A Case Study of a New High School Principal

Abstract

This case study provides a contemporary look at a first year rural high school principal who is on the frontlines of the U.S./Mexico border struggles. Having taken over an underperforming school, this principal – in one year – moved the school accountability rating to Recognized status and is now focusing on the highest or Exemplary status for the forthcoming school year.

Keywords

Rural schools principal preparation recent immigrants school reform and renewal teacher apathy

Case Narrative

Introduction

A teacher’s motivation level affects students’ ability to learn, which directly impacts their achievement level in the classroom. Research dating as far back as the mid-1960s and progressing through the late-1980s reveals that a school’s success rate for minority students from impoverished areas is deeply rooted in teacher expectation and motivation levels (Farkas, Grobe, Sheehan, & Shuan, 1990; Flanders, 1965). Most recently, research has continued to document that teachers are less likely to provide wait time for answers to questions, provide less praise, and intentionally seat students farther from the teacher if students are immigrants, native but minority, economically-disadvantaged, and/or low achieving (Chamberlain, 2005; Saifer & Barton, 2007). Teachers who are apathetic, who remain distant from immigrant and minority students, and who deemphasize academic excellence and achievement do a terrible disservice to these students (Tilbury, 2011; Valenzuela, 1999).

Apathy in the Ranks

Apathetic teachers, not understanding cultural norms of immigrant and/or minority students or simply uncaring in their attitudes and approaches toward these and other students, “teach down” to the students, focus only on basic skills, typically conduct “drill and kill” learning activities, and/or ignore teaching responsibilities and standards of accountability. Thus, they deprive these students of encouragement and the development of the higher-order thinking and learning skills which they are capable of achieving (Bae, Halloway, Li, and Bempechat, 2008). Such apathetic attitudes and approaches to teaching and learning can be further compounded in rural school settings along the U.S./Mexico border where a majority of the students are recent immigrants and are from minority families who live well below the poverty line (Conde-Frazier, 2011).

Many teachers in rural settings along the U.S./Mexico border do not wish to stay in these school districts because of their perceived social and cultural isolation, which further exacerbates a debilitating phenomenon known as culturally-apathetic conceptualization. In other words, teachers must now face the reality that multiple cultures are increasingly a part of a single social space – that space is their classroom, their community, their world (Rouse, 1991).

New Hispanic Immigrant Students

New immigrant Hispanic students face many obstacles in achieving academic success, including lack of peer support, inequality in schooling, limited financial resources, and less qualified teachers (Gandara, 2000; Valverde & Scribner, 2001). Students who have recently immigrated to the United States face the challenge of learning English while also learning the curriculum. The educational experience for these students has been and continues to be negative. Many of them experience failure, receive no special services, and lose their desire to continue with schooling (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). Valverde and Scribner (2001) also found that minority rural students often attended schools that are located in communities with high poverty rates and more low-income families and which frequently have less-qualified teachersand fewer expendable resources.

Recent Immigrants: English Language Learners (ELLs)

Students who speak little English when there are no supports in the schools to learn English and the content in their coursework are at a disadvantage in understanding what is being taught in English (Zsembik & Llanes, 1996). The concern is that English language learners must endure the double demands of acquiring a second language and learning the traditional academic curricula. This has been done successfully throughout our history (Padron, Waxman & Huang, 2000). With a strong conceptual development in their language, students can easily acquire a second language and be academically successful in that language.

Positive, student-centered, instructionally-focused changes in schools are led by outstanding principals (Barth, 2004; Cooper, Fusarelli, & Randall, 2004; Deal & Peterson, 2000, 2003; Duke, 2004; Meier, 2003; Sims & Sims, 2004; Sorenson, Goldsmith, Méndez, & Maxwell, 2011). Educational leaders who are trained in the needs of English language learners create student-centered, learning environments focused on the academic achievement of all students (Gandara, 2000; Padron, Waxman & Huang, 2000; Valverde & Scribner, 2001 & Zsembik & Llanes, 1996). The following case study is one such example where significant and meaningful administrative change at a rural school on the U.S./Mexico border purposefully reduced teacher apathetic behaviors and positively impacted student achievement.

Background and Context

General Description of Camp Wyler

Located in the desert and mountain region of far West Texas, yards from the Rio Grande on the U.S./Mexico border, Camp Wyler, Texas, is a small, yet vital rural farming community of approximately 1,713 people, of which 97.2% are Hispanic. Recent census statistics reveal that 58.6% of the population has children under the age of 18. The average age is 25.9 years with 14.0% of the population being a female head of the household with no husband present. The average family size is 3.97. Approximately 46.7% of the population lives below the poverty line, with a median family income of $18,560 (U. S. Census Bureau, 2011).

The School System

Camp Wyler Independent School District (ISD) dates back to 1935. Today, the school district is the largest employer in the town. The district is comprised of one elementary school, one middle school, one high school, a library, and a technology center equipped with a distance learning classroom. Community and school system demographics have remained stable over the years; however, a recent influx of violent activity within nearby Mexican communities has significantly increased the number of immigrant students attending district schools. Some of these students are American citizens who had been living in Mexico, and others are Mexican citizens who fled the cartel drug trafficking wars. Many have been traumatized by witnessing and/or experiencing blatant gunfire, beheadings, kidnappings, and grotesque slayings of family members in their homes, neighborhoods, and schools.

Currently, Camp Wyler High School is comprised of 137 students (94.7% Hispanic and 91.1% economically disadvantaged). Led by principal Juan Gonzalez, Camp Wyler High School is a Texas “Recognized” campus, as designated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA, 2010). Recognized status is the second highest designation (the highest being Exemplary) from the Texas Education Agency, which includes the percentage of students passing the state mandated exam as one of the state accountability indicators. The high school is also recognized by the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) as a High Performing School (2010).

Description of the Principal

Juan Gonzalez is currently completing his second year as the principal at Camp Wyler High School. As a non-traditional educator, Mr. Gonzalez served his country with 20 years of active military service, including a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He earned an alternative teaching certificate and is certified as a mathematics teacher. Passionate about the field of education, he maintains a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of underserved immigrant Hispanic students on the U.S./Mexico border.

From Administrative Intern to High School Principal

Juan recalls his first impressions upon being hired as high school principal:

One day my (former) superintendant told me about an opportunity in Camp Wyler ISD as the high school principal. I was not certain about the position given the remote location of the school district. I knew it was a small school system and the high school at the time had less than 130 students. My apprehension of course was associated with more than just the distance. If I was selected for the position, I would be moving from the classroom directly into the principalship with no formal time and learning experience as an assistant principal. Did I really know enough to be a high school principal? There were many thoughts that came to mind so I did what I had been taught in my principal preparation program: examine the data. I developed a “brace” map of test scores starting with fifth-grade, longitudinally examining scores through the high school exit scores, reviewing test data from 2006 through 2008. What stood out the most was more than fifty percent of all test takers failed all tests, to include reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. The student attendance rate was above the state average so I recognized that the students were attending school, but not learning. The bottom line, there were instructional and teaching problems.

A few hours following his interview with the Camp Wyler Independent School District, Juan was called to verify if he was in a principal certification program, and after a brief conversation, the superintendent offered him the high school principalship, subject to school board approval. Juan stated:

I accepted the role and responsibilities and then made the obligatory tour of the campus. As I was officially named the principal of Camp Wyler High School, I couldn’t help but recall an anonymous quote from one of my principal preparation program courses: ‘The challenges are many, the time is little, and the responsibilities are endless!’

Camp Wyler High School

Juan noted that he was surprised that the high school facility in such an old and historical community was less than five years old.

As I walked through the building, I found myself in a state of shock as I realized that yes I had been offered and yes I actually did accept the position. When I walked into the conference room I met up with the superintendent who had me examine the master schedule for the upcoming school year. At that point, I received my first directive: “change it!”

The proposed schedule mirrored what the faculty had been doing year after year: Teaching eight 45-minute instructional periods per day. In terms of staff, there would be some teacher turnover in science and social studies, there was no assistant principal, there was a full-time counselor, and the para-professionals were intact. I was to be introduced as the new Camp Wyler High School principal and had to address the staff for the first time. I had to do a lot of homework!”

What Did I Get Myself Into?

Prior to his first meeting with the faculty, Juan read a tremendous amount about high school scheduling, graduation requirements, and the instructional programs that were incorporated at the high school. Juan recalled:

Collecting testing and other sources of data was a priority. I was fortunate to be working with an excellent campus counselor who also helped me gather appropriate data. First, we began to focus on each individual student by teacher, by subject area, and then we were able to determine each core teacher’s success and failure rate as related to the 2009 state accountability exam. In almost every instance, there was little or no academic/testing improvement from previous years. Overall, the outlook was most discouraging.

Juan asked himself at the time: “What in the world did I get myself into? Teacher apathy was widespread!”

Juan revealed that teachers had been permitted to develop a culture of relaxation. As an example, following the rebuilding of the high school, teachers took over empty classrooms to utilize such spaces as personal lounges. Following a review of the campus budget, Juan noted that $18,000 had been expended for substitute teachers. Obviously, the teachers were “on vacation while at and away from work,” according to the new principal. Juan told the superintendent that an $18,000 budget for substitutes, for a school of 15 teachers, was totally unacceptable; and he immediately reduced the substitute budget to $8,000 – more than half of the previous years’ expenditure, of which only $4,000 was ultimately expended, with more than an 80% decrease in spending!

Juan further stipulated that by the time he met with the staff, he had his state testing and accountability data ready. When the faculty and staff were assembled, Juan shared his background and established his expectations.

I referenced Todd Whitaker’s book, What Great Principals Do Differently (2002), noting that there are two ways to improve schools: 1) get better teachers, and 2) improve the ones you have. During my meeting with the teachers, I put it to them this way: You must improve or you will give me an opportunity to hire a better teacher.

Juan believed that he needed to pursue a direct leadership approach to change the apathetic culture that had been created in the school. Directive leadership relates to the Path-Goal Theory work of House and Dressler (1974), whereby effective leaders motivate their followers to achieve organizational goals by relating how their work will result in rewards such as increased student achievement. A principal using directive leadership directs faculty and staff to establish organizational norms and provides expectations for achieving the campus goals (Hughes, R. L., Ginnett, R.C., & Curphy, G. J., 2009; Northouse, P. G., 2009). Juan felt it was important to raise the teacher’s own expectations of their own work in order for the campus academic goals could be met.

Principal Expectations

During the first principal presentation to faculty at Camp Wyler High School, Juan Gonzalez stressed several very important instructionally-oriented expectations, the most important being that the school would be data-driven and goal-focused. The campus goal is that 90% of students will pass the accountability exam. Additionally, Juan made clear the expectations that teachers must know every student by objective, benchmark exams will be administered in every subject at the end of each six-week grading period, and teachers are expected to assign three grades per week – 2 daily and 1 quiz/test which are reviewed by the principal. Moreover, six weeks grades are weighted as follows: 25% daily, 25% exams, and 50% six-week benchmark exams. Furthermore, Principal Gonazlez dirercted, lesson plans are due to the principal no later than noon every Monday, and all student assignments will be completed; teachers will not assign a grade of zero. Finally, all teachers will complete a Low Grade Report for each student earning a grade below a 70.

Teachers continuously complained that first year, noting that their new principal was expecting them to plan instructionally during their conference and planning periods, that their new principal was in their classrooms observing teaching and learning, and that their new principal simply expected too much of them. One teacher, who amazingly had been named “Teacher-of-the-Year” the year prior to Juan’s arrival, consistently showed up late for work, had students waiting in the hallway while he set up class, and was – based on extensive principal documentation and state accountability exam results – ineffective in his teaching, with students experiencing minimal learning and academic achievement.

Teachers openly protested in faculty meeting when Juan stated: “You must get to know your students if you expect to teach and reach your students.” The teachers responded: “We’ve never had to do this before. We’re not here to socialize, we’re here to teach!” Juan immediately responded: “Well, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got!”

As the year progressed, teachers struggled with the rigorous expectations. Juan held steady to the school’s goal. At the end of the year, when the school’s test results arrived, everyone was anxious to see how the students performed. The reports showed an increase in all areas. Reading improved by thirteen percentage points, mathematics by twenty-seven percentage points, science by thirteen percentage points and social studies by five percentage points. Among all tests taken, the students improved from 39% passing to 65% passing. This was a tremendous boost to the confidence of all the students and faculty at the high school. They saw that even though they were faced with many challenges, students could and would achieve. The following year, the faculty and students met their goal of 90% passing in all areas and s well on their way to achieving that goal.

Juan Gonzalez recognized that change was difficult and always believed that the first phase of change was resistance. Dealing with resistance when a change in leadership has occurred is normal; however, when resistance turns into defiance, a leader must have an immediate remedy. Juan knew that he had to consistently maintain high expectations of teachers and students. Was he ready to act and was he ready for the reaction to his actions? Yes! Juan later confided:

I believed in what I was doing, and setting high but achievable expectations was the right thing to do. However, there were many nights that I would go home and unburden my heart to my wife about the circumstances and situations at school. I believed that I just had to hang on and continue to assert my expectations until the state accountability scores came in. If there was a significant improvement, I would be a winner – we all would be winners; if the results were dismal, I was the loser – my career would be over.

Teaching Notes

This case study provides a contemporary examination of the complexities associated with rural schooling on the U.S./Mexico border. Specifically, the case describes teacher apathy combined with teacher-imposed social and cultural isolation whereby the teachers do not live in the rural community. Instead, teachers commute to the rural school and do not immerse themselves into the culture of the community and therefore do not have a vested interest in the town. These factors, coupled with the ineffective instruction of recent immigrant Hispanic students, can negatively inhibit organizational effectiveness, principal instructional leadership, and student achievement. The case offers principal-centered solutions to these issues and problems. It reveals how a first-year principal from a strong preparation program can make an academically positive and instructional difference, even if the principal has limited experience.

The case study is compelling when considering that the Hispanic “recent immigrant” population is the fastest growing in the United States. Last year, the new immigrant Hispanic population increased 45%, compared with an 11% increase in the African American population, and a 1% increase in the White population (The Pew Hispanic Center, 2011; The Pew Research Center, 2010). The case is convincing when considering the student achievement results after only a one-year period – Camp Wyler High School was a state “Recognized” campus for the first time in school history.

Suggested Learning Experiences

A Table Top Experiential Activity

Objectives

Given the following scenarios, students will demonstrate an understanding of border issues, legal rights of immigrants, ELL placement in instructional settings, teacher apathy, and effective principal leadership as it pertains to student achievement in a small rural high school. Students, through small group discussions, will be able to identify with and readily understand roles and responsibilities of rural school administrators facing an increase in recent immigrant and ELL populations.

Roles and responsibilities of the participants

Participants will be responding to situations presented based on their knowledge of the competencies of educational leadership. Students will gather into groups of four or five. Each student will take turns in facilitating the group by reading the scenario and guiding the group through the questions.

The scenarios are designed to start conversations on issues that school administrators and teachers on the U.S./Mexico border are facing on a daily basis. Answers will vary, but participants are asked to keep the primary focus on student achievement for all students. Varying points of view and disagreements should be expected with respect to some issues.

Guidelines for Instructor

Introduce the table top activity and each scenario;

Assist the participants in forming groups, varying the groups’ makeup;

Keep track of time; and

Facilitate a debriefing session at the conclusion of the activity to allow participants to identify additional issues that came up in the discussion.

Guidelines for Group Facilitator

Keep the discussion focused; do not let anyone monopolize the conversation;

Value everyone’s experience and depth of knowledge;

Encourage all participants to share their thoughts and explore new concepts and ideas by;

○ Playing a contradicting or devil’s advocate role;

○ Challenging assumptions;

○ Considering various opinions; and

○ Summarizing what was said within the group.

Scenario I: Unschooled Immigrants

A 16-year-old student arrives at a high school with a transcript from Mexico. The transcript reveals that the student has ten years of formal education in Mexico which would be equivalent to a 10^th grade level in the U.S. The counselor struggles with examining the transcript and determining which credits count towards a high school diploma. Which assessments would you use in your state to place the student in the most appropriate instructional setting? What accommodations can you make to assure the ELL student will be successful? How would you inform this student’s parents of the federal and state mandated requirements for testing for graduation?

A 17 year old high school student arrives at a high school with transcripts (through the fourth-grade) from Mexico. The student also has transcripts from three different American schools revealing spotted school attendance and extensive absences during the months of January and April. A school administrator is trying to place the student in the correct English language arts class(es). How would you go about placing this student in the right instructional settings? How would you accommodate the student’s level of English if the student is to be tested in English on the state mandated exam? How would you inform this student’s parents of state policies for testing students?

The high school attendance clerk is perceived by the parents of a recent Hispanic immigrant student as being a “person of authority” because the clerk is the one who calls the parent to report absences. A recent telephone call to the immigrant parent is hostile in tone, demanding that the parent provide a written doctor’s excuse for her child’s recent absence. The tone used by the clerk leaves the “respectful” parent wondering if it would be best for the student to drop out of high school and help the family with the younger siblings who reside at home. The parent shares the situation with a neighbor who in turn reports it to the school’s principal. What’s a principal to do? What must a principal know about the Hispanic culture? How does knowledge about student cultures impact a principal’s and teacher’s ability to build a strong learning community with all populations?

Scenario II: High School English Language Learners (ELLs)

Legal cases, such as Plyer v. Doe (1982), Lau v. Nichols (1974), Rios v. Reed (1978) and Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) pertain to the rights of immigrant learners and ELL students. In Plyer v. Doe (1982) the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could no longer exclude undocumented immigrant children the right to a free public education. Lau v. Nichols (1974) relied on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, assuring linguistically appropriate accommodations for ELLs regardless of race, assuring that students be treated equally under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Rios v. Reed (1978) ruled that a school district “cannot compromise a student’s right to meaningful education before proficiency in English is obtained.” Castañeda v. Pickard (5^th Circuit,1981) ruled that school systems must have a three-part test for assessing the treatment of limited English proficient students – a sound approach to the education of these students; a reasonable implementation of the approach; and outcomes reflecting that the approach is working. As you reflect on the scenarios, consider how the federal and state cases as well as the laws have guided how decisions are made regarding ELL learners.

A 17-year-old high school student has moved back and forth between schools in the United States and Mexico. She has been consistent in her attendance; however, she does not have command of either the Spanish or English language. After assessing the student for English language proficiency and reviewing the student’s records, how do you determine the ESL services would best serve the student for academic success? How can the school assure that the effect of extended absences will not affect the student’s potential to graduate on time?

Scenario III: Apathetic Teachers – What’s the Principal Leadership Role?

A recent immigrant, Maria Isabel, is told by her teacher that she will be called “Mary” in class. The name she goes by and is called by her family is “Isabel” which, along with “Maria” is too difficult for the teacher to pronounce. Isabel’s use of the English language is minimal, so the teacher contemplates having the student tested for Special Education placement. The teacher tells a teacher friend: “I don’t know that this world is coming to! When was it decided that we have to educate those kids from Mexico? They don’t even know our language and you know they’re not very bright, coming from Mexico and everything!” Is this mindset a reality in some schools across the nation? Why? What must principal leaders do to help teachers overcome such apathetic, if not bigoted/racist, attitudes? How must a leader respect a student’s background and culture?

Dr. Sandra Rocha was recently named principal at Western Vista High School in the rural school district of Paso Del Norte. The high school has been identified as “low performing” for the past four years and is now being “reconstituted” by the state with the possibility of closure if improvement does not come this school year. Dr. Rocha has been directed by the superintendent of schools to “set the school on the right course, now!” Dr. Rocha has implemented numerous curricular, instructional, and student-oriented initiatives. Her work and the changes she has brought forth have been regularly undermined by the faculty and staff. One research-based, best-practice, and student-centered approach she has implemented is Instructional Rounds (City, Elmore, Fiarman, & Teitel, 2009), a classroom “walk-through” process. The teachers are complaining about the “walk-through” process, even filing grievances stating that Dr. Rocha is interrupting teaching and learning. This resistance has brought lots of grief to Dr. Rocha because she knows that the process is essential if she is to observe and note whether or not classroom instruction and student learning is occurring, especially as related to new immigrant Hispanic students, English Language Learners, at-risk students, and special education students who have been mainstreamed into the regular education setting via an inclusion program. Dr. Rocha murmurs to herself one evening, in her office, following a long school day: “Why are the teachers so apathetic? They resist everything I try. What can I do?” Dr. Rocha poses two good questions worthy of consideration: Why are certain teachers apathetic? What’s a principal to do? What does the research literature reveal relative to apathetic teachers, change, and resistance to change? What leadership style would best work as related to the situation noted in this scenario?

Scenario IV: Principal Leadership – Supervision and the Shaping of a School Culture

As a new and effective principal, Juan Gonzalez was often challenged by traditional teachers. Facing several filed grievances during the first few months of his first semester as principal, Juan persevered but undeniably realized that a new principal must lead by establishing high expectations, by persuading, guiding, influencing, and effectively supervising faculty to embrace change. His leadership style was very unilateral and directive in his decision making the first year which is contrary to the collaboration and building ownership that is promoted in management and leadership books. When is directive leadership justified? Why or why not was it justified at Camp Wyler? How does a principal develop a new campus mission and vision, most notably as related to new immigrant Hispanic students, realizing the personal price to be paid? Think beyond what Juan Gonzalez did and experienced at Camp Wyler High School. What would you do? What must you do? How will you do it?

Wyre Paladin is the new principal at St. Francis of Corpus Christi, a low performing school. Mr. Paladin spends a significant amount of time addressing curriculum and instruction as part of his short-term vision during his first school year. He wonders if his leadership approach is working. Some teachers are “buying-in” to his vision while others are working to sabotage his student-centered changes. Is such an instructional and leadership practice effectively sound, relevant, and/or necessary? Why or why not? What should be his short-term vision, his long-term vision as a first year instructional leader?

Student safety is a major concern in schools along the U.S./Mexico border. With the escalation of drug cartel violence, most of the new immigrant Hispanic students have fled their homeland for the security of the United States. Many of these students have traversed a politically drawn yet invisible boundary to schools on the U.S. side of the border. Others have crossed over the Rio Grande, a shallow, easily traversed river, which separates Texas from Mexico. The U.S. schools have been identified by the thousands of fleeing refugees as safe and free from violence.

One new immigrant Hispanic student in second grade, Alicia Barrera, has not only been victimized, but also traumatized by the violence in her homeland. Daily she sits in her school not speaking a word. Her eyes reveal a very psychologically frail and outwardly fearful young lady. She personally witnessed her father and uncle being killed by members of one of the major drug cartels simply because her family had harbored a relative in her home in Chihuahua. This relative had “crossed” the cartel by reporting one of their extortion efforts to the Fiscalía General del Estado de Chihuahua (a special state police unit).

Her principal, Letty Villa, has tried numerous methods to intercede and help Alicia, all to no avail. Alicia remains absolutely voiceless, speaking to no one. While it is unclear in the scenario exactly what Principal Villa has done to help Alicia, what would you do/recommend? Be specific. What does this scenario reveal about new immigrant Hispanic students coming into schools across the United States? After reading the scenario, consider how administrators, teachers, and counselors must work with new immigrant Hispanic students fleeing Mexico.

4. Seth Adams, principal at Flint McCullough High School, readily understands the changing demographics of the school’s attendance zone. He is fearful that the campus teachers do not. With the recent boom in housing construction in the community, an influx of construction workers (mainly recent immigrants from Mexico) accompanied by their families have literally changed the “complexion” of the school in two short years. Since a majority of the teachers are Spanish speakers, they are able communicate with these students in their native language making the transition from Mexico to the United States easier. However, the students are struggling to learn English at the academic level required in order to be successful on the state accountability exam. This issue concerns Dr. Adams but the campus teachers relate that speaking Spanish is the only way to communicate with the new immigrant Hispanic students. What leadership strengths must Dr. Adams bring to a school relative to teacher supervision, school reform, instructional/curricular improvement, and student achievement? Consider this question from a “language” perspective? The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2001) law requires that:

All ELLs receive quality instruction for both learning English and grade-level academic content. NCLB allows for local (district) flexibility for choosing programs of instruction, while demanding greater accountability for ELLs, English language and academic progress.

Based on the requirements for NCLB, how would you assure that you are meeting the academic needs of the ELL students so they will be on target for graduation? How can the principal assure that the teachers are highly qualified for teaching ELL students? What addition certifications based on NCLB guidelines would the teachers need to be able to serve the needs of the ELL students?

5. Rebecca Soto is principal at Desert Sage High School, a campus with a high percentage of new immigrant Hispanic students. Dr. Soto preaches the need for faculty to incorporate research-based, best-practices into their daily lessons. She has provided extensive professional development to her teaching teams in an effort to ensure increased student achievement. Dr. Soto has done her homework and regrettably learns that the research literature supports the assertion that teachers generally do not utilize research-based, best-practices when selecting/developing teaching techniques and strategies. Such is the case at Desert Sage High School. Far too many of the high school teachers continue to incorporate lecture method almost exclusively into their teaching approaches. How must Dr. Soto change this approach to teaching? Why, specifically in relation to new immigrant Hispanic students? In addition to professional development, what do the state and federal guidelines require for teaching ELL students in terms of highly qualified teachers serving ELL students?

6. Carmen Sanchez is principal of a barrio school in a major metropolitan school district along the eastern seaboard of the United States. The community of Gibsonville has changed dramatically and demographically over the last decade. Carmen, a Hispanic female and a nationally recognized principal, works with an almost all-White faculty. Few of the teachers speak Spanish. However, the teachers are extremely effective in their instructional approaches and student achievement continues to improve but at a slow pace. Part of the improvement problem relates to the new immigrant Hispanic students attempting to learn the English language. They frequently mispronounce English words and terms, and thus, are regularly made fun of by their peers, both White and Hispanic.

Many of the new immigrant Hispanic students have just quit responding orally in classes. A few other have quit coming to school, creating a real concern for the principal. As a result, the teachers have tried various methods, including disciplinary, to stop such insensitive student behaviors in an attempt to entice the new immigrant Hispanic students to interact with more frequency and fluency. Little works. How can Ms. Sanchez prepare her teachers to continue to effectively work with the new immigrant Hispanic students relative to increasing oral language interaction, thus increasing their achievement levels, and at the same time increasing student levels of self-esteem?

Scenario V: Curricular and Instructional Issues and the Hispanic Culture

A 16-year old “recent immigrant” student enrolls in a predominantly white school system in the southern United States. The student has a fair command of the English language but to help support his family, the student has decided to work in a recently opened Mexican food restaurant across the thoroughfare from the high school he attends. As a result of his work schedule, he is missing numerous classes. To what extent do schools in the United States attempt to understand the culture and experiences of Hispanic students and their families most notably when it comes to teaching, learning, and scheduling of classes? To what extent do the schools in the southwest attempt to meet the cultural needs of Hispanic students through specialized courses, programs, and scheduling adaptations to include the Hispanic culture in the curriculum?

Salvador Vargas is a recent Hispanic immigrant who, along with his family, fled Mexico for the safety and security of the United States and for greater educational and career opportunities. Salvador wants to be a civil engineer. In Mexico, Salvador was an honor student in his high school. Today, Salvador attends Sun Valley High School in a major metropolitan city in the Midwest. A growing pocket of immigrant Hispanics have moved to the northwest side of town, where they have found work, homes, and security. At Sun Valley High School, Salvador is immediately placed into remedial coursework even though he was an outstanding student in his homeland community of Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Salvador is highly intelligent in all academic areas but especially in mathematics and the sciences. He is eager to succeed, ambitious in his goals, and ready to enroll in Advanced Placement coursework at the high school. However, his command of the English language is limited.

Salvador’s counselor, Mildred Dunn, has problems communicating with him as do other counselors or teachers because they are not fluent in Spanish. Ms. Dunn has referred him for testing to determine his level of cognitive ability. After parental consent has been given, a bilingual school diagnostician administered a cognitive evaluation to establish his general intellectual ability and an achievement test to determine his present level of performance. Both tests were administered in his native language because IDEA mandates that a student must be tested in his native language or nonverbally. Salvador’s scores reveal that achievement and cognitive scores were in the average range. Based on the results of the assessment, Ms. Dunn places Salvador in the regular general education curriculum core courses with ESL and remedial services (tutoring) support.

Interestingly, while Salvador cannot complete the class work at school, he has a brother-in-law at home that speaks English and who is willing to help him with translating the class work and other assignments. When Salvador brings the work back to class, his teachers generally deduct points from the work exclaiming to one another: “You know it’s not his work. Someone else is doing the work for him. Just look at his grades. They are exceptional. Most of these Mexican students are low achieving and lazy. There is no way he can do this work on his own!”

How relevant to the culture and experiences of Hispanic students is the curriculum adopted in schools across the nation, especially in quick growing Hispanic population pockets? Consider Hispanic immigrant students, such as Salvador, who may experience language barriers, or have instructional issues such as grade retention, ability grouping, and the over-identification of learning disabilities resulting in Special Education placement. How do these practices affect Hispanic immigrant students in U.S. schools? What must principals, teachers, and counselors in predominantly White communities do to meet the instructional, curricular, and academic needs of students such as Salvador? What about the attitudes exhibited in the teacher conversations in the scenario? Are these conversations realistic assessments of the students being described? Do people really think and talk as is quoted in the scenario?

Principal Preparation and Teacher/Counselor Education Programs

Questions for Consideration:

Are institutions of higher learning across the United States, especially in states beyond the Southwest where pockets of new immigrant Hispanic populations are continuously increasing, prepared to train prospective teachers and principals to provide a quality education for Hispanic students?

Are Hispanic educators adequately represented at institutions of higher learning, especially institutions outside the Southwest? Are Hispanic students adequately represented in these institutions? Are Hispanic graduates from teacher education/principal preparation programs ready to effectively work with new immigrant Hispanic students? Are they being trained to address the needs of ELLs? Do they know Second Language Instruction? Do they understand the rights of ELLs? What does the research reveal relative to new immigrant Hispanic students and access and equity in institutions of higher learning?

To what extent are counseling services available to new immigrant Hispanic students in public schools, and are the counselors effectively trained at institutions of higher learning to meet the cultural and diverse needs of these students? How are the counselors and principals prepared relative to their background and experience (language/cultural familiarity) when working with new immigrant Hispanic students?

Footnotes

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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