dissertation proposal: the impact of smaller learning communities on closing the achievement gaps...

8/6/2019 Dissertation Proposal: The Impact of Smaller Learning Communities on Closing the Achievement Gaps among Student Population Groups in Texas High Schools by Elias Alex Torr…

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The Impact of Smaller LearningCommunities on Closing the

Achievement Gaps among Student

Population Groups in Texas HighSchools

A Dissertation Proposal

by Alex Torrez

Dissertation Chair: William Allan Kritsonis, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Program in Educational Leadership



Committee Member

� Donald Collins, Ph.D.

� Carl Gardiner, Ed.D.

� Douglas Hermond, Ph.D.� Solomon Osho, Ph.D.

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Dissertation Defense Format

I. Conceptual Framework

II. Purpose of the Study

III. Research QuestionsIV. Method

V. Review of Literature



Smaller Learning Communities

Conceptual Framework

Student AcademicAchievement Gaps



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19th Century Classroom



6

20th Century Classroom



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Theoretical Framework

4 Areas of Relevance

Smaller

Learning

Communities

ELA/Mathematics TAKS/

Eco. Disadvantaged

Attendance

ELA/Mathematics TAKS/

Sub-Populations

Completion/

Drop Out Rate



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Purpose of the Study

� The purpose of this conceptual

quantitative study is to determine if a

difference exists between the

implementation of the career-themed

smaller SLC design and an increase in

high school students¶ academic

achievement, attendance, and high schoolcompletion/dropout rate between

populations as reported in the Texas

Education Agency AEIS report.



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Research Question

1. Is there a difference in student

achievement between career-themed

Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs)

and traditional high schools, as reported

on the Academic Excellence Indicator

System (AEIS) for Texas Assessment of

Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) inReading/ELA and Mathematics for ethnic

subpopulations?



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Research Question


achievement between career-themed

SLCs and traditional high schools, as

reported on the AEIS for TAKS in

Reading/ELA and Mathematics for

economically disadvantaged

subpopulations?



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Research Question

3. Is there a difference in student attendancebetween career-themed SLCs andtraditional high schools, as reported in the

AEIS?



Research Question


dropout/completion rates between career-

themed SLCs and traditional high

schools, as reported in the AEIS?

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Percent of Texas Population by Age Group

and Ethnicity, 2000

39.5 41.6

45.0 45.0

43.1

44.4

47.8

53.0

57.260.2

63.566.4 67.1

72.6

44.041.3

38.0 38.440.5

38.6

35.3

30.5

26.724.2

22.420.6 20.3

16.7

< 5

y e a r s

5 t o

9 y e a

r s

1 0 t o

1 4 y e

a r s

1 5 t o

1 9 y e

a r s

2 0 t o

2 4 y e

a r s

2 5 t o

2 9 y e

a r s

3 0 t o

3 4 y e

a r s

3 5 t o

3 9 y e

a r s

4 0 t o

4 4 y e

a r s

4 5 t o

4 9 y e

a r s

5 0 t o

5 4 y e

a r s

5 5 t o

5 9 y e

a r s

6 0 t o

6 4 y e

a r s

6 5 + y e a

r s

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0Percent

Anglo Hispanic



Percent of Texas Population by Age Group

and Ethnicity, 20 0*

* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario

17.719.3 19.9 20.3 19.8 19.3 19.

20.5 20.6 21.9

25.3 26.5 27.2

39.8

69.967.8

66.5 65.5 66.0 66.8 66.

6

.362.6

60.6

56.755.2

52.3

37.1

< 5

y e a r s

5 t o

9 y e a

r s

1 0 t o

1 y e a

r s

1 5 t o

1 9 y e

a r s

2 0 t o

2 y e a

r s

2 5 t o

2 9 y e

a r s

3 0 t o

3 y e a

r s

3 5 t o

3 9 y e

a r s

0 t o

y e

a r s

5 t o

9 y e

a r s

5 0 t o

5 y e a

r s

5 5 t o

5 9 y e

a r s

6 0 t o

6 y e a

r s

6 5 + y e a

r s0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

0.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0Percent

Anglo Hispanic



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Null Hypotheses

H02 - There is no statistically significant

difference in student achievement

between career-themed SLCs and

traditional high schools, as reported on the

AEIS for TAKS in Reading/ELA and

Mathematics for economically

disadvantaged subpopulation?



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Null Hypotheses

� H03 - There is no statistically significant

difference in student attendance between

career-themed SLCs and traditional high

schools, as reported in the AEIS?



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Method

� Independent Variable ± Implementation of

career themed Smaller Learning Communities

design.

� Dependent Variable ± Student achievement

based on change in Mathematics and

Reading/English Language Arts TAKS scores,

completion rate, attendance.



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Method

Subjects of the Study

1. 25 Texas public high schools that have

implemented smaller learning communities

with career academies

2. 25 Texas public traditional high schools

3. Grades 9 through 12

4. Total student enrollment minimum of 1500students



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MethodStep 1 Research and Select Career Academy SLCs

Department of Education Smaller Learning CommunitiesProgram

Texas High School Project

Texas schools that attended the 2010 Smaller LearningCommunities: From Structure to Instruction conference atthe University of Nevada in Las Vegas obtained fromEducation Northwest

The National Career Academy Coalition

Extensive internet search



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Method

Step 2

Download the AEIS report from the TEA website from

the 25 career themed SLC schools selected

Step 3

A convenience sample of 25 traditional schools will be

selected from the TEA assigned school cohort. The

schools will be selected based on the TEA cohort

school that is most similar in size, ethnic

subpopulations (African American, Hispanic, andWhite) and economically disadvantaged.



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Method

Area 200 AEIS 20 0 AEIS

Grade

AA

Hispanic

White

Eco. Dis.

Completion

Attendance



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Method

Step 6

SPSS will be utilized to disaggregate and analyze

data

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Analysis of Covariant (ANCOVA)

Step 7

Interpret the results of the statistical procedure



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Career Theme Academies

The academies are designed to address the

broad spectrum of student interest and career

possibilities and provide transferable skills. The

goals of the Academies are to open a student'smind to relevancy of academic courses and to

show how high standards relate to career

success. In addition to the essential academics

elements, students will develop knowledgeregarding careers where they may best utilize

their talents and aptitudes.



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Career Theme Academies

� Academy of Business, Marketing & Finance

� Academy of Consumer Science & Education

� Academy of Fine Arts, Communications & Humanities

� Academy of Government, Law & Criminal Justice� Academy of Health Science

� Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

� Academy of Veterinary & Agricultural Science



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Books

� Leading for Learning: How to Transform Schools intoLearning Organizations by P. Schlechty

� Creating and sustaining smaller learning: Strategiesand tools for transforming high schools by G.Sammon

� Choosing Small: The Essential Guide to SuccessfulHigh School Conversion by Feldman, Lopez, Simon� Catch up or leading the way: American education in

the age of globalization by Y. Zhao� Classroom Instruction That Works, School That

Work , and What Works in Schools by R. J. Marzanno� On Common Ground, Whatever It Takes, andProfessional Learning Communities at Work by R.DuFour



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Books

� Schools That Learn and The Fifth Discipline by P.Senge,

� The Heart of Change and Leading Change by J. P.Kotter

� Learning Communities at Work by R. DuFour� Change Forces and The New Meaning of Education

Change by M. Fullen



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Review of Literature

� Cotton K. (1996) School Size, School Climate and Student Performance. Close up #20. Portland OR:Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

� DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., and Many, T. (2006)

Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. By Solution Tree(formerly National Educational Service)

� Daniels, D., Bizar, M., and Zemelman, S. (2001)Rethinking High Schools: Best Practice in Teaching,Learning, and Leadership. Heinemann A division of

Reed Elsevier Inc. 361 Hanover Street Portsmouth, NH03801-3912



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Review of Literature

� Hord, M. and Sommers, W.A. (2007) Leading Professional Learning Communities: Voices fromResearch and Practice. Thousand Oaks California;Cowin Press

� Kotter, J. P. & Cohen, D. S. (2002). The heart of change:Real-life stories of how people change their organization.Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

� Mathews, J. (2005, May). How to build a better highschool. Newsweek, 145(20), 52, 54-57 . Retrieved April

29, 2007, from ABI/INFORM Global database.(Document ID: 839507411).



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Transformation

� Schlechty (2009) states:

� Make no mistake, transformation is not as

simple as installing a new program, a newprocess or new procedure. Unlike efforts

to improve the operation of existing

systems, transformation requires more

than changes in what people do; itrequires changes in what they think and

what they feel about what they do.



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Smaller Learning Communities

� Oxley (2006) stated:

� The central feature of a high-functioning

SLC (Small Learning Community) is aninterdisciplinary team (or teams) of

teachers who work closely together with a

group of students they share in common

for instruction. Traditional schoolsorganize teachers around subject areas or

departments.



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Thank you

Transformers

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