength,
courage, determination, resilience, and feistiness. She has not lived an easy life. She did double
her share as a single parent, and I didn’t always cooperate. She has always been the example of
courageous determination, and I hope it makes her proud to know I turned out alright!
To my children, Javier Antonio and Aleena (my strength and my inspiration) you have
lived my struggle, and you have both walked right alongside of me and have seen me become
who I am today. You have both been the driving force behind every step I have taken to become
a greater version of myself. Every degree I have earned is dedicated to you, and they are a
symbol of how far I have been willing to go to ensure that you will always walk tall with pride.
My life is not an example for you to follow, my accomplishments are not yours to emulate, they
are only an example of what is possible when you choose to follow your passion.
To my husband, Alvaro, you are the wind beneath my wings. Your support, love, and
patience as I embarked on this journey, only four months after bringing our JellyBean, Diego
Karan, into this world, made it possible for me to achieve this personal accomplishment. I had
challenges along the way; I felt like giving up; and I felt I was not good enough, yet you
maintained a calm and collected belief that I would make it happen without second guessing it.
My sunshine, Anabella and my JellyBean, Diego Karan, this is ultimately for you. The
road ahead of you is filled with infinite possibilities, opportunities, and opened doors. You
simply get to choose!
iii
Acknowledgments
I am truly humbled and grateful for the opportunity to embark on this journey under the
wings of two giants. Dr. Gothold and Dr. Ott, you filled the room with wisdom, commitment,
and genuine passion for the work at hand. Your guidance made the work possible and opened up
the way for us to be reflective about the purpose of our work and the intention with which we
carried it through. I am forever in gratitude for the light you both were along this path.
Filled with gratitude for my junior high school teacher, Mr. David Jenkins, who geared
me toward the education profession without knowing his impact upon me, nor the monster he
was about to create. When I was 24, you saw me on the other side of that McDonald’s counter,
and saw a possibility in me that I did not see in myself when you told me I should apply for a
teacher assistant position. From that point on, my life and the lives of my children changed
forever. I became the first one in my family to set foot on a college campus, the first one in my
family to obtain an A.A. degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, and now I am the first one
in my family to become a Doctor of Education. Thank you, for not just paying for your burger,
but for also having a conversation with me that day that would change the course of my life and
ultimately, who I would become.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................... iii
LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................vii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. viii
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................ix
Chapter One: Overview of the Study .................................................................. 1
Problem Statement ........................................................................ 2
Purpose of the Study ..................................................................... 3
Significance of the Study .............................................................. 3
Research Questions ....................................................................... 5
Methodology ................................................................................. 5
Limitations .............................................................................. 6
Delimitations ........................................................................... 6
Assumptions ............................................................................ 7
Definitions .................................................................................... 7
Organization of the Study ............................................................. 9
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ............................................................. 11
History ........................................................................................ 11
Mexican Schools ................................................................... 13
The Mendez Suit ................................................................... 13
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and Its Aftermath ...... 14
The Chicano Movement and education ................................ 15
Education Accountability...................................................... 15
No Child Left Behind Legislation (NCLB) .................... 16
Every Student Succeed Act (ESSA) ............................... 17
Common Core State Standards and College Readiness .. 17
Current Status........................................................................ 18
Promising Practices ............................................................... 19
Dropout Prevention Programs .......................................... 19
College Readiness Programs ............................................ 20
High Performing- High Poverty Schools .............................. 21
Nontraditional Schools.......................................................... 22
90/90/90 Schools ............................................................. 22
Small Learning Communities ......................................... 22
Flipped Classroom Schools............................................. 23
Blended Learning Schools .............................................. 24
Early College Schools ..................................................... 24
Charter Schools ............................................................... 25
Critique of the Literature ............................................................ 27
Chapter Three: Research Methods… ................................................................... 29
Study Design .............................................................................. 29
Research Questions .............................................................. 30
v
Qualitative Methods .............................................................. 30
Conceptual Framework ......................................................... 31
Sample and Population ............................................................... 32
Selection Criteria .................................................................. 32
Sampling Procedures ............................................................ 33
Evidence of a High Performing School .......................... 33
Evidence of High Poverty ............................................... 35
Student Demographics………………………………….35
Participants ...................................................................... 36
Instrumentation ........................................................................... 37
Qualitative Instruments Used ................................................ 37
Document Review ........................................................... 37
Survey ............................................................................. 37
Interview ......................................................................... 37
Observation ..................................................................... 38
Access and Entry............................................................. 40
Credibility and Trustworthiness ...................................... 41
Ethical Consideration ...................................................... 41
Data Analysis .............................................................................. 42
Conclusion .................................................................................. 43
Chapter Four: Findings of the Study… .............................................................. 44
Brilliance Charter High School .................................................. 49
A First Impression of Brilliance Charter High School… ........... 51
Research Question One… ..................................................... 53
Summer Bridge Program for All Incoming Ninth
Graders ............................................................................ 53
College Readiness Courses ............................................. 57
Research Question Two… .................................................... 70
Professional Development… ................................................ 71
Summer Administrator Retreat: Two Fold ........................... 71
Organization-wide........................................................ 71
School-site level ........................................................... 73
Coaching Model .................................................................... 74
Research Question Three ...................................................... 79
College and Career Focus…………………………………..81
Perceived factors That Set Brilliance Charter High School
Apart ………………………………………………………….83
Building Strong Relationships to Break Barriers........................ 83
Belief That All Students Will Graduate Prepared for College,
Leadership, and Life………………………………………..85
Growing the Professional Through a Feedback and
Coaching Model .................................................................... 86
Summary of Findings by Theme................................................. 88
Program Practices: Commitment to Achievement ................ 88
Cultural Norms: Building Strong Relationships ................... 89
vi
Conclusion……………………………………………………...89
Chapter Five: Analysis and Discussion ............................................................. 91
Introduction ................................................................................. 91
Summary ..................................................................................... 93
Strong Commitment to Student-Adult Relationships ........... 94
Instilling a “College for Certain Mindset” ............................ 95
Strong Commitment to a Feedback and Coaching Model .... 96
Implications and Recommendations for Further Research ......... 97
Implications........................................................................... 97
Recommendations ................................................................. 98
Conclusion .................................................................................. 98
References .............................................................................................................. 100
Appendices
Appendix A: Document and Artifacts…………………………….… ........... 110
Appendix B: Survey Instrument ..................................................................... 112
Appendix C: Observation Protocol ................................................................ 120
Appendix D: Interview Protocol .................................................................... 130
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1: CAASPP Test Results …………..……………………………………….34
Table 2.2: SARC Report 2015-2016………………………………………………...35
Table 2.3: School Demographics …………………………………………………...36
Table 4.1: Summary of Survey Questionnaire Results……………………………...46
Table 4.2: Count of Postsecondary Enrollment and Progress…………….…………66
Table 4.3: The Art and Science of Coaching Professional Development
Series ………………………………………………………….…………78
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: The conceptual framework for the study.………...……………...............31
Figure 4.1: Graduation Rates at Brilliance Charter High School……….…................50
Figure 4.2: Number of High School Students, States, and Schools Participating in the
High School Survey of Student Engagement…………….........................51
Figure 4.3: The percentage of students enrolled in college the fall after high school
graduation …………………………….………….……...........................63
Figure 4.4: The percentage of students enrolled in college the fall immediately after
high school ………………………………….…………….......................64
Figure 4.5: The percent of students enrolled in college their freshman year who
returned for a second year………………………….………….................65
Figure 4.6: “Our House” mission, strategy, and vision model .……………………...73
Figure 4.7: Coaching model and framework………...………….…………................75
Figure 4.8: Coaching services offered to the teacher ……………………..................77
Figure 4.9: Components of an effective educational system …..………….................79
Figure 4.10: A three-pronged approach to equity at Brilliance Charter High School
……………………………………………………...….............................81
Figure 4.11: Breakdown of those who received coaching and feedback...……………86
ix
Abstract
Historically, students in high-poverty urban schools have not performed well
academically, in comparison to students in affluent communities. Despite the number of
attempts to reform the school system in California, it continues to fail many youths across the
state, particularly in urban communities where high poverty and high need students are
prevalent. Nevertheless, there are nontraditional schools in urban communities who have
outperformed traditional systems and proved that educational change and academic achievement
is possible.
The intention of this qualitative case study was to highlight the perceived factors that
make Brilliance Charter High School a successful outperforming urban school, while other
similar schools continue to fall behind in educating students of color. Data collected from
surveys, review of documents, interviews and observations was triangulated to paint a picture of
the programs, leadership practices, and cultural norms that makes this school an outperforming
nontraditional urban school. It was evident that the mission of, “transforming public education so
that all students graduate prepared for college leadership and life,” served as an anchor and drove
decisions when implementing programs, leadership practices and in creating a culture at the
school based on strong adult-student and adult-adult relationships. Mission focused action steps,
in all aspects of running the school, are grounded in a genuine belief that people have the
capacity to improve regardless of their proficiency level. A strong commitment to achievement,
shared leadership and building strong relationships, has led this outperforming nontraditional
urban school to increase academic performance.
1
CHAPTER ONE
Overview of the Study
“In the current discussion about improving education the consensus is to build on
traditional schools. The initiative proceeds on the assumption that learning can be
significantly better without school being significantly different” (Evolving, E. 2010).
This quote reminds me of Einstein’s words, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing
over and over again, but expecting different results.” It has been proven that over the past
decades, that our K-12 public education system requires a drastic change. While there are
pockets of excellence, California continues to be ineffective in the education of all children in the
public-school system, especially students in urban communities where students of color are
served. Attaining educational equity requires that all children have access to instructionally
effective schools. However, the nation seems to operate under the assumption that progress can
be made and academic achievement can be reached without making major changes to the
existing K-12 educational system, specifically in urban communities where the most challenges
exist. The Nation at Risk report of 1983, three decades ago, indicated:
Our Nation is at risk…We report to the American people that while we can take
justifiable pride in what our schools and colleges have historically accomplished and
contributed to the United States and the well-being of its people, the educational
foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that
threatens our very future as a Nation and a people (Gardner, 1983).
For generations, children have surpassed parents in educational and economic attainment,
but three decades ago, Gardner pointed out the possibility that for once, the educational progress
of one generation will not surpass, equal, or even approach that of their parents (Gardner, 1983).
2
This report, as eye opening as it may have been to policy makers three decades ago, continues to
be relevant. Current generations continue to struggle in their educational progress and economic
attainment. Per DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, and Smith (2015), in 2014, the official poverty rate (in
the United States?) was 14.8%, indicating that 46.7 million people lived in poverty, 2.3
percentage points higher than in 2007. For Blacks, the 2014 poverty rate was 26.2, 10.8 million
people in poverty, and for Hispanics, the 2014 poverty rate was 23.6%, 13.1 million people in
poverty (DeNavas-Walt et al 2015).
These statistics reflect the direct impact that poverty can have on high school graduation
rates and on students’ preparation level for college and whether they can persist until graduation.
Consequently, generations of students are at a loss to compete for high paying jobs and be a
greater contribution to the economy. Autor (2014) mentions that the earnings gap between
college and high school graduates has more than doubled in the United States over the past three
decades. If the way traditional schools operate is not drastically changed, the hope of truly
developing productive citizens with a strong skillset and the ability to contribute to society and
the economy in greater ways, will have no room in our nation’s reality.
Problem Statement
Historically, students in high-poverty urban schools have not performed well
academically, in comparison to students in affluent communities. Eric Jensen (2013) in his
book, Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind, commented on the academic record of students
who live in poverty, and noted that in the Unites States, when people are poor, their odds of
graduating are lower than those of students who come from middle income families (p. 1). For
students of color the odds increase. Similarly, Hernandez (2011) notes that Black and Hispanic
children are not only more likely to live in poverty, but they also are more likely to live in
3
neighborhoods with concentrated poverty and low-performing schools. However, there are
nontraditional urban schools with similarly low socioeconomic and demographic characteristics
that are outperforming traditional public schools. More needs to be known about how these
nontraditional outperforming schools operate to achieve excellence.
Purpose of Study
Wiggan (2007) points out that children are unable to choose the neighborhoods they live
in or their socioeconomic status. Therefore, improvements in school conditions and quality
concerning student achievement requires attention. The purpose of this qualitative case study is
to identify the factors present in a nontraditional, outperforming, urban K-12 school, specifically,
the programs, the leadership practices, and the cultural norms implemented. This qualitative
case study focuses on one outperforming urban charter high school. The triangulated data
collected provides information on the perceived factors that set it apart from its traditional
counterpart, as an outperforming school, serving the needs of students of color who are mainly
labeled as socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Significance of the Study
For many decades, American education has made several attempts at improving
outcomes and measuring the value of an American education. Saultz and Saultz (2017) point out
that schools were once judged by the satisfaction of their communities, however the focus has
shifted to improving educational outcomes by means of measuring graduation rates and
standardized test scores. However, school districts and schools in communities where the most
wanting (maybe economically disadvantaged) students reside, have been challenged in their
ability to effectively measure up to non-urban communities. Due to the ineffective education
system, many children continue to be failed by public education because of their race, ethnicity,
4
social class, or simply because they reside in the “wrong” zip code (Nieto, 2015). These life
circumstances are undoubtedly beyond what children can control and change. Nieto (2015)
indicates that the continued insistence upon blaming the parents and communities from which
children in urban communities come from, in addition to the use of descriptors such as
“underperforming schools,” to speak of schools attended by young people who are especially
vulnerable and need the most support, is what is truly is to blame for continuous failure.
Despite the number of attempts to reform the educational school system in California, the
school system continues to fail many youths across the state, particularly in urban communities
where high poverty and high need students are prevalent. Thus, the high school dropout rate
remains significantly high, despite the increase of graduation rates in the past years. Studies
have determined that causes for students dropping out of high school are many as well as
complex. The highest number of drop outs occurring between 9th and 10th grade (Silver,
Saunders, & Zarate, 2008). Fry (2003) noted that Latino youth in the U.S. are more likely to
have dropped out of school than other youth. In 2000, 21% of Hispanic 16 to 19-year-olds were
school dropouts, in comparison to 8% of white youth and 12% of African American youth (Fry,
2003).
Edmonds and Frederiksen (1979) noted that for those of us who seek equity, the most
critical policy that matters in public education is effective instruction for poor children.
Equitable public schooling requires bringing socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and
students of color, to similar successful academic performance levels as middle-class students
(Edmonds, 1979). Therefore, it was important to conduct this case study and focus in on a
nontraditional school that is overcoming the obstacles that traditional public schools have been
hindered by in educating students of color in urban communities. It was also imperative to
5
discover what programs, practices, and norms are in place that have contributed to this school
outperforming its traditional counterparts.
Research Questions
The following research questions were developed to guide the research for this study:
1. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors present in a nontraditional
outperforming urban K-12 school. What practices and programs are implemented
in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
2. What are the leadership practices in an urban outperforming non-traditional
school?
3. What are the cultural norms in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
Methodology
A qualitative case study method was chosen to conduct this research. This case study
sought to examine the phenomenon of an urban outperforming school in its natural context, and
sought to narrow down and describe the unique factors that contributed to its outperforming
status. The case study uses purposeful sampling, as the researcher wanted to select a school site
with specific characteristics. Data source triangulation was a necessary process to ensure the
validity of the study’s findings (Carter, Bryant-Lukosius, DiCenso, Blythe, & Neville, 2014).
The four data collection instruments used were: documents, surveys, interviews and
observations. These four data collection instruments allowed for the discovery of themes and
patterns required to formulate concrete responses to the research questions.
6
Limitations
Marshall and Rossman (2014), state that there is no such thing as a perfectly designed
project without limitations, and that the researchers must understand this and not make any
generalizations. With this understanding in mind, the following limitations were considered:
Small sample size, as the study focused on only one outperforming urban high
school.
Biased survey and interview responses from volunteering participants.
It is unknown if participants clearly understood survey questions enough to
respond as truthfully as possible.
Only a selected few were chosen to be interviewed.
The researcher’s interpretation of the data collected may be subjected to bias.
Delimitations
While there were several identified limitations to the study, there were also delimitations
when conducting the study. The school was purposefully selected based on pre-established
criteria.
The selected school had to be:
An elementary or secondary school
In an urban community, under-resourced, and low socioeconomic status (SES)
The selected school had to demonstrate:
Ethnic diversity by serving students of color
A low dropout rates
SBAC scores where a high percentage of students met or exceeded standards in
math and English
7
Being established as a distinguished school by receiving a Gold Ribbon School
Award
Assumptions
The following assumptions were made when conducting this case study of an urban
outperforming school:
Participants were honest and their responses were an accurate depiction of their
experiences.
Documents reviewed coming from the school site or Department of Education
were accurate and valid.
Student population demographics mirrored that of the community and the
traditional schools in the surrounding area; therefore, the selected school met the
criterion pre-established.
The school’s programs, leadership practices, and cultural norms contribute to the
outperforming status of the school.
Definitions
The following list of key terms used throughout the study are defined below to support
the reader in understanding the terminology used, as well as the acronyms:
Brown vs. Board of Education: The landmark civil rights case that unanimously ruled state-
sanctioned segregation of public schools as a violation of the 14th amendment and deemed it
unconstitutional.
Common Core State Standards (CCSS): The state-led effort developed and launched in 2009 to
ensure all students, regardless of where they live, are graduating high school prepared for
college, career, and life.
8
Charter Public School: An independently run public school granted greater flexibility in its
operations, in return for greater accountability for performance.
Chicano Movement: Mexican American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s with the stated
goal of achieving Mexican American empowerment.
College Readiness: A student can enter a college classroom, without remediation, and
successfully complete entry-level college requirements.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): The new proposed version of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, Every Student Succeeds ACT (ESSA), was signed by President
Obama on December 10, 2015.
Low Socioeconomic Status (Low SES): Low Socioeconomic Status evidenced by a greater
percentage of students participating in free or reduced lunch programs at school.
Mendez v. Westminster: A class action filed on behalf of 5,000 students of Mexican origin in
Orange County, California; the most significant case involving Mexican Americans in 1946, and
the first major successful case to desegregate schools in California.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB): An initiative of 2001, intended to serve as a measure to end the
academic achievement inequality existing amongst racially and ethnically diverse, high-poverty
populations and their more advantaged white peers.
Nontraditional School: A school different from the established norm in the public-school
system, such as:
Charter Schools
Magnet schools
Specific High School
Alternative Schools
9
Online Education
Independent Schools
Dual Immersion
Outperforming School: A school whose performance shows greater results than those in similar
communities, as evidenced by:
SBAC scores where a high percentage of students met or exceeded standards in
math and English
A school possibly distinguished by achieving the Gold Ribbon School Award
School Accountability Report Card (SARC): This provides data about the school in the
following domains:
Student Enrollment by Grade Level
Demographics
Conditions of Learning
Teacher and Staff Information
School Facilities
Pupil Outcomes and Achievement
CAASPP Test Results in ELA Math and Science
School Climate
Parental Involvement
Urban: A high-poverty, ethnically diverse community comprised of a high proportion of
students of color.
10
Organization of the Study
The study is organized into five chapters. Chapter One provides an overview of the
study. Chapter Two provides a synthesis of relevant literature, as well as identifies gaps to be
addressed in the available literature. Chapter Three describes the methodology with which this
qualitative case study was conducted. Chapter Four presents the results and findings of the case
study. Finally, Chapter Five provides the summary, conclusions, and implications of the case
study.
11
CHAPTER TWO
Review of the Literature
The mission statement of many public schools claim that the commitment and
responsibility to educate all students to their full potential, but students in many traditional, high
poverty, urban schools, have historically underachieved academically. Kannapel, Clements,
Taylor and Hibpshman (2005) point out that public schools have been much more successful in
educating middle-to-upper class white students than they have poor minority students.
Nevertheless, Wiggan (2007) states that children are unable to choose the neighborhoods they
live in or their socioeconomic status; therefore, improvements in school conditions and quality
concerning student achievement requires attention.
This chapter provides a literature review of the known areas of struggle, legislation and
initiatives that came about by attempting to solve the issue of underachievement of high poverty
urban schools, as well as current practices and accountability measures revolving around urban
education. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors present in a nontraditional,
outperforming, urban K-12 school, and to identify what makes it successful while other similar
schools continue to fall behind.
History
School reform is not new, nor has it been known only to the current generation of
students in traditional public schools. School reform dates back to the 1800s, during a time when
education was available only to the wealthy. In the 1830s, the idea of public education was put
into motion when reformers like Horace Mann, secretary of the Massachusetts board of
education, promoted the notion of the “common school” (Kober, 2007). According to Kober, the
common-school reformers saw public education as a solution to social problems, and believed
12
that public education would transform children into moral, literate, and productive citizens.
Reformers also believed that it would eliminate poverty, crime and class conflict, as well as
unify people of diverse backgrounds (Kober, 2007). However, according to Salamone (2012),
those values were grounded in the widely accepted religious beliefs reflected by white, middle-
class, Anglo-Americans. For a nation that was increasing in diversity, to impose such
uniformity, proved rigid and inhumane (Salamone, 2012). Kober supports the idea that common
schools are unequal and inhumane and stated that schools serving the urban and rural poor are
operating in run-down facilities with underqualified teachers and overcrowded classrooms
(Kober, 2007).
A little over a century later, the fight for equal education and equal opportunity in public
schools for students of color has not ceased, but has brought about more judicial rulings. Before
the landmark court ruling of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Mendez v. Westminster
(1947) was the first major successful case to desegregate schools in California (Moll, 2010).
Valencia (2005) argues that Mendez v. Westminster (1947), a class action filed on behalf of
5,000 students of Mexican origin in Orange County, California, was the most significant case for
Mexican-Americans, as well as for school desegregation because it was the first federal court
case involving school segregation (Valencia, 2005). The segregation of Mexican American
children was rationalized and justified by the idea that their lack of English language
understanding would hinder the growth of the Anglo children. Therefore, there was a need to
acculturate Mexican American students in special, segregated classes (Menchaca &Valencia,
1990). The Mendez case challenged the belief that segregation of Mexican American children
was in their best educational interest (Valencia, 2005).
13
Mexican Schools
Before the desegregation of “Mexican” schools, there was a long history of struggle for
Mexican Americans in the Southwest. The imposed separation of Mexican American children
from their white peers in public schools is rooted in the aftermath of the Mexican American War
of 1846-1848 (Valencia, 2005), when city and school officials established separate schools for
Mexican American children. Valencia (2005) noted that political leaders’ lack of commitment to
the education of Mexican American children, as well as racial prejudice served to make
segregation a normative practice. Mexican children were characterized (BY WHO) as dirty,
dull, un-Christian, and lacking in social etiquette (Menchaca & Valencia, 1990) which made it
necessary to Americanize them by sending them to separate schools. Americanization projects,
perpetuating ethnic isolation, and discriminatory practices all lead to the inferior instruction of
Mexican American children and youth in “Mexican” schools. Ruiz (2001) noted that the
curriculum generally revolved around cooking, hygiene, English, and civics; instruction that
served to lead youth into factories or domestic work in American homes.
The Mendez Suit
Despite the circumstances, Mexican parents did not stand back and protested against
school segregation (Wollenberg, 1971, Menchaca & Valencia, 1990, Ruiz, 2001). When
Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez’s children Sylvia, Geronimo, and Gonzalo were denied
enrollment into a Westminster, California school because of their Spanish surname and dark skin
(Moll, 2010), they began to organize other parents to persuade the school board to propose the
construction of a new, integrated school Ruiz (2001). When this failed, on March 2, 1945,
Gonzalo Mendez, along with 4 other Mexican American fathers, challenged school segregation
in the Federal District Court in Los Angeles, claiming that their children along with 5,000 other
14
children of Mexican descent were victims of unconstitutional discrimination by being forced to
attend separate "Mexican" schools in the Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and El
Modena school districts of Orange County (Wollengberg, 1971). During expert testimonies,
Moll (2010) points out that two major themes prevailed, 1) segregation fosters harmful feelings
of inferiority and rejection in children, and 2) isolation delays English language learning. On
February 18. 1946, Judge McCormick ruled that discrimination against students on Mexican
descent did in fact exist and their fourteenth amendment rights had been violated (Valencia,
2005).
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and its Aftermath
Ruiz (2001) pointed out that while the Mexican American struggle for educational
desegregation remained concealed, and the ruling of Mendez v. Westminster, did not dismantle
de jure segregation (Ramos, 2010), it did help pave the way for the Brown v. Board of
Education’s successful ruling in dismantling the concept of “separate but equal,” which denied
African American students their constitutional rights guaranteed to them by the fourteenth
amendment (Blanchet, Mumford, & Beachum, 2005). Ramos (2004) pointed out that the Brown
lawyers borrowed strategies and tactics from the Mendez case to end the “separate but equal”
policy. Chief Justice Earl Warren’s experience of the Mendez case, and the expert testimony of
social science professionals who were heard during the Brown case, strengthened the idea that
segregation perpetuated racial inferiority (Ramos, 2004).
Although the Supreme Court ruling struck down the “separate but equal” policy, it did
not abolish discrimination and its long standing effects (Blanchett et al., 2005). Balnchett et al.
(2005) pointed out that de facto neighborhood segregation, due to poverty levels still exists and
New York, Michigan, Illinois, and California are the most segregated states as of 2001.
15
The Chicano Movement and Education
The Brown ruling would serve as a shield to continue fighting the inequalities present in
education. The growing awareness and belief that students in American public schools deserved
no less than an equitable education, grew strong once again through the civil rights movement,
especially with students whose academic needs had often been ignored, as was the case for
young Latinos residing in East Los Angeles in the 1960s.
Although very little research exists on the student walkouts, demonstrations and demands
for an equitable education in California, the ‘‘blowouts,’’ as the high-school walkouts were
known, and their immediate aftermath, were a defining moment in Chicano student politics
(Soldatenko, 2003). Over ten-thousand students walked out of the, mostly Chicano, high schools
in East Los Angeles in protest of the inferior education that they were receiving (Delgado Bernal,
1998). Prior to the walkouts, numerous attempts to voice community concerns were ignored,
and students presented an official list of grievances that consisted of 36 demands, including
smaller class sizes and bilingual education, to the Los Angeles School District’s Board of
Education (Solorzano & Delgado Bernal, 2001). Delgado Bernal (1998) pointed out that East
Los Angeles high schools had a deplorable record of educating Chicano students. Dropout rates
in East Los Angeles, was well over 50%, in comparison to the Westside schools’ dropout rates of
only 3.1% (Delgado Bernal, 1998). The “blowouts” helped to raise the East LA community’s
consciousness of school reform and quality education (Soldatenko, 2003).
Education Accountability
The Mendez (1947) and Brown (1954) rulings, as well as the Chicano high school
walkouts (1968) served to bring an awareness of the deplorable conditions and inferior education
students of color received in American schools over the years. As pointed out by Riles (2015),
16
the California State Department of Education Associate Superintendent and Chief of
Compensatory Education Division, the segregation of students with similar racial and
socioeconomic status deprives them of an educational environment including high motivation,
stronger verbal skills, and a higher vocabulary level, as well as higher achievement levels that
are created when more advantaged peers are present (Riles, 2015). Over five decades later,
American schools continue to live an era of accountability. Schools are being held accountable
for showing results in student learning, a goal with broad support among the American public,
policymakers, and educators themselves (Cummins, 2005). Therefore, there have been
continuous efforts toward improving student performance in the public education system.
No Child Left Behind Legislation (NCLB). The NCLB initiative of 2001, was intended
to serve as a measure to end the academic achievement inequality that existed amongst racially
and ethnically diverse, high-poverty populations and their more advantaged white peers.
According to Darling-Hammond (2007), its strategies included focusing schools’ attention on
raising test scores, mandating better qualified teachers, and providing educational choice. The
initiative was praised by many and was seen as a promise of better education, particularly to
students of color who are traditionally underserved by public schools. NCLB introduced
sanctions and rewards to schools based on their Annual Yearly Progress, and mandated explicit
and increasingly severe sanctions for persistently low-performing schools that receive Title I aid;
such as, public school choice, staff replacement, and school restructuring (Dee & Jacob, 2011).
While NBLC succeeded in highlighting the poor math and reading skills of disadvantaged
children (Rothstein, 2009), Kim and Sunderman (2005) noted that racially diverse high poverty
schools were instead placed at a disadvantage, as NCLB depended on proficiency scores that
required all subgroups to meet the same goals for accountability. High poverty schools, which
17
enroll a high concentration of Black and Latino students, traditionally score poorly on
standardized tests (Kim & Sunderman 2005). According to Hursh (2007), NCLB’s adequate
yearly progress indicators provide little information on schools’ actual progress as standardized
tests tend to be an unreliable and invalid means of assessing student learning. NCLB narrowed
the curriculum, making little to no connection to students’ own lives, interests or culture.
Instead, Hursh (2007) noted that the NCLB reform served to unfairly punish the urban schools
which serve students of color living poverty.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). As an attempt to fix the No Child Left Behind
Act, the new proposed version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Every Student
Succeeds ACT (ESSA), was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015. The Act was
designed to meet the educational needs of disadvantaged students, requiring states and districts to
use evidence-based interventions to support school improvement (Dynarsky, 2015). While states
continue to test students in English and math, they now have options in goal setting and choosing
evidence-based interventions to provide support for schools who fall into the bottom 5% of
schools, where less than two-thirds of students graduate (Klein, 2015).
Common core state standards and college readiness. The Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) was released in 2010 as an attempt to move away from individual state
content standards (Porter, McMaken, Hwang, & Yang, 2011), and intended to outline the
knowledge and skills that students will need in order to be successful in college and future
careers. Porter, et al. (2011) pointed out that the CCSS serves as an opportunity to create a
national curriculum in English and mathematics. According to the Center of Education Policy,
30 states view the CCSS as more rigorous in English language arts, and 29 states feel they are
18
more rigorous in math, as opposed to the previous state standards, and believe that implementing
the CCSS will lead to improved student skills in these two subjects (Kober & Rentner, 2012).
Current Status
The U.S. has continued its national goal of narrowing the achievement gap between
lower income and middle-class students, and between racial and ethnic groups but America’s
schools are still highly segregated by income, race, and ethnicity, and problems related to
poverty continue to occur in schools serving disadvantaged communities (Berliner, 2009). One
in five US children live in “official” poverty today. That rate is even higher for Black and
Hispanic children, and for those children in families headed by a single parent (Baker & Coley,
2013). These students are most often the group of students furthest from high school
completion. According to Building a Grad Nation’s 2014 Annual Report, since 2006, gains in
graduation rates have been driven by a 15-percentage point increase for Hispanic students and a
9-percentage point increase for African American students (Balfanz, Bridgeland, Fox, DePaoli,
Ingram, & Maushard, 2014). Nevertheless, most urban cities with high concentrations of low
income students, still only graduate students at 60% and in some cases only 50% of students
graduate high school (Balfanz et al., 2014). Although graduation rates have increased for
minority youth in high poverty communities over the past three years, they are still well behind
their more affluent peers. Hispanic students graduate at a rate of 76%, African American
students at a rate of 68%, compared to 85% of White students (Balfanz et al., 2014). Not all
students are graduating prepared for the challenges of college, career, and ultimately life. It is
noted by Dianda (2008) that poverty and attending racially isolated schools with a high
concentration of low income students, are the most powerful demographic factors that increase
an individual student’s chances of dropping out. Of those students who do graduate, Royster,
19
Gross, and Hochbein (2015) mention that minority students are underrepresented in college
readiness benchmarks, gifted and talented groups, as well as in Advanced Placement courses.
Promising Practices
Dropout prevention programs. Riles (2015) stated that traditionally, a student who
drops out has been considered a student who is not able to succeed in school, but it is a more
realistic reflection of a school being unable to support the child’s success in school; therefore,
pushing the child out of school after failing to meet the child’s needs (Riles, 2015). Schools
have faced multiple challenges in meeting the needs of high poverty, minority students,
including instructional, operational, or challenges due to school reform initiatives; however, a
number of promising practices, programs, evaluation systems, and discipline plans have come
about as an effort to increase student achievement and dropout prevention in urban high poverty
schools. While there are no strategies and interventions to specifically address key dropout
prevention initiatives, according to Kennelly and Monrad (2007), there are a few proven dropout
prevention programs featuring key components, such as, attendance and behavior monitors,
tutoring and counseling, the establishment of small learning communities for greater
personalization, engaging catch-up courses, Ninth Grade Academies, homerooms,
benchmarking, progress monitoring, tiered interventions, a focus on equal access to rigorous
coursework and high expectations, career/college awareness, community engagement and
eighth-to-ninth grade transition programs. Some of the common elements shared across various
programs, mentioned by Kennelly and Monrad (2010) include attention to school climate in
order to facilitate student engagement, rigorous coursework for all students, and the effective use
of extended learning time during the school day such as the block schedule.
20
According to Balfanz, Bridgeland, Moore, and Hornig Fox (2010), over the last decade,
31 states have expanded alternative education possibilities for students who are at-risk for
dropping out. One such measure reported in the Building a Grad Nation Report is the proposed
federal grant program called the Hope and Opportunity Pathways through Education (HOPE
USA) grant plan that would incentivize states to support programs that re-enroll 480,000 high
school dropouts each year into programs that assist them in earning a high school diploma
(Balfanz et al., 2010). Other specific dropout prevention programs noted, that have strong
research showing positive or potentially positive effects include Check & Connect, which
provides trained monitors to small groups of students, Achievement for Latinos through
Academic Success (ALAS), which provides student level support and builds bridges between
school and home, and Career Academies, which provides internships with local businesses and
includes technical and academic coursework (Kennelly & Monrad, 2010).
College readiness programs. During Barack Obama’s presidency, he called for the
nation’s high schools to adequately prepare students for the successful transition into colleges
and careers (Betts, Young, Zau, & Volz Bachofer, 2016). College readiness, as noted by
Venezia and Jaeger (2013), is commonly understood as the level of preparation a student needs
to enroll in and succeed in a college program without requiring remediation. According to Betts
et al. (2016), major urban school districts, including those in Los Angeles, San Diego, San
Francisco, and Oakland, have made college preparatory coursework a mandatory graduation
requirement. A variety of programs, interventions, and reform efforts available to high school
students to increase college readiness, use strategies that range from academic preparation to
psychosocial and behavioral supports, as well as the development of appropriate habits of mind
(Venezia & Jaeger 2013). Some of the better known programs described by Venezia and Jaeger
21
(2013), are federal TRIO programs, such as Upward Bound and Talent Search, which provide
services to individuals from low-income backgrounds, those with disabilities, and those who are
first-generation college students, to help them successfully navigate their educational pathways
from middle school through post-baccalaureate programs (Venezia & Jaeger 2013).
Higher Performing - High Poverty Schools
While there are failing schools, there are also schools that rank among the best in the
world, and there are a very large number of schools that exhibit varying degrees of mediocrity,
where some students predictably succeed and others will predictably fail (Goldberg & Morrison,
2003). Because of this range of effectiveness and the discrepancy in achievement results, high
poverty urban schools are many times expected to be those that will predictably fail.
Nevertheless, there are schools who have proven the educability of poor children in urban areas.
In high performing schools, according to Bell (2001), there is an understanding that
curriculum and instruction are significant elements in students’ academic achievement. Rather
than focusing on any specific ideology or program, Bell (2001) pointed out that based on the 10
elementary schools and two high schools selected as High Performing High Poverty (HP2)
schools, 14 common themes were identified: 1) rigorous standards, 2) high quality teaching, 3)
high expectations and persistence, 4) safe and orderly environment, 5) district support, 6)
principals as instructional leaders 7) resourceful and innovative principals, 8) shared leadership
9) goals and professional development collaboration, 10) regular assessments as diagnostic tools,
11) early intervention, 12) inclusion and a sense of family, 13) active work with parents, and 14)
articulation across grade levels (Bell, 2001). Some of these themes are reinforced by Kennelly
and Monrad (2007) as best practice approaches undertaken by higher performing high schools as
22
a means to prevent dropout. School climate, effective teachers and extended learning time are
also utilized as best practice approaches.
Nontraditional Schools
90/90/90 schools. The term 90/90/90 was first coined in 1995 to describe schools where
90% or more of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch, 90% or more of the students
were from ethnic minorities, and 90% or more of the students achieved high academic standards
(Reeves, 2003). Reeves (2003) notes that 90/90/90 is not a commercial program, method or
copyrighted property, but is instead achieved through replicable every day practices. In his study
of 228 schools, Reeves found that 90/90/90 schools all had 1) a strong focus on academic
achievement, 2) clear curriculum choices, 3) frequent assessment of student progress in addition
to multiple opportunities for improvement, 4) an emphasis on nonfiction writing, and 5)
collaborative scoring of student work (Reeves, 2003). The study conducted of 90/90/90 schools
in South Central Texas by Kearney and Herrington (2010), found that principals at those schools
provided 1) the role of support structures, 2) relationship building opportunities, 3) stable
leadership, 4) the role of trust, 5) staff development based on identified needs, 6) refinement of
the shared vision, and 7) sustaining a culture of learning and achievement (Kearney &
Herrington, 2010). Kearney and Herrington conducted a case study of a consistently successful
elementary school in which 90% of the students served were of color and low-income, and yet
they achieved the 90
th
percentile, or above, on state and national standardized tests. The findings
concluded that strong support structures, relationships, and consistency were key themes in the
school’s achievement of success (Kearney & Herrington, 2012).
Small learning communities. Small learning communities, as described by Kuo (2010)
reflect a variety of configurations, which can include academies, schools-within schools, and
23
magnet schools. While “small schools” have a variety of configurations, the general number of
enrolled students range from 600 to 900. Small learning communities, according to Kuo (2010),
display lower dropout rates, higher attendance, higher graduation rates, and they create a
supportive personalized learning environment for the students. In Griffin, Allen, Kimura-Walsh,
and Yamamura’s (2007) study of a medical magnet in the Los Angeles Unified School District,
located in an urban low income community, they found that students had access to college
resources: counselors knowledgeable of the college application process, regular access to college
representatives, and opportunities to explore college and career options (Griffin et al., 2007).
Flipped classroom schools. Tucker (2012) states that there is no particular model for
flipped classrooms, but the core idea is to change the instructional approach, which is appropriate
for 21
st
century learning. In this model, students take home work which is normally done in the
classroom and work in class on what would normally be homework (Freeman Herreid &
Schiller, 2013). Class, then, becomes the place where problems, advanced concepts, and
collaborative learning takes place, allowing teachers to probe for misconceptions and incorrect
notions (Tucker, 2012). Fulton (2012) lists the benefits of the flipped classroom model as the
following: 1) students are able to work at their own pace, 2) doing homework in class gives
teachers insight about the challenges students face, 3) teachers can update and customize
curriculum more easily, 4) classroom time is used more effectively, 5) increased levels of student
achievement, interest and engagement; 6) learning theory supports this approach, 7) technology
is flexible and appropriate to 21
st
century learning, 8) parents have a window into the
coursework, 9) students have access to multiple teacher’s expertise, and 10) teachers experience
professional development by watching each other’s videos and learning from each other (Fulton,
2012).
24
Blended learning schools. Blended learning, as defined by Staker and Horn (2011), “is
any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick and mortar location away from
home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time,
place, path, and/or pace.” According to Watson (2008), blended learning is increasing access
and equity in k-12 education through a variety of learning models such as: 1) Rotation Model, 2)
Flex Model, 3) Self-blend Model, and 4) Enriched-virtual Model (Staker & Horn, 2012).
Because of the variety in the models and the different approaches, as well as innovative teaching
and learning strategies, the models are considered promising practices as opposed to “best”
practices (Watson, 2008). In studying the extent and nature of online learning in American K-
12 schools, Picciano, Seaman, Shea and Swan (2012), found that school administrators saw
value in online and blended learning in their schools because it 1) meets the special needs of a
variety of students, 2) allows students to take courses that otherwise would not have been
available, 3) meets the needs of specific groups of students, 4) offers Advanced Placement or
college-level courses, 5) permits students who failed a course to take it again, and 6) reduces
scheduling conflicts for students (Picciano et al., 2012).
Early college schools. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation started the Early College
High School (ECS) Initiative in 2002, and by the fall of 2009 over 200 ECS schools had been
opened (Berger, Adelman, & Cole, 2010) in response to improving postsecondary opportunities
for underrepresented youth (Kaniuka & Vickers, 2010). ECS are designed to increase the
number of students who graduate high school and increase the number of students who are
prepared for success prior to beginning their post-secondary education (Edmunds, Berstein,
Glennie, Willse, Arshavsky, Unlu, Bratz, Siklberman, Scales, & Dallas, 2010). Students in ECS
receive rigorous instruction from high school teachers as well as college instructors (Dessoff,
25
2011). What is important to note about ECS is that they focus on providing opportunities for at-
risk students, racial and ethnic minorities, students from low income families, English language
learners, and students who are at risk for dropping out (Dessoff, 2011). Not all ECS opened up
with the same values but due to its ratification in 2008, they are all now committed to meeting
the following core principles: Core Principle 1: ECS are committed to serving students
underrepresented in higher education, Core Principle 2: ECS are created and sustained by a local
education agency, a higher education institution, and the community; all of whom are jointly
accountable for student success; Core Principle 3: early college schools and their higher
education partners and community jointly develop an integrated academic program so all
students earn 1 to 2 years of transferable college credit leading to college completion, Core
Principle 4: early college schools engage all students in a comprehensive support system that
develops academic and social skills, as well as the behaviors and conditions necessary for
college completion (Berger, Adelman, & Cole, 2010).
Charter schools. With the expansion of parental choice during the No Child Left Behind
era, California began to see the development of many charter schools, whose role of improving
academic achievement has been controversial (Baude, Casey, Hanushek, & Rivkin,
2014). However, it is noted that chartering is about innovation and developing new school
models for the purpose of achieving student success (Evolving, 2010). Feuerstein (2014)
describes charter schools as public schools that have been formed by groups of people seeking
alternatives to traditional public education. Just like traditional schools, charters, are funded with
taxpayer dollars on a per-pupil basis; however, unlike traditional public schools, students apply
to attend charter schools (Winters, 2012).
26
Charter schools are public schools that operate outside of the surrounding school
district’s rules, often free of restrictions placed on large public institutions (Winters, 2012), and
are exempt from many state and local regulations that govern the traditional public schools and
districts (Wohlsteter, Smith, & Farrell, 2015). Therefore, it allows charter schools to experiment
with new practices that will benefit students. Nevertheless, charters are held accountable for
student outcomes and may have petitions revoked or denied renewal if student’s academic needs
are not met (Wohlsteter, Smith, & Farrell, 2015). Per Bulkley and Wohlstetter (2004) charter
schools are expected to make the world better in two distinct ways:
1. They are supposed to be successful schools for their own students
2. They are expected to provide better schooling for their students than those
students in the regular public schools
With this, the charter school are to encourage the improvement of education outcomes and
practices in the traditional public school system (Bulkley & Wohlstetter, 2004, p. 177).
The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (2013) notes that in many states,
legislation enabling charter schools explicitly ensure that there is a connection between the
charter’s educational mission to social justice aims, by increasing the focus of the learning
outcomes of student with educational challenges. The Center for Research on Education
Outcomes (CREDO) points out in their study of charter schools across 27 states that charter
schools and their feeder schools are educating more disadvantaged students than they were in
2009 (CREDO, 2013). The California sector has grown noticeably since 1991 with 918 opening
in the 2010-2011 school year, and it’s noted that California charter schools’ students learned
significantly more than their traditional public school counterparts in reading, but significantly
less in math (CREDO, 2014). In 2004, Bulkley and Wohlstetter stated that it was unlikely that
27
charter schools would transform or revivify public education, however, they provide the
educational option that many parents value and there is no significant reason to believe that that
the existence of charter school and the option they provide will be reversed (Bulkley &
Wohlstetter, 2004, pp. 182-183).
Critique of the Literature
Through the review of the literature, it was found that several factors affect traditional
urban public school education and contribute significantly to the high school dropout rate in
California. The literature has also revealed that many nontraditional schools situated in similar
urban communities have found ways of outperforming traditional public schools, and have been
able to make significant gains in educating urban youth, through innovative practices that ensure
high school completion and college readiness with equity in mind. The literature presents the
characteristics present in high performing schools in underserved urban communities and
presents a variety of educational models that have come about in response to underperforming
and failing schools, yet it does very little to merge the two ideas of outperforming and non-
traditional schools. In addition, there is little information on effective options that reconnect
dropout students to stronger personalized academic preparation. Specifically, preparation that
have them complete high school or receive a GED, as well as successfully lead them down a
college pathway.
It is important to discuss and identify what outperforming schools are doing differently to
improve achievement for youth in similar communities. This study focuses on an outperforming
urban school with the intent to identify practices that can best inform practitioners of ways to
increase student achievement and decrease the dropout rate of high-need students in urban
28
communities, and what allows this school to excel under circumstances similar to that of
traditional schools.
29
CHAPTER THREE
Research Methods
This case study sought to find out what factors are present in a nontraditional
outperforming urban K-12 school. Specifically, those factors that make this particular high
school successful, while other similar schools continue to fall behind in educating students of
color in high poverty areas. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a description of the
research methods used for the study. In this chapter the following are described: research
questions, qualitative methods used, sample and population, and instrumentation used to collect
data.
Study Design and Research Questions
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) point out that a case study is an in-depth description and
analysis of a bounded system where the unit of analysis characterizes the investigation, not the
topic. A qualitative case study is an approach that allows the researcher to explore the
phenomenon through a variety of lenses engaging with a variety of data sources, to be able to
understand it in its entirety (Baxter & Jack, 2008).
A case study, therefore, was important in conducting this study to gain in-depth
understanding about what contributes to the success of a nontraditional school in an urban
community, in becoming an outperforming urban school that can meet the needs of students of
color in a high poverty community.
Maxwell (2013) notes that the role of research questions is to explain what the study is
intending to learn and what the focus is, in addition to serving as a guide. In addition, Maxwell
notes that the researcher must be able to answer the research questions through the kind of study
30
that will be conducted and ensure that data will be found to serve as evidence (Maxwell, 2013).
To begin the investigation, the following research questions were developed as a guide.
Research Questions
1. What practices and programs were implemented in an urban outperforming non-
traditional school?
2. What are the leadership practices in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
1. What are the cultural norms in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
Qualitative Methods
Maxwell (2013) notes that qualitative and quantitative methods are not a different way of
doing the same thing, but rather, that each has its own unique function. Each method is used to
address different types of questions and address different, yet specific goals. Quantitative
researchers seek to find a statistical relationship between events and situations (Maxwell, 2013).
Therefore, there must be a mathematical form in the investigation’s observable phenomenon.
Qualitative researchers, per Merriam and Tisdell (2016), are interested on how people interpret
their experiences and construct meaning for their world. Maxwell (2013) confirms that the
strength of qualitative research is derived from the process of orientation towards the world,
focusing on specific situations or people. Qualitative methods were appropriate to use in this
study because of the importance of discovering how a school in an urban high poverty
community could outperform traditional schools in the area. In addition, Maxwell points out that
one should confront the question, “Why do I want to do a qualitative study?” and that one should
answer it honestly (Maxwell, 2013). Keeping this in mind, I then decided that a qualitative
method was important because I had a personal interest in the Charter Organization and I felt that
it was extremely valuable to know and understand what they are doing differently from
31
traditional schools, and how they have achieved a high-performance status while serving the
needs of students of color coming from a high poverty area, similar to that of the demographics
of traditional schools in the same community.
Conceptual Framework
After conducting the literature review the researcher found that school-wide practices and
programs, leadership practices, and/or cultural norms all contributed to some degree in
improving students’ academic achievement; therefore, it was important to find out if these
factors supported the charter high school studied, in outperforming traditional schools in the
community. Maxwell (2013) noted the importance of the conceptual framework as it serves as a
model for what the researcher plans to study, and is a possible theory for the phenomenon of
study. Therefore, it is important to visually identify the main topics of study. The researcher
developed the conceptual framework for the study based on the research questions as they serve
as a guide in determining what is important in the study.
Figure 2.1 The conceptual framework for the study.
32
Sample and Population
Selection Criteria
After developing the research questions and deciding the best method of study for finding
answers to the research questions, as a member of a thematic group, the researcher developed the
criteria for selecting schools included in the study. The researcher chose urban schools as the
focus of the study because of the lack of literature detailing outperforming nontraditional schools
in urban communities that serve students of color in high-poverty, high-need areas, where
external factors cannot be controlled. Adding to the existing literature and providing a
descriptive picture of what is happening in these types of schools, may help in the future, to
bring awareness and improvement. The findings of this in-depth study may serve as a model to
be replicated at sites serving similar demographics and facing similar external factors. The
selected urban outperforming nontraditional K-12 school had to meet specific criteria to be
eligible for the study.
The school selected had to be:
(1) An elementary or secondary school
(2) In an urban community, under resourced, and low SES
(3) Nontraditional-
a. Charter School
b. Magnet school
c. Specific High School
d. Alternative School
e. Online Education
f. Independent School
33
g. Dual Immersion
The school to be selected had to demonstrate:
(1) Ethnic diversity by serving students of color
(2) A low dropout rate
(3) SBAC scores where a high percentage of students met or exceeded standards in
math and English
(4) Being a distinguished school through a Gold Ribbon School Award
Sampling Procedures
A variety of resources were used to determine if the school met the listed criteria. The
California Department of Education provided information pertinent to the criteria. In addition,
the Great Schools website, as well as the School Accountability Report Card (SARC) provided
information that helped determine the selection of the school. The school selected for this study
was Brilliance Charter High School. Brilliance Charter High School is a public charter school
that serves students grades 9-12 in Los Angeles Count. Brilliance Charter High School scored
extremely well according to the US News & World Report’s Best High Schools Ranking, whose
2016 high school rankings are based on the school’s performance on state-required tests. In the
US News Rankings, Brilliance Charter High School ranked in the top hundred schools in
National Rankings, in the top twenty in California High School, and in the top fifty of Charter
High Schools. This led to earning and receiving a gold ribbon.
Evidence of a high performing school. The California Assessment of Student
Performance and Progress (CAASPP) provides information to monitor student progress and
ensure that all students leave high school ready for college and career. In comparison to the
district and state, Brilliance Charter High School fell one percent behind the state in mathematics
34
in the 2015-2016 school year, but exceeded the district percentage by eleven percent. In English
Language Arts, Brilliance Charter High School exceeded the district’s average by 51% and the
state by 37% in the 2015-2016 school year.
Table 2.1
CAASP Test Results
Math and English test scores for economically disadvantaged students, at Brilliance
Charter High School, are above the state average for low-income kids. In math, Brilliance
Charter High School is at 34% meeting or exceeding the state standards in comparison to 24%
for the state. In English, Brilliance Charter High School is at 84% in comparison to 35% for the
state.
Brilliance Charter High School surpasses the state’s averages in student retention and
graduation rates. In the 2015-2016 school year, the state’s dropout rate was at 10.7% which is
6.7% higher in comparison to the school’s 4% dropout rate. At a 94.40% graduation rate in the
2015-2016 school year, the school exceeded the state’s 82.27% graduation rate by 12.13%. Per
the Great Schools Website, 93% of Brilliance Charter High School students meet the University
of California and California State University system’s college entrance requirements in
comparison to the 43% state average.
35
Table 2.2
SARC Report 2015-2016
Evidence of high poverty. Brilliance Charter High School is eligible for Title I funding,
as it serves economically disadvantage students who are eligible to participate in the free or
reduced-price National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Per the Start Class Website, to qualify
for free lunch, a family’s annual income had to be under $15,171 in 2015, and below $21,590 to
participate in the reduced-price lunch program. 92% of Brilliance Charter High School’s
students participate in NSLP; 76% of students receive free lunch and 16% of students receive
reduced-price lunch. Per the 2015-2016 School Accountability Report Card, 95.5% of students
enrolled at the school are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Student demographics. Brilliance Charter High School has a 99% total minority
enrollment, Hispanics making up the largest percentage of students of color enrolled.
36
Table 2.3
School Demographics
(Great Schools, 2017)
Participants. Brilliance Charter High School has 625 students enrolled at the school.
The students were not interviewed or surveyed as part of the study. Maxwell noted that one of
the most important things to consider in qualitative selection decisions, is the intentionality with
which settings, people, and activities are selected, to obtain the information most relevant to the
goals of the study (Maxwell, 2013). Maxwell (2013) pointed out the five most important goals
for purposeful selection:
1) to achieve representativeness or typicality for the settings, individuals, or activities
selected
2) to adequately capture the heterogeneity in the population
3) to deliberately select individuals or cases critical for testing the initial theories with
which the researcher began the study
4) to establish comparisons that illuminate the differences between settings or
37
individuals
5) to select groups of participants with whom you can establish the most productive
relationships that will enable the researcher to answer the research questions
In considering the goals Maxwell pointed out, purposeful selection was considered in
selecting survey, interview, and observation participants. The study population consisted of
employees at school sites, primarily teachers who were a part of leadership teams and with a
wide range of experiences, administrators, and key staff members who could aid in collecting the
pertinent data necessary to answer the research questions. We did not anticipate any problems
with employees feeling coerced to participate in the study, because there were no conflicts of
interest. The school and its staff had nothing at stake as the study endeavored to learn about the
promising practices that the school engaged in to create success in student achievement, rather
than focusing on identifying areas for improvement.
Instrumentation
Qualitative Instruments Used
Baxter and Jack (2008) noted that, to enhance credibility, a variety of data sources should
be used; such as, documentation, interviews, physical artifacts, and direct observations, and that
while other types of qualitative methods may not incorporate surveys, case studies can.
Applying a variety of qualitative strategies support and facilitate the validation of data.
Qualitative instruments used in this study were: document review, surveys, interviews, and
observations. These can be found in the Appendix.
Document review. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) noted that documents are sources of data
easily accessible to the researcher before the investigation begins, and they do not interfere or
alter the setting in any way. Public documents, as well as personal documents, are common to
38
qualitative research (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Documents reviewed in this study were: WASC
self-study report, Single Plan for Student Achievement, the charter petition, Local Control
Accountability Plan, the professional development calendar, staff meeting/training agendas, the
master schedule, mission/vision statement, classroom artifacts, and lesson plans. Assessment
data was utilized to have a complete view of the school site before the study was conducted.
Each of these components provided background knowledge prior to entering the school site.
Survey. A one-time, multi-section survey with specific questions relating to instructional
programs, leadership practices, and cultural norms provided the basis for the study. The survey
was taken by the administration team (principal and assistant principals) teachers and staff
members. It took approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Interviews. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) stated that in most forms of qualitative research,
almost all data collected comes from interviews. In addition, they state that interviewing is
necessary when we cannot observe behavior, feelings, or how people interpret the world around
them (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Therefore, interviews were appropriate for this study because
it sought to understand the experiences and beliefs of the participants, which included the
Principal, two Assistant Principals, 4 key Lead Teachers and the School Operations Manager.
The interviews helped to get the story behind the participants’ experiences at the school site. In
addition, interviews for this study were particularly appropriate because they allowed further
probing of the participants when more in-depth information was needed. Some responses
triggered the introduction of something useful that had not been brought up before.
A one-time, approximately 60-minute, interview at a location convenient to the
participants was conducted. Key participants were staff, faculty, and school site personnel. The
survey included questions regarding instructional programs, leadership practices, and cultural
39
norms. Prior to the interview, all participants were asked if they would agree to the interview
being tape-recorded. If participants agreed, the interview was taped. If any participant
disagreed, the interview was not taped and hand-written or typed notes were used. If any
participant refused to allow written notes to be taken, they were excused from the interview. A
transcription of the interview, whether recorded or written, was made.
Observations. Observations, per Merriam and Tisdell (2016), take place in the setting
where the phenomenon of interest naturally occurs. In addition, they noted that, as an outsider,
the researcher can often notice things that have become routine to the participants themselves
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Therefore, observations were necessary to capture data that may not
have been captured through the survey alone, and to reveal information not revealed in the
interviews, as well as to confirm information shared in both surveys and interviews.
A total of six visits were made to the school site. Throughout the six visits, there was ongoing
formal and informal observations which focused on but were not limited to the following:
Considerations of professional culture
Collaborative practices
Professional development
Monitoring of instructional practice for consistency
Use of data
Program evaluation
Common understanding of expectations (for students and staff)
Instruction reflected high expectations
Student engagement
Classroom environments
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Advertised/promoted supports and resources: physically, socially, and emotional
support
Identify and support students at risk of dropping out, students in crisis, and
students who require intensive assistance
School spirit
Various Stakeholders (Teachers, staff, students, parents, community members, board members,
community partners, etc.)
Stakeholder engagement
Feedback opportunities
Methods of communication
Partnerships
Interaction among/between stakeholders
Access and entry. Initial contact was made with the Chief of Instruction at the Home
Office, school district level, to receive the procedural information and requirements needed in
order to receive permission to conduct research within the organization. The purpose of the
initial conversation was twofold. First, an explanation of the study to be conducted was
provided. Second, information regarding obtaining consent and permission to conduct the study
was discussed. An application to conduct research prior to contacting individual school sites
needed to be submitted for approval. Once approval was granted by the Home Office,
permission was granted to contact the school leader.
When participants were selected, a letter of consent was provided to the participants, and
a date and time was set to meet with interviewees. Soon after, observations were scheduled at
the school site. The recruitment document was utilized for all recruitment procedures. Measures
41
that were taken during the recruitment and consent process to ensure that individuals had
adequate time to consider participation and to safeguard against potential coercion and undue
influence were the following:
Participants were not forced, threatened or coerced in any way to participate in this
research, and no undue influence or other form of constraint will be used to recruit
individuals to participate in this research, or to retain currently enrolled subjects.
Participants were not punished or denied something which they would normally
receive, if they chose not to participate in the research, or chose to withdraw early
from participation.
Participants were given an adequate amount of time to consider participation in the
study.
Participants were given the opportunity to take the informed consent document home
to discuss participation with their family, friends and/or others before making a
definitive decision.
Participants were not compensated for participating in the study.
Credibility and trustworthiness. Merriam and Tisdale stated that because qualitative
research is based on assumptions about reality, the standards for rigor differ from those in
quantitative research (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). This means that a researcher has a greater
responsibility to ensure that people can trust the research results. Triangulation of the data
sources, which demonstrates that the phenomenon was explored using a variety of perspectives,
is a way of establishing credibility (Baxter & Jack, 2008). Also, because the researcher is the
main instrument in a qualitative study, during the investigation the researcher poses a risk to the
credibility and the validity of the study. Merriam and Tisdell suggest that this can be addressed
42
by careful attention to the study’s conceptualization, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and
the way in which the findings are presented (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Ethical considerations. Ethics when conducting research refers to doing good and avoiding
harm by taking careful preventative steps when working with human subjects (Orb, Eisenhauer,
& Wynaden, 2001). Before conducting the study, it was necessary to participate and complete
the required human subject protection training to ensure that careful ethical measures would be
taken when conducting the study. Research protocols were reviewed by the Institutional Review
Board (IRB) and approved. To ensure ethical behavior during the study, permission to record
the interviews was requested of all participants. It was also important to ensure a commitment to
maintain confidentiality in regards to any data collected, as well as maintaining any documents
and data collected in a safe and locked place.
Data Analysis
Baxter and Jack (2008) pointed out that the danger during the analysis phase is that each
data source would be treated independently from the findings. They suggest that the purpose of
a case study is to ensure that the data are combined in such a manner that it provides an overall
understanding of the study and the contributing factors influencing the phenomenon (Baxter &
Jack, 2008). The initial step Maxwell (2013) proposed for analyzing the data, is reading the
interview transcripts and observational notes and while doing so writing notes and memos that
can help develop ideas and categories immediately after conducting interviews or observations.
Considering this, it was important to begin this process immediately after conducting the
interviews with the participants, and after each site visit, as the information was still relatively
fresh.
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Conclusion
The purpose of this chapter was to describe the research methodology. Using the case
study methodologies presented in Maxwell (2013) and Merriam & Tisdell (2016) a plan for
conducting the case study was developed. Accordingly, data was collected through the
following forms: document review, surveys, interviews, and observations. Triangulation was
used when analyzing data to ensure trustworthiness and credibility. Findings of the study will be
detailed in Chapter Four.
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CHAPTER FOUR
Findings of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative case study, as stated in previous chapters, was to identify
the factors present in a nontraditional, outperforming, urban K-12 school, specifically, the
programs, the leadership practices, and the implemented cultural norms. This qualitative case
study focuses on Brilliance Charter High School. Brilliance Charter High School is located in
Los Angeles County. It is part of a non-profit charter management organization (CMO), whose
mission is to help transform public education so all students graduate and are prepared for
college, leadership, and life. Brilliance Charter High School is proving it can achieve better
student outcomes with the same student demographic, and lower per pupil funding than the
traditional public-school district. Unlike many other charter schools in other CMOs, Brilliance
Charter High School has a unionized workforce.
As one of the oldest schools in its charter organization, Brilliance High School, has set a
standard for sister schools in the organization and for the traditional school district who approves
their operation as a charter. The school opened its doors to students in early 2000, and rapidly
became one of the most successful schools in the area and has consistently ranked in the top 100
public high schools in the nation, according to US World and News Report. In the US News
Rankings, Brilliance Charter High School ranked in the top hundred schools. In National
Rankings, it ranked in the top twenty California High Schools, and ranked in the top fifty of
Charter High Schools, nationwide. This led Brilliance High school to earn and receive a Gold
Ribbon in 2017.
This chapter presents the data collected at Brilliance Charter High School. The
triangulated data collected provides information about the perceived factors that sets the school
45
apart from its traditional counterpart, as an outperforming school, while serving the needs of
students of color who are mainly labeled as socioeconomically disadvantaged. The data
collected came from four sources, document review, surveys, interviews, and observations. The
document review began in the month of August 2017, and continued through the month of
November 2017. Included in the document review were the following:
WASC accreditation.
Single plan for student achievement.
Professional development calendar.
Staff meeting/training agendas.
Master schedule.
Mission/vision.
Lesson plans.
Assessment data.
National Student Clearinghouse.
Surveys were sent out in the month of October 2017 to 33 staff members, from which there were
18 respondents. Appendix (B) shows the survey used in this study. The table below shows the
results of the survey questionnaire used in this study.
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Table 4.1
Summary of Survey Questionnaire Results
%
Agree and
Strongly Agree
%
Disagree and
Strongly Disagree
Vision and Mission
1. The school has a clear mission/vision. 100 0
2. I have a clear vision of what the school is trying to achieve. 99 1
3. The staff shares a common understanding of what the school
wants to achieve.
98 2
4. The staff works beyond their official roles in order to help achieve
school goals.
92 8
5. The school’s vision/mission is evident in multiple
methods/practices.
90 10
6. The staff keeps the school’s goals in mind when making important
decisions.
90 10
Leadership
7. The leaders at my school lead by example. 91 9
8. The school provides a clear pathway for leadership opportunities. 96 4
9. School leaders/administrators consider various viewpoints when
making decisions.
89 11
10. The school offers many leadership opportunities for all staff
members.
96 4
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11. The leaders/administrators hold staff accountable for improving
student learning.
97 3
12. When issues arise at the school, leadership responds in a prompt
manner.
96 4
Learning Environment
1) 13. The school environment is conducive to learning. 98 2
14. Teachers use effective strategies to help different subgroups of
students meet high academic standards.
95 5
15. Teachers use a variety of approaches and activities to help
students learn.
95 5
16. School work is meaningful to students. 86 14
17. Classroom activities are intellectually stimulating and engaging. 87 13
School Environment
18. Teachers show they care about all of their students. 98 2
19. The staff respects the diversity of all their students. 97 3
20. Student interactions are polite and supportive of one another. 92 8
Standards/Expectations of non-traditional schools
21. Students are expected to achieve at high standards. 98 2
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22. All students are consistently challenged by a rigorous curriculum. 91 9
23. The school gives teachers substantial freedom to carry out
lessons and activities.
92 8
Monitoring of teaching and learning
24. Assessment results are used to determine professional learning
activities.
93 7
25. Teachers receive regular feedback on how they are performing. 98 2
26. School staff are interdependent and value each other. 95 5
27. I feel comfortable sharing my ideas with other staff members. 96 4
28. The school supports and appreciates the sharing of new ideas by
staff members.
96 4
29. The staff works in teams across grade levels to help increase
student learning.
99 1
30. Staff routinely work together to plan what will be taught. 99 1
From August to November, observations were conducted of the school leaders’ summer
professional development, school-wide professional development, school-site environment,
classrooms, Summer-Bridge Program. The observation protocol is found in Appendix C. The
interviews conducted included three teachers, a counselor, an assistant principal, and the
principal. The interview questions are listed in Appendix D. The data collected was organized to
answer the following research questions which guided the research for this study:
49
1. What practices and programs are implemented in an urban outperforming non-
traditional school?
2. What are the leadership practices in an urban outperforming non-traditional
school?
3. What are the cultural norms in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
Brilliance Charter High School
As discussed in Chapter Three, Brilliance Charter High School was chosen for this case
study, as an urban outperforming nontraditional K-12 school that meets the specific criteria for
eligibility. The school selected had to be:
1. An elementary or secondary school.
2. In an urban community, under resourced, and low SES.
3. A nontraditional:
a. Charter School,
b. Magnet School,
c. Specific High School,
d. Alternative School,
e. Online Education,
f. Independent School,
g. Dual Immersion.
The selected school had to demonstrate:
1. Ethnic diversity by serving students of color.
2. A low dropout rate.
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3. SBAC scores where a high percentage of students met or exceeded standards in math
and English.
4. Identified as a distinguished school through a Gold Medal School-Award.
Brilliance Charter High School met all the required criteria to be selected for this
qualitative case study. It is a secondary charter school that serves 99% students of color, of
which 97.5% are Latino students, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Asian, and 0.4% other.
Of the students enrolled at the school, 95.5% are socioeconomically disadvantaged and qualify
for free or reduced school lunch. The California Assessment of Student Progress and
Performance scores demonstrated that a high percentage of students met or exceeded standards
in math and English. Brilliance Charter High School has remained above the state average in
math and English, for at least three years in a row, which has resulted in it being awarded a Gold
Ribbon in 2017. The school has a 94% graduation rate, 12% above the state average, and 93%
of graduates earned a “C” grade or higher in the A-G required classes needed for eligibility into
UC and CSU schools, 50% above state average.
Brilliance Charter High School is ranked number 131 in the National Rankings, number
16 in California High Schools and number 46 in Charter High Schools.
Figure 4.1. Graduation Rates at Brilliance Charter High School (Great Schools, 2017).
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According to U.S. News Score Card, schools are ranked based on the students’
performance on state-required tests and how well the school prepares students for college.
Student preparedness for college is determined by the number of students who have taken and
successfully passed the offered AP courses and tests, and received college credit for their efforts
(U.S. News, 2017). U.S. News calculated a College Readiness Index based on AP exam
participation rates and percentages of students passing at least one AP exam.
Figure 4.2. Brilliance Charter High School College Readiness Scorecard (U.S. News, 2017).
According to the score card above, 90% of students who were enrolled in AP courses took the
AP exam, and 82% of those students passed at least one of the exams, successfully
demonstrating proficiency in college coursework.
A First Impression of Brilliance Charter High School
When one thinks of an urban school serving a high percentage of disadvantaged students
of color, one may picture something out of the film Lean on Me starring Morgan Freeman; a
52
school with test scores that are less than mediocre, infested with gangs, drugs, and a teaching
staff that simply show up to work. Nevertheless, according to Great Schools and U.S. News
rankings, students at Brilliance Charter High School perform above average on state
tests, stand above average in college readiness, and take more advanced courses per student than
the state average, demonstrating the ability to be successful beyond high school. Given the
demographics of the school, it is evident that Brilliance Charter High School shows
outstanding results in serving disadvantaged students (Great Schools & U.S. News, 2017).
These outstanding results lead one to ask what is the story behind this outperforming,
nontraditional urban school that is rated above average in school quality, compared to other
schools, especially those serving similar demographics?
When one first drives by the intimidating and futuristic looking Brilliance Charter High
School building, there is a sense of curiosity for what might be found inside. The school appears
futuristic and robot-like, and might give one a sense of coldness and individualistic isolation;
however, the minute one sets foot on campus the feeling of connectedness is overwhelming.
This connectedness is evident school-wide from the campus security officer’s initial greeting on
the street corner which welcomes students, to the smiles and greetings of the students, teachers,
and staff on site, and the flying high fives and fist bumps between teachers and students, one
knows that Brilliance Charter High School is different. This feeling is an indication that there is
something more beyond test scores that makes students’ success here possible.
Centered above every classroom’s entry way is a metal plaque that says “The Road to
College Begins Here.” As one walks through the hallways, there are pennants from different
colleges and universities on the walls, which stretch from the beginning of the hallway to the
end. The inside of a glass case features four scholars of the month, one per grade level, with a
53
picture and short bio highlighting their personality and favorite activities. In another glass case,
a calendar of important events is highlighted for each grade level and is accessible to view for all
who enter the campus. Important events are highlighted, but there are also announcements that
pertain to events and services outside of school that are deemed important; immigration services
for example, and The L.A. Warmline, a hotline for anyone who may be in need of mental health
services.
Research Question One: What Practices and Programs Are Implemented in an Urban
Outperforming Non-Traditional School?
Taking into consideration success rates of urban schools in past decades, and the learning
experiences of the students of color who attended these schools, it sparks curiosity about what
schools that excel in teaching students of color in urban communities are doing differently.
Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) pointed out that a grave error in transforming urban
education is the tendency to portray low-performing schools as having a lack of effort and
motivation amongst all who make up the school. Rather than people having no motivation to put
in the work needed to achieve success, is getting people to focus on the “right work” (Marzano,
Waters, & McNulty, 2005). Surveys, interviews, as well as observations indicate that the
students at Brilliance Charter High School are in fact working hard, learning, and excelling
because they are doing the right kind work.
Summer Bridge Program for All Incoming Ninth Graders
Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) stated that in order to pinpoint the right work to
undertake, the needs of the particular school site must be assessed. When surveying the staff,
99% of the respondents responded “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement, “I have a clear
vision of what the school is trying to achieve” and 98% responded “agree” or “strongly agree” to
54
the statement, “The staff shares a common understanding of what the school wants to achieve.”
This was evident when interviewing the principal at Brilliance Charter High School, she stated
that one of the greatest programs they have been able to leverage has been their 9
th
grade
“Summer Bridge Program.” And this has been guided by the school’s goals of preparing students
for college She stated:
I’m not even sure how summer school programs work in the traditional public schools
anymore. I know after budget cuts years ago, many public schools lost summer school
programs, and high schools were offering only recovery courses. While many schools
have a summer bridge program for students, our two-week summer bridge program was
developed with the specific goal of determining where our incoming students are
academically, and onboarding them to the school culture. We were having a difficult
time at the beginning of the school year determining placement for our students because
we weren’t always getting our students’ academic records on time given that we are not
sharing a databased system to access school records from the public-school district they
may come from. Through the summer bridge program, we were able to assess all
incoming 9
th
grade students, in both math and English, and determine proper placement
in math and English courses by the time the school year began. This diminished the
amount of movement for students at the beginning of the school year, and helped teachers
maintain consistency in the classroom as they laid the foundation for classroom
expectations.
A teacher interviewed by the researcher, expressed a positive sentiment for the 9
th
grade summer
bridge program. She corroborated the importance of ensuring students are properly placed at the
beginning of the school year:
55
As a teacher it is important to create consistency for my students, but when I have started
to do all the things teachers do at the beginning of the school year to establish
expectations, a safe learning environment, and begin knowing my students, which is all
necessary before we can really get to the academics; when we have movement of students
in and out of the classroom and we have to begin again and/or attempt to catch them up
on all they missed, it makes it hard for everyone in the class. I also find it important to
have that baseline data collected during summer bridge accessible by the time students
come to my class. This data tells me exactly where students strengths are, how much re-
teaching of previous skills I need to do, and what areas of learning they may need the
most support with. I think having this data also helps us be able to see how quickly we
are able to make a difference at the end of the first quarter. Many of our students are
coming from schools outside of the organization and it’s important to determine the gaps
in their learning sooner than later.
When observing the 9
th
grade summer bridge program for a day, it was evident that teachers
were invested in making the two weeks a process of learning for their students as much as for
themselves. In addition to the assessment of students for baseline placement data, teachers fully
planned out what they wanted 9
th
grade students to take with them as they prepared to start their
high school experience at Brilliance Charter High School. This supported the responses of 95%
of staff surveyed who responded “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement, “The school’s
mission/vision is evident in multiple methods and practices” and it was also supported by the
92% survey responses from respondents who stated they “agree” or “strongly agree” to the
statement, “The school gives teachers substantial freedom to carry out lesson and activities.”
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Though students would not begin the school year with Brilliance Charter High school for
another month and a half, incoming students were expected to be in full Brilliance Charter High
School appropriate uniforms; from polo shirt and khaki pants, to all black or all white shoes,
without exception. Students were also introduced to school-wide policies and norms that they
would be expected to follow throughout the school year. Most importantly, students were
instilled with the sense that they were college material. During dismissal, the researcher
approached a couple of teachers to get a sense about their beliefs regarding the two-week crash
course for the incoming 9
th
graders. They both seemed to be on the same page with each other.
One of the teacher’s pointed out that:
It is only two weeks, but we give them enough to think about through the summer before
school starts. It’s important for both the students and us the teachers to know each
student’s ability and for them to leave with a sense of confidence that they made the right
choice in applying to our school. What makes us different is that we let our students
know from the very get go where they stand academically and what it will take for them
to be at the desired level. It is especially important for me as a teacher that they know
that I am here to help them get there.
The other teacher chimed in saying:
This summer bridge program is also an opportunity for us to learn about our students not
only academically, but many times it only takes a few days to know what additional
supports our students may need, behavioral, academic, or social emotional. Sure, some
may hold back on us and we may not fully be aware of important issues or needs until
way later, but for the most part we get a pretty good sense. It’s also good to see them
come back at the beginning of the school year. They are much more comfortable than
57
normally students going to a new school would be, because they are already familiar with
the school, with many of the students, with the school staff and the teachers who were
there during the summer who may happen to be their teachers at the beginning of the
school year.
This validated the survey responses of 95% of the staff who stated that they “agree” or “strongly
agree” to the statement, “Teachers use effective strategies to help different subgroups of students
meet high academic standards.” Through the two-week ninth grade summer bridge program,
Brilliance Charter High School strives to prepare a foundation to support students from the onset
of the school year. The program is a way for teachers to acculturate, assess, and build
relationship with incoming students, but also to determine the strategies and supports that need to
be in place for their students.
College Readiness Courses
Through the ninth grade summer bridge program, students begin to see that college and
career is an important and achievable focus. In the classroom teachers utilize activities and
conversations to help students make connections as to why different activities, concepts, and
assignments are important as they begin to think about college. Students also participate in a
well-planned-out college fieldtrip on the last day of the summer bridge program. The charter
organization’s mission states that all students will graduate ready for college, and Brilliance
Charter High School ensures that this is a tangible concept for students through the College
Readiness Course that all tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders are enrolled in.
Parret and Budge (2012) stated that the solution to the problem faced by students in
urban, high-poverty communities serving students of color, is not about fixing students and their
families in order to fit into school, but rather it is about fixing the school so that students have a
58
greater opportunity to succeed. Brilliance Charter High School has established a program that
ensures students have a fair chance to compete for placement in the college of their choice and
succeed beyond Brilliance Chart High School. The college readiness course was designed as a
way to provide students access to equitable resources, and as a way to remove many of the
barriers students of color in urban-communities encounter, as they prepare for college and
embark on the college journey.
College readiness courses at Brilliance Charter High School were at first only offered to
seniors. The college readiness course was created in 2003. When the researcher spoke with one
of the college readiness teachers, she mentioned that the course came about as a reaction to the
need to offer students intense support while they navigate the college application process. She
stated:
There are many steps to the college application process that makes it a real challenge for
students who many not have the support they need at home to be able to complete much
of it on their own. I found myself working endless hours one-on-one with students and
calling in small groups of students at a time to check in and follow up with the
application. I felt that it was really unfair for students and I always ended my day
wishing I’d find a way to be much more effective in helping many more students. All
students were in different phases of the process. When I would call them into my office
it was only to find that they had not brought their application and needed documents with
them, or had left them at home with a parent who was gathering information needed. All
this made it very hard to help them.
When surveyed, 98% of the respondents stated that they “agree” or “strongly agree" to
the statement, “Students are expected to achieve at high standards.” This was validated by Ms. Y
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when she said that when the course was offered to students and added to the school programming
for all seniors, it made it so much easier to guide students through the process and hold them
accountable for completing the paperwork on time. She also explained that as they developed
the coursework for the senior class, they realized the amount of information that students were
already missing by the time they got to their senior year. She added that, because college
application deadlines occur during the first semester of the senior year, they realized it would be
necessary to develop a course for tenth and eleventh graders.
For sophomores, the course is geared toward helping them explore their personal
identities and interests, and geared toward helping them explore different career options and
colleges. It’s important for them to explore and identify their talents and abilities and how these
relate to their career options and colleges that would be a best fit for those talents and abilities.
In their junior year, students begin to create a personal roadmap based on and building off of
what they discovered about themselves during sophomore year. They explore their values and
learn to create meaningful personal and academic goals. They prepare for and take the ACT and
SAT exams. Finally, in their senior year, students reconnect to their established goals and
determine whether or not they still resonate with them or if they need to reevaluate their
priorities. During this year they are working through the admissions process and are
participating in financial aid workshops.
When the researcher observed students in these three courses, they were intensely
exploring the key components necessary for each grade level, exactly as mentioned by Ms. Y.
During the observation the tenth-grade class worked through a career inventory to help them
identify careers that would be a best fit for them, based on their interest and abilities. Students
were excited and eager to tell each other about the careers that came up as a best fit for them.
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Students were then guided to reflect on those careers. They teacher asked them to choose the top
three careers that they were most interested in. They were instructed to research these three and
find out specific skills needed to do the job, and to find out what education, credentialing, or
certification is needed. They were also asked to find out what schools specialize in their chosen
career pathway, where they would most likely be able to find a job, and the average amount of
money they would expect to make should they choose that career. This observation supported
survey responses of 86% of the staff who stated that they “agree” or “strongly agree” to the
statement, “School work is meaningful to students,” as well as the responses of 87% of the staff
who stated that they “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement, “Classroom activities are
intellectually stimulating and engaging to students.”
During the observation, the eleventh-grade class was in the process of taking the
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), as a practice test for the SAT and ACT. It was a
quiet testing environment and the teacher had planned a simulated testing day, very similar to
what students would experience the day of SAT and ACT testing. Students were given a
checklist of things to bring with them; admission ticket, photo id, two number 2 pencils with
erasers, and an acceptable calculator. Before entering the classroom, electronics were collected
from students and were sitting in Ziploc bags on the teacher’s desk, each one labeled with the
student’s name on a post-it note.
When entering the senior class, one is met by a giant map of the United States, a full
bulletin board size where different colleges and universities have been mapped with different
color yarn and Los Angeles as a starting point. The map represented all of the different colleges
and universities students were interested in applying to. There were pictures of students on the
walls with brief descriptions of their talents and their top college and university choices.
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Students were in the process of admissions applications. They all sat quietly facing the front of
the room where a section of a college application was projected onto a screen by the teacher.
She walked them through the information that was required in that section. The teacher did not
point out any students, but when interviewed she stated:
I know there are students who will be nervous through the process because of their
immigration status, I have to walk them all through the same process. Knowing that this
is the reality for many of my students, given that we serve 99% Latino students at
Brilliance, I have to take extra steps to inform myself of what is out there for them and
the possibilities of them being accepted to a college. I need to know what extra steps
they will need to take, otherwise I am doing a disservice by having them go through a
process that may turn out to be out of their reach. I find that it is my responsibility to
give them all the information they need to make the best decisions.
In continuing my conversation with the twelfth grade college readiness teacher, she
mentioned that what she believes makes this program unique is that no other high school in the
organization has a college readiness course like theirs. While other high schools in the
organization share similar elements through their advisory program, they have not implemented
a full-blown college readiness course. In addition, the program’s success depends on all three
teachers combining their expertise, and also their networking skills and connections to bring to
the students the resources that students in affluent communities may already have. She was very
excited to talk about the speakers that they had come address students in past years, and the
different opportunities students have had to go to universities to listen to great leadership figures.
There was one project they were in the process of bringing to the students for which the teacher
was particularly excited:
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This year over 65% of our students are UC eligible and one of the things they struggle the
most with every year is the admissions essay. We want to ensure that our students have a
fair chance of receiving adequate feedback to stand out as more than a test score or a
number, and that they truly get an opportunity to express in writing who they really are.
So a group of professional educators, authors, screenwriters, and other volunteers will do
a Saturday feedback workshop with our students. Our students will be receiving genuine
and quality feedback to create excellent essays. Being able to create those kinds of
opportunities for our students is what I love about being at Brilliance, it’s really all about
the students with everyone here.
Evidenced throughout the interviews and observations, was the teachers’ desire to help
students graduate prepared for college. The differentiation and focus was appropriate for each
grade level. When speaking with one of the counselors, additional information was provided
about the counselor’s role in supporting students. A large part of the job most counselors have in
comprehensive public schools is guiding students through the college admissions process. The
counselor stated that although the majority of the application process is not fully his
responsibility, he plays a large role in monitoring the acceptance of students into colleges and
universities. He stated:
Once students graduate, we don’t stop there. The majority of our students are first
generation college students and there are many challenges that come with navigating
higher education for the first time, without guidance. It is extremely important for us to
get our students to the first day of their second year in college, because we have come to
learn that it is a great indicator that they will persist. Graduating high school and getting
accepted to college doesn’t mean we have fully prepared our students for college. We
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believe that we have prepared our students for college when we know they have actually
graduated from college. Our district office has a team of people called the College
Persistence Team, who are counselors at the district office dedicated to monitor our
students through college, together we do our part to monitor our students progress beyond
high school.
As of April 2017 Brilliance Charter High School had an average of 73% of students
enrolled in college immediately after high school (National Student Clearinghouse, 2017). The
graph below shows the percentage of students graduating high school who were enrolled in
college for the fall immediately following graduation between 2009 to 2016. Brilliance Charter
High School increased the number of students enrolled in college by 24%.
Figure 4.3. The percentage of students enrolled in college the fall after high school graduation
(National Student Clearinghouse, 2017).
The graph below, shows the percentage of students enrolled in college the fall
immediately after graduation by institution type from 2009 to 2016. In 2009, from the 61% of
students who enrolled, there was a 3% difference from students who enrolled in a four-year
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institution over a two-year institution. By 2016, 58% more students chose to enroll in a four-
year institution over a two-year institution.
Figure 4.4. The percentage of students enrolled in college the fall immediately after high school
by institution level (National Student Clearinghouse, 2017).
The graph below shows the percentage of students enrolled in college during the first
year after high school who also returned for a second year of college. As of April 2017,
Brilliance Charter High School showed an average of 86% freshman to sophomore college
persistence. As one continues to look at the monitoring of students who enrolled in college
immediately after high school, the average percentage of students who graduated from Brilliance
Charter High School, who actually completed a degree from higher education institutions is
23%.
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Figure 4.5. The percent of students enrolled in college their freshman year who returned for a
second year (National Student Clearinghouse, 2017).
The tables below show postsecondary enrollment and progress of number of students from 2009
to 2015, after graduating from Brilliance Charter High School.
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Table 4.2
Count of Postsecondary Enrollment and Progress
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When speaking to the teachers and counselor, each stated that it is their mission to ensure
that students are prepared for college when they graduate from Brilliance Charter High School.
They admitted that college graduation rates are not yet where they want to see them to be and
that the work continues as they monitor cohorts of students. When speaking to the assistant
principal, she stated that it is important for students to persist academically, but also to know
how to navigate the higher education systems for which reason extra steps have been taken to
strengthen the support graduates get as they transition to college. The assistant principal went on
to say:
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Our counselor along with the persistence team work through the summer to ensure that
students actually enroll in college. We can’t stop at students being accepted to college,
many of them are first generation and have no experience in navigating the systems or
resources to get them started, which is where many of them fall through the cracks. So,
summer workshops are created to help students access the universities’ online portals and
complete registration steps, as well as learn to access the different resources the
university offers. One of the biggest successes, in collaboration with the persistence
team, has been able to provide students connections with the local universities. Students
here are connected to alumni from our charter organization who attend there, some
Brilliance High graduates. They help students familiarize themselves with the campus
and make the transition easier. Given the number of our students graduating from
college, we knew more needed to be done, so Alumni Champions and University
Mentors were created.
Alumni Champions are a cohort of teachers and counselors who assist students with the
guidance needed to not only enroll in college, but to also graduate. This partnership can take on
many different forms of support, from phone conversations, text-messages, to in-person
meetings; all, with the sole purpose of encouraging the students and reassuring them that they are
not alone in the process. This confirmed the survey responses of 92% of the staff who responded
“agree” or strongly agree” to the statement, “The staff works beyond their official roles in order
to help achieve school goals.” Teacher and Alumni Champion Ms. R stated:
I want our students to feel supported. As a first-generation college student myself, I
know how difficult it can be and how lonely one feels when there is no one to turn to for
help. I didn’t know very much how to advocate for myself when I first started college,
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but I make sure that I support my students as a champion of their success and ensure that
they know who to seek out on campus, and more importantly I remind them that they
have lots of people looking out for them, looking up to them, and that they are a hero in
someone’s eye.
The university mentors are college students who have graduated from the charter
organization under which Brilliance Charter High School operates, they are not solely Brilliance
graduates. The mentors are trained by a group of counselors, The College Persistence Team, and
given a small scholarship toward their own college expenses for their services. The main
purpose of the University Mentors is to provide social and academic support to students
throughout their first year of college while the mentors themselves, are in their junior or senior
year of college. When speaking to the counselor regarding this mentorship program he stated:
The idea is that while the freshman is being supported by someone who has been through
a similar situation of learning how to navigate the college system and adapting, it will be
equally beneficial to the mentor who is at the last stretch of their own college education.
Through this program they enhance their leadership skills. We believe that they become
a resource for each other and that while the mentee feels supported the mentor has a sense
of responsibility to also keep pushing ahead and serve as an example of what’s possible
for their mentee. Ultimately, many of them build lasting relationships. I believe that’s
really it, when people feel connected to others, it makes any challenge seem easier.
At the core of Brilliance Charter High School’s mission is the promise to students and
their families that students will graduate prepared for college. Through the interviews and the
observations conducted onsite, as well as the data reviewed, this mission was supported. Most
survey respondents confirmed, through the Vision and Mission questions asked, that the school
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has a clear mission and vision and they too have a clear vision of what the school is trying to
achieve. 100% of the respondents strongly agree that the school’s vision and mission is evident
in multiple methods and practices. Students seem to believe that college is attainable because
this idea is reinforced through the images that cover the school walls, and the connections that
the adults at the school create for the students through the lessons and conversations. The
programs established also lead them towards the vision and mission’s goal of preparing them for
college, throughout the duration of their time at Brilliance Charter High School.
Research Question Two: What are the Leadership Practices in an Urban Outperforming
Non-Traditional School?
One proposed solution to improve education in large urban school districts is to hire great
principals and give them power (Childress, Elmore, & Grossman, 2006). However, Childress,
Elmore, and Grossman (2006) pointed out that this has failed to create a single high performing
urban school system. The lack of a single system is due to educators, policy makers, and
researchers seeing the district office, which is headed by the superintendent, as the problem
rather than the solution. In order to increase the school’s potential to become a high performing
school, district offices must carry out what Childress, Elmore, and Grossman (2006) called the
strategic function for improving teaching and learning in the organization.
Brilliance Charter High School runs on a distributed leadership model. In surveys and
interviews teachers reported high levels of collaboration, both in departmental and grade levels.
Survey and interview responses corroborated what was observed by the researcher at the school
site, during professional development and the summer staff retreat. However, beyond that, it was
revealed that there is accessibility and open communication from the CEO and Academic Chiefs
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of the CMO, to the area superintendents, district office staff, and on down to all who work at the
school site.
Professional Development
Professional development for Brilliance Charter High School Administrators and teachers
takes on different forms, but all development is geared towards the achievement of the same goal
and mission of preparing students for college leadership and life. What happens at the school
level is due to the strong support from the district, and there is involvement and strong
collaboration between district based personnel. When surveyed, 96% of respondents stated that
they “agree” or “strongly agree” to the two following statements, “The school provides a clear
pathway for leadership opportunities” and “School offers many leadership opportunities for all
staff members.” Through observations of onsite and offsite professional development, as well as
information gathered through interviews, it is evident that leadership comes from many levels,
but there is a cohesive structure that allows the leadership to be supportive of each other.
Summer Administrator Retreat: Two-Fold
Organization-wide. During the summer Brilliance Charter High School’s principal and
two assistant principals come together with all administrators across their charter organization
for a retreat planned by the president and CEO, chief of academic affairs and area
superintendents. The summer retreat in 2017 emphasized the theme “our house,” expanding
from the previous year’s “family” theme. During this retreat, administrators engaged in different
activities, from team building, end of year data review, planning for the opening of the new
school year based on data results, equity and restorative practices training, to engaging in “food
for thought” conversations with the CEO and the chief of academic affairs, where administrators
engage in an open question and answer forum.
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During an interview with the principal, she stated that the administrators’ retreat helps to
jump start the work for the upcoming school year and set the tone. She said:
Having our organization’s leadership kick us off with the summer retreat, where we get
an overview of themes, focuses, goals, and areas of support for the year to effectively do
the work and run our schools, is great. We are able to, in the same manner, structure a
summer retreat for our school-site leadership teams and create focus goals for our school
year. I appreciate that there is clear transparency about where we are as an organization
and what schools will be expected to do throughout the school year. I appreciate that we
have access to our area superintendents and that the coaching plan is always laid out for
us as we prepare our leadership team retreats and staff retreat to kick off the school year.
It is apparent that the leadership at the district-level has a great influence on what happens at the
school site level. Childress, Elmore, and Grossman (2006) stated that school-based solutions are
not enough to create the needed impact in teaching and learning:
Achieving excellence on a broad scale requires a districtwide strategy for improving
instruction in the classroom and an organization that can implement it. Only the district
office can create such a plan, identify and spread best practices, develop leadership
capabilities at all levels, build information systems to monitor student improvement and
hold people accountable for results (Childress, Elmore, & Grossman, 2006).
The charter organization, under which Brilliance Charter High School operates, is
representative of the “strategic function” (Childress, Elmore, & Grossman, 2006). They set the
tone, systems, and structures for school leaders to be effective. The figure below demonstrates
the framework guiding the CMO in creating effective schools.
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Figure 4.6. “Our House” mission, strategy, and vision model (Charter Organization, 2017).
It is evident that the mission trickles down to the school site, as Brilliance Charter High School
operates under the same mission and the mission guides the work at the school site.
School-site level. Soon after the organization-wide administrator retreat takes place,
principals plan and prepare for a similar retreat focusing on goals that align to those of the
organization. It is from this session that school-wide goals emerge and the focus for the school
year, which will guide instructional practices and school culture decisions, is determined. While
interviewing both the principal and assistant principal, it was noted that although the initial goal
setting starts with the administrators, goals purpose and rational for the school year’s focus is
then taken to the school’s leadership teams, Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), Grade Level
Team (GLT) and the School Culture Team (SCT), each made up of three to four teachers.
Together, they plan the summer staff retreat, and each team takes on a major role in facilitating
and leading the staff throughout the school year. Brilliance Charter High School’s assistant
principal explained the role of each of these teams:
The ILT leads professional development focusing on instructional units that are carried
out each quarter with embedded work time and follow up sessions to monitor progress, as
well as data driven instruction (DDI). The GLT leads the staff on grade level
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collaboration which can vary from analyzing D and F data to collaborating on norming of
policies and classroom, as well as school-wide routines. Grade level collaboration is also
the opportunity for teachers to share best practices and create consistency through the
grade level. There may be something a teacher may be doing that the entire grade level
may want to adopt or adapt in their own practice. This is often the time when teachers
without a formal leadership role step up to share and facilitate. Finally, the School
Culture Team is responsible for leading the charge on behavioral interventions and
creating supports for social emotional learning interventions.
Each of these teams have quarterly trainings with district based coordinators in an effort
to continue strengthening the district-school collaboration and support. In addition to continued
strengthening of the district to school collaboration and supports, Brilliance Charter High School
administrators have monthly, full day professional development meetings led and facilitated by
the area superintendents. “Key Results” are half-day sessions where they visit other high schools
within the organization, highlighting a key focus area that is working at a particular school, and
biweekly coaching sessions with their area superintendent at the school site.
Coaching Model
In surveys 99% of the staff responded “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement, “The
staff works in teams across grade levels to help increase student learning,” as well as, “Staff
routinely works together to plan what will be taught.” In interviews teachers reported high levels
of collaboration both in department and grade levels, where they receive peer support and
guidance from lead teachers (ILT, GLT, and SCT), but also from curriculum specialists from the
district office and administrators at the school. Figure 4.7 details the coaching model and
framework.
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Figure 4.7. The coaching model utilized for the 2017-2018 school year (Charter Organization,
2017).
The coaching model focuses on the following areas:
A differentiated approach to a six step debrief; which, the organization adopted from
Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s book Leverage Leadership a Practical Guide to Building
Exceptional Schools (2012).
A greater focus on teacher relationships.
A teacher vision, “asset” based approach to coaching.
Push for more cognitive load on the teacher throughout the process.
Through an observation of a coaching session with the assistant principal and an English
teacher, the researcher could see four of the coaching model steps in action. The assistant
principal had observed the teacher prior to the debriefing session and had scheduled a time to
debrief over what was observed. The assistant principal provided the context prior to the
observation of the debrief, and explained that the purpose of the debrief is to be able to give the
teacher meaningful feedback to develop and grow the teacher, by identifying one core area
where the teacher could have improved the lesson and create an action plan for improving. By
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considering the level of a teacher that the administrator is coaching, then the administrator can
prepare appropriately. The level of a teacher is determined by their abilities to do the following:
Level four: teacher identifies the problem.
Level three: teacher can identify the issue when the leader provides scaffolded
questions to the teacher.
Level two: the leader presents data to illustrate the issue.
Level one: the leader must identify the problem.
The assistant principal mentioned that the step most crucial to the process, is the act of
practicing the action step that the teacher is considering, because it allows them the opportunity
to feel confident and prepared enough to follow through. The practice can take the form of role
play or walking the administrator through the changes that will be made, and what they will look
like in action. Finally, the teacher and the administrator plan on how to incorporate the change
into a future lesson and set a timeline for when it will be implemented. There is however, not a
“one way” approach to coaching sessions. The diagram below illustrates the varied coaching
services provided by the leader:
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Figure 4.8. Coaching services offered to the teacher (Charter Organization, 2017).
Administrators at Brilliance Charter High School are committed to the use of the above
coaching model and engage in professional development that enhances their coaching skills, as
they have come to realize that teachers’ competence and growth is essential to student
achievement. The following diagram delineates the series of professional development sessions
for the school year:
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Table 4.3
The Art and Science of Coaching Professional Development Series.
September
(Relationships)
● Assessment of
areas for
teachers to
focus on.
● Overview of
the coaching
model and
coaching
strategies.
● Above and
below the
green line
coaching
considerations.
● Needs
assessment to
determine the
focus of future
sessions.
October
(Strategy One)
● Enrollment
reflection.
● Intro
Strategy
One.
● Practice.
● Planning.
November -
January
(Strategies Two -
Four)
● Previous
strategy of
reflection
on the
problem of
practice.
● Input on
the second
strategy.
● Practice.
● Planning.
March
(Analysis)
● Successes
and
challenges of
the case study
teacher.
● Reflection on
strategies
attempted.
● Reflection on
the evolution
of the
coaching
relationship.
● Goal setting
for the
following
school year.
Through conversations with the principal and assistant principal, it was noted that
teachers receive this very structured coaching time with their evaluating administrator. The
principal, in a very similar manner, receives individual coaching from the area superintendent,
twice a month, and the assistant principal then receives individual coaching from the principal,
twice a month. Bambrick-Santoyo (2012) stated that the core idea in this type of coaching is to
help develop the professional in one year as most professionals do in twenty years. Surveys
indicated that 98% of staff stated that they “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement,
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“Teachers receive regular feedback on how they are performing” through informal observations,
formal observations, and coaching sessions with their evaluating administrator, as well as their
curriculum specialist. 97% of respondents also “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement,
“Leaders/administrators hold staff accountable for improving student learning.” Staff stated in
interviews that it is through follow up of coaching sessions that accountability is evident,
because implementation of the feedback received is expected.
Research Question Three: What are the Cultural Norms in an Urban Outperforming, Non-
Traditional School?
The framework guiding Brilliance Charter High School stands in recognition of the work
that brings educators together through creating structures, processes, and noting patterns that
allow a school to run effectively. Most importantly, the school administrators recognize that
there is something at a deeper level that drives the work, and that is the human aspect.
Recognizing people’s identities and what drives them is an important focus, and one on which
relationships have been built.
Figure 4.9. Components of an effective educational system (Charter Organization, 2017).
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Figure 4.9 illustrates the systems above the green line, which represent what happens at
the managerial level in order to run a school. Below the green line, the figure illustrates the areas
needed to build a system that works; people’s human nature must be acknowledged, and a place
where people feel connected and valued needs to be created. The above framework shows the
necessary components and people required to help systems run effectively. However, this only
happens when they are invested and connected. When surveyed, 98% of staff responded “agree”
or “strongly agree” to the statement, “Teachers show they care about all their students,” and 97%
of staff responded “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement, “The staff respects the diversity
of all their students.” A great focus for Brilliance Charter High School has been relationship-
building, adult-to-adult, adult-to-student, and student-to-student. Both teachers and
administrators noted that in order for genuine relationships creation to occur and strengthen
administrators, faculty and staff had to establish a mindset based on equity. Brilliance High’s
principal stated:
Through our summer retreat this year and ongoing training, with the National Equity
Project, we have been forced to self-reflect on what equity means to us, what it looks like
in our leadership and at our school site. We have had to evaluate how effective we have
been in ensuring that our staff, students and families feel connected and valued at our
school. This year we had 100% retention of staff. It makes me proud to know that we
are headed in the right direction and that we are creating a family oriented place where
people feel valued and supported and want to be here, and that they are invested to our
students who seek their support.
For both the staff and the leadership, understanding that their students live in an urban
community where over 95% of the students come from socioeconomically disadvantaged
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backgrounds, and that many have experienced traumatic experiences that they must face while
coming to school, and remain focused on learning, also means understanding that Brilliance
Charter High School students need people who care, listen, and genuinely want to see them
succeed. Creation of a balance of care and high expectations is the goal at Brilliance Charter
High School. Figure 4.10 depicts the three-prong approach to equity in increasing the students’
opportunities in education at Brilliance Charter High School.
Figure 4.10. A three-pronged approach to equity at Brilliance Charter High School.
In order to achieve success, 65-85% of classroom instruction must be focused on
common core standards that equip students with the skills necessary to become college ready.
Highly effective teachers, whose practices are to meet or exceed evaluation tool standards,
incorporate culturally responsive practices when working with their students. Teachers and
administrators alike, must be reflective professionals who dive deep into their own belief and
value systems in order to gain understanding of their students; therefore, confronting their own
biases and not dismissing them, but instead acknowledging them and shaping their mindset to
one that creates a place for students to thrive in.
College and Career Focus
In confronting personal biases, ensuring a culturally relevant and rigorous instruction,
teachers instill the belief in all students that they are college material and that they can
and will attend college. Feeling bad about where students come from and the events in
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their life that can be a challenge, doesn’t help them in moving forward. We care; we
create relationships and caring environments in our classrooms that tell our students we
see them, but that we also believe in them.
These were the words of one of the teachers interviewed. The college readiness classes
are not the only place where students hear the message “you are college material.” Every teacher
is invested and grounded in the belief that they are, and that they will leave Brilliance High
prepared for college. Above each classroom doorway is a metal plaque that says “The Road to
College Begins Here.” One teacher interviewed however, noted that if the connection is not
made for students between that message and what they are learning in the classroom, it becomes
just another sign:
That sign means nothing if students aren’t able to connect the message to what I am
teaching and why I am teaching it. It is important for me to create those connections for
them, remind them, and reiterate in almost every lesson. It is, as a matter of fact, an
indicator to be met in our evaluation. So those of us who strive for those high levels in
our evaluation, it has almost become second nature to point out how their learning
connects to what they may experience in college or simply in life.
This kind of connection and care for students is not automatic. While many teachers
enter the teaching profession with a vision of changing the world, many become discouraged too
soon. In classroom observations and the observations of interactions between teachers and
students and adult to adults, Bambrick-Santoyo’s core idea is demonstrated in the fact that
culture does not come from charisma and a personality that cannot be replicated, but from careful
development of practices and habits in order to create a strong community (Bambrick-Santoyo,
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2012). In all interviews, the idea prevails that all they do at Brilliance High and how they do it,
stems from their belief in the potential of all their students, a genuine care for their success, and
in the mission of preparing students for college, leadership, and life. An idea that was validated
by 100% of respondents when they stated that they “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement,
“The school has a clear mission/vision.”
Perceived Factors That Set Brilliance Charter High School Apart
Marzano (2005) pointed out that each year schools in the US will identify an area of
focus that works well enough to maintain status as a well performing school; ideally, it will be
something that actually improves student achievement. Through the data and documents
reviewed, observations and interviews, as well as survey responses which focused on the three
research questions, the perceived factors that allowed Brilliance Charter High School to improve
student achievement emerged.
Building Strong Relationships to Break Barriers
Of all the work that teachers and schools put in, the most important work is the daily
interactions between teachers and students in the classroom (Childress, Elmore, & Grossman,
2006). Throughout this chapter, in response to all three research questions, it has become
evident that relationship building is a strong focus at Brilliance Charter High School. Every
faculty member interviewed at the school site made it very clear that the strong trusting
relationships among the adults allow the collaboration and work to be enjoyable and at times,
easier. Responses and observations were in alignment with the goal that students are genuinely
cared for at Brilliance Charter High School. As students greet the adults in the hallway one gets
a sense that they are greeting a family member. The welcoming response that a stranger receives
from both adults and students at the school, makes it clear for one to realize that it is a habit at
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the school to treat others with respect and to care enough to share a greeting. To gain this level
of respect requires the staff and faculty to gain a deep understanding of themselves, their values,
and their beliefs. Through much training the staff has gained understanding of the different
levels of culture, and that what they may perceive as disrespectful or offensive behaviors may
not necessarily be the way students make sense of social norms. When speaking to the assistant
principal, she stated:
Coming to an understanding of the different levels of culture and truly seeking to
understand our implicit biases has allowed us to be where we are as educators and more
importantly as human beings. As a leadership team we have been engaged in a book
study, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Hammond (2015) and have
brought many of the concepts presented in this book to our staff. It has allowed us to
truly go deeper in our own thinking of culture and how to address and approach students
and it has done so much for our school’s culture and that has helped us build stronger
rapport with students. Superficially one can say teachers have just become much more
patient, yet we believe that their relationships with students are coming from a deeper
level of understanding students.
Palmer (1998) poised the question, “How many times have you worked in systems based
on the belief that only changes that matter are the ones that you can change and count?” While
there is no way of quantifying the discernable confidence, one sees in the students walking the
hall at Brilliance Charter High School, it is a joy to see students who feel connected and enjoy
being at school. One can see that the effort to build relationships as a school has paid off, as
evidenced by the level of student achievement detailed in the data.
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Belief That All Students Will Graduate Prepared for College, Leadership, and Life
The solution to the problem of underachieving schools, as suggested by Parret and Budge
(2012) is not to attempt to fix the students, rather it is about fixing the school so that all students
may have a sense of connectedness and a genuine belief that they can succeed. Brilliance
Charter High School has established a socially and intellectually safe environment in which
students can feel as though they contribute to the learning environment. One of the teachers
interviewed touched on the realities faced by the average attending student:
It is not just about us believing they can do it, that they can succeed and that they are
capable of going to college and succeeding. It’s more about whether or not our belief in
them transcend to them and they too believe they can succeed. Our kids come to us with
so much, and that’s their reality. We can’t stop to feel sorry for them, because that
doesn’t help them in any way. We must still hold high expectations; we must still
provide the tools they need through the curriculum; we must still listen when they need
someone to hear them out, and nonverbally let them know we are there for them, but
most importantly we must prepare them. This is life, they are resilient, they are not
learning that from us, they are learning that the resilience they already possess is what
will carry them through life. Many of our students have been instilled bigger
responsibilities than the average teenager is ever responsible for, so it’s about how they
apply that responsibility and the leadership role they take on within their families to the
school setting. They must apply what they already come in with to school and to college
and to all situations. Our job is to help them see the connections.
The teacher revealed that it is important for the teacher to see their students through an
asset mindset rather than deficit. It is this way that students are able to excel in their studies and
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demonstrate proficiency as evidence by the data analyzed. Brilliance Charter High School’s high
graduation rate and college acceptance rates attest to the emphasis the school has placed on the
success of their students. Parret and Budge (2012) stated that high expectations are simply vital
to success.
Growing the Professional Through a Feedback and Coaching Model
Parret and Budge (2012) pointed out that a high performing school is one that amplifies
leadership, learning, and success for all. Brilliance Charter High School’s leadership does not
start with the area superintendent and stop with the administrators; they truly trust their teacher-
leaders to guide the staff toward meeting goals, and creating the support systems necessary for
their teachers to ensure their success. Coaching, and investment in the leadership’s growth
played an integral part in achieving an effective leadership team and thus producing a positive
impact upon the student. The following diagram illustrates those involved in the coaching model
described earlier in this chapter:
Figure 4.11. Breakdown of those who received coaching and feedback (Charter Organization,
2017).
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Engaging in observation, feedback, and coaching has allowed Brilliance Charter High School
faculty and staff to focus on what is working and make changes in those areas that are not.
Everyone engages in the feedback and coaching process regularly at the school-site level and
district level. Brilliance High’s principal notes:
In order for the coaching to work and teachers to feel invested in their own growth, they
get to believe that the administrator, the coach, genuinely cares about their personal goals
as a professional and are working alongside of them to empower them and help them
achieve their professional goals as they envision them. It is our job to start there and
align their vision to our mission as an organization and as a school.
Empowering teachers in their instructional practice and leadership roles, as explained by the
principal, require the following aspects:
Motivating and inspiring teachers through challenges.
Leveraging relationships to push teachers beyond what they can envision and
encouraging calculated risks.
Building professional and caring relationships with teachers.
Differentiating coaching to meet diverse teacher needs.
Fostering self-reflective practices.
Marzano (2005) stated that feedback is a robust instructional activity and Brilliance High School
has embedded this process of feedback and coaching with consistency and normalcy that it
seems to be just the way things are done. Feedback and coaching are embedded in their culture
and in who they are as educators.
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Summary of Findings by Theme
Program Practices: Commitment to Achievement
The findings of the study were collected by triangulating a variety of data which included
survey responses, interviews with teachers, administrators and the school counselor, as well as
school-site observations and document-reviews. Data collected was focused on one
outperforming urban charter high school. Findings that painted a picture of the factors that
contributed to the outperforming status of Brilliance High Charter High School are the
following:
College readiness courses that support students in exploring options in higher
education.
An A-G focus- subjects and number of years required so that students graduate
meeting UC and CSU admissions requirements.
Strong summer bridge program for incoming 9th graders.
Professional development for administrators, once a month, with area
superintendents.
Principal and assistant principal go on visits to other high schools within the
organization who have demonstrated success in enhancing school culture, enhancing
designated or integrated ELD courses for English language learners, and in enhancing
math practices for greater results.
Quarterly professional development for all schools in the charter organization to
come together and share best practices.
Professional development at the school-site, twice a week.
Monthly pull-out dates for new teachers to plan with curriculum specialists.
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Leadership Practices: Shared Leadership
District and school collaboration and support.
A working coaching model at all leadership levels (superintendent to principal,
principal to assistant principals, assistant principals to teachers, teacher-leaders to
grade-level and content area teams).
Leadership teams committed to specific functions of the school:
o Instruction,
o School culture,
o Grade-level.
Cultural Norms-Building Strong Relationships
Teachers receive professional development and are coached on restorative practices
that will improve student’s academic outcomes by improving their experiences in
class.
Teacher’s take an active role in learning about students aside from academics.
Campus-wide, students are instilled with a “college for certain” mindset.
Students are mentored beyond high school to ensure college success.
Conclusion
This chapter provided an analysis of the three research questions presented to guide this
qualitative case study. Through surveys, document reviews, interview responses of key teacher
leaders, the counselor, assistant principal and principal, as well as observations of professional
development, classrooms, a coaching session, and the school site environment, perceived factors
that set Brilliance Charter High School apart were drawn. The chapter describes the practices at
Brilliance Charter High School that create an environment for students and staff in which they
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can thrive, but most importantly an environment in which students and teachers believe in their
own growth and success. Chapter Five presents conclusions drawn from the findings and
implications for further research.
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CHAPTER FIVE: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
In “A Nation at Risk” Gardner (1983) highlighted the deficit in the quality of education
that the nation’s youth was subjected to. The document opened up by stating “our nation is at
risk” and that it seemed as though the educational institutions had forgotten the reason for their
sole existence, as well as the high expectations needed to ensure that schooling’s basic purpose is
met. That purpose is to give the nation’s youth “a fair chance and the tools for developing their
individual powers of mind and spirit to the utmost…while competently guided” (Gardner, 1983).
This seemed to be the ideal state of education in Gardner’s point of view, it raised hope that the
nation’s youth would be able to fairly compete for employment, manage their own lives, and
serve in the progress of society (Gardner, 1983).
Three decades later, more than a million students a year, between the ages of 14-16, drop
out of school having gone through years of schooling with minimal achievement, feeling
frustrated, and withstand embarrassment (Parrett & Budge, 2012, p. 12). Nevertheless, schools
can and should disrupt the cycle of underachievement that has characterized urban schools that
serve students of color. While many traditional schools in urban communities still struggle, there
are schools that have found ways to change the negative underachievement narrative that has for
years, characterized urban communities.
Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) noted that transformational leadership is the most
ideal type of leadership, as the results tend to surpass expectations. Transformational leadership
in education then requires the school leaders to, (a) help staff think of old problems in new ways,
(b) communicate high expectations for teachers and students alike, (c) be a model for the
behavior of teachers through personal accomplishment and demonstrated character (Marzano,
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Waters, & McNulty, 2005). Brilliance Charter High School, a charter school that works very
closely under the charter organization’s mission of, transforming public education so all students
graduate prepared for college, leadership, and life, has proven that it is possible to serve students
of color in urban communities, and transform the narrative of predictable failure into a one of
success.
This qualitative case study is one of twelve case studies in a thematic group that sought to
find out what factors are present in a nontraditional outperforming urban K-12 school. The
qualitative data collected from staff surveys, observations, interviews and document review,
reveal the factors which contribute to Brilliance Charter High School’s high performance, while
similar schools continue to fall behind in educating students from urban communities. The
qualitative case study was guided by the following research questions:
1. What practices and programs were implemented in an urban outperforming non-
traditional school?
2. What are the leadership practices in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
3. What are the cultural norms in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
Publicly reported data was used in selecting Brilliance Charter High School for this qualitative
case study, and ensuring that it met the following sampling criteria:
1. An elementary or secondary school.
2. In an urban community, under resourced, and low SES.
3. Nontraditional:
a. Charter School,
b. Magnet school,
c. Specific High School,
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d. Alternative School,
e. Online Education,
f. Independent School,
g. Dual Immersion.
The selected school had to demonstrate:
1. Ethnic diversity by serving students of color.
2. A low dropout rate.
3. SBAC scores where a high percentage of students met or exceeded standards in math and
English.
4. Identified as a distinguished school through a Gold Medal School-Award.
Summary
Several themes emerged from the qualitative data collected revealing the present factors
at Brilliance Charter High School, a nontraditional outperforming urban K-12 school, which
serves a large population of Latino students. The factors that seemed to make the greatest
impact, based on the qualitative data collected and analyzed were: a strong commitment to
student-adult relationships, instilling a “college for certain” mindset, and a strong commitment to
a feedback and coaching model. Serving under a CMO whose mission is to transform public
education, so that all students graduate prepared for college, leadership and life, Brilliance
Charter High School ensures that they live up to this mission. With this mission guiding
programs, leadership practices, and cultural norms, Brilliance Charter High School has been able
to establish a clear focus and direction that is conveyed to both staff and students equally. The
section that follows, presents a summary and analysis of the factors that emerged, which seem to
create the biggest impact for Brilliance Charter High School.
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Strong Commitment to Student-Adult Relationships
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” John Maxwell
Building relationships is a critical step in creating a classroom where students are
engaged and willing to put in the effort and work needed to learn. Jensen (2013) stated that
students go to school wondering if they are liked, if they fit in, and if their teachers care not only
about them as an individual, but also about the world from which they come from. He insisted
that it is not enough for the student to know that the teachers care, but that students need to see,
hear, and feel the caring (Jensen, 2013). It was evident from observation data collected and
through interviews with staff that relationship building is one of the top priorities at the school.
The staff at Brilliance Charter High School understands that trust and relationship building is not
automatic, and that it is a factor less easy to track than quantitative data represented in
achievement results. Teachers stated that because the results in building relationships with
students is not hard data, for which they are able to analyze its immediate results, it makes it
harder to measure success in creating student connectedness to the school. They, however, also
stated that the academic success their students experience demonstrates that when students know
they are genuinely cared for, they gain confidence and are able to achieve greater results.
Greater results are possible, because as observed, students are much more willing to take risks in
the classroom ask questions, ask for help, and are not afraid of saying they do not understand
something.
There was evidence that every student received strong individual and personalized
support from Brilliance Charter High School’s staff. This factor alone has dramatically
improved students’ academic experience and outcomes. Focusing heavily on academic and
social-emotional supports, Brilliance Charter High School has been able to demonstrate great
95
gains in the number of students meeting or exceeding the standards, evident from public data
collected and analyzed.
Instilling a “College for Certain” Mindset
“The challenge of teaching low-income children can no longer be considered a side issue
in American education. Helping poor kids succeed is now, by definition, the central mission of
American public schools and, by extension, a central responsibility of the American public.”
Paul Tough (2016)
Public schools are expected to accomplish a great deal with their students during the time
that students are in their buildings. Hochschild and Scovronick (2003) pointed out that the
ultimate goal schools are expected to accomplish is to create the conditions needed for students
to believe in their abilities, pursue their success, and pursue the ideology of the American Dream.
Brilliance Charter High School’s bold mission empowers students to believe in their success, not
only while in high school, but most importantly, beyond high school.
Through observed and documented quality teaching and instruction, a master schedule
that meets the needs of the students through the College Readiness course offering, Brilliance
High School promotes equity and a “college for certain” culture. Based on the percentage of
students’ graduation rates, college acceptance and enrollment rates, it is evident that the College
Readiness program and curriculum created a pathway to college and career for students.
Reviewed data showed that 93% graduates meet the UC and CSU entrance requirement, in
comparison to the 43% state average. Dramatically emphasizing a “college for certain” mindset,
as well as instilling the concept of college persistence in all grade levels and subject areas has
allowed 73% of Brilliance Charter High School graduates to enroll in college in the fall semester,
immediately after graduation. This number is 12% higher than the state-average graduation
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rates, and 50% higher than the state-average rate in graduating students ready for college. These
numbers are significant in that they demonstrate that Brilliance high school is successfully
raising student achievement and outperforming as a charter high school in a high needs urban
community.
Strong Commitment to a Feedback and Coaching Model
“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they
just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest
things can happen,” Pete Carroll
Bambrick-Santoyo (2012) argued that data driven instruction and student culture are
“super levers” in leading successful schools, in addition to observation and feedback. However,
he clarifies that it is not the bulk or length of either, but rather the bite-sized actions-steps that
allow the professional to grow systematically from a novice status to proficiency (Bambrick-
Santoyo, 2012). Brilliance Charter High School’s effectiveness in coaching is based on the
belief that one small focus at a time will improve classroom instruction, as well as leadership
skills. The emphasis on the following three key ideas is necessary and essential to coaching that
will produce the ultimate desired outcomes:
Effective coaches are well-prepared before any coaching session.
Effective coaches are clear about the choice of their interventions and the intended results
for the intervention.
Effective coaches listen, assess, and believe that people have the capacity to solve their
own problems, therefore, guiding them to realizing solutions.
Training and commitment to a coaching model and implementation of its tenets with fidelity,
has allowed this to become a trademark of how Brilliance Charter High School works with
97
teachers and staff. It has facilitated data analysis in a much more intentional and focused manner
to support teachers in the improvement of specific practices in the classroom. Commitment and
implementation of the coaching model, has ultimately resulted in student achievement, and
increased teacher effectiveness, to successfully outperform similar schools.
Implications and Recommendations for Further Research
Parret and Budge (2012) warned that research can support or hinder the effectiveness of a
leader who is attempting to meet the needs of disadvantaged students. Bambrick-Santoyo (2012)
added that for most people, it is not enough to read about great leadership practices, as readers
are often left wondering if the methods described are a possibility at their own schools. These
two thoughts, leads one to question what else can be learned about what is working at other
schools. It is not merely enough to read the findings and attempt to implement them. One must
consider each school’s most pressing needs and commit to refinement of what is not working.
Implications
This study provided findings from one of twelve case studies conducted by a thematic
dissertation group which focused on outperforming nontraditional urban schools. The study
identifies some of the programs, leadership practices and cultural norms established and which
can be utilized in similar urban schools. The implications of the findings in this qualitative case
study are the following:
• When decision making is grounded in a mission and vision, it creates clear guidance for
action steps.
• Strong relationships facilitate and ground the work of teaching and learning.
• Shared leadership can increase the sense of ownership and responsibility and create a
investment from stakeholders.
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Recommendations
Given that Brilliance Charter High School was the first school to open under the Charter
Management Organization it serves, and did not immediately acquire its current success, when
considering ways that could have bolstered this case study, it would have been beneficial to
consider the following:
Including in this case study the founding leaders and teachers who worked at
Brilliance High School when it opened its doors to students. Doing this could have
provided a clearer picture of the shifts that have taken place in terms of initial
programs, leadership practices, and cultural norms.
As findings of this case study indicated that building trust and strong relationships is
a high priority for the school, further research can focus on evidence-based practices
that support a culture of trust, and show how educators are trained to build
relationships with students and each other. It is important to find specific strategies
that allow building relationships to become a replicable practice.
Although Brilliance High School’s graduation rates are well above state average, an
opportunity-gap in reaching graduation rates of 100%, still exists. Further research
that focuses on needs that are still not met for students who did not graduate, may
present evidence for closing the gap.
Conclusion
The intention of this qualitative case study was to highlight the perceived factors that
make Brilliance Charter High School a successful outperforming school, while other similar
schools continue to fall behind in educating students of color in high poverty areas. It was
evident that a strong commitment to the mission of, “transforming public education so that all
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students graduate prepared for college leadership and life,” served as an anchor for decisions
when implementing programs. Mission focused action steps, also impact leadership practices
that drive instructional supports for teachers, ultimately resulting in student achievement. All
aspects of running the school, are grounded in a genuine belief that people have the capacity to
improve regardless of their proficiency level. A strong commitment to achievement, the growth
of professionals through coaching and shared leadership, as well as building strong relationships,
has led this outperforming nontraditional urban school to increase academic performance.
100
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110
Appendix A
Documents and Artifacts
Document Review
1. What practices and programs are implemented in urban outperforming non-
traditional schools?
● Master calendar
● Daily schedule
● Mission statement
● School plan
● SARC (school accountability report card)-state mandated
● Curriculum guide
● Parent handbook
● Student handbook
● Staff handbook
● LEA plan (Local education agency plan)
● School site council minutes
● School website
● WASC (Western association of school and colleges) accreditation
● Departmental meeting notes/agenda
● Student work/portfolio
● LCAP
● Attendance rates
● Dropout rates
● Graduation rates
● Discipline records
● Clubs and organizations
● Volunteer/parent volunteer records
● Field trips
● List of faculty
● Fundraiser forms
● Fundraisers
● Grants
● Achievement test scores
● Recruitment information
● Organization chart
2. What are the leadership practices in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
111
● School plan
● District budget/fiscal year
● SARC
● LCAP
● Leadership Team Meeting Notes
● Departmental meeting notes/agenda
3. What are the cultural norms in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
● Master calendar
● Daily schedule
● Mission statement
● School plan
● Display of student work
● Curriculum guide
● Parent handbook
● Student handbook
● Staff handbook
● School site council minutes
● Departmental meeting notes/agenda
● Student work/portfolio
● Departmental meeting notes/agenda
● Leadership team meeting notes
● Team meeting notes
● California Department of Education
Attendance records
Demographics
Retention rates
Graduation rates
School Programs available
● Recruitment information
112
Appendix B
Survey Instrument
OUTPERFORMING NON-TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SURVEY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1) What is your primary role at the school?
❑ Administration ❑ Teacher ❑ Teacher with leadership role
❑ Classified staff ❑ Other certificated staff
2) How many years have you worked in your current role?
❑ 0 – 3 ❑ 4 – 7 ❑ 8 – 15 ❑ 16 or more
3) How many years have you worked at this school?
❑ 0 – 3 ❑ 4 – 7 ❑ 8 – 15 ❑ 16 or more
4) Have you previously taught at any other schools?
❑ Yes ❑ No
5) What is the primary reason you decided to work at this particular school? (Mark all that apply)
❑ Curriculum ❑ Mission/Philosophy ❑ Staff ❑ Employment Opportunity
❑ Unhappy at previous school ❑ Other __________________________
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Vision and Mission
1) The school has a clear mission/vision.
1 2 3 4 N/A
2) I have a clear vision of what the school is trying
to achieve.
1 2 3 4 N/A
113
3) The staff shares a common understanding of
what the school wants to achieve.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) The staff works beyond their official roles in
order to help achieve school goals.
1 2 3 4 N/A
5) The school’s vision/mission is evident in
multiple methods/practices.
1 2 3 4 N/A
6) The staff keeps the school’s goals in mind
when making important decisions.
1 2 3 4 N/A
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Leadership
1) The leaders at my school lead by example. 1 2 3 4 N/A
2) The school provides a clear pathway for
leadership opportunities.
1 2 3 4 N
N/A
3) School leaders/administrators consider various
viewpoints when making decisions.
1 2 3 4 N
N/A
4) School offers many leadership opportunities
for all staff members.
1 2 3 4 N
N/A
5) Leaders/administrators hold staff accountable
for improving student learning.
1 2 3 4 N
N/A
6) When issues arise at the school, leadership
responds in a prompt manner.
1 2 3 4 N
N/A
114
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Learning Environment
2) The school environment is conducive to learning. 1 2 3 4 N/A
2) Teachers use effective strategies to help
different subgroups of students meet high
academic standards.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) Teachers use a variety of approaches and
activities to help students learn.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) School work is meaningful to students. 1 2 3 4 N/A
5) Instruction is adjusted to meet individual needs. 1 2 3 4 N/A
6) Classroom activities are intellectually
stimulating and engaging.
1 2 3 4 N/A
7) What instructional practices do teachers often use in the classroom? (Mark all that apply)
❑ Scaffolding ❑ Direct Instruction ❑ Differentiated Instruction ❑ Technology
❑ Collaborative Learning ❑ Hands-on learning ❑ Project-based learning
❑ Other _______________________________
8) How is instructional content delivered at your school? (Mark all that apply.)
❑ Traditional Classroom ❑ Small group ❑ Independent Study ❑ One-to-one
❑ Blended Learning ❑ Distance Learning ❑ Dual language
❑ Other _______________________________
9) How does student attitude toward learning compare to your last teaching experience?
❑ Better ❑ About the same ❑ Worse ❑ No previous experience
115
❑ Not Applicable
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
School Environment
1) Student discipline is managed well. 1 2 3 4 N/A
2) Teachers show they care about all of their
students.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) The staff respects the diversity of all their
students.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) Student interactions are polite and supportive
of one another.
1 2 3 4 N/A
5) What are the common discipline practices at the school?
❑ Detention ❑ Rewards/Consequence Programs ❑ Parent/contact meeting
❑ Restorative Discipline ❑ Office referrals
❑ Other _________________________
6) Which of the following clubs/activities/sports are offered at the school?
❑ STEM/STEAM ❑ Visual arts ❑ Performing arts
❑ Technology programs ❑ Sports ❑ Advanced academics
116
❑ Other ________________
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Standards/Expectations of non-traditional schools
1) Students are expected to achieve at high
standards.
1 2 3 4 N/A
2) All students are consistently challenged by a
rigorous curriculum.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) Teachers are involved in creating and
implementing a culturally relevant curriculum.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) The school gives teachers substantial freedom to
carry out lessons and activities.
1 2 3 4 N/A
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Monitoring of teaching and learning
1) Assessment results are used to determine
professional learning activities.
1 2 3 4 N/A
117
2) Teachers receive regular feedback on how they
are performing.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) Teachers provide feedback to each other to help
improve instructional practices.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) Students receive regular feedback about what
they need to do to improve.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) The school gives teachers substantial freedom to
carry out lessons and activities.
1 2 3 4 N/A
5) What is the evaluation process for teachers at the school?
❑ Portfolio model ❑ Formal observation ❑ Value-added model ❑ Teacher survey
❑ Parent/student survey ❑ Informal Observations ❑ None of the above ❑ Other __________________
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Collaboration and Communication
1) School staff are interdependent and value each
other.
1 2 3 4 N/A
2) I feel comfortable sharing my ideas with other
staff members.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) The school supports and appreciates the sharing
of new ideas by staff members.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) Teachers regularly discuss teaching issues. 1 2 3 4 N/A
118
5) The staff works in teams across grade levels to
help increase student learning.
1 2 3 4 N/A
6) Staff routinely work together to plan what will
be taught.
1 2 3 4 N/A
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Family and community involvement
1) The school works with community
organizations to support its students.
1 2 3 4 N/A
2) Teachers have frequent contact with the families
of their students.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) The school provides ample information to
families about how to help students succeed in
school.
1 2 3 4 N/A
4) Many families are involved as volunteers at the
school.
1 2 3 4 N/A
5) Compared to your last teaching experience, how
involved are parents/community with the school.
1 2 3 4 N/A
6) The school has systems or structures in place to support and encourage parents to be involved in the school.
❑ The school has many systems and structures in place that encourage and support parent involvement.
❑ The school has some systems and structures in place that encourage OR support parent involvement.
❑ The school has a few systems and structures in place that encourage OR support parent involvement.
❑ The school does not have any systems and structures in place to encourage and support parent involvement.
119
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
Agree
Not
Applicable
Professional Development
1) Professional development activities are
consistent with school goals.
1 2 3 4 N/A
2) The school provides enough opportunities to
grow professionally through professional
development opportunities.
1 2 3 4 N/A
3) Different staff members periodically lead
professional development activities for other staff.
1 2 3 4 N/A
120
Appendix C
School Site Observation Protocol
School _________________________________ Date______________________________
Observer _______________________________ Grade/Subject______________________
Observation duration: ______________________ Time______________________________
RQ 2: What are the leadership practices in an urban outperforming non-traditional school?
What was your first impression of the leadership?
Please consider the following items to help facilitate your observation:
● Single Leader or Leadership team.
● Who are the formal leaders?
● Who are the informal leaders?
○ Where are they; what are they doing?
● Traits of leader(s).
● Leadership practice.
● Decision making process:
○ How does it work; who is involved?
● Leadership communication to/from stakeholders.
● Leadership interaction with stakeholders.
● Stakeholders role.
● Clearly articulated mission and goals.
RQ 3: What are the cultural norms in an urban, outperforming, non-traditional school?
121
What was your first impression of the school site? Staff?
In preparation for your observation, please consider the following
Do you see or hear information regarding the following questions/items?
(This is a guide to help facilitate your observation):
Considerations for Professional Culture
● Collaborative practices.
● Professional development.
● Monitoring of instructional practice for consistency.
● Use of data.
● Program evaluation.
● Common understanding of expectations.
● Instruction reflect high expectations.
● Student engagement.
● Classroom environments.
Student Support
● Advertised/promoted supports and resources: physically, socially, and emotional support.
● Service personnel accessible.
● Identify/support students at risk of dropping out, students in crisis, and students who require
intensive assistance.
● Identification of students with special needs.
● School resources to support diverse academic needs.
● Procedures for lunch.
● Group work/individual work.
● Structure and organization of school.
● Student work posted in hallways.
122
● Communication of announcements and programs.
● School spirit.
● Appearance of campus.
Various Stakeholders (teachers, staff, students, parents, community members, board members,
community partners, etc.)
● Stakeholder engagement.
● Feedback opportunities.
● Methods of communication.
● Partnerships.
● Interaction among/between stakeholders.
123
Classroom Observation Protocol
Teacher_________________________________ Date______________________________
School _________________________________ Grade/Subject______________________
Observer________________________________ Time______________________________
Observation duration: _____________________
Research Questions
RQ1: What practices and programs are implemented in urban outperforming non-traditional
schools?
Classroom Environment
Student Seating Arrangement (create a diagram of the classroom layout including what direction
students are facing, desk arrangement, tables, open space, instructional centers, resources, computers,
etc.):
Student Demographics:
Male:
Female:
124
Race/Ethnicity:
Description of classroom wall space:
(Students work to aid in learning, data, standards, posters, what is written on the
whiteboard/chalkboard, code of conduct, etc.)
Instructional programs used in classroom
Curriculum:
Resources/Materials:
125
Instructional practices used by teachers in classrooms:
1. What does the teacher
do?
2. What does the student do? 3. What are the interactions
between teachers and students?
Stakeholders’ involvement in the classroom (community partners, aids, tutors, etc.):
126
Observation Protocol
Name of Observer Date Time
Location Study
Brief Summary of Observation
Physical Space
Define the physical space.
· Geographical
· Temporal
· Physical
· Political
127
Utility: What is the
purpose of event/setting?
Participant reactions to
physical setting:
Other:
People/Participants
Who are the participants
taking place in
observation/event?
How many participated?
Demographical
information:
· Racial
· Ethnic
· Gender
· Class
What are the roles of those
being observed? How do
you know?
What was each of the
specific participants
doing?
· Group interaction
· Individual actions
· Passive participants
128
· Active participants
Purpose of Events/Observation
Why is the event taking
place? Are there any
political contexts to be
discussed?
Who was invited to
event? Who was not?
Was there any discussion
of educational policy?
Why? How so?
What are the positions of
the various participants
involved?
· Power dynamics
· Roles
What is being discussed?
Sequence of Events
Beginning
Middle
129
End
Observer Role
What am I doing? What is
my role throughout the
observation?
Describe some of my
interactions with other
participants throughout the
observation.
How did my
interaction/presence affect
the observation
participants?
Other
Pictures
130
Appendix D
Interview Protocol
I. Introduction
Thank you for agreeing to participate in my study. I appreciate the time that you have set aside to answer
my questions. The interview should take about an hour.
Before we get started, I want to provide you with an overview of my study and answer any questions you
might have about participating. I am currently a doctoral student at USC and I will be conducting
interviews, surveys, and observations for my research. I have structured my line of inquiry around
organizational practices that narrow the achievement gap in outperforming non-traditional urban schools.
Thank you for volunteering to participate in this study. I want to assure you that I am strictly wearing the
hat of researcher. This means is that the nature of my questions and observations are not evaluative. I will
not be making any judgments on how you are performing as an educator. None of the data I collect will
be shared with other teachers, administrators, or the district.
I am happy to provide you with a copy of the findings if you are interested. Do you have any questions
about the study before we get started? If you don’t have any further questions, I would like to have your
permission to begin the interview.
II. Setting the Stage
1. I am hoping we could start with you telling me a little bit about this year’s students that you are
serving here at the school.
2. Tell me about any specialized training you have received to work with the students that you
serve.
3. What are some of the challenges and concerns the students bring to you?
4. How often do you meet with parents/guardians to speak on behalf of student’s academic growth?
5. What are some of the instructional challenges that students encounter in the school?
III. Heart of the Interview (Interview Questions are directly tied to your Research Questions)
131
Interview Questions
Questions RQ#1
What programs
and practices are
implemented in
an urban
outperforming
nontraditional
school?
RQ#2
What are the
leadership
practices present
in an urban
outperforming
nontraditional
school?
RQ#3
What are the
cultural norms
in an urban
outperforming
nontraditional
school?
1. Why did you choose to come
to this school and what are
your experiences here in
comparison to where you were
before?
X
2. When others visit your
school, what do you believe
their first impressions are?
X
3. Why do you believe parents
should send their children to
this school as opposed to the
traditional neighborhood
school?
X
4. What do you believe puts
your school in a position to
outperform traditional
schools?
X
5. How significant of a role do
you feel the
principal/students/teachers
play in the molding of the
school culture/climate?
What other factors do
you feel have an
impact on school
climate?
X
132
6. How does the school resolve
discipline issues when they
arise?
How are stakeholders
involved?
X
7. How empowered is the staff
to make decisions in the best
interest of the students without
waiting on the leadership? Can
you give an example?
X
8. What specific leadership
practices do you believe are
the most significant factors
that sustain and improve
student achievement?
X
9. How are decisions made to
implement researched
instructional practices at
your school?
X
10. How are resources and
programs used to increase
student academic
achievement?
X
11. What school-wide
programs or rules does your
school implement in order to
promote student success?
What was the process
in coming up with
these school-wide
implementations?
How are they
implemented (action-
resolution)?
How are they
measured for
effectiveness?
(specific
benchmarks?
numbers?)
X
133
12. How would you describe
the implementation of
professional programs,
training, and professional
opportunities to grow?
X
IV. Closing Question (anything else to add):
I am wondering if there is anything that you would add to our conversation today that I might not have
covered?
V. Closing (thank you and follow-up option):
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me today! I really appreciate your time and
willingness to share. Everything that you have shared is really helpful for my study. If I find myself with
a follow-up question, I am wondering if I might be able to contact you, and if so, if email is ok? Again,
thank you for participating in my study.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
Historically, students in high-poverty urban schools have not performed well academically, in comparison to students in affluent communities. Despite the number of attempts to reform the school system in California, it continues to fail many youths across the state, particularly in urban communities where high poverty and high need students are prevalent. Nevertheless, there are nontraditional schools in urban communities who have outperformed traditional systems and proved that educational change and academic achievement is possible. ❧ The intention of this qualitative case study was to highlight the perceived factors that make Brilliance Charter High School a successful outperforming urban school, while other similar schools continue to fall behind in educating students of color. Data collected from surveys, review of documents, interviews and observations was triangulated to paint a picture of the programs, leadership practices, and cultural norms that makes this school an outperforming nontraditional urban school. It was evident that the mission of, “transforming public education so that all students graduate prepared for college leadership and life,” served as an anchor and drove decisions when implementing programs, leadership practices and in creating a culture at the school based on strong adult-student and adult-adult relationships. Mission focused action steps, in all aspects of running the school, are grounded in a genuine belief that people have the capacity to improve regardless of their proficiency level. A strong commitment to achievement, shared leadership and building strong relationships, has led this outperforming nontraditional urban school to increase academic performance.
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Reynozo, Luz
(author)
Core Title
A case study of factors related to an outperforming urban charter high school
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
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Degree Program
Education (Leadership)
Publication Date
05/07/2018
Defense Date
03/08/2018
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