Changing Communities
Large suburban districts wrestle with urban issues
by DR. YVONNE KATZ
I vividly remember my first visit to the Beaverton School District seven years ago as a finalist for the superintendent’s job. Beaverton had a reputation as an academic powerhouse and was considered the epitome of the "white bread" suburban school district, which experienced few, if any, urban-style headaches.
As I prepared for my interview with the school board, I was struck not by the differences between suburban Beaverton and urban school districts, but by the similarities. Beaverton was growing more racially and economically diverse by the minute. It was facing severe cuts in programs and staff due to declining and unstable state resources. Issues of safety and security were surfacing in the community and the schools.
Beaverton was shedding its homogeneous image, as these statistics illustrate:
From 1988 to 1998, the percentage of minority students grew from 7 percent to almost 23 percent, or 7,123 students.
The percentage of students enrolled in English as a Second Language programs was steadily increasing, and now has reached 8 percent with 61 languages being spoken in our schools.
In 1993, 19 percent of district students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. At a few schools 50 percent did so.
Student mobility was becoming an issue with 25 of every 100 students entering or withdrawing from district schools during the school year.
The district dropout rate was steadily increasing, moving from 3.6 percent in 1991 to 8 percent in 1998.
During that first visit it became clear to me that while the Beaverton community recognized the district was growing — from 1990 to 1998 student enrollment increased by 26 percent, or more than 6,400 students — few seemed to notice and understand the impact of Beaverton’s increasing diversity. And without a clear understanding of its direction, the district would be unable to meet the needs of all its students.
As superintendent, my first task was to create awareness among staff, parents, and community members of Beaverton’s changing demographics and the implications of growing diversity. Armed with solid demographic data and research, I went out into the community, holding:
Rap Sessions — I went into the homes of parents and community members, meeting with small groups to listen to community concerns and discuss district issues.
School Visitations — I went to every district school to meet with staff and, again, listen to concerns and discuss issues.
Public Presentations — I hit the speaking circuit, visiting with local service, business, and public affairs groups to share the Beaverton Schools story.
Meetings with Administrators — In both formal and informal meetings with administrators, I stressed the importance of using data to drive decisionmaking.
My second task was to work with the entire community to reaffirm the district mission, goals, and priorities — the district’s planning document that drives all that we do. We did this by bringing together the various district constituents — minority students and parents, non-English speakers, parents of talented and gifted students, home schoolers and private school students, clergy, senior citizens, business leaders, staff — to discuss, identify, and define a common set of values and beliefs. We used focus groups, large inquiry groups, forums, and surveys to gather, process, and reaffirm community input. We provided simultaneous language translation, food, child care, and transportation to ensure that all could participate.
From this ongoing process, we developed the district’s strategic vision, which serves as the foundation for how we, as an entire community, address key district issues including safety, equity, diversity, and high expectations for all.
For example, through our discussions, we learned that the district dropout rate is a key concern in our community. From our data, we learned that our dropouts are disproportionately male and belong to a minority group, particularly Hispanics. We learned that a majority of dropouts leave school in September and at the end of the first academic term. We learned that students drop out for a variety of reasons, including conflicting family responsibilities, the need to work, falling behind on graduation requirements, and the inability to form connections in a large school setting.
Based on this information, we have developed and implemented a wide variety of programs to address this issue and keep students in school, including:
Evening Academy — An individualized credit-recovery program that helps students make up credits so that they can graduate on time.
Night School — A comprehensive high school program that allows students to attend school in the afternoon and evening Monday through Friday, while holding down jobs during the day. On Fridays, students participate in internships, community service learning, and job shadowing.
Freshman Transition — Each high school has implemented a program that links incoming freshmen with upperclassmen who can answer questions and smooth the transition to the high school setting.
Catapult — A school-within-a-school program that provides students who are experiencing extreme academic difficulty with a different educational environment. Monday through Thursday, students take core academic classes as well as a guidance seminar that focuses on development of study skills, positive work habits, self-confidence, etc. On Fridays, students participate in career exploration and internships.
JumpStart — A program designed to aid former dropouts who are returning to school. Participants attend the program for three hours a day and receive specialized instruction in language arts, math, and personal development. The rest of the day, students attend another district high school program.
We offer these programs in addition to our options programs (Community School, Continuing Education for Young Parents, magnet and specialized programs) to ensure that all students can find a program that fits into their schedule and provides a comfortable environment in which they can succeed.
We apply the same process of analyzing data, understanding implications, and developing strategies congruent with our common values and beliefs to address each of the wide variety of issues we face — increased diversity, increased poverty, academic achievement gaps, and school safety, to name just a few.
Through this approach, we have capitalized on our entire community’s best thinking and resources to address what truly are community issues and do what’s best for all kids.
Dr. Yvonne Katz is Superintendent of Beaverton School District. She has been recognized as an outstanding school communicator by the National School Public Relations Association, which awarded her the Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award for 1999.
I vividly remember my first visit to the Beaverton School District seven years ago as a finalist for the superintendent’s job. Beaverton had a reputation as an academic powerhouse and was considered the epitome of the "white bread" suburban school district, which experienced few, if any, urban-style headaches.