Northern Lights School Division Administrator Presentation

1. Northern Lights School DivisionAdministrator Presentation Research: Panel on Student Achievement

2. Student Achievement:Influences, Factors, & Predictors.A Review of the Literature Prepared by: Saskatchewan Instructional Development & Research Unit January 15, 2009

3. Purpose • to enable the Ministry and Provincial Panel on Student Achievement to better understand and discuss factors, influences, and correlative associations in North American research on student achievement • to ascertain particular strengths and weaknesses in that literature • to guide policy development and appropriate programmatic responses in Saskatchewan in the area of student achievement.

4. Student Achievement • characterized through assessments of literacy (English and French reading and writing) and numeracy (mathematics) scores, OR • participation/ attendance/transition, OR • quantifiable measures of attitude/self-esteem/disposition to learn or socialization measures.

5. The Questions • What are the major influences, factors, variables, or predictors of student achievement for First Nations and Métis students, and for minority ethnic or second language populations in a North American setting? • What are the significant within school variables contrasted with community influences, factors, variables or predictors that interrelate with North American or Canadian student achievement? • What are the major factors or variables at the classroom and school level that influence the assignment of classroom grades as measures of student achievement? • What are the major factors or variables that influence student achievement for special needs or those physically or mentally disadvantaged populations in a North American setting?

6. There are no easy answers, only intelligent choices(Caterpiller ad, National Geographic)

7. What are the significant within school variables contrasted with community influences, factors, variables or predictors that interrelate with North American or Canadian student achievement?

8. Do We Matter? • Coleman report (1966) – schools don’t matter; home, neighbourhood, and peer environments do. • Schools accounted for 10% of explained variance in student achievement (Coleman, 1966) • Other studies vary; 5% - 20% • Student background characteristics account for 90% (Coleman, 1966) • Heredity accounts for 50%; other variables (e.g. socioeconomic status, family, community,) for 40%

9. The Need for Alignment(Sackney, 2009) • Schools do matter – 10-20% of the explained variance is substantial. • “…we need dramatically more intensive interaction within schools, across schools within districts, across districts, and between districts and the state…” (Fullan, 2003) • If we can align the system(s), we can do more – 50% is more powerful than 10-20%. • It isn’t easy – complexity and conflicting research.

10. The Issue of Poverty and Education • “The effects of poverty and low levels of education are synergistic; each factor makes the effect of the other worse.” • “It is our hope that our report provides the basis for decision makers…to decide what type of society we wish to become.” (Lemstra & Neudorf, 2008)

11. Student Achievement and Community Variables • Socio-Economic Status • Family Income • Parental Occupation • Parental Education • Family • Community • Race/Ethnicity • Gender

12. Community Variables and Responses • Healthy Children • Healthy Families • Healthy Communities • Early Childhood Intervention • Improved Housing • Improved Educational Opportunities

13. What Works in Schools? (Marzano, 2003)

14. School Effectiveness Characteristics • Shared leadership • Shared vision and goals • A learning environment • Concentration on teaching and learning • High expectations • Positive reinforcement • Monitoring progress • Pupil rights and responsibility • A learning organization • Purposeful teaching • Home-school partnerships (Sammons et al.)

16. Learning Community Paradigm(Mitchell & Sackney, 2009) • Authentic pedagogy • Constructivist/co-constructivist teaching • Shared vision • Communities of practice • High levels of trust • Diversity of learning networks • Knowledge ecology focus • Reflective practice • Risk/innovation propensity • Collaborative teams • Data-sensitive decision making

17. Improving School Achievement: Additional Educational Interventions • Early Learning and Child Care (Doherty, 2007) • Reduced Class Size (K-3) (Grissmer, et al., 2000). • Targeted funding support – disadvantaged populations (Grissmer, et al., 2000). • Teacher time and teacher resources (Grissmer, et al., 2000; Slavin, 1994)

18. What are the major influences, variables, or predictors of student achievement for First Nations and Metis students, and for minority ethnic or second language populations generally, in a North American setting?

19. Context Health Disparity in Saskatoon (Lemstra & Neudorf, 2008) • described health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations • After controlling for variables such as socio-economic status, Aboriginal culture no longer has statistically significant association with low self-reported health conditions

20. Context • Identified income level and educational status as variable that impact on health • Concluded that variables such as health, education, poverty, & housing are inextricably interrelated, and need to be viewed in combination

21. Context: Student Mobility • High level of student mobility among First Nation & Métis students in Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Indicators Report, 2008) • Students who move frequently are much more likely to repeat a grade or experience other types of academic problems (Sanderson, 2004)

22. Conceptual Framework • Strong leadership and governance structure • Language and cultural programs • Teachers, instruction, and curriculum • Effective Schools • Community and parental influences • Student characteristics • Assessment linked - instruction and planning

23. The literature • William Demmert (2001; 2003) • Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education (SAEE)

24. Strong leadership & governance structures Case studies of successful Aboriginal schools (Bell et al., 2005; Fulford et al., 2007) • Highly effective governance structures • Stable leadership • Long-term planning • Strategic alignment of available resources toward identified goals • Similar results to studies of effective schools in general (e.g. Maguire, 2003)

25. 2. Language and Cultural Programs • Language & culture are key factors affecting student learning (Bell, Anderson, Fortin, Ottoman, Rose, & Simard, 2005; Demmert, 2001; 2003; Fulford, Moore, Daigle, Stevenson, Rolley, & Wade, 2007; Louis & Taylor, 2001; Rosier & Holm, 1980)

26. 3. Teachers, Instruction, & Curriculum Teachers • Teacher qualities associated with increased achievement are similar across student populations being studied: • Interpersonal skills • Solid knowledge of content • Sound pedagogy • Ability to create warm & supportive learning environment while focusing on educational goals • Commitment to the belief that every student can learn • Flexibility to adapt instruction to student needs

27. Instruction and Curriculum • Instructional strategies tailored to learning styles of students (Pewewardy, 2002; Backes, 1993; Rasumussen, Sherman & Baydala, 2004) • Cultural relevance • Cooperative learning (Brancov, 1994; Larimore, 2000) • The use of early literacy strategies that are effective with all student populations (Fulford et al., 2007).

28. 4. Community & parental influences • Parent support & family connections (Melnechenko & Horsman, 1998; Jackson & Smith, 2001) • School-community-family partnerships • Families & Schools Together (FAST) (Kratochwill, et al, 2001) • Alaska Onward to Excellence (Kushman & Barnhardt, 2001).

29. 5. Student Characteristics • Review yielded little research regarding characteristics specific to Aboriginal children & youth

30. 6. Assessment linked to instruction & planning • Assessments in exemplary Aboriginal schools (Bell et al., 2005): • Teachers made use of assessment for instructional purposes such as measuring success, grouping for instruction, and identifying learning needs • Some used assessment information to set annual improvement goals, set budgets, allocate resources, and determine staffing

31. Influences on student achievement are inextricably linked and need to be viewed in combination.

32. Educational Accountability: Models from Public Administration The Program Logic Model