1. Analysis Protocol

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3 Course / Program Enrollment & Discipline: Analysis         
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5  Analysis Overview: WAC 392-190-010        
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7  In reviewing its data, the school district must determine whether a substantially disproportionate number of students in a protected class are enrolled (or not enrolled) in a particular course or program. Where a school district finds that a particular course or program contains a substantially disproportionate number of students who are members of any one of the categories identified, the district must take prompt action to ensure that the disproportion is not the result of discrimination, including in:        
8  (a) The identification and selection of students; (b) Course and program enrollment criteria; (c) Tests and appraisal instruments; (d) Academic, career, and vocational guidance materials; (e) Work/study programs and opportunities; (f) Educational scheduling or placement; and (g) Other factors related to course and program enrollment.        
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10  Convene a Team: Identifying Potential Disparities        
11 1. Organize a team and establish team member duties. Common team members include: principals, teacher leaders, counselor or school psychologist, etc. Disaggregated data will be provided centrally, and district staff will be available for consultation.        
12 Staff members included in analysis: Matt Bennett, Kalle Spear, Jocelyn Smith, Ryan Miller, Jessen Schilaty        
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14 2. List all programs (or discipline areas) reviewed, but analyze one area at a time with this protocol (e.g., elementary highly capable program enrollment OR middle school advanced courses OR elementary school exclusionary discipline (suspensions, expulsions).         
15  Middle school advanced courses       
16   3. Conduct data analysis to note all preliminary findings and identified disparity issues. Examine and discuss the data; look objectively for patterns, trends, and variability; and brainstorm. Note preliminary findings. E.g., Hispanic students comprise 21% of our student body, but only represent 11% our highly capable students.        
17 Preliminary findings: All special programs are underrepresented in Coordinate Science, as are black, Hispanic, and two or more races. All special programs are underrepresented in Algebra 1 and English 1, as well as black, Hispanic, white, and two or more races.       
18 4. Determine if any additional data (qualitative or quantitative) are needed to answer questions raised by the preliminary findings. If so, where are these data located? For example, ways students learn about advanced courses at the secondary level; ways students are apprised of school expectations; tools used to communicate highly capable program specifications       
19 Additional data needed? Course selection materials - presentations, flyers, etc.        
20 Where will we get it? Counselors, office manager        
21  5. After discussing the preliminary findings and reviewing any additional data, are there any additional findings and disparity issues the school and district can identify?         
22  Baseline testing to qualify for Coordinated Science could skew results, Highly-Capable enrollees dominate advanced ELA and math pathways.       
23 6. For each disparity issue or finding, identify causes and root causes. Consider the systematic causes of disparities in course and program enrollment, and student discipline, and why they occur. Focus on one issue at a time. Click red tab above for more information about identifying root causes.         
24  Example:

Root Cause:
        
25  Lack of communication of enrollment populations to teachers        
26  Issue 1 Root Cause: Lack of communication of enrollment populations to teachers        
27 Coordinated science enrollment        
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Root Cause:
        
29  Cause 2: Student self-selection        
30  Root Cause: Registation process does not account for student interests and aptitude        
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33  Example:

Root Cause:
        
34  Need to encourage student growth mindset as students enter        
35  Issue 1 Root Cause: Need to encourage student growth mindset as students enter        
36  ELA/Math enrollment        
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Root Cause:
        
38  Cause 2: Student self-selection        
39  Root Cause: Lack of communication of enrollment populations to teachers        
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42 7. For each root cause, identify a corrective action to eliminate disparities. Focus corrective action on ways to dissolve the root rather than "patching up" a cause that yields disparities. In selecting a strategy, consider how the strategy will help, if the strategy is appropriate and feasible, and if it is supported by evidence-based research.         
43  Example:        
44  Root Cause: Lack of communication of enrollment populations to teachers/staff  Root Cause: Lack of early access to accelerated programs
45  Corrective Action: Provide disaggregated data to teachers, counselors, and staff involved  Corrective Action: Engage students and parents in conversations about interests in the 5th
46  in the registration processes in the spring during registration and after.  grade transition meetings. Gather data on incoming 5th graders after
47   enrollment, prior to the end of the school year to engage families who
48   did not select advanced pathways.
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50  Root Cause: Student test fatigue in the spring  Root Cause: Need to encourage student growth minset as students enter
51  Corrective Action: Remove entrance exam for Coordinated Science  Corrective Action: Leverage 5th grade parent meeting to explain pathways including
52   middle school and high school, Advanced Placement offererings,
53   and non math/ELA credit-bearing course options for 8th grade, removing language
54   which does not provide a culturally-responsive approach.
55  Root Cause: Lack of parent understanding of pathways via a 7-year plan 
56  Corrective Action: Leverage 5th grade parent meeting to explain pathways including 
57  middle school and high school, Advanced Placement offererings, 
58  and non math/ELA credit-bearing course options for 8th grade. 
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61  Root Cause: Registration process does not account for student interest and apptitude 
62  Corrective Action: Engage students and parents in conversations about interests in the 5th 
63  grade transition meetings. Gather data on incoming 5th graders after  
64  enrollment, prior to the end of the school year to engage families who 
65  did not select advanced pathways. 
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68   8. Develop an implementation plan. Establish measurement and evidence of success after making for corrective actions. Discuss who will be responsible, the resources needed, evidence of implementation, a prompt timeline, how success will be monitored, and the intended result. These strategies might already exist in school improvement plans, or be added.       
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78  Strategies to improve proportionality included in school improvement plans: The corrective actions above are incorporated into our SIP plan.       
79  Additional Resources        
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81Prohibiting Discrimination in Washington Public Schools: Counseling and Guidance Services, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Equity & Civil Rights Office (2012). Available online at: www.k12.wa.us/Equity/ProhibitingDiscrimination.aspx       
82 The Guidance Counselor's Role in Ensuring Equal Educational Opportunity, U.S. Dept. of Edu. Office for Civil Rights (1991). Available online at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq43ef.html       
83Guidance on the Voluntary Use of Race to Achieve Diversity and Avoid Racial Isolation in the Elementary and Secondary Schools, U.S. Dept. of Justice & U.S. Dept. of Edu. (1991). Available online at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/guidance-ese-201111.pdf        
84Dear Colleague Letter: Title VI Access to AP Courses, U.S. Dept. of Edu. Office for Civil Rights (2008). Available online at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20080522.html.       
85 Dear Colleague Letter: Access by Students with Disabilities to Accelerated Programs, U.S. Dept. of Edu. Office for Civil Rights (2007). Available online at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20071226.html       
86Encouraging Girls in Math and Science: Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guide, U.S. Dept. of Edu. (2007). Available online at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practice_guides/20072003.pdf.        
87Civil Rights Data Collection: College & Career Readiness, U.S. Dept. of Edu. (2011). Available online at: http://ocrdata.ed.gov.       
88CTE Clearinghouse: Recruitment and Retention of Students to Non-Traditional Fields, Association for Career and Technical Education. Available online at: https://www.acteonline.org/general.aspx?id=1681#.V8obhmxTFPY.       
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