Equity Audit

Alliance High School

2014 - 2015

Description of Data:

Class of 2015/2016
Honors Science Students
Science OAA - Grade 5
Science OAA - Grade 8
OGT Practice - Grade 9
OGT - Grade 10
ACT - Grade 10 - 12
63 Total Students

Subgroup Analysis:
All Students - My students consist of 11th and 12th
graders enrolled in honors courses including
Chemistry, Physics and Advanced Placement
Chemistry. 78% of my students are White/Caucasian,
11% are Multiracial, 8% are African American and 3%
are Asian or Pacific Islander. On average on all
standard science assessments from 5th grade to
present my students have earned an accelerated
rating.

Subgroup Analysis:
White/Caucasian - 78% of my students are
white and have consistently scored in the
accelerated range on state assessments in
science. My theory is that majority of my white
students come from higher socioeconomic
homes with more successful parents. Therefore
their higher test scores are the result of a
supportive home life not the color of their skin.

Subgroup Analysis:
African American - 8% of my students are
African American. This subgroup consistently
performs at a proficient level with their most
recent scores on the OGT reaching the
accelerated level. This is notably lower than the
white majority scores. However everyone of my
Black students is also economically
disadvantaged which may be an outside factor.

Subgroup Analysis:
Asian or Pacific Islander - These students
make up 3% of my population which represents
two students. Therefore there mean is greatly
deviated. One of these students is a gifted
student. The other is a student of low
socioeconomic status which had a language
barrier issue especially as a younger student.

Subgroup Analysis:
Multiracial - 11% of my students are
Multiracial. These students similar to the
African American population have been
consistently proficient with their most recent
rating being accelerated. This puts them below
white and Asian/Pacific Islander students.
Majority of students in this subgroup are
economically disadvantaged.

Subgroup Analysis:
Economically Disadvantaged - 49% of my
students are economically disadvantaged. Yet they
have scored in the accelerated range with the
exception of their 9th grade practice OGT. My only
explanation is that many of my students come from
supportive single parent homes. Therefore they
have low socioeconomic status but have the
support necessary for their education.

Subgroup Analysis:
IEP - Out of my 63 students I only have one
student on an IEP. He has consistently scored
in the proficient range on state assessments.
This student comes from a supportive home
and excels in math/sciences. His IEP limits his
writing ability.

Subgroup Analysis:
Gifted - 24% of my students are labeled as
gifted in some area. These students have
scored accelerated or advanced on all state
science assessments. Surprisingly these
students come from a variety of white, minority
and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Subgroup Analysis:
Male - 56% of my students are male. Their
mean score is accelerated on all state science
assessments. This aligns to the stereotype that
men are stronger in science.

Subgroup Analysis:
Female - 44% of my students are female and
their mean is proficient. Their most recent
rating was accelerated. These scores are
unfortunate as they perpetuate the stereotype
that women are not as strong in the sciences
as men. Even more odd, majority of the science
teachers at Alliance High School are women.

Data Analysis Major Observations:

90% of my students have showed improvement
or consistency in their science achievement
scores. I believe this is because science is not
the major focus of elementary schools but
grows in importance through middle and high
school.
I only have one IEP student in all of my courses.
IEP students are not encouraged to take honors
science courses.

Data Analysis Major Observations:

I only have two Asian/Pacific Islander students.
Almost half of my students are economically
disadvantaged yet they have performed well on
state science assessments.
My male students have outperformed my female
students every year on the state science
achievement test.
My gifted students have scored higher on all
science assessments on average.

Data Analysis Major Observations:

19% of my students are Black or Multiracial which is
slightly lower than the schools population which is
25% Black/Multiracial.
The White subgroup outperformed all other ethnic
groups on average on state science assessments.
79% of my minority students are economically
disadvantaged.
41% of my White students are economically
disadvantaged.

Interview Protocol:
1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

According to the science achievement data I collected and analyzed, white students
outperform all other ethnic groups. Why do you believe this to be true and how can this
achievement gap be closed?
What are Alliance High Schools greatest strengths and weaknesses in regards to equity?
Male students outperformed female students in terms of science achievement. Why do
you believe this happened and what can be done to close this achievement gap?
Do you believe teachers need professional development in order to increase their equity?
Does teacher bias negatively affect the classroom learning environment?
Our student population is diverse but our staff population is not, do you believe this
affects our minority students, why or why not?
Which subgroup if any do you worry about most in regards to achievement and why?
Is there a certain subgroup that is disciplined more? Are all subgroups disciplined in the
same manner following the same procedures?

Interview #1 Associate Principal

Ethnicity does not predict achievement,
homelife predicts achievement.
A parental guidance gap must be closed by
teacher support and school programing.
Our school should provides the structure
students are not getting at home with advisory
periods and attendance policies.
Students must be taught how to be successful.

Interview #1 Associate Principal

A big concern is that the lower academic academy
is dominated by males.
High expectations for all are necessary.
If students perceive bias or unfairness they will shut
down completely.
Teachers at Alliance bend over backwards for
students that need help.
Minorities would achieve more if taught by minority
role models.

Interview #1 Associate Principal

Black males struggle the most due to life issues.
The discipline percentage does not reflect the
overall student body percentage. Minority students
are disciplined at a slightly higher percentage while
white students are disciplined at a slightly lower
percentage.
Trust must be built and relationships established.

Interview #2 Assistant Principal

Socioeconomic status determines achievement.
Lower achieving students must be identified at an
earlier age.
Counseling and after school programs are offered to
help students resolve issues and make academics a top
priority.
After school transportation may be an issue for students
of low socioeconomic status. They cannot stay after
school for help because they do not have a way home
besides the bus.

Interview #2 Assistant Principal

Perception is everything, if students are told
they cant then they cant. Higher expectations
is the answer.
Alliance staff is equitable.
Alliance wants the strongest staff in terms of
content and pedagogy.
Students of low socioeconomic status without
parental support are the biggest concern.

Equity Survey Results:

44 Respondents
(Teachers, Administrators, Parents)
100% White/Caucasian

Equity Survey Participants: 93% Teachers,

4.5% Administrators, 2.5 % Parents

Equity Survey Participants: 41% Male, 59% Female

Survey Participants Ages: 18 to 24 - 4.5%, 25 to 34 - 20.5%, 35 to

44 - 20.5%, 45 to 54 - 27%, 55 to 64 - 23% and 65 to 74 - 4.5 %

Survey Question

% Disagree

% Agree

% Strongly
Agree

Alliance High School sets high standards for 2.3

academic performance for all students.

16

61.4

20.5

All ethnicities at Alliance High School are

represented equally in special education
courses.

2.3

13.6

68.2

16

All ethnicities at Alliance High School are

represented equally in honors and
Advanced Placement courses.

41

45.5

11.4

All ethnicities at Alliance High School are

represented equally in athletic programs.

11.4

70.5

18.2

Equity Survey Data:

% Strongly
Disagree

Survey Question

% Strongly
Disagree

% Disagree

% Agree

% Strongly
Agree

All ethnicities at Alliance High School are

represented equally in our music department.

6.8

72.7

20.5

Alliance High School teachers teach with equity in

mind and examine their own cultural biases on a
regular basis.

13.6

72.7

13.6

Teachers tailor their instruction to suit students of all

diverse backgrounds.

20.5

68.2

11.4

The Alliance High School staff has equal

representation of various ethnicities and
backgrounds.

18.2

54.5

22.7

4.5

The Alliance High School staff is respectful of all

students regardless of their race, ethnicity or
socioeconomic status.

2.3

50

47.7

Equity Survey Data:

Survey Question

% Strongly
Disagree

% Disagree

% Agree

% Strongly
Agree

This school fosters an appreciation and respect for

student diversity.

4.5

63.6

31.8

The Alliance community regardless of race and

background feels connected to and supports the
high schools mission.

11.4

72.7

16

School discipline is equally distributed across

students of all backgrounds.

20.5

66

13.6

This school considers closing the racial/ethnic

achievement gap a high priority.

2.3

20.5

63.6

13.6

This school provides staff with the materials,

resources, and training needed to effectively work
with diverse students.

41

52.3

6.8

Equity Survey Data:

77.3% Answered Yes and 22.7% Answered No

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why

All of our students are treated equally regardless of race or religion.

I believe we do a good job at including students from all backgrounds in all activities.
ALL students have the opportunity to be successful.
I believe that the school, as a whole, teaches, disciplines and offers extra-curricular
activities based solely on students as students and does not use race as a
determining factor.
ACS treats students with fairness and I am proud to work here.
Alliance High School follows all the proper channels to promote ethnic equality.
Alliance provides equal opportunity for all students.
I think AHS and Staff do all they can to be equal and promote equality. Our staff may
not represent the cultural background of the students, but it sometimes can not be
avoided.
I think that we as a staff are sensitive to the racial and ethnic diversity of our
students.

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why

I think that cultural, social, economic factors keep some students from trying their
best. Our students are given encouragement at school to do everything they can but
some can't escape the handicap of parents who can't/don't provide basic necessities
of life and encouragement to be what they can be. Providing excuses instead of
incentives for students to do their best is beyond the cultural experiences of some
families.
I have heard students from various backgrounds say they feel accepted here by staff
and other students.
Alliance High School is an equitable school which provides all students the chance
to excel in all domains.
Socially, I think that our school is very equitable. The students are very accepting of
other diversities.
I believe that AHS is an equitable school. The relationship between students of
varying backgrounds is very positive. I believe that our staff is very caring and fair
with students of diverse backgrounds.

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why

Even though there are not an expansive amount of resources available to

incorporate diversity into daily lessons, I still feel Alliance is an equitable school
system.
We offer numerous social services and special education type programs for
struggling young adults. We surround students in web of helpful environments,
people, activities, and directions to help students stay on track and reach their goals.
I feel as though if students fall outside the web, it was by their own choices and (lack
of) family involvement, not by any fault of the school system.
I do believe Alliance is an equitable school, and any prospective student should be
confident that they can be successful, heard, involved, and come out a better human
being.
Alliance High schools is a diverse school and strives to maintain an equal
opportunity for all students to learn.
In my classroom there is equal treatment across the board. Whether rich or poor,
ethnic or not, religious or not, male or female,high IQ or low, everyone gets treated

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why

No person is discriminated based upon race, creed, or color. What they the students
do with their opportunity is their own choice. We strive to put structures in place
which encourages good choices and discourages bad choices for all students.
All students are given many opportunities to learn and grow, by a highly skilled and
qualified staff. The burden to take advantage of these opportunities, in all of human
history, is, and always must be, on the student.
Of course there are areas in need of improvement, but I believe if a student:
wants/needs help, or wants to participate in a club, sport, or program, or requires
discipline, or is deserving of recognition (anything from Repin that A to academic
honors), our school does its best to look beyond race or ethnicity. The same is true
for hiring practices. Though our coaching and teaching staff may APPEAR in need
of more diversity, a district can only hire based on who applies and even then it
should be based on the best candidate.

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why Not

Athletes and upper level students seem to experience "lesser" discipline.

Some improvement could be implemented to provide more programs/assistance for
students with English as a second language.
A major concern that I see if a lack of elective courses for average to below-average
students. In order to push our highest students with AP/DC courses, we have
sacrificed our "regular" electives.
I feel we need to do a better job understanding various cultures in order to provide
students with more opportunity and less issues regarding discipline.
Economic diversity and the poverty that a number of our students endure is a
concern. I would welcome additional training and staff development to address the
educational needs of our students in poverty.
I think more training needs to be done.
We have a staff and student body who care for and respect all people, but I don't
feel we focus on the issue of equity, specifically, in professional development.

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why Not

In some areas, the numbers are not in line with our population and they could be
better. In the area of staffing, we are definitely low.
We cater to the upper students and don't care about the sped students. We say we
want all to exceed but we load the sped co taught classes with discipline issues and
separate all the top students out.
Academically, we are not as equitable. The honors/AP classes are definitely skewed
towards the white/caucasian ethnicity. Our staff is severely lacking in diversity.
I wish we addressed minority issues a little more in our training and I wish our staff
was a bit more diverse.
I do see an unequal representation of white students in advanced classes. However,
I don't believe it is the school's responsibility to make sure that all racial/ethnic
groups are represented in all areas (sports, music, AP, etc.). How can the school get
more minority students in AP classes if 1) there aren't a large number of minorities
who want to take those classes and 2) there aren't a large number qualified to take
those classes.

Is Alliance High school an equitable school? Please

explain why or why not below: Why Not

It is my opinion how students are treated depends on some specifics: IE- athlete
(needed for a game/event), "good kid" /slap on the wrist, there seem to be many
inconsistencies with discipline.
I think we try, but a lack of diversity in our teaching staff and administration make it
more difficult.
I think inequities in the larger community surrounding it are reflected in the school.

Equity Survey Analysis:

Alliance High school is a diverse urban school system but all survey
respondents were White/Caucasian. This is not an adequate reflection of
the Alliance community.
The parent survey requirement was not met unfortunately. This analysis is
more of a depiction of Alliance staff perspectives.
A wide age range was surveyed but it would be interesting to get a student
perspective on this survey.
One of the most polar questions was, This school provides staff with
the materials, resources, and training needed to effectively work with
diverse students. with 41% Disagreeing, 52.3% Agreeing and 6.8%
Strongly Agreeing. This stresses a lack of professional development in the
area of diverse students.

Equity Survey Analysis:

The most positive response from the survey was to the question The
Alliance High School staff is respectful of all students regardless of
their race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status with 2.3% disagreeing,
50% agreeing and 47.7% strongly agreeing. This reflects Alliance High
schools equitable treatment of all students.
The most negative response from the survey was to the question The
Alliance High School staff has equal representation of various
ethnicities and backgrounds with 18.2% strongly disagreeing, 54.5%
disagreeing, 22.7% agreeing and 4.5% strongly agreeing. I find this data
perplexing as Alliance High school has only White teachers. For the
respondents that did agree, did they decide to answer based on whether a
diverse staff is necessary? The fact is we have no minority teachers.

Equity Survey Analysis:

79.6% of respondents agreed that School discipline is equally

distributed across students of all backgrounds while 20.5%
disagreed.
88.7% of respondents agreed that The Alliance community regardless
of race and background feels connected to and supports the high
schools mission while only 11.4% disagreed.
95.4% of respondents believe Alliance high school fosters an appreciation
and respect for student diversity while only 4.5% disagreed.
Respondents believe athletic programs and the musical department have
equal representations of all ethnicities.
More respondents believe that special education courses are equally
represented by all ethnicities than Advanced Placement and honors
courses.

Equity Survey Analysis:

81.9% of respondents agree that Alliance High School sets high

standards for academic performance for all students while 18.3%
disagree.
Is Alliance High school and equitable school?
Yes - 77.3 %
No - 22.7 %
Based on responses I worry respondents confused equitable with equal.
All students at Alliance have opportunities.
Staff may not be ethnically diverse but they are sensitive to ethnic and
racial diversity in their students.
Many respondents worry that students have home lives and parents that
they simply can not overcome.

Equity Survey Analysis:

Students of all backgrounds accept one another.

The school system offers many special programs to help students
overcome their adversities and get the help they need.
Alliance provides structure for students and encourages them to make
good choices.
Special privileges for honors students and athletes seems to be an issue.
Staff believes training needs to be provided to understand students better
that come from diverse backgrounds and poverty.
Lack of staff diversity is an issue of concern.
School is too focused on upper academic classes and not lower level
courses and sped courses.
Larger community differences/issues negatively impacts school.

Areas of Strength:

Numerous after school and in school programing to help struggling

students regardless of their race or ethnicity. (Counseling, Academies,
Advisory, Pilots Program, tutoring)
Caring teachers who treat all their students with respect.
African American and Multiracial students have continued to improve on
state science assessments each testing year.
Economically disadvantaged students consistently scored in the
accelerated range.
Teachers at Alliance bend over backwards for students that need help.
Our school should provides the structure students are not getting at home
with advisory periods and attendance policies.
Alliance staff is equitable.

Areas of Weakness:

Lack of staff diversity.

Professional development or training is needed to educate staff on how best
teach students of diverse backgrounds and poverty.
White students still outperform all other subgroups on state science
assessments.
Males have better achievement scores than females in every testing year.
I only have one IEP student in my honors science courses.
19% of my students are Black or Multiracial which is slightly lower than the
schools population which is 25% Black/Multiracial.
Minorities would achieve more if taught by minority role models.
Lower achieving science students must be identified at an earlier age.
After school transportation may be an issue for students of low socioeconomic
status. Preventing them from after school help available.
Students of low socioeconomic status without parental support are the biggest
concern.

Plan of Action:

I believe a student survey of equity is necessary. Or a panel of students needs to be

created to discover how students feel in regards to equity at Alliance High school. I
would like to hear their experiences and opinions.
Professional development and training for staff on how to teach equitably is
necessary based on staff responses. Learning how to communicate properly and
what teaching methods work best for diverse students and students from poverty will
improve staff/student relationships and the learning environment.
Creating a more diverse staff should become a priority. If they are not applying or
are not the best candidate then we need to search out better minority candidates.
Our minority students need role models.
Our after school and during school programing is working, we need to keep it going
and make it even more accessible to all students.
A more in depth data analysis should be completed to provide greater insights on all
types of students within the high school, the answers are always in the numbers.