The Impact of At-Risk Students Enrolled In Advanced Placement Courses on a High School Culture

David Posthuma, Ed.D.

Fullerton Joint Union High School District

Researcher’s Background

Social Science Teacher/Social Science Department Chair, Fullerton Union High School. Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

Dean, Sunny Hills High School. Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

Assistant Principal, Sunny Hills High School. Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

Credentials: Professional Clear Single Subject (Social Science); Professional Clear Multiple Subject; Professional Clear Tier II Administrative Services.

M.S. in Educational Leadership, M.A. in Biblical Education

Clifford Adelman Senior Research Analyst U.S. Department of Education

Student Concerns

Peter NegroniThe College Board Vice President for Teaching and Learning

“The impact of a high school curriculum of high academic intensity and quality on degree completion is far more pronounced—and positively—for African-American and Latino students than any other pre-college indicator of academic resources. The impact for African-American and Latino students is also much greater than it is for white students” (1999, p. 84-86).

“The mission of the College Board is to connect students to college success and opportunity. We believe this is best achieved through giving students college success skills and supporting them in rigorous academics so that they can take full advantage of the opportunities before them” (2008, p. 1).

Topic Background

The at-risk student and educational opportunity (Stefkovich, 2006)

Promoting educational equity and student achievement (Adleman, 1999, 2006)

The AVID connection (Powell-McMillian, 2004) The AVID student and college plans (Powell-

McMillian, 2005) The College Board supporting the AVID student

(Negroni, 2007) A gap in qualitative research

Problem Statement

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact that AVID students taking

advanced placement courses is having on a high school culture from the perspectives of

site administrators, of teachers and of the students themselves.

(Adelman, 1999, Blasik, et. al. 2003, Hurst, et. al. 2003, Hurwitz & Hurwitz, 2003, Metcalf, 2007, Powell-

McMillian, 2005 and Watt, et. al. 2004)

Importance of the Research

Teachers, students, and administrators The impact of AVID students in AP courses

on the school culture Contribution to scholarly literature Catalyst for change Adding to the body of research for improving

schools Noddings (2007) Marshall (2004)

Conceptual Framework

Critical TheoryEducational EquitySchool CultureAdequacy

Critical Theory:Educational Equity

for all students

School Culture Beyond Theory to

Practice

Educational Adequacy:

Elements of Basic Education

Research Questions

Primary Research Question:What impact is AVID students’ participation in AP courses having on the high school culture?

Secondary Research Question:What are participants’ perceptions regarding educational equity of the AP program in terms of how power is managed, modified, or shifted within the culture under study?

Critical Ethnography Methodology “The purpose of ethnographic research is to describe and

interpret cultural behavior” (Wolcott, 1987, p. 43). “Ethnography is the art and science of describing a group or

culture; the description may be of a small tribal group in an exotic land or a classroom in middle-class suburbia” (Fetterman, 1998, p. 2).

“A critical ethnography as a method of research allows the researcher to see the ethnographic project as an aspect of critical theory, which must eventually be completed in political and social action” (Quantz, 1992, p 467).

Hall and Hord (2006) state that a noteworthy way to study program policy implementation is to conduct “extended ethnographic fieldwork” (p. 161).

A critical ethnography as a method of research allows the researcher the opportunity to discover the inner workings of the culture as practice on a high school campus.

Research Design: Data Collection and Analysis

Data Collection and Coding

Data Collection and Coding

Reconcept-ualizing DataReconcept-

ualizing Data

Thematic Analysis

Thematic Analysis

Embedded Observations

Interviews and Questionnaires

Document Review

Reflection and Refinement

Data Collection

Questionnaires To be distributed to students, all teachers, the AVID Coordinator, the AP Counselor, and administrators at the school site under study.

Semi-Structured Interviews

Individual interviews to be conducted with students, teachers, the principal, the AVID coordinator, and the AP counselor at the school site under study.

Participant Observations

Multiple observations of the school culture will be conducted throughout the research period of study by the embedded researcher.

Document Review Student assignments, examinations, transcripts, course grades, and district course catalogs.

Data Analysis

Preliminary Data Analysis

First level of codingSymbolic analytical markersDefine and categorize raw dataCodes emerge from data (Grbich, 2007, p. 41).

Interim Data Analysis Reconceptualization of codesBroader categoriesIdentify relationships between the codesGoal-data saturation

(Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 185, Fetterman, 1998, p. 102)

Thematic Analysis Emergent themes identifiedHolistic depiction of the analysisResearchers role-educational leader

(Grbich, 2007, p. 41 & Spradley, 1979, p. 94)

Memoing Reflexive processEncourages reflection and inductive thinkingOn-going field notes or marginal writings

Analytical Model

Preliminary Data Analysis (Initial

Coding)

Interim Data Analysis

(Reconceptualizing codes into broader

categories)

Data collection continues and selectivity is

practiced until saturation is

reached

Data collection continues

(Interviews and Observations)

Thematic Analysis:

Pattern and Concept Mapping

Preliminary Data Collection

(Questionnaires)

Reflection on, selectivity in, and refinement of the

data drive the processes of data collection and

analysis in an ethnographic study

Reflection and Refinement

Reflection and Refinement

Reflection and Refinement

Assuring Validity of Data Analysisin an Ethnographic Study

Rich, Thick Description

Rich, Thick Description

MemoingMemoing

DevelopedDiscourse

DevelopedDiscourse

CodingCoding

The Goal:The Goal:TriangulationTriangulation

The Goal:The Goal:TriangulationTriangulation

Contemplative Stance of the Researcher

School Site Context

Researcher’s Background

Reflexivity

Findings

The focus of the participants: 1. Either Positive or Negative2. Chronological

PastPractices

CurrentPractices

--------

-------- CurrentPractices

FutureAction

The data:Questionnaires and interviews of administration,

teachers, and studentsObservations and memos of the embedded researcher

Findings Theme One:

Examples of Past Inequity Utilized six of the seventeen codes Perceptions reflected upon past practice

at CHS that hindered student access to AP courses.

Epigraph:Past English Department Heads

viewed themselves as “gatekeepers” in regards to who was allowed to teach and what students were allowed to participate in an AP course. (CHS teacher, 21:14)

Examples of Past Inequity Practice, continued

Key Issues: Gatekeeping Practices Maintaining High AP Exam scores

Answering the first research question, i.e., perceptions: Many seek to maintain restrictive past practice

Answering the second research question, i.e., power: The goal: to control the academic ability of students

allowed into an AP course.

Findings Theme Two:

Section Two: Current Practice against Inclusion Utilized six of the seventeen codes Continuing staff resistance to including AVID

students in AP courses Epigraph Quotation:

The saddest thing that I’m finding out is that I’m meeting people that, you know, went to Valley [High School] or other places and, uh, mainly cuz the door was shut on them, and these are great students that we lost. (CHS teacher, 34:23)

Theme Two: Current Practice against Inclusion, continued

Answering the research questions: AP course prerequisites continue to be a hindering

factor Few if any changes in planning, curriculum, instruction,

or assessment Students counseled to drop difficult courses Under representation of at-risk groups in AP courses at

CHS Turning away great students

Key issues: A power maintenance issue: teachers desire the

assignment to AP courses A power management issue: teachers are lazy

Findings Theme Three:

Current and Ongoing Practice for Improvement Utilized seven of the seventeen codes CHS is beginning to change Epigraph:

There’s a lot of people here I think who are coming around to, like, you know, this is really what teaching’s all about. (CHS teacher, 34:18)

Theme Three: Current and Ongoing Practice for Improvement, continued

Answering the research questions-perceptions are: Improved teaching at CHS Students are challenged and succeeding More students of color are engaged in the AP

experience AVID students are treated fairly and equally Greater student choice in course selection and

program at CHS More innovation in planning, curriculum, instruction,

and assessment practice

FINDINGS Theme Four:

Future Action Utilized four of the seventeen codes Improvement suggestions from the participants Epigraph:

For equity to exist fully, the stakeholders will need to reexamine the philosophy of the AP program as a whole and address the issues of access and define what constitutes success (school principal, 30:6).

Theme Four: Future Action, continued

Answering the research questions-perceptions are: Redefining success for the AP teacher and course Encouragement for the AVID student Continue to modify planning, curriculum, instruction,

and assessment Greater support for all students in AP courses Lower achieving students should receive the very best

the teacher has to offer A better school for all students is an ongoing goal.

FINDINGS Power and the culture of the school Answering the research questions:

Teacher benefits from AP courses Teacher desire to retain AP teacher status The older teachers: the problem is the student;

vs. the new paradigm: the problem is the reluctance to improve practice

The “lazy” teacher (Mr. Hawkins)

DISCUSSION Conclusions Based on the Findings

Inequities Exist at CHS-Critical Theory

Entrance Exams Gatekeeping

Teachers, Department Chairs, Counselors

Culture as Practice Passion at CHS to either retain

past inequitable practices

or… Passion at CHS to improve current

and future practice

InequalitiesExist at CHS

Managing, Shifting, Modifying Power

Culture asPractice

DISCUSSION (continued)

The Managing, Shifting, or Modifying of Power Gatekeeping as an aspect of power

Power to place teachers Power to choose students Artificially maintain high test scores

Support for learning-the true need at CHS Verifying learning vs. supporting learning Commit to improve student learning

DISCUSSION (continued)

Strengths of the Study Participant perceptions Embedded researcher Critical Ethnographic Methodology

Weaknesses of the Study Limited number of participants Difficult to generalize Filtered through the mind of the researcher

DISCUSSION: Implications:

How a school practiced inequity The cultural changes at CHS Power aspects of the study Future Scholarship and Research

Expansion of the study with more participants

Focus on perceptions of one group of participants

DISCUSSION:

For Practitioners Research Base to support change proposals Re-examine school programs in the light of

Critical Theory and Culture as Practice

DISCUSSION: Recommendations for Changes in Educational Practice

Support for change Financial Professional Development Utilization of Best Practice by teachers Teaching versus Learning (DuFour, 1998)

Accept the Challenge of Supporting the At-Risk Student Support Innovations Partnerships between relevant groups (Jeong, 2009) Staff Commitment and Dedication

CONCLUSION

Remember Araceli… She was willing and motivated She broke out of the academic “box” of

limitations The perceptions of the participants in this

study provide significance in this field of educational research and literature.

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