IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS WESTERN DIVISION NOV 1 6 1994 Oifice 01 Desegregauon Moniiofing LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLAINTIFF V. LR-C-82-866 PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1, ET AL DEFENDANTS MRS. LORENE JOSHUA, ET AL INTERVENORS KATHERINE KNIGHT, ET AL INTERVENORS NOTICE OF FILING The Little Rock School District hereby gives notice of the filing of the following documents which are related to the district court order dated October 24, 1994: 1. Incentive School Spanish Program. 2. Incentive School Theme Implementation. 3 . Improving Student Transportation - A Business Case. Respectfully submitted. LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT FRIDAY, ELDREDGE & CLARK 2000 First Commercial Bldg. 400 West Capitol Street Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 376-2011 By^ Christopher Hei Bar No. 81083 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that a copy of the foregoing Notice of Filing has been served on the following people by depositing copy of same in the United States mail on this 16th day of November, 1994. Mr. John Walker JOHN WALKER, P.A. 1723 Broadway Little Rock, AR 72206 Mr. Sam Jones WRIGHT, LINDSEY & JENNINGS 2200 Worthen Bank Bldg. 200 West Capitol Little Rock, AR 72201 Mr. Steve Jones JACK, LYON & JONES, P.A. 3400 Capitol Towers Capitol & Broadway Streets Little Rock, AR 72201 Mr. Richard Roachell Roachell and Streett First Federal Plaza 401 West Capitol, Suite 504 Little Rock, AR 72201 Ms. Ann Brown Hand Delivered Desegregation Monitor Heritage West Bldg., Suite 510 201 East Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201 Ms. Elizabeth Boyter Arkansas Dept, of Education 4 State Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201-1071 Christopher He :r 2 INCENTIVE SCHOOL SPANISH PROGRAM The October 24, 1994, Order from the United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Western Division requested clarity relative to the Spanish program being offered at the incentive schools. The Order requested responses to specific descriptors which are provided. In addition, information is being provided relative to the First Grade Spanish Immersion Pilot Program.* I. The extent to which the program is offered during the regular instructional day or extended day. Franklin Spanish is offered as an integrated component of the Spanish Immersion Program II. III. Garland Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller Spanish is offered three days per week for 30 minutes Spanish is offered during extended day Spanish is offered during extended day Spanish is provided through grade level integration during the regular day and on a volunteer basis during extended day During the budgeting process for the 1994-95 school year, incentive school principals were directed to determine their staffing needs that would allow them to provide Spanish during the regular school day. Business cases were developed and included in the tentative budget that was submitted to the Court. The Superintendent met regularly with the principals to secure feedback regarding the implementation of the incentive school plan. During one of these meetings, the principals recommended that Spanish should not be provided during the instructional day. (It was at the principals requests that the district withdrew the business cases for Spanish teachers for the 1994-95 school year. The principals beheve the existing program, included in this document, is a way to provide meaningful foreign language experiences to their students.) The date the program began in each school during this academic year. Franklin Garland Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller August 22, 1994 August 24, 1994 September 27, 1994 November 4, 1994 August 23, 1994 (regular classrooms) September 27, 1994 (extended day) The days and times Spanish is offered at each school. Franklin Monday - Friday (regular school day) Specific time at discretion of teacher Garland Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:30 - 11 a.m.Mitchell Wednesday 3:05 - 4:35 p.m. Rightsell Wednesday 3:05 - 3:50 p.m. & 3:50 - 4:35 p.m. Rockefeller Monday - Friday (regular school day) Specific time at discretion of teacher Tuesday (extended day) 3:05 - 3:50 p.m. intermediate students 3:50 - 4:35 p.m. primary students rv. How instruction is being delivered. Franklin Students learn to speak and study Spanish as they learn the traditional first grade curriculum. The core content area subjects will be taught in the target language. English will be spoken and taught during the language arts block. Garland Garland utilizes the TI-IN satellite network to present Spanish to students. The TI-IN network Spanish program is a sequential language program, designed to provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities for students in grades 2 through 6. The principal instructional goal for all TI-IN elementary Spanish courses is the progressive development of the four communications skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Second year students will build on the progress they make as the program develops. Along with the teaching of communications skills, cultural information is infused at each level. The TI-IN elementary Spanish curriculum will spiral from year to year, as previously learned materials are reviewed, re-entered, and sequenced. Mitchell Students receive instruction from a certified Spanish teacher during extended day. Rightsell The certified auxiliary teacher provides instruction for the Spanish class. A variety of materials, to include but not limited to video/audio cassettes, drill cards, games, and guided and independent activities, will be used as instructional strategies. Rockefeller An instructor (certified in early childhood education and gifted and talented education), who is familiar with Spanish language, conducts the extended day sessions focusing on exposure and identification of the Spanish language. She has had inservice training, provided by Little Rock School District, to aid her with the use of the "Amigos" and "Saludos" programs which are utilized in the extended day atmosphere. 2V. The number of FTEs teaching the subject in each school. Franklin Garland Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller One FTE Ten h I Es One b l E (extended day) One FTE Sixteen Pits VT. Whether each teacher is certified in Spanish. Franklin Garland MitcheU Rightsell Rockefeller Yes Broadcast instructor - Yes Classroom teachers - No Yes No No VII. A description of each language lab and how it is being used to reinforce instruction. All incentive schools have computer labs that can be used with appropriate software for language instruction. Specific usage by individual schools follows: Franklin Garland Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller Portable audio cassette players and cassettes are used on an as-needed individual basis. This method is consistent with the FEES approach that is viewed as the most appropriate means of teaching foreign languages. The language lab is located in the library with easy access to teachers and students to use. The lab offers a variety of mediums containing books, magazines, Geo-Safaries, filmstrips, and videotapes. VIII. The grade level at which Spanish is offered. Franklin Garland Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller First Grade Second Grade - Sixth Grade First Grade First Grade - Sixth Grade First Grade - Sixth Grade 3IX. The number of children enrolled in Spanish classes at each school by grade level. X. XI. SCHOOL Franklin Garland Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller 1ST 18 0 38 4 0 60 2ND 0 31 0 3 8 42 3RD 0 36 0 0 8 44 The specific learning objectives of the program. 4TH 0 32 0 5 8 45 5TH 0 40 0 2 5 47 Spanish provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing the Spanish language as well as an introduction to the Spanish culture. Students of the Spanish program will be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 6TH 0 37 0 0 0 37 TOTAL 18 176 38 14 29 Master basic structure and vocabulary. Become familiar with Spanish syllabaries. Gain an understanding and appreciation of the Spanish culture, people, and society. Expand the students thinking and awareness of themselves and their world through the exposure of the Spanish language. How those objectives correlate to the program being offered in each school (for example, as related to the methodology, instructional time, language lab practice periods, interaction with native speakers, etc.) Franklin Students in the first grade Spanish classroom experience meaningful Spanish learning activities with the districts core curriculum. "The Total Physical Response" is used by the teacher. The teacher is a fluent speaker of Spanish. Garland Teachers are provided lesson plans to reinforce the satellite program provides developmentally appropriate learning experiences. Mitchell The certified Spanish teacher uses "The Total Physical Response" to enable the students to obtain the learning objectives. The teacher is a fluent speaker of Spanish. 4Rightsell Rcx:kefeller An assortment of materials such as video/audio cassettes, games, and drill cards are used to support the learning objectives. Each teacher or specialist correlates the Spanish objectives to each curriculum area. Example: The second grade students are taught songs in the Spanish language for performances. *The Spanish Immersion Pilot Program has been fully implemented in a first grade classroom at Franklin Incentive School. Ms. Edi Ax, who taught Spanish at Dunbar Magnet Junior High School and served as department chair, has been hired to teach the program. Ms. Ax is appropriately certified and has previous teaching experience at the elementary school level. Students in Ms. Axs first grade Spanish classroom were randomly selected and their parents or guardians were notified about the program. Many of the parents have already visited with Ms. Ax and all have been supportive of the program. No parents or guardians have objected to the program being implemented or to their children participating in the program. Ms. Ax is using the districts foreign language curriculum (novice level) to guide her in providing a Spanish experience, emphasizing oral proficiency. Students are experiencing a variety of cultural activities, as Ms. Ax uses the "Total Physical Response" (TPR) to enable the students to experience the Spanish language. Ms. Axs classroom has been equipped with over $1,500 worth of materials and supplies (see enclosed list), as well as special furniture and audio-visual equipment to ensure an appropriate Spanish learning environment. The districts reading specialists have worked with Ms. Ax to help her coordinate meaningful Spanish learning activities with the districts core curriculum and with appropriate first grade teaching strategies. Ms. Ax is currently participating in a new foreign languages masters degree program at UALR. This participation is affording Ms. Ax access to resources and expertise that will help her as she continues to implement the Spanish immersion program. 5Date: December 2, 1994 To: Judge Wright Froint^'Anr in Brown Subject: Informal Review of the LRSD November 16, 1994 Filing: Transportation Business Case, Incentive School Spanish Program, and Incentive School Theme Implementation. My staff and I have reviewed the submissions which the LRSD made last month to satisfy requirements of your October 24, 1994 Order. Our brief, very informal, and private assessment of each document follows below in three separate sections. If you should want us to write up a formal review, we will be happy to do so. 1. Transportation Business Case This case satisfies the mandate that the district provide a business case to explain how it will spend the Si.3 million which it appropriated for transportation in the 1994-95 budget. Both Bill and Melissa spent some time reviewing rough drafts of this business case with Russ Mayo (its author), posing questions and suggesting changes. Russ took some of those suggestions, but not all. For example, we suggested that the district think long-range and expand the business case to encompass transportation needs beyond the current school year. Other than the chart showing an extended bus replacement schedule, the proposal doesnt include such long-term planning. The business case only covers a solution and expenditures for the current budget year, 1994-95. Overall, e business case is acceptable. While several areas could be improved, it is better than most cases prepared by the LRSD. The case is weak in its alternative analysis, because it doesnt really address the pros and cons of each alternative identified, much less determine the cost and impact. It is obvious that this case was prepared after the failure of the outsourcing move, and as a justification of the only remaining option available at the time.2. Incentive School Spanish Program. Overall, the information in this report is poorly presented and appears to have been slapped together hastily. The shoddy report would matter little, if the Spanish program itself had any merit. This filing is just the latest installment in the districts attempt to shirk the commitments in its desegregation plan. The comments below are organized by the report page number and section. Page 1: (II) Rightsell did not begin any type of program until after the October 24, 1994 order. The report asserts that the principals believe the existing program, included in this II document, is a way to provide meaningful foreign language experiences to their students.' Unfortunately the report in sum does not convince us that children are receiving quality, meaningful foreign language instruction. Pages 1-2: (III) The days and times Spanish is offered varies among the schools, as does the total amount of instruction the students receive. At Franklin and Rockefeller, the amount of instructional time is "at the discretion of the teacher" and unspecified, although Rockefeller also adds 45 minutes once a week during extended day for both primary and intermediate students. Mitchell and Rightsell students get a 1.5 hour block once a week, and Garland students get 1/2 hour three times a week. Page 2: (IV) The report appears to be cobbled together from several sources (perhaps separate reports from each incentive school principal?). The summaries of the types of instruction offered at each school vary widely, from a comprehensive description of the satellite program in use at Garland to a terse sentence regarding the extended day program at Mitchell. Page 3: (V) Whoever wrote this report has no concept of the meaning of FTE. The district reports that at least one FTE is assigned to Spanish instruction at each incentive school. The report indicates that sixteen FTEs teach Spanish at Rockefeller. The author is quite confused. He or she has listed the number of persons involved in delivering instruction as an FTE when it is clear from the other documentation that no teacher in the incentive schools spends the equivalent of full-time employment teaching Spanish. Even at Franklin, the teacher assigned to the immersion class spends only a portion of the school day instructing in Spanish. (VII) The descriptions of the language labs are inadequate and unenlightening. After reading the vague mumbo jumbo offered as a description of how the labs are used to reinforce instruction, you can almost hear the LRSD administration sing, How I Love to Dance the Little Sidestep." 2The district has offered no information to give the reader a picture of how the language labs enhance instruction. Could this be because the labs and the instruction continue to be virtually non-existent? The submission also uses the term "FLES approach". The acronym FEES is never spelled out, nor is the approach defined, so we have no idea what it means. (VllI) All of the incentive schools restrict Spanish instruction to selected grade levels. Franklin and Mitchell are the worst offenders, offering Spanish only at the first grade. None of the schools provide Spanish instruction for children in kindergarten or the program for four-year- olds. Page 4: (IX) (X) (XI) At 176 participants. Garland claims the highest number of students taking Spanish. The totals drop markedly for the other schools, down to only 14 students at Rightsell. While only first graders at Franklin and Mitchell receive Spanish instruction, no first graders are involved in the program at Garland and Rockefeller. This section dealing with the learning objectives is unrealistic. Given the limited amount of time devoted to instruction in Spanish, it is unlikely that students will develop "skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing the Spanish language." The second objective listed is so esoteric that we wonder if it was included only to show off an obscure vocabulary word. According to item two, students will "become familiar with Spanish syllabaries." It is incomprehensible that the anonymous author of is report would be aware of the word "syllabaries" and be unaware that the plural of medium is media (listed as mediums on page 3). This entire section is pretty weak also. A couple of the schools (Mitchell and Franklin) worked Total Physical Response into their blurb, but most of the information offered does not begin to address the requirements from the court order. None of the schools mention any interaction with native speakers, and any ties to the LRSD curriculum are very tenuous. Page 5: The final page of the report includes quite a bit of information on the Spanish immersion program offered in one first grade class at Franklin. The report claims that the immersion program has been fully implemented. We were going to make an unannounced site visit there on Wednesday, November 30, 1994, but tragically, the principals teenage son committed suicide, so we have postponed our visit until after the first of the year. We will withhold comment on the immersion program for now, and furnish a written summary of our findings within a few days of the visit. Our preliminary information on the program is that it is very poor and far from being fully implemented. 33. Incentive School Theme Implementation This submission is sadly inadequate in addressing the questions posed by the Court in the October order. The descriptions of programs are vague and dont provide any new information beyond what we had gained through our 1993-94 incentive school monitoring visits. If their update" is accurate, our report is still timely. Franklin 1. The Communications Technology theme is poorly defined. The reader is told at the theme is "the science of utilizing tools, machines, materials, and processes for the purpose of communicating." (p. 1). That definition has no meaning as it relates to what actually students do. No examples were provided. 2. There is no specific description of how the theme concepts have been integrated into the curriculum. 3. On page 2, the Franklin theme is described as "operable" (like a cancer!), but there is an indication that full implementation is not complete. No implementation timeline is provided, as requested by the Court. The excuse given for slowed implementation is that is is the first full year of employment for the theme specialist
however, this is not the first theme specialist to hold the position since implementation began two years ago. Garland 1. The Garland summary describes computer-based instruction. The report does not specify how Garlands approach differs significantly from other schools which use computers as learning tools. 2. The full Garland theme is Multimedia Technology and Educational Research," but the theme description provides no mention of educational research. 3. Garlands theme is described as needing to be phased in due to high costs. A specific timeline isnt provided as requested by the Court, nor are the anticipated costs which make a phase-in necessary. 4. Full implementation of the theme is to occur in phases "pending the outcome of initial phase" (p. 4). The submission does not explain what this means. Mitchell I. if the description is accurate, the Creative Dramatics theme is not an integrated part of the curriculum. The specialty teachers (art, music, physical education) are the vehicles for delivering the theme. Based on this description, full theme integration is not occurring at Mitchell. 42. The theme is described as "operable" (new favorite word at LRSD?), but needing refinement. No indication is given as to the type of refinement that will be necessary and the timeline is missing. Rightsell 1. Rightsells theme description is the only one which highlights the role of the classroom teacher in infusing the curriculum. By the way. Rightsell was the only incentive school to supply an infused curriculum guide during our 1993-94 monitoring visit. 2. The explanation of the mass media component of the theme is quite weak. 3. With the recent installation of closed-circuit wiring for closed-circuit television, it appears that theme implementation is complete. Rockefeller 1. It is our conviction that computers are a tool, not a legitimate theme. We see very little in the Rockefeller description to convince us that the school is actually emphasizing "computer science." While Rockefeller may have more classroom-based computers than the average, we havent observed any new skills or uses that set the school apart from other schools which are effectively using computers as an instructional tool. 2. Rockefeller is the only incentive school at which, the report states, theme implementation is complete. 5sone Little Rock School District fn /I'k. - UliD March 10, 1995 Mr. Horace Smith Office of Desegregation Monitoring 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, AR 72201 Dear Horace, As you requested, I have enclosed the following materials which will explain, in detail, the TI- IN Elementary Spanish Program: H" TI-IN Instructional Model: General Description Philosophy & Purpose, Program Outcomes, Course Syllabus IS- Curriculum Overview S Teacher Partner Guide Sample Spanish Lesson: Units I & II Review (Grades 2-6) 3* Multicultural Class (Grades K-1) As you know, this program is being used successfully at Garland Incentive School. I have notified the other incentive school principals of its benefits and have recently sent them the same materials which you are receiving at this time. As of this semester, both Rightsell and Mitchell have installed a closed circuit television system which is a requirement for the use of this program. Franklin and Rockefeller are still in the process of investigating installation costs. Please let me know, if you need additional information. Very truly yours. Paula Grier Staff Development Specialist for the Incentive Schools Enclosures 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201  (501)374-3361
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