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Marco Muñoz

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Dr. Marco A. Muñoz is the Accelerated Improvement Schools Director with the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). He is an adjunct faculty with the University of Louisville College of Education and Human Development in the area of research methods, statistics, measurement, evaluation, and action research. Recipient of the 2015 Harvard University Strategic Data Project Fellowship, the 2011 University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Excellence in Educational Leadership Award, the 2008 National Staff Development Council (NSDC) Best Evaluation Award, and the 2001 American Evaluation Association (AEA) Marcia Guttentag Award for his contribution on school district research and evaluation. He is the past President of the Consortium for Research in Educational Assessment and Teacher Effectiveness (CREATE). Dr. Munoz is the author of numerous publications in refereed journals such as the Journal of School Leadership

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Predicting Civic Engagement in Urban High School Students

The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools... more The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools in promoting youth civic engagement and presented a range of promising ideas and practices to accomplish that. In this study we describe the civic engagement outcomes that Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, KY, has chosen to promote in its students. The outcomes constitute a vision of civic engagement that sees youth as well-rounded citizens capable of engaging in civil, political, and problemsolving activities, both individually and socially. In 2007, JCPS revised its annual survey of students to include the above-mentioned civic outcomes and other new measures as part of a whole-child approach to monitoring educational development. Data collected from high school students by this survey in 2008 and 2009 were used to identify and characterize a number of factors which, theory and empirical research suggest, may be important predictors of youth civic engagement. The results show that most of the factors in our models of civic engagement were positively related to youth civic engagement. Using these findings and theoretical considerations, we sorted factors into three levels of importance. Overall, the most important predictors of youth civic engagement in our models were community service, political discussion, and environmental conservation. At an intermediate level of importance were nonsport extracurricular activities, conflict resolution skill, and positive character, as well as personal efficacy, willingness to contact public officials about issues of concern, and intention to vote.

Standards-Based Grading and Reporting Will Improve Education: Making Clear Linkages between Standards, Assessment, Grading, and Reporting That Are Concisely Reported Work for the Betterment of ALL Students

Phi Delta Kappan, Apr 1, 2015

Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely re... more Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely reported work for the betterment of ALL students. Grading and reporting are foundational elements in nearly every educational system. Grading represents teachers' evaluations-formative or summative-of students' performance. Reporting is how the results of those evaluations are communicated to students, parents, or others. Because of their fundamental nature, educators must ensure that grading and reporting always meet the criteria for validity and reliability. And because of their primary communication purpose, educators must also ensure that grading and reporting are meaningful, accurate, and fair. What research tells us The first step in sound classroom assessment practices associated with grading is to ensure that grades are meaningful. In determining students' grades, teachers typically merge scores from major exams, compositions, quizzes, projects, and reports, along with evidence from homework, punctuality in turning in assignments, class participation, work habits, and effort. Computerized grading programs help teachers apply different weights to each of these categories (Guskey, 2002) that then are combined in idiosyncratic ways (McMillan, 2001; McMillan, Myran, & Workman, 2002). The result often is a grade that is impossible to interpret accurately or meaningfully (Brookhart & Nitko, 2008; Cross & Frary, 1996). To make grades more meaningful, we need to address both the purpose of grades and the format used to report them. Purpose and criteria The purpose of grading is to describe how well students have achieved the learning objectives or goals established for a class or course of study. Grades should reflect students' performance on specific learning criteria. Establishing clearly articulated criteria for grades makes the grading process more fair and equitable. Unfortunately, different teachers often use widely varying criteria in determining students' grades, and students often aren't well-informed about those criteria. Recognizing that merging diverse sources of evidence distorts the meaning of any grade, educators in many parts of the world assign multiple grades. This idea

Predicting Civic Engagement in Urban High School Students. CIRCLE Working Paper #69

The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools... more The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools in promoting youth civic engagement and presented a range of promising ideas and practices to accomplish that. In this study we describe the civic engagement outcomes that Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, KY, has chosen to promote in its students. The outcomes constitute a vision of civic engagement that sees youth as well-rounded citizens capable of engaging in civil, political, and problemsolving activities, both individually and socially. In 2007, JCPS revised its annual survey of students to include the above-mentioned civic outcomes and other new measures as part of a whole-child approach to monitoring educational development. Data collected from high school students by this survey in 2008 and 2009 were used to identify and characterize a number of factors which, theory and empirical research suggest, may be important predictors of youth civic engagement. The results show that most of the factors in our models of civic engagement were positively related to youth civic engagement. Using these findings and theoretical considerations, we sorted factors into three levels of importance. Overall, the most important predictors of youth civic engagement in our models were community service, political discussion, and environmental conservation. At an intermediate level of importance were nonsport extracurricular activities, conflict resolution skill, and positive character, as well as personal efficacy, willingness to contact public officials about issues of concern, and intention to vote.

Inter-Organizational Research Collaboration in Education: A District-University Partnership Model

ERS spectrum, 2006

Improving Teaching and Learning Through Evaluation: A Special Issue on the National Evaluation Institute

Journal of personnel evaluation in education, Dec 1, 2007

Assistant principals in high-stakes accountability environments: The effects of job attributes and school characteristics

Educational assessment, evaluation and accountability, Jan 13, 2011

This study addressed the topic of job specifications and school characteristics since there is a ... more This study addressed the topic of job specifications and school characteristics since there is a shortage of quality AP applicants in high-stakes accountability environments. It is important to learn about allocation of duties from educational administrators with on-the-job experience as well as to learn why current APs would consider applying for other AP positions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of job attributes (instruction, discipline), school level (elementary, middle, high), and school achievement (in-need-of-assistance, progressing, meets goal) on applicant's rating of an AP position. This research study used an experimental design. A main effect for job attributes indicated that instruction was significantly higher than discipline when attracting assistant principals. Implications for practice and research are discussed. Keywords Assistant principals. Recruitment. School districts. Urban education. Job applicants. Accountability. High stakes tests This study addresses the effect of job specifications and allocation of duties related to assistant principals (APs) in the state of Kentucky. It is important to learn about job specifications and allocation of duties from educational administrators with the on-the-job knowledge and experience as well as to learn why current APs would consider applying for other AP positions. Kentucky is a state that has been undergoing school reform since the inception of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA 1990). While KERA increases the accountability of teachers in the classroom, it also increases the demands and roles of the assistant principal. More recently, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB 2001) and the federal initiative entitled Race to the Top have further increased the accountability of

Evaluating Urban Teacher Recruitment Programs: An Application of Private Sector Recruitment Theories

Journal of school leadership, 2004

Different Ways of Knowing for the Middle Grades: Cohort 1 Evaluation Report

Cross-Sector Research Associated with Nutrition: Comparison of Private and Public Schools on Health Indicators

Healthy People 2010 is the initiative that defines the U.S. health agenda and guides policy. The ... more Healthy People 2010 is the initiative that defines the U.S. health agenda and guides policy. The initiative provides direction for individuals to change personal behaviors and for organizations and communities to support good health through health promotion policies. The objective of this research was to compare public and private schools on various health indicators collected from standardized assessment instruments. Data were available for 1,818 public school students and 1,862 private school students who completed the School Health Education Evaluation Instrument. Overall, public high school students reported higher percentages of behaviors that support food nutrition than private high school students. However, it is worth noting that number of responses scored as correct appears low for both groups of students and may warrant further attention. Educational policy makers need to address the problems associated with nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that could influence learning in schools. (Contains 5 tables and 10 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Building Research-Practice Partnerships as a District-Led Initiative: A High-Leverage Strategy for System Improvement

Planning and changing, 2016

The main purpose of this article is to describe this best-practice approach for both school distr... more The main purpose of this article is to describe this best-practice approach for both school districts and university faculty who share a common interest in better serving students. School districts can lead change to improve student learning, but change has to be informed by research if we want to move beyond good intentions or futile activism. True change need to be rooted in an evidence-based school district culture for decision-making. This is where we -as school districts- need to be proactive in setting up Research-Practice Partnerships (RPP).RRPs are an important avenue for supporting research use in school districts. We need to figure out the best way of working with our research partners so that the collaborative efforts can make a significant impact on student learning and organizational improvement. In this regard, school districts need to become co-designers of the RPP at the different phases of the research process so that research results are actually used for driving practice. Key phases of the research process that require true collaboration (rather than simple cooperation) include (but are not limited to): (a) problem identification; (b) solution identification and implementation; (c) methodological approaches; (d) ways of presenting findings and recommendations for action; and (e) scaling up results.In this article, we share our own experiences in data access from the lenses of a large urban district (Munoz, Winter, & Ricciardi, 2006; Munoz & Rodosky, 2015). More importantly, our hope is that this article will promote partnerships with universities and research laboratories since we believe that-if done right-researchers can help districts promote a data culture that will result in improvements in teaching practice and ultimately student outcomes.An example in our district about a successful RPP experiment is associated with Vanderbilt University's Mathematics and the Instructional Setting of Teaching (MIST) project. The approach involves four major steps: (1) collect data from mathematics leaders in the district; (2) articulate district leader's theory of action for improving mathematics teaching and learning; (3) collect data on the actual theory of action implementation; and (4) provide feedback and feedforward to district leaders on key findings and recommendations for action for improving mathematics teaching and learning. For more specifics about the longitudinal research partnership with Vanderbilt, please see articles by Cobb and Smith (2008) and Cobb, Jackson, Smith, Sorum, and Henrick (2013).Our work has been critically informed by researchers across the nation who are interested in promoting the use of research evidence for school and district decision-making and improvement (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013; Coburn & Talbert, 2006; Coburn, Toure, & Yamashita, 2009; FarleyRipple, 2012; Honig, & Coburn, 2008; Penuel, Allen, Coburn, & Farrell, 2015; Penuel, Fishman, Cheng, & Sabelli, 2011). For example, Coburn et al. (2013) argue about the importance of: (a) defining research-practice partnerships; (b) identifying the major types of partnerships that operate at the district level; and (c) describing challenges partnerships face and strategies for addressing these challenges. The authors draw on a review of existing research and interviews with participants in research-practice partnerships across the United States. Coburn et al. (2013) defined RPP as long-term collaborations, committed to mutualism, and organized to investigate problems of practice and generate solutions for improving district outcomes.Penuel et al. (2011, 2015), argues that the RPP has added value to promote large scale implementation of equitable change in school systems. Making education reform systematic and sustainable requires RPP efforts with shared goals and meaningful data collection that can inform practice. These authors argue that RPP can help the field by identifying key questions and areas for building and sustaining evidence-based practice. …

Removing Non-Academic Barriers in Urban Schools: School-Linked Social Services

Planning and changing, Apr 1, 2015

The old African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child," remains true today. Som... more The old African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child," remains true today. Some would disagree and say it is the sole responsibility of the family to raise a child. That may be true, if the family unit were intact for all of America's children. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Today, in our nation, children arc living in poverty at a more alarming rate than ever before. The poverty rate in 2011 was 15%, up from 12.5% in 2007, with 46.2 million people in poverty (United States Census Bureau, 2011).In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson began his noble "War on Poverty" to eradicate poverty from the lives of America's children. Yet, in 2009, an increasing number of students come to school with a myriad of problems. This is often times the result of generational poverty. Many of the intellectual, social, physical, emotional, mental, and health-related issues have their roots in poverty, and these factors place students at risk (McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, & McWhirter, 2007). Poverty is a major risk factor for students, but it is not the only risk factor youth face. Today, youth grapple with such complex problems as teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, suicide, and youth violence among others. These risk factors affect students from all socioeconomic backgrounds (McWhirter et al., 2007).In an effort to assist students with removing some of the barriers to education they bring with them, a movement ensued to provide students with needed services at school. Over the past two decades, some school districts across the nation have become seriously committed to mitigating students' needs by providing services to address them. The overarching theory of action is that if we address students' unmet needs, then teaching and learning will occur. Consequently, students could perform better academically, placing them on a better trajectory in life.Researchers agree that children and families must receive health and social services (including counseling, tutoring, family planning, day care facilities, employment training, and placement) within their social context. However, debates exist regarding which model of service integration is the most effective. Chaskin and Richman ( 1992) argue for a community-based model "in which a diversity of service providers, administrative contexts, and institutions work under collaborative governance in a system of linked services" (p. 107). In this model, the school plays a lesser role. In the schoolbased model, the school is the dominant player. In the school-linked social services model, the school is a collegial partner. According to Crowson and Boyd (1993), the school-linked model seems most successful.School-Linked Social Services and Full-Service Community SchoolsThe genesis of school-linked social services reform movement has its roots in the work of renowned American psychologist, Urie Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenner (1979) argues that the present theoretical orientations were limited to the ecological systems that only contained the child (i.e., family, classroom, peer group). These theoretical orientations rarely include the nature and requirements of the parents' work, uniqueness of the neighborhood, and the relation between school and community among others. His work laid the foundation for future research in child development and the role of additional ecological factors, such as youth service centers, in the success of adolescents.Full-service community schools arose out of the concept that, in order to succeed, all students should have all of their needs met, including non-academic needs. Health, mental health, and other services provided at schools can make a difference; in fact, schools can be an optimum setting for providing these services. The full-service community school model places the emphasis on prevention. Dryfoos ( 1994) calls for a "revolution in the delivery of health and social services for children and families" (p. 205). …

Volunteers and Schools Nurturing Developmental Assets: Promoting Positive Attitudes and Behaviors while Protecting Youth from High-Risk Behaviors

This is an investigation of the impact that a volunteer-based violence prevention program is havi... more This is an investigation of the impact that a volunteer-based violence prevention program is having in a large urban school district located in the Midwest. The program addresses behavioral and violence prevention issues in the school setting with the hopes of reducing the factors that might put a student at-risk for school failure. The long-term benefits might be expressed in the students' lives as they continue their schooling and as they become productive citizens. The benefits of the program activities were observed when participating students and teachers expressed their perceptions about different dimensions related to their educational endeavors. Since the dosage of intervention is limited in time and duration, it was recommended to reassess those dimensions of the program implementation. Recommendations for further research are included in the discussion section. (Contains 19 references and 4 tables.) (Author/GCP) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Outcome-Based Community-Schools Partnerships: The Impact of the After-School Programs on Non-Academic and Academic Indicators

Afterschool programs enable inner city public schools to plan, implement, or expand projects that... more Afterschool programs enable inner city public schools to plan, implement, or expand projects that benefit the educational, health, social services, cultural, and recreational needs of the community. This study investigated the impact of afterschool programs on various noncognitive and cognitive measures (e.g., attendance, suspensions, and grade point average) associated with school performance among poor, inner city students in Louisville, Kentucky. Community learning center programs were established in the intervention schools. They offered enrichment and support activities, community involvement, services to parents and other community members, extended school hours, and core educational services. A group of 636 participating elementary and secondary school students were divided into two groups: 241 regular program attendees and 395 non-regular attendees. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) methodology. Results indicated that there was a positive relationship between the total number of visits and improved school attendance. There was also a positive correlational trend between higher program participation and students' academic performance and number of suspensions. (Contains 15 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

A better research-practice partnership

Phi Delta Kappan, Oct 31, 2016

R esearch organizations have been working in school districts for decades. But how useful and rel... more R esearch organizations have been working in school districts for decades. But how useful and relevant has that research been for practitioners? Currently, policy makers and funders are scrutinizing these relationships to tackle that question. Several weak spots in the relationship need shoring up. District leaders often feel that working with researchers is not mutually benefi cial. Researchers may not provide enough practical guidance to inform decision making. Often, research is not available when district leaders need it to make a decision nor is it shared with them in a useful manner. Typically, it's steeped in academic language, and

Standards-based grading and reporting will improve education

Phi Delta Kappan, Mar 23, 2015

Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely re... more Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely reported work for the betterment of ALL students. Grading and reporting are foundational elements in nearly every educational system. Grading represents teachers' evaluations-formative or summative-of students' performance. Reporting is how the results of those evaluations are communicated to students, parents, or others. Because of their fundamental nature, educators must ensure that grading and reporting always meet the criteria for validity and reliability. And because of their primary communication purpose, educators must also ensure that grading and reporting are meaningful, accurate, and fair. What research tells us The first step in sound classroom assessment practices associated with grading is to ensure that grades are meaningful. In determining students' grades, teachers typically merge scores from major exams, compositions, quizzes, projects, and reports, along with evidence from homework, punctuality in turning in assignments, class participation, work habits, and effort. Computerized grading programs help teachers apply different weights to each of these categories (Guskey, 2002) that then are combined in idiosyncratic ways (McMillan, 2001; McMillan, Myran, & Workman, 2002). The result often is a grade that is impossible to interpret accurately or meaningfully (Brookhart & Nitko, 2008; Cross & Frary, 1996). To make grades more meaningful, we need to address both the purpose of grades and the format used to report them. Purpose and criteria The purpose of grading is to describe how well students have achieved the learning objectives or goals established for a class or course of study. Grades should reflect students' performance on specific learning criteria. Establishing clearly articulated criteria for grades makes the grading process more fair and equitable. Unfortunately, different teachers often use widely varying criteria in determining students' grades, and students often aren't well-informed about those criteria. Recognizing that merging diverse sources of evidence distorts the meaning of any grade, educators in many parts of the world assign multiple grades. This idea

The Elusive Relationship Between Teacher Characteristics and Student Academic Growth: A Longitudinal Multilevel Model for Change

Journal of personnel evaluation in education, Dec 1, 2007

Teacher characteristics and student achievement growth are currently a significant topic of inves... more Teacher characteristics and student achievement growth are currently a significant topic of investigation in the educational accountability arena. Given the environment of high-stakes accountability associated with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation and state accountability systems, staffing all classrooms with highly qualified teachers is a critical national concern. A new era of research is needed to understand the complexity of teacher quality when defined by student learning growth. The present study evaluated the effects of teacher characteristics (i.e., experience, education, and race) in high school reading achievement gains using a multi-level growth model in an urban school district in Kentucky. Findings showed significant effects of time, but non-significant effects of teacher characteristics in high school reading achievement growth. Implications for educational policy and future research are discussed.

Working with Limited English Proficient Students: Input from the Field on a High School Newcomer Program

While the number of limited English proficient (LEP) students has grown nationwide, these student... more While the number of limited English proficient (LEP) students has grown nationwide, these students' academic achievement levels have lagged significantly behind those of their language majority peers. Dropout rates among LEP students are also high. The Newcomer Program within Kentucky's Jefferson County Public Schools is a full-day transitional English as a Second Language (ESL) program for newly arrived immigrant and refugee high school students. ESL teachers and bilingual associate instructors and teaching assistants share with the regular classroom teacher the responsibility of educating LEP students. This program offers students instruction in English as well as content classes with support in their native languages. It provides students with not just intensive language instruction, but also a safe educational environment in which to acquire basic academic and school survival skills. The Newcomer Program is characterized by an orientation to school, community, and society; an emphasis on English language development; and bilingual staff specifically trained to meet the needs of newcomer students. Evaluation of the program included classroom observations, focus group interviews with students, informal interviews with faculty and administrators, and student language testing. Results found that the Newcomer Program is meeting its goals of preparing students for mainstream classrooms. (SM)

Primary Mental Health in Elementary Schools: Its Impact on Psychosocial Measures

The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP) is a research-based, selective program implemented by th... more The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP) is a research-based, selective program implemented by the Jefferson County Public Schools. The goal of the program is to enhance learning and other school-related competencies. Key structural components of the program include a focus on young children, early screening and selection, use of paraprofessionals to provide direct services to children, and ongoing program evaluation. A management-oriented evaluation approach was used in the evaluation of PMHP being used in 12 elementary schools. Both treatment and comparison groups were evenly distributed in terms of race and gender. The Teacher-Child Rating Scale was used as a pre-and post-test for the participating students in the treatment schools only. The central measures were related to task orientation, behavior control, assertiveness, and peer social. Statistically significant differences were found in the pre-and post-test analysis at the district and at the specific domain of behavior control. Gains were also noted at most of the individual schools. The analyses recommend use of a treatment versus comparison group pre-post-test design at the student level. (JDM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Unobtrusive Measures

Encyclopedia of Evaluation Encyclopedia of evaluation, Oct 5, 2012

Program Evaluation of Educational Services to Limited English Proficient Students in an Urban School District

School districts are reporting large increases in English language learners in their student popu... more School districts are reporting large increases in English language learners in their student populations. In some instances, English language learners are the fastest growing student population. This paper explores the impact of an urban school district English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program on language minority students for a period of 2 school years in the areas of reading and writing. The findings showed that there was yearly progress in English language proficiency in reading and writing scores. The gains reached statistically significant levels using both chi-squares and dependent-sample t-tests. Data indicated that the program was successfully meeting the needs of the language minority students of the local educational agency under study. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document.

Predicting Civic Engagement in Urban High School Students

The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools... more The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools in promoting youth civic engagement and presented a range of promising ideas and practices to accomplish that. In this study we describe the civic engagement outcomes that Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, KY, has chosen to promote in its students. The outcomes constitute a vision of civic engagement that sees youth as well-rounded citizens capable of engaging in civil, political, and problemsolving activities, both individually and socially. In 2007, JCPS revised its annual survey of students to include the above-mentioned civic outcomes and other new measures as part of a whole-child approach to monitoring educational development. Data collected from high school students by this survey in 2008 and 2009 were used to identify and characterize a number of factors which, theory and empirical research suggest, may be important predictors of youth civic engagement. The results show that most of the factors in our models of civic engagement were positively related to youth civic engagement. Using these findings and theoretical considerations, we sorted factors into three levels of importance. Overall, the most important predictors of youth civic engagement in our models were community service, political discussion, and environmental conservation. At an intermediate level of importance were nonsport extracurricular activities, conflict resolution skill, and positive character, as well as personal efficacy, willingness to contact public officials about issues of concern, and intention to vote.

Standards-Based Grading and Reporting Will Improve Education: Making Clear Linkages between Standards, Assessment, Grading, and Reporting That Are Concisely Reported Work for the Betterment of ALL Students

Phi Delta Kappan, Apr 1, 2015

Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely re... more Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely reported work for the betterment of ALL students. Grading and reporting are foundational elements in nearly every educational system. Grading represents teachers' evaluations-formative or summative-of students' performance. Reporting is how the results of those evaluations are communicated to students, parents, or others. Because of their fundamental nature, educators must ensure that grading and reporting always meet the criteria for validity and reliability. And because of their primary communication purpose, educators must also ensure that grading and reporting are meaningful, accurate, and fair. What research tells us The first step in sound classroom assessment practices associated with grading is to ensure that grades are meaningful. In determining students' grades, teachers typically merge scores from major exams, compositions, quizzes, projects, and reports, along with evidence from homework, punctuality in turning in assignments, class participation, work habits, and effort. Computerized grading programs help teachers apply different weights to each of these categories (Guskey, 2002) that then are combined in idiosyncratic ways (McMillan, 2001; McMillan, Myran, & Workman, 2002). The result often is a grade that is impossible to interpret accurately or meaningfully (Brookhart & Nitko, 2008; Cross & Frary, 1996). To make grades more meaningful, we need to address both the purpose of grades and the format used to report them. Purpose and criteria The purpose of grading is to describe how well students have achieved the learning objectives or goals established for a class or course of study. Grades should reflect students' performance on specific learning criteria. Establishing clearly articulated criteria for grades makes the grading process more fair and equitable. Unfortunately, different teachers often use widely varying criteria in determining students' grades, and students often aren't well-informed about those criteria. Recognizing that merging diverse sources of evidence distorts the meaning of any grade, educators in many parts of the world assign multiple grades. This idea

Predicting Civic Engagement in Urban High School Students. CIRCLE Working Paper #69

The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools... more The landmark Civic Mission of Schools report of 2003 laid out an argument for the role of schools in promoting youth civic engagement and presented a range of promising ideas and practices to accomplish that. In this study we describe the civic engagement outcomes that Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, KY, has chosen to promote in its students. The outcomes constitute a vision of civic engagement that sees youth as well-rounded citizens capable of engaging in civil, political, and problemsolving activities, both individually and socially. In 2007, JCPS revised its annual survey of students to include the above-mentioned civic outcomes and other new measures as part of a whole-child approach to monitoring educational development. Data collected from high school students by this survey in 2008 and 2009 were used to identify and characterize a number of factors which, theory and empirical research suggest, may be important predictors of youth civic engagement. The results show that most of the factors in our models of civic engagement were positively related to youth civic engagement. Using these findings and theoretical considerations, we sorted factors into three levels of importance. Overall, the most important predictors of youth civic engagement in our models were community service, political discussion, and environmental conservation. At an intermediate level of importance were nonsport extracurricular activities, conflict resolution skill, and positive character, as well as personal efficacy, willingness to contact public officials about issues of concern, and intention to vote.

Inter-Organizational Research Collaboration in Education: A District-University Partnership Model

ERS spectrum, 2006

Improving Teaching and Learning Through Evaluation: A Special Issue on the National Evaluation Institute

Journal of personnel evaluation in education, Dec 1, 2007

Assistant principals in high-stakes accountability environments: The effects of job attributes and school characteristics

Educational assessment, evaluation and accountability, Jan 13, 2011

This study addressed the topic of job specifications and school characteristics since there is a ... more This study addressed the topic of job specifications and school characteristics since there is a shortage of quality AP applicants in high-stakes accountability environments. It is important to learn about allocation of duties from educational administrators with on-the-job experience as well as to learn why current APs would consider applying for other AP positions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of job attributes (instruction, discipline), school level (elementary, middle, high), and school achievement (in-need-of-assistance, progressing, meets goal) on applicant's rating of an AP position. This research study used an experimental design. A main effect for job attributes indicated that instruction was significantly higher than discipline when attracting assistant principals. Implications for practice and research are discussed. Keywords Assistant principals. Recruitment. School districts. Urban education. Job applicants. Accountability. High stakes tests This study addresses the effect of job specifications and allocation of duties related to assistant principals (APs) in the state of Kentucky. It is important to learn about job specifications and allocation of duties from educational administrators with the on-the-job knowledge and experience as well as to learn why current APs would consider applying for other AP positions. Kentucky is a state that has been undergoing school reform since the inception of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA 1990). While KERA increases the accountability of teachers in the classroom, it also increases the demands and roles of the assistant principal. More recently, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB 2001) and the federal initiative entitled Race to the Top have further increased the accountability of

Evaluating Urban Teacher Recruitment Programs: An Application of Private Sector Recruitment Theories

Journal of school leadership, 2004

Different Ways of Knowing for the Middle Grades: Cohort 1 Evaluation Report

Cross-Sector Research Associated with Nutrition: Comparison of Private and Public Schools on Health Indicators

Healthy People 2010 is the initiative that defines the U.S. health agenda and guides policy. The ... more Healthy People 2010 is the initiative that defines the U.S. health agenda and guides policy. The initiative provides direction for individuals to change personal behaviors and for organizations and communities to support good health through health promotion policies. The objective of this research was to compare public and private schools on various health indicators collected from standardized assessment instruments. Data were available for 1,818 public school students and 1,862 private school students who completed the School Health Education Evaluation Instrument. Overall, public high school students reported higher percentages of behaviors that support food nutrition than private high school students. However, it is worth noting that number of responses scored as correct appears low for both groups of students and may warrant further attention. Educational policy makers need to address the problems associated with nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that could influence learning in schools. (Contains 5 tables and 10 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Building Research-Practice Partnerships as a District-Led Initiative: A High-Leverage Strategy for System Improvement

Planning and changing, 2016

The main purpose of this article is to describe this best-practice approach for both school distr... more The main purpose of this article is to describe this best-practice approach for both school districts and university faculty who share a common interest in better serving students. School districts can lead change to improve student learning, but change has to be informed by research if we want to move beyond good intentions or futile activism. True change need to be rooted in an evidence-based school district culture for decision-making. This is where we -as school districts- need to be proactive in setting up Research-Practice Partnerships (RPP).RRPs are an important avenue for supporting research use in school districts. We need to figure out the best way of working with our research partners so that the collaborative efforts can make a significant impact on student learning and organizational improvement. In this regard, school districts need to become co-designers of the RPP at the different phases of the research process so that research results are actually used for driving practice. Key phases of the research process that require true collaboration (rather than simple cooperation) include (but are not limited to): (a) problem identification; (b) solution identification and implementation; (c) methodological approaches; (d) ways of presenting findings and recommendations for action; and (e) scaling up results.In this article, we share our own experiences in data access from the lenses of a large urban district (Munoz, Winter, & Ricciardi, 2006; Munoz & Rodosky, 2015). More importantly, our hope is that this article will promote partnerships with universities and research laboratories since we believe that-if done right-researchers can help districts promote a data culture that will result in improvements in teaching practice and ultimately student outcomes.An example in our district about a successful RPP experiment is associated with Vanderbilt University's Mathematics and the Instructional Setting of Teaching (MIST) project. The approach involves four major steps: (1) collect data from mathematics leaders in the district; (2) articulate district leader's theory of action for improving mathematics teaching and learning; (3) collect data on the actual theory of action implementation; and (4) provide feedback and feedforward to district leaders on key findings and recommendations for action for improving mathematics teaching and learning. For more specifics about the longitudinal research partnership with Vanderbilt, please see articles by Cobb and Smith (2008) and Cobb, Jackson, Smith, Sorum, and Henrick (2013).Our work has been critically informed by researchers across the nation who are interested in promoting the use of research evidence for school and district decision-making and improvement (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013; Coburn & Talbert, 2006; Coburn, Toure, & Yamashita, 2009; FarleyRipple, 2012; Honig, & Coburn, 2008; Penuel, Allen, Coburn, & Farrell, 2015; Penuel, Fishman, Cheng, & Sabelli, 2011). For example, Coburn et al. (2013) argue about the importance of: (a) defining research-practice partnerships; (b) identifying the major types of partnerships that operate at the district level; and (c) describing challenges partnerships face and strategies for addressing these challenges. The authors draw on a review of existing research and interviews with participants in research-practice partnerships across the United States. Coburn et al. (2013) defined RPP as long-term collaborations, committed to mutualism, and organized to investigate problems of practice and generate solutions for improving district outcomes.Penuel et al. (2011, 2015), argues that the RPP has added value to promote large scale implementation of equitable change in school systems. Making education reform systematic and sustainable requires RPP efforts with shared goals and meaningful data collection that can inform practice. These authors argue that RPP can help the field by identifying key questions and areas for building and sustaining evidence-based practice. …

Removing Non-Academic Barriers in Urban Schools: School-Linked Social Services

Planning and changing, Apr 1, 2015

The old African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child," remains true today. Som... more The old African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child," remains true today. Some would disagree and say it is the sole responsibility of the family to raise a child. That may be true, if the family unit were intact for all of America's children. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Today, in our nation, children arc living in poverty at a more alarming rate than ever before. The poverty rate in 2011 was 15%, up from 12.5% in 2007, with 46.2 million people in poverty (United States Census Bureau, 2011).In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson began his noble "War on Poverty" to eradicate poverty from the lives of America's children. Yet, in 2009, an increasing number of students come to school with a myriad of problems. This is often times the result of generational poverty. Many of the intellectual, social, physical, emotional, mental, and health-related issues have their roots in poverty, and these factors place students at risk (McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, & McWhirter, 2007). Poverty is a major risk factor for students, but it is not the only risk factor youth face. Today, youth grapple with such complex problems as teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, suicide, and youth violence among others. These risk factors affect students from all socioeconomic backgrounds (McWhirter et al., 2007).In an effort to assist students with removing some of the barriers to education they bring with them, a movement ensued to provide students with needed services at school. Over the past two decades, some school districts across the nation have become seriously committed to mitigating students' needs by providing services to address them. The overarching theory of action is that if we address students' unmet needs, then teaching and learning will occur. Consequently, students could perform better academically, placing them on a better trajectory in life.Researchers agree that children and families must receive health and social services (including counseling, tutoring, family planning, day care facilities, employment training, and placement) within their social context. However, debates exist regarding which model of service integration is the most effective. Chaskin and Richman ( 1992) argue for a community-based model "in which a diversity of service providers, administrative contexts, and institutions work under collaborative governance in a system of linked services" (p. 107). In this model, the school plays a lesser role. In the schoolbased model, the school is the dominant player. In the school-linked social services model, the school is a collegial partner. According to Crowson and Boyd (1993), the school-linked model seems most successful.School-Linked Social Services and Full-Service Community SchoolsThe genesis of school-linked social services reform movement has its roots in the work of renowned American psychologist, Urie Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenner (1979) argues that the present theoretical orientations were limited to the ecological systems that only contained the child (i.e., family, classroom, peer group). These theoretical orientations rarely include the nature and requirements of the parents' work, uniqueness of the neighborhood, and the relation between school and community among others. His work laid the foundation for future research in child development and the role of additional ecological factors, such as youth service centers, in the success of adolescents.Full-service community schools arose out of the concept that, in order to succeed, all students should have all of their needs met, including non-academic needs. Health, mental health, and other services provided at schools can make a difference; in fact, schools can be an optimum setting for providing these services. The full-service community school model places the emphasis on prevention. Dryfoos ( 1994) calls for a "revolution in the delivery of health and social services for children and families" (p. 205). …

Volunteers and Schools Nurturing Developmental Assets: Promoting Positive Attitudes and Behaviors while Protecting Youth from High-Risk Behaviors

This is an investigation of the impact that a volunteer-based violence prevention program is havi... more This is an investigation of the impact that a volunteer-based violence prevention program is having in a large urban school district located in the Midwest. The program addresses behavioral and violence prevention issues in the school setting with the hopes of reducing the factors that might put a student at-risk for school failure. The long-term benefits might be expressed in the students' lives as they continue their schooling and as they become productive citizens. The benefits of the program activities were observed when participating students and teachers expressed their perceptions about different dimensions related to their educational endeavors. Since the dosage of intervention is limited in time and duration, it was recommended to reassess those dimensions of the program implementation. Recommendations for further research are included in the discussion section. (Contains 19 references and 4 tables.) (Author/GCP) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Outcome-Based Community-Schools Partnerships: The Impact of the After-School Programs on Non-Academic and Academic Indicators

Afterschool programs enable inner city public schools to plan, implement, or expand projects that... more Afterschool programs enable inner city public schools to plan, implement, or expand projects that benefit the educational, health, social services, cultural, and recreational needs of the community. This study investigated the impact of afterschool programs on various noncognitive and cognitive measures (e.g., attendance, suspensions, and grade point average) associated with school performance among poor, inner city students in Louisville, Kentucky. Community learning center programs were established in the intervention schools. They offered enrichment and support activities, community involvement, services to parents and other community members, extended school hours, and core educational services. A group of 636 participating elementary and secondary school students were divided into two groups: 241 regular program attendees and 395 non-regular attendees. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) methodology. Results indicated that there was a positive relationship between the total number of visits and improved school attendance. There was also a positive correlational trend between higher program participation and students' academic performance and number of suspensions. (Contains 15 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

A better research-practice partnership

Phi Delta Kappan, Oct 31, 2016

R esearch organizations have been working in school districts for decades. But how useful and rel... more R esearch organizations have been working in school districts for decades. But how useful and relevant has that research been for practitioners? Currently, policy makers and funders are scrutinizing these relationships to tackle that question. Several weak spots in the relationship need shoring up. District leaders often feel that working with researchers is not mutually benefi cial. Researchers may not provide enough practical guidance to inform decision making. Often, research is not available when district leaders need it to make a decision nor is it shared with them in a useful manner. Typically, it's steeped in academic language, and

Standards-based grading and reporting will improve education

Phi Delta Kappan, Mar 23, 2015

Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely re... more Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely reported work for the betterment of ALL students. Grading and reporting are foundational elements in nearly every educational system. Grading represents teachers' evaluations-formative or summative-of students' performance. Reporting is how the results of those evaluations are communicated to students, parents, or others. Because of their fundamental nature, educators must ensure that grading and reporting always meet the criteria for validity and reliability. And because of their primary communication purpose, educators must also ensure that grading and reporting are meaningful, accurate, and fair. What research tells us The first step in sound classroom assessment practices associated with grading is to ensure that grades are meaningful. In determining students' grades, teachers typically merge scores from major exams, compositions, quizzes, projects, and reports, along with evidence from homework, punctuality in turning in assignments, class participation, work habits, and effort. Computerized grading programs help teachers apply different weights to each of these categories (Guskey, 2002) that then are combined in idiosyncratic ways (McMillan, 2001; McMillan, Myran, & Workman, 2002). The result often is a grade that is impossible to interpret accurately or meaningfully (Brookhart & Nitko, 2008; Cross & Frary, 1996). To make grades more meaningful, we need to address both the purpose of grades and the format used to report them. Purpose and criteria The purpose of grading is to describe how well students have achieved the learning objectives or goals established for a class or course of study. Grades should reflect students' performance on specific learning criteria. Establishing clearly articulated criteria for grades makes the grading process more fair and equitable. Unfortunately, different teachers often use widely varying criteria in determining students' grades, and students often aren't well-informed about those criteria. Recognizing that merging diverse sources of evidence distorts the meaning of any grade, educators in many parts of the world assign multiple grades. This idea

The Elusive Relationship Between Teacher Characteristics and Student Academic Growth: A Longitudinal Multilevel Model for Change

Journal of personnel evaluation in education, Dec 1, 2007

Teacher characteristics and student achievement growth are currently a significant topic of inves... more Teacher characteristics and student achievement growth are currently a significant topic of investigation in the educational accountability arena. Given the environment of high-stakes accountability associated with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation and state accountability systems, staffing all classrooms with highly qualified teachers is a critical national concern. A new era of research is needed to understand the complexity of teacher quality when defined by student learning growth. The present study evaluated the effects of teacher characteristics (i.e., experience, education, and race) in high school reading achievement gains using a multi-level growth model in an urban school district in Kentucky. Findings showed significant effects of time, but non-significant effects of teacher characteristics in high school reading achievement growth. Implications for educational policy and future research are discussed.

Working with Limited English Proficient Students: Input from the Field on a High School Newcomer Program

While the number of limited English proficient (LEP) students has grown nationwide, these student... more While the number of limited English proficient (LEP) students has grown nationwide, these students' academic achievement levels have lagged significantly behind those of their language majority peers. Dropout rates among LEP students are also high. The Newcomer Program within Kentucky's Jefferson County Public Schools is a full-day transitional English as a Second Language (ESL) program for newly arrived immigrant and refugee high school students. ESL teachers and bilingual associate instructors and teaching assistants share with the regular classroom teacher the responsibility of educating LEP students. This program offers students instruction in English as well as content classes with support in their native languages. It provides students with not just intensive language instruction, but also a safe educational environment in which to acquire basic academic and school survival skills. The Newcomer Program is characterized by an orientation to school, community, and society; an emphasis on English language development; and bilingual staff specifically trained to meet the needs of newcomer students. Evaluation of the program included classroom observations, focus group interviews with students, informal interviews with faculty and administrators, and student language testing. Results found that the Newcomer Program is meeting its goals of preparing students for mainstream classrooms. (SM)

Primary Mental Health in Elementary Schools: Its Impact on Psychosocial Measures

The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP) is a research-based, selective program implemented by th... more The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP) is a research-based, selective program implemented by the Jefferson County Public Schools. The goal of the program is to enhance learning and other school-related competencies. Key structural components of the program include a focus on young children, early screening and selection, use of paraprofessionals to provide direct services to children, and ongoing program evaluation. A management-oriented evaluation approach was used in the evaluation of PMHP being used in 12 elementary schools. Both treatment and comparison groups were evenly distributed in terms of race and gender. The Teacher-Child Rating Scale was used as a pre-and post-test for the participating students in the treatment schools only. The central measures were related to task orientation, behavior control, assertiveness, and peer social. Statistically significant differences were found in the pre-and post-test analysis at the district and at the specific domain of behavior control. Gains were also noted at most of the individual schools. The analyses recommend use of a treatment versus comparison group pre-post-test design at the student level. (JDM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Unobtrusive Measures

Encyclopedia of Evaluation Encyclopedia of evaluation, Oct 5, 2012

Program Evaluation of Educational Services to Limited English Proficient Students in an Urban School District

School districts are reporting large increases in English language learners in their student popu... more School districts are reporting large increases in English language learners in their student populations. In some instances, English language learners are the fastest growing student population. This paper explores the impact of an urban school district English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program on language minority students for a period of 2 school years in the areas of reading and writing. The findings showed that there was yearly progress in English language proficiency in reading and writing scores. The gains reached statistically significant levels using both chi-squares and dependent-sample t-tests. Data indicated that the program was successfully meeting the needs of the language minority students of the local educational agency under study. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document.