The Usage of Maps in Facilitating Conversations with Stakeholders

about Educational Desegregation in Hartford

Brittany PriceDecember 18, 2009Educational Studies

Literature Review

• Waterville Elementary School, Washington– Invasive toad population– Working with farmers in community– Now professionally funded

• Steve Obenhaus, Kansas teacher– using GIS to answer spatially-driven questions– philanthropic themes that involve communities

near and far• Well and clean water distributions in Haiti

Literature Review

• Salvatore Saporito and William & Mary– SABINS database– School attendance zones for largest 800 school

districts using the GIS program

• Jack Dougherty and Trinity College– Visual guides to Sheff v. O’Neill– Display achievements and failures graphically

Research Question

• How do different stakeholders within educational reform in Hartford approach issues of desegregation and how do they interpret the same distribution maps?

Relevance

• Pursuit of solution for educational inequality in Hartford– Sheff v. O’Neill– Project Choice– Magnet Schools– Neighborhood Schools

• Spread awareness/importance of mapping software• Furthering research from past and with the Regional

School Choice Office (RSCO)

Thesis• Through the analysis of the change agent interviews

it can be clearly seen that three change agents can see the same distribution maps differently, depending on their stakeholder position within Hartford education; further, the maps allow change agents to see whether school reform in Hartford is working and suggest what changes should be made, whether administrative, desegregation or choice driven, to approach a solution to current educational segregation.

Methods - Maps

• Created Hartford school distribution maps– General Enrollment Population– English Language Learners (ELL) Population– Special Education (SPED) Population

• Data obtained from RSCO• Selected one magnet school map and one

neighborhood school map for interviews• Institutional Review Board approval

Methods - Interviews• Conducted three interviews (30-45 min. each) with

Hartford change agents– Educational activist working inside or outside of the

school system– Informed and written consent was used– Name and official titles omitted

• Two sections of interview– Current stance on education in Hartford– Opinions about distribution maps

• Interviews were coded for analysis with Atlas.ti

Interviews

• Stance on education system in Hartford• Systemic Failure

• Superintendent instability• Lottery ≠ Choice• Test-driven culture

• Desegregation…necessary?• Magnet school benefits

• Themes• Neighborhood schools then turn into “dumping grounds”

for leftovers

Comments• “Parent Advocate”– Where do these students’ parents work? • “School Board Member”-Racial distribution of towns sending students• “Desegregation advocate”--Towns that are not sending students and school needs to work on marketing/outreach

Kinsella ELL and SPED

ELL and SPED populations mostly found in Hartford

Comments• All -- Surprised how far some students come from• “Parent Advocate” -- No hook to attract people outside of neighborhood

Sanchez ELL and SPED

ELL and SPED are often further away from school

Interesting Thoughts

• “How many of the green are also red?” – “Parent Advocate”

• Title I free and reduced lunch– “I am curious as to whether students with free and

reduced lunch are sticking to their neighborhood school, branching out to attend magnet schools or using the Choice program.”

– “School Board Member”• Who will use them and for what purpose?

– “Desegregation Advocate”

Future Use for Maps

• Advertising/Marketing for schools• SmartChoices website• Recommended viewers

– Board of Education members– Superintendent Adamowski– School principals– Hartford parents

• All wanted to see more maps than shown in interview

Conclusion• Change agents do not always agree on the proper approach to

educational reform– “Parent Advocate” concerned about whether desegregation

is the right choice for success – “Desegregation Advocate” pushed that desegregation

efforts are the best option because it is a similar to the real world

– “School Board Member” concerned about the racial and socio-economic makeup of the magnet schools and the effect magnet schools have on neighborhood schools

• Controversial role of maps depending on person’s role in education system

Acknowledgements

• Professor Sandler• Professor Dougherty• The rest of the Ed 400 Seminar• My interviewees• Regional School Choice Office