2016 Fall Special Edition Living Education eMagazine (Vol.17A)B

LIVING EDUCATION eMagazine A magazine that discusses education in our everyday lives Fall special edition 2016

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blight

Urban decay (blight), in simpler terms, is the gradual falling apart of a previously functional city or town. Urban decay may be caused by deindustrialization, economic breakdown, and failure of businesses, which in turn leads to increasing crime rates, growing unemployment, and rising poverty in the area. This condition is evident from abandoned buildings, overrun sewers, trash and rubble on the streets, and a desolate landscape.

Newsmax.com

Contributors

Nicole McZeal Walters, Ed.D Bio page:39

Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D Bio page: 38

Recommendations Culturally Relevant (CR) Leaders Can Do to Support Black Children Living in Poverty p.6

By Nicole McZeal Walters, Ed.D., Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D., Sheree N. Alexander, Ed.D. • Special Education and Inclusion – Enriching School Classrooms and Climate p. 10

By Dede Rittman • Q&A Making a Difference by Daring to be Different Nikkia Rowe, Renaissance Academy Principal An Urban Educator p. 13 • Homelessness and Education: The Role of Housing p. 20

By Samantha Batko • The Role of the Local Church in Guiding and Restoring Hope in Marginalized Communities p. 28

By Dr. James R. Riley • Why Burma p.32

By Paul Jeffress •

Sheree N. Alexander, Ed.D. Bio page: 39

Nikkia Rowe Bio page; 39

Dede Rittman Bio page: 39

Dr. James R. Riley Bio page: 40 Samantha Batko Bio page: 40

Paul Jeffress Bio page: 40

Contributors

Dr. Stephen Jones Bio page: 40

Book 1

Kyle Randolph Bacon, Ed.D. Bio page: 41

• Academic Motivation and Success A Phenomenological Study of 8th Grade African American Boys in Two Suburban Maryland Middle Schools p. 12 Kyle Randolph Bacon, Ed.D. • How to Revive our Imperiled Education System p. 16 Dr. Stephen Jones • How Poverty Impacts Education p. 19 Nekeshia Hammond, Psy.D. • Poverty, Education’s Biggest Obstacle p. 26 Rinata Tanks • Is the Food Served at Your School Safe? p. 28 Gary Stueven Harlan Stueven • Nurturing the Intellect of our African American Poor Youth p. 31 Dr. LaShonda M. Jackson-Dean •

Nekeshia Hammond, Psy.D. Bio page: 41 Rinata Tanks Bio page: 41

Gary Stueven, M.D. Bio page: 41 Harlan Stueven, M.D. Bio page:42

Dr. LaShonda M. Jackson-Dean Bio page: 42

Contributors Jeromie Heath Bio page: 42

Defeating; I Can’t Creating A Positive Learning Environment p. 38 Jeromie Heath • Why Can’t You Reach Me? Improving Academic Outcomes for Black Boys p. 43 Avis B. Williams, Ed.D. • “Got GUMPTION?” Cultivating Students & Professionals of Color Success in Higher Education p. 46 John C. Turner, M.S. • Native American Education: Challenging Environments and Conditions p. 63 Rafael Tapia Jr. •

John C. Turner, M.S. Bio page: 43

Avis B. Williams, Ed.D. Bio page:42

Rafael Tapia Jr. Bio page: 43

10 Recommendations Culturally Relevant (CR) Leaders Can Do to Support Black Children Living in Poverty By Nicole McZeal Walters, Ed.D. @DrNicoleWalters

• Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D. @donnayford

• Sheree N. Alexander, Ed.D. @DrReetaBeeta

"Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of the conditions of men -- the balance wheel of the social machinery."

Horace Mann American educator, 1848 Overview Poverty is a social ill that is unlikely to be resolved in the near future. A large percentage of students live in poverty with a disproportionate being children of color. In this article, the authors share some data, discuss contributing factors, and offer culturally-relevant solutions for educators, namely those who are in leadership roles.

Introduction Poverty is pervasive in the United States and the most vulnerable are children. In 2014, approximately 10.7 million school-age children were living in families who are living below the poverty threshold (NCES 2014). Kena et al. (2016) indicated that over 20% of school-aged children live in poverty, with little information showing a decrease.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a family of two lives in poverty if the income is less than $16,020; for a family of four, the poverty threshold is $24,300 (see https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines and http://familiesusa.org/product/federal-povertyguidelines). Relative to race, those most negatively affected by poverty are students and families of color -- Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans.

Asians are an exception; their income often matches or exceeds Whites. Given the high prevalence of poverty among the three groups of color, educators must be mindful of not adopting colorblind recommendations.

As noted by the seminal work of Maslow (1943), poverty has a direct impact on the ability and/or interest of students to focus, think, and perform at higher levels in order to experience academic success. Students whose basic needs are unmet due to hunger and food insecurity, feeling unsafe

at home, in the community, and/or school, and having unstable housing, to name a few, are challenged to focus on academics. While they value education, the aforementioned fundamental needs and priorities compromise their academic motivation and engagement. In our collective experiences as educators, we have worked with countless low-income students who value education and see it as

professionals to help fill voids. Broadly defined, an achievement gap is a disparity between the academic performance of different groups of students. Undeniably, such gaps have been revealed by research as largely along economic and racial lines.

their way out of poverty; unfortunately, they lack the human and fiscal resources and support to do so. These children and their families look to schools to be the greatest equalizer (Mann, 1848). We concur with Gonzalez (2001) that education is the great equalizer in a democratic society, but if students are not given access to a quality (i.e., rigorous) education, then we are creating an underclass of people who will challenge our very way of life. Poverty is not an individual problem; it is systemic; it is a national crisis with far-reaching effects.

Students and families find themselves in poverty for various reasons, with social injustices being a key factor. Generational poverty is especially pervasive for Blacks. Today’s students are facing extreme situations permeating from the economic downturn of the country due to underemployment, unemployment, and inequitable resources that contribute to family systemic situations. This is particularly so for Blacks, so many of whom also face racial injustices and challenges accessing high-quality curriculum (e.g., rigor), programs (e.g., gifted and Advanced Placement classes), and schools (Ford, 2010, 2011, 2013). This case of double jeopardy (racial and economic injustices) cannot be disregarded and/or discounted in the large picture of economic disparities by race.

The toll (psychological, social and academic) that poverty takes on students is evident in numerous reports and ongoing discourse on the achievement gap. No term can fully capture the prevalent disparities that exist in educational settings. The achievement gap refers to multiple gaps. The achievement gap is a Black and White issue and more. This gap is recognized as a disparity between minority students, especially African American, Hispanic, and Native American students, compared to their White and Asian American counterparts. The achievement gap is an expectation, resource, and access gap that promotes a vicious cycle that can diminish hopes and dreams of those who are vulnerable.

Students living in poverty have differential access to human and social capital and, subsequently, rely on

The achievement gap(s) takes its toll on students, families, and society at large in a myriad of ways.

Negative outcomes include low test scores, low grades, high dropout rates, excessive discipline (suspension and expulsion), overrepresentation in special education, and underrepresentation in gifted education and Advanced Placement (AP) classes (Ford, 2013). Data from the Office for Civil Right Data Collection (CRDC) exposes the magnitude of inequities for both low income and Black students. For example, Black students comprise 16% of public schools, but only 10% of gifted education. The primary reason for under-representation is deficit thinking (low expectations, biases, stereotypes, racial prejudice) resulting in educators underreferring Black students for gifted identification and services; this has been found in more than a dozen studies. Very troubling is a new report by Grissom and Redding which (2016) found that even when Black students have the same academic profiles as White students, educators do not refer them for gifted programs. Leaders.

are not holding teachers and other school personnel accountable for being culturally responsive.

The complete reverse is found when it comes to special education and discipline where Black students are misplaced and overrepresented; they are 2 to 3 times more likely than White students to be both suspended and (mis)placed in special education.

Numerous reports reveal extensive injustices in discipline rates for Black students more than other student groups. The CRDC exposed that while Black males comprise 9% of preschoolers, they represent approximately 50% of students suspended at this very young age. Even among older Black males (elementary through high school), the rates are equally egregious. Very telling is that Black students are often suspended for subjective reasons (e.g., teacher felt intimidated, not following directions, hairstyle, dress) while White students are suspended for objective reasons (e.g., fighting, smoking or in possession of a weapon). Further, for the same infraction, Black students get harsher punishments than White students; this mirrors what happens in the justice system (same crime, but more time).

Discipline for Black girls cannot be ignored.

Studies have exposed that teachers are more likely to suspend darker skinned Black girls than lighter skinned Black girls (see http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015 /02/13/384005652/study-black-girls-arebeing-pushed-out-of-school and http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archiv e/2016/03/the-criminalization-of-black-girlsin-schools/473718/). A more detailed discussion can be found in Morris (2015)’s Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in School and Crenshaw’s (2015) Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected.

Regarding special education, overidentification consistently exists in the categories of emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, ADHD, and developmental delay. This is not the case for such categories as hearing and visual

impairments, and physical disabilities. The most recent data (2013-14) has been summarized at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ 2013-14-first-look.pdf. These special education categories are test driven and highly subjective. Black students, especially males, with such labels tend to be separated and, hence, isolated from the general population.

They are misplaced in the most restrictive environment as opposed to the least restrictive environment. Under IDEA, the least restrictive environment (LRE) mandate requires that all students in special education be educated with typical peers to the greatest extent possible.

The problems of Black students being misidentified, misplaced, and thus miseducated in special education was interrogated in a special issue of Multiple Voices, a journal of the Council for Exceptional Children (see http://multiplevoicesjournal.org/toc/muvo/16/1) . Blanchett (2006) spoke to the deleterious effects of White privilege and racism in special education settings.

Unfortunately, many Americans, including educators, have low expectations and predict negative outcomes for students living in poverty situations. While educators cannot directly impact family income, they can support children who live in poverty when they are empathetic. We define empathy among educators as the desire and the capacity to understand the challenges facing students, as well as their reducing the impact of those barriers by being supportive - and by not imposing additional barriers. Empathetic educators adopt an equity philosophy, ensuring that those who live in poverty are not further disadvantaged under their charge (Ford, 2015).

While poverty is a construct related to socioeconomic levels, there are strategies that can be adopted and implemented to validate, connect, empower, and educate children and families to feel cared for and culturally valued in schools and educational settings. With highly trained teachers, engaged school community stakeholders and resources provided, we offer 10 Recommendations

Culturally Relevant (CR) Can Do to Support

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Indirect Victimization and Community Violence Exposure: An Examination of Urban Public School Graduates and Getting Through Researcher: Najah Salaam Jennings-Bey The purpose of this research was to identify effective school responses from students who had experienced trauma induced by street violence such as losing a friend, relative, or close community member, due to homicide. The study examined indirect victimization and its impact on the socioemotional development, cognitive functioning, and psychosocial outcomes of seven Syracuse City School District graduates. Data collection and analysis for the transcendental phenomenological qualitative study consisted of three phases: (a) examination of aggregate data, (b) semi-structured interviews, and (c) composition of analytic memos. There were two steps in the data analysis process that consisted of initial coding and in vivo coding. Data suggests gender differences in the ways in which students grieve.

The findings suggest there are four major contributing factors to participants graduating from high school, which were: (a) support system, (b) selfdetermination, (c) staying active, and (d) memorializing the deceased.

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND INCLUSION – ENRICHING SCHOOL CLASSROOMS AND CLIMATE

By Dede Rittman @dederittman I was a classroom teacher from 1974-2011, and I continue to teach in classrooms around the country through my two books, Student Teaching: The Inside Scoop from a Master Teacher and Grady Gets Glasses. I remember when mainstreaming was new, as well as the reactions of both students and teachers to those students who were “different” from themselves. Fear of the unknown was a big part of the reaction of the school population.

Although I had no formal training in college to deal with the needs of students with special needs, I instinctively knew that these kids were bringing some new lessons to my classroom. I am so pleased to share one of my favorite stories about lessons learned from “special” friends.

Besides teaching Academic and Essential English, I also taught Introduction to Theater for almost 20 years. Students with special needs had their favorite courses to take: Foods, Sewing, Family and Consumer Science Courses, Manufacturing, Music Courses, ROTC, and of course, Introduction to

Theater. Theater class was comprised of five units: History of Theater, Acting, Costumes and makeup, Stagecraft, and Auditioning Successfully. Working with special education teachers and caring paraprofessionals, we created adapted materials to insure the success of all students, all while maintaining the high expectation of learning and growing, so students had a very positive experience in the class.

One semester, I was assigned a Theater class with 17 gifted students (IQ above 130) and 3 students with special needs.

(Downs Syndrome and other significant challenges.) The three “specials” were shy 9th graders in a large building that housed grades 9 and 10. They had difficulty making eye contact with me; they could not even look at the other students. I decided

to present my first-day comments, with some additional information about classroom expectations. I looked each student in the eyes as I spoke. “We are so lucky to be together in this class, and every person in this classroom has something to teach all of the rest of us. I may be the teacher, but this is OUR class, not MY class. I hope that each of you will see that you have a great opportunity to share, teach, and learn with kids you may not have known before. You have the chance to make new friends and to help others to grow in confidence and ability, just by offering your support. I hope that each of you will extend yourselves to new people in our class whom you do not know, and I hope that the caring and support in our class will make everyone feel like they belong to a large classroom family.”

This class was one of the biggest personal successes of my career, because those students took my words to heart.

Each student extended himself or herself to every other student, and the three students with special needs were included in every activity, with some students arguing about who would partner with our three “specials.” To mediate those situations, I allowed the students with special needs to do two or more presentations with the students who had reached out to include them. Everyone was happy!

Perhaps the greatest gift of all happened when I called the parents of every student in that class. As a teacher, I always loved calling home with “good news.” I told each of the parents the story of how I set the

expectation, and then watched their children pick up the bar and raise it even higher. I told the parents about our caring and supportive classroom climate, about the friendships that had formed, as well as the easy give-and-take of the students, even when peer evaluations were involved. I am not embarrassed to tell you that I cried on the phone with every parent about the remarkable behavior and compassion shown by their children, and yes, the parents cried with me. I called the parents of the three students with special needs to discuss how much the kids had grown: in confidence, friendships, eye contact, and verbal skills. I made them cry, Continue on page 25

Q&

A

Making a Difference by Daring to be Different Nikkia Rowe, Renaissance Academy Principal An Urban Educator Forest Of The Rain Productions conducted a riveting and informative interview with Nikkia Rowe, principal at Renaissance Academy in West Baltimore, Maryland.

Renaissance Academy High School, has been considered by some as one of Baltimore’s most troubled schools with students from many of the city’s most violent communities.

Per Nikka Rowe, “Renaissance Academy is a traditional high school (grades 9 through 12) situated in the West Baltimore community of Upton/Druid Heights. The school is a second home to 287 students who come from the poorest, most violent and blighted neighborhoods in the city.” (Washington Post, 2016).

FOTRP: Can you describe your passion for education?

Nikkia Rowe: My passion for education is driven by the history of Africans in America. I am fully committed to serving as an agent for change in what appears to be a systematically engrained, self-destructive course for our children. I have two fundamental beliefs: the purpose of education is to cultivate thinking and the ability to question, and individuals change their behaviors based on deep interpersonal relationships.

FOTRP: What makes you want to get up every morning to make a difference in the lives of children?

Nikkia Rowe: My motivation is the understanding of myself and my purpose- to exist for a purpose beyond one's self. As once stated by the genius, Tupac Shakur, "I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world."

FOTRP: We want to know and feel what you know and feel about your school, Renaissance Academy. Please tell us about this HUB of hope and caring you and your family of students and teachers are creating.

Nikkia Rowe: Renaissance Academy was established under the blueprint for secondary schools. Baltimore City Schools conducted an analysis of data and a review of high school configuration structures to determine why the traditional, overcrowded, zone school system was ineffective. RA was one of four smaller high schools developed under the South Western HS breakout. The school was originally modeled after Noble Street Academy in Chicago. An outside operator, Replications, assisted the founding principal in school design and the essential components unique to Noble Street. I was appointed principal of RA in July 2013.

Although RA was initially designated to be an innovative college prep academy, upon assuming stewardship of the school, previous structures and essentials were no longer visible; therefore, my team and I sought to elicit input from various stakeholders on the theme of the school and its defining purpose.

Collectively, we decided that law, government, and justice, were the necessary essentials to ensure student achievement and preparation for global citizenship.

RA sits in Promise Heights, one of only twelve communities nationwide receiving federal designation and resources to build the positive trajectory for young people from conception to college. I subscribe to the community school strategy and with the support of the University of Maryland School of Social WorkPromise Heights, RA was able to secure grant funding to secure a community school coordinator and to develop an after-school program.

Enrollment was truly based on choice, and my staff is committed to using alternative strategies to ensure that all students are prepared for college and a career and that all earn a high school diploma. An essential part of our work is grounded in this adult responsibility: to know the story of the child. We have been able to build a supportive hub for students through the stories of individuals, as well as the story of the Upton/Druid Heights community. Through the intentional development of relationships and utilization of restorative practices to leverage those relationships, we have benefitted from these adultto-student relationships.

FOTRP: How frustrated are you as an educator when you are unable to provide the best, the state-of-the art facilities to your students and you know their counterparts in other parts of the state, the nation and the world in some cases have better?

Nikkia Rowe: Such is the nature of the American Democracy and Capitalism. In the middle of my third year as principal- by the way, I should be noted that I was a new principal because of a series of unfortunate events in which three of my male students died from violence- I became overly aware of the injustices of our "systems." I cannot that at times I have felt everything from frustration

to rage about the current condemnation of the "American Dream" through systemic racism for the black students whom I serve; however, defeat is not an option. I have searched my heart and mind and I have arrived this conclusion: the students whom we serve deserve our investment. Here is a parable - I have two individuals and one sandwich. Individual A ate breakfast and individual B did not. Does it make rational sense for me to give the sandwich to individual A, who has already eaten today? This analogy helps others see the flawed policy in school reform. Currently in Baltimore City, the 21 Century Schools proposal for renovation and building of new schools clearly demonstrates this analogy. Schools are popping up and being renovated in alignment with for gentrification or plans gentrification. Ironically, lack of student achievement is always the culprit that supports the system. I often reflect on the lack of equity and whether or not this issue is important when I review the data points for my students. Simply put, individual B is always malnourished when we give the sandwich to individual A, regardless of circumstances. The students at RA are some of the brightest young people whom I have ever encountered, yet most struggle with meeting full potential, as demonstrated through achievement, because they know that the people who are supposed to ensure equity only express the notion in words, not in actions.

FOTRP: When you think about the path some students take to get to school, they are force to navigate gangs, crime, blighted buildings, what goes through your mind?

Nikkia Rowe: I grew up in Baltimore City in a community called Cherry Hill. At age four, my grandmother would pick me up from pre-school and walk me to the family-owned carry out.

Each day, I would see the same individuals engaged in the same activities- doing nothing just existing, and she would say to me, "Nikkia Rowe this is oppression. Don't you ever let anyone oppress you. Don't you ever oppress your beautiful mind." Wisdom. As my students traverse the "other" Baltimore, her wisdom resonates. This is their reality. My role is to ensure that they are empowered to think and lobby questions against their reality. My only feeling is urgency.

FOTRP: How resilient are some of the young men and women you educate at Renaissance Academy? And what does their resiliency look like for us who do not know these kids?

Nikkia Rowe: Simply put, the definition of resilient is the ability to bounce back. I recently met with a powerful brother, William Killibrew, the Director Youth Violence Prevention, Baltimore City Health Department, and we discussed the concept of resiliency. At some point in the conversation he asked me, "What are they bouncing back to?" Deep, right?

Perhaps the statistics will serve as sufficient Explanation on the

resiliency of my children. The community in which the school sits has the highest rates of gun violence, homicide, and infant mortality, as well as the lowest life expectancy rate based on the most recent census data. However, the same community during the early 1900's was one of the finest for prominent African-Americans; the same place historians have pointed to as the birthplace of the civil rights movement.

Thurgood Marshall lived on Division Street and attended the segregated Henry Highland Garnett School. It was the hub for challenges made to systems meant to oppress, as well as home to Lillie May Carroll, founder of the Baltimore branch of the NAACP; and Home to the Mitchell family- Clarence the judge and Parren the congressman. The resiliency of the children at RA rests solely on the paradox of hope. the greatness of "Old West Baltimore"- the Royal Theater, Pennsylvania Avenue, the multitude of church delegations, as well as the paradox of the white flight, red lining, and governmentally sanctioned segregation fueled through public housing high rises and lack of investment. The children are the children, and yes, they are resilient, but I would challenge all to question what they are "bouncing back" to and whether or not they would be satisfied with their own children living in the same state. They all have personal stories, and over the past three years, the trend of their collective experiences can be summed up quickly, with the deliberate perpetuation of the status quo through antiquated systems designed to oppress and to deny them upward mobility.

Facts!

FOTRP: Can you share some of the remarkable success that took place at Renaissance this past school year? How do you and your remarkable staff and students going to top in 2016-17?

Nikkia Rowe: From the start, when we were placed at the helm, we all realized that this is a marathon. You cannot undo decades of miseducation in year. This past school year, we witnessed unprecedented tragedy as we lost members of our family; however, as a school community, we were committed to preserving the legacies of the RA3. Successes include: 49

I am tired of knowing exactly what the true culprit is and using fluff terms in exchange for what is glaringly evident across our nation beyond West Baltimore out of 60 students in the 4th year cohort graduated in June.

Seeds of Promise, our male mentoring program, saw changes in data- specifically, increased GPAs for students in the mentoring cohort; ten students were dually enrolled at one of our partner schools, the University of Baltimore, and earned elective credit for the course "Divided Baltimore." The Department of Justice actively supported us as we established the student Spirit Team. The Spirit Team has served as a think- tank student group, focused on social justice issues impacting school change. Two female students won an art competition sponsored by BUILD and the University of Maryland Shock Trauma for artwork advocating youth violence prevention; The RA story was published over the course of the year in the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post. A reader of the Post article has collaborated with Baltimore City Community College to establish a lifelong memorial scholarship to benefit three RA scholars annually. We are a fully functioning community school.

The Breaking Framesan art collaborative, cofounded by our art teacher Kristin Yoder, will hold an art show featuring over 50 national and international professional artists who have designed artworks featuring some of our students.

We will continue the drive to increase student achievement, as well as the work of cultivating thinkers and questioners. Blooms of Promise will officially launch as the sister-mentoring experience for our young women. In partnership with the Afro-American Newspaper and Marvin "Doc" Cheatham, we have structured an “Operation Clean Block” service project. Visions of honey bees and exposure to possible careers for students is a goal.

FOTRP: Everything has not been great at your school. Please share the challenges, obstructions and barriers your students have to overcome to achieve academically.

Nikkia Rowe: The challenges are real. Frankly, as an educator I have always been a reflective practitioner. With reflection, I know the impact of loss on adults and children alike, and I also know there is power in loss. We lost some ground as our attendance numbers slipped and the number of students at risk for chronic absenteeism rose. In addition, baseline assessment data from PARCC indicated that most students were far below basic for mathematics and literacy. Overused terms, such as economically disadvantaged, trauma, and “at risk” are terms used to describe my students, or sometimes levied as a justification for underachievement. I am tired of knowing exactly what the true culprit is and using fluff terms in exchange for what is glaringly evident across our nation beyond West Baltimore. Vestiges of supremacy and the institutions and structure designed to protect privilege have ensured that many young minds are oppressed. Free the mind, and you free the child. How is it that we are using different standards- standards that have evolved to be more complex, yet school systems are still educating students the same way that we did forty years ago?

These methods did not even work back then. RA faced school closure last October due to lack of student achievement; I find this to be ironic, considering nothing has changed. Lack of cultural competence is an obstacle as well. Yet- we, as educators, are the visionaries. We understood the need to help students and families remove outside barriers through strategic partnership before we were ever designated as a community school. Our focus- we, the adults, must grow ourselves quickly, so that we are able to increase rigor and teach young people at high levels while maintaining high expectations and supporting them to hit the targets.

FOTRP: To what extent are parents involved? Are parents a key part of the battle to create better outcomes for students?

Nikkia Rowe: Parents know us and we know them. Many of our students come from single-parent working households, so just imagine Parents’ night. Realizing that many parents were not able to attend, we shifted gears and went to them. A major misstep in educator-thought is the notion that all parents must engage in the same way, at the same time. If I call- our parents come. I give every parent my cellphone number, as does my staff. Parents text, call, and pop in when they can, just to check in. Through our partnership with Maryland Communities United, we have started the work of equipping our parents with the information and a toolkit of strategies to help them to be strong advocates for their children, the school, and collectively as a community.

What affects the academic success of poor children?

In 2005, when I was working at Covenant House Washington as the Assistant Director of Prevention Services, serving youth aged 11 years-old to 17 years-old in the Southeast quadrant of Washington DC—one of the most disadvantaged areas in the city at the time, I had the privilege of being trained in Advancing Youth Development (AYD) theory through my job. AYD theory has become the foundational theory I operate from as an educator. AYD asserts that youth cannot participate in opportunities presented to them unless services and supports are in place through the programs and institutions that serve them. Services are the things done for young people. They range from computer tutorial software and free books to free lunch. Supports are things done with the young person. They range from tutoring, advising and counseling to transporting youth to learning opportunities. When services and supports are in place, young people can actualize opportunities, which are the things they do themselves where they can express, earn, and achieve. Wealthier children typically attend schools and exist within a social structure that is well-funded and full of adequately paid designees who can provide the services and support necessary for academic success even if a parent is unavailable. Poor children attending poorly funded schools and living within low-resourced communities struggle in this area.

Poor children are also often at a lack regarding services and supports when the adults in their lives are compromised by circumstance— whether they work often and rarely have quality time to support their children, cannot afford to pay for services the child needs, or are inept at understanding the diverse needs of a child-- unable to connect their child to the services and supports necessary to actualize opportunities.

Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman

@SOYAOnline

Approximately 64,000 families with over 125,000 children are homeless on any given night with over 13,000 children sleeping outside. Over the course of a year, over 330,000 children enter homeless programs in this country.2 Additionally, schools identified over 1.4 million students in the 2013-2014 school year that lived in homeless and non-permanent housing situations. Only a minority of them, 19 percent, were literally homeless (sleeping outside or in homeless programs), but the other 81 percent, over 1.1 million students, had no permanent place to live meaning they were living in what are known as doubled up situations, staying with family or friends, or in hotels and motels.3

child protective services.6 Homelessness and its psychological, health, and family impacts coalesce to negatively affect the educational outcomes for children. Homeless students are more likely to have more school mobility, repeat a grade, be expelled, or drop out of school, and have lower academic performance compared to their low-income housed peers.7 The age at which children experience homelessness also matters.

Students who experience

moves a family has and subsequently decreased school mobility creating more educational stability for children.10 A rental voucher also increased food security, decreased domestic violence, and decreased adult psychological distress. All of this combined creates a better home environment for children to develop and learn in.

In addition to seeing improvements in child outcomes when homeless children are housed, we can also attribute

Homelessness and Education: The Role of Housing

By Samantha Batko @thesamanthab

Homelessness is extremely disruptive to families’ daily lives and that can have wide-ranging negative impacts on children in particular. Children experiencing homelessness may have high levels of emotional and behavioral problems;4 increased risk of serious health problems, including obesity;5 and increased levels of anxiety and depression. Young children who experience homelessness are disproportionately more likely than their stably housed peers to experience an array of risk factors-including child maltreatment, lead toxicity, chronic health conditions, and food insecurity. Homeless children are more likely to experience separations from their families, either informally or because of the involvement of

homelessness as very young children are more likely to score poorly on standardized assessments in math, reading, science, and language than their housed peers.8 These results are especially disturbing as education is often viewed as one of the ways to break the cycles of multi-generational poverty.

Fortunately, these educational impacts are not necessarily permanent9 and we have an idea of what has an impact in improving educational outcomes for homeless children. A recent study showed the positive outcomes that housing can provide for families: offering a rental voucher for a homeless family decreased the number of

the existence of family homelessness overall to a lack of affordable housing. Family homelessness began to emerge as a serious social issue during the recession of the early 1980s.

As the recovery from that recession progressed in the mid1980s, the nation’s overall economy improved, but family homelessness remained. This was due in large part to a significant change occurred in the availability of housing that was affordable for low-income renters between 1970 and 1985.

In 1970, there was a surplus of 300,000 low-cost rental units in comparison to the number of low-income renters. In contrast, by 1985, there were 8.9 million lowContinue on page 36

Recommendations Culturally Relevant continued from page 8

Black Students Living in Poverty.

1. Create Safe Spaces for Students Students who live in impoverished conditions need a safe space where they can thrive and feel loved, cared for, and safe. CR leaders integrate social workers, nurses, counselors and other support personnel who can provide guidance and resources to help ensure that students are supported while learning. Group meetings are one viable option. Students need the space to share their concerns, along with coping strategies to be resourceful and resilient. This means that school counselors must also be culturally competent at providing social and emotional support to Black and low income students. Their work must be grounded in economically-based and culturally-based models. Two relevant resources are the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development and Journal of Black Psychology and associated conferences, events, and products (e.g., books, newsletters, webinars, blogs, etc.).

School leaders committed to creating safe spaces for students living in impoverished conditions must keep in mind that children living in poverty are significantly more likely to report increased levels of anxiety and depression, a greater incidence of behavioral difficulties, and a lower level of positive engagement in schools (Amatea & WestOlatunji , 2007). Thus creatively and skillfully creating a schooling environment where coordinating school- community agencies and outside stakeholders to connect students and families to needed and available resources is part of the school culture.

2. Provide Advocacy and Support for Special Populations Oftentimes, the families of students falling within the category of special populations feel disenfranchised due to the inability of school officials to welcome them in the fabric of the school community. Educational colloquial language and terminology often have families feeling disenfranchised and displaced. This

is certainly true for families of second language learners who oftentimes need translators to support their acquisition of school materials, including homework, school newsletters, and classroom advocates. This is also true for families of students with learning disabilities.

CR leaders ensure that parents have advocates and/or school personnel available to answer additional questions, to thoroughly explain materials within the placement process. In addition, carefully explaining the identification and placement process in jargon-free language truly supports an inclusive environment for families.

3. Engage Authentic Home-School Connections (Families First) CR leaders embrace and work to create authentic home-school connections so that families feel valued. This may include taking the extra effort to communicate with parents in non-traditional methods, including visiting at local social service agencies, conducting home visits, or extending teacher conference times to accommodate working parents. The rationale substantiates to families that they matter, their child(ren) matter, and that the school has a “whatever it takes� ethos. In addition, school work is meaningful and relevant to the student keeping in mind that children may have other duties at home to support the needs of their families. CR leaders impart upon their teachers that students should not be punished if work sent home is not returned, and should create safe spaces to complete work upon their arrival at school. This ensures continuity of academic services between school and home.

4. Eliminate Zero Tolerance Policies/Fair Discipline Measures The prison pipeline has been connected to disciplinary practices in schools, most of them associated with zero tolerance policies. CR leaders must have the will to disrupt this pipeline. This entails adopting policies that keep students in schools as opposed to suspending their education. Regardless of infractions, students in P-12 settings must continue to learn, even if in alternative settings.

We believe that this is the right of all

learning academically as they grow in other ways (e.g., behaviorally, socially). Restorative justice programs, meditation programs, and Response to Intervention (RtI) models appear to be promising. (see http://www.collectiveevolution.com/2016/09/25/what-happens-whenstudents-are-disciplined-with-meditationinstead-of-detention/). This said, they will be most effective when guided by culturally responsive leaders.

School leaders can be integral to disrupting the school -to -prison pipeline by reducing deficit references to students and families living in poverty, creating and utilizing parent advisory councils. and by inviting and including parents in some of the decision making for the home-school community.

5. Reduce Over-Representation in Special Education Special education inequities have a long history, despite federal legislation and reports designed to address this problem. Educational leaders must be diligent at and committed to reducing the misidentification and subsequent misplacement of Black and low income students in special education categories noted earlier. This misplacement is a form of miseducation. PD training for all school personnel is required, along with formal degree and credential programs. School leaders are in the position to prioritize the focus of PD; special education must rank high.

Self-reflection, measures, policies, and prevention and intervention need to be at the forefront of such concerted efforts. The Council for Exceptional Children - DDEL is an excellent resource (see http://community.cec.sped.org/ddel/ddelcomm ittees) 6. Increase Representation in Gifted Classes To increase Black students’ access to gifted education, professional development is essential. PD must focus on expectations related to biases, stereotypes, and prejudice, pressing educators to reflect and hold themselves accountable for injustices in gifted

education. Relatedly, colleges and university must ensure that courses, licensure, and degree programs are intentional about readings, activities, and guest speakers helping gifted educators become professionals who are competent in gifted education and competent in multicultural education. Black families, especially when dealing with poverty, must be educated about the existence of gifted education - definitions, theories, policies, tests and assessment - along with benefits and resources to support their children. This holds true for students - they must be informed and encouraged to participation in gifted classes.

The keywords for all three groups - educators, families, and students - are information, education, and empowerment. The National Association for Gifted Children has two relevant groups to support leaders in gifted education (https://www.nagc.org/getinvolved/nagc-networks-and-special-interestgroups/networks-special-populations and https://www.nagc.org/get-involved/nagcnetworks-and-special-interest-groups/gracespecial-interest-group ) 7. Improve School-Community Partnerships Involving low income and Black families in school settings is a challenge as so many feel intimidated and ill-prepared or ill-equipped to advocate for their children, unlike more privileged families (many of whom educators find intimidating). Family and community involve is a function of resource and available.

Those working odd hours and more than one job are very challenged to be in schools physically. Epstein shared school meetings and events, alternatives must be found (e.g., emails, telephone calls, home visits). There are literally hundreds of ways for families to be involved - in the ways families can be (see http://www.pta.org/mobile/OCArticle.cfm?Item Number=4081). CR leaders choose to believe that families want the best for their children and need the support of schools to make this happen.

8. Involve Mentors and Role Models One of the most effective ways to motivate students, to give them hope and a vision of

ensuring students receive proper nutrition so that they can perform academically throughout the school day. In addition, recognizing the needs of the family, CR leaders may work with social agencies such as the local food bank to give food and other vouchers for grocery shopping. Finally, some innovative CR leaders have created Backpack programs where students are able to take home groceries in a non-marked backpack, which serves as a discrete strategy to ensuring children are able to have food in the home.

10. Ensure Culturally Responsive Training possibility, is to provide mentors and role models. When students learn about and interact with others who look like them and who share their experiences, this gives them hope. CR educators are deliberate in their efforts to find such sources of support, to bring in speakers, mentors, and tutors to work with low income and Black students. Colleges and universities are ideal resources (fraternities and sororities, athletes), along with such organizations as 100 Black Men, Urban League, NAACP, and other organizations (Big Brothers and Big Sisters).

9. Utilize Resources to Meet Basic Needs It cannot be overstated that Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs clearly defines that our most basic human needs must be fulfilled. See http://www.today.com/parents/schools-findone-simple-answer-attendance-problemwashing-machines-t101318.

As stated several times, Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs clearly defines that our most basic human needs must be fulfilled. CR leaders recognize that students cannot learn if their stomachs are growling. CR leaders recognize that students living in poverty may face a number of food related concerns including poor nutrition, obesity, and hunger. Nutrition also indirectly impacts school performance.

Poor nutrition can leave students’ susceptible to illness or lead to headaches and stomachaches, resulting in school absences (Brown, Beardslee, & Prothrow-Stith, 2008).

CR leaders ensure that school breakfast and lunch menus are healthy and balanced,

CR leaders are aware of the delicate juxtaposition of their teaching staff being representative of the students in their schools.

Today’s teaching force is overwhelmingly White and female, and many of them having never encountered students living in poverty, not to mention a student of color. It’s important that culturally relevant training be available with honest conversations and the ability for participants to recognize and address implicit and complicit bias. One resource for selfreflection regarding biases is https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.ht ml. With significant insight accompanied by accountability and leadership, change is possible. Many organizations have divisions devoted to ‘minority’ populations to help all begin and continue their journey to be culturally competent and equity minded. School policies and procedures that are more restorative and inclusive and less punitive References Blanchett, Wanda J. (2006), Disproportionate Representation of African American Students in Special Education: Acknowledging the Role of White Privilege and Racism. Educational Researcher, 35(6),24-28.

Brown, J. L., Beardslee, W. H., & Prothrow-Stith, D. (2008). Impact of school breakfast on children’s health and learning: An analysis of the scientific research. Retrieved: http://www.sodexofoundation.org/hunger_us/Image s/Impact%20of%20School%20Breakfast%20Study_t cm 150-212606.pdf.

Crenshaw, K.W. (2015). Black girls matter: Pushed Out, overpoliced and underprotected. Retrieved http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/app/uploads/ 2015/09/BlackGirlsMatter_Report.pdf

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/201 3-14-first-look.pdf Washington, DC: Office of Civil Rights.

Ford, D.Y. (2010). Reversing underachievement among gifted Black students (2nd ed.). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Ford, D.Y. (2011).Multicultural gifted education (2nd ed.). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Ford, D.Y. (2013). Recruiting and retaining culturally different students in gifted education.

Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Ford, D.Y. (2015). Recruiting and retaining Black and Hispanic students in gifted education: Equality vs. equity schools. Gifted Child Today, 38(3), 187191.

Gonzalez, G. (2001). Education is the great equalizer in a democratic society. Retrieved: http://www. indiana.edu/~ocmhp/092801/text/gonzalez.

Grissom, J.A. & Redding, C. (2016). Discretion and disproportionality: Explaining the underrepresentation of high-achieving students of color in gifted programs. AERA Open, 2(1), 1-25.

Retrieved from http://ero.sagepub.com/content/2/1/233285841562 2175.

Kena et al. (2016) Condition of Education 2016.

Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016144.pdf Mann, H. (1848). Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/ 12/the-decline-of-the-great-equalizer/266455/ Maslow, A.H. (1943). A theory of motivation.

Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.

Morris, M.W. (2015). Pushout: The criminalization of black girls in school. New York: NY: The New Press Publishing.

U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Family characteristics of school-age children.

Washington: DC. National Center for Education Statistics.

U.S. Department of Education. (2013). Civil Rights Data Collection Retrieved from

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND INCLUSION continued from page 11

too, and when they shared the stories told by their children at the end of the school day about the great things happening in Theater class, I cried harder. I shared these phone calls with my students, who mostly showed shy delight about receiving such recognition.

After that semester was over, students still stopped by - just to say “Hi” - and many asked me for a college reference letter (“Mrs. Rittman, you are the teacher who knows me the best.”) I was happy to accommodate their requests, and I always wrote about the difference each one made in this class.

Some of those former 9th grade Theater students now have high-powered jobs and lives. I am proud of them for all their successes, but I am most proud of their behavior and actions to include students with special needs in their friendships and lives.

The teacher is always the role model for behavior, and the teacher also sets the standard for inclusion and models the behavior and manner for which students with special needs will be treated.

I know that not all schools are the same as my former school, but through the years, I found that when caring professionals and paraprofessionals work together, supported by administration and parents, remarkable things can happen. Through the years, I believe that inclusion improved my former school climate and made our students better, promoting acceptance and empathy, as well as understanding and compassion. These are life lessons that will improve our society and the way people get along. Isn’t that what teaching is all about?

The Role of the Local Church in Guiding and Restoring Hope in Marginalized Communities The local church has been a topic of discussion for many years in our urban communities. Now for many households in the inner cities, the conversation of church and faith has taken on a negative tenor. Primarily because the role of the local church has been diminished to just a building on the corner. But as the Pastor of a small local church, we seek to be something more than just another offering centered church. Our overall goal is to impact the community in its greatest areas of need. To accomplish that mission, we must effectively define the role of the church in the community in which it resides.

By Dr. James R. Riley, @RevJamesRiley Lead Pastor House of Prayer Baptist Church

The local church should be the life source of the community. It should provide educational resources, counseling in spiritual and family concentrations, provide employment training, health and wellness programs. The local church must be intentional in its approach to begin a process of restoration in communities that have been stripped of hope. The church should be a guiding light for children with disabilities and parents with limited resources. The role of the local church then becomes clear, not just to the membership but also to the community and local government.

Our churches must restore the trust that has been lost and accept responsibility for the lack of concern many have had for those who society has written off.

Church leadership must be at the forefront of the movement of change and refocus. From the streets to city hall, the church must bridge the gap between community and government. We must improve the quality of the community by bringing a positive focus back to our communities. For too long, we have suffered from the stigma of crime and drug abuse. The local church must lead from the front, stand with the deprived, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, restore the wayward and save the sin sick. The role of the church is simple, we must serve.

We must be examples of love, tolerance, and

forgiveness in order to be the model for our marginalized communities. The issue of crime is a significant challenge to the health and well-being of communities and families and therefore, the church should play a substantial role in restoring the family structure by creating an environment conducive for producing families. The church plays a major role in bringing families together and rebuilding the community from the inside out. We must find our way back into living rooms and family rooms, sitting amid fatherless homes while helping single parents build a solid foundation for employment, education, and economics. Strong families produce strong churches. That's how the local church guides the community, not on Sunday morning, but Monday through Saturday in the trenches day in and day out. The church dropped the ball, got comfortable with outside funding and enjoyed the comforts of cozy sanctuaries and business offices.

Pastor’s became C.E.O’s and stopped being servants and the communities began to massively decline.

When we fail to be effective in our communities, they lose their flavor and dry up. Our budgets must focus more on the community and less on the programs. The church is alive, it's active and it's moving. A church can only lead if the community is willing to follow and the community will not follow if the church is not going anywhere. Church, the community is crying out for help, will you answer the call?

The Importance of Equal Housing Opportunity and Access to a Quality Education Guest: Stella Adams @fairhsgstella Stella Adams is a civil rights professional with over 20 years experience with civil rights enforcement. She has worked tirelessly to provide equal access and equal opportunity to all. Her specialties include Fair Housing Investigations, Fair Lending Investigations, Fair Housing Policy, Fair Lending Policy, Mortgage Fraud Investigations, Analysis of Impediment studies, Foreclosure Prevention/Loss Mitigation, Civil Rights Education and Advocacy.

Why Burma

By Paul Jeffress @EmpowerQuality

Aung So watched wistfully as his older brother and his friends made their way to school. Sometimes he would go part of the way with them because they always found distractions and things to pique their curiosity as they sauntered along. Other times, though, he just hung back at home watching them leave not fully understanding why he could not go with them, why he could not be part of the gang.

His brother even had a school uniform that was always clean. Keeping it clean was a difficult task for his mother when there was so much dust, dirt and mud in their village. She ironed it with an old iron she heated with charcoal from the fire. He did not know why, but having a school uniform was something of which his brother was proud. Other clothes you could get dirty but his brother was not

allowed to get his uniform dirty.

All Aung So knew was that his older brother went to school because that was his right. Had he been born first he would have gone but he was born second and his parents could not afford to send him to school too. He wanted to learn to read. He wanted to learn to write. He just wanted to learn but he never would.

Why Burma Everything about education in a developed country and a developing country is a contrast – school buildings, resources, teaching staff. In Myanmar, also known as Burma because many people still prefer the old British colonial name, government

have lighting at night nor access to the outside world through the internet.

Why choose the Karen minority?

The Karen are an ethnic minority living in the east of Burma. Many other minorities also live along the Thai border and many clashed with the central government from 1948-2010 over claims for autonomy. A transfer to civilian government started in 2010 and under the enlightened leadership of Thein Sein, absorption of ethnic minorities into mainstream politics accelerated.

Kayin province, where the Karen live, is a mountainous region and while relatively fertile, it is also prone to malaria. Mining companies have moved in and forced the relocation of some villagers from traditional lands with inadequate compensation.

schools are permanent concrete structures but schools in remote areas have thatched roofs, dirt floors and half walls so light can enter.

Most children do not progress beyond primary education and even gifted students sometimes cannot advance as that would require boarding in a town several days walk away; a cost their parents cannot afford.

Teachers in developed countries are generally well paid. If you think you are not, consider a teacher who receives US$250‌a year. In some parts of Myanmar, teachers even have to supplement their income by growing their own vegetables and receiving food gifts from villagers. Many teachers have not passed beyond primary education themselves.

Despite these limitations they share one quality with teachers all over the world – their love for the children they teach. They would advance their own education if they had a few simple resources – light in the evening and access to educational resources.

Without electricity, many village teachers do not

Many schools are basic structures built by local village committees who are keen to see their children gain at least some education.

Resources, such

Most children do not progress beyond primary education and even gifted students sometimes cannot advance as that would require boarding in a town several days walk away; a cost their parents cannot afford.

as donated exercise books and writing materials, are transported from Thailand.

This involve

a four-hour road trip, a five-hour upriver boat trip followed by porters carrying the items on their backs for half a day up into the hills on narrow mountain paths; there are few roads.

One local community-based organization, the Community Schools Program (CSP), supports thirty-three schools in Kayin province. Eh Thwa, the dedicated female leader, coordinates the program and often accompanies the resources being distributed inside Burma. She knows each of the school committees and arranges an annual gathering for them to outline their needs

and plans for the school year.

no audio calls and no landlines.

Who benefits from the partnering program?

Few of us are old enough to recall the days when penfriends mailed each other letters that took two weeks between sending a letter and receiving a reply. With Myanmar, the timeframe may even be longer as there is no official mail system in remote localities. During initial stages, communication would be arranged through the CSP coordinator and as the program progresses the process would find its own way.

Children from each school. Those in developed schools learn about the massive disparities between the rich and poor. Karen children learn about the world beyond their remote village.

You know you are in a remote village when the children ask you where are from and when you reply ‘Australia’ they then ask how many day’s walk is that? Many children have little concept of oceans or other countries.

e-Quality, the charity supporting this initiative is progressively funding the installation of ecofriendly solar

However, all schools in the CSP are encouraged to participate in the World Children’s Prize, a Swedish initiative to promote tolerance and compassion among school children. Through this program they learn about the rights of children and how to organize themselves democratically so they can participate in the global vote for the Children’s Prize.

units in the relevant schools. With power, the schools can then utilise computers for the first time. After installing solar power, e-Quality will provide the schools with computers.

The way ahead

Most teachers and parents would agree, given the opportunity, children have an uncanny ability to organize themselves to both learn and resolve problems. This program aims to broaden the exposure that children in both countries have to world problems. What we seek to do is to put understanding and the development of the program itself into the hands of children. Oversight is necessary but the enthusiasm for learning will motivate the children to develop their own discourse.

How does the program work?

If you think in terms of how our modern world operates, then the system does not work. In Burma, there is very little digital communication especially in rural regions. That means no emails, no video calls,

For children who live in the Western world with all its technology and modern conveniences, imagining a world without such things may be hard. Exposure to a country where such things do not exist will broaden their understanding of Western students just as much as exposure to the Western world will alter the ken of children in a developing country. Stories illustrate the disparities. When Burmese refugees resettled in the USA from refugee camps in Thailand, for the first time ever they experienced modern buildings. What went on in those buildings terrified them. Imagine you had never seen an elevator before in your life. Imagine seeing people enter an elevator and the doors closing.

Imagine when the doors on the elevator open again, it is empty. What is this piece of machinery that eats people and leaves no trace of them?

On another occasion, a charity distributed Dr Continue on page 38

Food Insecurity Among Community College Students: Prevalence and Relationship to GPA, Energy, And Concentration Researcher: Dr. Maya E. Maroto The latest U.S. government surveys indicate that one in six Americans suffer from food insecurity, which means they have trouble affording adequate food. Previous research has shown that food insecurity affects adult cognitive ability, energy levels, ability to concentrate as well as child academic success. Food insecurity has been studied in college students at 4-year institutions; however, research on the community college population is sparse. This study aimed to better understand the extent and implications of food insecurity among community college students attending two community colleges in Maryland. The research was carried out using a survey that collected data related to student food insecurity, demographics, along with self-reported Grade Point Average (GPA), energy, and concentration levels in 301 community college students. Approximately half of the students attended a suburban community college (n=151) and half of the students attended an urban community college (n=150). Data from each school were compared to examine issues affecting students attending each institution.

Homelessness continued from page 20

education, but we still need to do better.

income renters, but only 5.6 million low-cost rental units – a deficit of 3.3 million low cost units.11 In 2014, there was a shortfall of 7.2 million affordable and available rental units for the nation’s 10.4 million extremely low income renter households.12

Finally, housing and homeless systems are not always well integrated with the mainstream programs that link families to employment, education, and services. We must make more progress on connect with mainstream systems of care that can support children’s health, development, and education as well as connecting parents with education and employment to improve the overall environment in which children are living.

Mainstream programs can also screen for housing instability and intervene before a family becomes homeless.

While the answer seems obvious—housing improves children’s’ outcomes, education and otherwise, and the lack of it causes family homelessness, solving homelessness among families remains a challenge. Far too little is done to help stabilize children and families in housing so that they do not become homeless. As it currently stands, only about 1 in 4 households eligible for rent assistance receive it.13 This lack of rent assistance leaves millions of people in precarious housing situations and at risk of homelessness: in 2014, there were approximately 6.6 million poor renter households with severe housing cost burden and 7 million people in poor households living doubled up.14 Unfortunately, when families do experience homelessness, we are also struggling with an inefficient homeless assistance system for families and children that sometimes needlessly prolongs homelessness or delay families’ returns to housing. This is changing: homeless assistance in the U.S. is shifting rapidly to quicker, permanent housing options. This means more families are having shorter stays.15 This is good because shortening the amount of time that children spend homeless, limits the impacts it can have on their development and

Education is the foundation on which all children build their future. Housing is the foundation on which that education is built and thus homeless children are working with a shaky foundation at best. While housing may not be the only thing that homeless children and families need, without housing, there is no solution.

References U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2015 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Washington, DC. 2015.

Retrieved from: https://www.hudexchange.info/resou rce/4832/2015-ahar-part-1-pitestimates-of-homelessness/ 2

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress – Part 2. Washington, DC. 2015. Retrieved from: https://www.hudexchange.info/resou rce/4828/2014-ahar-part-2estimates-of-homelessness/

3

Total Number of Homeless Students Enrolled in LEAs with or without McKinney-Vento Subgrants - Total: 2013-14, Unsheltered 20132014, and Sheltered 2013-2014.

Retrieved from: http://eddataexpress.ed.gov/dataelements.cfm/gid/62/ These numbers are considered to be underestimates, as the DOE data does not include children not in school or who have not disclosed their homelessness.

4

http://www.childtrends.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/201208EffectHomelessnessChildren.pdf, p.2.

5

Citation to come—article to be published in Science imminently 6

Homeless Families and Children.

Debra Rog and John Buckner.

September 2007. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publi cations/homeless/homeless_symp_ 07.html 7

Obradovic´, J., Long, J. D., CutulI, J. J., Chan, C-K., Hinz, E., Heistad, D., & Masten, A. S. (2009).

Academic achievement of homeless and highly mobile children in an urban school district: Longitudinal evidence on risk, growth, and resilience. Development and Psychopathology 21, 493– 518.

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Perlman, S. (2015). Access to Early Childhood Programs for Young Children Experiencing Homelessness: A Survey Report.http://naehcy.org/sites/defaul t/files/pdf/naehcy-survey-report.pdf 9

Rafferty, Y., Shinn, M., & Weitzman, B. C. (2004). Academic achievement among formerly homeless adolescents and their continuously housed peers. Journal of School Psychology, 42(3), 179199 10

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Family Options Continue on page 38

Child Welfare Professionals’ Attitudes and Beliefs About Child Welfare-Based Natural Mentoring for Older Youth in Foster Care

Dr. Johanna Greeson

Allison Thompson

Dr. Samira Ali

Dr. Michelle Evans-Chase

This qualitative study is the first to explore child welfare professionals’ attitudes and beliefs about implementing natural mentoring as a promising way to smooth the road to independence for older foster youth. The term “natural mentor” refers to a non-parental, caring adult whom a youth identifies in his/her existing social network (e.g., teachers, coaches, adult relatives). Five focus groups were conducted with 20 child welfare professionals from a Department of Human Services (DHS) located in a large urban city in the Northeastern United States. This study used the exploration, preparation, implementation, and sustainment (EPIS) framework to explicate the organizational challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of a child welfare-based natural mentoring intervention.

Why Burma continued from page 34

Seuss books with pictures of hamburgers. If you have never eaten anything but rice how do you begin to conceive what a hamburger is and why you even need one.

Partnering programs can help bridge the divides that exist between cultures and people. Love and understanding can replace ignorance and prejudice. While, children adapt more rapidly than adults, adults can be the catalyst for such initiatives.

When you watch a Burmese child push a tire down a dirt track as if it is their most prized toy from which they will derive hours of innocent play, you get a glimpse into a world that the West has left behind. When you see a Burmese child treasure just a single book and just one pen knowing it is their pathway to learning, you understand how they gain so much from so little.

One outstanding benefit of this program is that it is free. The only cost is a human one, of investing a little time into a great outcome. Teachers and parents will quickly see that they will learn alongside their If you need any further information about the program, please email Paul Jeffress at jeffress@optusnet.com.au or refer to e-Quality’s website at www.emqual.org

Homelessness continued from page 36 Study: Short-Term Outcomes Report. 2015. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/family_options_study.h tml#short-term-outcomes 11

Daskal, J. In search of shelter: The growing shortage of affordable rental housing. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Washington, DC. 1998. Retrieved from: http://www.cbpp.org/archiveSite/615hous.pdf

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National Low Income Housing Coalition. The GAP: The Affordable Housing Gap Analysis 2016.

Washington, DC. 2016. Retrieved from: http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/Gap-Report_print.pdf 13

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. America’s Rental Housing. 2015. http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-rental-housing 14

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. America’s Rental Housing. 2015. http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-rental-housing 15

National Alliance to End Homelessness. The State of Homelessness in America 2016. http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/SOH2016

Contributors’ Bios Donna Y. Ford, PhD Dr. Donna Y. Ford is a Professor of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. She is the former Betts Chair of Education & Human Development, and currently holds a joint appointment in the Department of Special Education and Department of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Ford has been a Professor of Special Education at the Ohio State University, an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Virginia, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. Professor Ford earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Urban Education (educational psychology) (1991), Masters of Education degree (counseling) (1988), and Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and Spanish (1984) from Cleveland State University.

Professor Ford conducts research primarily in gifted education and multicultural/urban education. Specifically, her work focuses on: (1) the achievement gap; (2) recruiting and retaining culturally different students in gifted education; (3) multicultural curriculum and instruction; (4) culturally competent teacher training and development; (5) AfricanAmerican identity; and (6) African-American family involvement. She consults with school districts, and educational and legal organizations on such topics as gifted education under-representation and Advanced Placement, multicultural/urban education and counseling, and closing the achievement gap.

Contributors’ Bios Nicole McZeal Walters, Ed.D Dr. Nicole McZeal Walters is a skilled educator with 19 years of professional educational experience holding teaching, administrative, consulting, and instructional design positions in schools and non-profit organizations. Her public-school career spanned 10 years as an early childhood educator, elementary teacher and administrator in the Aldine Independent School District. Dr. Walters presently serves as the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs at the University of St. Thomas in the School of Education and is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership. In her role as Associate Dean, Dr. Walters is responsible for the academic leadership and coordination of all graduate academic programs, including strategic planning, resource allocation, implementation, evaluation, continuous improvement and academic advising of students.

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Sheree Cook Alexander, Ed.D. Dr. Sheree N. Alexander is a K-12 public school administrator, educational researcher, and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. With twenty-three years of experience in various roles within educational settings, she has taught Language Arts Literacy in both urban and suburban school districts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio. Dr. Alexander was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a proud product of the School District of Philadelphia as a Girls’ High School graduate. She also had the honor and pleasure of returning “home” to teach 6th, 7th and 8th grade at E.W. Rhodes Middle School, the middle school she attended as student. Dr. Alexander is a recipient of the Gloucester Township Community Service Award and the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal. Dr. Alexander has been a presenter at the Achievement Gap Midwest Regional Conference in Chicago, IL, Roberto Clemente Alternative School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, provided District-Wide Professional Development for The School District of Philadelphia, and was a keynote speaker for Ypsilanti Schools. Her research interests include restorative practice, instructional leadership, building capacity for culturally responsive teaching, critical pedagogy and creating professional learning communities to improve the schooling experience of diverse student populations.

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Dede Rittman Dede Rittman is an author, speaker, and teacher. After teaching high school English and Theater for 37 years, Dede published her first book Student Teaching: The Inside Scoop from a Master Teacher in 2014. (www.dederittman.com) Her children’s book Grady Gets Glasses, the first in the Grady series, debuted in February, 2016. (www.gradygetsglasses.com).

Dede often writes about the inspirational lessons shared by golf, teaching, and life at www.bunnyteacher.blogspot.com.

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Nikkia Rowe Bio Unavailable •

Contributors’ Bios Samantha Batko Samantha Batko, Director of the Homelessness Research Institute, leads the research arm of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. In that role, she monitors trends in homelessness, homeless assistance, and at-risk populations; identifies and promotes promising local practices; and translates research to improve homelessness policy and practice. Ms. Batko also serves as the co-chair of the Alliance’s Research Council. Prior to this position, Ms. Batko focused on crafting policy and identifying promising programs that end homelessness for unaccompanied youth and young parents as a member of the Alliance’s policy team. She also served as the Alliance’s lead staff person on issues affecting survivors of domestic violence. She has previous experience helping state and local governments, communities, and nonprofits design and implement rapid re-housing/Housing First systems and programs. Ms. Batko joined the Alliance in February 2006 after graduating from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Psychology.

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Dr. James R. Riley Rev. James Ray Riley was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Rayfield and Rev. Vernita P. Riley. He confessed his sins and received The Lord Jesus Christ into his heart in 1985. Pastor Riley married the love of his life Crystal M. Riley on February 12, 2011. They have their beautiful children Jordan (6) JaMarion (8) and Johnicia (11). Pastor Riley and Lady Crystal will be celebrating 6 years of marriage this coming year. In September of 2000 Rev. Riley left Baton Rouge to join the United States Marine Corp. From 2002-2004 Rev. Riley served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq.

• Paul Jeffress Paul is a Chartered Tax Adviser and founder of e-Quality. He has a deep interest in helping landmine victims after witnessing the first-hand devastation these weapons cause.

• Dr. Stephen Jones Dr. Stephen Jones is an outstanding educator who has spent his career helping students to succeed in K-12 schools and college. He has been instrumental in helping thousands of students realize their dream to earn a degree. He has authored the Seven Secrets of How to Study series, including "Mapping Your Strategy for Better Grades", the "Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide" and the "Ultimate Scholarship Guide." The books provide an understanding of the seven pillars that are essential to learning effective study techniques. Dr. Jones is the President of SAJ Publishing, and a Distinguished Toast Master, he is an in-demand speaker who has regular appearances on Blog Talk Radio. He also serves as Associate Dean of Student & Strategic Programs in the College of Engineering at Villanova University.

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Contributors’ Bios Dr. Nekeshia Hammond Dr. Nekeshia Hammond is a licensed psychologist, speaker, and author of The Practical Guide to Raising Emotionally Healthy Children. She is also the owner and founder of Hammond Psychology & Associates, P.A., a private practice dedicated to helping children and families. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, and her masters and doctorate degrees from the Florida School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University – Tampa. In 2016, Dr. Hammond became the first African-American elected as the President-Elect of the Florida Psychological Association. She has been featured in Life Improvement Radio, CBS, Essence, Tampa Bay Parenting, Ebony, NBC, and more.

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Dr. Kyle Bacon Dr. Bacon is an educational recruiter, award-winning teacher, and former principal who completed his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He also holds a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Trinity University; a Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of the District of Columbia; and a Bachelor's of Social Work from Howard University.

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Dr. Rinata Tanks Dr. Rinata Tanks is currently employed with Baltimore City Public Schools as a Coordinator of Multiple Pathways within the Department of Specialized Services. She has worked extensively around the development and implementation of various initiatives within Multiple Pathways, specifically with the establishment of the Re-Engagement Center. She also served as a School Support Liaison supporting schools around the creation of school-wide behavior intervention systems, coaching, and facilitating professional development. Prior to joining Baltimore City Public Schools, Dr. Tanks served as an Assistant Principal for Duval County Public Schools and functioned as a Special Education lead teacher for several years. Dr. Tanks currently holds a Doctorate Degree in Education Leadership with a dissertation focus on Multi-Component Intervention Strategies for Students with Disabilities from Nova Southeastern University, as well as, a Master of Science degree in Emotional Disturbances and Learning Disabilities; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology, both from Florida State University. She is a published writer and participated in various discussions and panels around effective implementation of behavior intervention strategies in a classroom environments.

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Dr. Gary Stueven Dr. Gary Stueven worked in education for 42 years serving as a school principal for thirty years. He retired in 2014 after ten years as principal at Platte River Academy and now consults, trains, and mentors part-time for the Colorado League of Charter Schools and the Colorado Department of Education. He received his Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Wyoming. He has been a Coloradan since 1974.

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Contributors’ Bios Harlan Stueven M.D. Harlan Stueven M.D. was an Emergency physician and poisoning specialist for 36 years treating patients suffering from a range of emergencies. He has been a Medical Director and Chairman of hospital based Emergency Medicine Departments, formerly a President of Emergency and Environmental Medicine consulting group, a physician group Chief Financial Officer, has served on multiple professional committees and is Founder of DiningGrades.com. He is an accomplished leader, researcher, a champion of process improvement, author, national and international speaker. Dr. Harlan Stueven is available as a consulting expert on food safety and food poisoning prevention.

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LaShonda M. Jackson-Dean, Ph.D. Bio Unavailable •

Jeromie Heath Jeromie Heath is a National Board Certified Elementary School Teacher currently teaching in Seattle, WA. He has taught grades 1-5 and is currently in his 13th year of teaching. He has a passion for making learning exciting and engaging for students. He continuously collects and creates new ideas that unleash engagement, imagination, enthusiasm, motivation, and overall fun in the classroom. He believes that engaging a student by customizing the learning experience to meet their academic, social, behavioral, and cultural needs leads to a better education and overall a better life.

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Dr. Avis Williams Dr. Avis Williams has served in leadership positions in the US Army, as an entrepreneur and as an educational administrator.

She is passionate about empowering people to reach their personal best. A researcher and a scholar, she is certified to teach English, Physical Education and as an educational administrator. She earned her doctorate from the University of Alabama and is a proud graduate of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County Connect and the University of Alabama's Superintendents Academy. Dr. Williams has served as an elementary, middle and high school principal giving her a widerange of knowledge and practical experience. Prior to her current position as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in Tuscaloosa City Schools, Dr. Williams served as the Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction in Guilford County Schools, North Carolina. She is the author of a children’s chapter book, Welcome to Chase Shadows. She is the CEO of Learn Lead Read •

Contributors’ Bios John C. Turner John C. Turner, M.S. AKA Professor JT is a native of and current resident in Indianapolis, Indiana. John is an alum of Indiana State University (Terre Haute, IN), where he received his B.S. in Electronics Technology (2005) and M.S. in Student Affairs and Higher Education (2007). John works as an Assistant Director of Academic Advising and Adjunct Professor at Ivy Tech Community College, Central Indiana. John is “The Black Man Can” 2013 Award Winner in Higher Education and is currently pursuing his PhD in Urban Education at IUPUI in the City of Indianapolis, IN. •

Rafael Tapia Jr. Rafael F. Tapia, Jr. is the vice president of programs for Partnership With Native Americans and a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona. Rafael’s professional background in public service, directing social, economic and behavioral health programs has primarily focused on working with Native American communities. Rafael has previously held senior-level positions in tribal and state government and nonprofit organizations. Rafael earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, as well as an Economic Development Certificate from Oklahoma University College of Continuing Education.

The Impact of Environment Factors on Student Achievement Dr. Franklin Turner Franklin Dickerson Turner, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Queens College, The City University of New York. He received his B.S. in African American History from Florida A&M University, M.A. in Educational Psychology from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and Ph.D. in Urban Systems from Rutgers University-Newark. Prior to starting graduate school, Dr. Turner was a middle school teacher in the Philadelphia School District. He has a strong record of community service, from working as a volunteer in Post-Katrina New Orleans to running a Boy and Cub Scouting program at Raymond Rosen Housing Projects in Philadelphia.

Dr. Turner’s research focuses on the Achievement Gap (especially teaching writing), Popular Culture, and Race & Social Class, especially in educational settings. He has published and presented in the areas of reading fluency acquisition, teacher education, and counseling. He is currently a consulting editor for The Journal of Educational Research and the Journal of Negro Education.

School Closings and Fair Housing James Perry @jameshperry Former Executive Director Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center

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