Large Urban School District Research Articles

Empowering community-changers: Developing civic efficacy in elementary classrooms

This study examined the effects of behavioral and social engagement and classroom supportiveness on the development of civic efficacy in fourth-grade science classrooms. We define civic efficacy as children's beliefs that they are not only capable of making a difference in their community, but they also feel a responsibility to do so. This study enrolled 815 students (48% female) across 39 classrooms, including 31 fourth-grade teachers at 25 schools in a large urban school district in the South Central U.S. Stepwise regression showed that behavioral engagement, social engagement, and classroom supportiveness in science class all positively predicted civic efficacy, and social engagement accounted for the greatest amount of variance in that civic efficacy. Findings suggests that social engagement is a stronger driver of civic efficacy than behavioral engagement and classroom supportiveness, pointing to the importance of collaboration and teamwork in science classrooms. We discuss implications for elementary classroom practices.

Understanding Inservice Middle School Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science (VNOS)

The Nature of Science (NOS) is a component of science literacy that supports critical thinking around science concepts, speaking to how and why science is conducted and connected to creating data and evidence. NOS is designed to be more than the standardized lessons of science; it helps children critically analyze and solve real-world and societal issues using scientific knowledge. The interpretation of science varies between the ideology and beliefs of each individual. Given the importance of this idea, it is necessary that teachers be able to provide NOS opportunities to students; however, first, they must have a firm grasp of the concept. To that end, we have created a qualitative study using the Views of Nature of Science (VNOS-D+) questionnaire to understand how a group of middle school science teachers conceptualize the NOS. The VNOS-D+ was administered to a cohort of teachers and administrators (n=23) within a Large Urban School District. The data was analyzed using the VNOS key and then open-coded by three reviewers. The results found that participants had an emergent and developing understanding of the NOS and should be supported to develop a robust NOS perspective. Given this finding, future research, professional development, and educational curriculums should support teachers to continually engage with NOS explicitly and implicitly to grow their understanding of the topic.

Examining urban school principals’ perceptions and insights on the bidirectionality of engagement: a case study of school district leaders

ABSTRACT Limited culturally responsive knowledge, skills, and engagement among school leaders contributes to significant racial disparities seen in diverse student outcomes (school pushout, rates in school discipline, and opportunity gap) and remains a pernicious problem for public schools in the United States. Also, school leaders and teachers often lack authentic engagement contributes to a sense of belongingness and connectedness among students, families, and school staff and systems. Thus, the primary purpose of the study was to explore principals’ beliefs and insights about both school leaders’ and students’ engagement behaviours and their contribution to cultural competence, school climate, and educational achievement. Qualitative data were collected using structured interviews with 40 school leaders from a large urban school district located in the mid-West. Thematic coding was used to analyse the data and emergent themes were identified based on principals’ responses. Results derived from their narratives and data analysis generated five major themes. The findings cohered with the existing literature related to communication methods, professional development trainings, and ways of being that impede and facilitate cultural competence, school climate, and leader and student engagement. Preliminary recommendations for future research and practice are offered.

Do refugee students affect the academic achievement of peers? Evidence from a large urban school district

Policy debate on refugee resettlement focuses on perceived adverse effects on local communities, with sparse credible evidence to ascertain its impact. In this paper, I present evidence on the impact of refugee integration in public schools by examining whether attending school with refugees affects the academic outcomes of non-refugee students. Leveraging variation in the share of refugees within schools and across grades, I find that a 1 percentage point increase in the share of refugees raises math test scores of non-refugee students by 0.01 standard deviations. I find no impact on average English Language Arts performance, although results in this subject differ by incumbent students’ prior achievement levels. Supplemental analyses suggest that the positive spillovers in math achievement are in part driven by compensatory funding and in-kind support made available to schools serving refugee students.

“That Wild Month of September”: Addressing Equity and Governance in a School Board Crisis

This case focuses on the Board of Trustees of a large urban school district in Texas, as they worked to decide when learners would have the option to return to in-person learning even as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect the community, particularly communities of color. This decision-making process included two back-to-back school board meetings with 6 hr of public comment that suggested a divided community. The case raises questions of racial equity, quality educational opportunities for students, governance, and decision making during a time of crisis. Through a deep dive into a crucial moment, this case highlights the challenging nature of governance during a crisis.

Supporting teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A community-partnered rapid needs assessment.

Using a community-partnered research framework, the goal of this study was to rapidly assess coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impact on teachers, students, and families and guidance received to navigate distance learning. Participants were teachers (N = 430) working in elementary schools (n = 301), middle schools (n = 56), high schools (n = 60), and other schools (n = 13) in two large urban school districts heavily impacted by COVID-19. Results indicated teacher concerns regarding student instructional loss and exposure to direct and indirect COVID-related trauma. There were mean differences in teacher concern by school level (p = .001, η² = .033) with elementary teachers reporting the greatest concerns regarding instructional loss. Over 40% of teachers reported that more than 20% of their students had a family member infected with COVID-19 or employed as a frontline healthcare worker. Approximately 99% of teachers reported a significant gap in student access to the internet and distance learning devices. Teachers reported receiving more school than district guidance regarding distance learning, student engagement, and using social emotional learning (SEL) programs. Results informed professional development priorities for educators and immediate supports needed for students and families. Study limitations and future directions for research and practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining Student Plate Waste Following a Conversion From Pre-packaged to Lunches Prepared On-Site: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

ObjectivesSubsidized meals provided through the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs are an important source of daily nutrition for millions of students across the United States. Aging school infrastructure has led some districts to rely on pre-packaged meals to feed students over the past few decades. It is unclear how investments in infrastructure upgrades that would enable on-site scratch cooking in schools might influence student selection and consumption of school meals. The aim of this study was to assess changes in student selection and consumption of school lunches following a conversion from pre-packaged meals to lunches prepared on-site, the introduction of salad bars on the lunch line, and removal of flavored milk offerings. MethodsQuasi-experimental difference-in-difference analysis of pre/post direct observation weighed plate waste measurements collected in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 from 595 3rd-5th graders at eight elementary schools (four intervention, four controls) in a large urban school district in New England. Descriptive statistics and mixed-model linear regressions controlling for grade, sex, intervention, and observations nested within individual were used to examine changes in meal component selection and consumption. ResultsStudent selection and consumption of vegetables increased by 31 grams (95%CI 18g – 43g) (equivalent to ∼3.25 carrot sticks or grape tomatoes) in intervention schools relative to controls, while student selection and consumption of milk decreased by 46g (95%CI 18g – 43g) (∼1/5 of an 8 ounce milk carton). Entrée and fruit selection and consumption did not change significantly. ConclusionsRemoval of flavored milk may lead to an initial decline in milk selection and consumption. Increased offerings of fresh unpackaged vegetables can increase student acceptance and consumption. Funding SourcesT32 HL098048/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United States.

Effects of Lockdown Drills on Students’ Fear, Perceived Risk, and Use of Avoidance Behaviors: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Although widely used in schools across the United States, little is known about the impact of lockdown drills, particularly related to psychological outcomes such as fear, perceived risk, and avoidance. This study utilized survey data collected over 3 timepoints—baseline, after the first lockdown drill, and following training and a second lockdown drill—from more than 10,000 students in a large urban school district. The results indicate that students were less fearful and perceived lower risk after participating in lockdown drills and emergency response training, although reported avoidance behaviors increased. Perceived school safety predicted less fear, risk, and avoidance, while perceived emergency preparedness predicted less fear and avoidance but higher risk. Implications for broader considerations for school administrators and policymakers related to emergency preparedness preparation, including drills and training, are offered with particular focus given to best practices for trauma mitigation.

More Than Shortages: The Unequal Distribution of Substitute Teaching

Abstract Classroom teachers in the United States are absent on average approximately 6 percent of a school year. Despite the prevalence of teacher absences, surprisingly little research has assessed the key source of replacement instruction: substitute teachers. Using detailed administrative and survey data from a large urban school district, we document the prevalence, predictors, and distribution of substitute coverage across schools. Less advantaged schools systematically exhibit lower rates of substitute coverage compared with peer institutions. Observed school, teacher, and absence characteristics account for only part of this school variation. In contrast, substitute teachers’ preferences for specific schools, mainly driven by student behavior and support from teachers and school administrators, explain a sizable share of the unequal distribution of coverage rates above and beyond standard measures in administrative data.

Supporting school‐community collaboration for the implementation of a multi‐tiered school mental health program: The Behavioral Health Team model

AbstractInvesting in school mental health programs has the potential to improve youths' access to mental health services. Barriers to the implementation of school mental health programs include limited workforce capacity, competing priorities, and lack of coordinated care. The current paper describes the history, development, and key components of the Behavioral Health Team (BHT) model that was established to promote implementation of school mental health programming. The BHT is a multi‐disciplinary team designed to maximize resources and collaboration, provide early identification of students with behavioral health needs, and match and connect students to the indicated interventions using data‐informed decision making. BHTs are tasked with selecting appropriate interventions, assuring fidelity of implementation, monitoring student progress and making adjustments based on data to enhance the sustainability and dissemination of evidence‐based prevention and intervention in schools. The paper reviews two case examples to illustrate how this model has been applied both within a large urban school district and a medium‐sized suburban school district. Results demonstrate that district support facilitates sustainability and expansion of the BHT model over time. Schools implementing this model demonstrate improvement in implementation of the BHT key components.

Mental health needs in a large urban school district: Findings from a web-based survey.

To explore the mental health needs of students, and the professional development and support needs of teachers and school health professionals, as a way to foster community engagement and help set priorities for a comprehensive school mental health system in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD). The study team surveyed all DPSCD staff in June 2019 and all students in grades 8-12 between October and December 2019. A descriptive study based on anonymous, web-based surveys focused on student trauma exposure and mental health symptoms, student mental health resource utilization, staff burnout, and professional development needs. All students (grades 8-12) and district staff were eligible to participate; the student survey was made available in six languages. Parents/guardians could opt children out; schools could exclude children unable to complete the survey independently. Student surveys were administered in school; staff surveys were sent via email. Thirty-four percent of DPSCD students reported moderate/severe depression symptoms; 22% had seriously considered suicide in the past year. Rates exceed national averages; 37% of students with severe depression and 34% of those with suicidal ideation had not accessed mental health supports. Staff indicated high levels of burnout and substantial interest in learning about self-care strategies or coping with vicarious trauma. Over 75% of teachers and school mental health professionals expressed interest in learning about best practices for supporting students impacted by trauma or mental illness. A large number of DPSCD students are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and many students who need care are not accessing it. Addressing the mental health needs of students is a high priority for staff, but they need more training and support, as well as support for their own vicarious trauma and high levels of burnout.

A Successful Collaboration Between an Urban School District, a Health System, and a Public Health Department to Address COVID-19 While Returning Children to the Classroom.

We sought to create and implement a set of COVID-19 mitigation processes including reliable testing to minimize in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2. A large urban school district (> 33,000 students), a city health department, and a free-standing children’s hospital partnered to implement multi-layered mitigation procedures which included access to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with same day or next morning results. We tracked COVID-19 cases as well as probable/confirmed transmissions and identified needed mitigations through frequent huddles. During the 2020–2021 school year, there were 13 weeks of hybrid in person learning and 9 weeks of 5 day a week learning. Of the 1936 cases documented, only 3.2% resulted in subsequent school-related transmission. When children felt ill in the classroom, they were isolated within 10 min of reporting ill symptoms (> 90% of the time). PCR test results were routinely available to the school district by 6AM the following morning (79–99% of the time, depending on the learning model). An adaptive, fast-learning partnership across school district, public health, and a children’s hospital minimized school-related transmission of COVID-19 and allowed children to safely return to the classroom. Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10900-022-01067-7.

Study protocol: cluster randomized trial of consultation strategies for the sustainment of mental health interventions in under-resourced urban schools: rationale, design, and methods

BackgroundThe school is a key setting for the provision of mental health services to children, particularly those underserved through traditional service delivery systems. School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a tiered approach to service delivery based on the public health model that schools use to implement universal (Tier 1) supports to improve school climate and safety. As our prior research has demonstrated, PBIS is a useful vehicle for implementing mental and behavioral health evidence-based practices (EBPs) at Tier 2 for children with, or at risk for, mental health disorders. Very little research has been conducted regarding the use of mental health EBPs at Tier 2 or how to sustain implementation in schools.Methods/designThe main aim of the study is to compare fidelity, penetration, cost-effectiveness, and student outcomes of Tier 2 mental health interventions across 2 sustainment approaches for school implementers in 12 K-8 schools. The study uses a 2-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial design. The two arms are: (a) Preparing for Sustainment (PS)—a consultation strategy implemented by school district coaches who receive support from external consultants, and (b) Sustainment as Usual (SAU)—a consultation strategy implemented by school district coaches alone. Participants will be 60 implementers and 360 students at risk for externalizing and anxiety disorders. The interventions implemented by school personnel are: Coping Power Program (CPP) for externalizing disorders, CBT for Anxiety Treatment in Schools (CATS) for anxiety disorders, and Check-in/Check-out (CICO) for externalizing and internalizing disorders. The Interactive Systems Framework (ISF) for Dissemination and Implementation guides the training and support procedures for implementers.DiscussionWe expect that this study will result in a feasible, effective, and cost-effective strategy for sustaining mental health EBPs that is embedded within a multi-tiered system of support. Results from this study conducted in a large urban school district would likely generalize to other large, urban districts and have an impact on population-level child mental health.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier number NCT04869657. Registered May 3, 2021.

Building Professional Capacity among Paraeducators through Onboarding

Many studies have investigated the inadequacy of training and support for special education paraeducators, but few have examined prehire activities or recommended a comprehensive plan to train and hire paraeducators. This quantitative action research study of 267 special education paraeducators and special education teachers was conducted in a large urban school district to address the concern over paraeducators’ lack of knowledge and training and the need to consider these factors when hiring staff in public school districts. Based on themes from the literature and the expertise of an insider, the purpose of the study was to increase the understanding of the relationship between and the perception of the importance of organizational factors, employee knowledge, and training. Results showed that paraeducators are not adequately trained, prefer specific training topics, and recognize that factors and knowledge affect job performance. The researchers then created a formal institutionalized onboarding program for new hire paraeducators based on a change management model. Immediate implementation recommendations, along with an onboarding plan and checklist, are included for school districts and their human resource departments.

A devil’s bargain: teachers’ decision to transfer and moral injury

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores the ethical dilemmas felt by teachers as they transferred from hard-to-staff to easy-to-staff schools within a large urban school district. According to these teachers’ accounts, many were motivated by a notion of craft conscience and felt a professional responsibility to leave schools where they were prevented from successfully practicing good teaching. At the same time, these teachers felt an obligation to the students they were leaving. The study concludes that such dilemmas result in moral injury to teachers as they find themselves in positions in which they are forced to choose among competing ethical claims.

Refugee Parents’ Perspectives on Preschool Enrollment after Migration and Resettlement

Using phenomenography, the researchers explored the perspectives of resettled refugee parents and why they chose to enroll their children in a large urban school district’s preschools. All of the participants were driven by intense desires to have a brighter future for themselves and for their children in their new country. All saw education as privilege and an opportunity to ensure more promising futures for their children—an opportunity that should not be left on the table. All the participants expressed an appreciation for the opportunities afforded them in the U.S. and hopes for a peaceful future. The participants’ backgrounds and migration experiences varied, but consistent across them were hardships and challenges. These influenced their decision to enroll children in an urban public preschool program in the hopes of increasing the likelihood of success for their children. Participants relied heavily on the support of refugee agencies. The researchers identified a need for local school districts to collaborate with resettlement agencies in developing a concrete plan for addressing the unique needs of refugee parents and children. This may include parent mentoring and using refugees to mentor/assist more recently arrived refugees in navigating the educational bureaucracies in their new country and school district.

Fixed Trajectories: Race, Schooling, and Graduation from a Southern Ontario University

According to Statistics Canada, during this decade (2019–2028) about 75% of new jobs will require a post-secondary education (Government of Canada, 2017). This study explores a unique dataset that follows students (n = 11,417) from a large urban school district to a local university in Southern Ontario. Using both descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression and a framework of categorical inequality (Domina et al., 2017), we examine the academic trajectories of students—particularly of Black students. Findings show that, compared to their peers, neither high school nor university programs provide Black students with the kinds of educational experiences needed for university graduation and academic success that wouldenable them to realize their fullest social and economic potentials.

Streamlining your school: understanding the relationship between instructional program coherence and school performance

ABSTRACT Instructional program coherence, which refers to the consistency and stability of school-wide programs that are guided by a common instructional framework, constitutes a vital school improvement strategy. Since Newmann and colleagues, in their study of 2001, conceptualized and created a measure of instructional program coherence, much of the empirical work has been carried out in one large urban school district, Chicago Public Schools. Using more generalizable data from a representative sample of all schools in the state of Florida, we found a positive relationship between teachers’ perceptions of coherence and student achievement. Our finding is consistent with previous studies but provides a more nuanced picture. Examining program coherence in more diverse contexts than prior work, we find that instructional program coherence is positively related to academic outcomes in middle schools while there is no significant relationship in elementary schools. Further, the magnitude of association is far more substantial when examining math, compared to reading outcomes in middle schools.

Creating something out of nothing: Enacting critical civic engagement in urban classrooms

Critical civic engagement (CCE) is a pedagogical framework for civic education in urban settings. CCE as a pedagogical approach engages student lived experience, develops critical thinking, and facilitates informed civic action projects. In this phenomenological study of teachers in four urban high schools in a large urban school district, the author seeks to understand how teachers experience the enactment of CCE elements in schools with majority African American or Latinx student populations. The author argues that CCE practices can and should lead to the development of civic identity as a critical outcome for students in contrast to more formal measures of academic achievement. Civic identity is the foundation upon with engagement in public life is built. The study suggests that the enactment of CCE elements provides a powerful learning and identity formation experience for students and a pedagogical process that inspires teachers and their student-centered practices.

Pushed Out for Missing School: The Role of Social Disparities and School Truancy in Dropping Out

Research: The goal of this study is to understand the experiences of Black and Latino former high school students who dropped out, or were pushed out, of a large urban school district in Southern California. Specifically, this paper examines the barriers students faced that contributed to them leaving high school and their journey afterward. Thirty-nine former high school students who “dropped out”, or were pushed out of school, 61.5% males (n = 24) and 38.5% females (n = 15), were interviewed. Findings: The findings indicate the use of punitive truancy control for dealing with health and psychological needs of students, transportation issues, personnel–student relationships, and standardized testing. Examining the experiences of students who have been pushed out of school can help educators and policy makers address some of the inequities within schools. Results: We argue that pushout prevention can be developed by changing truancy and other discipline policies in schools. Implications from this study help us understand how we can better support students before they are pushed out.