DOCSLIB.ORG

© 2011 Elizabeth Morrison ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
© 2011 Elizabeth Morrison ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Elizabeth Morrison ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FAMILY GENTRIFICATION, STUDENT DIVERSITY, AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF A PARENT-ORGANIZED CHARTER SCHOOL by ELIZABETH MORRISON A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-Newark Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Institute of Technology, & University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Joint Graduate Program in Urban Systems-Educational Policy is Written under the direction of Dr. Alan Sadovnik, Chair Approved by Dr. Jeffrey Backstrand Dr. Jason Barr Dr. Susan Semel _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ Newark, New Jersey May, 2011 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Family Gentrification, Student Diversity, and Academic Achievement: A Case Study of a Parent-Organized Charter School By ELIZABETH MORRISON Dissertation Director: Dr. Alan Sadovnik In this study, I examine the history and effects of a parent-organized charter school in Jersey City, New Jersey in the context of the gentrification of the city. Based on ethnographic, survey, and school- and student-level achievement data, I analyze how the school influences equity and academic achievement. Using the concepts of cultural, economic, and social capital, I provide a comprehensive examination of how public school characteristics can attract or deter families from sending their children to particular schools. At the charter school, students from most subgroup outperform the state-specific subgroup average. On average, students demonstrate a small amount of growth over time; however, there are wide racial and economic achievement gaps between subgroups. The gaps narrow to some extent in math, but during middle school the gap expand in language arts. Interestingly, free-lunch students in more economically balanced cohorts perform better than free-lunch students in less economically balanced cohorts. The study has policy implications for both the state of New Jersey and Jersey City. At the state level, policies currently enable economic segregation in charter schools. ii Both a lack of busing services and an early application deadline create an advantage for privileged families. Similarly, the policies disadvantage low-income families, who may lack social networks and charter school information. Therefore, this study illustrates the importance of equalizing access to charter schools for all parents. This study also has implications for the Jersey City. Currently, Jersey City is assisting housing developments and local businesses with tax abatements and other incentives. However, the population Jersey City is attempting to attract will only remain in the city if the quality of the schools improves or school choice options increase. The focal school has successfully integrated families who would otherwise send their children to private school or leave the district. Without quality schools, wealthier families will leave Jersey City and its relatively high taxes for more affordable alternatives with better educational opportunities. Thus, the city’s already small tax base will become even smaller. More importantly, there will be fewer opportunities for low-income children to interact with middle- and high-income children and experience high-quality schools. iii Acknowledgements I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to a number of individuals who supported and guided me through the dissertation process. I am grateful to Dr. Alan Sadovnik and the other members of my committee: Dr. Jason Barr, Dr. Jeff Backstrand and Dr. Susan Semel. I remain indebted to my mentor Alan Sadovnik, for he has been the compass guiding me through the dissertation process. I thank him for his encouragement and support with both the research and writing. I would like to thank Susan Semel, my Master’s advisor and dissertation committee member, for encouraging me to enroll in the Rutgers PhD program and supporting me throughout the process. I am extremely grateful to Jeff Backstrand for his assistance with both the content and revision of my dissertation. I would like to thank Jason Barr for his patience and assistance with both the parent-survey and student-level data. I appreciate all the time he devoted to helping me with STATA and his quick responses to my numerous e-mail queries. In addition to my dissertation committee, I would like to thank my family and friends for their patience and support. This study required the insight of many parents to understand the relationship between parental choice and educational quality. I thank my parents, Gillian and Geoffrey Morrison; my brother, Philip; friends, Judith Schteingart, Mathieu Fialon, Shelley Skinner, and Deena Khalil for sharing their personal stories of how they navigated educational systems on behalf of their children. Also, I would like to thank the hundreds of LCCS parents who filled out parent surveys year after year and discussed their experiences with me. Additionally, I would like to thank LCCS’s iv administrators and teachers for welcoming me into their community and participating in interviews. Your voices were invaluable to this project. I would like to thank my friends for their support and encouragement: Tara Davidson, Joelle Tutella, Linda Silvestri, Emily Litman, and Judy Donnelly. In particular, I would like to thank Deena Khalil for her endless support in reading drafts, make sense of my data, and being my cheerleader. Similarly, I would like to thank Paige Teamey for helping me formulate arguments, acting as a sounding board to my theories, and providing her continual support. I would like to thank my mother and father for instilling in me the discipline to finish what I have started. Additionally, I am thankful for the many hours they dedicated to reading my drafts. I am grateful to my brothers, Phil and Doug Morrison, for their guidance and faith in my abilities. Finally, I am indebted to the sustaining support of my husband, Gareth Brown, throughout this endeavor. He designed figures, edited chapters, and pushed me to the finish line. I dedicate this study to the children of Jersey City who all deserve a thorough and efficient education. v Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 Problem Statement .............................................................................................................. 1 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 6 Definitions ........................................................................................................................... 7 Significance ......................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter Two: Literature Review: Mechanisms Promoting Diversity .................................... 11 Social Capital Theory ....................................................................................................... 12 Cultural Capital Theory .................................................................................................... 12 Choice Literature .............................................................................................................. 15 A History of Equity of Choice Programs .......................................................................... 18 Progressive Alternative Schools ....................................................................................... 19 Free Schools ...................................................................................................................... 21 Public Alternative Schools ................................................................................................ 24 Magnet Schools ................................................................................................................. 25 Charter Schools ................................................................................................................. 28 The Achievement Gap ...................................................................................................... 31 Charter Schools: Narrowing or Expanding the Achievement Gap? ................................. 35 Charter Schools: Equal Opportunities or Creaming? ........................................................ 40 School Location ................................................................................................................ 42 Recruitment ....................................................................................................................... 45 Parent Involvement ........................................................................................................... 46 Access to Information ....................................................................................................... 47 Charter Schools: Fiscal Disparities ................................................................................... 48 Curriculum and Pedagogy ................................................................................................. 49 Culture and School Size .................................................................................................... 53 Gentrification and Schools ...............................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Housing Diversity and Affordability in New
    HOUSING DIVERSITY AND AFFORDABILITY IN NEW JERSEY’S TRANSIT VILLAGES By Dorothy Morallos Mabel Smith Honors Thesis Douglass College Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey April 11, 2006 Written under the direction of Professor Jan S. Wells Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy ABSTRACT New Jersey’s Transit Village Initiative is a major policy initiative, administered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation that promotes the concept of transit oriented development (TOD) by revitalizing communities and promoting residential and commercial growth around transit centers. Several studies have been done on TODs, but little research has been conducted on the effects it has on housing diversity and affordability within transit areas. This research will therefore evaluate the affordable housing situation in relation to TODs in within a statewide context through the New Jersey Transit Village Initiative. Data on the affordable housing stock of 16 New Jersey Transit Villages were gathered for this research. Using Geographic Information Systems Software (GIS), the locations of these affordable housing sites were mapped and plotted over existing pedestrian shed maps of each Transit Village. Evaluations of each designated Transit Village’s efforts to encourage or incorporate inclusionary housing were based on the location and availability of affordable developments, as well as the demographic character of each participating municipality. Overall, findings showed that affordable housing remains low amongst all the designated villages. However, new rules set forth by the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) may soon change these results and the overall affordable housing stock within the whole state.
    [Show full text]
  • The Seeing Eye® ANNUAL REPORT 2015 the Seeing Eye
    The Seeing Eye The Seeing Eye® ANNUAL REPORT 2015 The Seeing Eye LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SEEING EYE 02 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO 04 LETTER FROM THE OFFICERS FOR THE SEEING EYE, 13 WAS A LUCKY NUMBER IN FISCAL YEAR 2015. 05 BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS 07 COMMITTED MEMBERS There is a growing demand for Seeing Eye dogs, as 34 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS reflected by a 14 percent increase in applications from the 37 previous year. In order to meet this demand, we added an VETERINARY RECOGNITIONAshley AWARDS Shaw, a student at Lee University in experimental 13th class to our usual monthly class schedule, Cleveland,ON THE COVER Tennessee, squeezing it in between the end of the March class and the is a perfect match with beginning of the April class. This special two-week class was her first Seeing Eye only for experienced graduates returning for replacement dog, a black Labrador/ dogs after their previous guides could no longer work. It golden retriever cross was taught by David Johnson, Director of Instruction and named Emmit. Posing Training, with two class supervisors and one instructor. The for a photo, Emmit students graduated in 14 days rather than the usual 18. The abruptly turned and licked her face – then looked experiment proved to be so successful that we will be doing back at the camera with an innocent expression. it again in Fiscal Year 2016 as we continue to innovate and “I am told Emmit makes those innocent faces a find new ways to serve our students.
    [Show full text]
  • NJNAHRO News REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS
    NEW JERSEY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING & NJNAHRO News REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS Volume 2, Issue 1 September 2012 Special points of interest: HUD Funding • Pg. 3 Madison HA wins award “DOING MORE WITH LESS” • Pg. 4 President’s Perspective The mantra of the federal Are the public housing pro- to deal with these reductions government to public housing gram and Housing Choice through one-shot budget gim- • Pg. 5 Summit Housing Authority authorities, for more than a Voucher programs failures and micks such as the “subsidy in the News decade, is that you “must do in need of elimination? In re- allocation adjustment.” Once • Pg. 6 Boonton Ceremony more with less.” Historically, cent years, Congress has not these one-shot gimmicks are funding for federal housing been providing adequate fund- exhausted, public housing op- • Pg. 7 Marion Sally Retires programs has been cyclical. ing for these programs which is erating subsidy will be at an all • Pg. 8 Middletown Housing Unfortunately, the industry has resulting in cuts in services and -time low which will lead to Authority-Energy Efficient been in a historically low fund- deferred maintenance. It ap- further cuts in staff, service ing cycle for an unusually long pears that the federal govern- and maintenance. • Pg. 9 2012 Scholarship Recipients period of time. It appears that ment cannot figure out whether While public housing au- • Pg. 10 Newark ED Testifies this pattern is part of an overall or not it wants to be in the sub- thorities continue to do more attempt to downsize and/or sidized housing business.
    [Show full text]
  • I. Goals and Objectives Ii. Land Use Plan
    I. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES GOALS ........................................................................................................................................................ I-2 OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................................................................. I-3 Land Use ................................................................................................................................................. I-3 Housing.................................................................................................................................................... I-7 Circulation ................................................................................................................................................ I-8 Economic Development ......................................................................................................................... I-10 Utilities ................................................................................................................................................... I-11 Conservation ......................................................................................................................................... I-12 Community Facilities ............................................................................................................................. I-13 Parks and Recreation ...........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Jersey City Community Violence Needs Assessment
    Jersey City Community Violence Needs Assessment Table of Contents I. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 1 Key Findings ................................................................................................................... 1 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 2 II. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3 City Profile .................................................................................................................... 4 III. Needs Assessment Methodology ......................................................................................... 6 1. Focus Groups ............................................................................................................. 6 2. Stakeholder Interviews .............................................................................................. 6 3. Administrative Data Mapping ...................................................................................... 7 4. Limitations ................................................................................................................ 7 IV. Findings .............................................................................................................................. 7 1. Impacted Communities ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 19 Environmental Justice
    Chapter 19 Environmental Justice 19.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter considers whether minority populations and/or low-income populations would experience disproportionately adverse impacts from the proposed Project. It also discusses the public outreach efforts undertaken to inform and involve minority and low-income populations within the study area. 19.2 METHODOLOGY In accordance with Federal Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (February 11, 1994), this environmental justice analysis identifies and addresses any disproportionate and adverse impacts on minority and low-income populations that lie within the study area for the proposed Project. Executive Order 12898 also requires federal agencies to work to ensure greater public participation in the decision-making process. This environmental justice analysis was prepared to comply with the guidance and methodologies set forth in the DOT’s Final Environmental Justice Order (DOT 2012), FTA’s environmental justice guidance (FTA 2012), and the federal Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) environmental justice guidance (CEQ 1997). Consistent with those documents, this analysis involved the following basic steps: 1. Select a geographic analysis area based on where the proposed Project components may cause impacts; 2. Obtain and analyze relevant race, ethnicity, income and poverty data in the study area to determine where minority and low-income communities, if any, are located; 3. Identify the potential of the Build Alternative to adversely impact minority and low-income populations; 4. Evaluate the potential of the Build Alternative to adversely affect minority and low-income populations relative to the effects on non-minority and non-low-income populations to determine whether the Build Alternative would result in any disproportionately high and adverse effects on minority or low-income populations; 5.
    [Show full text]
  • CMO and EMO Public Charter Schools: a Growing Phenomenon in the Charter School Sector Public Charter Schools Dashboard Data from 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10
    CMO and EMO Public Charter Schools: A Growing Phenomenon in the Charter School Sector Public Charter Schools Dashboard Data from 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 Charter Management Organizations (CMOs) are nonprofit entities that manage two or more charter schools. Widely recognized CMOs include KIPP, Uncommon Schools and Achievement First, but there are many more. CMOs often provide back office functions for charter schools to take advantage of economies of scale, but some also provide a wider range of services—including hiring, professional development, data analysis, public relations and advocacy. Education Management Organizations (EMOs) are for-profit entities that manage charter schools and perform similar functions as CMOs. EMOs generally charge a management fee for their services to charter schools. CMOs and EMOs are different than the wide range of vendors that schools may contract with for specific services, primarily because CMOs and EMOs have considerable influence over the instructional design and operations of their affiliated charter schools.i CMOs and EMOs play an important part in the scalability of the charter school movement by enabling the replication of models that work, creating economies of scale, encouraging collaboration between similar schools, and building support structures for schools.ii Philanthropic foundations as well as federal policymakers have promoted the growth of CMO and EMO run schools. Two bills in the 112th Congress pursued additional funding for the replication and expansion of quality charter schools: the All Students Achieving through Reform (All STAR) Act and the Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education has promoted replication of high- quality models through competitive grant programs: Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund, and the Replication and Expansion for High-Quality Charter Schools through the Charter Schools Program.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of Millburn Township »» by Marian Meisner
    A History of Millburn Township eBook A History of Millburn Township »» by Marian Meisner Published by Millburn Free Public Library Download-ready Adobe® Acrobat® PDF eBook coming soon! http://www.millburn.lib.nj.us/ebook/main.htm [11/29/2002 12:59:55 PM] content TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Before the Beginning - Millburn in Geological Times II. The First Inhabitants of Millburn III. The Country Before Settlement IV. The First English Settlements in Jersey V. The Indian Deeds VI. The First Millburn Settlers and How They Lived VII. I See by the Papers VIII. The War Comes to Millburn IX. The War Leaves Millburn and Many Loose Ends are Gathered Up X. The Mills of Millburn XI. The Years Between the Revolution and the Coming of the Railroad XII. The Coming of the Railroad XIII. 1857-1870 XIV. The Short Hills and Wyoming Developments XV. The History of Millburn Public Schools XVI. A History of Independent Schools XVII. Millburn's Churches XVIII. Growing Up XIX. Changing Times XX. Millburn Township Becomes a Centenarian XXI. 1958-1976 http://www.millburn.lib.nj.us/ebook/toc.htm [11/29/2002 12:59:58 PM] content Contents CHAPTER I. BEFORE THE BEGINNING Chpt. 1 MILLBURN IN GEOLOGICAL TIMES Chpt. 2 Chpt. 3 The twelve square miles of earth which were bound together on March 20, 1857, by the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, to form a body politic, Chpt. 4 thenceforth to be known as the Township of Millburn, is a fractional part of the Chpt. 5 County of Essex, and a still smaller fragment of the State which gave it birth, Chpt.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ecological Origins of Economic
    The Ecological Origins of Economic and Political Systems Stephen Haber, Roy Elis, and Jordan Horrillo First Draft: April 12, 2012 This Draft: April 22, 2021 Abstract: Why do democracy and prosperity go hand in hand, and cluster geographically? Why has that pattern emerged only over the past two centuries? We take an approach to answering these questions that is commonly employed in the physical sciences, as well as in some fields of empirical macroeconomics, in that we focus on the exogenous factors that pushed a system toward different equilibrium paths of development. We discover that a vector of factor endowments that were binding constraints on the production, storage, and transport of calorie-dense foods during the period 1500-1800 explain roughly two-thirds of the variance in per capita GDP today; explain progressively less of the variance in levels of economic development (as measured by urbanization ratios) as we go back in time from 2000 to 1800; and explain almost none of the variance in 1700, 1600, and 1500. We obtain materially similar results when we substitute the level of democratic consolidation as the dependent variable. We offer an ecological theory to explain the mechanics by which the factor endowments of the period 1500-1800 conditioned paths of development in the period since 1800. The key insight is that local factor endowments related to how human beings could solve the great challenge they all faced—insuring against starvation —conditioned their pre- 1800 forms of social organization. Those forms of social organization then conditioned how they could respond to the next great challenge they all faced, absorbing rapidly a set of mutually- reinforcing and mutually-dependent legal, financial, governance, educational, transport, production, communication, and warfare technologies that underpinned modern economic growth and the consolidation of democracy.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of Millburn Township Ebook
    A History of Millburn Township eBook A History of Millburn Township »» by Marian Meisner Jointly published by the Millburn/Short Hills Historical Society and the Millburn Free Public Library. Copyright, July 5, 2002. file:///c|/ebook/main.htm9/3/2004 6:40:37 PM content TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Before the Beginning - Millburn in Geological Times II. The First Inhabitants of Millburn III. The Country Before Settlement IV. The First English Settlements in Jersey V. The Indian Deeds VI. The First Millburn Settlers and How They Lived VII. I See by the Papers VIII. The War Comes to Millburn IX. The War Leaves Millburn and Many Loose Ends are Gathered Up X. The Mills of Millburn XI. The Years Between the Revolution and the Coming of the Railroad XII. The Coming of the Railroad XIII. 1857-1870 XIV. The Short Hills and Wyoming Developments XV. The History of Millburn Public Schools XVI. A History of Independent Schools XVII. Millburn's Churches XVIII. Growing Up file:///c|/ebook/toc.htm (1 of 2)9/3/2004 6:40:37 PM content XIX. Changing Times XX. Millburn Township Becomes a Centenarian XXI. 1958-1976 file:///c|/ebook/toc.htm (2 of 2)9/3/2004 6:40:37 PM content Contents CHAPTER I. BEFORE THE BEGINNING Chpt. 1 MILLBURN IN GEOLOGICAL TIMES Chpt. 2 Chpt. 3 The twelve square miles of earth which were bound together on March 20, Chpt. 4 1857, by the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, to form a body politic, thenceforth to be known as the Township of Millburn, is a fractional part of the Chpt.
    [Show full text]
  • W Inter 2012
    2012 Winter Gothic t h e m a g a z i n e o f n e w j e r s e y c i t y u n i v e r s i t y The NJCU Edge Utilizing Urban Resources In the University Curriculum Largest Grant Ever $9.2 Million Award Boosts Math and Science Studies 5 Largest Grant Ever $9.2 Million Award Boosts Math and Science Studies Winter 2012 Winter 8 Volume 14, No. 1 Soccer Stars Scoring Academically In the National Field GothicGOTHIC is published by the New Jersey City University Division of University Advancement. Pat Martínez Kelly Resch Editors 10 The NJCU Edge Carlos Hernández, Ph.D. Utilizing Urban Resources President In the University Curriculum William Y. Fellenberg Interim Vice President for University Advancement 16 Cover: An illustration of the Pulaski Alumni Profile Skyway by William Low commissioned Recent Graduate Joins by the William J. Maxwell College of Arts Guggenheim Staff and Sciences Departments and Other Features the magazine of new jersey city university city jersey new of magazine the Communications and comments may be sent to: Commencement 2011 2 GOTHIC Around the Campus 4 Office of Communications New Jersey City University Of Note 7 Hepburn Hall, Room 326 80th Anniversary Gala 18 2039 Kennedy Boulevard Development Update 19 Jersey City, N.J. 07305-1597 Donor Soirée 21 [email protected] Alumni News 22 [email protected] Alumni Reunion 23 Alumni Currents 24 Design and pre-press production by Rocco Associates Sports News 27 Printed on recycled paper 10 A day for Celebrating Success New Jersey City University awarded 1,650 graduate and undergraduate 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Divider Page 1.14.13
    NJSIG Board of Trustees Meeting October 21, 2015 New Jersey Schools Insurance Group 450 Veterans Drive Burlington, New Jersey 08016 (609) 386-6060 • FAX (609) 386-8877 www.njsig.org 2015/2016 NJSIG Board of Trustees Anthony N. Tonzini, Jr. P.O. Box 181 O: (732) 297-7800 x5105 H: Chairperson Monmouth Junction, NJ F: v2016 08852 C: [email protected] (South Brunswick) Irene Le Febvre 180 South Terrace O: H: (973)335-3382 Trustee Boonton, NJ 07005 F: v2016 (Boonton Town BOE) C: (973) 513-2772 [email protected] Vacant O: H: Trustee F: v2016 C: Thomas F. Connors, Ph.D. 10 Seward Ave O: H: (732) 463-3230 Trustee Piscataway, NJ 08854 F: v2018 (Piscataway Twp BOE) C: (732) 491-3248 [email protected] Christopher Russo, Ed. D. 1310 Mallard Lane O: (856) 461-6800x101 H: (609) 694-1505 Trustee Millville, NJ 08332 F: v2016 (Delran BOE) C: [email protected] O: (973) 669-5400x20510 H: (201) 406-0481 Trustee F: (973) 669-1432 v2018 C: (201) 406-0481 [email protected] Vacant O: H: Trustee F: v2017 C: Vacant O: H: Trustee F: v2017 C: Steven K. Robinson 5 Rodin Lane O: (973)535-8000x8009 H: (732) 617-1219 Trustee Marlboro, NJ 07746 F: v2018 (Livingston Twp. BOE) C: [email protected] William Mayo 450 Veterans Drive O: (609) 386-6060x3039 H: (609) 217-4845 Executive Director Burlington, NJ 08016 F: (609) 386-8877 C: (609) 500-4787 [email protected] Revised: 10/15/15 New Jersey Schools Insurance Group 450 Veterans Drive Burlington, New Jersey 08016 (609) 386-6060 • FAX (609) 386-8877 www.njsig.org 2015/2016 NJSIG Sub Fund Liaisons Frank Domin Berlin Borough O: (856)767-0129 [email protected] BACCEIC 215 South Franklin Ave F: (856)767-2465 Sub Fund Liaison Berlin, NJ 08009 C: (609)405-1018 v14/15 Barbara Prettyman Hammonton BOE O: (609)567-7000 x353 [email protected] CAIP 566 Olds Forks Road F: (609)561-3567 Sub Fund Liaison PO Box 631 v14/15 Hammonton, NJ 08037 Bernardo J.
    [Show full text]