Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District
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Curriculum Audit of the Mexican American Studies Department Tucson Unified School District May 2, 2011 1 CAMBIUM LEARNING, INC. NATIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District Curriculum Audit of the Mexican American Studies Department Tucson Unified School District Tucson, Arizona Conducted Under the Auspices of Cambium Learning, Inc. in Collaboration with National Academic Educational Partnership 6625 Miami Lakes Drive, Suite 238 Miami Lakes, FL 33014 Members of the Tucson Unified School District Audit Team: President, Cambium Learning, Inc. David F. Cappellucci Vice-President of Education Services, Cambium Learning, Inc. Christina Williams Chief Executive Officer, National Academic Educational Partnership Jeffrey J. Hernandez Senior Lead Auditor and Project Manager Luanne P. Nelson, M.Ed. Auditors Teri Casteel, M.Ed. Glenton Gilzean, M.S. Gershom Faulkner, M.S. 2 CAMBIUM LEARNING, INC. NATIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District 1. Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION 4 AUDIT PURPOSE 4 BACKGROUND 5 DISTRICT LEADERSHIP 6 CURRICULAR TIMELINE OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT PROGRAM COMMUNIQUÉ 10 II. METHODOLOGY 12 AUDIT BACKGROUND, STANDARDS, AND SCOPE OF WORK 12 OUTCOME MEASURES 18 III. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 18 OUTCOME MEASURE 1 18 OUTCOME MEASURE 2 43 OUTCOME MEASURE 3 50 IV. RECOMMENDATIONS 63 RECOMMENDATION 1 64 RECOMMENDATION 2 66 RECOMMENDATION 3 66 V. SUMMARY 67 APPENDIX 70 SUMMARY OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS – MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT 71 SUMMARY OF FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS 96 TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT DATA SOURCES 107 MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT READING LIST 116 3 CAMBIUM LEARNING, INC. NATIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District Curriculum Audit of the Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies Department Tucson, Arizona I. INTRODUCTION This document constitutes the final report for the Curriculum Audit of the Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies Department. The Arizona Department of Education, the Governing Authority within the scope of its policy-making sanctions, commissioned said curriculum audit. The Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies Department Curriculum Audit consists of three phases, took place during the period of March 7, 2011 through May 2, 2011, and includes an Initial Data and Document Collection Phase, the Diagnostic Phase, and the final Analysis Phase. The Initial Data and Document Collection Phase incorporated collecting historical and current documentation including but not limited to Arizona Department of Education State Standards and Tucson Unified School District Standards, curriculum materials, reports, resolutions, prior findings, summative student data, school data, and professional development artifacts. The Diagnostic Phase encompassed onsite school and classroom visitations, observations, and focus group interviews with an assortment of stakeholders allowing for a wide array of voices. The third and final stage was the Analysis Phase performed off site to examine, evaluate, and triangulate findings. An audit is a methodical, formal review and examination of an organization. Within the educational program context, an audit is designed to analyze current performance against established standards, research-based educational practices to reveal the extent in which administrators and professional staff of a school district have developed and implemented a comprehensive, valid, and effective system of curriculum management and instruction. This curriculum and instructional system established within the framework of board policies enables a school district to make the greatest use of its resources in the education of its students for continuous improvement; thus, ensuring a quality education for ALL students. Audit Purpose The purpose of the Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies Department Curriculum Audit is to determine: (1) how or if the Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies Department programs are designed to improve student achievement; (2) if statistically valid measures indicated student achievement occurred; and (3) whether the Mexican American Studies Department’s curriculum is in compliance with A.R.S 15-112(A). Arizona Revised Statue 15-112(A) prohibits a school district or charter school from including in its program any courses or classes that includes any of the following: 1. Promote the overthrow of the United States Government. 2. Promote resentment towards a race or class of people. 4 CAMBIUM LEARNING, INC. NATIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District 3. Are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group. 4. Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils as individuals. Background Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is the largest school district of Tucson, Arizona in terms of enrollment. Currently, TUSD has approximately 53,000 students and virtually 3,500 faculty members with a four-year graduation rate of 85%. District boundaries encompass much of the City of Tracy, the city of South Tucson, and sections of the Catalina Foothills and Tanque Verde. In 1867, the district was established as "School District No. 1" then in 1977 assumed its current name of Tucson Unified School District. TUSD has 13 high schools, 17 middle schools, four K-8 schools, 62 elementary schools, one K- 12 school, and 14 alternative education programs. Among elementary schools, the highest academic achievements as demonstrated by Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) assessment are located along the east side, while the lowest tends to be situated in the central part of the District. It is important to note that TUSD has one of the most extensive offerings of school choice within the state of Arizona. More than one-third of the district’s students choose a school other than their designated home school. Choices include a variety of options from magnet and gifted programs, programs with innovative instructional practices, programs in non- traditional facilities. Students and parents; therefore, have the ability to select a school that best fits their needs. As of April 20, 2011 there were 52,987 students enrolled in the Tucson Unified School District. The ethnic breakdown of the entire population consisted of: 60% Hispanic, 24% White/Anglo, 5.6% African American, 3.9% Native American, 2.6% Asian American, and 2.4% Multi-Racial. The graph below indicates ethnicity rounded to the nearest percentage point. Figure 1 2011 Student Enrollment by Ethnicity Tucson Unified School District District Student Demographics by Ethnicity 3% 2% 4% WhIte/Anglo - 24% 24% AfrIcan AmerIcan - 6% HispanIc - 60% 6% Nave AmerIcan - 4% AsIan AmerIcan - 3% 60% MulY-RacIal - 2% 5 CAMBIUM LEARNING, INC. NATIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District The population of students enrolled in Mexican American Studies Department Programs within Tucson Unified School District consists of 1,343 Middle and High School students. The ethnic breakdown of the population involves over 90% Hispanic, followed by 5% White/Anglo, 2% Native American, 1.5% African American, and just under 0.50% for both Asian American and Multi-Racial ethnicities. The Mexican American Studies Department classes are offered to all students and enrollment is by student choice. Based on the prevailing percentage of Hispanic students enrolled within TUSD, a substantial amount of Hispanic students would be enrolled and demonstrate a larger representation as compared to other ethnicities. Figures 1 and 2 provide background information and demonstrate the context in which MASD programs are offered. Therefore, a comparison of these two figures does not represent comparable data. (Please see the Appendix for ethnic breakdown by school and course offering.) Therefore, the district demographics do not indicate a direct correlation of specific school population and demographics Figure 2 2011 Mexican American Studies Department Student Enrollment by Ethnicity Tucson Unified School District 2011 TUSD MASD Demographics .45% .45% 2.09% 5.20% 1.49% WhIte/Anglo - 5.20% AfrIcan AmerIcan - 1.49% HispanIc - 90.32% Nave AmerIcan - 2.09% 90.32% AsIan AmerIcan - 0.45% MulY-RacIal - 0.45% District Leadership The current TUSD Governing Board consists of five members: Dr. Mark Stegeman, Preseident; Judy Burns, Clerk; Miguel Cuevas, Member; Michael Hicks, Member; and Adelita S. Grijalva, Member. The role of the Governing Board is to establish district-wide policy, direction, and oversight of the affairs of the district in the manner specified by law, with day-to-day management of the district primarily being the responsibility of District Administration. The TUSD Central Leadership is directed by Superintendent, John J. Pedicone, Ph.D. with the support of Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Maria Menconi. Outlined below are TUSD’s District Mission, Vision, Strategic Priorities, Values and Strategic Goals. 6 CAMBIUM LEARNING, INC. NATIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS Curriculum Audit – Mexican American Studies Department – Tucson Unified School District Figure 3 District Mission, Vision, Strategic Priorities, and Values Tucson Unified School District District