The GSP Monthly Dispatch – October 2021

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October 2021

Welcome to the October issue of the GSP Monthly Dispatch! This month, we bring you:

  • Invitations to join any (or all!) of our next three discovery sessions: race and racism in and out of the classroom, grading for educational equity, and equitable advisory systems.
  • An introduction to our local district policy toolkit, a contemporary perspective on public education from a veteran black teacher, and a contemplation on the persistence of segregation in schools.
  • The second in our new series of success stories, featuring equity work in RSU-10 Western Foothills in Maine.
  • Our monthly Data Dialogue.
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Teachers Talk: Race and Racism In and Out of the Classroom

In this interactive session, participants will examine some inequities that exist in participants’ school communities, explore helpful resources and tools, and begin to develop promising anti-racist next steps.Together, let’s lean into our own racial identities, learn about race and racism in America, and lead by committing to steps that challenge and change inequitable practices.

Date: October 28, 2021
Time: 1:00-4:00 PM ET
Where: Virtual, via Zoom
Cost: $150/person

Register

Grading for Educational Equity

In this session, we will outline central tenets that should guide schools’ efforts to examine their grading systems. We will also explore sample policies and grading guidelines from schools that have used these tenets to successfully re-design the systems they use to score student work and report student grades in an effort to lead to more equitable outcomes.



Date: December 7, 2021
Time: 1:00-4:00 PM ET
Where: Virtual, via Zoom
Cost: $150/person

Register

Building a More Equitable Advisory System

If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that strong relationships between students and school staff members are critically important. During this virtual discovery session, participants will learn how advisory systems can improve outcomes for all students. Participants will also examine effective middle and high school advisory structures in order to build or refine their school’s or district’s own advisory system.


Date: January 26, 2022
Time: 1:00-4:00 PM ET
Where: Virtual, via Zoom
Cost: $150/person

Register
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Local District Policy: A Valuable Tool for Change and Educational Equity

by J. Duke Albanese, Sarah Linet, and Glennys Sánchez

“…the maze of procedures, unfamiliar language, and sometimes exclusionary ‘ways of doing business’ continues to serve as a roadblock for more people to get involved in the local district policy process. We have created a series of resources to help work through some of those barriers…”

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A Contemporary Perspective on Public Education From a Veteran Black Teacher

by Dr. Michael Browner, Jr.

“A diverse teaching staff across districts with diverse populations and socioeconomic status is beneficial to all students, including White students who should be afforded the opportunity to recognize that not every qualified teacher or well-educated professional is White.”

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The (Unsurprising) Persistence of Segregation in Schools

by Dan Liebert

“Given the abundance of research that shows the damaging effects of long-term ability level segregation in schools, what could possibly account for its continued persistence? My experience in schools over the last 35 years has led me to conclude that this segregation is baked into the very fabric of education in America.”

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Success Story: An Inclusive Approach to Equity in RSU-10 Western Foothills

At the Great Schools Partnership, we define educational equity as ensuring just outcomes for each student, raising marginalized voices, and challenging the imbalance of power and privilege.

In pursuit of these goals, RSU-10 Western Foothills took an inclusive approach to their equity work, using district- and school-based strategies to engage a wide variety of stakeholders. These strategies included:

  • The creation of a district-wide equity team
  • School-based civil rights teams
  • A diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) summit for students
Read More
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Over the last decade, college enrollment rates in New England have risen by about 5 percentage points. Access to and success in college, however, varies for different student subgroups.

For example, the college enrollment rate for economically disadvantaged students in New England now stands at 51%, having grown by 9 percentage points since 2009. 76% of non-economically disadvantaged students enrolled in college in 2019, up 7 percentage points since 2009. Despite increased in enrollment for both groups, rates for economically disadvantaged students still trail their economically disadvantaged peers by 25 percentage points.

These disparities continue with college persistence and completion rates. The college persistence gap between economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged students has increased from 14 percentage points for students who entered college in 2011 to 16 percentage points for the those who entered college in 2018. Moreover, economically disadvantaged students in New England complete college at a rate of 41%; this is 33 percentage points lower than the college completion rate for non-economically disadvantaged students.

These data are part of the Common Data Project 2020 Annual Report.

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