By Delia Pompa, Senior Vice President, Programs, NCLR
(This was first posted on the Education Nation Blog as part of NBC's special week-long program.)
Overview:
School leaders and teachers are both integral to the success of the schools they run, but the leaders' contributions to student success are slightly different than those of the teachers they manage. This is especially true for those leaders of schools with high Latino populations. We have outlined five key elements to success that these school leaders should implement to improve student achievement.
5 Steps You Can Take:
1. Make family engagement your top priority.
Latino families place an especially high premium on education. We have seen that when families are effectively engaged, they become active participants in their children's education, setting them up for a lifetime of success. For more on family engagement, read our two reports here and here.
2. Develop a strong understanding of second language acquisition.
Almost 30 percent of Latin students are English language learners (ELLS). School leaders should understand the complexities of second language acquisition, and ensure that teachers can provide effective ELLs instruction. Check out report on preparing ELLs for school success.
3. Invest in extended learning opportunities.
We know that Latino students can benefit from more learning time, and we've outlined what models are the most effective. Read our report on best practices in afterschool programs here.
4. Invest in adequate professional develop for teachers.
NCLR has prepared an extensive report focused on what kind of model professional development programs for early childhood education teachers.
5. Hold all students to high standards.
For far too long, low-income minority students have been held to standards that are too low. We believe the Common Core standards are a good and effective approach to making sure all kids are held to high expectations.