Using Student Voice to Foster the Equity Journey:

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Voices of Color Using Student Voice to
Transform Learning Environments and Achieve
Educational Equity
February 9, 2007Cheryl Greene,
Ed.D. cgreen_at_kyrene.org 480-783-1780
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I invite you to

• Listen with an open heart and mind to the voices
  of students.
• Engage in courageous conversation.
• Consider how student voice can foster your equity
  journey.

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• The real voyage of discovery
• consists not of seeking new landscapes
• but of seeing through new eyes.

-Marcel Proust
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Courageous Conversations

• To understand the impact of race on the
  achievement gapwe need to engage in Courageous
  Conversations in order to deeply examine the
  effects of race.
• --Glenn E. Singleton

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CourageousListen with an open heart and mind.

• Conversations
• Maximize the power of conversations to envision
  new possibilities and create a culture of change

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• The Kyrene Story Academic Excellence

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Kyrene School District

• Kindergarten 8th Grade
• Located in Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler
• 6 Middle Schools (Grades 6 8 )
• 19 Elementary (Grades K 5)
• Student Demographics
• 71 White 13.5 Hispanic
• 7 Asian 6 African American 1.8 Native
  American

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• Kyrene students excel academically. Since the
  2000 administration of the Arizona Instrument to
  Measure Standards (AIMS), Kyrene students in
  grades 3, 5, and 8 have consistently out
  performed the state in the percent of the Meet or
  Exceeds Category.

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Kyrene School DistrictA Top Performing District

• The Arizona Department of Education provides each
  school with a rating based on the state's school
  accountability system, Arizona Learns.  Based on
  2006 performance

• All 25 schools met or exceeded state performance
  and progress goals
• 19 Kyrene schools, including all 6 middle
  schools, received the "Excelling" Rating
• All 25 schools ranked "Excelling" or "Highly
  Performing"

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Kyrene and Arizona8th Grade Math AIMS 2003
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Kyrene School DistrictAIMS-Math 2003
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Kyrene School District Falls
Far Below and Approaching 8th Grade Math AIMS
2003
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(No Transcript)
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Kyrene School DistrictChallenges and Barriers

• A focus on aggregate v. disaggregated data.
• Avoidance of courageous conversations.
• Unwillingness to acknowledge the racial
  achievement gap.

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• Think about the racial and ethnic
• diversity within your organization,
• school or district.
• Consider the achievement of students in your
  school or district.
• What are your challenges?
• Successes?
• Reflect on your experiences regarding educational
  equity.

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Voices of Color
The Power of Student Voice to Foster Courageous
Conversations
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Voices of Color What spoke to you?

• Stereotypes
• Expectations for Student Achievement
• Making School Real for Students
• Parental Support of Education
• Finding Your Voice

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Student Voice

• What are some ways you have utilized student
  voice to transform your organization?
• What are some additional ways you could utilize
  student voice to address issues of educational
  equity?

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Utilizing Student Voice to Transform Learning
Environments

• Race matters! Recognize it! Embrace it!
• Embark on your own racial identity/equity
  journey.
• Respect students need for safety.
• Talk less, listen more!
• Seek multiple voices value multiple
  perspectives.
• Co-create/team up with students.

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Voice is

• Unique personal significance
• significance that is revealed as we face our
  greatest challenges
• and which makes us
• equal to them.
• --Stephen Covey, The 8th Habit

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• The Kyrene Story Post Script

• Core Beliefs that Guide Our Equity Work
• Equity is a priority.
• All children can learn (at high levels).
• A focus on in-school factors is essential.

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• The Kyrene Story
• Post Script

• New mission and vision statements include all
  and every child
• District Equity Team
• School-based Equity Teams
• Moving toward disaggregated data analysis

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• Find your voice.
• Express your voice.
• Help others find theirs.

Together, be the voice of equity.
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• Not everything that is faced can be changed, but
  nothing can be changed until it is faced.
• --James Baldwin