Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools

by William H. Parrett, Kathleen M. Budge

Schools across the United States and Canada are disrupting the adverse effects of poverty and supporting students in ways that enable them to succeed in school and in life. In this second edition, Parrett and Budge show you how your school can achieve similar results. Expanding on their original framework's still-critical concepts of actions and school culture, they incorporate new insights for addressing equity, trauma, and social-emotional learning. These fresh perspectives combine with lessons learned from 12 additional high-poverty, high-performing schools to form the updated and enhanced Framework for Collective Action. Emphasizing students' social, emotional, and academic learning as the hub for all action in high-performing, high-poverty schools, the authors describe how educators can work within the expanded Framework to address the needs of all students, but particularly those who live in poverty. Equipped with the Framework and a plethora of tools to build collective efficacy (self-assessments, high-leverage questions, action advice, and more), school and district leaders—as well as teachers, teacher leaders, instructional coaches, and other staff—can close persistent opportunity gaps and reverse longstanding patterns of low achievement.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

#24

This book was assigned to the Administrators for the 2017 Summer Leadership Academy at HBGSD. Though I did not finish the book by the close of the academy nor did I find the book entirely helpful, I did have a lot of take always.

The first 2/3 of the book is what I would term educational fluff. It's says a lot of good things but is vague and repetitious. It was not until Chapter 8 that the book actually outlined actions or specific activities or interventions a school could take to increase performance. Such things were: extended learning time, strong relationships between staff/students/families, a focus on teaching reading, intentional PD, creating a safe school, and mentoring teachers.

[Nicholas French · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reminder that all kids can learn when adults decide that is what important in the school.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good insight on schools with high poverty. The part about mental maps and how we assume things about students and families was eye opening. I myself have so many mental maps that can block understanding of what a student goes through. This books sheds light for me on how I can better understand the students I teach. Some parts were not as helpful for me personally but I did get what I wanted from the read. Others who read this will gain their own insight on what they can do for high-poverty students.

[Spacek Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors provide an excellent framework for those who lead high poverty/high performing schools. I was very familiar with Tekoa High School as my grandparents lived in Tekoa and I knew the principal while working at Pomeory Jr./Sr. High School. The framework in this book and discussion around it is inspiring!

[Mrs V's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.snapshotsofmrsv.blogspot.c...

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read for anyone teaching or leading a high poverty school.

[Mills College Library]

371.207 P259 2012