Part 3 of 3: Schedule for Equity

Since we are driven to deliver on the promise of public education, I want to see three seismic shifts explored and launched over the next two school years.

Catch up on this three part series:

1. Becoming Competency Based
2. Multiple models for Learning
3. Schedule for Equity

It’s becoming clear that a return to school will not include the entire student body, at one time.  In fact, recommendations from the San Diego County Office of Education advise a phased in approach to welcoming students back on to campus. While this approach will provide safeguards for students and staff, I think it will provide educational benefit to students who thrive with small group instruction and personalized, differentiated support.  This article suggests students may be more focused, productive, and primed for learning, given a shorter school day.

What if student “time on campus” was dictated by their need for individualized support?  We now know that all students can access a lecture, multimedia presentation, or primary source documents on their own, as they do now during distance learning.  But some students need more space and opportunity to discuss viewpoints, revisit articles, and frame arguments.  

What if the reason students came to campus was clear, purposeful, and targeted?  Imagine a group of twelve students, working in groups of three to conduct a chemistry lab, then returning home for a write up.  Consider a group of fourth grade newcomers, gathering with their teacher for a twenty five minute designated ELD lesson.  Perhaps a group of first grade emerging readers comes to school for a guided reading lesson Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and stays for a writer’s workshop lesson, with a different guided reading group that overlaps in time?

Schedule for Equity

As we plan a return to the school house, I propose we schedule for equity. Specifically, we should re-design targeted support systems so that students who need the most, get the most. 

Here are a few considerations we should make in designing targeted support systems that take individual student needs into account:

Acknowledge that educators are still our best resource

While students may end up getting different doses of teacher face time and support, we should be clear that teacher directed learning is still king.  Nothing beats the connection, care, encouragement and expertise that teachers offer our students.  True, we can approximate some of those benefits through recordings, live meetings, calls, and written messages.  But we will never get away from the empirical reality that teacher effectiveness is the most predictive factor in student achievement and growth.

While students may end up getting different doses of teacher face time and support, we should be clear that teacher directed learning is still king. 

Justin Phillips

Since teacher presence and support is powerful, we need to prioritize who gets access to this resource, and how often.  This resource is even more potent, given the reduced ratios of students to teachers that will be limited in a phased return to school. With equity at the center of our design, students who need the most should get the most.

Prioritize SAI for students with disabilities

Perhaps the most detrimental impact of COVID on education, when all is said and done, will be the impact on students with unique learning needs, those who receive specialized academic instruction (SAI).  When we design systems of support for students, these learners should get priority.  Even with modified schedules across the school, we should be able to deliver supports that strong enough to see achievement of standards based goals.  

One positive result of distance learning, is we are seeing special educators (Ed Specialists, Related Service providers, and paraeducators) engage creatively to support students in new ways.  On our school  team, staff members are collaborating at even higher levels to ensure students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are receiving the highest benefit possible.  This looks like speech pathologists attending synchronous online classroom meetings, ed specialists co planning lessons that are posted on the Google Classroom, and paraeducators being leveraged as supportive in new ways.  Let’s build on this progress so that students experience inclusive, supportive learning for each and every student.

Provide dedicated space and time for emerging bilingual students to grow in their language skills

English Language Learners across the nation, and at our school, will likely emerge with large gaps in learning, with increased ground to make up, when health threats are eliminated.  During ‘normal’ times, students were battling to access grade-level curriculum that is delivered in language that is less than accessible to them.  A 30-40 minute period of designated English Language Development once provided space to explore language, and (often) a revisiting of material that was presented just once.  Now, in first weeks of the distance learning launch, this support looks like extra support materials posted on a learning platform like Google Classroom or Seesaw. To make things worse, while sheltering in place, too many are trapped in homes where fluent English isn’t spoken, to no fault of their own.

What ELLs need is dedicated space to explore language.  They deserve this dedicated time.  They need to hear models of English fluent speakers.  They need low pressure opportunities to pronounce, and mispronounce words.  They need to see writing exemplars, and be prompted with sentence frames.  Some need phonics support and others need guided reading.  We must prioritize this group of learners as we design systems of support that provide the most support to the students who need it most.

Guard against developing tracks of remediation

Our instincts in response to this break in educational continuity will be to assess and remediate.  And while it will be important to see where students are at, we are going to have to proactively guard against creating two tracks for students, one to remediate those who are “behind” and another for those who are at or above grade level.  We are learning a lot about how to increase 1)colaboration 2)communication 3)crtitical thinking and 4) creativity during this time. Our methods are advancing such that students will be increasingly engaged in relevant problem solving and learning.  But these approaches are not, and should not be reserved for more accomplished students only.  All students deserve access to engaging challenges that require the use of 21st Century skills.  Drill and kill and “sit and get” approaches should not be redirected to learners with the most gaps.  These students too, deserve relevant, rigorous, and excellent learning experiences.

We are going to have to proactively guard against creating two tracks for students, one to remediate those who are “behind” and another for those who are at or above grade level.

Justin Phillips

Use what we already know about individual student engagement in distance learning

One of the most maddening, yet exhilarating challenges facing us is the challenge of designing a system that works for all, while conditions are variable.  The National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) uses a concept “VUCA” in describing the reality 21st Century School Leaders face.  “VUCA” recognizes that variability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity  are realities that threaten progress, but can be overcome with persistence, calm, and calculated approaches.  Right now, we are out in the middle of a “VUCA” storm!  

Right now, we are out in the middle of a “VUCA” storm!  

Justin phillips

The good news is that we have valuable data that can help us plan a way forward.  Our profession is comfortable with action research.  And action research promises the most viable way forward. We have objective information about overall participation rates.  We have spreadsheets, by school, class and student that tell us who still faces barriers to logging on.  We can pinpoint where computer and internet connections are in place for students.  And we know which students are engaging at deep levels.  We need to use what we know to inform our design going forward, even if we learn more in the future and make future 

True, there is a lot we don’t know yet.  We don’t fully understand factors impacting student motivation.  There are realities in homes that we are still don’t fully see. We don’t know why a small percentage of students are still missing from our virtual classrooms.  We don’t know how equipped or able families are to partner with us in the learning.  We don’t know yet how to best position resource staff for maximum impact over the long term.  

To approach answering these questions, we need to find ways to get proximate, for the most pressing challenges we face.  This is challenging, given the current state and county health recommendations. But it’s not impossible.  Getting close to individual students, asking good questions, and listening well will lead to the empathy and creative solutions that will help us reach each and every student.  Teachers also hold valuable insight.  Each of their interactions and attempts to reach students will tell us something.  While we are compelled to move with expediency towards a plan, we have to remain vigilant in getting proximate, asking good questions, listening well, and capturing subjective data to light the way forward.

Getting close to individual students, asking good questions, and listening well will lead to the empathy and creative solutions that will help us reach each and every student. 

Justin Phillips

This is a moment in public education, pregnant with opportunity. Because it is a large and vexing adaptive challenge, we shouldn’t be looking for the one correct solution. On the contrary, there are multiple solutions to adaptive challenges. The past few posts have explored three such responses that I believe we should consider seriously. We haven’t thrown in the towel on the promise of public education- to reach and teach every child in the United States, regardless of demography. We remain committed to breathing life into the dream that all God’s children will gain the ability to pursue a future of life, liberty and happiness. Equitable access to quality education is a precondition for that pursuit. And we can use this moment to pave a smoother onramp for some of our most promising, yet vulnerable students. Let’s get to paving that road!

Part 2 of 3: Multiple Models for Learning

This is our moment to re-imagine education.  Our efforts to pivot ‘on a dime’ beginning mid-March have been impressive. Basic needs are being met in high volumes, in collaboration and through school delivery systems. Our district just surpassed 1 million meals distributed to students experiencing food insecurity. Devices and connectivity have made it to the vast majority of homes throughout our city (100% at our school). But the dust is settling. And barriers to authentic, meaningful and consistent learning are becoming clear. Beyond that, inequities that have plagued our practice persist. The achievement gap is widening and we must act. Now is the time to dream, to take risks, and to keep our most vulnerable, promising students at the center of our designs.

Since we are driven to deliver on the promise of public education, I want to see three seismic shifts explored and launched over the next two school years.

In the previous post, I argued that now is the time to make moves towards implementing a competency based system, that honors student interests, individualized pacing, and more precise support for students. While this proposed shift is major, it holds promise for increasing student autonomy, competency, and ultimately preparedness for a 21st century that is beyond what we are able to imagine today.

A second seismic shift that deserves exploration and possible implementation is:

Let’s offer multiple/ blended models of learning in the short and long term.

Let’s offer multiple/ blended models of learning in the short and long term.

Across our nation, state, and state we will be forced to rethink how we gather for learning experiences.  Today, our district publicized preliminary plans to allow all students to return to campus, in different configurations. More resources are needed and being sought from the state however. With the need to keep gatherings small, schools will likely be forced to offer alternating days of in-person instruction.  This article details a few versions of rotating schedules that may allow for a safe opening of schools.

Recognizing that we face a multi-dimensional challenge, providing some choice to parents is the right thing to do.  Based on marital status, employment realities, and childcare options, families are bound to have clear needs and strong opinions about what may work for them.  Considering health realities and vulnerabilities, some families may delay returning students to traditional school settings.  A number of our families may opt for a distance learning (exclusively) model until an effective vaccine is discovered and widely distributed. We should accommodate and honor families in these situations.

To pull this off, we’ll have to identify “musts” and “mays” for both students and educators. We’ll have to be ready to shift all three categories of resources: land, labor and capital.  And we’ll have to innovate supportive structures, like childcare centers by area, so that teachers with young children can give our students their undivided attention.

In the short term, student and staff safety will drive priorities and limitations. This makes sense. Long term, we will have to respond to the fact that many of our students are excelling because of the shifts. Last week, key teacher leaders on our site instructional leadership team shared some encouraging new realities that are worth finding ways to preserve:

• Numerous students who were once passive and quiet are showing up to small groups, asking deep questions, showing signs of increased motivation and actively seeking support.
• Numerous students are turning in work with increased quality, due to the flexibility they are provided.
• Struggling students are benefiting from modifications and adaptations to assignments that are possible through new technology platforms and increased teacher prep time.
• Parents are increasingly knowledgeable, involved, and supportive with their children.
• General education and special education teachers are collaborating at levels.
• Teachers are becoming more targeted with their teaching objectives, focusing on critical concepts and leaving behind less relevant material.
• Teachers are growing exponentially in their skills and abilities, due in part to a new reality.

We can and should hold on to what is working for students, parents and teachers. Going back to “school as normal” would undermine efforts to reach students in new and meaningful ways. In the short term, because public health realities are variable, we should offer multiple models of schooling for our students. In the long term, because students learn differently, we should offer multiple models that provide choice and promise increased motivation for learning. It will, no doubt, impact learners we once struggled with. And this may be a doorway that leads to more equitable outcomes across our student population.

Part 1 of 3 Becoming Competency Based

It’s becoming more and more clear that we will not return to “school as normal” in the short term.

The fact is, ‘normal school’ circa March 2020 won’t ever be back. Nor should it.

The fact is, ‘normal school’ circa March 2020 won’t ever be back. Nor should it. While none of us signed up for such a drastic and sudden transformation of our educational delivery system, we have stepped up to the challenge.  By many measures, we are succeeding. Staff have gained skills in short time. High percentages of students have devices and connectivity, prerequisites for distance learning.  Collaboration is multifaceted and growing.

If we are honest though, the “COVID crash” is a real thing.  Most alarming,there will be a widening of the achievement gap, which leaves too many of our promising children behind.  In reality, even disparate outcomes for historically underperforming students persisted at sickening levels even when we were conducting school in a traditional context. But now, things are getting even worse; Students who struggled in face to face settings, are struggling mightily with digital learning.  

This is our moment to re-imagine education.  

This is our moment to re-imagine education.  In a reflexive response to a sudden pandemic, our implementation of distance learning has been less than consistent across states, counties, districts, schools and classrooms (In our district, teachers are provided three implementation options for delivery of instruction).  And while public health models project varying scenarios for our next two years (see “This is the Future of the Pandemic”), now is the time to dream, to take risks, and to keep our most vulnerable, promising students at the center of our designs. 

Since we are driven to deliver on the promise of public education, I want to see three seismic shifts explored and launched over the next two school years.

1. Move to a competency based system of advancement towards a meaningful high school diploma.

Our efforts to educate every young person in America are rooted deeply in the belief that all men (and women and young people) are created equal with inalienable rights to pursue life liberty and happiness. We, perhaps too easily, assent that all children have this opportunity.  The problem is, publicly reported achievement data suggests otherwise. We see too many students dropping out before they complete high school.  We see disproportionate levels of students of color underperforming, compared to white peers.  We see English language learners making less than expected progress.  And we see students matriculating through grade levels, even conferred diplomas, without demonstrating baseline prerequisite skills that we, as a system, agree are important.

Since we (prek-12) have over thirteen years time to position students for success in a world we cannot yet see, we must be honest about some of the assumptions we are making along the way.  Too easily, we assume that:

• Seat time is paramount.
• Learning is a linear process that mimics the pace of standards introduced at each grade.
• Smart is performing well on assessments.
• Brilliance must be communicated and demonstrated through English speaking and writing.
• Students deserve about the same amount of support.
• College is accessible to everyone.

Many of these assumptions are weaker than the US economy during the shut-down.

I believe we can proactively challenge them by implementing a competency based educational system, paired with highly targeted systems of support.  A bold move like this will double-down on our belief that all students CAN learn.  A bold move like this will force us to think of students as individuals, on unique paths towards meaningful graduation.  A shift like this will relieve educator shame associated with not having every student at the same place by May of every academic year.  A move like this will add healthy pressure to educator teams to innovate.  Additionally, it will give educators freedom to try on new approaches with students.  As a correlation to the medical profession, it will mean having educators shift self perceptions, from being general practitioners to specialists trained to address unique symptoms of patients (students).

An approach to competency-based education is one in which students advance, based on mastery of content, rather than time on a topic/ in a grade.  This approach acknowledges that students are at different places in their understanding, yet gives them the agency to make decisions about their learning experience.  Support for students in this model is individualized, because it must be, accounting for unique learning needs.  

The National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) identifies “focusing on understanding and mastery” as one of the key practices that improve student achievement for all students. Following robust research and experience in high performing schools, NCUST defined and delineated what a focus on mastery looks like. It is NOT “covering a set of concepts, skills, or pages during a period, day, or unit.” Instead, it is “focusing on getting students to understand specific content or skills.” CompetencyWorks estimates 6-8 percent of school districts in the United States are currently implementing competency-based education at some level. This shift is, and must, come. Now is a perfect time for us to make great strides in this direction.

As a nation, we’ve been consciously and subconsciously wedded to a factory model of education. We send students through lessons, units and grades as widgets on a factory belt. To break away from this, we will have to get increasingly comfortable with having students at different places and paces. But shifting autonomy to students holds promise for increased relevance and motivation for learning. If we are able to adequately support students along the way, students will make it through “learning pits” and have real reason to celebrate their success (Zaretta Hammond).  Beyond that, we will have complete assurance that our graduates are ready to take on some of the world’s most vexing challenges.