Stanfordeducator Education Alumni Spring 2010 Newsletter

Stanford University School of StanfordEducator Education Alumni Spring 2010 Newsletter

Expanding the School Reform Horizon New Faculty Join LEADS Program Inspires School School of Education Restructuring at the District Level By Rani Reddy-Gil By Marguerite Rigoglioso Since 2009, the Stanford School of Education ast summer, the Albuquerque Public School district (APS) received a has brought eight new faculty members on board. five-year, $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Three professors, Paulo Blikstein, Jonathan L Smaller Learning Communities program to transform seven high schools Osborne, and Mitchell Stevens joined the from large, comprehensive schools into small, personalized academic com- School last January. Five more—H. Samy Alim, munities. The sum was the highest award possible—an acknowledgment of Geoffrey Cohen, Jelena Obradovic, Susan the particularly fine quality of the district’s application. Rebecca Almeter, O’Hara, and David Plank—joined this past fall. director of secondary design at Albuquerque, says it was APS’ in-depth continued on page 3 work with a Stanford-led program that gave the district the tools and skills to craft such a high-caliber project. That program is the School Redesign Network’s Leadership for Equity Table of Contents and Accountability in Districts and Schools (LEADS), one of the few programs Inside Page in the country dedicated to improving student learning by strengthening leadership and management at the district level. The School Redesign Expanding the School Reform Horizon 1

Network (SRN)—a national organization based in the School of Education— New Faculty Join School of Education 1 was established in 2000, and, in 2007, SRN formed the LEADS network, New Education Minor Program 2 recognizing that equitable and high-achieving schools are only sustainable when supported by their central offices. Annenberg National Teaching Fellows 5 “In our research over the past nine years, we’ve realized that schools Faculty News 8 that transform themselves successfully have supportive Findings 10 leaders at the higher administrative levels,” says Ash Vasudeva, former SRN co-executive director who left The School of Education & The Stanford Challenge 16 Stanford in the fall to join the Bill & Melinda Gates Alumni News 20 Foundation. “We’ve seen that for school reform to be sus- Student News 26 tained and systemic, districts need to be involved.” 27 As one of eight school districts across the country Staff News

http://ed.stanford.edu continued on page 12 SchoolNews

Education Minor Offered to Undergraduates This story is adapted from an article by Adam Gorlick that was published in the Stanford Report.

tanford undergraduate when thinking about a career in students interested in education.” education issues now To complete the minor, under- Shave the chance to pursue Christopher Wesselman graduate students must take a a minor in education, thanks to a minimum of six courses in the new program being offered by the School of Education that add up School of Education. to no fewer than 20 units and no The minor program enables more than 30. undergraduate students to devel- The one required course, op an understanding of the core designed specifically for under- issues facing educators and policy- graduates and taught by Wolf, is an makers, make connections to their Lecturer Jennifer Wolf (L) speaks with students interested in the education introduction to the theory and prac- major programs of study, and minor program. Over 50 students attended the School of Education tice of teaching. Students meet the Undergraduate Programs launch event, held in February. receive rigorous preparation for other requirements by choosing graduate studies in education. from a menu of classes covering topics such as the history and phi- The School of Education has long fielded inquiries from under- losophy of education. They also must choose a subfield dealing with graduates asking to take classes. But because of its role as a profes- teaching and learning, educational policy, or educational technology. sional graduate school, it never had an organized way to make its While California requires aspiring teachers to complete a bach- resources available to undergraduates, said Lecturer Jennifer Wolf, elor's degree in a specific academic field before they begin their director of the minor program. professional training, Stanford's new minor helps those thinking “Undergraduate students who found their way to us had a scat- about a career in education better develop their career plans. It also tershot approach to education,” Wolf said. “We wanted them to helps prepare those who enter Stanford’s graduate school. understand that education is an integrated field. There are a wide For more information about the Education Minor Program, visit range of topics and fields that we want undergraduates to consider http://ed.stanford.edu/suse/programs-degrees/index.html. SE

StanfordEducator First Lopatin Recipient Announced CREDITS Deborah Stipek, Dean By Lisa Rying Rebecca Tseng Smith, Associate Doctoral candidate Ugochi Acholonu (BS ’03, MS ’05) was named the Dean for External Relations inaugural recipient of the Lopatin Award. The annual award supports Amy Yuen, Editor/Writer a research project of exceptional merit proposed by a doctoral student Marguerite Rigoglioso, Barbara in the Learning Sciences and Technology Design (LSTD) program. McKenna, Adam Gorlick, Mindy The award, given out last spring, supported Acholonu’s summer Hollar, Holly Materman, Kendra Audriana Mitchell, Rani Reddy-Gil, research efforts to design learning environments that help underserved Lisa Rying, Rebecca Tseng Smith, youth create, adapt, and repurpose technology to solve problems, Contributing Writers express ideas, and fulfill personal needs. Elaine Kwong Design, Design The Lopatin Award was established in honor of Amir Lopatin, an LSTD doctoral student who died in an automobile accident near Las Vegas on March 25, 2004. Thanks to the generosity of over 300 family members and friends, a memorial fund was established to support advances in research that use technology and project-based learning to make

education more engaging to primary and middle school students. SE

2 StanfordEducator New Faculty continued from page 1

Associate Professor H. Samy Alim Media Lab, and an M.Eng. in Digital Systems Engineering (MA ’02 in Linguistics, PhD ’04), a and a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from the University member of the Social Sciences, Policy of São Paulo—Brazil. Outside of academia, Paulo studied

and Educational Practice (SSPEP) pro- Christopher Wesselman film and directed science documentaries. gram faculty, comes from the University of California at Los Angeles, where he was Geoffrey Cohen (PhD ’98 in Psychology), an associate professor of anthropology. He a PSE program faculty member, is the holds a joint appointment in the School of Education and James G. March Professor of Organiza- the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, as tional Studies in Education and Business. well as a courtesy appointment in the Linguistics Department. Previously, he held appointments at the Alim seeks to illuminate the relationships between language, University of Colorado at Boulder and race, and ethnicity across a wide range of social, cultural, Yale University as an associate professor and educational contexts. His research integrates rigorous of psychology. He examines processes related to self-evalua- linguistic analysis with in-depth, ethnographic engagement in tion and identity maintenance, their implications for social local communities to contribute to theory and methodology problems, and the ways in which these processes help in linguistic anthropology, cultural studies, and education. explain how and when seemingly brief social interventions Alim develops this knowledge with the twin goals of under- produce non-intuitively large and long-lasting psychological standing how youth make sense of their social worlds and and behavioral changes. Cohen is interested in the inter- helping them do so by impacting teacher preparation, peda- section of social psychology and social policy, and in using gogy, and policy. He holds a PhD in educational linguistics experimental methods to understand how psychological and an MA in linguistics from Stanford, and a BA in African processes play out over time, how they interact with social languages and linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. and structural factors, and how they contribute to under- performance, conflict, and inequality. He received a PhD Paulo Blikstein, an assistant professor in psychology from Stanford, and a BA in psychology from in the Psychological Studies in Education Cornell University. For more on Cohen’s appointment, see article (PSE) program, focuses on the confluence on page 28.

Christopher Wesselman of expressive technologies for learning and critical pedagogy. He adapts such Jelena Obradovic, a PSE associate cutting-edge technologies as computer professor, comes from the University of modeling, robotics, and rapid prototyping British Columbia, where she was a post- to create environments where children in inner-city schools doctoral research fellow at the Human can learn science and mathematics by building sophisticated Early Learning Partnership. Her research robotic devices. His research interests also include the appli- focuses on how contextual risks and cations of complexity sciences in education and computa- adversity influence children’s adaptation tional literacy, particularly the new knowledge representation across multiple domains of functioning over time. She is inter- infrastructures emerging from the use of computational ested in identifying the environmental, behavioral, and bio- representations. Blikstein has worked extensively with inner- logical forces that enable some highly disadvantaged children city middle school students in a number of developing coun- to demonstrate remarkable resilience, while placing others tries, including Brazil, Mexico, Senegal, and Costa Rica, and at risk for maladaptive outcomes. Obradovic holds a PhD in recently worked with college and high school students in the developmental psychology from the University of Minnesota, U.S. He holds a PhD in Learning Sciences from Northwestern and a BA in psychology from Lewis & Clark College.

University, an MA in Media Arts and Sciences from the MIT continued on page 4

Spring 2010 3 SchoolNews

New Faculty continued from page 3

Susan O’Hara, College London. Southern California. At Stanford, he an associate pro- Osborne’s current will continue his role directing PACE. fessor (teaching) research interests His current interests include the role

of the Curriculum include physics Christopher Wesselman of the state in education, and the rela- Studies and education, infor- tionship between academic research Teacher Education mal learning in and public policy. Before joining (CTE) program, science, the teach- PACE, Plank was a professor at comes from California State University, ing of science, science for citizenship Michigan State University, where he Sacramento, where she was an associ- and the public understanding of sci- founded and directed the Education ate professor of teacher education. ence, and the role of discourse and Policy Center. He has authored and O’Hara’s research focuses on teacher narrative in learning science. He has edited six books, including the AERA professional development. Specifically, done a significant amount of research Handbook on Educational Policy Research. she investigates approaches to provid- on young children's (age 5-11) under- He has published ing a challenging and meaningful sci- standing of science. Osborne is most in a number of ence, math, and technology-enhanced interested in how students’ learn to fields, including curriculum to linguistically and cultur- incorporate the ideas, evidence, and the economics of ally diverse populations. Her recent argument in science. He served as education, the his- research has focused on the impact president of the National Association tory of education, of hypermedia authoring on the for Research in Science Teaching and educational academic vocabulary development from 2005 to 2007, and as advisor for policy. Plank has of English language learners. She the House of Commons Science and served as a consultant to the World holds a PhD in mathematics, science, Technology Committee Report on sci- Bank, the United Nations Develop- and technology education from the ence education in 2002. In 2003 and ment Program, the Organization for University of California at Davis, an 2004, Osborne won the best paper Economic Cooperation and Develop- MA in applied mathematics from the award from the Journal of Research in ment, the United States Agency for University of Southern California, and Science Teaching. His degrees include International Development, and the a BA in mathematics and physics from a PhD from King’s College London, Ford Foundation, as well as govern- University College Dublin. O’Hara a post-graduate diploma in computing ments in Africa and Latin America. was also appointed as the executive from the University of North London, Plank holds a PhD and an MA in edu- director of the Center for Support of an MS in Astrophysics from the cation from the University of Chicago, Excellence in Teaching (CSET). For University of London, a post-graduate and a BA from Oberlin College. more on O’Hara’s CSET appointment, certificate in education from the see article on page 17. University of Cambridge, and a BS in SSPEP Associate Physics from the University of Bristol. Professor Mitchell Jonathan Osborne, a member of the Stevens, who

CTE program faculty, is the inaugural David Plank, a professor (research) holds a courtesy Christopher Wesselman chair holder of the Shriram Family in the SSPEP program, comes from appointment in Professorship in Science Education. the University of California at Berkeley. the Sociology Prior to Stanford, he was a professor Since 2007, he has served as executive Department, is an of science education and headed the director of Policy Analysis for California organizational sociologist with exper- education and professional studies Education (PACE), a policy research tise in higher education, alternative department in the School of Social center jointly sponsored by Stanford, schooling, and the quantification of

Science and Public Policy at King’s UC Berkeley, and the University of continued on page 7

4 StanfordEducator Quick Takes Stanford’s Inaugural Annenberg Teaching Fellows By Amy Yuen his academic year marks the first year of the new Leonore times joke that chemistry is so much fun that it nearly teaches itself! Annenberg National Teaching Fellowship program at Most surprising thing you’ve learned so far. A “wrong” Stanford. The fellowship is awarded to select STEP answer is just as valuable to a teacher as a right answer. To borrow T Secondary teaching candidates who commit to work in a phrase from Professor Emeritus Lee Shulman, the teacher should disadvantaged, urban or rural secondary schools for three years. ask, “What’s smart about that?” Chances are there’s a good reason Heralded as a “Rhodes Scholarship” program for teaching, the fel- a student is doing something. The teacher’s job then is to help stu- lowship program is part of a national initiative developed by the dents understand both their own thinking and how it relates to Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and supported what they're learning. with $5 million from the Annenberg Foundation and $1 million from What kinds of resources would help teachers the most? the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Stanford Educator Time. It’s hard to overestimate the preparation that goes into every caught up with the inaugural recipients to learn about their STEP hour with students, the absolute necessity of collaboration among experiences and the opportunities and challenges they anticipate educators, or the value of continually reflecting on and revising as they enter the teaching field. curriculum. All of that takes time and most school schedules leave precious little of it for teachers. Kevin Anderson Teaching of Social Science Chris Lewine Hometown. I am equally a product of Teaching of Mathematics Inglewood and Oakland, CA. Hometown. Weston, CT What inspired you to enter the teaching What inspired you to enter the teaching profession? I see teaching as the profession profession? Living in Sao Paulo, Brazil at a where my social, creative, and intellectual young age, I saw a lot of inequality. As I studied talents and concerns find their most meaningful expression. I was these issues in high school and college, I came significantly inspired by a set of senior attorneys I worked with. to the conclusion that education was the best way to address the While practicing law, I thought, I want to love my work and give inequities I saw around me. back as much as they did. Most memorable classroom experience to date? For geom- Most memorable classroom experience to date. One that etry class placement, we had a “group test” for students in groups was particularly touching occurred towards the end of a pretty of four. I saw students doing almost everything that the theory pre- good lesson. A student who wants to join my former profession dicted they would do. There were kids leaning into tables, some when she grows up raised her hand and said, “You’re a teacher, jumping out of their seats to see the paper, and others asking the huh, Mr. Anderson?” Maybe you just had to be there… exact questions we had trained them to use: “How do you know?” What kinds of resources would help teachers the most? “Can you prove it?” I looked at the geometry teacher, we looked at The most critical resource for teachers is their colleagues. One of the kids, and we both smiled. That was one moment when theory the special things about STEP—and a challenge for all educational and practice fit together so well. settings—is how it creates an environment where teachers have the The biggest challenge facing teachers? Figuring out how to opportunity to share ideas, materials, and support with colleagues. put the right amount of emphasis on external influences, such as standardized tests, while making sure that student learning is your Kevin Bock primary concern. There are so many things that go on in school, in Teaching of Chemistry a district, or in students’ lives that make it hard for teachers to focus Hometown. Geneva, IL on helping students learn. What inspired you to enter the teaching continued on page 6 profession? It’s hard for me to pinpoint a single thing that led me to teaching. I just like it. It’s a never-ending challenge—even though I some-

Spring 2010 5 SchoolNews

continued from page 5

Kirstin Milks hand and began to explain to her the importance of conceptual (PhD ’09 in Biochemstry) understanding. I didn’t have to intervene because the students pro- Teaching of Biology vided such an eloquent and convincing description of one of my Hometown. Albany, NY fundamental beliefs about education! What inspired you to enter the teaching profession? I wanted to spend my profession- Helen Snodgrass (BA ’08) al life making a difference in the lives of others. Teaching of Biology I also love thinking about science, and I think we can encourage stu- Hometown. Washington, D.C. dents in science classrooms to develop the habits of mind that will What inspired you to enter the teaching serve them well as they continue into adulthood. Plus I get to be profession? I’ve always loved working with my super-enthusiastic, nerdy, goofy self every day, and that alone is kids and fell in love with biology in college. worth the price of admission. Teaching gave me a way to unite those two Most memorable classroom experience to date. I spent two interests and share my love of science with students, many of whom hours absorbing more information about cars than my brain holds go through school hating it or thinking they can’t do it. about anything else, while a group of "challenging" young men Most memorable classroom experience to date. Having stu- engaged with a final project for summer school science about alter- dents act out the carbon cycle in their first interactive activity. I was native fuels. These three gentlemen were so excited about their worried that the students would not enjoy it or would not know project, so full of knowing, that it radiated off them. I left school enough, but they surprised me by getting into their “characters” that day exhausted and grinning. and explaining the whole process. What kinds of resources would help teachers the most? That and slipping on water at the front of the room, falling on Access to the sorts of professional development and community we my back, and breaking a beaker and one toe! develop here at STEP throughout our careers. The biggest challenge facing teachers. One of my biggest challenges is making my content relevant, accessible, and challeng- Cary Robbins (BS ’09) ing for all the students. It is incredibly hard to design a lesson that Teaching of Mathematics takes into account student differences, including their language Hometown. San Diego, CA backgrounds, prior science knowledge, and reading levels. What inspired you to enter the teaching profession? I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. Katie Waddle My teachers from elementary through high Teaching of Mathematics school inspired in me a passion for learning Hometown. Saint Paul, MN and a commitment to education. During my undergraduate years at What inspired you to enter the teaching Stanford, my academic coursework and increasing involvement in profession? I love math, and I thought teaching public service reaffirmed my desire to teach and become active in would be a good way to keep talking about math reforming and improving education for all young people. and make some positive change in the world. Most surprising thing you’ve learned so far. It’s amazing Most surprising thing you’ve learned so far. I did not realize how much I can learn from students about their understanding and that an effective teacher needs to be extremely intentional. The misconceptions about certain topics in mathematics. By simply smallest things have huge returns. For instance, you can get student asking questions or having students explain their reasoning, I can attention more easily if you stand in one place. It sounds obvious, discover more interesting nuances about their learning that can’t be but you wouldn’t necessarily think of it. revealed by traditional assessments or standardized exams. What kinds of resources would help teachers the most? Most memorable classroom experience to date. Four stu- Most fundamentally, teachers need materials in general. Many students were working on a group task in our statistics classroom. One dents do not have the funds to come prepared for school, and this student asked the others why they were using a certain procedure. can be a serious impediment to learning. Get students the supplies Not satisfied with the response from her group members, she asked they need—notebooks, pencils, calculators, etc.—and have enough again, and a student in the group exclaimed, “It doesn’t matter why books that are in good condition for everyone. There are enough we’re doing it, just that we know how to solve the problem.” obstacles to learning that we shouldn’t let material resources get in Immediately, the rest of the group turned away from the task at the way. SE

6 StanfordEducator East Palo Alto Academy: Elementary School welcomes new principal

By Mindy Hollar learning about Stanford’s deep East Menlo Park. As Mojarro describes East Palo Alto Academy: Elementary commitment to the East Palo Alto it, “We felt at home right away. The School, (EPAAES) run by Stanford and East Menlo Park communities— kids feel safe and happy and protected. New Schools and overseen by the so challenged in spite of its proximity After a little paint and gardening, our School of Education, welcomed to educated, affluent areas—I was families consider this their home away Richard Mojarro as its new principal hooked by the possibilities. A final from home. We’ve even set up a wel- last summer. look at the Stanford faculty and leader- come room just for families, volunteers Mojarro joined Stanford New ship that supports this initiative, and and other visitors.” Schools with over 25 years of ex- knowing that we have a chance to Mojarro warmly welcomes School perience as a teacher and principal, dramatically improve the lives of of Education alumni and friends to most recently serving as principal of these children and their families— the campus. To schedule a visit or Downey High School in Los Angeles well, I just couldn’t resist.” learn more about EPAAES, contact from 2004 to 2009.Appointed in 1998 Last summer, EPAAES moved to Richard Mojarro at 650.462.8450 or as principal of JFK Elementary, which its new location near Flood Park in [email protected]. SE was then known as Orange County’s lowest performing elementary school, Mojarro transformed JFK’s school culture into one focused on shared success by engaging parents in decision-making and partnering with local organizations. According to Mojarro, East Palo Alto Academy’s ambitious charter played a key role in attracting him to the school. “When I read the charter, I couldn’t believe how bold and forward-thinking it was,” he said. “After

Richard Mojarro, seen here with students from East Palo Alto Academy: Elementary School (EPAAES), is the school’s new principal.

New Faculty continued from page 3 academic accomplishment. Prior to Stanford, he was an one with Cynthia Miller-Idriss and Seteney Shami on how associate professor of education and sociology at New York U.S. scholars and university leaders have conceived of world University. Stevens is the author of Creating a Class: College regions since World War II; and another on higher education, Admissions and the Education of Elites (Harvard, 2007), and home ownership, and the U.S. welfare state. He received a Kingdom of Children: Culture and Controversy in the Homeschooling PhD and an MA in sociology from Northwestern University,

Movement (Princeton, 2001). He is working on two books: and a BA in sociology from Macalester College. SE

Spring 2010 7 FacultyNews

Darling-Hammond Awarded Prestigious McGraw Prize

Linda Darling-Hammond, the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education, won the highly prestigious 2009 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education in September. The annual prize, given for the past 22 years, recognizes outstanding individuals whose dedica- Widmeyer Communications tion to learning has made a significant impact in the United States. Honorees are chosen by a distinguished board from the education community. Darling-Hammond was recognized for her guiding work in teacher education. At Stanford, she founded and oversees the School Redesign Network, and also serves as the founder and co-director of the Stanford Center on Opportunity Policy in Education. She helped found the Stanford New Schools-run East Palo Alto Academy, a public charter with both a K-8 school and a high school. Darling-Hammond

donated her $25,000 McGraw Prize gift to the Academy. SE

Professor Linda Darling-Hammond receives the McGraw Prize in Education from Harold McGraw III, President and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Maren Ackerman was 16 beginning- to mid-career counterparts Council of Teachers of English. Currently on awarded the 2009 Albert participating in the project will create a four- leave, she is serving as the Visiting Barbara A. J. Harris Award by the year dialogic exchange to expand how we Sizemore Distinguished Professor of Urban International Reading define and discuss education in our culture. Education at Duquesne University. Association for her article, “When Reading Arnetha Ball has been Bill Damon and the Stanford Center for It Wrong is Getting It voted president-elect Adolescence received a $50,000 grant from Right: Shared Evaluation Pedagogy Among of the American the Spencer Foundation for a pilot project Struggling Fifth Grade Readers,” published Educational Research titled “Civic Identity and Participation in Research in the Teaching of English Association (AERA). Among Diverse Populations of American (Volume 42, Number 1). The award is given Her term as president Youth.” The grant will support pilot research annually for a recently published journal arti- starts at the conclusion on the connections between civic identity cle that makes an outstanding contribution of the 2011 Annual Meeting, after one year and civic participation among American to the understanding of preventing or of service as president-elect. Ball has served youth today. Of particular interest to the assessing reading or learning disabilities. AERA in many leadership roles, most cur- study are marginalized populations of young The association is a nonprofit global net- rently as vice president of Teaching and people who feel that they may not have real- work of individuals and institutions dedicat- Teacher Education (Division K). As vice pres- istic prospects for full American citizenship. ed to worldwide literacy. ident, she serves on the AERA Council and Executive Committee, the Association’s leg- Linda Darling-Hammond is lead author of Anthony Antonio was selected to participate islative and policy-determining body. two reports for the School Redesign Network in the Fetzer Institute’s Inter-Generational Ball was also selected as a fellow of (SRN): “Oakland Unified School District New Mentoring Community: Fostering an Emer- AERA in honor of her substantial accomplish- Small Schools Initiative Evaluation” with for- gence and Transfer of Leadership in Higher ments in education research. In addition, she mer SRN Co-executive Director Ash Education. Twenty-four leading educators, received the 2009 Advancement of People of Vasudeva, Ken Montgomery (MA '03, PhD eight mentors of the current generation, and Color Leadership Award from the National ’09), and doctoral student Stephen Newton,

8 StanfordEducator and “Professional Learning in the Learning for “Refining and Validating a Measure of Teresa LaFromboise was promoted to full Profession: A Status Report on Professional Classroom Quality for English-Language professor of education. She also received Development in the U.S. and Abroad” with Learners,” a study to identify classroom the 2009 Distinguished Career Contributions Ruth Chung Wei (PhD '05), Stelios practices that most benefit English-language to Service Award from the American Orphanos (PhD '08), doctoral student Nikole learners. Their study will assess the Classroom Psychological Association, Division 45 Richardson, and SRN’s Alethea Andree. Quality for English Language Learners (Society for the Psychological Study of Darling-Hammond received numerous hon- observation protocol and will include obser- Ethnic Minority Issues) in Toronto in August. ors in 2009. They include the Harold W. vations of second and fifth grade class- McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education (see opposite rooms in northern and southern California Ira Lit was promoted to associate professor box), Distinguished Contributions to Research over two years. (teaching) in February. Award from the American Educational Research Association, the Distinguished Leah Gordon received Since retiring in 2007, Service Award from the National Association the Young Scholar Professor Emeritus of Secondary School Principals, the Friend of Award from Cheiron: Denis Phillips reports the NEA Award from the National Education The International Society that he has “never Association, the Voices of Conscience Award for the History of been so professionally from Public Advocates, and the Miriam Behavioral and Social active—so much so, Aaron Roland Volunteer Service Prize from Sciences for her paper that I am considering the Haas Center for Public Service. She also “‘Data and Not Trouble’: The Rockefeller rejoining the faculty to take a rest!” Among received an honorary doctorate of education Foun-dation and the Social Science of Race his numerous activities, Philips, presented at from Nanyang Technological University and Rela-tions, 1926-1963.” She was also invited the International Academy of Education in the National Institute of Education in to serve as a fellow with the National Forum Cyprus and Greece, lectured in Korea at the Singapore, and an honorary doctor of letters on the Future of Liberal Education, spon- invitation of Seongho Lee (PhD ’93), and from Manhattanville College of New York. sored by the Teagle Foundation. Hyesook Kim (PhD ’93), and conducted Darling-Hammond joined the Wallace faculty seminars in philosophy at Fudan Foundation Board of Directors last July. Pam Grossman was elected to membership University in Shanghai with co-instructors in the National Academy of Education in Eric Bredo (PhD ’75), and Walter Feinberg. Claude Goldenberg and Edward Haertel May for her pioneering efforts in educational Since 2008, he has chaired a task force received a three-year, $500,000 grant from research and policy development. established by 11 schools of education that the William T. Grant and Spencer Foundations continued on page 26

Reardon Establishes Training Program in Policy Analysis

Sean Reardon and colleagues who study education policy in all three areas of educational policy, disciplinary theory, received a $5 million, five-year grant from International and sophisticated applied statistical skills. The program will Education Sciences to start a new program that will train help develop educational researchers who will produce rigor- about 30 Stanford doctoral students ous quantitative research—well-versed in disciplinary theory in education and social science disci- and knowledgeable of policy and the organization of school-

L.A. Cicero plines (especially economics, sociolo- ing—to inform the development of educational policy. gy, political science, and psychology) Based at Stanford’s Center for Educational Policy Analysis with advanced training in quantitative (CEPA), the training program will involve faculty from the analysis of educational policy. schools of business, education, humanities and sciences, and According to Reardon, few, if any, law, as well as the Hoover Institution. Reardon will serve as education schools and social science its program director. For more information on CEPA, see article departments provide adequate training on page 16. SE

Spring 2010 9 Findings

Faculty research highlights informing educational policy and practice

Professor Linda Darling-Hammond’s new book, Help with Aid Form The Flat World and Education, was released Boosts College-going in January. More low-income students would make create high-quality, equitable schools. it to college if changes were made to Darling-Hammond looks at the streamline the daunting financial aid roots of our modern education system process, according to a study authored Photo courtesy of Teachers College Press and how the skills required for our by Associate Professor Eric Bettinger, 21st century global economy cannot Harvard's Bridget Terry Long, and be learned in traditional education the University of Toronto’s Philip systems, which have been in place Oreopoulos. The researchers tracked since the early 1900s when the majority nearly 17,000 individuals in an experi- of students were expected to become ment designed to test how simplifying factory workers. She identifies an the complex Free Application for “opportunity gap” that has evolved Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and as new kinds of learning have become receiving personalized aid eligibility necessary—a gap where low-income information might affect the likeli- students, students of color, and English hood that students will apply for language learners often do not have and receive financial aid and enroll the same access as others to qualified in college. teachers, high-quality curriculum, and At H&R Block offices during the well-resourced classrooms. After setting 2008 tax season, the researchers invit- the stage on current conditions in the ed low- and moderate-income families in Ohio and North U.S., Darling-Hammond offers a coherent approach for effec- Carolina to participate in one of three randomly assigned tive reform, focusing on creating successful systems, inducting groups: those who received help in filling out the FAFSA, and supporting quality teachers, designing effective schools, which was already pre-populated with their tax information, establishing strong professional practice, and providing equi- and information about their financial aid options; those who table and sufficient resources. For more information, visit received only personalized aid information; and those who http://edpolicy.stanford.edu/pages/pubs/flatworld.html were provided with neither. Bettinger and his colleagues found significant effects in the first group for high school seniors and Lessons from Effective School adults who have never attended college. Those who were only Leadership Programs given information about aid (without help with the FAFSA) did not have higher aid application submission rates than The best principal development programs focus on develop- those who did not receive any help. For more information, visit ing leaders who could improve instruction and have programs http://www.nber.org/papers/w15361 that closely integrate internships and coaching with academic coursework, according to Preparing Principals for a Changing Darling-Hammond Offers Coherent World: Lessons from Effective School Leadership Programs (Jossey Approach for Effective Reform Bass, 2009). The study was authored by Professor Linda In her book, The Flat World and Education: How America's Darling-Hammond and Associate Professor Debra Meyerson, Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future (Teachers College with co-authors Michelle LaPointe and Margaret Terry Orr. Press, 2010), Professor Linda Darling-Hammond focuses on the Commissioned by the Wallace Foundation, the three-year successes of effective school systems in the U.S. and abroad to study relied on in-depth analyses of eight exemplary principal develop a clear and coherent set of policies that can be used to development programs (both preparation and professional

10 StanfordEducator development programs) and the policy contexts in which Reardon Finds Fault with California they operated, as well as data from a national survey of princi- Exit Exam pal programs and their graduates. The researchers also found The California High School Exit Exam has had a dispro- that exemplary programs were more likely to selectively recruit portionately negative impact on students of color and girls, candidates with instructional expertise and those who reflect according to a study authored by Associate Professor Sean the demographics of their communities. The study also found Reardon, Administration and Policy Analysis doctoral students a larger proportion of program participants reported working Allison Atteberry and Nicole Arshan, and UC Davis Assistant in an urban school compared to the national sample. The Professor Michal Kurlaender. Reardon and his colleagues authors offer several lessons for state and district policymakers found that the exit exam, which is first given in tenth grade interested in supporting high-quality leadership preparation to help identify students who are struggling academically and and development. For more information, visit http://www.jossey- need additional instruction to pass the test, has failed to signifi- bass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470407689.html cantly improve student achievement. Moreover, it has reduced graduation rates of low-achieving students of color and of girls Ensuring Great Principals for by 15-20 percentage points. California Schools California principals are underpaid relative to their col- L.A. Cicero leagues nationwide, and many report feeling overworked, constrained by state policies, and doubtful that they will remain working as principals until retirement, according to Professor Susanna Loeb and Administration and Policy Analysis doctoral student Jon Valant in a policy brief titled “Leaders for California Schools.” Released by Policy Analysis for California Education, the policy brief analyzes the challenges that California must over- come to recruit, hire, train, and retain strong and talented principals. Loeb and Valant propose recommendations for policymakers to improve working conditions and make the principalship more desirable and sustainable, including raising staffing levels in administrative and support positions to more

evenly distribute adult supervision; increasing compensation Associate Professor Sean Reardon gives the California High School exam a to recruit promising candidates and retain highly effective failing grade. school leaders; and creating incentives for principals to work The study used longitudinal student data from school dis- in high-needs schools. The researchers also recommend mak- tricts in Fresno, Long Beach, San Diego and San Francisco to ing principals more autonomous, particularly in their options estimate the effects of the exit exam requirement on student for dealing with underperforming teachers, and promoting persistence (whether students stayed in school through the the recruitment of promising candidates. 11th and 12th grades), their academic achievement (as meas- Loeb and Valant say that policymakers can improve leader- ured by their scores on another state standardized test given in ship training programs by encouraging new pre-service and 11th grade), and their graduation rates. Researchers compared in-service programs to keep up with current knowledge of best the persistence, achievement and graduation rates of students practices; strengthening state oversight of training programs; who were not subject to the exit exam requirement (those who learning from the state’s experiences with past and present were scheduled to graduate in 2005) with students who had to leadership training programs; and rebuilding the infrastruc- pass the test in order to receive high school diplomas (those ture for high-quality, ongoing professional development. who were scheduled to graduate in 2006 and 2007). For more

For more information, visit http://pace.berkeley.edu/publications information, visit http://irepp.stanford.edu SE

Spring 2010 11 Feature

Expanding School Reform continued from page 1 Barbara McKenna involved in the inaugural LEADS cohort that came together in 2007, Albuquerque—a district of 90,000 students—has participated in summer institutes, district-hosted residencies, and research and development partnerships that have helped them discover in detailed and practical ways how other districts of similar size have successfully managed the challenges associated with improving their schools. Members of the Knoxville (TN) leadership team share a light moment during a session on ”Using Design Thinking as a Tool to Build Sustainable Reform,” taught by faculty from Stanford’s d.school (School of Design). With their deepened knowledge, APS put forward in their grant proposal a sophis- (d.school), as well as outside experts (former and San Francisco Unified School District— ticated strategic approach for improving Boston Schools Superintendent Thomas were invited to apply to the LEADS network their ninth grade academies. “In previous Payzant, for example). These experts work based on their existing involvement in and grants, for example, we gave teachers time with LEADS district leaders—experts in their ongoing commitment to redesigning off to do planning, which was expensive. own right—to bring the best practices of secondary education and central office As a result, when funds ran out, so did the business and education to the specific chal- systems. Tuition for each district to partici- ability of teachers to collaborate,” explains lenges LEADS districts are facing in their pate is $35,000 annually, an amount gener- Almeter. “This time, having incorporated all reform work. ously supplemented by a variety of grants that we learned from our participation in “Educational leadership is a far more from such donors as the Goldman Sachs LEADS, we’ve built time into the high challenging occupation than it used to be,” Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the school schedule for teachers to collaborate. says Linda Darling-Hammond, the Charles Spencer Foundation, and The Stanford That will enable us to keep the process E. Ducommun Professor of Education and Challenge’s Initiative on Improving K-12 going well beyond the five years of the the founding director of SRN. “In order to Education. grant, and I think this was among the create high-performing schools and the dis- A core piece of the LEADS program is numerous elements that made our applica- tricts that support them, today's leaders the Summer Session, held for the past three tion successful.” must understand organizational theory and summers at Stanford (see sidebar on page management principles just as thoroughly 15). At Summer Session, executive leader- Promoting New Knowledge as educational theory and practice. LEADS ship teams made up of superintendents, and Understanding is structured to bring that knowledge to chief academic officers, board members, Albuquerque’s shift in structural design is the table, and to help leaders create tangi- principals, and teacher leaders come just one example of the kinds of systemic ble action plans and use the collective together for seminars and small-group changes that LEADS districts have been expertise of the network to put those plans workshops developed by SRN staff in col- implementing in their efforts to better serve into place.” laboration with district leaders. In addition their students. Through LEADS, cohort mem- Dean Deborah Stipek adds, “The to intensive, hands-on sessions with leading bers gain additional skills and knowledge to implicit, sometimes explicit, theory guiding education, business, and d.school faculty, support their school reform initiatives. the work of LEADS is that districts are there participants work within their own teams The complex challenges urban school to support effective teaching, and every with SRN facilitators to apply their learning districts face are not exclusively education- practice and policy needs to be assessed in to district-specific issues. related, and SRN has developed the LEADS that light.” “LEADS is not a one-size-fits all model. program to respond to that reality. LEADS The districts in the first cohort— It’s driven by the specific needs of our net- incorporates the expertise of faculty from Albuquerque, Austin, Knox County (TN), work members,” notes former SRN Network Stanford’s schools of education and business, Mapleton (CO), Miami-Dade, Milwaukee, Director Peter Ross (BA ’90 in International and the Institute of Design at Stanford North East Independent (San Antonio, TX), Relations, PhD ’08). “We also operate on

12 StanfordEducator the principle that knowledge does not in a three-day session on differentiated Facilitating and Sharing Research

just reside in the university, but also in the district supports for schools. MPS Super- Research collaborations have also been a network itself.” intendent William Andrekopoulos and cen- critical part of the experience for LEADS tral office leaders shared their story, and network members. MPS, for example, ben- On-Site, Relevant Learning participants then visited K-8 schools, regular efited from a collaboration with Montgomery, Toward that end, the program schedules and charter high schools, and sites that who wrote his dissertation on one of the dis- two annual residential events at the districts house multiple schools. During their visits, trict’s most pressing issues: how to achieve themselves. Residencies allow district team participants were asked to make observa- instructional coherence across schools, members to more deeply study exemplary tions on how well the schools were engag- especially given Milwaukee’s abundance of management practices or policies in such ing students, being culturally responsive, autonomous charter schools. For several areas as building sustainability into reform setting high expectations based on learn- months, through work funded by a Joyce efforts, managing data effectively, and bal- ing targets, and making strategic instruc- Foundation grant, Montgomery sat in on ancing autonomy and accountability across tional choices. meetings and interviewed and observed a portfolio of schools. “With the professional learning commu- scores of central-office and school-site staff. He then analyzed the data and made knowledge does not recommendations on how MPS could cre- “LEADS operates on the principle that ate better and more consistent learning just reside in the university, but also in the network itself.” environments. – Peter Ross (BA ’90 in International Relations, PhD ’08) A latecomer to the network’s first cohort is the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). SFUSD joined to get support for “Many districts share the same issues, nity LEADS has facilitated, we’ve devel- their work in addressing one of the most even though they’re in different parts of the oped relationships with people all across enduring problems in education today: the country,” observes Ken Montgomery (MA the country,” says Marty Lexmond, director achievement gap. “We consider the ’03, PhD ’09), who recently left his position of school innovation with the Milwaukee achievement gap to be a civil rights issue,” as a research analyst with SRN to become Public Schools. “Given the trust that’s been says SFUSD Superintendent of Schools assistant principal for instruction at Capuchino built among us, we receive feedback on our Carlos Garcia. “We asked LEADS to provide High School in San Bruno, CA. “The resi- work that was honest, and therefore truly us with information and processes on how dencies give teams the opportunity to learn valuable.” continued on page 14 from one another—and allow LEADS staff to learn about issues on the ground level.” In the first two years of the network, Miami- Barbara McKenna Dade County, Milwaukee, Austin, and Mapleton have hosted residencies, at which participants focus on a specific topic and then consider it through the lens of the host district. In March 2008, for example, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) led LEADS network participants

A smoking pen in the hands of Austin (TX) leadership team member Trent Sharp, working with fellow team members Kent Ewing and Patti Everitt to map out strategies for furthering their district reform.

Spring 2010 13 Feature

Mapleton (CO) district Expanding School Reform administrator Damon continued from page 13 Brown listens as Stanford

Barbara McKenna Graduate School of schools can reverse the predictive power of Business Professor Hayagreeva Rao speaks demographics.” on “The Ergonomics “To address this problem, we’ve gotten of Innovation.” SFUSD to rethink the roles of central office leaders, school staff, principals, and teach- that all students— ers,” says Ash Vasudeva. LEADS has provid- whether gifted, hon- ed the district with case studies and data on ors, English language other schools that have been successful in learners, or special closing the achievement gap, and has sup- education—would ported the district as it refines its strategic benefit from being plan. Especially helpful for SFUSD has been in heterogeneous, the opportunity to learn from other LEADS implementing the first phase of its Smaller mixed-ability small learning environments. districts engaged in high-level systems Learning Communities grant, with close “SRN has helped us take the blinders off reform. “We’ve used [our time at LEADS guidance from SRN, through an additional regarding who was in our classrooms,” says events] as opportunities to ‘steal’ great contract with the organization. APS’ Rebecca Almeter. “We’ve become ideas,” Garcia says. “We’ve incorporated a “SRN’s involvement with the passionate about equity, be it students with lot of the feedback from network members Albuquerque federal SLC grant allows us mixed abilities or those from diverse cul- into our plan, particularly regarding how we the chance to spend real time with the peo- tures. We now have the skills to make sure intend to measure what we call creating ple in the district, both by having them here all kinds of students are honored in our ‘joyful learners’—engaged, interested stu- at Stanford, and by getting into their instruction.” dents—as a core piece of closing the schools and classrooms,” says Linda J. achievement gap.” Carstens, SRN’s Director of Professional What’s Next SFUSD has in fact turned the challenge Learning. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to The pioneer district cohort is entering its of measuring engagement over to the work shoulder-to-shoulder with the main third and final year of formal participation in schools themselves to solve. One result has change agents in the process.” the LEADS network. After their third year been the creation of student and communi- Through this project, APS is receiving concludes, the original districts will continue ty surveys to assess the degree to which stu- technical assistance and access to research, their association with LEADS informally dents feel the classroom is engaging and and central office leaders, principals, and through continued collaborations with the the curriculum is relevant and, most impor- teachers have attended meetings and network and with Stanford. tant, culturally inclusive. The district has also study tours of successful small schools. The Meanwhile, LEADS’ second cohort is required schools to create balanced score- study tours took APS teams to Hillsdale gearing up, with a number of districts cards that demonstrate how each will align High School in San Mateo, CA—a school expressing strong interest in participating, teaching goals with the district’s strategic recognized nationally for its successful con- including Alexandria City Public Schools, plan. Along the way, LEADS has not only version from a comprehensive high school Dallas Independent School District, Omaha provided information and feedback, but it is to smaller learning communities. Last Public Schools, and The School District of documenting SFUSD’s activities, creating October, LEADS site teams conducted a Philadelphia. case studies on the district’s innovations in two-day evaluation of the seven APS For SRN and its district partners, foster- school reform that others will be able to use schools identified for redesign. Focusing on ing an excellent education for all students is “LEADS has been a good broker, point- the ninth grade environment at each school, at the heart of this effort. “We’re proud of ing us in all the right directions,” says Garcia. the teams assessed how APS could target the fact that we’re connecting theory to “They’re not just about theory—they keep it grant resources and tailor professional practice in ways that are helping district real. They give us concrete examples of how learning of teachers. leaders, school leaders, and teachers help you can do this work successfully.” One of the major outcomes of the two- students,” says Peter Ross. “Ultimately it’s Meanwhile, APS is fully immersed in day session with APS was the realization the students who are our bottom line.” SE

14 StanfordEducator At LEADS Summer Session, District Leaders Get their Hands Dirty By Marguerite Rigoglioso

What does designing a shopping cart in just five days have reform agendas: one district might be concerned with to do with improving our nation’s schools? One sunny principal development, another focused on implementing morning last June, a room full of district and school leaders district-wide curriculum, and another looking for ways to was finding out. They watched a video segment from the tel- improve student achievement through data-driven assess- evision show, Nightline, on how the famous Palo Alto design ments. Summer Session is structured to support each dis- firm, IDEO, carried out a challenge to brainstorm and pro- trict team’s agenda and to give all the teams tools to move totype a unique rolling basket. forward effectively. Hayagreeva “Huggy” Rao, the Atholl McBean Professor At the most recent Summer Session, during the first “team in the Graduate School of Business, used the Nightline seg- time” of the week, participants from Milwaukee Public Schools ment to illustrate effective innovation. “What lessons did (MPS) applied what they had learned from the morning you take from this for your own district as it addresses session to the real world, where, as Rao has stressed, “clean reform challenges?” he asked the group. Hands went up: theory” gives way to “dirty hands.” Create diverse teams without hierarchy. Talk to and observe As members of the Department of Educational Services, your end users. Be open to wild ideas. Know that the wis- they quickly identified their main goal for the week: getting dom of the team is greater than that of any individual. Stay a handle on how their newly formed office should organize focused. And, most important, have fun. its work. Their conversation centered on how they might For an entire week each June, these superintendents, create non-hierarchical, project-based leadership teams. chief academic officers, board members, union representa- Equipped with strategies from presentations earlier in the day, tives, principals, they focused on their own group process and brainstormed teacher leaders, possibilities without censorship. It was clear from the laughter “Summer Session has been and community and camaraderie that they were having a good time, too. a phenomenal experience leaders come to By the end of the week, Summer Session participants that has allowed us to Stanford for the had heard from Graduate School of Business faculty mem- gain clarity... We enter LEADS Summer bers Jeffrey Pfeffer and Chip Heath on leading change in Session, where they challenging times and developing specific techniques for this new phase truly get to take on the creating such change, Stanford’s Institute of Design – Marty Lexmond fortified.” role of student now Lecturer Rich Crandall on using design-thinking strategies and then. Hailing to address challenges in K-12 districts, and Tony Bryk, presi- from the eight school districts participating in the School dent of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Redesign Network’s LEADS initiative (see feature on page 1), Teaching, on building knowledge management systems to they spend an intensive week soaking up all they can from improve instruction. Drawing on these ideas, the Milwaukee Stanford education, business, and design faculty about team constructed a unique organizational chart for its developing strategic action plans to support their district department that is circular, rather than top-down. In the reform work. center were the schools themselves. Summer Session is an event held for LEADS network “We realized it’s not about us. It’s about organizing around members each year since 2007—one of several events mem- schools to serve kids better,” explains Marty Lexmond, direc- bers have the opportunity to participate in annually as part tor of school innovation at MPS. “Summer Session has been of the network’s sustained learning program. Each year net- a phenomenal experience that has allowed us to gain clarity work members arrive with a common purpose: to further on this extremely important aspect of our departmental

their district reform work. They also arrive with very diverse identity. We enter this new phase truly fortified.” SE

Spring 2010 15 School of Education & The Stanford Challenge

New Center Aims to Inform and Advance Effective Policy By Amy Yuen across a range of disciplines are now left to work independently to identify, iming to change the debate engaged in education policy research, and obtain, clean, and document data from sev- around education policy in state their work holds great promise for the con- eral different sources—a process that is capitols and on Capitol Hill, the tinual improvement of K–12 education. both expensive and time-consuming. As K-12 faculty steering commit- Through CEPA, these doctoral students and Loeb explains, “By creating a central data teeA has launched the Center for Education postdoctoral fellows will gain training in rig- warehouse, we will save researchers huge Policy Analysis (CEPA). The new independ- orous empirical methods, exposure to a amounts of time, as well as help them with ent research center promises to yield some broad range of disciplinary perspectives, access to more useful data than they might of the most definitive and innovative educa- and a deep understanding of the realities of have found on their own.” tion policy research in the nation. K-12 schools and policy institutions. CEPA has already garnered the interest Part of The Stanford and support of several Challenge’s Initiative on investors. Jim Barnett (AB

Improving K-12 Education, Douglas Peck ’80, JD/MBA ’84), his CEPA unites nationally brother Larry Barnett (BA prominent scholars from ’78) and sister Laurey across the campus to pro- Barnett (BA ’81) created vide rigorous, scientific the Barnett Family Fund research needed to inform for Education Policy, education policy in mean- CEPA’s first endowment ingful ways. The center fund. Income from the represents an unprece- fund will be used at the dented combination of discretion of CEPA’s direc- breadth, depth, and direct tor to support high-impact connections to practice. policy work, such as the The core researchers are publication of a critical from the fields of econom- policy brief or the acquisi- ics, law, political science, tion of an essential data psychology, public policy, set for CEPA’s central data and sociology, and from warehouse. Stanford’s schools of business, education, A student at East Palo Alto Academy: Elementary “The concept of transforming the world School works on a math assignment. Through CEPA, humanities and sciences, and law, as well as through education really resonated with Stanford’s diverse group of researchers aim to identify the Hoover Institution. These researchers the ways in which policy can effectively improve us,” said Jim Barnett. “We believe that with work side by side with School of Education student learning. education, and specifically Stanford School faculty who are training teachers and educa- According to Professor Susanna Loeb, of Education, you can directly impact thou- tion leaders, and interact regularly with pol- director of the Center, CEPA is working to sands, but you can indirectly have an impact icy makers and practitioners. By focusing on establish a centralized “education data on hundreds of millions. Education is a highly critical questions that are directly relevant to warehouse” that will expand development leveraged cause and we feel that policy is a teachers, school leaders, and decision of longitudinal data sets on teachers, stu- way to add leverage to that cause. New makers, CEPA seeks to improve education dents, and schools. High-quality research policies can lead to exponential changes in for all students. depends on readily accessible, relevant data, education and you can have a dramatic Developing the next generation of policy yet at the moment, comprehensive educa- impact on the entire educational landscape.” researchers is one of CEPA’s top priorities. tional policy data warehouses do not exist at Laura (BA ’88) and John (MBA ’89) Some of the best graduate students from Stanford. Consequently, each researcher is continued on page 19

16 StanfordEducator O’Hara Tapped to Lead Center for the Support of Excellence in Teaching By Amy Yuen Following an extensive national achievement,” she notes. “Last sum- search, the Center for the Support mer, we launched a program aimed

of Excellence in Teaching (CSET) at Cammy Huang at secondary English and history Stanford has hired Associate Professor teachers, and in the spring, we will (Teaching) Susan O’Hara as its execu- launch a new program in teaching tive director. algebraic thinking. We are also devel- O’Hara, who also joined the oping a program for middle school Curriculum Studies and Teacher science teachers.” Education program faculty last sum- O’Hara is working closely with mer, oversees the Center’s operations CSET’s Faculty Director, Professor and the coordination, execution, and Pam Grossman, and the CSET management of a variety of profession- Advisory Board to design, monitor, al development programs that CSET and evaluate exemplary professional will offer over the next few years. development programs for practicing “We need to understand more teachers. She also serves as a liaison about how to measure quality teach- to all Stanford schools and depart- ing and how to best support teachers ments and works closely with faculty in effectively raising the achievement Associate Professor (Teaching) Susan O’Hara outside of the School of Education of their students,” says O’Hara, who heads the Center for the Support of Excellence who are interested in developing in Teaching, a key part of The Stanford Challenge’s was an associate professor of teacher K-12 Initiative. programs for teachers. education at California State O’Hara comes to Stanford with an instructional practices.” established research focus on teacher As part of The Stanford Challenge’s professional development and has “We need to understand Initiative on Improving K-12 Educa- extensive experience in developing, more about how to tion, CSET combines empirical evi- facilitating, and evaluating large-scale measure quality teach- dence and experience in the class- professional development initiatives room to identify, test, and share the that have targeted different education ing and how to best most effective ways to teach. The audiences. She has co-authored arti- support teachers in Center also provides sustained oppor- cles for numerous journals, including effectively raising the tunities for teachers to develop their the Journal for the Education of Students professional knowledge and skills, Placed at Risk, Journal of Adolescent and achievement of their including an understanding of sub- Adult Literacy, and Teacher Education students.” ject matter and how best to teach sub- Quarterly, and two books for classroom – Susan O’Hara ject-specific content to a wide range teachers, NETS Grades 6-8 Multidis- of students. ciplinary Resource Units and Teaching University, Sacramento before coming “Currently, a number of interdis- Vocabulary with Hypermedia, 6-12. For to Stanford. “CSET is investigating ciplinary research teams are collabo- more on her research background, new research-based models of pro- rating to design and deliver various see “New Faculty Join School of fessional development that provide professional development programs, Education” on page 1. More infor- opportunities for teachers to deepen and to determine their impact on mation about CSET is available at

their content knowledge and improve teacher practice and student cset.stanford.edu. SE

Spring 2010 17 School of Education & The Stanford Challenge

Gift Emphasizes the Business of Education through Multidisciplinary Collaboration

This story is adapted from an article that originally appeared in the The GSB Benefactor.

The changing landscape of educa- and professional develop- 2009 POLS graduates Tresha tion, with its increased emphasis on ment programs run by Francis (L) and Zoe Rind received accountability, puts greater pressure the School of Education. generous fellowships last year as a direct result of the Brysons’ on administrators to acquire skills “We hope our gift fellowship support for future more traditionally aligned with lead- inspires others to join school principals. Francis and Rind will launch careers as principals sers from a business background. us in supporting the col- this fall after an intense year of Louise (MA ’69, MBA ’79) and John laboration between the preparation. Bryson (BA ’65) see this cross-sector business and education phenomenon as an opportunity to schools,” says John Bryson. Education’s Leadership fund further collaboration between At the GSB, the gift is Degree Programs. the School of Education and the split between the Education “Equipped with this skill Graduate School of Business (GSB). Innovation Fund, which set, it’s no surprise to find “For educational reform to be supports teaching and our alumni as educational successful, school administrators research, course and case managers leading the must better develop their leadership development, executive organizations most im- and business management skills,” education, and multidisci- pacting reform today.” says Louise Bryson. “There is no plinary initiatives, and the The two schools also better way to accomplish that than Bryson Family Fellowship work together on the by working with the top minds in Fund, which is the first School Redesign Network’s management.” fellowship at the GSB dedicated Leadership for Equity and Accounta- The Brysons committed $1 to supporting students in the Joint bility in Districts and Schools (LEADS) million to Stanford—$500,000 each MA/MBA program. (for more on LEADS, see feature on to the School of Education and the About 20 students each year page 1). Another joint program, the GSB. At the School of Education, receive MA/MBA degrees from the Stanford Principal Fellows Program, the Brysons’ gift supports three popular program, the longest-running provides a year-long fellowship for areas: staff support for the Joint MA/ program of its kind in the country. early-career principals facing such MBA and Policy Organization and “The Joint MA/MBA program critical challenges as managing change, creating cultures of high performance, and building systemic support for “We hope our gift inspires others to join us in student achievement. supporting the collaboration between the business “The partnership between the GSB and the School of Education and education schools.” – John Bryson (BA ’65) is perfectly aligned with Stanford’s efforts to address our most challeng- Leadership Studies (POLS) pro- provides students with the skills to ing problems,” says Dean Deborah grams, including a coordinator for manage organizations well and the Stipek. “Meaningful progress requires the internship programs; fellowships contextual and theoretical knowledge collaboration of faculty from different to support students in the POLS pro- to effectively address today’s educa- disciplines and schools. The business- gram; and expenses of GSB faculty tional challenges,” says Nereyda education partnership demonstrates involved in the executive education Salinas, director of the School of the value of such collaborations.” SE

18 StanfordEducator Grossman Named Nomellini Olivier Chair

n January 27, Professor Pam pathways into New York City public schools Grossman was honored at the and how English language arts are taught in OSchool of Education for her contri- middle school. She serves as the faculty butions to the field of education and her director of the Center for the Support of Christopher Wesselman receipt of the Nomellini Olivier Professorship. Excellence in Teaching (CSET). Dean Deborah Stipek and other School The Nomellini Olivier professorship was of Education chair holders jointly selected created to integrate innovative teaching Grossman, who has been a professor at the practices into everyday classrooms. It was School since 2000. Grossman focuses on established with gifts from School of the relationship between teacher education Education Advisory Council chair Angela Professor Pam Grossman (C) celebrates her and the policies and programmatic issues Nomellini (BA ’74) and her husband Ken new appointment with Ken Olivier and Angela Nomellini, who established the Nomellini Olivier related to professional development. Olivier (BA ’74). Grossman is the second Professorship to integrate innovative teaching Her current research examines teacher holder of this chair. SE practices into everyday classrooms.

New Center continued from page 16 School of Education

Fisher also developed a strong interest in CEPA and provided a Celebrates Fellowship Donors gift to fund the director’s position at the center. “As Stanford and Recipients alums involved in education reform, John and I are excited to be part of this effort,” said Laura Fisher, a longtime member of the Last spring, School of Education fellowship patrons and School of Education’s Advisory Council. “The center's research and recipients gathered at the home of School of Education fact-based analysis can be applied to innovative approaches in Advisory Council Chair Angela Nomellini (BA ‘75) and education policy and practice.” She added, “CEPA can help coa- her husband Ken Olivier (BA ’74) to meet, mingle, and lesce the current education-related work occurring within the dif- celebrate the School of Education fellowships. ferent university disciplines and disseminate it on a national scale.” Gifts for student aid help the School of Education Early supporters also include members of the Bass family— attract the brightest students poised to help transform Barbara (AB ’79) and Jim (BA ’78) Moroney, Hong (PD ’86, education around the world by significantly reducing PhD ’89) and Jim (JD ’87) Bass, and Bonnie (AB ’79) and Peter the financial burden on these motivated individuals. The Smith. The Bass family made a gift to CEPA in honor of their father generosity of fellowship donors continues to play an Richard D. Bass. integral role in these efforts. SE “We are particularly interested in furthering a primary premise/goal of the Stanford Challenge to draw on the university’s multidisciplinary research resources to address the significant Steve Castillo challenge of under-achieving K-12 education in America,” said Jim Bass. “We believe that the broad and important empirical analysis of K-12 education being done at Hoover can collaborate productive- ly with the curricular, administrative, and training insights that are being researched at the School of Education.” CEPA is one of three multidisciplinary centers within the K-12 Initiative. Along with education policy research, the Initiative also seeks to improve teacher effectiveness and school leadership. To learn more about CEPA, please contact Heather Coleman Trippel, Director of Development of the K-12 Initiative, at htrippel@ Fellowship recipients and 2009 STEP grads Ajoy Vase, Deepti Gupta, and Richard Lu (L to R) mingle at the Spring Celebration last May. stanford.edu or 650.724.3641. SE

Spring 2010 19 AlumniNews

hare your latest news by mailing us the attached school, adult school, and community day school levels. envelope or submitting your update at: ed.stan- He also served as president of his region’s retiree chapter S ford.edu/suse/alumni/keep-in-touch.html of the Association of California School Administrators. 1950s 1970s Marilyn Tower Oliver, MA ’58, is the author of nine pub- Terrence Deal, PhD ’71, and Susan Roper, MA ’68, Marilyn Tower Oliver, lished non-fiction books for teens, two of which won PhD ’71, have published Peak Performance for Deans and MA ’58 awards from the New York Public Library. She is a free- Chairs: Reframing Higher Education’s Middle (Rowman lance writer for the Los Angeles Times and other regional and Littlefield, 2009). The book examines the experiences and local publications and is the theater critic for her local of university deans and chairs through multiple lenses to paper, the Los Feliz Ledger. As president of Opera assist them in providing leadership that minimizes conflict Associates, a group that encourages young opera singers and promotes solutions. Deal has authored more than 30 in southern California, Tower promotes opera through books and is an international consultant to educational, education and has produced 30 cable television shows business, and government organizations. Roper served in James Guthrie, PhD ’68 featuring local opera signers and opera companies. the roles of both dean and department chair for 19 years at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo 1960s and Southern Oregon University. Harlan Limmer, BA ’60, is a consultant to Lutheran schools and administrators, and is an adjunct instructor at George Sabato, MA ’71, retired from teaching world Concordia University Wisconsin. history at Edwin Markham Middle School in Placerville, CA. He serves as president of the California Council for the Tom Quirk, MA ’62, PhD ’67, is a professor of marketing Social Studies, a nonprofit organization that promotes George Sabato, MA ’71 at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. He taught a and supports social studies education through service, two-week course in marketing statistics last summer at advocacy, and leadership development. Sabato is a master the Duale Hoschschule at Baden-Wuerttemberg teacher author for Pearson Education’s myWorld middle Cooperative State University in Heidenheim, Germany. school textbook series, and recommends his website, “Best of the Web for Students, Teachers and Parents,” as James Guthrie, PhD ’68, was honored by the American a resource. Education Finance Association (AEFA) with its highest award, the AEFA Distinguished Service Award, in recog- Irene Serna, MA ’74, is a reading specialist in a Title I Howard Greenfield, MA ’87 nition of his exemplary leadership and contributions to school in central Phoenix. She works primarily with public finance. At Vanderbilt University, Guthrie serves as English Language Learners in the elementary and middle director of the Peabody Center for Education Policy, school levels. chairs the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations, and is principal investigator for the 1980s National Center on Performance Incentives. He is the Ellen Mandinach, PhD ’84, was chosen by the American author or co-author of ten books and more than 200 Educational Research Association as one of its 2009 Fellows scholarly articles. He has also served as a consultant to in recognition of her research on technology-based tools Lynda Stone, MA ’82, PhD ’91 the World Bank, UNESCO, and the Organization of the that can be used to support data-driven decision making American States, as well as the governments of Armenia, at all levels of education. Mandinach is currently deputy Australia, Chile, Guyana, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Romania, director for the Regional Educational Laboratory and South Africa. Program in Appalachia. She is also the principal investigator for a National Science Foundation grant to develop James Harris, Gr. ’69, has worked in the Kerman Unified a framework for understanding data-driven decision School District in Fresno County as principal or vice-prin- making in classrooms, schools, and districts. cipal at the elementary, junior high, continuation high

20 StanfordEducator head a major South African university. Officers will select the National Jansen is the first Black rector of UFS Teacher of the Year winner this spring. in its 105-year history. As vice chancel- The White House will host a ceremony lor, he has pledged to preserve the honoring all candidates in the program. Afrikaans, Sesotho, and other indige- nous languages, and to rally the diverse Alex Sox-Harris, university community behind a com- PhD ’04, a scien- mon vision for the school. Jansen tist at the Veterans Michael Copland, PhD ’99, and also published Knowledge in the Blood, Affairs Palo Alto Meredith Honig, PhD ’02, are Confronting Race and the Apartheid Past Health Care co-investigators on a national project (Stanford University Press, 2009). The System, won the funded by the Wallace Foundation book follows his efforts as the first black Presidential Early that examines how central offices in dean of education at the University of Career Award for urban school districts are reforming Pretoria in transforming the university’s Scientists and Engineers. He is one their leadership to support district-wide curriculum, and the effects of social of 100 researchers across the country teaching and learning improvement. and political change after apartheid to win the award. A health services Their work was featured in a U.S. as white students first experience uni- researcher, psychologist, and statisti- Department of Education-sponsored versity life alongside black students. cian, Sox-Harris was recognized for his webcast produced by the Center for work measuring the success of mental Comprehensive School Reform and Kelly Kovacic, MA health and substance abuse treatment Improvement (CCSRI) titled, Start ’02, was selected programs. His goal is to make treat- at the Top: How Central Office Reform as California's ment programs more accountable and Is Improving Student Achievement and 2010 nominee help identify high- and low-perform- is the most requested issue brief in for the prestigious ing facilities in the Veteran Affairs sys- CCSRI history. To see the webcast, National Teacher tem. Says Professor John Krumboltz visit http://www.centerforcsri.org. of the Year compe- of his former student’s achievement, tition. She is one “Alex’s brilliant accomplishments typi- Jonathan Jansen, of five teachers honored this year by fy the work of our counseling psychol- PhD ’91, was the State of California for her excel- ogy graduates in conducting the type appointed rector lence in teaching. Kovacic teaches social of educational and psychological and vice chancellor studies at The Preuss School, a college research that yields practical benefits of the University preparatory school for low-income for individuals and society.” Sox-Harris of the Free State students located on the University received his award at a White House

(UFS) in South of California at San Diego campus in ceremony last fall. SE Africa and is the La Jolla, California. A panel convened second School of Education alum to by the Council of Chief State School

1980s 1990s Howard Greenfield, MA ’87, is president of Go Associates, a global Lynda Stone, MA ’82, PhD ’91, was elected president of the John consulting firm in Redwood City, CA that helps companies bring Dewey Society for the Study of Education and Culture. Stone is a technology to the marketplace. He published the second edition of professor of philosophy of education and is area chair of Culture, IPTV and Internet Video (Focal Press, 2009), which describes the Curriculum, and Change at the College of Education at the University current video migration from broadcast TV to the Internet. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. continued on page 23

Spring 2010 21 AlumniNews

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT The Good Doctor By Holly Materman

Pascal (Pat) Forgione (MA ’73 in History, PhD ’77) describes himself as a provocateur, a pit-bull, and a bridge-builder. When asked what he liked best about the wide-ranging leadership roles he’s held in education, he doesn’t blink. “I like to follow the big problems that no one else wants to touch and bring together the right people from the field and academia to solve them,” he says. “Of course it helps if you have a crystal ball so you can get Pat Forgione, seen here at a 2008 dedication of Austin’s Eastside Memorial High School, traces his lifelong to the issue before it gets to you!” interest in research and accountability to his days on the Farm. Best known for rebuilding the reputation of the Austin Independent classroom teaching and learning, and with fidelity.” As an example, he points School District (AISD) as its longtime redesign of the district’s traditional to the collaboration he forged in 2005 superintendent until his retirement last high schools into high-performing, between his leadership team in Austin June, Forgione certainly had no crystal small learning communities. and the School Redesign Network’s ball to foresee the bumps along the By the time he retired, Forgione Leadership, Equity, & Accountability in way. Instead, he used political smarts, won the trust of a talented but belea- Districts and Schools (LEADS). Forgione an earnest passion to learn, and phe- guered teaching staff, earned a AA+ brought the LEADS team led by SRN nomenal research and people skills to bond rating for the district, and Co-executive Directors Professor Linda see around corners and get things done. secured a $16 million grant from the Darling-Hammond and Ray Pecheone Bill & Melinda Gates and the Michael into Austin’s 11 comprehensive high Moving the Work in Austin & Susan Dell Foundation to develop schools to create a portfolio of smaller Initially regarded as an outsider when a portfolio of reform strategies. The academies designed to meet the varied he assumed the Austin post in 1999, then-novice district administrator needs of its students, with an emphasis Forgione joined a district undergoing once dubbed “Dr. Foregone” by a local on teacher professional development. serious turmoil. The district had gone radio talk-show during the early days By many accounts, Austin’s school through seven superintendents in eight of his tenure was now praised as “The redesign effort is considered the years, its officials were charged with Good Doctor” for stabilizing the long- most powerful intervention during tampering with state test scores, and troubled district and serving as the Forgione’s tenure. there were reports of falsified dropout catalyst behind Austin’s solid gains “I keep the trust of good researchers rates, among other problems. A veteran in academic achievement. because I stay with them and learn from leader of national and state-level educa- If you ask Forgione what he did them,” Forgione says of his partnership tional assessment and management pro- to set a new direction for his district, with LEADS. “Most superintendents are grams, the new superintendent began a however, he won’t point to these mile- symbolic when working with researchers. series of reforms. The results: restored stones. “I like to ‘move the work,’ he They start like Ferdinand and Isabella, public trust in AISD’s data, a new says. “I like to take the best scholarship ‘Bless you Columbus, go find the New instructional infrastructure, improved and practices and implement them World,” but you can’t do that. You’ve

22 StanfordEducator 1990s continued from page 20 got to have a compass and a road map, Jim Shelton, MA/MBA ’93, was appointed last spring as Assistant and you’ve got to measure your progress. Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. That’s where Linda and Ray came at the Department of Education, where he manages a portfolio that right time for me.” includes competitive teacher quality, school choice, and learning technology programs. Prior to his appointment, he served for five Inspiration on The Farm years as the program director for the education division of the Bill &

Forgione’s passion for bridging scholar- Melinda Gates Foundation, where he managed the foundation’s Jim Shelton, ship with practice can be traced back to national programs and worked in the northeast region of the United MA/MBA ’93 his time as a struggling first-year doctoral States. Previously, he held leadership roles in the area of school inno- student in the School of Education’s vation at the NewSchools Venture Fund and LearnNow, a school Administration and Policy Analysis pro- management company that was later acquired by Edison Schools. gram. “When I first arrived at Stanford in 1967, I was scared to death,” he remem- Christina Tangora Schlachter, MA ’98, is managing partner at the bers. “I didn’t know how I ever got in and Center for Socially Responsible Leadership and a lecturer at the I didn’t know how I was going to finish.” University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado State University. Erin Marie Furtak, Overwhelmed, he organized a small study She is also a speaker and consultant working in the areas of organi- PhD ’06 group with members of his cohort. That zational development, leadership accountability, community involve- group helped him and his classmates sur- ment, and media social responsibility. Schlachter has published vive the gauntlet of first-year qualifying Newsless: How the American Media is Destroying Democracy exams. Looking back, Forgione realizes (Create Space, 2009), which examines the reporting strategies of it was his first experience with a small three types of media organizations and their claims of delivering learning community in which members objective, comprehensive news. learned by teaching each other, a classroom technique he promoted later as 2000’s superintendent. Haydee Rodriquez, MA ’01, was elected to the National Board Forgione also recalls the collegial for Professional Teaching Standards’ (NBPTS) board of directors environment and the timely convergence for a three-year term. She was also chosen to serve on the NBPTS of renown faculty members Nate Gage, Audit Committee. Michael Kirst, Henry Levin, and James March. “The professors at Stanford Mika Iga, MA ’02, spent three years on maternity leave from the didn’t prepare you to be a technician. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan. She returned to work as vice They prepared you to be a thinker,” he consul at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston, overseeing says. Professor David Tyack fit that mold. political and public relations. He led a colloquium on urban history at his home to help his students outline Major Ernest Wong, MA ’04, completed a tour of duty in Iraq, their dissertation proposals, urging his where he helped train and assist members of the Iraqi Department students to consider emerging issues. of Border Enforcement. He attends the Mubarak Al Abdullah Joint Forgione decided to do a comparative Command and Staff College in Kuwait, where he is pursuing a study of trends in early childhood master’s degree in military science. education legislation. Dean Hubbard (PhD ’80), a member of his first-year Erin Marie Furtak, PhD ’06, conducted a series of outreach work- study group, connected Forgione with shops for math and science teachers in Kingston, Jamaica, in con- a researcher who had received a federal nection with her book, Formative Assessment for Secondary Science grant for early childhood research. This Teachers (Corwin Press, 2009). She also published The Dilemma of continued on page 25 Guidance: An Exploration of Scientific Inquiry Teaching (VDM continued on page 24

Spring 2010 23 AlumniNews

2000’s continued from page 23 Caroline Lee, PhD ’09, received a Graduate Academic Award at the 2009 Stanford Asian American Awards Verlag Dr. Müller, 2008). Furtak is an assistant professor Dinner for creating “Culture and Coping: Asian American of education at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Approaches,” a culturally-tailored, cognitive-behavioral curriculum intended as a non-stigmatized mental health Elena Tindall, MA ’06, recently launched a multicultural resource for Asian and Asian American undergraduate and bilingual integrated mental/behavioral health prac- and graduate students. Lee is currently a post-doctoral tice in a primary care community health clinic that serves resident at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, CA. Olga Trusova, the East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and North Fair Oaks com- MA ’08 munities of San Mateo County. Jason Murphy, MA ’09, works as a program improvement reform facilitator coach for Antioch Unified School Jennifer Menon Mariano, PhD ’07, is an assistant professor District, where he provides administrative and instructional of education psychology at the University of South Florida. support to schools in program improvement.

Olga Trusova, MA ’08, won a Fulbright scholarship for her 2010’s

research developing an educational program for girls and Ray Rivera, PhD ’10, published a chapter in The Caroline Lee, young women that uses technology and new media to raise American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) PhD ’09 awareness about issues of human trafficking in Ukraine. Handbook for Workplace Learning Professionals (American Society for Training and Development Press, 2009 STEP graduates Melissa Barger, Greg Borish, 2008). The ASTD Handbook is a new contribution to the Deepti Gupta, Lindsey Quinlisk, and Ajoy Vase were field of training, human resources development, and awarded the Knowles Science Teaching Fellowship from workplace learning, containing methodologies and the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation. The fellowship practices for a wide range of topics concerning training, provides access to summer professional development, organizational development, and performance improve- mentor support, and a national network of professional ment. Rivera’s chapter, “Bottom Line Measures in the educators. The $150,000 fellowship, renewable for up to ASTD WLP Scorecard,” covers the theory and use of the five years, is designed to provide high-caliber, beginning Workplace Learning and Performance (WLP) Scorecard, math and science teachers with the financial and profes- an online management control system and decision- sional support needed to stay in the teaching profession. support tool for corporate training functions. Rivera was one of the WLP Scorecard’s lead developers. SE

IN MEMORIAM California Board of Regents and 27 the Two-Year College Chemistry years on the Convocation of California Conference of the American Chemical William (Bill) Mooney, Jr., MA ’47, Lutheran University. As a professor of Society, and chaired the group from MS ’50, died February 19, 2009 at chemistry and dean of sciences at El 1961 through 1973. Beginning in the age of 82. Born in Roseville, CA, Camino College from 1950 to 1988, he 1987, he directed the Center for Mooney graduated from the University was recognized as an internationally Consulting & Professional Practices, of California at Berkeley in 1946 with renowned authority, researcher, and helping well-established and start-up a degree in physics, and completed his consultant on the sciences in the two- consulting firms of many disciplines. MA in Education and MS in Organic year colleges. Mooney was the first Mooney is survived by his wife of Chemistry at Stanford in 1947 and community college chemistry faculty 58 years, Margery; sons William, 1950, respectively. He served on active member to receive the prestigious Robert, and Donald; their wives duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve during Catalyst Award for excellence in college Karen, Jeannie, and Samantha; and and after World War II. Mooney chemistry teaching by the American five grandchildren, Tyrrell, Kristen, served four years on the University of Council on Chemistry. He founded Tessa, Kyle, and Morgan.

24 StanfordEducator Good Doctor “When fans asked Gretzky what made him so good, he said he goes where the puck is going to be, not where continued from page 23 it is,” Forgione says. “He was playing chess to everyone connection supported Forgione’s first foray into multi-state else’s checkers.” data collection and set the stage for a lifelong commitment Forgione likes to play chess too, and win. After all, to research and accountability that eventually led to leader- there’s so much at stake when the end-game is a child’s ship roles as director of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment future. That’s what Forgione finds most promising, and why for the Connecticut State Department of Education, state he recently agreed to serve on the advisory board for The superintendent in Delaware, and head of the National Center Stanford Challenge’s Initiative on Improving K-12 Education. for Education Statistics under the Clinton Administration. “The K-12 Initiative is the most timely and strategic investment the university can make,” says Forgione. Chess, Not Checkers “There’s an unprecedented investment of federal dollars In his current position as executive director of the Center on slated through the Race to the Top initiative, and there’s K-12 Assessment at the Education Testing Service (ETS), a high probability that the U.S. will have a common core Forgione continues to pursue his passion for connecting state standard in math and language arts. This is the time research and practice to solve public education’s biggest for Stanford’s voice. Stanford can be vigilant in its research challenges. At ETS, he is looking for emerging issues in and can follow Race to the Top so we can understand and the next generation of assessment and performance manage- learn from it.” With Forgione’s instincts about the future ment. He thinks of hockey great Wayne Gretzky when he of education and his facility for connecting problems with thinks about his role as a self-described “broker” in education. problem-solvers, we’ll also learn a lot from him. SE

continued from previous page a PhD in Education from Stanford in of the UMass system, and led a deseg- 1969. He also worked as an elemen- regation initiative with English High Susan Bauer Butler, BA ’57, MA ’58, tary school teacher in Concord, MA School in Boston. Clark also created of Escondido, CA, passed away on and Lexington, MA, and served as and implemented an award-winning May 20, 2009 at the age of 74. Butler principal of Earle Johnson Elementary masters-level teacher education pro- received a five-year pin from the School in Jefferson County, Colorado, gram with Boston-area school districts Stanford Alumni Association for vol- where he earned the distinction as designed to attract, train, and retain unteer service. She was predeceased one of the youngest school principals talented math and science public by her husband, Peter Edmund hired by the state. From 1968 until school teachers. In 1997, he was Butler,’54, MBA ’59 and is survived his retirement in 1997, Clark served appointed dean of the Graduate by daughters Beth Burns and Elena in a number of roles at the School College of Education at UMass Boston. Thompson and their husbands. of Education at the University of Clark is survived by his wife, Casey; son Massachusetts (UMass) in Amherst, Theodore (Ted) and his wife Alice; Richard J. Clark, PhD ’69, died on including director of teacher educa- daughter Karen and her husband Sam August 11, 2009 at the age of 71 after tion, associate dean for program devel- and son Steve; and grandchildren a yearlong battle with lung cancer. opment, and founding chair of the Georgia, Max, Charlotte, Hannah, Born in Winchester, MA, Clark grad- department of Teacher Education and and Dylan. Gifts in his memory uated from Amherst College in 1960 School Improvement. He chaired the may be made to the University of with a degree in American Studies, Massachusetts Advisory Commission Massachusetts School of Education, and received an MA in Education on Educational Personnel, served as Furcolo Hall, 813 North Pleasant from Harvard University in 1961 and the education advisor to the president Street, Amherst, MA 01003-3010. SE

Spring 2010 25 StudentNews

Ben Hedrick, a Tracy Steele (PhD ’09), co-authored readers in the doctoral student “Learning World Languages and eleventh-grade. She in the Curriculum Cultures in California: A Stimulus for is currently measur- Studies and Teacher Academic and Economic Success,” a ing the effects of Education program, policy report on why world language the curriculum on was awarded a programs are essential for the children students’ historical Distinguished of California. The report highlights reading and reason- Fulbright Award in Teaching to exam- the state of world language education ing, as well as their reading compre- ine teaching and assessing practices in in California and offers recommenda- hension. Finland, one of the top-scoring coun- tions to California’s lawmakers, admin- tries on the Programme for Interna- istrators, and school leaders on how to MA/MBA student Reid Devin Saaris, tional Student Assessment (PISA) for improve second language proficiency founder and head of Equal secondary mathematics. Hedrick is in the 21st century. O’Connor, Oishi, Opportunity Schools, is working with one of 12 U.S. teachers selected by the and Steele presented their findings at San Jose Unified new Distinguished Fulbright Awards in the American Council on the Teaching School District to Teaching Program to conduct research of Foreign Languages conference in increase diversity in and take part in an overseas profes- November. They credit California Advanced sional development program during Foreign Language Project Director Placement (AP) the 2009-10 academic year. Hedrick Duarte Silva, for his invaluable role and International thanks his advisor, Assistant Professor as project leader and mentor. The Baccalaureate Aki Murata, for her support and report is available for download at classes (IB). Saaris studied low-income, encouragement. http://www.stanford.edu/group/CFLP. African American, and Latino students who did not apply for advanced pro- Avishag Reisman, a doctoral candidate grams and found that these students in the History/Social Science Education were less likely to know about these program, received an Adolescent programs, and receive encouragement Literacy Predoctoral Fellowship from from peers or adults in the school to the National Academy of Education. take AP and IB classes. For more Prior to receiving the fellowship, information about Saaris’ project, visit Reisman trained public school teachers http://equalopportunityschools.org

Psychological Studies in Education from five urban classrooms to imple- or email [email protected]. SE doctoral students Kathleen O’Connor ment a seven-month, literacy-based and Lindsay Oishi, with lead author history curriculum with struggling

FacultyNews continued from page 6 Marshall “Mike” Smith, who served as dean of the Stanford University School of Education from 1986 to 1993, returned to receive Spencer Foundation Research Training Grants, examining Washington to serve as a senior adviser to Secretary Arne Duncan ways to strengthen the training of empirical educational researchers in the U.S. Department of Education. Smith to do rigorous work. worked on the implementation of the federal stimulus package, handling about $115 billion in Denise Clark Pope gave the keynote address, “Challenge Success: education aid. He assumed his role last February How to Improve Student Health, Engagement with Learning, and after stepping down as education program Academic Integrity,” at the California Association of Independent director and the senior adviser for the William Schools Head Conference in Santa Barbara in June. and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

26 StanfordEducator StaffNews

Craig Baker, previously Executive Director Financial Management Analyst Phoenix of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth Liu received a staff award at the tenth and Their Communities, has become the annual Stanford Asian American Awards superintendent of the San Carlos School Dinner last spring. She was honored for District. her work as an event organizer for the Asian Staff Forum, and for her contribu- Priscilla Fiden joined the School of tions to the Asian American community Craig Baker Phoenix Liu Education in September as Assistant at Stanford over the years. Dean of Student Services. In her role, she oversees recruitment and admissions, Steve Olson joined the School of financial aid, and degree progress for Education as Senior Associate Dean for the School’s degree programs. Fiden Finance and Administration last spring. has worked at Stanford for over five This was somewhat of a homecoming years, managing student services and for Olson, who had previously served admissions and later taking on the as the School’s finance manager and Priscilla Fiden administrative and finance management faculty affairs officer. Prior to his return, Steve Olson for Stanford’s Psychology Department. he worked in the Office of the President Prior to Stanford, she was the program and Provost as Stanford’s Associate coordinator for the Center for Teaching Director of Budget and Policy Planning and Learning at the University of for nine years. Olson has served on Chicago, where she after helped organize the boards of several local nonprofits teacher training and development pro- and is in his first term as trustee of grams for graduate students, postdoctoral the Mountain View Whisman School fellows, and new faculty. Fiden received District. He received his BS in Industrial her MA in Humanities in 2002 at the Engineering and Operations Research University of Chicago, and taught English from the University of California at and Advanced Placement Psychology Berkeley, and an MBA from San Jose

at a private high school in Southern State University. SE California.

Mitchell Stevens received the 2009 Pierre ing scholarly contribu- Christine Min Wotipka was promoted in Bourdieu award in August for best book tions to education February to associate professor (teaching). She from the Education Section of the American Steve Castillo research. She was also and Francisco Ramirez received a $263,000 Sociological Association (ASA) for Creating elected to member- grant from the Spencer Foundation for their a Class: College Admissions and the ship in the National study with John W. Meyer titled, “Globalization, Education of Elites (Harvard University Press, Academy of Education Citizenship, and Education: A Cross-National 2009). He also organized "New Directions last May for her pio- Study of Curricula, 1955-2005.” The study will in the Sociology of Education," a confer- neering efforts in educational research and examine the extent to which social science cur- ence for the Education Section of ASA that policy development. ricula has shifted focus from creating an inte- took place in August in San Francisco. grated national citizenry to preparing students John Willinsky received an honorary degree as individual participants in a diverse global soci- Guadalupe Valdes was selected as a fellow from Simon Fraser University for his pioneer- ety. Witopka and Ramirez will analyze about of the American Educational Research ing advocacy of open-access publishing dur- 500 social science textbooks from approximately Association in recognition of her outstanding its fall convocation ceremony in October. 70 countries through the last half century. SE

Spring 2010 27 Stanford University Non-Profit Org. School of Education U.S. Postage 485 Lasuen Mall P A I D Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Permit No. 28 Palo Alto, CA

Address Services Requested http://ed.stanford.edu

Friends, Family Gather to Celebrate March Professorship

Last October, friends and family of Professor Emeritus James G. March and Professor Geoffrey Cohen gathered with

representatives of the Spencer Foundation, Christopher Wesselman President John Hennessy, and Dean Deborah Stipek to celebrate the renaming and appointment of the chair established by the foundation in 2000. In 2009, the Spencer Foundation Board of Directors renamed the Spencer Chair the James G. March Professorship in Organizational Studies in Education and Business to honor the scholarship and life’s work of March. March, who has served on the Stanford faculty since 1970, holds appointments in both

the schools of education and business and Professor Geoffrey Cohen and Professor Emeritus James March (L to R) share a friendly chat in the departments of political science and at the celebration, held at the Stanford Faculty Club last October. sociology. Cohen is the second holder of this chair, initially held by Anthony Bryk, president of the Carnegie Foundation

for the Advancement of Teaching. SE