Description
Book SynopsisThe vast numbers of new educational policies, programs, and practices being implemented as educational reform in American public schools have not been analyzed for short or long-term effectiveness or impact on students and their learning. Not only are conditions for many learners still a concern, new information about conditions for students who are not under-performing informs us that they are falling short of the desired mark. This calls for expert educators, researchers, school leaders, teachers, families, students, and interested others to determine the degree to which policies and practices have a positive impact on student outcomes, and the aims of public education. Using Response to Intervention as an innovative model, An Agenda for Equity contributes to filling the void by analyzing the essence of educational reforms for increasing enduring, equitable effectiveness, and improving conditions and teaching and learning for both teachers and students.
Trade Review"An Agenda for Equity: Responding to the Needs of Diverse Learners examines how a successful school improvement process must address teaching and learning from the perspective of our students. The book provides a pathway from a series of disjointed school improvement initiatives to an evaluative process that can impact the outcomes of public education for each student. The book is philosophical yet practical; reflective yet vigorous and guides the reader from planning through practice. It changes our journey from the static “one size fits all” approach to one of actively examining school data; providing targeted and appropriate instruction; and engaging and supporting each student to achieve maximum learning." -- Judith Richardson, Director, Diversity, Equity, and Urban Initiatives, NASSP
" This is a thought provoking treatise by an experienced educator who chronicles the past twenty years of public education in trying to include diverse and lower income students in the race toward success in their endeavors. The author has taught, led and advised on the topic she now writes about. From her rich experience comes this book chronicling her ideas on the subject. "
“This is an important book which conscientiously addresses the need for effectively educating all students by using Response to Intervention strategies. I highly recommend Dr. Smith-Collins’ book for use by all educators including those primarily concerned with minority and gifted students. This rigorous and humanistic approach to teaching all students should have a profound effect upon improving the current state of the public schools by helping students to attain their maximum achievement levels.” -- Maurice D. Fisher, Ph.D., Publisher, Gifted Education Press and Gifted Education Press Quarterly
" In An Agenda for Equity, Searetha Smith-Collins lays out a thoughtful case for why merely “sprinkling magic dust” on a system that uses “random-act approaches" to educating students well, will not miraculously transform that system into one that meets the needs of all students. She shows that the path to equity involves addressing the educational system’s logical, historical, and evidence-based errors in ways that expand the capacity of educators, and refine the nature of classrooms and schools through the ever more-precise use of data matched to appropriate innovations, interventions, and responses." -- Mark E. Weston, Ph.D is the co-author of The Learning Edge: What Technology Can Do to Educate All Children
"Dr. Smith-Collins is a distinguished scholar/practitioner who has adeptly captured the essence of what it takes for parents, policy makers, leaders, and on-line practitioners to make significant differences in the lives of children for whom they are responsible. An Agenda for Equity: Responding to the Needs of Diverse Learners is a timely and thought provoking book that should not only be read but practiced." -- Jim Hager, Ph.D
Searetha Smith-Collins gets right to heart of things. She has written a courageous book that highlights innovation in teaching and learning for social justice. Infused with hope, her ideas will prompt deep change for the sake of our most challenged students. -- Margaret Grogan, Professor and Dean,School of Educational Studies, Claremont Graduate University
Table of Contents Preface 6 Introduction 12 Chapter 1: Identifying the Need The Optimal Mix: Responding to the Needs of Students 25 From Parts to Whole 30 Revisiting Past Practice 33 Chapter 2 Understanding the Need Delving Deeper into Response to Intervention 42 Adoption Trends 44 The Promise of RtI Chapter 3: A Glance into the “Regular” Classroom 52 Sharpening the Focus 53 Teacher Assessment 56 Leadership Matters 59 Chapter 4: Meeting the Need Promising Practices Snapshot: High School 63 Snapshot: National/State Pre-K Network 70 Snapshot: School District 71 Snapshot: An Affective Model 77 Snapshot: RtI and Gifted Education 79 Chapter 5: The Black Male Agenda An Out-of-School Snapshot: The Bridge 84 Expanding the Agenda: Building a New System 87 of Opportunity for Youth Implications for Today 93 Chapter 6: Assessing the Outcomes 97 National Outcomes (Academic) 98 National Outcomes (Behavioral) 99 Measuring Success 100 Chapter 7: The Learning Target Teach, Test, and Hope for the Best 102 Moving from Random Acts of Curriculum and Instruction 105 Common Language, Common Mission 107 Optimizing Curriculum for All 109 Fitting the Pieces Together 112 The Design Process 114 Curriculum Architects 116 Deeper Levels of Knowledge and Thinking 119 Chapter 8: Avoiding Struggles and Pitfalls 122 Refining the Plan 123 Evaluating the Impact and Results 124 Planning to Make Change Happen: The Payoff 126 Unexpected Outcomes 127 Chapter 9: Queries and Opportunities 133 Recommendations 134 Chapter 10: Transitioning to Schools of the Future 144 Teaching This Generation of Students 148 The Moral Imperative 150 Chapter 11: Understanding the Landscape Lessons Learned: Bringing Order to the Potential of Chaos 153 Parallel Modeling 155 Chapter 12: Meet the Kids 161 The Beginning of Shortcomings 164 A Recipe for Potential 166 Final Thoughts 172 References 174 Appendix: Resources A Curriculum/RtI Framework Design Tool 179
