How Was High School for You?: NYKids Presents Findings at Interactive Session during School of Education Day
by Aaron Leo, Amanda J. Lester, Lisa Yu, and Kristen C. Wilcox
On Friday, October 4, the NYKids team presented findings from NYKids’ Career and College Readiness Study during School of Education Day, an event hosted annually on the University at Albany campus to showcase research, projects, and initiatives being conducted by School of Education faculty and students.
As an introduction to the presentation, Outreach Coordinator Amanda Lester guided participants through an interactive activity. The activity encouraged participants to consider their own experiences in high school by first presenting them each with a quote from one of the odds-beating schools recently featured in the NYKids’ Career and College Readiness Cross-Case Report. The quotes used represented each of the four findings highlighted in the report (which were discussed in greater detail later in the presentation). Examples included:
“I think our teachers are really accommodating. I just think that we all have the same goal in mind, and this place seems really committed, whatever that is going to look like, for each kid – but really committed to trying to get kids to where they need to be and get families what they need.”- Sherburne-Earlville student support professional
“They’re much more successful because they’ve learned how to challenge themselves. . . I want them to feel like this is the place, it’s safe to do it here. If they fail it, let’s figure it out, let’s pick up the pieces, but using any failures to continue to move ahead.”-Maple Grove principal
Participants were then invited to write down a moment during their high school education which they felt related to the quote they had read – either in its similarity or difference. The discussion that followed helped participants appreciate the different experiences shared and how those experiences shaped their individual learning opportunities.
Next, Research Coordinator Lisa Yu and Postdoctoral Associate Aaron Leo presented research findings from the NYKids cross-case report. Lisa first explained the statistical procedures NYKids researchers utilized to identify odds-beating schools, as well as the methodologies used to collect data and write the case studies.
Following an overview of methodology, Aaron presented the four priorities odds-beating schools share:
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- Co-Constructing a Humanizing School Community
- Collaborating to Define and Achieve Success
- Cultivating Culturally Responsive, Inclusive, and Facilitative Leadership
- Customizing Innovative Policies, Programs, and Practices
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Lisa then wrapped up the presentation by walking the audience through the main features of NYKids website including Research Results, examples of weekly blogs, and the NYKids Performance Tracker.
To learn more about the NYKids’ Career and College Readiness Study, and a host of resources such as case studies, a new sample survey tool to see how your school compares to others, and COMPASS, a unique direct support opportunity that guides district & school teams to use continuous school improvement processes and tools, visit: https://ny-kids.org/.
