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Posted: October 29th, 2022

Needs Assessment Grade Task Force

Distance Learning
Distance Learning

Elsie Allen High School March 2021

By Richard Molloy

“The goal of this Task Force is to bring the voices, concerns, experiences, and ideas of students, families, and staff together to look at what we can do differently with distance learning today, this week, and in the near and far future to support all of our students.”

Grade Task Force Membership:

Gabriel Albavera-Admin

Andy Lieberman-Admin

Casey Thornhill-Admin

Sarah Cranke-Admin

Erick Rodriguez-Counselor

Ry Basham-Mintz-Counselor

Brian Deller-Teacher

Richard Molloy-Teacher

Lizbeth Moreno-Family Engagement Facilitator

Mayra Sosa-Family Engagement Facilitator

Emily Thompson-Instructional Helpant

Kathy Hayes-Admin Helpant

Sally Gonzalez-Registrar

Angie Ghadiri-Parent

Ana Vazquez-Parent

Jennifer Spain-Parent

Emily Humphrey-Parent

Chelsy Reyes Ramirez-Student

Maisha Khakaba-Student

Executive Summary We have already seen a dramatic drop in letter grades since the start of distance learning. EAHS students received a total of 2,330 “F” grades for quarter one of the 2020/2021 school year. This is a 250% increase in failing grades from the same time the previous year. This year, 63.6% of the students received at least one “F.” This percentage was 72% for students of color, English language learners, SED, and UPC. Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS) and specifically Elsie Allen High School created a Task Force to help determine actions that could raise our students’ grades.

At the first Task Force’s first meeting on Nov 3, 2020, the group agreed to look at the data using a performance analysis framework (a.k.a., needs assessment approach). This framework consists of a gap analysis, a root cause analysis (i.e., findings), and solutions (i.e., recommendations). This framework was selected as it fits the need of identifying targeted solutions to address the grade problem.

The findings included recurring themes found across the four data sets. The following is a list of the top 15 recommendations from this analysis. The four items in bold were recurring themes from failing students (the targeted population). Also, the number in parentheses is how many times this was mentioned as a proposed solution in the data:

1. Teachers should be understanding of students’ individual circumstances, and be supportive and encourage them to complete assignments. “Say positive things.” Implement actions to strengthen teacher’s relationships with students (e.g., conduct regular one-on-one check-ins). (31)

2. More availability and support from teachers (e.g., extra/additional Zoom tutoring sessions for students who need help). (28)

3. Use extra credit to help students raise their grades (26) 4. Give students more time to work on assignments. Allow students to submit late

work and to redo work for credit. (24) 5. Assign less work (e.g., no big essays), cut work into smaller portions, or use

slower pace (e.g., “do a lesson on one of class Zoom days each week and on the next session turn in homework and talk about it”). (21)

6. Provide resources to help students organize themselves and better manage their time (e.g., resources to help with study skills, note-taking skills). Help students “set a routine” for themselves, avoid procrastination, and learn perseverance. (20)

7. Teachers should use meaningful, fun, entertaining, interesting, interactive, and engaging games and activities to help students stay motivated to learn. (17)

8. Provide students with more detail on assignments (e.g., examples of completed assignments, teachers notes of class session, study guides). (16)

9. Reward (e.g., gift cards, less work) students who meet deadlines or participate in class. (15)

10. Use fun, interesting, and interactive activities, lectures, and assignments (e.g.,

creative projects, scavenger hunts, competitions). (12) 11. Provide easy to follow, clear, step-by-step procedures for all assignments in

Google Classroom, strive for maximum clarity and organization. Provide students with guides or aids that help them do their homework. (11)

12. Ensure students are not receiving too much work on any given day by having a schedule/routine of possible days assignments are due for each period (e.g., assignment due dates must be the same day as Zooms). Have assignments that can be completed during Zoom session. Limit due dates to weekdays to ensure students have time to be offline (i.e., no weekend school work). (11)

13. Send out more regular grade updates and inform students how they can improve their grades. (9)

14. Use homework passes. (9) 15. Ensure students have good wifi and computers.

Background Elsie Allen is one of the six high schools in the Santa Rosa City School District. The Santa Rosa City School District is large and diverse. Elsie Allen High School, located in the south-west part of Santa Rosa. This area is heavily influenced by the majority Mexican American population that reside near and around the school. Many EAHS students live in these neighborhoods between Sebastopol Ave. and Todd Rd. (north and south, respectively) and Santa Rosa Avenue to Stoney Point Rd. (east and west). A third of the student population are classified as English Language Learners, and 66% are eligible for the free or reduced lunch program.

It is very likely that COVID-19 has exacerbated the inequities that existed prior to the pandemic. The move to distance learning has brought more challenges and change to our system of education than any other movement or event for at least the past 125 years (Urban W. J. and Wagoner, J. L., 2009). Students have been forced into the world of online education, which is a way of learning that requires much more from the learner; they must be incredibly organized, motivated, and proficient with technology. They also must have access to the tools/resources needed for this type of learning (i.e., wifi, computer, headphones/speakers, cameras, microphones) as well as a suitable place to study. Teachers were also thrust into this new mode of teaching. Many were reluctantly forced to re-learn how to teach in an online setting. The results of this forced change were akin to building a plane while flying it. The achievement gaps that existed before COVID-19 have only likely grown, and will be an additional challenge for many schools and districts for many years in the future (García, E., & Weiss, E., 2020).

We have already seen a dramatic drop in letter grades since the start of distance learning. EAHS students received a total of 2,330 “F” grades for quarter one of the 2020/2021 school year. This is a 250% increase in failing grades from the same time the previous year. This year, 63.6% of the students received at least one “F.” This percentage was 72% for students of color, English language learners, SED, and

UPC. Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS) and specifically Elsie Allen High School created a Task Force to help determine actions that could raise our students’ grades.

Purpose In light of the grade problem, the SRCS Superintendent Kitamura asked each principal to set up a Grade Task Force to examine this problem and make recommendations for changes. The EAHS Task Force (from this point on referred to herein as ‘the Task Force’) was formed with diverse members, including administrators, counselors, teachers, key staff members, parents, and students.

Methodology At the first Task Force’s first meeting on Nov 3, 2020, the group agreed to look at the data using a performance analysis framework (a.k.a., needs assessment approach). This framework consists of a gap analysis, a root cause analysis (i.e., findings), and solutions (i.e., recommendations). This framework has been used extensively for performance improvement by various organizations including government agencies and private businesses (Chevalier R. 2007 & Rossett, A. 1999). This framework was selected as it fits the need of identifying targeted solutions to address the grade problem.

Gap Analysis EAHS students received a total of 2,330 “F” grades for quarter one of the 2020/2021 school year. This is a 250% increase in failing grades from the same time the previous year. This year, 63.6% of the students received at least one “F.” This percentage was 72% for students of color, English language learners, SED, and UPC. See Appendix A, “ 1st Quarter Grades Analysis Worksheet ” for details. More recently, the third quarter progress grades indicated that EAHS students were failing an average of 2.5 courses per student. These numbers represent the current state in this gap analysis.

The desired state is of course that EAHS has no students failing classes; however, a reasonable goal is to reduce this current number by half by the end of the school year. Not only do we want no more than 1,165 “F,” but we also want to reduce the percentage of students with “F” grades by half in all demographic areas.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1uj5mhU-dOSLlCgk8lbUdVG7fqxQOoHBPjRoHtP6oeh0/edit
Cause Analysis The performance analysis framework includes an adaption of Thomas Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) which consists of analyzing both Environmental and Individual (i.e., student) causes of the grade performance gap (Gilbert, T. 1996; Chevalier, R. 2007). The Environmental categories examined consisted of Information, Resources, and Incentives. The Individual categories were Skills and Knowledge and Motivation. Whereas Capacity is typically a category of the BEM, once data was collected and being analyzed, Capacity did not seem relevant to this analysis and for this reason was omitted.

The cause analysis relied on qualitative data from four sources (i.e., two surveys, one staff meeting, and information collected from phone calls made to failing students and their parents or guardians. By using multiple sources of qualitative data, a process known as triangulation, greater validity was achieved by focusing the analysis on recurring findings in the data and basing the recommendations off of these findings (Russ-eft and Preskill, 2001; Merriam, 2009).

Findings & Recommendations Too much homework was the main cause identified by students. Twenty-seven students concurred with this finding. Other responses indicated that the following were causes:

1. Lack of timely feedback from teachers 2. Some teachers go over on zoom time 3. Not all teachers provide the flexibility needed for distance learning 4. Some assignments are too difficult or complicated 5. Some teachers do not have consistent Zoom meeting days/times 6. Students spend too much time in front of computers and feel isolated and

fatigued 7. Students don’t have good wifi 8. Difficulties with technology and apps 9. Students feel like mandatory cameras is an invasion of their privacy 10. Some teachers are too demanding and not empathetic

Please see Appendix I for more information on these findings.

Appendix H includes a table with recommended interventions by category (e.g., Information, Resources, Incentives). The following is a list of the top 15 recommendations from this analysis. The four items in bold were recurring themes from phone calls home to failing students. Also, the number in parentheses is how many times this was mentioned as a proposed solution in the data:

16. Teachers should be understanding of students’ individual circumstances,

and be supportive and encourage them to complete assignments. “Say positive things.” Implement actions to strengthen teacher’s relationships with students (e.g., conduct regular one-on-one check-ins). (31)

17. More availability and support from teachers (e.g., extra/additional Zoom tutoring sessions for students who need help). (28)

18. Use extra credit to help students raise their grades (26) 19. Give students more time to work on assignments. Allow students to submit late

work and to redo work for credit. (24) 20. Assign less work (e.g., no big essays), cut work into smaller portions, or use

slower pace (e.g., “do a lesson on one of class Zoom days each week and on the next session turn in homework and talk about it”). (21)

21. Provide resources to help students organize themselves and better manage their time (e.g., resources to help with study skills, note-taking skills). Help students “set a routine” for themselves, avoid procrastination, and learn perseverance. (20)

22. Teachers should use meaningful, fun, entertaining, interesting, interactive, and engaging games and activities to help students stay motivated to learn. (17)

23. Provide students with more detail on assignments (e.g., examples of completed assignments, teachers notes of class session, study guides). (16)

24. Reward (e.g., gift cards, less work) students who meet deadlines or participate in class. (15)

25. Use fun, interesting, and interactive activities, lectures, and assignments (e.g., creative projects, scavenger hunts, competitions). (12)

26. Provide easy to follow, clear, step-by-step procedures for all assignments in Google Classroom, strive for maximum clarity and organization. Provide students with guides or aids that help them do their homework. (11)

27. Ensure students are not receiving too much work on any given day by having a schedule/routine of possible days assignments are due for each period (e.g., assignment due dates must be the same day as Zooms). Have assignments that can be completed during Zoom session. Limit due dates to weekdays to ensure students have time to be offline (i.e., no weekend school work). (11)

28. Send out more regular grade updates and inform students how they can improve their grades. (9)

29. Use homework passes. (9) 30. Ensure students have good wifi and computers.