The resource directory is searchable and contains articles, tools, recordings, and links to websites. The resources are also categorized by topics, including the five Focus Areas suggested by the California Department of Education. Use the Search box below or click on the topical links to access the resources. (Hint: Once you have done an initial search, you will be able to sort the results by Resource Name or Publication Date.)
This brief is part of the Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support). It depicts trends related to academic performance, namely trends in English-Learner (EL) classified student1 performance on Math and English Language Arts (ELA) SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment System) assessments.
Leger, M-L., Santibanez, L., and Perez, S. (2023). The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS: The State of Academic Performance. California MTSS Research Consortium, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Accessed September 8, 2023. https://transformschools.ucla.edu/research/the-landscape-of-language-learners-in-californias-mtss-the-state-of-academic-performance/
This brief depicts demographic trends and the rich diversity of the English-Learner (EL) classified students enrolled in California’s public schools. These data include the number of language learners, geographic trends in where they live, their home language, and their race.
Leger, M-L., Santibanez, L., Obeso, O. and Perez, S. (2023). The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS: Who are California’s English Language Learners? California MTSS Research Consortium, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Accessed September 5, 2023.
The article focuses on the process of empathy interviews and how they can tranform the relationships between families and schools. The author suggest a number of factors that affect the empathy interview process.
Jones, C. (2022). The Power of Empathy Interviews in Family Engagement. Educational Leadership, 80(1), 28–33.
This research article examines the differences between parent involvement (i.e., in activities structured by the school) and parent engagement (i.e. in school activities that parents help schools design and create). The researchers highlight parent engagement as an important strategy for preventing disproportionate representation.
Fenton, Patrice, Ludia Ocasio-Stoutenburg, and Beth Harry. 2017. “The Power of Parent Engagement: Sociocultural Considerations in the Quest for Equity.” Theory Into Practice 56 (3): 214–225.
This research study examines the effects of integrating culturally responsive instruction into a course hosted by the school of education at a institution of higher education.
Othman, Lama B. 2018. “The Problem of Disproportional Representation of Students from Minority Races in Special Education.” International Journal of Special Education 33 (1): 171–183.
This article discusses how school psychologists can adopt and promote evidenced based math practices and it specifically focuses on social responsibility of effective mathematics practices to ensure access, opportunity, and inclusion for all learners.
Hollins-Sims, N. Y., Codding, R. S., & VanDerHeyden, A. M. (2022). The Science of Math: Inclusion, Opportunity, and Social Responsibility. Communique, 50(6), 1–31
Dr. Fergus argues in this article that effectively utilizing data, considering potential solutions to misidentification in Special Education, and “practicing the pause” are three strategies that can start reversing disproportionality within special education. The pause Dr. Fergus speaks of is an intentional act to ask questions and understand the background and experiences of each student in order to determine what supports are needed to support positive outcomes. Dr. Fergus suggests three specific pauses that should be practiced to avoid or correct misidentifications of students as needing special education.
Fergus, Edward. 2022. Three Ways to Mitigate Special Education Disproportionality. Catapult Learning, https://catapultlearning.com/2022/03/15/three-ways-to-mitigate-special-education-disproportionality-by-dr-edward-fergus/ (accessed January 30, 2023).
This brief includes an empathic discipline program: an intervention for teachers that is designed to mitigate the consequences of bias on their students’ education outcomes with a focus on exclusionary discipline. Researchers tested whether the empathic discipline program could be implemented through MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) networks in a large and diverse school district and whether it could mitigate yearlong suspension rates.
Okonofua, J. and Semko, S. (2023) Through MTSS, Empathic Discipline Program Can Mitigate Racial Disparities in Suspension Rates. California MTSS Research Consortium, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Accessed September 5, 2023.
Provides an overview of the self-assessment tool developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Daniel Losen, presenter (2011) State Performance Plan Technical Assistance Project, California Department of Education.
In this article, Dr. Bindreiff described the importance of balancing empathy for the challenges children with mental illness, income instability, and racism face with high expectations. The author argues that “warmth paired with high expectations requires we invest in becoming community builders, capable of seeing and developing what lies buried inside each student” and that warmth has a greater impact than competence on our assessment of others.
Bindreiff, D. 2022. Transformative Educators are Warm Demanders. Corwin Connect, https://corwin-connect.com/2022/11/transformative-educators-are-warm-demanders/ (accessed January 30, 2023).
