Magnet Review Committee: Status report

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M 'Kc S-l-a.J.,,,5 1'e rr+ on Ma,ncd scioo/ Devel~'"'". Serl 31 /9'l7 September 3, 1987 The Honorable Henry Woods U.S. District Court Judge P. o. Box 3683 Little Rock, AR 72203 Dear Judge Woods: OCT 2 0 i9i
2 Olfice of Desegrega.1on orntor,ng Please find attached the fourth Magnet Review Committee status report on magnet school development and progress. The content of the report is limited to the topics listed in the Table of Contents. The Committee is prepared to elaborate on the areas described in the report and/or provide additional information as you may direct. The MRC has worked closely with the three districts and the State to ready the six magnet schools for the 1987-88 school year. We are pleased to report that the six anticipated magnet school programs are in place and operational. The MRC will continue to work cooperatively in fulfilling its oversight responsibility and will make findings and recommendations as may be necessary to effect the efficient operation and administration of interdistrict magnet school programs. Sincerely, ~~k-chairman Pulaski Couny S~al School District R~rp~ Arkansas Department of Education ~ Arma Hart Little Rock School District !f,,~8f::::'#~ JoshuaYr~~:~!enors :sl Attachment -i- ~~ Marcia H
rding (/ Arkansas Department of Education ~ ~ James Smith North Little Rock School Executive Direct , MRC MAGNET REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COURT September 3, 1987 -ii- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Report Introduction................................. i Student Recruitment And Assignment.................. 1 Teacher Recruitment and Staffing.................... 4 Staff Training and Development...................... 6 Curricula Development............................... 12 Community Involvement............................... 13 Transportation... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Construction and Renovation Update.................. 16 Research and Evaluation............................. 18 Policy.............................................. 21 Magnet Review Committee Operation................... 23 Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 -iii- STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND ASSIGNMENT RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES Since July 1987, the Magnet Educational Team (MET) has undertaken the following recruitment activities: A. Conducted open houses for all magnet schools. Approximately 800 people attended these and ninety-two (92) magnet school applications were received subsequent to this action. Names of those attending were kept for future recruitment. B. Mailed 30,000 flyers to parents in the North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts to inform them of the availability of magnet school seats and the open houses. C. Conducted a phone-a-then of 3,000 calls placed to parents in the North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts. Approximately 1,300 actual contacts with parents resulted. The calls in Pulaski County Special School District were targeted to parents of white students. D. Purchased newspaper advertisements in both major papers serving Pulaski County. E. Prepared public service announcements which were run on nine radio stations in the area. F. Printed information concerning magnet schools on utility bills distributed by utility companies to patrons in the Pulaski County area. Additional recruitment efforts included: 1. Mailouts of letters to parents of magnet school students enrolled in Mann and Parkview Magnet Schools. This communique encouraged them to recruit among their friends for the possibility of magnet school enrollments. 2. Placing advertisements in the Arkansas Democrat and Arkansas Gazette August 19, 1987 and August 20, 1987 respectively. 3. Donna Grady, MRC Executive Director, and Ruth Simmons Herts, Chairperson, MET, appearing on the KOKY talk show "Horizons" to inform the public of and recruit for magnet schools. In compliance with the Court's Stipulation and Order establishing the composition of the MET, Litttle Rock School District has appointed to the MET James Jennings as its desegregation officer. -1- MAGNET SCHOOL ENROLLMENT DATA The following two pages of charts delineate magnet school enrollment data. MAGNET SCHOOL SEATS ASSIGNED AS OF AUGUST -- 24, 1987 School CaEacity Assigned % White % Black Booker 710 677 52% (352) 48% (325) LRSD 428 46% (198) 54% ( 23 0) NLRSD 75 75% ( 5 6) 25% (19) PCSSD 174 56% ( 9 8) 44% ( 7 6) Carver 472 385 51% (195) 49% (190) LRSD 231 37% ( 8 5) 63% (146) NLRSD 53 68% (36) 32% (17) PCSSD 101 73% (7 4) 27% ( 2 7) Gibbs 326 280 55% (154) 45% (126) LRSD 220 46% ( 10 2) 54% (ll8) NLRSD 23 70% (16) 30% ( 7) PCSSD 37 54% ( 2 0) 46% (17) Williams 530 508 52% (263) 48% (245) LRSD 392 49% (194) 51% ( 19 8) NLRSD 31 39% (12) 61% (19) PCSSD 85 67% ( 5 7) 33% ( 2 8) Mann 975 708 48% ( 339) 52% (369) LRSD 532 46% ( 24 3) 54% (289) NLRSD 23 57% ( 13) 43% ( 10) PCSSD 153 54% ( 8 3) 46% ( 7 0) Parkview 1,150 795 47% ( 371) 53% (424) LRSD 659 43% ( 28 5) 57% ( 3 7 4) NLRSD 23 57% ( 13) 43% (10) PCSSD ll3 65% ( 7 3) 35% (40) TOTALS 4,155 3,353 50% (1,674) 50% (1679) LRSD 2,462 45% (1,107) 55% (1355) NLRSD 228 64% ( 146) 36% (82) PCSSD 663 61% ( 40 5) 39% (258) SOURCE: James Jennings, Little Rock School District's Student Assignment Office -2- MAGNET SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: RACIAL RATIO SUMMARY TOTAL ELEMENTARY: BLACK: 886 (47.90%) WHITE: 964 (52.10%) TOTAL: 1,850 (100%) TOTAL SECONDARY: BLACK: WHITE: TOTAL: 793 (52. 77%) 710 (47 .23%) 1,503 (100%) TOTAL ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY: BLACK: WHITE: TOTAL: 1,679 (50%) 1,674 (50%) 3,353 (100%) Although the current (by school) enrollment does not comply with the Court's order to balance magnet school enrollment 50% white/SO% black, the Magnet Review Committee assures the Court that extraordinary effort has gone into student recruitment in an effort to comply with the spirit of the Order. A major factor in racial imbalance on the elementary school level is the under-enrollment of black students at Gibbs. The districts are currently notifying waiting list students as to the availability of seats. Assignment of black students from the waiting lists will balance the ratio. The action taken by the MRC to freeze enrollment of blacks and further recruit whites on the secondary school level will positively affect racial distribution. -3- TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING The Little Rock School District actively recruited certified individuals for positions in magnet schools. Job announcements were distributed by the Little Rock School District's Personnel Office. North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts' Personnel Offices received and distributed copies of these job announcements. State and out-of-state colleges, universities and newspapers were contacted. The Arkansas Arts Center, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and the International Heifer Project were notified as to vacant positions. The current staffing status is reported on the following page. -4- MAGNET SCHOOL STAFF EMPLOYED as of August 28, 1987 CERTIFIED STAFF School Total Staff # Black % Black # White % White Booker 43 14 33% Vacancies: 2 (reserved for blacks) Carver 34 Vacancies: None Gibbs 27 Vacancies: 2 Williams 33 Vacancies: None Mann 60 Vacancies: None Parkview 74 Vacancies: None Booker 14 Vacancies: 4 Carver 11 Vacancies: 2 Gibbs Vacancies: 3 Williams Vacancies: 2 Mann Vacancies: 6 Parkview 8 13 7 13 Vacancies: None 14 41% 9 33% 8 24% 25 42% 24 32% NON-CERTIFIED STAFF 13 93% 9 82% 8 100% 5 38% 4 57% 6 46% 29 67% 20 59% 18 67% 25 76% 35 58% 50 68% 1 7% 2 18% 0 0% 8 62% 3 43% 7 54% SOURCE: Magnet School Principals, Assistant Principals, and Staff Richard Maple, Director of Personnel, Little Rock School District -5- STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Each magnet school faculty and staff participated in special magnet school staff development meetings/conferences/ workshops prior to the regularly scheduled Little Rock School District teacher inservice. Magnet sc.hool employees, many of whom were new to the magnet school setting, had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with school themes, goals and objectives, and curricula. Arkansas and out-ofstate consultants planned and provided the inservice training. Agendas from some of the staff development sessions are included in this section of the report. -6- WEEK l August 10 August 11 August 12 August 13 August 14 WEEK 2 August 17 August 18 August 19 August 20 August 21 WEEK 3 August 24 August 25 August 26 August 27, 28, 29 CARVER MAGNET SCHOOL IN-SERVICE SCHEDULE Staff Cohesiveness and Race Relations Donita Hudspeth Orientation and Management System Dress Code Mary E. Guinn Young Astronaut Program Lawanna White Science Program and Process Skills Rene' Carson, Lola Perritt Invention Convention Dr. Cathy Valentino Scheduling Anne Mangan, Trish Killingsworth Special Education Barbara Graves, Shirley Walker TESA Diane Wood, Rene' Carson PET Maintenance Mary E. Guinn Computer Inservice Computer Inservice Assertive Discipline Jo Evelyn Elston or Mary Classroom Management Mary Guinn Cooperative Learning/Mastery Learning Diane Wood, Judy Trowell IRC VIPS Mary Mosley LeeAnn Matson Writing Across the Curriculum Marvin Zimmerman Guinn Correlate text with Basic Skills, Mat 6, Minimum Performance, etc. State Department of Education Inservice on Jeacher Evaluation Mary Guinn Explanation of Specialists' Program Educational Specialists 9:00 - 11:00 Robinson Auditorium County Wide Meeting 11:00 - 2:30 On Your Own 2:30 - 4:00 Cluster Meeting (07) Hall High Media Center Work in Classrooms -7- II i I I I I I i II ..__ :JIM ATTRACTED TO PARKVlEW FINE ARTS MAGNET PARKVIEW FINE ARTS MAGNET Inservice/Staff Development August 20, 1987 8:30 a.m. / Library Welcome and Introduction Overview "Academics" Teacher Views Student Views - Questions/Answers Lunch 11:30 - 12:30 "The Arts" Mr. Junious Babbs Principal/Parkview Mr~ Robert Watkins Principal/Arts Magnet Mrs. Carol Francois English Chairperson Ms. Rose Parker Social Studies Chairperson Video Presentation Parkview/AMHS Staff Dance Dr. Rosann Cox Visual Arts Theatre Music - Questions/Answers - Wrap up -8- Coordinator Ms. Josephine Jones Coordinator Mrs. Louise Smith Coordinator Dr. Douglas Cornell Coordinator Parkview/AMHS Staff Mr. Junious Babbs Principal/Parkview I I I ' , i I I I'M ATTRACTED TO PARK VIEW Fl Nl:: ARTS MAGNET PA!{K\'IE\,' FIKE ARTS MAGNET ln se r v i ce/S taff Development Au ~us t 19, 1987 8:30 a .m./Li br a~v I. Introducti on of ~ew Faculty and Staff Freddie Baer Gladys Bradford Anthony Bruce Joe Cripps Terry Daniel Millie Farlow Corky Haygood German/Dance Specialist Kindergarten - long term Art/Dance Specialist Music Specialist Health/Coach Music Specialist Assistant Principal Katherine Wright-Knight English Instructor Jane Morgan Gertrude Munns Teresa Seals Jerome Sims II. Welcome Ill. An Update Status of Renovation Communications Specialist Library Clerk Office Secretary Campus Supervisor Student Numbers/Master Schedule Teacher/Student Handbook Schedule - Wednesday and Thursday Preparing For the Magnet School Experience Mrs. Ella Washington, Music Supervisor Milwaukee Public Schools -9- I I I I I I I I I I - \ \ I ,.....::,-......__ Williams LI I 1 Lt: ~CC( SCHOOL DISTRICT Williams Magnet Scho,,I Pre-School Staff ~evelopmen~ :nseruic~ s~.1cd~le (Tentative} August 17 (Monday) 7:40 - 8:15 8:15 - 9:00 Coffee/donuts and get acquainted Introductions/welcome Williams Staff Supervisory Personnel Administrative Personnel Magnet Review Personnel 9~00 - -10:00--- Magnet school definition/history/overview 10:00 - 10:15 Break 10.15 - 11:30 Changes in Williams Magnet School curriculum Job Descriptions Vice Principal Magnet Specialists Accelerated Learning Specialists 11:30 - Lunch 12:30 - 2:55 ---Organization of classroom for instruction ------------------------------------------------------------------------ August 18 (Tuesday) 7:40 - 8:00 --- Coffee 8:00 - 10:00 --- Overview of School's: 10:00 - Break Philosophy Expectations Goals 10:00 - 11:30 --- Continue above 11:30 - Lunch 12:30 - 2:55 --- PET review -10- Objectives Guidelines (Handbook/District Mission Statement/NC Goals and Objective~ Williams Magnet Goal Individual Teacher Goals) I I August 19 (Wednesday) 7:40 - 8:00 --- Coffee 8:00 - 10:00 --- Instructional Activities/Strategies Reading 10:00 - 10:15 - Break Assessment for grouping Grouping stratagies Appropriate materials Managing multiple reading groups Managing non-directed activities Learning center strategies Shifting gears for various reading groups Assistance from ALPS and Magnet Specialists Instructional techniques Evaluation Effective/efficient record keeping Other 10:15 - 11:00 - English Handwriting Writing Across Curriculum (WAC) Spelling 11.00 - 11:30 - Social Studies 11:30 - 12:30 - Lunch 12:30 - 1:00 - Science 1:00 - 1:30 - Health 1:30 - 2:55 - Math ---------------------------------------------------------------------- August 20 - 21 (Thursday) and (Friday until noon) 7:40 - 8:00 --- Coffee 8:00 - 2:55 - Classroom Management (15 minute break at lunch trom 11:30 - 12:00 Friday A:ternoon 12:30 - Corre~ating speciclist conten~ with basic skills (15 min .. each) Art I.E. Speech !-,usic ~urse hesource -11- Library Counselor ALPS CURRICULA DEVELOPMENT In accordance with recommendations in the May 23, 1987 MRC report to the Court, principals and other staff members of magnet schools participated in the development of the magnet schools' curricula. Dr. Beverly White, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Little Rock School District, presented the curriculum guides for the six magnet schools to the Little Rock School District Board of Directors on Thursday, August 27, 1987. The MRC reviewed the plans for curricula development of the Little Rock School District and will continue to stay involved in the process. -12- I I I I I I I I I I I COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT The Magnet Review Committee is aware of the need to involve the community in an effort to develop magnet schools that will attract students. Examples of activities involving the community are the following: 1. April-May, 1987: Gene Jones, Chairman, Magnet Review Committee, and Ruth Shepherd, Member, Magnet Education Team, were interviewed on KARN, providing information on magnet schools to listeners. 2. April-May, 1987: A MET subcommittee prepared magnet school Public Service announcements. Committee members were Janet Coburn, William Robinson, Alfreda Marshall, and Ruth Shepherd. Through these announcements, information on magnet schools was provided throughout the community. 3. April-May, 1987: Brochures describing elementary, junior high, and senior high magnet school programs were prepared and distributed in high visibility areas (e.g., hospitals, grocery stores, discount stores, etc.) 4. July, 1987: The MET conducted a phone-a-than calling approximately 3,000 parents in the North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts. Approximately 45 people volunteered their time and energy to ensure the phone-a-thon's success. These volunteers were parents, teachers, MET members, MRC members, CTA members, principals, student council members, PTA members, and school district personnel. During the phone-a-thon, parents and students received answers to questions about magnet schools and magnet school enrollment. Three businesses opened their doors to the MET to conduct the phone-a-than, which further involved the community. Worthen Bank, KARK-TV Channel 4, and the Arkansas Education Association provided facilities and phones. 5. July, 1987: The Magnet Educational Team, MRC, and the magnet school principals planned and conducted open houses which targeted parents in the North Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County School District. Over 800 parents attended the open houses which -13- provided for dialogue and information on enrollment, curricula, course offerings, staffing, counseling, extracurricular activities, and other magnet issues. 6. July, 1987: The MRC established a full-time office and staff. The office provides, in addition to other functions, a one-to-one contact with magnet school patrons, students, staff, administrators, and interested parties. 7. August, 1987: Donna Grady, MRC Executive Director, and Ruth Simmons Herts, MET Chairperson, and Director of Desegregation for Pulaski County Special School District, appeared as guests on the KOKY talk show "Horizons." This format provided parents, students, and community and business members an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers about magnet schools. 8. August-September 1987: All schools have planned open houses to allow parents and community members an opportunity to receive information on the schools' total programs. -14- TRANSPORTATION The Interdistrict Transportation Authority (ITA) meets or confers semi-weekly, according to Jim Bohannon, ITA Chairperson. The school districts have been cooperative in working to devise a system for transportation. This cooperation extends to the Little Rock School District transporting some Pulaski County Special School District students to magnet schools. The ITA is working with the Magnet Review Committee and the secondary school principals to design an extracurricular activity transportation schedule. This schedule will be available in the latter part of September. Magnet school bus routes for all three districts are still being finalized. The MRC will review the transportation system as it operates through this current school year with an eye toward efficiency and economy, and make suggested changes as deemed necessary in the future. -15- CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION UPDATE A brief description of the status of renovation at each magnet school follows. BOOKER Booker Arts Magnet School is scheduled to receive asbestos removal, interior cosmetic renovation, and roof repair. At this time, asbestos removal has been completed. Interior renovation is partially complete with portable buildings being used to replace unfinished rooms. Roof repair will begin September 24, 1987. In summary, the building is usable and school should proceed with minimal interruption. OLD CARVER The original Carver building is to be replaced with a new structure, but some work has been required to make the original building usable. Accordingly, a science laboratory and a computer laboratory have been installed and are presently in use. In summary, the building is functional, and school is proceeding successfully. GIBBS Gibbs International Studies Magnet School is receiving major renovation. The work on the media center, administrative offices, language laboratory, hallways, and some classrooms is completed. The remaining work, including heat and air, carpeting, and classroom refinishing work will be completed in the summer of 1988. The condition of the building should promote a successful school year. MANN Some essential elements of the major renovation of Mann have been completed, but most of the work will be done in the summer of 1988. The piano laboratory and computer laboratory work has been completed. The re-roofing of the building began August 31, 1987. PARKVIEW The piano laboratory and dance studio will be completed by September 8, 1987. Equipment installation will follow immediately. No other major work is planned for Parkview. -16- NEW CARVER Plans for the new Carver building are complete and being prepared for bids. The Committee has studied the plans and finds them to be suitable for effective magnet school instruction. The question of costs is, of course, a concern
therefore, the architect is preparing alternatives for purposes of negotiating costs if necessary. The present plans allow for 600 students
however, the Committee believes the size of the building can be reduced if necessary to bring construction costs within budget. A copy of the building program manual is being sent under separate cover. In summary, the condition of the magnet school buildings is not ideal
however, school can proceed as planned with slight adjustments in operations. -17- RESEARCH AND EVALUATION The MRC Chair, Gene Jones, appointed a subcommittee for Magnet School Research and Evaluation. The subcommittee is charged with the responsibility of devising a plan for evaluating magnet schools. Such evaluation shall encompass determining the desegregative effects of the magnet school programs, as well as the educational quality of these programs. The subcommittee will collect information on similar studies conducted in the United States, and identify consultants who can assist with planning and implementing the research and evaluation. -18- RESEARCH/EVALUATION SUBCOMMITTEE MAGNET SCHOOLS MEETING DATE August 4, 1987 MEMBERSHIP Marcia Harding, Donna Grady, Herb Williams FOCUS Research and evaluation considerations regarding impact of magnet schools as interdistrict remedy (the Little Rock metro area). KEY VARIABLES 1. Philosophy, Policy, Practices Students Parents Program Personnel 2. Parent and Community Involvement 3. Resource Allocation Funding Staff Physical Facilities 4. Staffing and Leadership Attitudes Relationships Staff Development 5. Instruction Planning Curriculum Evaluation -19- 6. Program and Student Outcomes PHASES Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV Student Performance Data Attitudes Satisfaction Determine the extent to which key variables exist in magnet school sites. Develop research/evaluation paradigm or model able to generate data from school sites. Initiate data collection, analysis, interpretations. Continuation of Phase III, plus discerning impact and implications. RECOMMENDED NEXT STEP FOR SUBCOMMITTEE 1. Review related literature in search of existing model. 2. Identify personnel available for consultation. -20- POLICY The MRC is cognizant of the Court's June 30, 1987 Order clarifying the role of the MRC in policy development for the operation of the interdistrict magnet school programs and setting forth guidelines for presentation of MRC policy decisions to the Court for adoption subsequent to the Order. The "Policy on Interdistrict Magnet School Student Transfers" included in this report was developed and adopted by the MRC prior to the Court's Order. It has been disseminated to the districts for implementation. As policies governing the interdistrict magnet schools are developed in the future, they will be submitted to the Court in accordance with the Court's Order. -21- POLICY ON INTERDISTRICT MAGNET SCHOOL STUDENT TRANSFERS Students enrolled in an Interdistrict Magnet School will be required to remain in the magnet school for a minimum of one semester. Students who develop extenuating circumstances which might warrant a change in assignment prior to completion of one semester may petition to obtain a change of assignment. Petitions will be received by the host district. Petitions will be reviewed by a three (3) member committee comprised of student assignment officers or designates for the three (3) Pulaski County, Arkansas, districts. A majority of these officers will determine whether a student is allowed to change assignment.* Specific student assignment will be made according to policies of the home district. *Identified handicapped students are excluded from the review process as described herein. Decisions pertaining to the appropriateness of their educational programming and placement shall be made in accordance with Public Law 94-142 and Arkansas Act 102 regulatory procedures. -22- MAGNET REVIEW COMMITTEE OPERATION The Magnet Review Committee Office is located at 22nd and Poplar Streets, North Little Rock, and is housed in the North Little Rock School District Administration Annex, Room 105. The office is staffed by Donna L. Grady, Executive Director, and Sandra Luehrs, Secretary. The Pulaski County Educational Cooperative (Martha Nelsen, Director) is the fiscal agent for the MRC Office. The Magnet Review Committee has held eight scheduled meetings and four called meetings since the last report. Copies of the minutes of these meetings are available upon request. The MRC held election of officers September 1, 1987. The election results are as follows: Marcia Harding (ADE) - Chairperson Herb Williams (Joshua Intervenors) - Vice-Chair Outgoing Chairman, Gene Jones, will no longer represent Pulaski County Special School District. He will be employed as Associate Director for Instruction for the Arkansas Department of Education. The Committee acknowledges his fine year of dedication, service, and leadership. -23- - RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Magnet Review Committee recommends that magnet school enrollment of the majority race (at that school) be frozen. Schools should be allowed to accept other race applicants until the 50% Black/50% White ratio required by the Court is reached. 2. The MRC recommends that the Little Rock School District Personnel Department and principals continue to strive toward their stated goal of 50% Black/50% White staffing within a five-year period. The MRC will stay informed of future plans for staffing and will see that magnet school staffing guidelines are being followed. 3. The MRC recommends that future inservice training content include desegregation training for magnet school staff members. -24-
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