The Maryland Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) Regulations require each school system to develop ETM long-range plans on a 5-year cycle. The first cycle is from 1994-1999, with the second cycle plan due in 1999 to be implemented in the year 2000. Each school system's current five-year plan is on file in the Equity Assurance and Compliance Branch at the Maryland State Department of Education.
The ETM Regulations also require local school systems to submit to MSDE Annual ETM Progress Reports. Comprehensive progress reports for 1997-1998 from all school systems are due on June 30, 1998.
Following are summaries submitted by local school systems reporting details of their current Five-Year Plans and progress for 1997-1998. These summaries reflect a sampling of ETM activities implemented by individual school systems. Programs include such activities as:
Five-year plans due in 1999 should emphasize analysis of dissaggregated data in identifying needs and development of strategies directly related to enhancing student achievement.
Five-Year Plan Summary
The Board of Education of Allegany County is working to develop a collective mind-set that Education That Is Multicultural is paramount to student success. To achieve this staff development with central office, building level administrators and classroom teachers is a major component to effect positive change.
While our current five-year plan is a good first effort, there are several areas that need to be addressed with more specificity and with a broader degree of staff inclusion. We now have a new superintendent in Allegany County who brings a different perspective to integrate Character Education with Education That Is Multicultural. Students who experience changes set forth by our system in consultation with parents and community leaders will achieve greater successes. Multicultural education continues to be infused into all curricular areas with the support and guidance of our educational professionals. In addition, more training will also be offered for the support staff of Allegany County.
Update of Progress 1997-1998
There are three sub-teams of the School Improvement Teams - Climate Committee, Parent, Business and Volunteer Committee, Student Achievement Committee. All 24 schools have representation on these teams. These teams have separated out the data from the effective schools and utilize it based on their team's goals.
In accordance with the state regulations on Education That Is Multicultural, Anne Arundel County Public Schools formed a large and diverse task force in 1994, chaired by Art Smelkinson, Specialist for Staff Development. The directive was to conduct a system-wide needs assessment, then design and draft a four-year staff development action plan in response to the assessed needs based on interviews, research, and surveys. The task force discerned four component areas of multiculturalism that needed to be addressed by all schools to ensure equity and excellence in education: curriculum; living skills; instruction; and resources. More specifically, the task force identified four annual outcomes to be realized within each component area, with the understanding that the following provisions are met:
(1) all schools integrate into their school improvement plan mechanisms for achieving each outcome, to include ongoing staff development (e.g., collegial sharing, peer observation, and action research);
(2) accountability will be assured via administrative observation and evaluation of teachers on a school-wide basis, and central office conferencing and evaluation of principals on a county-wide basis;
(3) parental and community involvement will occur consistently through outreach programs to such groups as the CAC and PTA; additionally, parents and community personnel will be used as instructional resources to classroom teachers; and
(4) a county-wide staff development model will be put in place to facilitate and support this systemic multicultural reform.
As to the last item, the following is an explanation of the county-wide staff development model that currently is in its second year of implementation, and that has enjoyed both local and statewide acclaim. Each school [principal] has identified two key players, called multicultural "liaisons" based on the following criteria: excellent leadership and staff development skills; highly respected by their respective faculties; a predisposition toward diversity. One liaison is an administrator (principal, assistant principal, administrative intern); the other, a teacher (or guidance counselor or media center specialist). The liaisons report to the Staff Development Center at Carver twice throughout the school year to receive training of trainers in the four component areas identified by the task force. They leave the Staff Development Center empowered with the resources (books, training outlines, blackline masters), knowledge, and skills necessary to collaborate on and conduct effective school-based staff development on the topics addressed. Follow-up support is provided by the Office of Staff Development through regular articulation with liaisons, further elaboration and material support when requested, and on-site visitation when necessary.
Curriculum: Content of all cultures has been infused into the curriculum in all disciplines at varying degrees, based on ETM's guidelines and the BCPSS philosophy which states that: "All cultural content and historical contributions of all existing cultures must be valued equally, without imposing hierarchical superiority or inferiority on any culture. Therefore, no single culture or member of any ethnic group can be considered intellectually or physically inferior or superior to another, using group identity as the critical assessment tool." Dr. James Banks' "Levels of Infusion" is evident in curriculum and instruction.
Instruction: Daily instruction supports maintenance of equitable classrooms, student achievement, positive social interaction. Attention to diversity factors, learning styles, contextualization, conflict resolution, and cultural empowerment is stressed. Teachers are expected to focus learning experiences so as not to have students adopt or adapt to an oppressive or unjust society, but to equip them with knowledge, skills, and abilities that will prepare them to succeed, and work aggressively to eradicate social ills in our society, now and into the 21st century. Respective schools have special activities, and system extracurricular activities address multicultural concepts. The Cultural Academic Program provides many presentations.
Instructional Materials: Annual reviews and evaluations of instructional materials, print and non-print, are made resulting in the development of recommended lists that support instruction. A multicultural library is available for staff, and multicultural materials are expected to be in school media centers. Evaluation criteria are available upon request.
Staff Development: The concepts of ETM have been introduced to all stakeholders and annual staff development efforts address multicultural concepts. Special sessions, seminars, and specific courses, general and discipline specific, are offered for new teachers, veteran teachers, and administrators at all levels by the system, community organizations, and institutions of higher education. A credit bearing Summer Study Series that provide foreign travel opportunities is available for staff. A Fall Study Series is offered through the Office of Humanities.
Parent/Community Involvement: Parents are informed through schools, area offices, and central office. Parent/community and system collaborations are evident, but more concentration is needed in this area.
The BCPSS has been in a status of transition during the 1997-1998 school year and plans for current and future learning experiences include multicultural concepts. The system's Master Plan Multicultural Advisory Committee will include all stakeholders more strategically in program implementation.
The mission of the Baltimore County Public Schools is to provide a quality education for all students--one that develops the skills, abilities, and attitudes that will enable them to succeed now and in the future. BCPS's Education That Is Multicultural: Five-Year Implementation Plan (The Five-Year Plan) is a major instrument and process to support this mission. The Five-Year Plan defines BCPS' efforts to comply with the Maryland State Department of Education's Education That Is Multicultural regulations. The Five-Year Plan focuses on the school system's commitment to providing students an equal and equitable education and emphasizes the BCPS's strategy to successfully address the increasing diversity of its students and community.
The responsibility for developing, updating, and assisting with the continuous monitoring of Baltimore County's Five-Year Plan rests with the FIVE-YEAR Plan Committee. Its membership is comprised of students, school system personnel, and community members who examine changes that occur in curriculum, instruction, resources, and staff development.
An analysis of baseline data used to drive the Five-Year Plan indicated a significant change in the socioeconomic status, language, and cultural diversity of Baltimore County's student population. The data also exposed widening gaps in student achievement. Results of student and teacher climate surveys pointed to the need for greater cultural awareness and acceptance.
BCPS obtained feedback on the present status of implementation of the Five-Year Plan by examining current written and oral reports from school system offices, schools, multicultural liaisons, course evaluations, responses to the African American Advisory Group report, etc. There are ongoing efforts to revise the BCPS Essential Curriculum to ensure its inclusivity and reflection of diversity, and a multicultural resource library has been established. The course, Providing Education That Is Multicultural, for teachers and administrators has been developed and is being conducted in each of the system's five geographical areas, along with a train-the- trainers course in multicultural education. Courses in multicultural education are also being conducted in collaboration with area colleges. Schools participate in numerous multicultural workshops, seminars, lectures, field trips, and foreign student exchange programs.
Programs and workshops that focus on multicultural inclusion have been held for system staff, students, and parents. Many multicultural initiatives are done in concert with community organizations such as colleges, museums, and businesses.
BCPS continues to face the challenge of closing the student achievement gap, increasing participation of all students, and continuing to move multicultural infusion to higher levels. BCPS also confronts the challenge of ensuring that the Five-Year Plan reflects the reality of programs and efforts occurring throughout Baltimore County Public Schools.
The vision of Calvert County Public Schools is to promote education that is multicultural via recognizing, understanding and accepting the interdependence of individuals in terms of their uniqueness and cultural diversity within a highly technological global society.
As a result of a countywide needs assessment administered in the spring of 1995, goals and objectives were determined. The goals and objectives are outlined below and are still appropriate for this school year.
Goals and Objectives:
Calvert County Public Schools recognizes the need for students as well as staff to possess and model quality character. The character education program within the schools focuses students and staff to internalize a specific character trait monthly throughout the school year. These traits include responsibility, caring, respect, perseverance, understanding, fairness, justice, honesty, sharing and many more. Each school focuses on the monthly trait in their own way. Students and staff are asked to take time to recognize ways in which these traits can be exhibited. Education that is multicultural has to embrace most of these traits if it is going to truly celebrate and highlight the uniqueness and variety of individuals and groups.
Within our elementary and middle schools, students are learning about global diversity in the area of social studies. Students have learned about various cultures in places such as Rome, India, Japan, African countries and other places. An appreciation for the differences and contributions of these cultures is being experienced daily.
The mission statement of the Caroline County Public Schools states that "in partnership with family and community, the Caroline County Public Schools will motivate and challenge students to attain educational excellence." This belief is the premise upon which our Educationt That Is Multicultural ETM Plan is based. Our ETM Plan is the "road map" in providing equal opportunity for all students to receive a quality education and to become productive citizens in our global society. Our plan was developed by a Multicultural Steering Committee consisting of various stakeholders.
The ETM Plan for Caroline County Public Schools focuses on the areas of curriculum, instruction, staff development, and instructional resources. In the area of curricula, revisions (PreK - 12) in all subject areas have been completed to ensure hat multicultural components are infused in the curriculum in an effort to assist students in fostering an understanding of, and an appreciation for, cultural groups. In the area of instruction, individual schools have included an Education That Is Multicultural goal in their school improvement plans. Through the use of technology, each principal has access to student data, such as testing, grades, attendance, etc., which can be disaggregated by special populations (race, gender, special education, Maryland's Tomorrow, free/reduced lunch). Each School Improvement Team identifies instructional practices to promote success for all students. To best meet the needs of the teachers and students, staff development is tailored to each school. Additionally, staff training in the area of multicultural education is ongoing. Also, for the purposes of designing and implementing lessons which infuse multicultural perspectives, each school has established a multicultural reference resource center to be utilized by professional staff. Minority recruitment efforts have been increased in an effort to provide role models which reflect the cultural diversity of our society. An evaluation process is utilized to ensure that instructional resources selected foster a respect for all people and cultures.
The Education That Is Multicultural Action Plan for the Caroline County Public Schools ensures success for all students in a school climate which is accommodating, fair, and equitable. We are committed to demonstrating high expectations for all students as they strive to achieve education excellence.
Carroll County's Strategic Plan for Education That Is Multicultural was developed by a countywide steering committee made up of educators, students, parents, and representatives from businesses and professional organizations. The plan's seven goals, listed below, parallel the goals in Maryland's Education That Is Multicultural Regulations. Each of the goals has specific objectives, activities, milestones, and accountability standards.
While not all goal milestones in the plan have been met, progress has been made in accomplishing each of the seven goals. Significantly, each school in Carroll County has developed a multicultural education plan and has a group in place, either as a subcommittee of their school improvement team or as a separate committee, to develop multicultural programs and activities, and to evaluate the school's progress in achieving the goals of its plan. Staff development activities have been presented to principals, central office staff, and teachers, and continued staff development opportunities are planned. There has been an increase in the number of multicultural activities provided by schools at all levels for students and their parents. During the last two years, hundreds of Carroll County high school students have had the opportunity to participate in Multicultural Leadership Conferences, co-sponsored by the CCPS and Carroll Citizens for Racial Equality. Plans are being made to expand this effort to middle school students.
I. Curriculum - A county-wide curriculum council is being formed in Cecil County. The purpose is to formulate guidelines for curriculum. As part of these guidelines, the multicultural component is to be addressed with any new curriculum that is developed.
II. Instruction - We are encouraging teachers to look at the area of multicultural education as an inclusive part of the educational process. More emphasis and follow up is needed in this area.
III. Staff Development (county wide) - We have had an inservice day entirely devoted to multicultural education.
IV. Instructional Resources - The County Multicultural Advisory Committee has developed a resource booklet that we hope will be approved by board personnel, to be distributed to each school.
V. PersonneURoles & Responsibilities - This is an area where we feel we need more direction. The district office has expressed a difficulty in hiring minority candidates, despite recruitment efforts. Suggestions on ways to hire qualified minority candidates are welcomed.
VI. Other - Based on James Banks' model, "Integrating the Curriculum with Ethnic Content: Approaches and Guidelines," the following is a summary of the discussions, activities, and plans of the ETM Steering Committee for Cecil County Public Schools:
Charles County Public Schools has a student population of 21,600 students with 27.9% African American plus other minority students. The staff ratio is comparable. A major disparity in the academic performance of minority students and that of other students has been noted through assessments including Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Maryland School Performance and Assessment Program (MSPAP), and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). The school system has identified five major goals that will facilitate the implementation of the Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) Regulations and increase minority achievement. Those goals are:
Charles County has developed a curriculum framework which has been matched with MSPAP. Model lessons have been developed wherein best instructional practices have been infused. Teachers in grades one through five, including special areas, have been trained in performance- based instruction. A graduate level human relations class is currently being piloted with principals and over the next three years will be a requirement for all system employees. Six other courses which address diversity are also available to staff. A complete revision of the plan is in progress.
Education That Is Multicultural
Initiatives and Activities Implemented
[997 - 1998 School Year
Continued analysis of disaggregated MSPAP results. Instructional strategies keyed to diverse learning modalities.
III. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Staff Development conducted for key school and Central Office staff based upon curriculum revisions and diverse learning modalities and Core Knowledge Curriculum.
IV. INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
V. OTHER
I. Curriculum revisions and development in concert with the Dorchester County ETM Council
II. Continue analysis of MSPAP results and key instruction accordingly
III. Continue inservices for selected staff based upon curriculum revisions and continue staff development program using volunteer community and contracted consultants
Frederick County Public Schools' Five-year Action Plan for Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) was developed after soliciting input from the Superintendent's Committee for Education That Is Multicultural and representation from teachers, school and central office administrators, students, parents, and the community. Our local board approved the plan which consists of five segments, including objectives, activities, etc., that support the MSDE Regulations. Our plan includes each of the components required by the regulations: curriculum, instruction, staff development, and instructional resources as well as the match up to our system goals, current initiatives, and evidence of need. The intent is to show our stakeholders where we are now, and where we hope to be at the end of the designated period, and how each entity can be accomplished within FlVE-YEARs. As time progresses, modifications may occur if the need becomes apparent, however. The plan consists of a viable and effective multicultural program and clearly indicates the role that each stakeholder must play if success is to be realized.
The rest of this report will focus on a few accomplishments and upcoming activities in each of the components of the Regulations. Two accomplishments under curriculum include day-long inservices for elementary social studies teachers and incorporating EMC goals in the secondary English curriculum goals, novel lists, and CRES assessments. Under instruction, we continuously provide course work opportunities for our staff members, such as ETM, Cooperative Learning, Multiple Intelligences, and Dimensions of Learning. Under staff development, we have inserviced school staffs, administrative and other central office staff and bus drivers. We have produced and distributed a video, Diversity Is Our Strength, and an accompanying brochure. Faculty meeting topics have included gender equity, curricular infusion, diversity awareness, the MSDE Regulations, and cross-cultural communication, as well as A World of Difference workshop presentations. Administrators and other central office staff recently attended meetings on equity with the superintendent and consultant, Dr. Ann Bouie. As for instructional resources, we have developed and distributed cultural diversity posters to various FCPS sites, continue to preview and select ETM videos for the IMC/Media Services, and plan to produce and distribute resource binders which will include lesson plans.
We have held a Character Counts Parade and had our 11th annual Dr. MLK, Jr. Celebration. To keep touch with the ETM contact in each school, a workshop is being planned fort them in the spring.
Our school system has made, and will continue to make, strides in the area of Education That Is Multicultural. Human Services continues to focus on recruiting and retaining minority teachers and male teachers at the elementary level. Guidance continues to promote the Victimization Reporting Procedures with its zero tolerance policy for any form of prejudicial treatment of students or staff. We continue to look at our school improvement data to examine those areas, especially the disparity in student achievement, that must be addressed. That is the new major focus of our current Committee for Education That Is Multicultural.
Curriculum - The Garrett County Public School System has a five-year cycle of curriculum review. We have integrated appropriate multicultural elements into all major academic content. We will continue this integration, as we continue working in other curricular areas. The Selection of Text/Media Policy was revised, and, in the process, was made compatible with COMAR I 3A.04.05, the Maryland Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) Regulations.
Instruction - The GCPS instructional staff continues to emphasize Dimensions of Learning as a framework for unit and lesson development. Administrators have been trained to "look for" indicators of use of Dimensions as they formally and informally observe teachers as part of our evaluative process.
While we are pleased with the progress all students are making as measured by MSPAP and CTBS-5, we realize that our scores still indicate discrepancies when considering female-male and socio-economic status. The indicators of achievement for The Goals of the Garrett County Board of Education set standards for numbers and percentages of students who must meet achievement levels and require that student achievement data be disaggregated by gender. Once we have the electronic capabilities, we anticipate the disaggregation of data by socio-economic levels also.
Staff Development - All schools have had awareness training in the ETM Regulations. During our staff development days, instructional staff have had, and will continue to have, opportunities to discover how to infuse multicultural activities into their classrooms and lesson plans. All of our instruction staff development efforts are geared toward providing teachers with a broad array of strategies and skills so that teachers can meet the instructional needs of individual students. Much of our training opportunities have focused on improving instruction through Dimensions of Learning. We have stressed reading strategies, hands-on and/or event- based strategies in science and mathematics, writing across the curriculum, using performance and assessment tasks in all curricular areas developing and using scoring rubics in all curricular areas, developing and using portfolios (especially in writing), and integrating multiple intelligence strategies into lesson plans. In addition, we are training our teachers to train the students to evaluate their own work.
Other - We are encouraged that our efforts appear to be heading in the right direction. This is based on the fact that when the CTBS-5 data is dissaggregated into five groups - highest scoring, high scoring, average scoring, lower scoring, and lowest scoring, all groups scored at, above, or significantly above the corresponding group nationally in all areas tested.
Our Student Discipline Policy now addresses sexual harassment and discrimination. Along this line, we continue to refine and extend our STAR (Students Taking Active Responsibility) Program, which is a school-specific discipline/behavior management plan.
Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) Five-Year Plan delineates the goals of the MSDE Regulations and identifies strategies to meet each goal. During the first year, the objective for each goal is to create an awareness. The second year strategies are designed to increase the awareness level. By the third and fourth years, all staff members will have acquired and refined the skills needed to implement ETM in all four MSDE goals areas: instruction, curriculum, resources, and staff development. By the year 2000, ETh will have become institutionalized and part of the appraisal process. HCPS is a continuous quality improvement organization; it is data driven. The plan is based on an extensive needs assessment which includes MSPAP scores and indicators, staff ratios, and progress reports from each of the curriculum offices. The evolving needs assessment will also include the results of the Multicultural Needs Assessment Surveys which was conducted during the second year of the plan, as a means to monitor growth and to identify further needs for study, both at the county level and by individual schools. The total school community participated in the surveys, and the plan was written by a broad-based committee which included school, community, and parent representation. The initial focus of our plan and activities was on staff development.
National speakers have addressed all instructional staff and training is ongoing. An additional national expert addressed all special educators and guidance personnel. Schools have begun a series of training sessions on the topics delineated in the Regulation. A Learning Styles Manual has been developed, and training modules will be developed. A trainer of trainers model is being established, and a training module for "Dealing With Linguistic Differences" is being used by a cadre of trainers. MSDE conducted training in "Equity in Hiring Practices" for all administrative and supervisory staff.
Framework teams have been established to study the disproportionate suspension rate of African American males and the issue of equity as it relates to funding. Design teams are now underway. ETM is linked to student achievement. Schools with low MSPAP scores have been targeted for training. Schools were instructed to include ETM in their school improvement plans. Some hools identified ETM as a focus area, and they are involved in ongoing activities. The Harford Equity Leadership Conference is held each year. This state model identifies and trains student leaders from each secondary school in equity issues and empowers them to implement a plan in their schools. A community-based ad hoc committee has been formed to provide additional input to the plan and activities. The Superintendent co-chairs the committee and has made the Office of Equity and Cultural Diversity part of his Cabinet. Additional funding has been requested to increase the system's efforts in the area of ETM.
It is the mission of the Howard County Public School System to ensure excellence in teaching and learning so that each student will participate responsibly in a diverse and changing world. In the summer of 1994, the Howard County Public School System embarked on a strategic planning process called BEYOND THE YEAR (BTY) 2000. The BTY 2000 process was designed to provide all stakeholders with an opportunity to engage in substantive discussion about education and to have a role in determining the future direction of the public schools. The resulting BTY 2000 Strategic Plan clearly articulates what we are about as a school system. It sets high expectations, involves all stakeholders, and measures progress toward the accomplishment of our shared mission and mutual goals at both the school and district levels in terms of both academic achievement and customer satisfaction. The BTY 2000 Strategic Plan supports Education That Is Multicultural in that it prepares students to live, learn, interact, work, and participate productively in a culturally pluralistic society. Student achievement is promoted through policies and practices that recognize the rights and responsibilities of all to value the diversity and commonality of students, staff, and communities. Curriculum and instruction is provided that enables students to demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the contributions of numerous ethnic and cultural groups. Respect for individuals, regardless of factors such as race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and disability, is fostered in all programs and practices. Finally, the school system is working rigorously to ensure that academic achievement data is free of patterns associated with gender, ethnicity, learning styles, and socioeconomic status.
Prior to the ETM regulation, the Board of Education of HCPSS adopted a policy stating that "instructional materials must foster the inclusion of all voices within a global society." Since 1994, all curriculum guides include a statement on Education That Is Multicultural. In selected curriculum areas, visible contributions of racial, ethnic, and cultural groups and access to different cultural view points of historic events and situations are represented. A document, "Guidelines for Multicultural Speakers and Presentations," has been developed and supplemental human relations programs, resources, and/or consultants are reviewed by the school-based administrators and the Office of Human Relations. The Office of Human Relations has also developed on-going assessment procedures for use with instructional programming designed to facilitate the elimination of prejudice and discrimination, support the teaching of skills for living in a multicultural society, and assist students and staff in demonstrating interpersonal and intergroup sensitivity. The Office is supported by the Multicultural Resource Center, created in 1994/95, which serves as a clearinghouse for multicultural and human relations resources and materials. District-wide and school-based training is conducted to assist staff with the basic skills and understanding needed to foster interpersonal and intergroup sensitivity, understanding, and communication. Recognizing that not all students are fully aware of the impact of their behavior, "Signal Incidents" were identified as occurring whenever students use ethnicity, race, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, or disability as a basis for negative interaction. Finally, the Office of Academic Support was created in 1996/97 to provide strategic support for parents, administrators, teachers, and staff who are engaged in addressing the achievement needs of students who are not experiencing success within the Howard County Public School System.
Kent County Public Schools has included in its mission statement promoting recognition and respect for diversity and multiculturalism. The goal for our school system is to develop an understanding and appreciation of other cultures and cultural groups in our society including their contributions to our society at large.
Our objectives are: 1) to infuse Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) into the essential curriculum; 2) to include instructional materials free from stereotypical views and biases; 3) to provide staff development that encourages teachers to appreciate and value the cultural and historical contributions of diverse cultural groups and include such understanding in their teaching strategies via Dimensions of Learning; and 4) to encourage and require school improvement teams to annually develop goals, strategies, milestones and evaluations for academic intervention identified through disaggregated standardized assessment data.
To date, we have accomplished our objectives to infuse ETM in the school system's essential curriculum. Information and activities about all cultural groups found within our community have been included in the major content areas of math, social studies, and language arts. A system inservice on Education That Is Multicultural is planned for the summer of 1998. It is planned for a staff development inservice to give clarity in the kinds of information to include when developing curriculum. Through in-house development, Kent County Public Schools has selected materials that are free from stereotypical views and biases while maintaining essential curriculum standards. As part of the essential curriculum, staff development needs will focus on Dimensions of Learning as a strategic tool that encourages teachers to appreciate and value the contributions of diverse cultural groups. School improvement team have studied disaggregated assessment data and based on the results have already begun to meet additional academic needs such as recruitment for the EEEP program for Hispanic students and the other extended day programs. In all of our schools there continue to be activities centered around the recognition of all diverse cultural groups through displays and special programs.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is deeply committed to the principle and practice of Education That Is Multicultural, and to improving teaching, learning, and the delivery of support services to ensure success for every student. The MCPS action plan for Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) draws parallels between the state regulation and Success For Every Student (SES), the school system's strategic plan that defines outcomes, goals, strategies, and tasks that promote the achievement of low to average-achieving African American, American Indian, Asian American, and Hispanic students and students with limited English proficiency and special needs. Montgomery County Public Schools has undertaken a process of continuous improvement that targets specific resources to produce desired key results, aligning the organization of our school system toward the common goals of ETM and SES.
A major focus is development of curricula that teaches students an appreciation and respect for cultural diversity. Curriculum documents are being expanded to reflect the many perspectives and contributions of our multicultural society. All new and revised curricula and accompanying instructional materials must demonstrate multicultural perspectives in order to be recommended for approval by the superintendent and Board of Education. In addition, instructional guides must include accommodations for physically challenged, special needs, and ESOL/Bilingual students to ensure equal access to instruction.
Special attention is focused on increasing the participation of traditionally underrepresented students in advanced level and gifted and talented programs. Recent data indicates that all racial/ethnic groups have made long-term gains in participation in honors and advanced courses in high school. The increases in honors and advanced course participation are showing up in the higher number of students taking the College Board Advanced Placement Tests. Enhanced parent outreach and training along with an expanded gifted and talented identification process is resulting in increases in the percentage of traditionally underrepresented students.
Another systemic effort is on equipping, training, and expecting all instructional staff to use a wide repertoire of instructional strategies and the full range of available technology to respond appropriately to diverse student needs. Particular focus is on the use of flexible instructional grouping to eliminate all practices that limit expectations and opportunities for student learning. Research-based strategies to improve student achievement are included in all curricular training. Strategies for differentiating the curriculum to address the diverse learning styles of our multicultural community are included in all staff development programs. In addition, a team of MCPS staff participated in the two-week Maryland State Department of Education training of trainers for Education That Is Multicultural and subsequently established a county inservice course. Human relations and gender equity liaisons in all schools receive training and resources.
Staff from the Office of Instruction and Program Development review all instructional materials and resources to ensure they meet the criteria set forth in the state regulation. A major initiative is underway to expand the number of multicultural titles in all curricula. In addition, cable television programming features African American, American Indian, Asian American and Hispanic participants in prominent roles, including leadership positions and nontraditional professional careers.
I. Curriculum: Approved curriculum materials continue to reflect the tenets and guiding principles of Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) as delineated in the Five-Year Plan. All curriculum documents under Board approval procedures are inclusive of standards identified for Multicultural Education in Prince George's County Public Schools.
II. Instruction: All schools include goals and objectives related to ETM within their school improvement plan. The Equity Specialist provides schools with information, materials, and tools to support the formulation and implementation of these plans.
III. Staff Development: The Staff Development Department incorporates ETM into its Long- Range Comprehensive Plan by directly responding to the school system priority goal for Multicultural Education. There is an increase in graduate level courses, as well as SAW- ME offerings, in the area of Multicultural Education.
IV. Instructional Resources: An ETM Materials Checklist is in use as a guide for the selection, review, and acquisition of multicultural instructional and resource materials. The checklist was developed with criteria that are aligned with the five COMAR ETM goals.
V. Systemic: The Multicultural, Human Relations, Title IX, Indian Education, and Youth Development Programs have been restructured, under the auspices of the Equity Assurance Office.
Education That Is Multicultural continues to play a key role in curriculum development and instruction. Staff development opportunities have been greatly expanded to include course offerings in areas such as African American History, Culture and Contemporary Issues in Education; Women's History From a Multicultural Perspective; and Instructional Strategies That Reflect and Support a Multicultural Perspective.
Prince ~orge's County Public Schools has continued to energize its ETM efforts through the creation of an Equity Advisory Board, the adoption of an Equity Resolution by the Board of Education, and the circulation of a quarterly newsletter, "Equity in the Schools." Collectively, these initiatives serve as the underpinnings of a dynamic program that continues to guide our systems approach to ETM in Prince George's County Public Schools.
A bare bones five-year plan was developed two years ago by a broad-based committee of teachers, administrators, students, and community representatives. The plan was developed based on the state ETM Regulations and also utilized the data from the community and school system equity survey. The plan included each of the elements required by the Regulations; curriculum, instruction, staff development, instructional resources, and personnel roles and responsibilities. The initial plan dealt primarily with awareness of the Regulation, staff development and some basic curriculum issues. Much was done to expand the curriculum resources and meet the training needs of teachers. Additionally, the policy manual now has clear, non-discriminatory policies, including reporting procedures and zero tolerance for any form of prejudicial treatment of students or staff. This year the emphasis has been on increasing the academic achievement of students. The committee has been reassembled to define the actual objectives, strategies and activities needed to accomplish that goal. During the review of the plan the state evaluation form was utilized. That review process helped us identify those areas in which we had done well, and those areas where we needed to provide more direction. Although we recognized many accomplishments during this review, we were also aware that we had a number of areas on which we need to focus.
In preparation for the plan evaluation, information collected from schools and from departments from within the school system reflected many accomplishments we had achieved. Due to the parameters for this report, we will only highlight one accomplishment under each of the categories specified in the Regulations. Under curriculum, we have provided curriculum and instruction supervisors with information on the intent of our five-year plan and on how to ensure there is wide representation of the contributions of diverse groups of individuals in all of the programs they developed. We now have a textbook evaluation form that forces us to review the books being considered for use, as they relate to a variety of elements, including gender and race equity. It is easy to see the outcome of this when you visit our schools. There you see displays that support the curriculum and reflect a wide variety of gender, cultural, and ethnic groups. In the area of instruction, we have focused on how to differentiate the instructional strategies and materials we use based on the identified needs of our individual students. In the area of staff development more than 75% of our elementary and middle school staff have been trained in the Dimensions of Learning and in dealing with the different learning styles of students, within their classrooms. There has been a focus on recruiting and retaining minority teachers and male teachers in the elementary and secondary schools. And finally, our policy manual has clear non- discriminatory policies including reporting procedures and zero tolerance for any form of prejudicial treatment for staff and students. Even though we recognize we have a number of accomplishments, we realize there is still a lot of work to do, but it is accomplishable.
Summary of Five-Year Plan, 1997-1998 Progress
Curriculum
Developed third grade Ghana and sixth grade South America units that meet system guidelines.
Develop a list of instructional guidelines and include recommendations in school improvement plans to support education that is multicultural.
Adopted outcomes, by working through the school improvement team, at each school site for inclusion in the school improvement plan.
Revise guidelines for the selection of instructional resources to meet the education that is multicultural regulation and for use by textbook selection committees.
Followed revised guidelines for the selection of elementary school science textbooks.
Provide staff development for school system personnel that supports and implements the education that is multicultural guidelines
Provide staff development sessions at systemwide conference and at individual school sites.
Provide opportunities for students and parents to develop an awareness of the education that is multicultural regulations.
Provided community presentations on multicultural regulations.
We recognize that we have a high percentage of children living in poverty and children with special needs. We are extremely proud of our students, teachers, support staff administrators and supervisors who have focused their efforts on school improvement and academic achievement. We are pleased that we met seven of the twelve standards in 1997. We will continue to emphasize school improvement and staff development in order to achieve all of the state standards.
Although the instructional program in the county has changed considerably, a need exists to help youth develop an understanding and appreciation of all ethnic and cultural groups. The School Improvement Team at Washington High School recognizes the need for understanding different cultures and lifestyles in conflict resolution, and the importance of infusing multicultural concepts in the instructional program. Crisfield High School has implemented education that is multicultural in all instructional areas. The various curricula have infused multicultural concepts. A multicultural education class has been started this year to increase the awareness of different cultures and lifestyles.
The teacher is the key person in implementing a multicultural education program. Every teacher has the responsibility to develop multicultural concepts in his/her teaching area. A need exists to train elementary, middle and secondary teachers in this area of instruction. Teacher attitudes and relationships with students are important for education that is multicultural. Sufficient quantities of instructional materials must be made available to teachers. It is highly recommended that a budget to purchase materials be a part of the instructional budget for the schools at all levels.
We feel that our five-year Plan addresses the Education That Is Multicultural Regulations and the immediate needs of our system. Each goal spans the five-year period with emphasis on curriculum development, format, and staff development. The Education That Is Multicultural Plan will be driven by the instructional program. We will continue to work on activities and strategies to fully implement the Regulations.
The status of implementation of the Five-Year Plan to date includes:
In January of 1990, the Equal Opportunity Office (presently, the Equity Assurance and Compliance Branch) of the Maryland State Department of Education conducted a race equity review of the Talbot County Public Schools (TCPS). The goal was to conduct an objective review of minority students and staff. Following the review, an Equity Committee was formed to draft a plan. In 1994, the Equity Committee was reorganized as the Talbot County Multicultural Task Force to conduct a needs assessment and develop the Five-Year Plan for Education That Is Multicultural. This plan includes fifteen objectives that focus on the following areas:
1. Personnel
2. Curriculum
3. Instruction
4. Staff Development
5. Instructional Resources
TCPS has taken the initiative to adopt policies that reflect cultural differences for areas of curriculum, suspension procedures, and the use of the instructional process. A study is now in progress that hopefully will lead to less ability grouping at Easton Middle School.
Progress has been made in each area of our plan. However, we would like to incorporate more goals/objectives that would directly address student achievement. We have already started by forming a TCPS Equity Advocate Program and participating in the Maryland MESA (Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement) program. Each school improvement plan has become more focused on academic achievement through their review of disaggregated data. This focus should result in deliberate change to address the achievement of minority students. The county has been extremely successful with minority recruitment with more than 23% of the positions being filled by minority applicants. All of these initiatives have made a direct impact on instruction and need to be updated yearly to maintain focus on the Multicultural Regulations.
The essential learning core on which the Washington County curriculum is based contains the foundation for education that is multicultural (ETM) in the following curriculum outcome; students will become responsible citizens in their local, national, and global communities. The narrative under the outcome states, "To exercise their duties as citizens in a democratic society and as members of a global community, students must know their historical and ethnic heritage and explore multiple perspectives and divergent points of view on local, national, and international issues."
In 1994, the Washington County Board of Education assembled a task force comprised of representatives from the educational, business and local communities, to developed a five-year plan for providing students a multicultural education. The plan was developed according to the guidelines of the Education That Is Multicultural regulation, COMAR 13A.04.05 and recommended the James A. Banks four stage model. The five-year plan, developed in 1995, includes a timeline for achieving the four stages of multicultural education as well as recommendations to facilitate the process. Upon completion, extensive presentations of the five- year plan were made to members of the school system, the community, and the county's elected Board of Education.
To date, all of the eleven recommendations outlined in the five-year plan have been addressed and are in various stages of implementation. An ETM brochure and video have been developed and viewed by county teachers, administrators, and support staff. A copy of the video has been placed in each school. A local multicultural education advisory committee meets regularly to monitor county and school progress. Curriculum and media specialists review the curriculum and purchase instructional materials to comply with ETM. The county supports an active ESOL program. The school system strives to recruit staff from diverse populations. County initiatives such as a focus on staff development in the Dimensions of Learning, the inclusion of special needs students in the regular education classroom, and the recent formation of a strategic planning committee to identify and address equity issues, support multicultural education. An MSDE accredL.J multicultural education course was developed in 1997 ar~ is in its second year as a summer course offering for teachers, K-12. County progress toward providing education that is multicultural was presented to the elected Board of Education in October, 1997. The televised Board meeting allowed the local community access to the presentation.
Individual Washington County teachers and administrators incorporate more multicultural education strategies into classroom instruction and school wide activities, as they seek to fulfill their responsibility for meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of a more diverse student population.
This document summarizes each of the four areas addressed in the Wicomico County Multicultural Education Plan; curriculum, instruction, instructional resources, and staff development. The summary concludes with a general summary statement.
Wicomico County, through the development of curriculum guides and the selection of textbooks m all subject areas, has focused on the appropriate infusion of multicultural education in new or revised curriculum guides and newly selected textbooks. This strategy is being utilized to ensure that omissions and misrepresentations of various cultures are corrected, and students are given opportunities to demonstrate an understanding, awareness and respect for their own heritage, the uniqueness of cultures other than their own, and the individual differences within various cultural groups. The county curriculum council serves as a review committee to ensure that each curriculum area adheres to the county's "Education That is Multicultural" curriculum goal.
An on-going prekindergarten through Grade 12 program has been established to provide continuous teacher training in instructional strategies and techniques. The goal of the teacher training is to enhance teacher effectiveness when instructing diverse student populations. For example, teachers of Grade K-6 have received training in how-to-write multicultural lesson plans in all subjects. During subject area meetings and grade-level inservices, teachers also learn and share strategies and techniques to improve their effectiveness.
The quality of all teacher training programs are monitored regularly to ensure maximum effectiveness. There is, however, an on-going struggle to ensure that all students have access to equally rigorous academic content and instruction regardless of cultural background.
Instructional resources are being purchased at both the county and school levels to assist students in obtaining an understanding of, and an appreciation for, various cultures. School-based committees and a county-media committee oversee the selection and purchasing of multicultural materials.
Staff development experiences have been provided to prepare school-system personnel to design, manage, implement, and evaluate multicultural education. These staff development experiences have made a very positive impact on approximately fifty percent of teachers and only an awareness impact on other teachers. The county is still seeking ways to impact those who are resistant to the infusion of multicultural education in their classrooms.
Wicomico County still has the most difficult tasks ahead of us. We have made most teachers cognitively aware of the need for education that is multicultural, but we have not been as successful in persuading staff to explore their attitudes and feelings about their own as well as other cultural identities.
Overview of the FIVE-YEAR Plan
"Excellence in Education" is the primary focus of our Five-Year Plan in Education That Is Multicultural in the Worcester County Public School System. At the core of this focus is a process through which our students experience equal and just opportunities to learn, to interact, and to grow in a supportive educational environment. In this context, our Five-Year Plan gives special attention to curricula, teaching concepts and practices, and the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of all those who interact with students daily in our school environment. Additionally, our Plan serves as a framework to guide our School Improvement Teams in the implementation of the following goals:
Currently, we are achieving the goals that we have established in our Five-Year Plan. Following is a brief summary of some major strategic and systemic initiatives:
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