Evaluation of Achievement

Increases for Students of Color

Derek Cobb
NCSLA Fellow

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 Problem of Practice
● Dual magnet theme school
○ Gifted and Talented
○ AIG (Academically and
Intellectually Gifted)

● Located in downtown
Raleigh in a historically Black
and low SES neighborhood

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Student Population

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 Problem of Practice
Increase achievement among our students of color in reading
and math by supporting instruction through establishing highly
functioning Professional Learning Teams.

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Ligon School Test Scores

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Breakdown of Test Scores by Race/Subject

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School Population by Enrollment/AIG Status

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Students of Color in AIG

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 Professional Learning Teams
● Professional Learning Teams were:
○ NOT highly functional
○ NOT gathering meaningful data
○ NOT using data to drive instruction
○ NOT catering to the individual needs of student

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Results - 6th Grade

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Results - 7th Grade

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Results - 8th Grade

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 Establish an Equity Team

● Meet twice a month

● Unpack equity and what equity looks like at
our school
● Facilitate staff professional development on
equitable education

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 Functioning Professional Learning Teams

● A Focus on Learning for All

● A Collaborative Culture
● Collective Inquiry Into Best Practice
and Current Reality
● Data Centered
● Action Oriented: Learning by doing
● A Commitment to Continuous
Improvement
● Results Oriented
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Use a Data Wall

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 Interventions
● Utilization of homeroom time to enrich students in math
(through Dreambox) and in ELA (using iReady and NewsELA)
○ Problem: Little enforcement by teachers
○ Problem: Students with highest need for interventions are
completing interventions at lowest rate.
○ Problem: Students with no need for interventions are
completing interventions at highest rate, increasing the
inequality gap
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 Useful Feedback
Teachers need consistent and timely feedback on
instructional practices.

During walkthroughs, problems with

the feedback system were noticed
and resolved by creating a Google
Form feedback tool.

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 Teacher Support
● Administrative team planned teacher support under the
assumption that all teachers could backwards plan and PLT
effectively.

Need:
● Instructional leaders that can provide hands on coaching and modeling.
● Graphics and artifacts that teachers can utilize when attempting new
practices on their own.

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 Effectiveness of Magnet Programs
● Magnet program is designed to:
○ reduce high concentrations of poverty
○ promote school integration
○ maximize the use of school facilities
○ provide innovative and/or expanded educational opportunities.

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 The inequality gap is widening
● Magnet program is currently:
○ Not reaching base students and students of color in
performing arts programs or advanced classes.
○ Out of balance as neighborhood quickly transitioned from
low SES to gentrified.
○ Not recruiting teachers that look like our students or are
invested in our students long term growth.

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