Vanessa Westbrook, Division Director Multicultural/ Equity in Science

1. Success Stories in Meeting the Needs of Underserved Students in Science Vanessa Westbrook, Division Director Multicultural/ Equity in Science National Science Teachers Association Charles A. Dana Center University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas

2. First, some good news. After more than a decade of fairly flat achievement and stagnant or growing gaps, we appear to be turning the corner. Kati Haycock, President Education Trust UMLN Conference 2009

3. What plays a role in student academic achievement? The Success Stories

4. Research Policy making Professional Development

5. R

6. R Building Curriculum through Alignment Adapted from the work of Fenwick English

7. P Points from The Education Trust • Focus on what students need to learn • Teacher collaboration • Assess frequently to see if students are learning • Use data to inform instruction • Build personal relationships Webinar 2011

8. PD Urban Science Education Leadership Academy • NSTA initiative • The goal is to positively affect student achievement through the development of leaders who will help guide reform of the learning, teaching, and assessing of science in elementary/middle schools. • 15 urban districts • Year 3 of the academy (09’ – Orlando, Fla.; 10’ – New Orleans, La.; 11’ – Baltimore, Ma.)

9. A Quick Look at NAEP The General Report of Science The Urban District Study

10. NAEP Science Assessment • Administered January through March 2009 • 156,500 fourth-graders • 151,100 eighth-graders • 11,100 twelfth-graders • Results available for • Nation at grades 4, 8, and 12 • 46 states and Department of Defense schools at grades 4 and 8 • Performance reported as • Average scale scores (0–300 scale) • Achievement levels (Basic, Proficient, Advanced) NSTA web seminar, January 2011

11. Grade 4 Scores in 24 states higher than the national average • 1 Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas and domestic schools). NSTA web seminar, January 2011

12. Grade 8 Scores in 25 states higher than the national average • 1 Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas and domestic schools). NSTA web seminar, January 2011

13. 2009 NAEP Science for Urban Districts • Detroit • Fresno • Houston • Jefferson County (KY) • Los Angeles • Miami-Dade • Milwaukee • New York City • Philadelphia • San Diego • Atlanta • Austin • Baltimore City • Boston • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland http://www.nagb.org/science2009/tuda/

14. Austin, Charlotte, Jefferson County (Louisville, KY), and Miami-Dade had higher scores at both grades http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009/district_summary.asp

15. Success Stories • What is the success • How was the success measured • Who was successful

16. School Profiles(Looking at the Success) • The School • The Student population • The Demographic • The Success Identified

17. 2010 Newsweek’s 100 Best High Schools List • School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center Dallas, Texas • Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School Irondale, Alabama • Stanton College Preparatory School Jacksonville, Florida • School of Science and Engineering at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center Dallas, Texas • Corbett School Corbett, Oregon • BASIS Tucson Tucson, Arizona • Signature School Evansville, Indiana • Paxon School for Advanced Studies Jacksonville, Florida • Suncoast Community High School Riviera Beach, Florida • City Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park Buffalo, New York City • Oxford Academy Cypress, California • Science Academy of South Texas Mercedes, Texas Red indicates public school with high minority/majority student population with measureable success

18. School for the Talented and GiftedYvonne A. Ewell TownviewCenterDallas, Texas School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 229 African American 21%; Anglo 39%; Hispanic (Latino) 31%; Asian/Pac. Islander 10%; Economically Disadvantaged 32% Success: Ranked #1 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high; passing rate 100% on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills for Science. Average score for ACT 29 compared to national score of 21.1

19. Stanton College Preparatory High School Jacksonville, Florida School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 1586 African American 26%; Anglo 49%; Hispanic (Latino) 7%; Asian/Pac. Islander 16%; Economically Disadvantaged 16% Success: Ranked #3 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high; passing rate 47% on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test for Science compared to 32% statewide. Average score for ACT 27.8 compared to national score of 21.1

20. School of Science and Engineering Yvonne A. Ewell TownviewCenterDallas, Texas School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 407 African American 18%; Anglo 16%; Hispanic (Latino) 58%; Asian/Pac. Islander 9%; Economically Disadvantaged 60% Success : Ranked #4 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high; passing rate 99.5% on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills for Science. Average score for ACT 27 compared to national score of 21.1

21. Oxford Academy Cypress, California School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 1457 African American 1%; Anglo 14%; Hispanic (Latino) 11%; Asian/Pac. Islander 59%; Economically Disadvantaged 20% Success: Ranked #11 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high for 2010 and ranked #16 in 2009; Ranked top 10% of the state of California according to the California Public Schools Accountability Report Card (Academic Performance Index (API) ; Average score for ACT 27.3 compared to 21.1 nationally

22. Science Academy of South Texas Mercedes, Texas School Type: High School (grades 9-12) School Population: 1457 African American .7%;Anglo 12%; Hispanic (Latino) 63%; Asian/Pac. Islander 15%; Economically Disadvantaged 43.5% Success: Ranked #12 in Newsweek’s list of America’s best high for 2010; 99% passing rate on the on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS); Average score for ACT 24.8 compared to 21.1 nationally

23. Watch out for these schools!(They are not on the List but certainly worth looking at!)

24. Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior HighElmont, New York School Type: High School (grades 7-12) School Population: 1919 African American 77%; Anglo 1%; Hispanic (Latino) 13%; Asian/Pac. Islander 8%; Economically Disadvantaged 21% Success: School pass rate 87% compared to 75% on New York Regents Exam Living Environment. Class of 2008 graduation rate was 96% compared to the state of 74%.

25. Ann Richards School for Young WomenAustin, Texas School Type: Middle School (grades 6-9) All female students campus School Population: 437 African American 14.2%, Anglo 22.7%, Hispanic 59.7%, Asian/Pac. Islander 3.4%, Economically Disadvantaged 62.0% Success: State Assessment passing rate – 90% compared to statewide passing rate - 78% on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Science assessment is administrated to grade 8 students only. Source: Austin Independent School District

26. Small Pockets of Wonderfulness!

27. Let connect, multiple, spread and/or enlarge the Pockets!

28. vwestbroook@austin.utexas.edu