04/09/2021
By Robin Hall

The College of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Monica Zanin on “Sustaining and Securing Successful School Turnaround an Investigation.”

Date: Friday, April 23, 2021
Time: noon
Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should email James_Nehring@uml.edu at least 24 hours prior to the defense to request access to the meeting.

Dissertation Chair: James Nehring, Ed.D. Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Dissertation Committee:

  • Michaela Wyman-Colombo, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Catherine O'Connell, Ed.D., Scholar in Practice

Abstract:

Currently, 14% of Massachusetts schools and 6% of school districts are in turnaround. The experience of Massachusetts’ turnaround schools provides a compelling test case of what it takes to leverage support and to sustain improvement efforts in our lowest performing schools. Schools that have undertaken the turnaround process experience a quick increase in scores with early intervention, but they are unable to move beyond these early wins to sustain improvement. Underperforming schools often lack the capacities needed to sustain initial gains that were made with considerable external assistance, yet education policies for greater accountability of schools assume that schools are capable of building their capacity for continuous improvement. An honest look at Massachusetts data shows dramatic gaps in student outcomes with less than one in three Black and Latinx fourth graders on grade level in reading which is half the of rate for the state’s White students and only 28% of low income eighth graders on grade level in math which is half the rate for higher income students. I argue that these disparities in achievement are the direct result of inequities in opportunity inside the classroom. Findings from research into school improvement and educational change indicate that leadership practices and teacher learning are crucial for improving teaching practices and student outcomes. This study will examine the systems and structures implemented to build teacher capacity in order to promote continuous school improvement. Specifically, teacher collaboration in the area of mathematical content and pedagogical knowledge is highlighted through a focus on professional learning that promotes culturally responsive/relevant teaching practice.