Improvement Science

Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools is intended for classroom teachers, school leaders, and district leaders charged with leading improvement efforts in schools. From questions such as “how do I develop a love of reading in my classroom?” to “how can I better manage student behavior during independent learning time?” to “what should we do to make sure kids of all races read at grade level by 3rd grade” to “how could we include families of all backgrounds as partners in learning” or “how do we increase our graduation rate among underserved students," this book shares real-life examples from those who are currently leading equity-focused improvement in our classrooms and schools. If you are curious about how Improvement Science has been used, or how others have succeeded—or failed—at equity-focused improvement efforts in our classrooms and in our schools, or if you’re wondering how to spur discussions in school districts, universities, and communities about leading equity-focused improvement, this book is for you. Teachers, students, family members, community members, principals and superintendents will be inspired to embrace Improvement Science as a method to improve equity in their schools.


The book helps people new to Improvement Science to understand the basic steps to implement the process. If you’re a beginner, it provides some basic steps and a resource (https://www.carnegiefoundation.org/our-ideas/six-core-principles-improvement/) to help you understand the process better; for those with some experience, the book will be an excellent refresher and tool with functional suggestions to take your practice further. 

1.       Form a Team.

2.       Examine Data. 

3.       Ask Why. 

4.       Read Research. 

5.       Get Perspective of Those Closest to the Problem. 

6.       Plan the Change. 

After you’ve done the above, then it’s time to test one idea, using short Plan Do Study Act cycles. These are short improvement cycles. Students are only in our classrooms generally for one year, so the cycles need to be short, perhaps even as short as one week, to ensure that every instructional move we are making truly does improve the experience of the students.


Readers of Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools will be taking an important step toward achieving the goal of producing socially just classrooms and schools.



Perfect for courses such as: Culturally Responsive Learning Environments; Educating For Equity And Social Justice; Cultivating Culturally Responsive Classrooms; Integrating Methods And Curriculum Design; Inquiry, Assessment, And Instructional Design; Foundations Of Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Practice; Math Literacy; Physical Education; Professional Collaboration In Education; Language And Literacy Development Of Diverse Learners; Equal Opportunity: Racism; Diversity And Equity In Schools; Cultural Proficiency In Schools; Language And Power In Education; Teaching For Equity In Literacy; Supportive Classroom Communities; Cultural Diversity In Literature; Engaging Students In Writing; Introduction To School Leadership; Introduction To School Improvement; Teacher Leadership And School Improvement


List of Tables and Figures


Acknowledgments

Foreword


Chapter 1

Introduction

Deborah S. Peterson and Susan P. Carlile


Part I: Reading


Chapter 2

Impact by Design: Promoting Equity Through Reading Achievement of Students of Color

Naichen Zhao, Erin Anderson, Sandy Lochhead, and Laura Vasta


Chapter 3

University Academy Lab Schools: Closing the Gaps in Literacy

Jennifer Rasberry, Michael Odell, Teresa Kennedy, Kelly Dyer, Jaclyn Pedersen, and Jo Ann Simmons


Chapter 4

Equity Matters: Witnessing the Stories of Students and Families

Lynda Tredway, Matthew Militello, Moraima Machado, and Jolia Bossette


Chapter 5

Increasing Reading Engagement in Middle Level Learners: How to Reverse the Decline

Rhiannon Young


Part II: Writing


Chapter 6

Small-Group Instruction in Writer’s Workshop: A Surprising Obstacle

Daniel F. Barnard


Chapter 7

Improving Gender Equity in Written Language

Frauke Meyer and Linda Bendikson


Chapter 8

Expressive Writing: Students With Disabilities

Adrienne Stimson Clark


Part III: Math and Science


Chapter 9

Improvement Science Models Used for Achievement in Mathematics

Jaclyn Pedersen, Michael Odell, Teresa Kennedy, Kelly Dyer, Jo Ann Simmons, and Yanira Oliveras-Ortiz


Chapter 10

Access Versus Ability: Advanced Mathematics for Every Child

Anne Larkin and Corey Jenks


Chapter 11

Increasing Fourth-Grade Math Achievement for Historically Underserved Populations Utilizing Targeted Intervention Groups

Dr. Holly Altiero


Chapter 12

Improving Math Growth Indicators for Elementary Students With Disabilities

Shane Brown


Chapter 13

Equity in STEM Programs

Keith Grosse


Part IV: Health, Wellness, and Physical Education


Chapter 14

Physical Education and Indigenous Youth: Middle School Physical Education and Indigenous Youth

Jarod Milko


Conclusion


Chapter 15

Moving Forward

Cassandra Thonstad, Susan P. Carlile, and Deborah S. Peterson


About the Authors


Index