And Still “IRISE”: Effectively Instituting Effective Schools

Research to Improve the Academic Achievement

of African American Youth

Donna Trousdale
Department of Research, Planning, and Evaluation
San Francisco Unified School District

Michael “Chappie” Grice

I.R.I.S.E. Program Director
Department of Integration
San Francisco Unified School District

Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research

Association meeting, April 24-28, 2000. New Orleans, Louisiana.

Questions or comments can be directed to dtrousd@esp.sfusd.edu, 555 Franklin Ave.,

Program Evaluation and Research Office, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 241-6041.
Introduction

It has been a belief among those involved in urban school reform for the last 20
years that children’s achievement potential derives from the nature of the school rather
than the family background or neighborhood (Edmonds, 1979; Lezotte, 1985; Levine,
Levine, & Eubanks, 1985). The I.R.I.S.E. Initiative (Infusing Responsibility For
Intellectual and Scholastic Excellence) was born out of this philosophy. Now in its fifth
year of existence in the San Francisco Unified School District, I.R.I.S.E is a professional
development program designed using the “effective schools” model and other research
that focuses on methods for improving the academic achievement of African American
youth. The program’s goals are centered on equipping educators with the skills necessary
to successfully implement strong, research-based strategies for teaching urban youth so
that the school performance of all children will improve.
IRISE began four years ago when representatives from African American
organizations and other national organizations, associations, local and national grass roots
institutions called a meeting to discuss the status and future of African American youth.
The result of this meeting was the formation of the National Council on Educating Black
Children (NCEBC). Together the Council put together a framework for change called A
Blueprint for Action, which was based on “effective schools” research pioneered by Dr.
Ron Edmonds in the late 1970’s. The IRISE program started as a plan developed in 1994
by the San Francisco Alliance of Black School Educators (SFABSE) who hoped to
converge African centered education and A Blueprint for Action by implementing a
supplementary educational program specially designed to improve the education of
African American students.
During its first year of implementation, SFUSD funded the IRISE Initiative to
conduct professional development seminars during the 1995-96 school year. IRISE
contracted with the Center for Applied Cultural Studies, an educational and professional
development program based at San Francisco State University, to conduct the workshop
series. The workshops introduced participants to the notion of an African-centered
curriculum and trained them to use cultural precepts as tools for literacy skill mastery.
The program has since expanded to include about 20 elementary and middle schools in
the San Francisco Unified School District.
This paper describes the structure, implementation and outcomes of the San
Francisco Unified School District’s IRISE Initiative. The structure and content of the
workshop series, how new skills and knowledge acquired from these workshops are
brought into the classroom and curriculum, the effect on teachers, administrators, and
school culture, and last, the effect of the program on African American youths’ academic
performance will all be discussed.

Research Basis of the I.R.I.S.E. Initiative

I.R.I.S.E. is an educational intervention that stems from “effective schools”

research (Edmonds, 1979; Levine & Lezotte, 1995). This research outlines several
correlates or characteristics of so-called “effective schools,” that is, schools with a high
proportion of students living in poverty whose academic achievement is considerably
higher than similar schools with similar socio-economic demographics. Some of the
most frequently cited correlates (Levine, 1994) include:

1. A productive school climate and culture

2. A focus on student acquisition of central learning skills
3. Appropriate monitoring of student progress
4. Practice-oriented staff development at the school site
5. Outstanding leadership
6. Effective instructional arrangements for low achievers
7. Active and engaged learning
8. Salient parental involvement
9. High, operationalized expectations and requirements for students
10. Multicultural sensitivity

Using these basic ideas, The National Council on Educating Black Children
developed A Blueprint for Action, a model for implementing these characteristics into
school programs. The I.R.I.S.E. Initiative was developed from this model and its
structure is guided by several basis educational assumptions:

1. Schools have the best opportunity and social obligation to mediate learning,
and particularly, language and mathematics literacy development.
2. Effective schools research is a powerful intervention. It is especially powerful
when implemented in urban schools by people who understand thoroughly
African American and other diverse cultures.
3. Teachers want to see their students succeed, but don’t always know how to
make it happen. Professional development strives to “equip” the teacher with
better tools.
4. “We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children
whose education is of interest to us.”—Ronald R. Edmonds
5. We are savvy enough to design curriculum, build environments and heighten
the quality of teacher student relationships to effectively educate children and
garner support of the stakeholders of school communities in the process.

Implementation of these “effective school” correlates and educational tenants,

became the mission of I.R.I.S.E. However, the “effective school” model does not provide
a method or steps educators and/or school systems can take to institute these ideals. The
leaders I.R.I.S.E. turned to other research-supported best practices in education, which
could help define specific classroom practices that would lead to the desired goals.
The effective school model is geared toward improving the educational outcomes
of children living in poverty, but in San Francisco improving the school performance of
African American students, specifically, has been a priority. In developing the
implementation model for I.R.I.S.E., research addressing the education of African
American youth was reviewed.

I.R.I.S.E. and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Researchers have debated for many years whether conflicts result when African
American children are taught and evaluated from an Anglo-centric framework (Delpit,
1995; Perry & Delpit, 1998; Ogbu, 1999; Michaels, 1998; Hale, 1981,1992,1993; Frisby,
1993). This debate was best exemplified in the resent controversy over the notion of
Ebonics. School officials in the Oakland School District debated publicly whether the
social language that African American students spoke was hindering their ability to learn
effectively in a school system that did not recognize or value their language practices.
The founders of I.R.I.S.E. believe that language and learning style conflicts are
largely responsible for the disconnect between African American youth and school
systems that are structured by white, middle-class values and ideals. One possible
solution can be found in the controversial literature regarding “culturally relevant
pedagogy”(e.g. Hilliard, 1976; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Hale, 1981, 1992, 1993). In
following this line of research, one of the main thrusts of the I.R.I.S.E. Initiative has been
to find a way to effectively teach all students by developing a closer fit between students’
home culture and that of school.
One way this has been done is through recognition and understanding of certain
cultural learning styles, particularly those of African American youth. Although the
concept of “black cultural learning styles” is controversial (see Frisby, 1993), it remains a
powerful component of I.R.I.S.E. Research has suggested that cultural learning styles,
which include differences in both cognitive and affective approaches to learning,
develops based on the socialization by families and friends (Cohen, 1971). It is argued
that these differences in socialization create learning styles that can be potentially
problematic once children enter a school community where their learning styles are
incongruent with the Anglo mainstream.
Some elements of black cultural learning styles that have been identified were
first discussed by Hilliard (1976) and Akbar (1975). Hilliard (1976) states that African
Americans tend not to be word dependent, but are proficient in nonverbal as well as
verbal communication. Similarly, Akbar (1975) describes the African American child as
highly affective, socio-centric, preferring oral-aural modalities for learning
communication and spontaneity.
In designing the structure and content of I.R.I.S.E. professional development,
much of the research discussed was drawn upon. Using this research the I.R.I.S.E.
program attempts to teach educators how to tap into black students’ learning styles, to
dignify their language and cognitive experience, and to transmit and support cultural
values while maintaining a demand for academic excellence.

I.R.I.S.E. Strategies, Resources, and Activities

I.R.I.S.E. trains and encourages teachers to implement the strategies,

resources, and learning activities that research has suggested to be effective in
tapping into African American learning styles and helping to improve academic
achievement and overall student success.
One of the ways in which this is done is through what Augusta Mann calls
“Touching the Spirit.” Mann and others (see also Hale, 1981; Tedla, 1992) make the
claim that the basis of African and African American culture is spirituality or
“soulfulness.” Tapping into this aspect of culture will help bring about educational
excellence. This can be done by designing curriculum and instruction that draws upon
the strong oral, musical, and communal traditions of African culture (i.e. Health, 1983).
It is through this idea that the five African and African American Teaching and Learning
Patterns (Mann, 1998, Workshop Handout) were identified.
The five African and African American Teaching and Learning Patterns (5 R’s)
include:

1. Ritual (such as affirmations and/or performances)

2. Rhythm (in the form of music, speech, and movement)
3. Recitation (oral performances, memorization)
4. Repetition (such that it enhances meaningfulness)
5. Relationships (love, respect, belonging, recognizing ties between humans and
nature, making connections between school work and student’s life
experiences).

It is intended that these patterns be infused into every aspect of the typical
I.R.I.S.E. curriculum, especially in language arts. Teachers are trained to use tools such
as rhythm, oral recitations, memorization, dance, and rap to help students develop
language skills. For instance, I.R.I.S.E. provides teachers with a list of the 1,000 most
commonly used words in the English language. Teachers are instructed to use various
oral recitation strategies that incorporate the “5 R’s” to help students master word
analysis, spelling, vocabulary acquisition, and phonemic awareness. Also, I.R.I.S.E.
encourages teachers to make use of learning activities that help students build
relationships, the last of the 5 R’s. These activities include, but are not limited to,
cooperative learning, reading aloud, storytelling, research projects that use interviews,
role playing, and oral reporting,
One of the more essential strategies integrated into the I.R.I.S.E. model, is a
strong emphasis on building cultural awareness by instilling knowledge and pride into
ones cultural heritage while also providing basic tenets for positive social interaction.
I.R.I.S.E. teachers are encouraged to teach their students cultural precepts such as the
Virtues of MAAT and the Seven Principles of Nguzo Saba. The Virtues of MAAT are
derived from the ancient Egyptian 42 Virtues of MAAT and are used for the purpose of
building community, and the Seven Principles of Nguzo Saba are derived from the
principles of Quanza and are used for the purpose of building character (see Table 1
below). Teachers are taught the significance of these precepts and are encouraged to refer
to their meanings and practicality throughout the school year.

Table 1: Components of the “Virtues of MAAT” and “Nguzo Saba”

Virtues of MAAT
Truth—Statement of fact or a life that exemplifies virtue
Justice—The quality of being just and fair
Propriety—To behave and speak in an appropriate way
Balance—Mentally steady, emotionally stable, even
Reciprocity—The Golden Rule: The things you do, come back to you
Harmony—At peace with yourself, doing your part, being a friend
Order—First things first, work then play

The Seven Principles of Nguzo Saba

Umoja—Unity
 Kujichagulia—Self determination
Ujima—Collective work & responsibility
Ujamaa—Cooperative economic
Nia—Purpose
Kuumba—Creativity
Imani-- Faith

These precepts emphasize virtues such as community, fairness, and spirituality.

I.R.I.S.E. provides teachers with posters and charts to display throughout the classroom
outlining these concepts which help to create a stimulating learning environment. Often
times, in an I.R.I.S.E. classroom, the Virtues of MAAT and the Principles replace
classroom rules. For instance, if a student speaks out of turn or is speaking while the
teacher is speaking, they are reprimanded for not showing “propriety.” Or if is student is
not doing their part in a group project, they are reprimanded for not showing “Ujima.”
Students in a I.R.I.S.E. classroom memorize these terms and understand their meaning,
and teachers often say that their students feel a communal obligation to acting responsibly
as opposed to having to “obey rules.”
The I.R.I.S.E. professional development workshops also encourage teachers to
practice these virtues within a context of effective educational practices. I.R.I.S.E. has
defined these practices as the Nine Supportive Practices. They include:

1. Expectations of excellence
2. Continual search for patterns
3. Insistence on working toward mastery
4. Teacher modeling of skills and processes
5. Intensive, direct instruction and practice
6. Creative and symbolic “deep” thought
7. Focus on discourse and inquiry
8. Using knowledge for social criticism and community action
9. In depth study and performance of African and African American culture

In relation to the last of the supportive practices (#9), teachers are provided with
books and displays of pictures and artifacts that are representative of African American
culture. I.R.I.S.E. offers each teacher African cloth (kinte cloth) as well as posters of
famous African Americans in history. Teachers are not expected to just display these
artifacts, but to use them as teaching tools and weave them into their basic curriculum.

Methods for Evaluating I.R.I.S.E. in Action

Methods for Classroom Visits

Site visits were made in the middle of the year to classrooms suggested by the
program director. These classrooms were suggested because the teachers have attended
most of the professional development workshops provided by I.R.I.S.E. and have been
identified by the program director as fully implementing the I.R.I.S.E. model. About 10
classrooms were identified. From the suggested list the evaluator randomly chose three
teachers with whom to visit and conduct an extensive interview. One teacher was an
African American male who was relatively new to I.R.I.S.E. professional development as
well as new to the teaching profession. At the time of the visit he was in his third year of
teaching in a 2nd grade classroom. The 2nd teacher was also an African American male
but a veteran teacher for over 30 years in an urban middle school who has been with
I.R.I.S.E. since its beginning. The third teacher was a Hispanic/Anglo female and also a
veteran middle school teacher of 13 years and a veteran of I.R.I.S.E. About 90% of the
students in these classrooms were African American.
These sites visits were structured using a format used in cognitive coaching
(Garmston et al., 1993), a method that supports teacher self-assessment and professional
development. The format of cognitive coaching is threefold: (1) a pre-session in which
the evaluator asks the teacher what the objectives and activities are for the session, (2) the
observation, in which what students are “up to” in the classroom is recorded, and; (3) a
post-session, in which the evaluator asks the teacher to assess the session for its
representativeness and its success in meeting the objectives defined for the session. In this
case, the post-sessions included a formal interview.
When visiting classrooms, in addition to taking the teachers’ own perceptions of
the session into account, the evaluator looked for successful implementation of the
following “planned activities” outlined previously while conducting site visits at each
site:

Use of the 5 R’s. Teachers should be incorporating ritual, rhythm, recitation, and
repetition into their curriculum.

Use of the Nine Supportive Practices. The evaluator should see evidence that
teachers are making use of the practices (outlined previously) in their curriculum.

Display and use of Virtues of MAAT and Nguzo Saba. Teachers should not only
have these principles displayed in their classroom, they should try to infuse them into
their daily practice.

Overall creation of an I.R.I.S.E. classroom. Teachers should have created an

environment that is indicative of all the previously outlined I.R.I.S.E. principles.

Methodology for Teacher Interview

In addition to seeing evidence of “planned activities,” the evaluator also looked

for evidence of “culturally relevant practices.” In Gloria Ladson-Billings’ book
Dreamkeepers (1994), she attempts to profile the characteristics of effective teachers of
urban youth. In so doing, she identifies attributes that successful teachers of African
American children possess. She calls these special attributes “culturally relevant
practices.”
Using the site visits and an interview protocol developed by Ladson-Billings (see
Appendix A), an attempt was made to identify these attributes in I.R.I.S.E. teachers.
After the site visit, at a time that was convenient for the teacher (usually recess or
lunchtime), the evaluator conducted the open-ended interview, which was tape recorded.
The tapes were later transcribed and analyzed for evidence of “culturally relevant
practices” as defined by Ladson-Billings (1994).
Implementation of I.R.I.S.E. and Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices

After analyzing information from the site visits and the interviews, three emergent
themes were identified that exemplified the teaching practices of I.R.I.S.E. teachers. In
describing these themes, the method of social science portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot &
Davis, 1997) is employed. Portraiture aims to “capture the complexity and dynamics of
human experience and organizational life” by telling a compelling story about what takes
place in the classroom or program activity. It is an aesthetic as well as scientific form,
focused on a thick description of the context, the persons in the activity and their
relationships to one another, and on the themes that emerge from those relationships

Teachers utilize culture as a vehicle for learning and provide the opportunity for
students to develop and maintain cultural integrity

One of the main aspects of I.R.I.S.E. professional development is to provide

teachers with skills and strategies for integrating African American culture and cultural
precepts into their classrooms and curriculums. The materialization of this goal was
compelling at each of the classrooms that were visited. In order to fully describe the role
that culture played in the teaching practices of the three teachers, 3 areas will be
discussed: (1) classroom environment (2) discipline; and (3) curriculum.

Classroom Environment
The first thing that is noticed when one steps into these classrooms is that the
environment is much different than then average elementary or middle school class. It
usually consists of very rich visual displays with African themes. The following are
descriptions of two of the I.R.I.S.E. classrooms that were visited:
Classroom 1:
On the walls of the classroom there were many African American artifacts,
photographs, and inspiring messages. There was a section of the wall dedicated to
famous “African American Achievers.” This consisted of a series of colored photographs
with people such as Jessie Jackson, Alvin Ailey, Jr., Bill Cosby, Florence Griffith Joyner,
etc. From the ceiling hung arts and crafts representations of the Virtues of MAAT. Each
Virtue was represented accompanied by a drawing depicting its meaning. For instance,
“Reciprocity” had a picture of people exchanging gifts, and so forth. There was a giant
kinte cloth that covered one of the walls and several covered tables throughout the room.
On the opposite side of the room there was a large display of a collection of stories and
essays written by the students. The series was entitled, “Who is Dr. Martin Luther King?”

Classroom 2:
In huge letters on the wall to the right was a mural with “I.R.I.S.E.” printed on it
and with Infusing Responsibility for Intellectual and Scholastic Excellence written
beneath it. On the far wall was another giant mural dedicated to the Virtues of MAAT
and the Nguzu Saba outlined in kinte cloth. On the opposite wall were more posters
outlining these principles and concepts. Towards the back of the room was a wall
displaying a series called, “Africa, the motherland” with maps and pictures of different
people and countries of Africa. There was also a small mural in the corner of the room
called, “Noted African Americans.” Above that there was a poster of Malcolm X and
Martin Luther King. Directly behind me were some photographs of different African
countries such as Mali, Ghana, Egypt, and Songhal.
 Although these descriptions give only a limited visual of the physical atmosphere
of the classrooms which were visited, it is possible for one to get a feeling for how deeply
each room was imbued with a sense of African culture and heritage. Each classroom was
colorfully decorated in African fabrics called kinte cloths and displays of the Ki-Swahili
“Virtues” and “Principles” (described earlier). It is also possible to get a sense of the
attempt to build positive ethnic identities for youth by visibly displaying various arrays of
African American role models throughout the classroom.

Classroom Discipline
Another area in which culture was being utilized to facilitate learning was through
classroom discipline. All three of the teachers interviewed expressed that their previous
list of classroom rules had been replaced with the Virtues of MAAT and the Principles of
the Nguzo Saba. These teachers also made a point to reference these concepts when
reprimanding students. In conversation with one I.R.I.S.E. teacher she explains the
following:

The use of the Virtues of MAAT and the Principles of the Nguzo Saba have really
become [the basis of my classroom]. I still have [my classroom rules] up there on the
wall…(pointing) those are my 7 classroom rules, but they are old and some of them faded
because I have been using them for over 17 years. But there isn’t anything up there that
isn’t support by the Virtues and the Principles. So I always, whatever the activity is, I
always highlight the Virtues and the Principles and that kind of becomes more…it helps
identify what behaviors are needed to be successful.

In addition to explicitly stating that the average classroom rules had been replaced
with the Virtues and the Principles, it was also seen “in action” during one site visit. In
the following portraiture, a 2nd grade teacher invokes the Virtues in order to quiet his
class:

It is now 10 am and the students have just finished a phonics lesson. Mr. Tanish*
calls the students to the front of the room. They take this moment to give their teacher a
hug. Mr. Tanish proudly obliges his students and reciprocates their affections. He then
asks them to take a seat. He begins to explain the next lesson. He informs the students
that in honor of the upcoming Dr. Martin Luther King Day holiday, they as a class will be
writing a rap song based on the essays they had written entitled, “Who is Martin Luther
King.” Mr. Tanish goes on to describe the logistics of the project to the students. After
explaining the project to the kids, he orchestrates a classroom discussion refreshing the
students on basic facts of Dr. King’s life. The students are asked to raise their hands and
tell the group any facts they can remember from the papers they had written. A rich
conversation ensues around Dr. King’s birth, college, relationship to Rosa Parks, etc. The
students become extremely excited to impress their teacher with their knowledge and
begin to speak over on another. Mr. Tanish quickly jumps in and asks the students to
show “heshima” (Ki-Swahili for “show respect”). He then states, “Do you know which of
our Virtues we loose when more than one student speaks at the same time?” A student
raises her and responds, “Order.”

This teacher, who is often viewed as a role model for incoming I.R.I.S.E. teachers,
has infused every aspect of his teaching with cultural precepts and his students, who are
almost all African American, seem to respond positively to his style. In addition to using
the Virtues and Principles as classroom rules, he refers to his students as “Watoto” which
is “intelligent children” in Ki-Swahili. He also teaches them a new Ki-Swahili word
everyday.

Curriculum
Lastly, the I.R.I.S.E. teachers whose classes were visited have also permeated
many aspects of their curriculum with cultural relevancy. A major concept that teachers
learn in the professional development workshops is the potential effectiveness of teaching
strategies such as recitation, repetition, ritual, and relationship. As mentioned earlier,
researchers have suggested that these strategies may tap into certain cultural learning
styles of African American children (e.g. Hale, 1981). Use of all of these strategies was
seen at every site visit. “Ritual” and “relationship” were often exhibited at the beginning
of the class and seemed to manifest itself as a formal opening and/or closing ceremony.
The following is a description of one such ceremony:

At 7:45 Mr. Franklin arrived and guided his students into the classroom. After
students arrive and take a seat, a young boy named Donny asked the class to gather in the
center of the room. The class did as he requested. The students gathered in the middle of
the room and Donny lead the morning mantra, which consisted of the group repeating
phrases such as, “I’m here to do great things,” “I will respect myself, my family, my
fellow classmates,” “I’m here to learn,” and “I will respect my heritage and my culture.”
The students then pass a kinte cloth to one another and say, “I wish you good will and
happiness throughout the day.”
At 9:25 students began to put their things away and are asked to move into the
center of the room by another student. The students kept talking and horsing around and
Mr. Franklin says, “There is no point in doing this task if you are not going to internalize
it. It is just words otherwise.” The students quiet down and perform the dismissal ritual.
They hold hands and repeat a mantra that begins as, “the circle binds us as a people…”

The students, although wound up by the end of the class, understood the ritual and
participated willingly. It not only provided them with a moment to calm down before and
after class, but also gave them the opportunity to make a connection with fellow
classmates that they might not make otherwise.
A striking example of how rhythm was integrated into the curriculum was seen in
Mr. Tanish’s classroom. Every day the students participate in a spelling lesson, which is
described below:

The students sit on the floor in the front the class and Mr. Tanish takes out a flip
chart with about 14 words written on it. He then turns on the tape recorder, which begins
to lightly play a slow, rhythmic beat. The students sit for a moment swaying to the beat.
Pointing to the first word on the flip chart, Mr. Tanish begins the “spelling rap.” To the
rhythm of the music, he says, “The word..is..outfit…..Spell it!” The students respond in
unison, “O.U.T…F.I.T.” They quickly move on to the next word. Mr. Tanish begins,
“The word…is…machine…..Spell it!” Again the class chimes in perfect accord to the
beat of the music, “M..A..C..H...I..NE.” The group works through all 14 words.

In addition to the students appearing to respond favorably to this method of

studying spelling, the effectiveness of this technique was further supported by responses
provided in an interview. After this class was dismissed for recess, Mr. Tanish was asked
to discuss some of the things he has done in the classroom that have facilitated the
academic success of his African American children. He states:
 Well, again, going back to the I.R.I.S.E. strategies, in terms of using rhythm
particularly…because again, talking about relating to what African American children
have historically and culturally have been able to connect with as well as their current
every day situation, we know that African American children love music, they love to
move, they love to sing along. You know, they love the rhythm. I really, really try to
infuse in a lot of that. One strategy in particular, I started to rap the spelling words. I
started last year and immediately saw instant improvement in the scores…their spelling
scores. It was instantaneous because they just love the rhythm.

It would be impossible to detail all of the ways in which these I.R.I.S.E. teachers
utilized culture as a learning tool and provided students with opportunities to gain
knowledge and pride in their cultural heritage. There were many. However, these few
examples provide a glimpse into the effectiveness of I.R.I.S.E. professional development
in providing teachers with specific strategies for harnessing cultural precepts for
improved teaching and learning.

Teachers maintain an attitude and utilize instructional techniques that support the
doctrine that all children can learn

In Ron Edmonds’ now famous article, “Effective Schools for the Urban Poor,” he
contests the idea that the children who come from impoverished communities are to
blame when they fail to achieve in school. The premise of I.R.I.S.E. is that despite socio-
economic or familial challenges, all children are inherently educable. Teachers who
participate in I.R.I.S.E. professional development are not only made aware of this notion,
but are also provided with solid, research-based strategies that help them make this notion
a reality.
One idea that the I.R.I.S.E. teachers seemed to possess, which is emphasized in
training, is that there job as educators is to “pull out knowledge” rather than “put
knowledge in.” Students are recognized as coming to the classroom with a breadth of
knowledge and intellect, which teachers are responsible for drawing out of the students.
Instructionally, this often manifests itself in “scaffolding” (Vygotsky, 1978) techniques
whereby teachers help students to build upon what they already know.
During an interview with Ms. Peterson, a 6th grade I.R.I.S.E. teacher, she explains
strategies she uses to facilitate the success of students in her classroom, whom are mostly
African American. She states:

“Because of the community I teach I know that they bring in their own culture, their own
rich cultural language that is not necessarily mainstream language. I don’t assume that
they are reading and speaking mainstream English and writing mainstream English…[so]
I do a lot of scaffolding which I think is real important. And I don’t ever assume that they
are all going to understand what I’m asking them to do… I try to help them see that they
can always go back and improve their work. They can always take it to another level. So
there is a lot of scaffolding that I employ with the students. They all need it. And as an
adult, I kind of need that when I’m being asked to something. Show me how to get there,
don’t just tell me to do something, but show me how.”

Ms. Peterson’s use of scaffolding was seen during the site visit. The day before
the students had been given a creative writing homework assignment. They were asked to
write a short descriptive story describing their bedroom. They were told to be as
descriptive as possible. The lesson was called, “Show not Tell.” The next day the
students brought their stories to class with them and Ms. Peterson discussed the idea of
“description.” The following is a portraiture of this lesson:

Ms. Peterson had made a flip chart with pictures corresponding to each of the 5
senses. The caption on the chart read, “Paint a picture with words.” The sub-caption
said, “looks like” (accompanied by a drawing of an eye), “tastes like” (accompanied by a
drawing of a mouth), and “feels like” (accompanied by a drawing of a hand). Ms.
Peterson then begins a discussion with the group regarding “sensory” writing. She asks
the class to raise their hands and explain what is meant by “sensory.” A young girl raises
her hand and responds, “It means to use words that describe.” Ms. Peterson agrees and
begins handing out a sheet of paper listing many different colorful and descriptive
adjectives. She then instructs the class to look at what they have written and circle all the
descriptive words they can find.
As the class works on this task, several students ask questions. Ms. Peterson
makes a point not to provide straight out answers. Instead, she encourages other students
in the class to try and answer the questions. After several students have tried to answer,
Ms. Peterson builds on the responses and provides clarification.
The class continues to work as Ms. Peterson walks around the room checking in
on each of her students. As she circles the room she announces that these papers were
only the first draft. She then asks the class, “How many of you are satisfied with your
paper?” No one raises their hand. She then explains that they will have a chance to go
back and replace their “boring” adjectives with more complex, descriptive words. She
goes on to explain that she will not except use of words like “stuff” “big” “little” “good”
or “bad.” She asks the class to generate some examples of words that are more interesting
and descriptive that can replace a word such as “big.” The class eagerly raises their hands
to provide examples.

This lesson continues with students examining different adjectives from the
worksheets they were given. After a thoughtful discussion amongst the class, Ms.
Peterson closes by asking the students to take their essays home with them and replace all
the adjectives they had circled with the more complex words from the handouts.
This lesson is a perfect example of the use of scaffolding. It was assumed that the
class had a basic understanding of how to write descriptively, thus, students were first
given the opportunity to write a draft of their stories. Ms. Peterson then provided the
students with tools, such as worksheets with lists of adjectives, to build upon and improve
what they already knew. They were then given a chance to write a second draft. This
instructional technique is one way for Ms. Peterson to insure that all students in her class
hand in completed assignments that are of the quality she expects.
Other evidence that was seen which suggested that I.R.I.S.E. teachers supported
the doctrine that “every child can learn,” was found in the teacher-student relationships.
Overall, the relationship between teacher and student was exacting but equitable.
Excellence was always expected in every aspect of their learning. Evidence of this was
seen in the form of reprimands that the teachers gave students. In almost every case,
rather than simply scolding a student for misbehaving or talking, the teachers used the
opportunity to foster the student’s own educational self-determination. They made a
point to emphasize that learning was for their benefit and to articulate their desire for each
student to rise to his or her potential.
Mr. Franklin, for instance, took every opportunity he could to let the students
know that he cared whether or not they learned. He also tried to instill in his students a
responsibility for their own learning. In the first example, students were expected to
bring a novel to class every day since the first 15 minutes of class were dedicated to silent
reading. During the site visit, several students had failed to bring their books…

Mr. Franklin walks around the classroom stopping at each student’s desk to
examine the novel they had chosen to read. He makes a point to say something positive
about each student’s choice. As he speaks to one young boy, he says, “that is an
excellence choice. I’m sure you’ll find this book interesting and challenging to read.” As
he continues to check books, Mr. Franklin comes across several students who have failed
to bring their novel. Mr. Franklin is extremely disturbed and reprimands these students.
He says, “This means you are not being responsible and living up to your true
capabilities. I know each one of you had plenty of time and opportunity to get a book.
I’m extremely disappointed in you.”

Later during the same class, Mr. Franklin explains a project that the class will be
working on for Black History month. He begins to tell the class about a poem that they
will be memorizing and reciting…

Mr. Franklin walks around the classroom and hands out the poem to the students.
He then stands at the front of the room and explains the history of the poem they are about
to read. As he explains this to the class a young girl is chatting with her friend. Mr.
Franklin stops and addresses the girl, “You realize that you are disrespecting yourself by
drawing negative attention to yourself. Don’t you think you deserve better than that?
Why do you think some students are more successful than other? Because they are able
to pay attention when new things are being introduced.” The girl stops talking and he
continues with the lesson.

Several minutes a later as Mr. Franklin dissects the poem for meaning and tries to
discuss the historical significance of Homer, the class is reprimanded for talking. He
says, “I want you all to be quiet right now. You must all remember the importance of
learning and respecting yourself enough to gain knowledge when it is presented to you.”
Similar instances were seen in Ms. Peterson’s class. As students began to chatter
during a lesson she stops and says, “We don’t have time to talk, but we do have time to
learn.” Later during the same lesson a young boy is reprimanded for talking. She says,
“Jose, I want you to know how important it is for you to stay focused while you are here.
I want you to have a good year.”
Also, in conversation with Mr. Tanish, he further emphasizes the idea that every
child can learn and the importance of high expectations in insuring that this happens. He
states:

I have to get on [the students] sometimes. I have to raise my voice and I definitely have
to let them know that my expectations are high. You have to let your children know that
you have high expectations and you have to make sure that you don’t lower that
bar…lower that standard. I have seen it in many instances where teachers have lowered
their expectations and sure enough the children will act like they can get away with
murder. Whereas if they are in a room with a teacher who has high expectations, the
behavior changes right away. So I really try to let them know that I have high
expectations, I expect them to be able to stand in a straight line, I expect them to walk
through the hallways quietly, etc. I also try to give them a lot of responsibility for
themselves.

Ms. Peterson shares similar sentiments:

 “I don’t fool around. I don’t compromise. I’m consistent with everybody. It’s like, ‘sit
down now!’ and if you can’t sit down, these are your choices. I give students choices,
like ‘these are your choices, you are going to sit down and do your work or you are going
to have to go to the counseling office.’ I mean discipline is never a problem because I
don’t have time for it and the students don’t have time for it….I always let the students
know what they can expect from me, and then what their job is in return. If they don’t
think I did something fairly, they can come and talk to me after class, but not during class.
…When students act up, I usually just say it right to the point, this is it and there is no
room for argument. I don’t argue and I do believe with African American students, they
want to know that. They want to know that you are in charge and they know exactly what
you want from them and it needs to be real clear and real direct. No beating around the
bush. You know how some teachers might interact with them, it’s like, ‘well, shouldn’t
we all sit in our seats?’ No! That is not what we are going to do, ‘sit in your seat!!’ End
of question.”

Although it is unknown whether all the participating I.R.I.S.E. teachers have

internalized these ideas regarding high expectations which are presented in the
professional development workshops, the teachers described here have definitely
developed an understanding of the importance of demanding excellence for all their
students all of the time. In addition, these teachers never let outlying circumstances
change or determine their expectations of the students. In fact, the backgrounds and
cultural styles students brought with them to the classroom were seen as a bonus not a
deterrent to learning. All three teachers when interviewed expressed similar beliefs as
those expressed by Mr. Tanish below:

The first thing you have to realize is that [African American] children are very active.
They like to move; they like to talk. We are very, very oral people. However, that
doesn’t mean they should be excused from being able to show order, to be able to stand in
line, to be able to move from A to B at a given time without being disruptive. You have
to…I think you really have to have your routines mapped out, set out, and make sure you
go through that same routine everyday, so they know exactly what they are supposed to
do. Of course, you can throw in some new things here and there, but a set structure is
important.

It is through these beliefs and the ways in which these beliefs manifest themselves in the
teaching styles of these teachers that excellence for all students is achieved in their
classrooms.

Teachers demonstrate a connectedness with all students and cultivate relationships

that extend beyond the classroom by fostering a “community of learners” that
encompasses both student and family.

As Ladson-Billings (1994) points out teachers with culturally relevant practices

are careful to maintain a connectiveness with each of their students. As she states, “[i]
nstead of idiosyncratic and individualistic connections with certain students, these
teachers work to assure each student of his or her individual importance” (ibid. p. 66).
Because of this research-based belief, relationship is an entity highly valued in the
I.R.I.S.E. program. It is included as one of the 5 R’s and strategies for developing
relationships are consistently being taught in the professional development seminars.
During the site visits and interviews, positive relationship building was continuously seen
and explicitly expressed as being important by the three I.R.I.S.E. teachers. During an
interview, Mr. Tanish was asked to discuss what he would teach teachers in order to be
more effective with African American students. He expressed the importance of making
sure his students knew how much he cared about them. He states:

I think it would be important to really have a very close relationship not only with the
African American students, but with all students. And let them know that you are very,
very concerned about them actually learning and making a difference in their lives. I
think in many instances the lower quartile kids, irregardless of color…they are lost in the
shuffle…many because they cannot make that connection or the, the initial connection of
relationship say between the educator and the student themselves. Once that’s done, all
doors open, and they open very, very wide. And the whole idea is to just make a
difference in the lives of young people you are working with.

Ms. Peterson, when asked to describe her philosophy of teaching, described the same
sentiments toward the importance of relationship. She comments:

I think it is really important there be…that the classroom environment and the culture of
the classroom be really the foundation for everything…any learning that goes on. For me,
it’s very important to have a repertoire with all of my students, but to be real consistent
and firm and to always let them know that I’m the teacher…basically I let them know that,
‘I’m in charge and my job is to help you to learn and to develop as a whole person, and
I’m going to do it and we’re going to do it together because you’re going to do your job
which is to be a student, and I’m going to do my job which is teach because I care about
you.’ And I think really, if a student knows the teacher cares about them…I think it is
really important to create an environment that’s based on real concern and care, but also
real attention to learning and the value of learning, the importance of learning and to also
support those who are struggling.

The relationships that these teachers try to establish by no means end with the
close of the school day. They extend into the homes of the children and include
relationship building with families and caregivers. Often times this presents a challenge
but all three teachers expressed their tenacity of will to make sure parents play a role in
their child’s education. As Ms. Peterson claims,:

The students who really seem to take off are a part of a learning community that involves
a teacher who cares about them, the child, and the parent that is monitoring what they are
doing, asking questions, staying on top of their child’s work.

The teachers that were interview each described efforts that they have taken and
have continued to take in order to create and maintain this type of “learning community”
despite the challenges presented by the socio-economics of the students they teach.
During the interview, Mr. Tanish described his efforts to establish a relationship with the
families of his students…

It’s been very challenging. A lot of parents, a lot of the children I should say, they come
from homes that have a lot of problems…and many times, it’s difficult to get the parents
to work with you…even though they mean well, they are not sure of what they should be
doing. What I have tried to do, I have always tried to establish a relationship with them,
invite them into the classroom, invite them along on field trips, etc. And whenever I have
contact with them, whether it be personal or on the phone, I try to talk to them about the
things that we are doing, about the things I think they could do as parents to help [their
child].
 A veteran teacher for over 30 years, Mr. Franklin explained that he’s well aware
of the importance of involving the family and the successful efforts he’s made to do so.
Mr. Franklin describes this commitment:

I really recognize the importance of teaching the whole child. If kids are coming in with
problems, and if we want to find out exactly what these problems are and how we can
help, then it means becoming involved at every level. And in order to be totally
successful in working with young people today, you really have to have and ongoing
parent relationship …if we are really going to reach [kids] and reach them effectively,
there has to be an ongoing relationship with the home as well as with the young people. I
invite parents to come in and I have made it a point to know all of my parents. That is
why I am very successful in getting my students to Africa [this summer] and things like
that. Because the parents are there and they are with us, they come, and the doors are
always open.

Although, the improvement of parent involvement or techniques for creating more

parent involvement is not a main focus of I.R.I.S.E., it remains a central aspect of
culturally relevant teaching practices. The teachers participating in the interviews, having
worked with diverse populations of students, have developed a keen awareness of the
importance of teaching, as Mr. Tanish states, “the whole child.” This, on the other hand,
is a goal of I.R.I.S.E.—to help teachers develop skills and strategies for creating
“communities” and “extended families” in their classroom. As Ladson-Billings (1994)
points out, students who feel connected to their environment and connected to the people
around them, have a better chance of succeeding academically. This is particularly true
for African American youth.
As Nobles (1973) claims, African cultural norms support a different worldview of
the self as compared to the Western view-- “The African world view suggests that ‘I am
because we are and because we are, I am.’ In so emphasizing, this view makes no real
distinction between the self and others. They are in a sense one and the same…One’s
self-identity is therefore always a people identity, or what could be called an…extended
self” (ibid. p. 11). In other words, developing a learning community that African
American youth feel strongly apart of and can relate to is key to their motivation to learn
and succeed in school. Overall, it was very obvious that the teachers interviewed had a
deep understanding that students need to have a sense of community and that parents
and/or caregivers are integral.

Role of Professional Development Workshops in Supporting Teaching

I.R.I.S.E. professional development over the years has provided teachers with paid
opportunities to attend seminars conducted by such education experts as John Ogbu, Meir
Ben-Hur, Noma LeMoine, and Dr. Orlando Taylor to name only a few that teach teachers
how to implement their research in the classroom. Other prominent educators have also
been invited to provide workshops around various topics. Some topics have included
effective schools research and ways in which it can be imbued in schools, methods for
making curriculum materials interesting and accessible to all children, and ways in which
to connect with and/or draw upon students home experiences in the classrooms. These
seminars are held after school and on Saturdays and teachers are offered small stipends
for their attendance. I.R.I.S.E. also has provided school-day motivational seminars for
students, as well as a vast library of model lessons on video-tape, research materials, and
classroom curriculum materials available for teachers’ use.
For the two veteran teachers, many of the ways in which they interacted with their
students, for the most part, did not occur as a direct result of I.R.I.S.E. professional
development. These teachers already possessed much of their sensitivity to diverse,
urban student populations through their past experiences and through their own natural
proclivity. However, these teachers did believe that I.R.I.S.E. professional development
served as a support and/or vindication of their teaching techniques. They also felt that
I.R.I.S.E. provided them with more specific, structured ways of doing things, and
provided them with a support system which includes a network of colleagues who have a
similar desire of improving teaching and learning for African American youth. For the
new teacher, I.R.I.S.E. taught him a great deal—almost everything he does in his
classroom is due to I.R.I.S.E. support.
Ms. Peterson, who—as mentioned earlier—has been teaching in an urban
environment for over 13 years, did not believe that I.R.I.S.E. had changed the
fundamentals of her teaching. She did, however, believe that the program had given her
more specific strategies and activities for her to employ in her classroom. In her own
words:

What I have really gained from I.R.I.S.E…there are a couple of things. One thing is that
it has really supported and validated a lot of the very things that I already believe and do.
So for me, that was very important because it is not always out there. And it has actually
helped me develop in some areas because…some of the strategies I have employed with
the students, some of the language development activities actually have names to them.
And so I have really been able to look at how I.R.I.S.E. has identified certain types of
activities so now I can call it something…Also, [although] I’ve always worked with
diverse students, I think just going through some of the training that I.R.I.S.E. has offered
has really helped me to be more sensitive, especially to the African American
community—what their needs are…their learning styles, etc.

Mr. Tanish, on the other hand, has only been teaching for three years. For him, a lot of
what he knows about teaching has come from I.R.I.S.E. He states:

I would say that the majority of strategies and teaching methods, particularly geared to
African Americans…I.R.I.S.E. is where I got my wealth of strategies and information.
Even in my classes in the credential program, even though there is a lot of focus on
diversity, etc, etc, there aren’t many specific strategies, you know, geared toward a
diverse population in the classroom.

For Mr. Franklin, I.R.I.S.E. professional development has taught him to streamline his
teaching style and given him a support system for doing what he loves. He states:

With I.R.I.S.E. I have learned in the past three years…I have learned to work extremely
smart and not hard and to love every minute of it. Absolutely. This is due to my
involvement in I.R.I.S.E. The wonderful thing is that I have made some great connections
with other fellow colleagues throughout the District who really pretty much feel the same
way I do in terms of teaching. And it’s marvelous, I don’t feel as if I have two heads.
The things that I deem in terms of high standards of excellence, other people feel the
same way and oddly enough, everyone in education doesn’t feel this way. But being an
experienced teacher and knowing exactly where I want to go, I am able to glean ideas
from other people who feel as equally as committed to teaching young people as I do.
 And that’s the marvelous thing about I.R.I.S.E. I’ve learned very succinctly to work
extremely smart and not hard.

In conclusion, after visiting the classrooms and interviewing these

teachers, it became clear that I.R.I.S.E. professional development workshops have
been extremely effective in providing specific strategies that help insure skilled
teaching and support teacher morale.

Learning Outcomes of Youth in I.R.I.S.E. Classrooms

In order to understand the impact I.R.I.S.E. professional development has had on

the achievement of African American students, African American students enrolled in
veteran I.R.I.S.E. teacher’s classrooms (three or more years of I.R.I.S.E. professional
development) were compared to a demographically equivalent group of students not
enrolled in veteran I.R.I.S.E. teachers’ classrooms. The comparison group was created
by matching the percentages of the grade, ethnicity, gender, and free/reduced lunch status
for students for whom academic outcome data were available. Using the District
database, students who were not enrolled in veteran I.R.I.S.E. teachers’ classrooms, but
attended schools in similar urban neighborhoods were then randomly selected so that the
above- mentioned characteristics of the sample of comparison students closely matched
the sample of students enrolled in veteran I.R.I.S.E. teacher’s classrooms (see Appendix
B for demographics of each group).
Student achievement was measured by assessing change on the Stanford-9
Reading and Math sub-tests. Only students with two years of test score (Spring 1998 and
Spring 1999) data were included in the two samples. In addition, students’ GPA and
suspension rates were analyzed.

Reading Growth

By Spring 1999 students enrolled in Veteran IRISE classrooms made significantly

greater gains in Reading compared to students enrolled in the Comparison Group
classrooms (F=4.13, p<.05). See Table 2.

Table 2: SAT-9 Reading NCEs: African American Students Enrolled in Veteran

IRISE Classrooms vs. Comparison Classrooms

Spring 1998 Spring

NCEs 1999 Difference Veteran vs. Comp
NCEs Group
Veteran IRISE
(n=342) 34.35 36.36 2.01*
Comparison Group
(n=185) 34.71 34.54 -.17
*p<.0
5
Math Growt
h
By Spring 1999 students enrolled in Veteran IRISE classrooms made significantl
y greater gains in Math compared to students enrolled in Comparison Group classroom
s (F=7.24, p<.05). See Table 3
.
 Table 3: SAT-9 Math NCEs: African American Students Enrolled in Veteran
IRISE Classrooms vs. Comparison Classrooms

Spring 1998 Spring

NCEs 1999 Difference Veteran vs. Comp
NCEs Group
Veteran IRISE
(n=360) 34.68 36.81 2.13*
Comparison Group
(n=185) 36.69 35.14 -1.55
*p<.0
5
Grade Point Averag
e
African American students participating in Veteran I.R.I.S.E. classrooms mad
e significantly greater gains in GPA than students in the Comparison Group classrooms (
F=6.98, p<.05). See Table 4
.
Table 4: Grade Point Average: African American Students Enrolled in Vetera
n IRISE Classrooms vs. Comparison Classroom
s
Spring 199 A Sprin A e
8 GP g 199 Differen Veteran vs. Com
9 GP p Grou
Veteran IRIS ) 6 2
E (n=209 1.9 2.2 *.3
4
Comparison Grou )2.0 3 2.1 3 *.1
p (n=146
*p<.
0
5
Suspension Rat
e
s In 1997-98 students enrolled in Veteran I.R.I.S.E. classrooms experienced a
4% increase in suspensions from 1997-98 to the 1998-99 school year, while students enrol
ed in the Comparison Group classrooms experienced a 3% increase in suspensions. A c
hi-square analysis showed that there was no difference between Veteran I.R.I.S.E. studen
ts and the Comparison Group with regards to the increases in suspensions (χ2=1.07, df=
1, p>.0
5
)Table 5: Suspension Rates: Percentage of African American Students Enrolled
in Veteran IRISE Classrooms that were Suspended One or More Times v
s. Comparison Classroo
m
1997- ed 1998- e c
98 % Suspend 99 % Suspe d Differe e Veteran vs. Co
nd mp Gro
Veteran IRI 8 1
SE (n=72 ) 6 0 4
Comparison Gro 3
up (n=43 ) 2 5
Conclusions

Many urban school districts continue to struggle with the challenge of insuring
that all ethnicities have equal access to educational opportunities and are able to succeed
academically at national norms. In fact, San Francisco Unified School District, which
implements many programs as part of its Consent Degree (a court mandate from the State
to improve the academic achievement of youth at risk of school failure), continues to
work hard to improve and monitor these programs with varying success. The I.R.I.S.E
Initiative is proving to be one of the more successful and popular programs, which, over
the years it has been implemented, has shown positive results in both improving
academics and building teacher capacity to meet the needs of diverse youth.
The academic data are very compelling in this regard. African American students
enrolled in Veteran I.R.I.S.E. teachers’ classrooms have shown significant improvements
in both reading and math (as measured by the SAT-9) as compared to a group of
demographically comparable students not enrolled in these classrooms. Also, African
American middle school students who take classes from Veteran I.R.I.S.E. teachers have
show more improvements in their GPA than demographically comparable students.
There seems to be no difference, however, in suspension rates.
It is believed that these differences are due in large part to the services and support
provided through I.R.I.S.E. Veteran I.R.I.S.E. teachers have been provided with
professional development that provides them with research-based techniques that
specifically tap into the needs of African American youth, but are also overall good
teaching practices for all students. These professional development seminars have
brought in many experts in multicultural education to engage teachers in conversation
about how best to provide instruction and social support to all students and to give
teachers practical ways of enhancing their curriculum to improve the teaching and
learning of their diverse students. I.R.I.S.E. also supports teachers by providing culturally
appropriate materials, including a vast library of audio cassettes of lectures by Linda
Darling-Hammond, Lisa Delpit, and Asa Hilliard, and by offering new teachers
opportunities to visit classrooms of veteran I.R.I.S.E. teachers or to view model lessons
on video-tape.
Overall, it is in large part due to the support and services provided through
I.R.I.S.E. that I.R.I.S.E. teachers deeply understand the needs of their African American
students, which may be the key to helping all students succeed. As stated by Augustus F.
Hawkins, Founder of the National Council on Educating Black Children, “Black children
are the proxy for what ails American education in general. And so, as we fashion
solutions which help Black children, we fashion solutions which help all children.”
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APPENDIX A

Interview Questions for I.R.I.S.E. Teachers

Adapted from Ladson-Billings (1994)
“The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children”

1. Tell me something about your background. When and where were you educated?
When and where did you begin teaching?

2. How would you describe your philosophy of teaching? What do you believe
“works?”

3. How, if at all, has this changed since being involved with I.R.I.S.E.?

4. Can you think of any characteristics that African American youngsters as a group
bring to the classroom?

5. What kinds of things have you done in the classroom that have facilitated the
academic success of African American students?

6. How much of what you know about teaching African American children did you learn
as a result of I.R.I.S.E. professional development workshops?

7. If you could revamp teacher education so that teachers would be more effective with
African American students what changes would you make?

8. What kind of role do you believe parents play in the success of African American
students? How would you describe the kinds of relationships you’ve had with parents
of students you’ve taught?

9. How do you handle discipline? Are there special things that teachers of African
American students should know about discipline?

10. How do you think the schooling experience of the students you teach differs from that
of white students in middle-class communities?
APPENDIX B

Demographics of African American Veteran IRISE and Comparison

Group for SAT-9 Analysis

Table 1: Percentage of Students in Each Grade—Veteran IRISE vs. Comparison

Group

3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Veteran IRISE (n=342) 13 10 15 17 23 23
Comparison Group (n=185) 9 24 25 14 13 15

Table 2: Percentage of Students in Receiving Lunch Subsidies—Veteran IRISE vs.

Comparison Group

No Free or
Subsidies Reduced
Lunch
Veteran IRISE (n=342) 36 64
Comparison Group (n=185) 33 67

Table 3: Percentage of Males and Females—Veteran IRISE vs. Comparison Group

Male Female
Veteran IRISE (n=342) 61 39
Comparison Group (n=185) 59 41

Demographics of African American Veteran IRISE and Comparison

Group for GPA Analysis
Table 4: Percentage of Students in Each Grade—Veteran IRISE vs. Comparison
Group

7th 8th
Veteran IRISE (n=209) 46 54
Comparison Group (n=146) 43 58

Table 5: Percentage of Students in Receiving Lunch Subsidies—Veteran IRISE vs.

 Comparison Group

No Free or
Subsidies Reduced
Lunch
Veteran IRISE (n=209) 46 54
Comparison Group (n=146) 51 49

Table 6: Percentage of Males and Females—Veteran IRISE vs. Comparison Group

Male Female
Veteran IRISE (n=342) 42 58
Comparison Group (n=185) 56 45

Demographics of African American Veteran IRISE and Comparison

Group for Suspension Analysis
Table 7: Percentage of Students in Each Grade—Veteran IRISE vs. Comparison
Group

K 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Veteran IRISE (n=728) 8 10 10 9 7 10 14 15 17
Comparison Group (n=433) 6 13 10 7 14 19 10 10 11

Table 8: Percentage of Students in Receiving Lunch Subsidies—Veteran IRISE vs.

Comparison Group

No Free or
Subsidies Reduced
Lunch
Veteran IRISE (n=728) 33 67
Comparison Group (n=433) 28 72

Table 9: Percentage of Males and Females—Veteran IRISE vs. Comparison Group

Male Female
Veteran IRISE (n=728) 47 53
Comparison Group (n=433) 49 51