Analysis of the Act 34 Hearing and Written Submissions

1
Analysis of the Act 34 Hearing and Written
Submissions

• By Robert M. Hendrickson
• September 13, 2006

2
Method of Analysis

• For both the hearing and the written data a
  qualitative analysis was used.
• Themes became evident in each letter or oral
  comments.
• Before the hearing I developed a system of 6
  categories that will be described. An analysis
  of either the hearing testimony and thorough
  analysis of the written submissions resulted in
  the testimony being placed in a particular
  category.

3
Method of Analysis (continued)

• For example the testimony must contain advocacy
  for a particular option before it was placed in
  that category. If the testimony indicated a
  preference for several options, it was placed in
  the Stop and evaluate option.
• I reviewed the tapes of the oral hearing a second
  time to confirm the placement of that testimony
  in a specific category.
• Each signatory on the written submissions was
  counted as 1 letter.

4
Categories

1. Stop the process and re-evaluate to reach
   consensus.
2. Assess the public preference through a referendum
   or survey.
3. Renovate a high school building and build a
   second high school at a second site.

5
Categories (continued)

• Renovate the North South Buildings, maintaining
  9th and 10th (or just 9th) in one, and 11th and
  12th in the other. Most of this group were
  concerned about taxes being increased.
• One new High School at a new site.
• Renovate North Building with an addition to house
  9th thru 12th grade (the Boards plan).

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Categorization ACT 34 Testimony
Category Letters Oral Total
Stop and Evaluate 204 51 255
Referendum/Survey 42 Na 42
Two High Schools 72 46 118
Minimal approach-renovate North South Building 292 98 390
New School Option 7 0 7
Board Plan 253 27 280
7
Total Responses

• Total signatories on letters 860 individuals
• Total oral testimony at hearing 222
• The point is not the total numbers counted, but
  rather the diversity of opinions.

8
Total Responses (continued)

• On this issue, both the speakers and the letters
  were passionate about their positions. In
  particular, those who wanted category 4 (the vast
  majority) were concerned about the increase in
  their property tax.

9
Concerns Surrounding Safety and School
Violence

• School shootings occurred in 13 schools with 9th
  thru 12th grade enrollments ranging from 120 to
  3000. Two were at 2900, 3 were 600 or less, while
  8 were between 1100 and 1800 (Columbine 1800).
  Factors such as parenting, community climate,
  school climate, and television and video game
  violence have been found to be important factors
  not enrollment.
• For safety and security we need a physical
  facility with controlled access to the building.
  The two building campus does not have that today.

10
Developing A High School Community

• The two building campus inhibits the development
  of community.
• The one building campus will enhance the
  development of citizenship education and positive
  peer influence.
• The one building campus will enhance the
  development of a unified and cohesive curriculum.
• The one building campus will enhance the
  professional development and technological
  innovations in teaching and learning within the
  discipline areas.

11
Small Schools Research

• Statements in the letters such as
• All of the research on high school size points
  to small schools being better for students
• Or
• The research shows that small schools are
  better for students
• or similar statements
• are inaccurate and cannot be supported by the
  research.

12
Small Schools Research (continued)

• In most of the studies, small schools are defined
  as 900 students 9th thru 12th grade or smaller.
• High schools with 900 students or less serving
  large minority or economically disadvantaged
  populations (25-40), consistently show higher
  achievement scores or higher gain in scores.
• Abbott, et al. (2002) Bickel, et al. (2000)
  Durbin (2001) Florida State Dept. of Ed.
  (1997) LaSage Ye (2000) Lee Smith (1997).

13
Small Schools Research (continued)

• For high schools serving more affluent
  populations (minimal population of low SES and
  minorities) the results are mixed.
• Smaller schools may lead to better performance.
  But no statistical test to support. Caldas
  (1993) The often cited Lee Smith (1997)
  (see next slide)

14
Measuring Low SES vs High SES Schools Based on
Enrollment
15
Small School Research on Affluent Schools

• Size makes no difference in achievement(no
  correlation between school size
  andachievement).Abbott, Joireman, Stroh (2002)
  Bickel, Howley, Williams Glascock
  (2000)Hoagland (1995) Stevenson (2001)
  Florida State Dept. of Ed. (1997).
• Large schools produce higher achievement.Durbin
  (2001) small positive correlation between size
  and achievement.Crenshaw (2003) small positive
  effects

16
SAT Scores (Hendrickson 1996)

• Predictability of grades and standardized tests
  in college admissions
• Standard tests correlation coefficient
• Correlation of S.A.T. to college GPA .31
• Percent of variance predicted (R2) 9.6
• SAT GPA variance predicted (R2) 25

17
Recent Articles Rejecting Small Schools Reform

• Quiet Backlash Builds Against Small Schoolsby
  Julia Silverman see OregonLive.com 8/20/06.Small
  autonomous schools within comprehensive schools
  -test scores havent budged, student not able to
  get courses they want.

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Recent Articles . . . (continued)

• In Praise of Comprehensive High Schools, by
  Laura Cooper. Harvard Education Letter,
  Sept./Oct. 2006 cites large high schools in Ann
  Arbor, Evanston, Madison (Big Ten communities),
  among other cities.
• Using Team concept in 9th grade similar to our
  team concept in the Middle School.
• Using team concept within each discipline to
  develop and build continuity across the 4 years
  and improve the knowledge base, teaching, and
  learning.
• These innovations work most effectively in a 9
  through 12 high school in one building.

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Factors That Measure School Quality

• Test scores in Math, Reading, Science, National
  Merit Test, SAT/ACT.
• Curriculum breadth and depth of offerings
• Curricular innovations
• Teacher quality and professional development
• Individualized approach
• Resources

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Utilizing Decision Models

• Examples PPBS, TQM, Trade Analysis.
• Work great in Business where outputs can be
  clearly measured such as production, profit,
  sales, customer satisfaction.
• Elusive outputs in Education How do we
  measure learning- Standardized Test Scores,
  grades, success in college, success in life and
  how much of that can be attributed to Education?
• SCASD has an outstanding curriculum we know
  works. We know the physical space needed to
  deliver it. Weve adapted it to anticipated
  technology. We know that by bringing teachers
  from each discipline area together we can enhance
  teacher professional development.

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Decision

• The one school solution provides the opportunity
  to continue to deliver a comprehensive curriculum
  that meets the diverse needs of high school
  students in this community.
• The one school decision gives us the ability to
  continue to improve and develop innovations
  within the curriculum.

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Decision (continued)

• The one school solution brings each disciplinary
  area together to promote professional
  development, enhanced learning, and innovations
  in the use of technology.
• The one school solution provides a better
  opportunity to develop a high school community
  and individualize the curriculum to address the
  needs of each student.
• The one school solution provides the opportunity
  to provide a safe environment for students,
  teachers and the community.

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SCASD Presentation - September 13, 2006by Robert
HendricksonREFERENCES

• Abott, M.L., Joireman, J., Stroh, H.R. (2002).
  The influence of district size, school size and
  social economic status on student achievement on
  Washington A Replication study using
  hierarchical linear modeling. Washington School
  Research Center.
• Bickel, R., Howley, C., Williams, T. and
  Glascock, C. (2001, October 8). High School Size,
  Achievement Equity, and Cost Robust Interaction
  Effects and Tentative Results. Education Policy
  Analysis Archives, 9(40). Retrieved date from
  http//epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v9n40.html.
• Caldas, S. J. (1993). Reexamination of input and
  process factor effects on academic achievement.
  Journal of Educational Research, 86 (4), 206-214.
• Crenshaw, M. (2003). The relationships among
  school size, school climate variables, and
  achievement ratings in South Carolina high
  schools A conceptual model. Unpublished doctoral
  dissertation, University of South Carolina,
  Columbia.

24
REFERENCES (continued)

• Cooper, Laura (2006). In Praise of the
  Comprehensive High School We can learn from what
  small schools do wellbut there are things big
  schools can do better. Harvard Education Letter,
  September/October 2006.
• Durbin, M. K. (2001). The relationship of high
  school size, student achievement, and per pupil
  expenditures in South Carolina. Unpublished
  doctoral dissertation, University of South
  Carolina, Columbia.
• Florida Department of Education. Office of Policy
  Research. (1997, May). The relationship of school
  size and class size with student achievement in
  Florida . Online. Available
• http//ericps.ed.uniuc.edu/npin/pnews/pnew696f.htm
  l
• Hendrickson, R. M., The Bell Curve, Affirmative
  Action, and, the Quest for Equity. In
  Kincheloe, J. L., Steinberg, S. R., and Gresson,
  A. D. (eds.), Measured Lies. New York St.
  Martins Press (1996).

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REFERENCES (continued)

• Hoagland, J.P. (1995). The effect of high school
  size on student achievement as measured by the
  California Assessment Program. Unpublished
  doctoral dissertation, University of La Verne,
  Claremont.
• Lee, V. and Smith, J. (1997). Which works best
  and for whom? Educational Evaluation and Policy
  Analysis, 19(3), 205-227.
• Silverman, Julia (August 2006). Once-popular,
  quiet backlash builds against small schools.
  OregonLive.com, 8/20/06.
• Stevens, Robert, Associate Professor of
  Education, Educational Psychology, The
  Pennsylvania State University. Review of Small
  School Literature, see slides 11-14.
• Stevenson, K. R. (2001). The relationship of
  school facilities conditions to selected student
  academic outcomes A study of South Carolina
  public schools. Columbia, SC University of South
  Carolina, Department of Educational Leadership
  and Policies.