RECEIVED FEB 27 1992 LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT Office of Desegregation Monitoring EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND EVALUATION DEPARTMENT Little Rock, Arkansas December 1991 Table of contents Page 1.0 Equitable Placement by Race/Gender in School Programs 2 2.0 Curriculum 10 3.0 School/District Initiated Honors and Awards 13 4.0 Committees 16 .5.0 Extracurricular Activities 18 6.0 Student Achievement/Assessment 20 7.0 Special Education 25 8.0 Gifted and Talented Education 28 9.0 Staff Development 30 10.0 Parental Involvement 32 11.0 Student Discipline 34 12.0 Building Leadership/Management 37LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANNING, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DEPARTMENT EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT The Little Rock School District Desegregation Plan requires monitoring for educational equity in all schools in the District. The monitoring is conducted by the Planning, Research and Evaluation staff. Each team conducts one school visit each quarter using a monitoring instrument developed by the three school districts in Pulaski County, the Arkansas Department of Education, and the Desegregation Assistance Center in San Antonio, Texas. The monitoring instrument and Standard Operating Procedures for Monitoring are provided to principals prior to the visits with instructions for these instruments to be shared with their school staffs. The visits are-scheduled cooperatively with each principal. The teams report quarterly to the superintendent the progress or lack of progress in the following areas: Separation of Races in School Programs Curriculum School/District Initiated Honors/Awards Committees Extracurricular Activities Student Achievement/Assessment Special Education Gifted and Talented Education Staff Development Parental Involvement Student Discipline Building Leadership/ManagementEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 2 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Each team, using race and gender as the unit of analysis, reviews a school profile which contains basic information related to current conditions in the monitored areas. The school profile information is verified through the school visit and interviews with school personnel. This report is a summary of the first quarter visits conducted between October 14 and November 20, 1991. The school reports identify conditions that were evident on the day of the visit. Many acceptable conditions were observed by the monitors during the visits. However, the intent of this report is to identify the degree to which each school is progressing toward the goals of desegregation. At the conclusion of each visit, a conference is held with the building principal or designee to review the findings of the team. The principal's comments from this conference are included in the reports for clarification. In addition, the Office of Desegregation requires a written response rom each principal detailing a plan to eliminate any identified problems. Therefore, current conditions may be different. 1.0 EQUITABLE PLACEMENT BY RACE/GENDER IN SCHOOL PROGRAMS At each school the monitors expected to find:  Racially balanced staff which reflects appropriate percentages as established by the Court  Racial/Gender Balance in staff assignments, programs, content areas, and grade level School enrollment to be within the appropriate racial/ethnic range prescribed by the court order * Racial/gender enrollment of classrooms and courses to generally reflect the racial/gender composition of the schoolEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 3 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT  Racial and gender enrollment of extended educational programs to generally reflect the racial/gender composition of the school FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools Brady, Fulbright, Jefferson, Pulaski Heights, Terry, and Watson Schools did not meet the Little Rock School District (LRSD) goal for racial composition of the certified staff. The LRSD goal for a racially balanced staff is 25 to 50 percent black (See Table 1). TABLE 1 Area Elementary Schools Which Were Not Within the Acceptable Range for Staffing (25 50% Black) SCHOOL . CERTIFIED NON-CERTIFIED Brady Fulbright Jefferson Pul. Hgts. Terry Watson El. B / 6/19 8/24 7/21 5/21 5/16 7/22 % W / 2 6/81 26/76 26/79 19/79 26/84 25/78 T 32 34 33 24 31 32 B / % 14/78 14/64 11/69 13/72 8/42 9/47 w / % 4/22 8/36 5/31 5/28 11/58 10/53 T 18 22 16 18 19 19 The acceptable range for elementary school enrollment is 40 to 76.5 percent black students. Bale (82 percent black students), Baseline (77 percent black students), Cloverdale Elementary (77 percent black students), Fair Park (80 percent black students), and Romine (84 percent black students) did not reflect the racial/ethnic composition prescribed by the court order.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 4 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT The acceptable ranges for black student enrollment for the schoolyear 1991-92 is: Area Schools Elementary Junior High Senior High (40-76.5%) (52-78.5%) (44-66%) Magnet Schools Williams, Booker, Carver, Gibbs, Mann, and Parkview (55% black students) Washington, Dunbar and Central International Relations (60% black students) Class/course enrollments did not generally reflect racial/ethnic composition of the following schools: Brady, Forest Park, Meadowcliff, Otter Creek, Pulaski Heights Elementary, Terry, Watson, and Wilson. Eleven of twenty-four of the monitoring reports from area elementary schools indicated that there was no information in the school profile on extended educational programs. However, extended educational programs are not required for area and magnet schools. Mabelvale Elementary had a slight underrepresentation of black students in extended educational programs, and Badgett had a tutoring program which was composed of eleven black students. Some one-race classes were observed in five of the area elementary schools. These five schools were Bale, Dodd, Otter Creek, Pulaski Heights Elementary, and Romine. In every one of these cases, no strategies were available in the school profile to prevent or eliminate them.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 5 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Response from Principal(s): The Pulaski Heights Elementary principal said that there were limitations for assigning PAL students in the program with specific cutoff scores. Some students that were eligible last year are not eligible this year. The Dodd Principal stated that the PAL mathematics students had not been assigned according to race. The Pulaski Heights Elementary principal recruited a black teacher from the Pulaski County Special School District, but this teacher did not follow the correct procedure for resigning. As a result of this, she was not released to the LRSD. The Badgett principal reported that the tutorial program was provided each week by First United Methodist Church for fourth graders. Two church buses were provided, and students were picked-up and returned to their homes. Room mothers. principal, counselor and a teacher accompanied the students. This program consisted of eleven pupils and eleven individual church tutors. All the church tutors were present during the school open house. Area Junior High Schools Pulaski Heights Junior High School with 19 percent black certified staff did no,, meet the LRSD goal for staff composition. Henderson Junior High School did not meet the student racial/ethnic composition prescribed by the court order.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORIN 1991-92 Page 6 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Henderson had 83 percent black students which was out of the 52-78.75 percent range approved by the court. Forest Heights and Pulaski Heights Junior High Schools both had class/course enrollments which did not generally reflect the racial/ethnic composition of the school. At Pulaski Heights, 10 of 14 Reading English Assistance Program (REAP) classes had all black students, and 9 of 24 Special Education classes had all black students. Also, black students were over-represented in extended educational programs. All area junior high schools had some one-race classes. Cloverdale Junior High School had nine all black classes. Forest Heights Junior High School had 17 all black classes. Henderson Junior High School had 22 all black classes, Mabelvale Junior High School had one all black class, Pulaski Heights Junior High chool had three all black and three all white classes, and Southwest Junior High School had four all black classes. All of the schools had strategies to prevent or eliminate one-race classes. Response from Principal(s): The Cloverdale Junior High School principal reported that students were assigned to special education by the central office Special Education Department staff, and few students were ev- r initially placed in the Special Education program at the junior high school level (most were placed at the< EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 7 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT elementary level). All school district, state and federal guidelines were followed for placement in and exiting from the Special Education program. The Mabelvale Junior High School principal said that when student class enrollments were examined, they generally reflected the student population of the school. The principal reported that he will check the all black special education and reading classes and follow strategies submitted for alleviating these problems. Area Senior High Schools All of the area senior high schools were within the acceptable range for staffing and student enrollment. One-race classes were observed at all four area high schools. All of these schools had student participation in extended educational programs which generally reflected the racial composition of the school. Central High School had one-race classes in American Government, business mathematics, earth science, reading, COE, and VoTECH. Fair High School had a one-race advanced placement chemistry course. Hall High School had one-race classes in special education, French, geometry, band, psychology, and related CCE. McClellan High School had one-race classes in special education, biology. consumer education, and human development. Central High School did not have any evidence of strategies to prevent or eliminate one-race classes. The McClellan High School staff will encourage students to enrollEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 8 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT in one-race classes to rectify the situation, plus the principal plans to work closely with the registrar to achieve this end. Fair High School had aggressive recruitment by counselors and teachers as the strategy to prevent/eliminate one-race classes. Hall High School was identifying factors leading to one-race classes, identifying student candidates for rectifying one-race classes, transferring and recruiting students, and inservicing faculty and staff on strategies to eliminate one-race classes. Response from Principal(s): None. Macnet Elementary Schools All magnet elementary schools were within the LRSD goal of from 25 to 50 percent black teaching staff. All magnet elementary schools visited were within the acceptable range for student enrollment and had class/course enrollments that generally reflected the racial/ethnic composition of the school. Although area and magnet schools are not required to im.plement extended educational programs, some programs were evident. Participation in the extended educational program was fairly comparable by race at Washington Magnet School with the exception of Math Olympiad. There was equitable participation in extended programs at Booker Magnet School. At Carver Ma*, net School, the summer reading program was composed of 19 minority students and one white student.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 9 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT No one-race classes were found at the magnet elementary schools. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Junior High Schools Both of the magnet junior high schools were within the acceptable range for teaching staff. The Dunbar ninth grade class was 69 percent black and the overall black enrollment was 61 percent black. The Mann school student enrollment did not reflect the racial/ethnic composition prescribed by the court order. The school had 56 percent black enrollment and the goal was 55 percent. Class/course enrollments at both Mann and Dunbar did not reflect the racial/ethnic composition of the school. Mann had five all black classes (REAP, earth science, and special education). Dunbar had an under-representation of black student participation in extended educational programs. Dunbar Magnet had three REAP classes with all black students and a German II class with all white students. Both Mann and Dunbar had strategies to prevent or eliminate one-race classes. Response from Principal(s): The Dunbar principal said that Dunbar is a gifted magnet. Dunbar has more than one gifted class in several academic areas. Six Foreign languages are taught at Dunbar.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 10 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Therefore, it is difficult to balance classes by race and get students into classes they need to take. Magnet Senior High School Parkview Magnet chool was within the acceptable range for teaching staff and student enrollment. The class/course enrollments generally reflected the racial/ethnic composition of the school in most classes. Extended educational programs generally reflected the school population. There were two one-race classes in photography observed at Parkview, and the principal had strategies to prevent or eliminate them. Response from Principal(s): Second semester photography classes have black students registered. Metropolitan Vocational Technical Education Center Metropolitan with 21 percent black certified staff did not meet the LRSD goal for staff composition. 2.0 CURRICULUM At each school the monitors expected to find: k A culturally diverse curriculum that mirrors the student population  A scoped, sequenced, multicultural, interdisciplinary and bias free curriculum  An adequacy of materials and equipment to support the curriculum * Varied teaching strategies that match the learning styles of the students * Current and accurate documentation of student progressEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 11 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT  Teachers demonstrating an understanding of a multiculturally infused curriculum  Students participating in heterogeneous groups to allow for cross racial interaction * Displays of bulletin boards, materials, and publications that reflect the cultural diversity of the student population and/or multicultural curriculum FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools Monitors noted a few problems with record keeping. The most frequently reported problem involved the lack of Academic Skill Development Plans (ASDPs) or little or no evidence that the ASDPs were being followed. Such was reported by monitors at Brady, Dodd, McDermott, Meadowcliff, and Wilson. At McDermott, some staff members visited expressed a need for materials and equipment, such as copier paper, appropriate size student chairs, chalk boards and appropriate supplemental materials. One monitored teacher at Watson expressed a need for mathematics workbooks and a chart rack. There were several Spanish speaking students at Otter Creek that had not been provided assistance in language transition as of October 16, 1991. These students had not received any tutorial assistance. In one classroom visited at Fulbright, the majority of the grades posted in the grade book were taken from homework assignments.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 12 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Response from Principal(s): The assistant principal of Watson stated that a request for mathematics workbooks and a chart rack had not been received nor placed in the request box located in the front office. Area Junior High Schools In three of the six junior high schools, monitors did not find ASDPs in tte applicable classrooms visited. Monitors reported one science classroom at Pulaski Heights Junior High School was not properly equipped for teaching science. It needed running water and Bunsen burners according to the monitored staff. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Senior High Schools At two of the five area high schools, some interviewed teachers indicated a need for some materials and/or equipment. For example, some teachers at McClellan reported a need for science laboratory equipment, mathematics materials for G/T classes and computers
and at Central several teachers reported needing some materials and/or textbooks, a playground for kindergarten students and vents in the kindergarten restrooms. Response from Principal(s): None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 13 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Elementary Schools The record keeping in most classrooms visited at the elementary magnet schools was satisfactory. Exceptions were noted in one classroom at Booker where the teacher's plans were not complete for that week and some ASDPs at Carver had no entries to indicate reteaching and retesting had occurred. However, Carver teachers shared with the monitors that the math specialist, a pre-professional and the classroom teacher were working with these students on deficit skills. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Junior High Schools Student records were checked by the monitors in 15 classrooms and found to be adequate in 11 of these rooms. Three of six teachers visited at Dunbar did not have the required ASDPs for students who had failed areas of the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test (AMPT) in sixth or eighth grade. One of the nine teachers visited at Mann did not have the necessary ASDPs. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Senior High School No areas of concern reported. 3.0 SCHOOL/DISTRICT INITIATED HONORS AND AWARDS At each school the monitors expected to find: * A variety of awards and honorsi' EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 14 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT  Written procedi? :es and requirements governing honors and awards  Methods for communicating requirements for receiving honors/awards to all students * A process to evaluate the honors and awards program * Plans to eliminate any racial/gender inequities relative to distribution of honors and awards Visible evidence that non-athletic awards and honors are valued as much as athletic awards and honors (secondary schools) FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools Information for this area will be available after the first nine weeks reporting period. Procedures for apprising students of the requirements governing honors and awards and of information in educational programs were in place at each school. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Junior High Schools Information for this area will be available after the first nine weeks reporting period. Procedures for apprising students of the requirements governing honors and awards and of information in educational programs were in place at each school. Response from Principal(s): None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 15 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Area Senior High Schools All information for this area will be available after the first nine weeks. Procedures for apprising students of the requirements governing honors and awards and of information in educational programs were in place at each school. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools Information for this area will be available after the first nine weeks reporting period. Procedures for apprising students of the requirements governing honors and awards and of information in educational programs were in place at each school. Response from Principal(s): Nona. Magnet Junior High Schools Information for this area will be available after the first nine weeks reporting period. Procedures for apprising students of the requirements governing honors and awards and of information in educational programs were in place at each school. Response fron. Principal (s) : None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 16 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Senior High School Information for this area will be available after the first nine weeks reporting period. Procedures for apprising students of the requirements governing honors and awards and of information in educational programs were in place at each school. Response from Principal(s): None. 4.0 COMMITTEES At each school the monitors expected to find: Racial/gender composition of committees generally reflects the school community population FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools The majority of area elementary schools had school-based committees that generally reflected their staff/parent populations. Monitors reported that the composition of school-based committees did not reflect the staff/parent population at five of the elementary schools
Mabelvale, McDermott, Meadowcliff, Terry, and Woodruff. The composition of school-based committees with parents and patrons had a slight under-representation of blacks at Mabelvale. At McDermott, there was an under-representation of black parents and white males on school-based committees. The PTA officers at Meadowcliff had no black participants. There was an underrepresentation of blacks serving on committees, especially *EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 - FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Page 17 black males, according to monitors for Terry. On the committees listed in the school profile for Woodruff, there was an over-representation of white participants. The school profiles were incomplete and data were not available at Dodd and Pulaski Heights Elementary Schools. Response from Principal(s) : None. Area Junior High Schools The composition of each school-based committee generally reflected the staff/parent population in all of the area junior high schools. Response from Principal(s) : None. Area Senior High Schools Monitors reported that the composition of each school-based committee generally reflected the staff/parent population in all of the area senior high schools. Response from Principal(s) : None. Magnet Elementary Schools The composition of each school-based committee generally reflected the staff/parent population in all elementary magnet schools. Response from Principal(s) : None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 18 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Macfnet Junior High Schools At Dunbar and Mann Junior High Magnet Schools, the composition of the school-based committees generally reflected the staff/parent populations. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Senior High School The monitoring team reported that the composition of the school-based committees generally reflected the staff/parent population at Parkview Senior High Magnet School. Response from Principal(s): None. 5.0 EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES At each school the monitors expected to find: * Extracurricular activities generally balanced by race and gender * Leadership positions generally balanced by race and gender  Recruitment practices to promote participation of all races in extracurricular activities FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools The majority of schools (20) reported numerous extracurricular activities
each reflected the school's population. Three schools did not have activities available during r
onitors' visit and one was in the process of completing its organization.1 EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 19 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Response from Principal(s): None. Area Junior High Schools All six area junior high schools had no concerns in the participation of extracurricular activities and all generally reflected the school population. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Senior High Schools There were no areas of concern in the participation of extracurricular activities and all reflected the school population. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools There were no areas of concern and participation in extracurricular activities was representative of each school's population. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Junior High Schools All schools reported no areas of concern and revealed that participation in extracurricular activities reflected the schools population. Response from Principal(s): None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 20 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Senior High School Parkview reported no area of concern in the participation of extracurricular activities and that all reflected the school population. Response from Principal(s): None. 6.0 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT/ASSESSMENT At each school the monitors expected to find: * All students' strengths and weaknesses assessed and their educational programs planned accordingly Evidence that graduation/promotion/retention rates are monitored and analyzed to reduce disparities in achievement * Test results used for diagnostic and prescriptive purposes and reported in a manner that is clear and helpful to administrators, teachers, students, and parents * Strategies to close the disparity in test scores among identifiable groups FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools When test results were examined, overall achievement of students did not remain stable or improve on the Minimum Performance Test (MPT) and/or Metropolitan Achievement Test- Sixth Edition (MAT-6) for most of the area elementary schools. According to monitors, eight schools (Cloverdale, Fulbright, Geyer Springs, Meadowcliff, Terry, Wakefield, Watson, and Western Hills) demonstrated overall improvement on both the MPT and the MAT-6.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 21 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Goals had been developed and strategies were being implemented to improve student achievement in all of the area elementary schools. Promotion/retention rates reflected the school populations at nearly half of the area elementary schools. Some schools had retention rates which did not reflect their school population. These schools included Brady, Cloverdale, Forest Park, Fulbright, Jefferson, Mabelvale, McDermott, Meadowcliff, Otter Creek, Pulaski Heights, and Terry. In most of these schools, there was an over-representation of black students. At Dodd, information on the retention rate was not available. Response from Principal(s): The principal at Meadowcliff said that some of those students attended summer school and may have been promoted. The Meadowcliff principal said that we do not retain any student that I don't think will profit from this. Parents understood and agreed to the retention. Area Junior High Schools V.hen overall test results were examined for the MAT-6, all of the area junior high schools had decreased scores for one or more grade levels. At Cloverdale and Southwest, black and white students had decreased scores in grades 7 and 9. The monitors for Forest Heights reported that scores decreased for students (black and white) in grades 7, 8, and 9. Test scores for black students declined for grades 7, 8, and 9
I, EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 22 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT while white students' scores declined in grade 7, according to the monitoring team at Henderson. Monitors reported mixed test results for Mabelvale. At this school, student scores decreased for black students in grades 8 and 9
while the scores of white students decreased in grades 7 and 9. At Pulaski Heights, test scores for black students declined in grades 7, 8, and 9
while the scores of white students declined in grades 7 and 9. Goals and strategies were developed and being implemented at all of the area junior high schools to improve student achievement. Retention rates did not reflect the school population at Forest Heights, Mabelvale, and Pulaski Heights where black students were retained at the rates of 90 percent, 84 percent. and 94 percent respectively. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Senior High Schools Three of the area senior high schools (Central, Fair, and Hall) had decreased scores on the MAT-6 for 10th grade students, according to monitors. All of the area senior high schools had goals and strategies developed and being implemented to improve student achievement.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 23 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT The retention rates did not reflect the school population at Central (82 percent black students) and Hall (74 percent black students). Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools When test results were examined, overall achievement of students remained stable or improved at all magnet elementary schools, except Booker. Monitors for Booker reported that the comparison of the 1990 and 1991 MPT results indicated that achievement of black students did not increase in all subject areas, although the passing rates of white students remained stable. There wes a decrease in the percent of black males passing mathematics in third grade. In the sixth grade, the percent of black males passing reading, language arts, science, and social studies decreased. All of the elementary magnet schools had developed goals and were implementing strategies to improve student achievement. The retention rates at most of the magnet elementary schools did not reflect their school populations. At Carver, there was an over-representation of black students. Monitors for Gibbs reported that ten black students were retained. The school profile data at Washington revealed a high retention rate of black males at the first grade level. The retentionEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 24 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT rate at Williams reflected an over-representation of white students. Response from Principal(s): The principal at Booker said the disparity in achievement has been addressed in the School Improvement Plan (SIP). Teachers were given inservice on the SIP and then provided time on September 23rd (Staff Development Day) to work together on strategies to help reduce disparity in achievement and to improve students' self-esteem. The principal at Washington shared that this was a problem and extra effort was being expended to work with those students. Magnet Junior High Schools When test results were examined, monitors reported that overall, scores remained stable or improved at Dunbar. According to monitors for Mann, MAT-6 scores for students in the eighth and ninth grades indicated a slight decrease. Goals and strategies were developed and implemented to improve student achievement at Dunbar and Mann. Monitors for Dunbar reported that the student failure rate was 82 percent black. At Mann, the monitors stated that the ten students retained were black. Response from Principal(s): None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 25 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Senior High School The overall achievement of students at Parkview remained stable or improved. Goals had been developed and strategies were being implemented to continue im.proving student achievement. Monitors for Parkview reported that the promotion/retention rates reflected the school population. esponse from Principal(s): None. 7.0 SPECIAL EDUCATION At each school the monitors expected to find:  Clear, well-defined referral, assessment and placement procedures * Special Education facilities that are comparable to other educational programs on the campus and integrated into the total school environment * Sufficient textbooks, materials, and equipment available for all students to participate in classroom learning experiences  Strategies to decrease any overrepresentation of minorities  Adequate facilities to meet the needs of the students served FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools Disproportionate student assignment to special education classe were reported to exist at Jefferson, Wilson and Woodruff. At Wilson, fifty-eight of the students assigned to special education classes were black males. At Jefferson, there was an over-inclusion of black students (66 percent) andV EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 26 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT at Woodruff an over-inclusion of white students (67 percent) when compared to the racial composition of each school's population. Facilities housing special education classrooms in portable buildings without covered walkways were reported by monitors who visited Badgett and Brady schools. A teacher visited at Brady reported that a restroom was not available in the classroom to meet the needs of the CBI students served. Monitors were told by interviewed staff that the CBI classroom at Chicot is to be remodeled to provide a kitchen for learning experiences. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Junior High Schools It was reported that special education facilities were not designed to meet the needs of the students being served in three of the junior high schools. At Pulaski Heights Junior High, two special education teachers share the same classroom. Two special education classrooms at Forest Heights Unior High were one-half the normal classroom size and students had to walk through one classroom to get to the other one. At Mabelvale Junior High, two special education classrooms were housed in a portable building and the Special Education Computer Laboratory served as a computer lab and as a regular special education classroom. The teacher assigned to use thisEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 27 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT room must change rooms when another special education teacher is scheduled to use the computers. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Senior High Schools No areas of concern reported. Magnet Elementary Schools The resource room at Gibbs is housed in one-half of a portable building which is detached from the main building. The speech teacher travels, using half of the portable building when it is available and when neither side is available, seeks another area to conduct classes. Therefore, the facilities for special education classes at Gibbs are not comparable to those of the campus, integrated into the school environment, nor designed to meet the needs of the students being served. Response from Principal(s) : None. Magnet Junior High Schools One special education classroom at Dunbar was reported to be small and crowded. Therefore, the monitors did not feel that this room was designed to meet the needs of the students served. Response from Principal(s): None.J. EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 28 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Senior High School No areas of concern reported. 8,0 GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION At each school the monitors expected to find: * Students identified through referral, standardized test results, academic performance, and other criteria deemed appropriate by the school staff * A planned and organized strategy to address any problem of underrepresentation of identifiable groups in gifted and talented programs * Sufficient textbooks, materials, and equipment available to deliver the curriculum to all students in the class * Gifted and talented facilities that are comparable to other educational programs on the campus and integrated into the total school environment Adequate facilities to meet the needs of the students served FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools At Wilson, the classroom for Gifted and Talented (G/T) students is neither comparable to the regular classrooms, nor is it designed to meet the needs of the students. It is approximately one-third the size of a regular classroom, according to the report submitted by the monitors. Monitoring reports indicated that there is no covered walkway to the building that houses the G/T classroom at Badgett
and at Chicot and Watson, the portable classrooms used for G/T are not integrated into the total school environment.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 29 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Although the facilities for G/T education at Meadowcliff are comparable to the regular classrooms, monitors reported that according to the teacher, the space was sometimes inadequate and that a sink with running water was needed for some of the activities. Response from Principal(s): The principal at Meadowcliff reported that the school is in Phase III of capital improvements, and hopefully, these needs would be met upon the completion of his phase. Area Junior High Schools No areas of concern noted at the area junior high schools. Area Senior High Schools No areas of concern noted at the area high schools. Magnet Elementary Schools At Gibbs, the classroom for G/T students is housed in one-half of a portable building that is located away from the main structure. No covered walkway to the portable is provided, nor is water available in the classroom. The classrooms for G/T students at Williams are not comparable to regular classrooms, integrated into the total school environment, nor designed to meet the needs of the students. Both classrooms are housed in one portable building. Teachers arrange to use another room for activities that require more space, water, or the use of video equipment.. I
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 30 FIRST QUARTER SUMM/'^RY REPORT Response from Principal(s): The principal at Williams responded that the G/T classroom is his number one concern. According to the Capital Improvement Plan, a new addition to the building will be completed for the 1992-93 academic year, and this situation will be rectified. Magnet Junior High Schools No areas of concern noted at either Dunbar or Mann. Magnet Senior High School No areas of concern noted at Parkview. 9.0 STAFF DEVELOPMENT At each school the monitors expected to find: * Staff development programs designed to enable staff members to fulfill the district/school mission and purpose * Staff development provided at a variety of places and times  Appropriate inservice provided to enable each staff member to understand his/her role and responsibility in the implementation of the districtwide desegregation plan  Documentation of staff development participation FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools The majority of teachers visited at Brady, and one teacher response from Baseline and Pulaski Heights showed that staff development related to equitable staffing practices had not been provided. One monitored teacher at Dodd shared that/ EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 31 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT teaching strategies for multicultural curriculum delivery had not been provided. There were no concerns reported in the remaining team reports. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Junior High Schools Inservice relative to equitable staffing practices was not part of the staff development plan for the first quarter. The reports from area junior high schools indicated that training relative to equitable staffing did not occur. Response from Principal{s): None. Area Senior High Schools The reported results indicated that' training related to equitable staffing practices had not been provided the staffs of the area high schools. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools The report from Booker Magnet showed that the faculty had not been provided staff development in equitable staffing practices. There were no concerns in this area for the other schools. Response from Principal(s): None.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 32 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Junior High Schools The monitoring reports revealed that five of the seven teachers visited at Mann expressed that staff development regarding equitable staffing practices had not been made available, and two of the seven teachers monitored at Dunbar were of the same opinion. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Senior High School Staff development activities related to equitable staffing practices had not been provided for the staff, according to the monitoring report. Response from Principal(s): None. 10.0 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT At each school the monitors expected to find:  Documentation of school-home communication and contact * Documented evidence showing how all identifiable groups of parents have been actively solicited  When financially possible, transportation provided for parents who need the service * School functions conducted in community facilities near identifiable groups of parents  School functions scheduled to accommodate all parent groups  Provision for regularly informing parents regarding all aspects of their child's school performance4 EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 33 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT  Opportunities to develop leadership skills among all parent groups FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools Team reports from Wakefield stated that all ethnic groups were not involved in large numbers. Several teachers expressed that parents were sometimes difficult to contact. School Improvement Plans from Badgett, Otter Creek, Fair Park, and Romine did not show evidence that parents were involved in the development of those plans. There were no concerns identified in the remaining school reports. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Junior High Schools The team findings from Cloverdale did not reflect that parents were involved in the development of the school plan. There were no areas of concern at the remaining schools. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Senior High Schools The resulting data from the five team reports showed that the majority of visited teachers felt that all identifiable groups of parents were given the opportunity to participate in school functions but very few actually participated. The report from Hall stated that there was no documentation that indicated parents assisted with the development of the local school plan.4 EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 34 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools The team report from Williams Magnet did not show that parents were involved in the development of the local school plan. At the other schools, there were no areas of concern. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Junior High Schools Some teachers visited at Dunbar were of the opinion that parents were not significantly involved in school functions. There were no concerns in this area at Mann. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Senior High School Several interviewed teachers felt that all parent groups were not involved in school functions. Response from Principal(s): None. Metropolitan Vocational Technical Education Center Most teachers visited indicated that most parents were not actively involved in school activities. 11.0 STUDENT DISCIPLINE At each school the monitors expected to find:  No disproportionality among identifiable groups of students when discipline sanctions are analyzedEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 35 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT  Teachers receiving staff development and training to become more effective in discipline management and classroom management  Discipline program monitored, evaluated, and updated to decrease any disproportionality among identifiable groups of students  Evidence that a handbook/policy clearly states expectations for student conduct and that these policies are distributed and explained FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools Monitoring reports indicated that the suspension rates at McDermott, Watson, and Wilson were not representative of the student enrollments at those schools. At McDermott, 75 percent of the suspended students were black
at Watson, 100 percent were black
and at Wilson, 50 percent of those suspended were white. Response from Principal(s): None. Area Junior High Schools The suspension rate at Forest Heights was 98 percent black, which was not representative of the student enrollment. Since the other junior high schools were monitored before the quarterly Discipline Management Report was due, no data were available from those junior high schools relative to suspensions and expulsions. Response from Principal(s): None.
'.t i EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 36 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Area Senior High Schools No areas of concern noted at the area high schools. The Discipline Management Report for the first quarter was not due until the end of the quarter and was therefore unavailable on the day of the monitoring visit. All other areas concerning discipline that were monitored, e.g., orderly classrooms and explanations of expected student conduct were satisfactory. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools No areas of concern noted for out-of-school suspensions and/or expulsions. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Junior High Schools No areas of concern noted at either Dunbar or Mann. The Discipline Management Report for the first quarter was not due until the end of the quarter and was therefore unavailable on the day of the monitoring visit. All other areas concerning discipline that were monitored, e.g., orderly classrooms and explanations of expected student conduct were satisfactory. Response from Principal(s): None.' > EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 37 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet Senior High School No areas of concern noted for Parkview. The Discipline Management Report for the first quarter was not due until the end of the quarter and was therefore unavailable on the day of the monitoring visit. All other areas concerning discipline that were monitored, e.g., orderly classrooms and explanations of expected student conduct were satisfactory. Response from Principal(s): None. 12.0 BUILDING LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT At each school the monitors expected to find:  Clear, concise and well-written improvement goals * Physical environment supports the goals of quality teaching and learning, i.e., clean buildings, no debris, orderly halls, no graffiti * Evidence that the principal monitors the curriculum * Strategies to increase the number of minority students in upper level courses/class groups  Evidence which indicates that all students are served by the guidance program, i.e., counselors' schedules/daily logsindividual/group counseling * A system to receive information from former students and patrons regarding the quality/needs of the total program * A safe and secure campus for all students, LRSD employees, and visitorsEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 38 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT FINDINGS: Area Elementary Schools At Chicot Elementary, the monitors observed groups of students leaving and entering the building in a disorderly manner creating noise that could possibly disturb the class groups located nearby. At Dodd Elementary, new desks were being assembled to replace old desks. A number of chairs and desks were being stored temporarily in the main hall near the office. Dodd students talked as they walked in the hallways. Some Dodd students were observed being disruptive with pushing, hitting, and kicking. Nine area elementary schools (Brady, Bale, Cloverdale, Dodd, Romine, Otter Creek, Pulaski Heights, Baseline and Fair Park) did not have strategies in the school profile to increase the number of minority students enrolled in upper level class groups. Fulbright Elementary was operating with a deficit of a one-half time counselor which may have affected the equitable delivery of services. Arkansas State Department of Education requires one counselor for every 450 students. Five of the elementary area schools (Wilson, Woodruff, Western Hills, Brady and Fulbright) had no process for gathering information from former students for use in improving the guidance and other educational programs.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 39 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Response from Principal(s): Authorization to hire a one-half time counselor for Fulbright has been approved. Area Junior High Schools Some graffiti was observed in a boys' restroom at Henderson Junior High School. Some students at Henderson were observed running in the hallway. At Cloverdale Junior High School, some of the doors of monitored classrooms were not locked. Some graffiti was observed at Southwest Junior High School. At the school some students were observed running in the hallways, and there was much movement in the hallways during class time. Several outside doors at Southwest Junior High do not lock. The monitors did not identify areas of concern at Pulaski Heights Junior High School and Forest Heights Junior High School. Response from Principal(s>: The Cloverdale principal reported that work orders have been submitted to repair locks on classroom doors needing such repairs. Some of these doors presently have no means to lock them from within the classroom. Presently they can only be locked from out in the ramp. The Southwest principal said that the need to fix the doors had been reported to the Plant Services Department. She said on the issue of students running in the hallways.EDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 40 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT the school staff will analyze this with the goal of improving the situation. She also said that the graffiti would be cleaned off the building by the end of the day. Area Senior High Schools Some graffiti was observed on a wall in a hallway and in a boys' restroom at Central. Most teachers visited at Central said that curriculum monitoring had not occurred. There was no evidence that strategies were made to increase the number of minority students enrolled in upper level course/classes. At Central, some district security guidelines were not being followed. Some students were observed using backpacks. One door on the south front of the building did not have a crashbar and was unlocked during the monitoring visit. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Elementary Schools At Gibbs Magnet School, some art class materials were housed in the hallway by the cafeteria where the art teacher worked with a small group of students. At Williams Magnet, the walkways to the doors of portables were flooded with water on the day of the monitoring visit. At Booker Magnet, the teachers' restroom in the lounge was not very clean. At Williams Magnet, although regular fire drills were practiced, there were no crises drills. At WashingtonEDUCATIONAL EQUITY MONITORING 1991-92 Page 41 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT Magnet, reverse drills for intermediate-age pupils to practice coming into the school from the outside were not done. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Junior High Schools Graffiti was found in the hallway by the art room at Mann Magnet School. At Dunbar Magnet School, the roof had leaked in several classrooms. Most of the teachers monitored at Mann Magnet and three of six teachers at Dunbar, said that no formal program existed to gather and use information from former students to improve the guidance and other educational services. Response from Principal(s): None. Magnet Senior High School No areas of concern.
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.