1 50 1 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/37070/archive/files/302cfd1727d44c1a0729d1e6dfc5ad42.pdf?Expires=1779321600&Signature=TAKQPet0ewQAaKkGOuYNhX8yuI5LE5XJGwZzXnC0EBmox41slVJDiLhvJB-ffwoW7WI9lGM7u14jaS8IIjCRbLQzy7IBCb2dc2dPOrD3WNMcUmSO7VcpjkV2VOmzrtYKXq5rwPC2yWrnI%7E5pnnNuYGahT-thQGntAeocIoet0c6u7A0pGnjwrZwJONkxh9cJ3kYfMvVL44Q-BXBzi-sqGOyEIPJDCwLD4lxlDYIPjjgol7VA9yELoLurUqWIiFmc6T5fwNnr7tAGO7Z%7E6uJYVxzI7TWCgClNQNQf-VEDTJUB9wRC5mByG6ytkB7R-sCV2kUTOaHceea1G4ljlacVGg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 63f44913ddf10b6c02aaa5a99d19e359 PDF Text Text Analysis of the Lowell Public Schools Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Experience Report CPE 2205 Jill Hendrickson Lohmeier, Ph.D. Teresa I. Gonzales, Ph.D. Shanna R. Thompson, Ed.D. Submitted to: Latifah Phillips Lowell Public Schools October 25, 2022 Acknowledgements. Thanks to the following Center for Program Evaluation students who helped with this report: Eisha Haroon, Essowelda Tewoutchoyo, Golnar Fotouhi, Haad Naeem, Holly DeAngelis, Joanna Miller, Maddalana Emond, Siffat Sharmin, Xiaoye Yang, and Zachary Katimy. 1 �Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3 1. Lowell Public Schools ................................................................................................................ 7 2. Evaluation Objectives, Responsibilities, and Methods ............................................................. 11 2.1 Evaluation Period and Objectives ....................................................................................... 11 2.2 Structure of Evaluation Responsibilities ............................................................................. 11 2.3 Evaluation Methods............................................................................................................. 11 3. Secondary Data Analysis Results ............................................................................................. 14 4. LPS Stakeholders’ Perspectives: Focus Group Results ............................................................ 37 4.1 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Employee Focus Group Results ...................................................... 37 4.2 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Parent Focus Group Results ............................................................ 41 4.3 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Student Focus Group Results .......................................................... 44 5. Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 50 6. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 50 7. Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 51 References ..................................................................................................................................... 52 Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 53 Appendix A ................................................................................................................................ 54 Appendix B ................................................................................................................................ 58 Appendix C ................................................................................................................................ 62 Appendix D ................................................................................................................................ 66 2 �Executive Summary The Center for Program Evaluation was contracted by Lowell Public Schools (LPS) and Fortaleza Inc to conduct an analysis of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in this school district. To provide a complete picture of the students’ experience, this report, along with several supplemental documents, compiles both quantitative and qualitative data and concludes with an assessment of the students’ experience, followed by recommendations for potential improvements. Highlighted Evaluation Findings • The total student population in LPS has decreased by 3.1% from 2017 to 2022, while the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student population increased by 14.5% and the HispanicLatino/a/x/e staff increased by 38.2% during the same period. The Henry J. Robinson Middle School, the Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School, and the Moody Elementary School had the largest increases in Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students from 20172022, while the Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School had the largest decrease in HispanicLatino/a/x/e students for that same period. • During the 2021-2022 school year, the percentage of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in each school ranged from 16.3% to 59% with a district average of 37.7%, which is higher than the state average for this group (23.1%). Six schools had 50% or more students who identify as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e: LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (59%), Henry J. Robinson Middle School (55%), Moody Elementary School (52%), Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School (50%), S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (50%), and Greenhalge Elementary School (50%). • A majority of LPS staff identified as White (85%) in 2021-2022, while only 7% of LPS staff identified as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e; nevertheless, this amount is slightly more than the state’s average (5.4%). Six schools have more than 10% of their staff identifying as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e: S Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (12.1%), Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School (13.7%), Henry J. Robinson Middle School (12.4%), Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School (18.9%), LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (15.7%), and Peter W. Reilly Elementary School (11.2%). • Approximately 48% of the ELs in LPS identify as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e, which is lower than the state average (63.4%). The most common language for ELs is Spanish (38.7%). The ELs come from 53 different countries with the most common country being the United States and the second most common country being Brazil (15%). The Moody Elementary School (53.5%) had the most ELs in 2021-2022. • Eighteen schools (66.7%) had an average class size larger than the state’s average of 16 students during the 2020-2021 school year. During that same year, the district’s average student to teacher ratio (12.8 to 1) was higher than the state average (11.9 to 1). • During 2021-2022, 925 students were disciplined. Of those 925, 52.2% were HispanicLatino/a/x/e students. This ethnicity group was disciplined more in LPS compared to all other race/ethnicity groups. Of the 283 students Lowell High School disciplined in 20212022, 50% were Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e. The Henry J. Robinson Middle School and 3 �• • • • • • • • Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School had the next highest number of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students being disciplined with more than 50 each. Overall, at the end of the year of the 2021-2022, the district had a fair attendance rate of 89.7%, while Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students had a slightly lower rate of 87.5%. All but four of the LPS had attendance rates for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in 2021-2022 over 85%. Those four schools were Lowell High School (83.6%), Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School (79.9%), the LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (68.7%), and Career Academy (61.8%). The retention rate (i.e., repeating a grade rate) for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e (3.6%) was higher than that of all students in the district (2.8%). The schools with the highest retention rates in LPS during 2021-2022 were the Career Academy (32.6%), Lowell High School (12.9%), and Dr. Janice Adie Day School (8.3%). The attrition rate in 2021-2022 was 11.9% for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e which is only slightly higher than the rate for all students in the district (11.2%). Three schools had attrition rates that exceed 20% for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, they were: the Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School (20.1%), Dr. Janice Adie Day School (23.1%), and the Career Academy (23.3%). During the 2021-2022 school year, the four schools with the highest churn rates (i.e., students transferring into or out of the school) in the district were Career Academy (50%), Washington Elementary School (34.2%), Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center (33.3%), Bartlett Community Partnership (32.4%), and Lowell High School (30%). The three school with the lowest churn rates in the district during 2021-2022 were Dr. An Wang Middle School (13.7%), James S. Daley Middle School (15%), and LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (15.4%). The LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e MassCore completion rate (6.8%) was lower than any other subgroup in the entire district. The Grade 9 course passing rate for HispanicLatino/a/x/e students in LPS (31.7%) was lower than the all-students’ rate (46.1%) in 2020-2021. All of the graduation rates (2021 for 4-year, 2020 for 5-year) for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in LPS were lower than the all-students’ rates. The dropout rate for HispanicLatino/a/x/e students in LPS (4.7%) was slightly higher than the all-students’ rate (2.7%) and the special education rate (3.2%), but lower than the ELs’ rate (6%). In terms of advanced course completion, the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students have the lowest rate compared to all other race/ethnicity groups. Approximately 34% of the 20202021 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e graduates attend higher education which was lower than the all-student rate (53.3%). The most common types of higher education the LPS HispanicLatino/a/x/e graduates attend are two-year public institution (45%), MA community colleges (43.3%), and four-year public institution (41.7%). During focus group interviews, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees, parents, and students were forthcoming with their perspectives on what they liked about LPS, how they define academic success, the challenges Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es face in the LPS district, and their recommendations for improvement. 4 �o Employees within the district like the increased diversity, the relationships they have, and the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e culture. Parents like how the district includes families, has good communication, and had students actively learning during the pandemic. Students like how diverse LPS is. They also like having racial/ethnic discussions, having translation supports, and making community connections. o The challenges identified by the focus group participants include bullying and harassment, low expectations, assumptions, stereotypes, micro- and macroaggressions, unfair treatment and inequities, limited opportunities, lack of representation, academic language-related difficulties, language barriers, lack of trust in adults, turnover, stressful transitions, untrained substitute teachers, limited familiarity with the U.S. education system, and external factors. Conclusions LPS experienced a 14.5% increase in Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student enrollment since the 20172018 school year. The district hired more Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e staff (38.2%) during that same period. The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents noticed that as the number of Spanish speaking staff increased within the district, the inclusion and communication within the schools improved. The district has dedicated teachers who are actively trying to improve the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience. Employees, parents, and students feel the district acknowledges and celebrates the different cultures within LPS. Even so, the district needs to continue improving the HispanicLatino/a/x/e experience within the district by addressing the challenges identified in the focus groups, amending some current practices, and adapting to students’ varying needs and cultural backgrounds. Also, it is important to note bullying was a main topic of discussion and concern for students and parents, but employees discussed it only minimally, which is consistent with the finding that several students said they do not have an adult they feel comfortable talking with at school. Thus, they may not feel comfortable telling adults that bullying is occurring. The following section provides recommendations for continued improvement based upon the work that has already been started in LPS. Recommendations First and foremost, given the number of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students within the district, more Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e educators should be hired. LPS might consider “Grow Your Own Model” that has been successful in Illinois and Washington. More details can be found here: https://www.doe.mass.edu/teach/NationalModels.html. To improve the experience of HispanicsLatinos/as/xs/es in LPS, the recommendations from the employees, parents, and students provided earlier in this report and summarized in the bullets below should be considered and incorporated: • Employees recommended establishing a welcoming environment with more representation for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, families, and staff, more academic opportunities and supports, more flexibility, and more consistency. • Parents recommended adding more bilingual adults, more safety trainings, more bullying prevention, more sports and extracurricular programs, more cultural exchanges within the school community, and other recommendations discussed further in the report. • Students recommended increasing Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e representation in faculty and staff, encourage more connections between members of the school community, provide more language-related academic supports, offer more clubs and social opportunities, 5 �improve awareness issues such as bullying, and other recommendations discussed further in the report. In addition, the findings in the Best Practices Report should also be considered and incorporated. They include specific recommendations about how to do each of the following essential elements for building the success of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students: • Develop and implement inclusive policies and practices. • Encourage bilingualism and multilingualism. • Connect curricula to students’ cultural backgrounds. • Engage Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in classes and have high expectations. • Strengthen communication between schools and Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e families. • Support and understanding familism. • Empower students. • Strengthen relationships between students and school personnel. • Increase community connections and partnerships. • Address racial and ethnic inequalities, discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes. • Increase resources and supports for students and families. • Increase mental health resources and supports. 6 �Analysis of the Lowell Public Schools Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Experience The Center for Program Evaluation was hired by Lowell Public Schools (LPS) and Fortaleza, Inc to analyze the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience in LPS to determine existing strengths and potential ways to improve the existing academic environment for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students. To provide a complete picture of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience, various types of data were gathered and analyzed. This report is divided into several key sections with a goal of providing formative feedback to LPS. The first section provides a brief overview of Fortaleza, Inc and LPS. Section 2 provides a description of the evaluation objectives and methods. Section 3 provides the results of our secondary data analysis. Then findings from the qualitative data collected from key stakeholder groups are presented in Section 4. Section 5 provides the limitations of this study. The report concludes with an assessment of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience within LPS based on all of the data described, followed by recommendations for potential improvements. 1. Lowell Public Schools Lowell Public Schools are located in Lowell, MA, which is a gateway city located 30 miles northwest of Boston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2021), 113,994 people live within the city’s 13.58 square miles. According to Granberry and Mattos (2017), Lowell’s largest subgroup of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e residents is the Puerto Rican community followed by Dominicans, Colombians, Mexicans, and Guatemalans. LPS currently has 27 schools: 10 PreK-4, two PreK-8, one PreK-12, one PreK, two K-4, one K6, one K-8, six 5-8, one 8-12, and two 9-12. The Central Administration for the district is located at 155 Middlesex Street in Downtown Lowell. LPS is currently working with Fortaleza, Inc. Founded in 2017 and incorporated as a non-profit in 2020, Fortaleza Inc is a group of educators, community leaders, and parents advocating for the removal of structural educational inequities and barriers and the elimination of education opportunity gaps for K-12 Latino students in the LPS. During the 2021-2022 school year, the percentage of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students during this year in the district ranged from 16.3% to 59% with an average of 37.7%. Six schools had 50% or more students who identify as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e: LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (59%), Henry J. Robinson Middle School (55%), Moody Elementary School (52%), Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School (50%), S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (50%), and Greenhalge Elementary School (50%). Table 1 lists the 27 schools in LPS by the percentage of HispanicLatino/a/x/e students in 2021-2022. Figure 1 shows where each of the schools are located within the city. Figure 2 provides the LPS organizational chart. 7 �Table 1 Percentage of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e in Each Lowell Public School in 2021-2022 2021-2022 No. on % of Total Map in Name of School Hispanic- Enrollment Figure 1 Latino/a/x/e 1 59.0% 39 LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School 2 54.6% 635 Henry J. Robinson Middle School 3 51.5% 241 Moody Elementary School 4 50.2% 444 Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School 5 49.9% 479 S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School 6 49.7% 465 Greenhalge Elementary School 7 47.1% 17 Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School 8 45.7% 865 Rogers STEM Academy School 9 44.9% 644 James Sullivan Middle School 10 44.3% 97 The Career Academy 11 43.0% 453 Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School 12 41.2% 461 John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School 13 40.5% 84 Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center 14 39.5% 453 Pyne Arts School 15 39.2% 665 Dr. An Wang Middle School 16 37.4% 462 Bartlett Community Partnership 17 36.4% 456 Peter W Reilly Elementary 18 36.4% 646 Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School 19 34.9% 3,056 Lowell High School 20 34.8% 515 B. F. Butler Middle School 21 32.0% 484 Abraham Lincoln Elementary School 22 30.8% 454 Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School 23 26.4% 246 Washington Elementary School 24 25.0% 52 Dr. Janice Adie Day School 25 23.7% 456 Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School 26 16.9% 649 James S. Daley Middle School 27 16.3% 473 Charles W. Morey Elementary School Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. 8 Grade Levels 8-12 5-8 K-4 PreK-4 PreK-4 PreK-4 K-6 K-8 5-8 9-12 PreK-4 PreK-4 PreK PreK-8 5-8 PreK-8 K-4 5-8 9-12, SP 5-8 PreK-4 PreK-4 PreK-4 PreK-12 PreK-4 5-8 PreK-4 �Figure 1 Map of Lowell Public Schools Note. Map was adapted from City of Lowell (n.d.) School Zone map. 9 �Figure 2 LPS Organizational Structure 10 �2. Evaluation Objectives, Responsibilities, and Methods The following section provides descriptions of the evaluation objectives and methods. 2.1 Evaluation Period and Objectives This evaluation followed a combination of an asset-based community development approach (Green & Haines, 2015) and an improvement-focused evaluation model (Stufflebeam & Coryn, 2014) in which the primary goal is for the evaluators to determine existing strengths and potential ways to improve the experience and academic performance of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in LPS. 2.2 Structure of Evaluation Responsibilities Jill H. Lohmeier, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the School of Education and Director of the Center for Program Evaluation (CPE), and Teresa I. Gonzales, Assistant Professor of Sociology at UMass Lowell were hired as the external evaluators in 2022. Under the direction of Dr. Lohmeier, the CPE staff assisted with the evaluation. Key evaluation activities included: ● Initial meeting with key LPS district stakeholders and Fortaleza Inc. representatives; ● Recruiting a stakeholder evaluation review panel; ● Conducting a literature review; ● Analyzing relevant LPS-provided secondary data, current strategies, and reports; ● Implementing a district-wide survey; ● Conducting focus groups with Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, parents, and employees (e.g., LPS teachers, staff, and administrators); ● Writing up the evaluation results into a final report; and ● Presenting results to LPS key stakeholders and leaders. 2.3 Evaluation Methods The evaluation of the PK-12 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student experience at LPS includes both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyses. The types of data collected include secondary school data (demographic data, attendance, graduation rates, schedules, test scores, etc.), district-wide survey of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, and focus group data (students, parents, employees). The data were analyzed to identify both the strengths and opportunities for improvement within the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student experience in the LPS district as well as determine stakeholders’ perspectives, the challenges they are facing, and their recommendations. The methods used for each type of data collected are described below. Stakeholder Review Panel A stakeholder review panel was created at the beginning of the evaluation. Members of the panel included people from Fortaleza, LPS, UMass Lowell, and the Lowell community. The panel helped guide the study by reviewing all of the developed instruments (e.g., survey questions, focus group protocols) and consent forms (e.g., focus group consent forms) as well as the evaluation plan. Secondary School Data School data was gathered from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (MA DESE) website. Data and documents provided by LPS were also analyzed. 11 �Survey Data The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student survey was designed to learn about the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student experience at LPS. The survey contained 18 questions: nine Likert scale items about students’ experiences in LPS; four open-ended questions about what their teachers have done and would do to help them do better in school and feel more a part of the school community; and five demographic questions. The survey was offered in both English and Spanish. Participants were entered in a random drawing for a chance to win a pair of Airpods. Unfortunately, the survey was administered by the school district on the last day of the 20212022 school year. Only six students participated. A separate briefing of the survey results was created. The sample size was too small to make any conclusions from the results. The CPE currently has a Community Social Psychology student doing their practicum in the CPE until May 2022. Dr. Thompson has offered to have this student analyze survey data if the school would like to try administering the instrument again during the 2022-2023 school year. Focus Groups Six focus groups were conducted during June - August 2022. The length of the focus groups ranged from approximately 53 to 107 minutes. A total of 31 Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es (21 females, 10 males) participated. Overall, as a group combined, the focus group participants had experience and familiarity with more than 50% of the LPS schools. All focus groups were recorded verbatim, transcribed by CPE staff and translators, and then thematically analyzed. It is important to note a Spanish speaking CPE staff member assisted with facilitating all of the focus groups except the Employee Focus Group on June 23, 2022, and the High School Focus Group on August 17, 2022. This staff member along with Dr. Gonzales also assisted with the transcription and translation of the Spanish components of the recordings. They also helped translate the focus group consent and assent forms as well as other related materials. Copies of the focus group protocols are provided in Appendices A-C. Table 2 provides a summary of the focus group details while Table 3 provides a breakdown of how the participants identify themselves. The participants shared a wide range of terms they use to identify themselves. However, the identity cited the most was Hispanic. 12 �Table 2 Focus Group Details Focus Group Date Location Language Number of Participants Length Employees 06/23/2022 Zoom English 8 (8 F) 107 minutes Parents 06/15/2022 155 Middlesex Street Spanish 7 (6 F, 1 M) 90 Minutes Elementary School Students 06/14/2022 Boys and Girls Club English & Spanish 6 (1 F, 5 M) 72 minutes Middle School Students 06/8/2022 Boys and Girls Club English 4 (1 F, 3 M) 53 Minutes High School Students 06/17/2022 155 Middlesex Street English 2 (1 F, 1 M) 103 Minutes High School Students 08/17/2022 27 Loring Street English 4 (4 F) 94 Minutes Table 3 How the Focus Group Participants Identify Themselves Ethnicities Students Parents American 1 Hispanic 3 6 Hispanic/Puerto Rican 3 Honduran/Latino 1 Latina Latina/Hispanic Latina/Hispanic/Latinx Latino 3 1 Latinx Puerto Rican 5 Totals 16 7 13 Employees 1 6 1 8 Totals 1 9 3 1 1 6 1 4 5 31 �3. Secondary Data Analysis Results This section presents the findings from the secondary data analyses of data provided by the LPS and the MA DESE website. Gender A majority of the LPS teachers during the 2021-2022 school year were female (80.7%). During the 2021-2022 school year, LPS had a total student enrollment of 13,991. The gender breakdown for students is 52% male and 48% female. The Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School (91%) and Dr. Janice Adie Day School (80%) both have high male student populations. Race/Ethnicity In terms of race/ethnicity, a majority of LPS staff identified as White (85%) in 2021-2022, while the largest race/ethnicity of students was Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e (37.7%) which is higher than the state average for this group (23.1%). Approximately 7% of LPS staff in 2021-2022 identified as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e which is larger than the state’s average (5.4%). Six schools have more than 10% of their staff identifying as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e: S Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (12.1%), Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School (13.7%), Henry J. Robinson Middle School (12.4%), Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School (18.9%), LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (15.7%), and Peter W. Reilly Elementary School (11.2%). See Table 4 for further details about LPS student and staff demographics. Moreover, the total student population decreased by 3.1% from 2017 to 2022, whereas the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student population increased by 14.5% and the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e staff increased by 38.2% during the same period. Figure 3 provides the last five years of student enrollment in LPS broken down by race/ethnicity. From 2017-2022, 18 of the 27 schools experienced an increase in students who identify as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e. It is important to note, the Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center was missing data for the 2017-2018 so we were unable to determine whether they had an increase or decrease. The Henry J. Robinson Middle School, the Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School, and the Moody Elementary School had the largest increases in Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students from 2017-2022. During the 2021-2022 school year, the Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center, the Moody Elementary School, the LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School, and the Henry J. Robinson Middle School had the largest increases in Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students. The Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School had the largest decrease in Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students from 2017-2022 and for the 2021-2022 school year. The figures in Appendix D depict the changes in enrollment broken down by race/ethnicity in all of the LPS schools from 2017-2022. Table 5 breaks down the race of each type of employed educator in LPS. Over the last three years, all five types of employed educators (i.e., administrator, teacher, paraprofessional, others) had less than 12% identifying as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e. Also, LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e administrators and teachers have both slightly increased in percentage. 14 �Table 4 2021-2022 Percentage of Race and Gender of Students (n=13,991) and Staff (FTE=2,126.5) in LPS Race Gender MultiRace, NonHispanic Males Females NonBinary 0.2% 5.2% 50.2% 49.8% - - - - 5.4% 94.6% - 12.1% 0.2% - 3.2% 47.6% 52.4% - 7.8% 84.5% 1.1% - - 17.1% 82.9% - 31.7% 34.8% 21.6% - - 5.2% 49.9% 50.1% - 6.7% 3% 1.5% 87.4% - - 1.5% 26.3% 73.7% - 84 11.9% 23.8% 40.5% 16.7% 1.2% - 6% 64.3% 36.9% - Staff 35 - 12.9% 7.1% 80% - - - - 100% - Charles W. Morey Elementary School Students 473 4.2% 59.4% 16.3% 15% - - 5.1% 49.5% 50.5% - Staff 70.4 - 5.7% 5.7% 88.6% - - - 5.7% 94.3% - Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Students 453 7.3% 30.5% 43% 16.1% 0.2% - 2.9% 51.9% 48.1% - Staff 68.3 - 9.5% 4.4% 86.1% - - - 13.9% 86.1% - Dr. An Wang Middle School Students 665 9.8% 18.2% 39.2% 27.2% - - 5.6% 50.8% 49.2% - Staff 73.7 - 2.7% 2.7% 94.6% - - - 16.3% 83.9% - Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Students 456 4.4% 42.5% 23.7% 24.3% - - 5% 51.5% 48.5% - Staff 69.2 0.7% 2.9% - 96.4% - - - 2.9% 97.1% - Dr. Janice Adie Day School Students 52 15.4% 15.4% 25% 36.5% 1.9% - 5.8% 76.9% 23.1% - Staff 50.6 2% 7.9% 7.9% 82.2% - - - 25.7% 74.3% - Students 465 12.9% 12.3% 49.7% 21.5% - - 3.7% 52.7% 47.4% - Staff 80.4 3.1% 4.4% 3.7% 86.3% 1.2% - 1.2% 3.7% 96.3% - School Student/ Staff Native Native Hawaiian, American Pacific Islander n African American Asian Hispanic White Students 484 4.1% 46.9% 32% 11.4% 0.2% Staff 64.3 1.6% 7.8% 3.1% 87.6% Bartlett Community Partnership Students 462 8.9% 38.1% 37.4% Staff 90.1 1.1% 5.5% B. F. Butler Middle School Students 515 6.8% Staff 67.3 Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Students Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Greenhalge Elementary School 15 �Henry J. Robinson Middle School Students 635 7.2% 11.3% 54.6% 24.6% - - 2.2% 47.9% 52.1% - Staff 80.6 3.7% 6.8% 12.4% 75.8% - - 1.2% 24.8% 75.2% - James S. Daley Middle School Students 649 4.5% 49.3% 16.9% 23.9% - - 5.4% 54.1% 45.9% - Staff 86.4 2.3% 6.9% 3.5% 87.3% - - - 17.9% 82.1% - James Sullivan Middle School Students 644 6.2% 13.8% 44.9% 30.7% - 0.2% 4.2% 51.2% 48.8% - Staff 87.2 5.2% 1.1% 8% 85.7% - - - 24.1% 75.9% - John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Students 461 6.1% 29.5% 41.2% 20.4% - - 2.8% 50.5% 49.5% - Staff 68.1 4.4% - 4.4% 91.2% - - - 8.8% 91.2% - Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Students 444 7.4% 15.3% 50.2% 22.1% - - 5% 52% 48% - Staff 72.4 - 2.8% 13.7% 83.6% - - - 11% 89% - Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Students 646 4.5% 45.2% 36.4% 11.6% - - 2.3% 55.1% 44.9% - Staff 81.8 2.4% 8.6% 4.9% 83.5% - 0.6% - 32% 68% - Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Students 17 5.9% - 47.1% 29.4% - - 17.6% 82.4% 17.6% - Staff 17.5 5.7% - 18.9% 73.7% - - 1.7% 33.1% 66.9% - Students 39 2.6% 2.6% 59% 33.3% - - 2.6% 53.8% 43.6% 2.6% Staff 20.4 2.5% - 15.7% 80.9% - - 1% 30.9% 69.1% - Students 3056 11% 29.4% 34.9% 20.7% - - 3.9% 52.9% 47% 0.1% Staff 323.9 2.5% 6% 8.8% 81.3% - - 1.4% 37% 63% - Students 241 6.2% 11.6% 51.5% 29% 0.4% - 1.2% 46.5% 53.1% 0.4% Staff 36.6 - - 8.7% 91.3% - - - 5.5% 94.5% - Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School Students 454 8% 24% 30.8% 32.8% - - 5.3% 50.9% 49.1% - Staff 67 2.2% 4.5% - 93.3% - - - 7.5% 92.5% - Peter W. Reilly Elementary Students 456 2.9% 10.3% 36.4% 45.2% - - 5.3% 49.1% 50.9% - Staff 66.9 1.5% 0.4% 11.2% 86.8% - - - 4.5% 95.5% - Students 453 5.7% 13.1% 39.5% 36.9% - 0.2% 3.6% 56.1% 43.9% - Staff 75.4 2.7% 4% 6.6% 86.7% - - - 13.5% 86.5% - Lowell High School Moody Elementary School Pyne Arts School 16 �Rogers STEM Academy School Students 865 9.5% 19.8% 45.7% 21.2% 0.2% - 3.7% 53.6% 46.4% - Staff 103.3 2.4% 8.2% 5.2% 83.2% 1% - - 21.8% 78.2% - S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School Students 479 5.8% 9.2% 49.9% 30.9% - 0.2% 4% 48% 52% - Staff 74.4 2.7% 1.3% 12.1% 83.9% - - - 8.6% 91.4% - The Career Academy Students 97 6.2% 21.6% 44.3% 20.6% - - 7.2% 61.9% 38.1% - Staff Students Staff 17.1 246 50.9 7.3% - 5.8% 42.7% 2.4% 5.8% 26.4% 3.9% 88.3% 17.5% 93.7% 0.4% - 0.4% - 5.3% - 33.3% 63% 12.8% 66.7% 37% 87.2% - Students 13,991 7.7% 27.5% 37.7% 22.9% 0.1% - 4.1% 52.1% 47.9% - Staff 2,126.5 2.2% 5.1% 7.1% 85.0% 0.1% - 0.5% 19.3% 80.7% - Students 911,529 9.3% 7.2% 23.1% 55.7% 0.2% 0.1% 4.3% 51.3% 48.7% - Staff 140,800.7 4.8% 1.8% 5.4% 87.2% 0.1% - 0.6% 20.5% 79.5% - Washington Elementary School District State Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Figure 3 5-Year Student Enrollment in Lowell Public Schools by Race/Ethnicity 2017-2018 7.9 28.9 31.9 27.4 3.9 2018-2019 7.9 28.7 33.1 26.4 3.9 2019-2020 7.9 28.3 34.4 25.5 3.9 2020-2021 7.9 28.2 35 24.8 4.1 2021-2022 7.7 27.5 37.7 0% African American 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 30% 40% Native American 50% White 22.9 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 4.1 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. For 2017-2018, n = 14,436; 2018-2019, n = 14,548; 2019-2020, n = 14,434; 2020-2021, n = 14,023; 2021-2022, n = 13,991. 17 �Table 5 3-Years of Employed Educators in LPS Broken down by Race/Ethnicity American African Employed Total Indian or Asian American/ Educators (n) Alaska Black Native Administrator 2019-2020 98 4.1% 4.1% 2020-2021 109 5.5% 5.5% 2021-2022 115 3.5% 4.3% Teacher 2019-2020 1,079 0.1% 2.3% 1.1% 2020-2021 1,093 0.1% 3.1% 1.6% 2021-2022 1,089 0.2% 3.4% 1.5% Paraprofessional 2019-2020 437 0.7% 5.3% 2.5% 2020-2021 394 0.5% 5.8% 2.3% 2021-2022 460 0.2% 8.7% 3.7% Other - Licensed 2019-2020 128 4.7% 0.8% 2020-2021 121 5.8% 1.7% 2021-2022 151 6% 1.3% Other - Non-Licensed 2019-2020 373 6.2% 2.9% 2020-2021 280 6.8% 2.9% 2021-2022 455 5.9% 2.9% 18 Hispanic/ Latino Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Multi-Race, NonHispanic White 8.2% 9.2% 10.4% - 2% 1.8% 2.6% 81.6% 78% 79.1% 3.2% 4.3% 4.7% 0.2% - 0.2% 0.3% 0.3% 93% 90.7% 90% 11.9% 11.2% 10.9% - 0.5% 0.5% 0.4% 79.2% 79.7% 76.1% 7.8% 7.4% 7.3% - 1.7% 1.3% 86.7% 83.5% 84.1% 4.3% 8.6% 7.3% 0.5% 0.4% 0.2% 0.3% - 85.8% 81.4% 83.7% �Special Populations LPS has a higher percentage of all special population students, except students with disabilities, when to compared to the state averages. Approximately 48% of the ELs in LPS identify as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e, which is lower than the state average (63.4%). A total of 48 languages are represented in the district. The most common language for ELs is Spanish (38.7%). The ELs come from 53 different countries with the most common country being the United States and the second most common country being Brazil (15%). The Moody Elementary School (53.5%) had the most ELs in 2021-2022. Tables 6 and 7 provide further details on LPS special populations and selected demographics in the district and state while Table 8 provides further details on special populations at the school level. Table 6 2021-2022 LPS Special Populations Compared to State % of District (n = 13,991) % of State (n =911,529) First Language not English 36.7% 23.9% English Learner 26.3% 11% Students With Disabilities 18.6% 18.9% High Needs 84.1% 55.6% 75% 43.8% Special Populations Economically Disadvantaged Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Table 7 2021 - 2022 Percentage of ELs in LPS by Selected Demographics Percentage of ELs District State Demographic All ELs All Students ELs Students (n=3,682) (n=911,529) (n=100,231) (n=13,991) Students With Disabilities 18.8% 2.3% 19.1% 3.4% Low Income 75% 69% 43.8% 62.8% First Language not English 36.7% 100% 23.9% 100% African American/Black 7.7% 7% 9.3% 12.7% Asian 27.5% 30% 7.2% 10.2% Hispanic 37.7% 48.4% 23.1% 63.4% White 22.9% 13.1% 55.7% 12.3% Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. 19 �Table 8 2021-2022 Selected Student Populations by School (n=13,991) Special Populations School Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Bartlett Community Partnership B. F. Butler Middle School Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Dr. An Wang Middle School Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Dr. Janice Adie Day School Greenhalge Elementary School Henry J. Robinson Middle School James S. Daley Middle School James Sullivan Middle School John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Lowell High School Moody Elementary School Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School First Language Not English English Learners Students With Disabilities High Needs Low Income 47.9% 40.5% 30.5% 29.8% 42.5% 45.7% 33.8% 37.5% 17.3% 41.3% 38.3% 33% 44.1% 38.4% 39% 45.2% 11.8% 17.9% 31.2% 60.2% 28.9% 34.9% 27.7% 17.1% 33.4% 36% 23.8% 31.8% 5.8% 31.4% 28.3% 13.4% 33.7% 29.5% 32.7% 27.1% 11.8% 15.4% 21.8% 53.5% 22% 17.4% 20.3% 19% 29.8% 13.7% 15.5% 16.5% 18.4% 100% 18.7% 19.4% 21.7% 20.7% 18.2% 17.6% 16.3% 100% 97.4% 15.1% 8.7% 18.5% 89.5% 88.3% 85.8% 83.3% 82.9% 93.6% 80.6% 77.4% 100% 94.2% 92.9% 74.7% 85.7% 88.1% 90.8% 89.5% 100% 100% 79.1% 95% 73.6% 80.8% 78.8% 75.3% 73.8% 69.1% 88.5% 71.3% 67.1% 73.1% 88.6% 86.6% 61.9% 76.6% 78.7% 82.9% 81.4% 94.1% 89.7% 70.9% 89.2% 63% 20 �Peter W. Reilly Elementary 29.4% Pyne Arts School 27.8% Rogers STEM Academy School 43.1% S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School 29% The Career Academy 18.6% Washington Elementary School 48.4% District 36.7% State 23.9% Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. 23.2% 17% 32% 22.1% 11.3% 42.3% 26.3% 11% 21 18% 27.4% 13.2% 16.9% 20.6% 21.1% 18.6% 18.9% 67.1% 72.8% 91.9% 86.8% 95.9% 88.6% 84.1% 55.6% 58.1% 59.4% 82.7% 81% 90.7% 76% 75% 43.8% �Class Size Eighteen schools (66.7%) had an average class size larger than the state’s average of 16 students during the 2020-2021 school year (see Table 9). Table 9 2020-2021 Class Size by School (n= 14,364) Schools Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Bartlett Community Partnership B. F. Butler Middle School Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Dr. An Wang Middle School Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Dr. Janice Adie Day School Greenhalge Elementary School Henry J. Robinson Middle School Student Groups Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED 22 % of Students 33.3% 36% 21% 34% 26.8% 23.6% 35.4% 16.2% 21.5% 35.6% 21.1% 45.6% 13.1% 37.5% 16.3% 39.6% 39.6% 16.7% 39.7% 23.2% 16.6% 23.5% 31.9% 18.6% 28.3% 6.5% 100% 49.4% 31.1% 18.7% 49.8% 24.9% 20.8% Average Class Size 17.5 17.2 22.6 8.2 17 18.4 21.5 16.8 2.8 17.4 25 �James S. Daley Middle School James Sullivan Middle School John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Lowell High School Moody Elementary School Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School Peter W. Reilly Elementary Pyne Arts School Rogers STEM Academy School Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED 23 18.5% 8.7% 20.9% 44.4% 23.5% 20.7% 39.1% 32% 18.7% 46.4% 33.1% 19.8% 32.9% 24.8% 17% 60.9% 13% 100% 55.3% 13.2% 100% 31.1% 20% 13.5% 46.6% 51.7% 10.3% 28% 20% 17.4% 36.4% 22.8% 20% 38.6% 17.2% 24.7% 44.5% 29.1% 15% 18.8 21.8 15.6 13.9 20.7 2.8 4 19.7 23.9 18 18.3 15.1 26.9 �Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e The Career Academy EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Washington Elementary School EL SPED Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e District EL SPED Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School 47.3% 22.2% 18.1% 52.4% 20.7% 23.2% 21.5% 37.8% 25.6% 35.6% 25% 18.6% 19.3 8.7 9.8 18.1 Student to Teacher Ratios During the 2021-2022 school year, the district’s average student to teacher ratio (12.8 to 1) was higher than the state average (11.9 to 1). However, eight schools had a lower student to teacher ratio than the state average (See Table 10). Table 10 2021-2022 LPS Student to Teacher Ratios School Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Bartlett Community Partnership B. F. Butler Middle School Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Dr. An Wang Middle School Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Dr. Janice Adie Day School Greenhalge Elementary School Henry J. Robinson Middle School James S. Daley Middle School James Sullivan Middle School John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Lowell High School Moody Elementary School Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School Student to Teacher Ratio 13.1 to 1 11.4 to 1 12.5 to 1 10.5 to 1 13.1 to 1 12.6 to 1 15.1 to 1 12.7 to 1 4.3 to 1 12.2 to 1 13.2 to 1 13.9 to 1 14.1 to 1 12.5 to 1 12 to 1 12.4 to 1 2.7 to 1 4.7 to 1 13.9 to 1 12.1 to 1 13.4 to 1 24 �Peter W. Reilly Elementary 13.4 to 1 Pyne Arts School 11.6 to 1 Rogers STEM Academy School 15.2 to 1 S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School 12.9 to 1 The Career Academy 9.9 to 1 Washington Elementary School 11.2 to 1 District 12.8 to 1 State 11.9 to 1 Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Student Discipline During 2021-2022, 925 students were disciplined. Of those 925, 52.2% were HispanicLatino/a/x/e students. This ethnicity group was disciplined more in LPS compared to all other race/ethnicity groups. Of the 283 students Lowell High School disciplined in 2021-2022, 50% were Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e. The Henry J. Robinson Middle School and Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School had the next highest number of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students being disciplined with more than 50 each. Table 11 provides an overview of discipline rates by school. Table 11 2021-2022 Student Discipline Rates by School School Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Bartlett Community Partnership B. F. Butler Middle School Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Dr. An Wang Middle School Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Dr. Janice Adie Day School Greenhalge Elementary School Student Group Total Students # of Students Disciplined Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 169 - All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 528 207 537 215 566 47 114 91 515 212 502 277 701 117 495 17 61 264 1 24 43 24 59 2 2 4 24 42 3 9 11 25 �Henry J. Robinson Middle School James S. Daley Middle School James Sullivan Middle School John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Lowell High School Moody Elementary School Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School Peter W. Reilly Elementary Pyne Arts School Rogers STEM Academy School S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School The Career Academy Washington Elementary School District All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students HispanicLatino/a/x/e All Students Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. 26 520 376 697 127 693 314 691 220 521 236 491 260 699 10 22 26 48 1216 3356 139 272 160 512 193 514 214 530 429 931 267 534 61 143 72 269 16 56 103 4 12 36 65 7 16 2 52 99 1 3 14 25 142 283 1 4 7 8 16 27 25 38 2 4 28 60 5 6 5849 483 15264 925 �Student Attendance and Retention Rates Overall, at the end of the year of the 2021-2022, the district had a fair attendance rate of 89.7%, while Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students had a slightly lower rate of 87.5%. Seven schools had attendance rates for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students that were higher than the district average in 2021-2022. They were the Pyne Arts School (90.7%), Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School (90.5%), Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School (90.5%), Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School (90.3%), James S. Daley Middle School (90.3%), Abraham Lincoln Elementary School (90%), and Dr. An Wang Middle School (90%). All but four of the LPS had attendance rates for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in 2021-2022 over 85%. Those four schools were Lowell High School (83.6%), Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School (79.9%), the LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (68.7%), Career Academy (61.8%). The retention rate (i.e., repeating a grade rate) for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students (3.6%) was higher than that of all students in the district (2.8%). The schools with the highest retention rates in LPS during 2021-2022 were the Career Academy (32.6%), Lowell High School (12.9%), and Dr. Janice Adie Day School (8.3%). Table 12 provides further details on students’ attendance and retention rates during the 2021-2022 school year. Student Mobility In LPS, some of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e population is transient. As shown in Table 13, the attrition rate in 2021-2022 was 11.9% for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e which is only slightly higher than the rate for all students in the district (11.2%). Three schools had attrition rates that exceed 20% for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, they were: the Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School (20.1%), Dr. Janice Adie Day School (23.1%), and the Career Academy (23.3%). From 2021-2022, the average stability rate of the Hispanic-Latino/x/e/a students in LPS (86.7%) was lower than the all-students in the district average of 89.5%. The churn and intake rates for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students were also higher than the all-students average. During the 20212022 school year, the four schools with the highest churn rates (i.e., students transferring into or out of the school) in the district were Career Academy (50%), Washington Elementary School (34.2%), Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center (33.3%), Bartlett Community Partnership (32.4%), and Lowell High School (30%). The three school with the lowest churn rates in the district during 2021-2022 were Dr. An Wang Middle School (13.7%), James S. Daley Middle School (15), and LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School (15.4%). Table 14 provides further details on students’ mobility in LPS. 27 �Table 12 2021-2022 Student Attendance and Retention Rates by School School Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Bartlett Community Partnership B. F. Butler Middle School Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Dr. An Wang Middle School Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Dr. Janice Adie Day School Greenhalge Elementary School Henry J. Robinson Middle School James S. Daley Middle School James Sullivan Middle School John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Student Group Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students 28 Attendance Rates 90.0% 91.4% 86.5% 88.9% 88.7% 91.5% 85.6% 88.5% 88.7% 92.0% 90.5% 90.9% 90.0% 92.1% 88.4% 91.2% 87.3% 87.7% 88.3% 89.2% 88.1% 88.0% 90.3% 93.4% 89.2% 90.1% 87.7% 90.2% 88.6% 89.9% 90.3% 91.8% 79.9% 80.8% 68.7% 61.6% Retention Rates 2.3% 0.8% 0.7% 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% 2.2% 0.9% 0.8% 0.9% 2.7% 1.4% 8.3% 2.0% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.6% 0.3% 0.2% 4.3% 7.7% �Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 83.6% 12.9% All Students 87.1% 8.9% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 88.9% 1.1% Moody Elementary School All Students 90.1% 0.5% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 90.5% 1.0% Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School All Students 91.8% 0.6% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 88.6% Peter W. Reilly Elementary All Students 91.2% 0.3% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 90.7% Pyne Arts School All Students 91.8% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 88.4% Rogers STEM Academy School All Students 89.8% 0.3% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 88.3% S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School All Students 89.2% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 61.8% 32.6% The Career Academy All Students 70.1% 35.1% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 86.9% Washington Elementary School All Students 89.7% 0.6% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 87.5% 3.6% District All Students 89.7% 2.8% Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. It is important to note, no retention rates were reported for the Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center. Lowell High School 29 �Table 13 2021-2022 Student Attrition Rate by School Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Attrition Rate Attrition Rate Abraham Lincoln Elementary School 11.9% 11.2% Bartlett Community Partnership 12.4% 14.7% B. F. Butler Middle School 8.8% 7.6% Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School 5.8% 10.3% Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School 20.1% 19.7% Dr. An Wang Middle School 8.3% 8.7% Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School 16.4% 12.3% Dr. Janice Adie Day School 23.1% 12.5% Greenhalge Elementary School 11.7% 13.1% Henry J. Robinson Middle School 11.4% 14.3% James S. Daley Middle School 11.8% 6.1% James Sullivan Middle School 13.1% 13.2% John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School 14.4% 15.8% Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School 13.6% 15.2% Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School 14.9% 11.3% Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School 7.4% Lowell High School 11.2% 8.0% Moody Elementary School 16.5% 20.0% Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School 15.0% 14.6% Peter W. Reilly Elementary 18.9% 16.6% Pyne Arts School 8.2% 9.2% Rogers STEM Academy School 15.6% 15.9% S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School 16.9% 16.6% The Career Academy 23.3% 21.1% Washington Elementary School 18.9% 15.3% District 11.9% 11.2% Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. It is important to note, no attrition rates were reported for the Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center. School 30 �Table 14 2021-2022 Student Mobility Rate by School School Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Bartlett Community Partnership B. F. Butler Middle School Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center Charles W. Morey Elementary School Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School Dr. An Wang Middle School Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School Dr. Janice Adie Day School Greenhalge Elementary School Henry J. Robinson Middle School James S. Daley Middle School Student Group Churn/ Intake Enroll Churn Intake Stability Enroll Stability Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 169 22.5% 18.9% 157 89.7% All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students 529 207 539 215 567 48 118 91 518 213 507 278 705 118 497 17 61 264 520 377 697 127 693 18.7% 32.4% 24.5% 22.8% 13.9% 33.3% 38.1% 19.8% 14.5% 26.8% 26.2% 13.7% 12.2% 19.5% 16.3% 23.5% 18.0% 24.2% 23.1% 17.8% 18.5% 15.0% 9.4% 13.4% 20.8% 17.3% 17.7% 9.3% 27.1% 30.5% 17.6% 9.1% 20.7% 19.5% 8.6% 7.2% 9.3% 10.5% 23.5% 16.4% 15.2% 13.7% 12.7% 12.3% 11.8% 6.2% 495 175 468 181 518 38 88 77 480 196 463 261 669 111 462 13 52 235 469 347 648 112 653 86.9% 80.0% 87.0% 91.7% 94.2% 84.2% 83.0% 94.8% 92.3% 79.6% 80.8% 92.0% 92.5% 85.6% 90.0% 100.0% 96.2% 85.1% 85.3% 89.3% 87.7% 96.4% 96.2% 31 �James Sullivan Middle School John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School Lowell High School Moody Elementary School Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School Peter W. Reilly Elementary Pyne Arts School Rogers STEM Academy School S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School The Career Academy Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students 32 313 692 220 521 238 497 259 702 10 22 26 48 1229 3381 139 273 160 512 194 516 214 530 430 938 267 533 61 141 18.8% 16.8% 25.0% 23.2% 16.4% 19.7% 19.7% 15.4% 20.0% 22.7% 15.4% 31.3% 30.0% 21.0% 21.6% 22.7% 17.5% 15.4% 24.7% 18.6% 22.4% 19.6% 18.1% 16.2% 20.6% 19.3% 50.8% 48.9% 11.5% 10.1% 16.8% 15.4% 11.3% 12.7% 14.7% 9.7% 20.0% 22.7% 15.4% 20.8% 18.3% 12.3% 16.5% 16.5% 15.6% 11.5% 17.5% 14.0% 17.3% 16.0% 11.9% 9.1% 15.4% 15.0% 29.5% 29.8% 292 646 192 465 227 458 237 660 8 17 23 39 1097 3121 127 246 140 462 168 464 184 459 400 887 238 477 44 100 87.0% 89.2% 85.9% 86.0% 87.7% 87.1% 87.8% 90.0% 100.0% 100.0% 95.7% 84.6% 78.4% 85.6% 85.8% 85.8% 94.3% 93.7% 86.9% 90.5% 90.2% 92.8% 88.0% 88.6% 89.1% 90.1% 68.2% 72.0% �Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e District All Students Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Washington Elementary School 33 73 270 5872 15338 34.2% 18.9% 22.0% 17.9% 24.7% 13.3% 15.0% 11.6% 66 249 5346 14216 72.7% 88.0% 86.7% 89.5% �Students Completion Rates Table 15 provides MassCore Completion Rates during the 2020-2021. The LPS HispanicLatino/a/x/e MassCore completion rate (6.8%) was lower than any other subgroup in the entire district, with their completion rate being statistically different from the overall rate (Χ2 (1) = 11.91, p < .001). The Grade 9 course passing rate for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in LPS (31.7%) was statistically different from the all-students’ rate (46.1%) in 2020-2021 (Χ2 (1) = 19.11, p <.0001) (see Table 16). All of the graduation rates for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in LPS (Tables 17-20) were lower than the all-students’ rates. The dropout rate (Table 21) for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in LPS (4.7%) was slightly higher than the all-students’ rate (2.7%) (Χ2 (1) = 20.90, p <.0001) and the special education rate (3.2%), but lower than the ELs’ rate (6%). In terms of advanced course completion, there is a significant relationship bewteen race and advanced completion rate (Χ2 (4) = 21.258, p < .001). The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students have the lowest rate compared to all other race/ethnicity groups (Table 22). As shown in Table 23, the 2020-2021 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e graduates attend higher education at statistically significantly different rates than the all-student rate (34.1% and 53.3% respectively; Χ2 (1) = 11.50, p < .0001). The most common types of higher education the LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e graduates attend are two-year public institution (45%), MA community colleges (43.3%), and four-year public institution (41.7%). Table 15 MassCore Completion Rates during 2020-2021 School Year # Completed Student Group # Graduated MassCore Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 176 12 All Students 730 120 Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Table 16 Grade Nine Course Passing Rate during 2020-2021 School Year # Grade Nine # Passing All Student Group Students Courses Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 357 113 All Students 908 419 Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Table 17 4-Year Graduation Rate (2021) Student Group Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students # in Cohort % Graduated 241 866 68% 80% 34 % Still % Nonin Grad School Completers 0.4% 16.2% 10% 0.7% % Completed MassCore 6.8% 16.4% % Passing All Courses 31.7% 46.1% % H.S. Equiv. 0.2% % Dropped Out 15.4% 9% �Table 18 4-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (2021) Student Group % Still % Non% # in % % H.S. in Grad Dropped Cohort Graduated Equiv. School Completers Out 0.6% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 180 70.6% 14.4% 14.4% All Students 657 82.8% 9.1% 0.3% 0.2% 7.6% Note. The adjusted graduation rate does not include students who transfers into the district. Table 19 5-Year Graduation Rate (2020) Student Group Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e All Students # in Cohort % Graduated 227 863 77.5% 83.4% % Still % Nonin Grad School Completers 2.2% 3.1% 3.5% 1.2% % H.S. Equiv. 2.2% 2.1% % Dropped Out 15% 9.8% Table 20 5-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (2020) Student Group % Still % Non% # in % % H.S. in Grad Dropped Cohort Graduated Equiv. School Completers Out 1.8% Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 170 79.4% 2.4% 1.8% 14.7% All Students 662 87% 2.9% 0.8% 2.0% 7.4% Note. The adjusted graduation rate does not include students who transfers into the district. Table 21 Dropout Rate for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e during the 2020-2021 School Year # # % % % % Student Enrolled Dropout Dropout Dropout Dropout Dropout Group Grades All All Grade Grade Grade 9-12 Grades Grades 9 10 11 Hispanic991 47 4.7% 2.3% 5.7% 4% Latino/a/x/e EL 645 39 6% 1.8% 4.8% 9.2% SPED 441 14 3.2% 3.9% 7.8% All Students 3,161 86 2.7% 1.8% 2.8% 2.9% Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. 35 % Dropout Grade 12 8.6% 13.2% 3.6% 3.6% �Table 22 2020-2021 Advanced Course Completion Student Group Grades 11 & 12 Students # Students Completing Advanced Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e 402 181 African American/Black 192 126 Asian 491 370 Multi-Racial, Non-Hispanic 55 33 White 437 281 All Students 1,577 991 Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. % Students Completing Advanced 45% 65.6% 75.4% 60% 64.3% 62.8% Table 23 2020-2021 Graduates Attending Institutions of Higher Education High Attending Student Private Private School Coll./ Group 2-Yr 4-Yr Graduates Univ. 60 176 13.3% Hispanic(34.1%) Latino/a/x/e 60 176 4.5% (34.1%) 389 730 17.2% (53.3%) All Students 389 730 9.2% (53.3%) Note. Data were obtained from MA DESE (2022) website. Advanced Course Completion Rate by Subject History & All Science & ELA Math Social Other Technology Sciences Subjects 2.7% 23.9% 29.9% 6.5% 4% 4.7% 34.4% 45.3% 12% 2.6% 50.3% 48.7% 15.9% 1.8% 38.2% 34.5% 9.1% 3.2% 35.7% 43.5% 18.8% 0.9% 3% 37.2% 41.5% 13.6% 1.3% Public 2-Yr Public 4-Yr MA Comm. College MA State Univ. UMass 45% 41.7% 43.3% 5% 33.3% 15.3% 14.2% 14.8% 1.7% 11.4% 32.1% 50.6% 30.3% 5.9% 37.8% 17.1% 27% 16.2% 3.2% 20.1% 36 Percent By College Attendee High School Grad College Attendee High School Grad �4. LPS Stakeholders’ Perspectives: Focus Group Results According to Taylor and Whittaker (2009), individuals frame problems based on their personal values, experiences, cultures, and assumptions. Understanding the beliefs that each stakeholder possesses in a school community enables a group to find common ground and select appropriate alternatives. For this evaluation, it was important to gain an understanding of LPS stakeholders’ perspectives. More specifically, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees, parents, and students were consulted. To gather these perspectives, we conducted focus groups during the Summer of 2022. Members of each stakeholder group were asked questions related to what they liked about LPS, how they define academic success, the challenges Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e face in LPS, and their recommendations for improving the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience in LPS (See Appendices A-C). The following section presents each group’s perspectives. 4.1 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Employee Focus Group Results Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees were forthcoming with their perspectives on what they liked about LPS, how they define academic success, the challenges Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es face in the LPS district, and their recommendations for improvement. What Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Employees Like About LPS The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees who took part in the focus group identified several aspects they like about working in LPS. Increased diversity. The employees especially like how diversity has increased over the years, that each school has a balance of cultures, and that they feel they have colleagues who are true allies that value inclusivity. They also like that there are now more bilingual or multilingual employees in the district which makes students feel more comfortable. In addition, such exposure to other cultures, languages, and backgrounds allows LPS employees and students to feel more accepted. They also like the various community events that are held to celebrate the district’s diversity such as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) celebrations, the Juneteenth celebration, pride month, and Hispanic heritage month. Another employee likes that the district is now “in a great place to really develop and grow.” Relationships. One employee likes building community relationships. In addition, she gains personal satisfaction from developing relationships with students that encourage and help them to persevere. She further shared, “It is an honor for me to be able to work with my kids and see them succeed.” Another employee likes being an advocate for the students, working to show others in the community that the students are more than the labels that are applied to them. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e culture. Other employees spoke highly of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e culture. They described this ethnic group as loving family people who respect their elders and stay optimistic and persistent during difficult times in addition to sticking together no matter what. How Employees Define Academic Success for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Students When asked how they would define academic success for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, employees shared a few thoughts. For one employee, academic success was achieving college readiness which includes knowing what services are available and how to take exams. Another employee defined academic success as Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es being held to the same 37 �standards, receiving the same opportunities, and obtaining just as much recognition as White students when they excel (e.g., article in the newspaper). In addition, academic success was defined as a love for learning and reading. Challenges Employees Think the LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Community Face Employees shared some challenges they feel the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e community face within the LPS district. Underlying assumptions and beliefs. First, members of the LPS community have some underlying assumptions and beliefs about Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es that are not true. For instance, parents are stereotyped as not caring about their children’s education when a student does not complete homework. However, the parents actually do care they just do not know how to help their children with the assignments. Similar sentiments are expressed when parents do not participate in school events. However, many Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents have to work more than one job, so they have limited free time. Language barriers. Moreover, some family members do not speak English and need a translator, but sometimes the availability of a translator does not match the times a parent is available. Challenges Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Employees Face Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees also face challenges within the LPS district. Micro-aggressions. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees mentioned that they experience microaggressions often. For instance, a couple of the employees have been questioned about their credentials, backgrounds, and their capabilities. Such actions give off the impression that others do not think they are qualified. Employment barriers. According to the participants, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees must work twice as hard to get acknowledged and prove they are capable. In other words, it is difficult for them to “break the barrier” and “move up.” Moreover, a limited number of administrators are people of color. Lack of representation. Additionally, the lack of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e representation in leadership roles in the district and larger community was cited as another challenge (e.g., school board, city council). Turnover. New employee turnover was also mentioned as a challenge. As one employee put it, “You don't know if they're going to be in the building the following year.” In addition to staff turnover, the employees cited the transient nature of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students as a challenge for LPS. Challenges Employees Think Students in LPS Face Employees shared several challenges they feel Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students face within the LPS district. 38 �Academic language-related difficulties. When English is not a student’s primary language, the student experiences challenges at school. For instance, a student may have done well in math in their own country but may now struggle in math due to word problems written in English. Also, newcomers who are still developing their bilingual or multilingual skills might experience stress when they are forced to speak only in English. Inequities and limited opportunities. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students do not have the same academic opportunities or receive the same level of recognition when they excel as one employee explained, “the opportunities are not there, the recognition is not there and accessibility to classes, to honor classes” are not there. Another employee shared, “many times students get looped in or kind of funneled into a specific tiered academics, which then limits their ability and even those who say I'm going to go to college, they will not be prepared.” Another employee stated, “It's sad … to see how many times Hispanic kids do something great at the academic level and nothing is said. You don't see it in the newspaper, you don't see it anywhere. But when a White kid does something, you know it's everywhere.” In addition, a lack of consistency exists among schools, deans, and principals on the consequences they impose for infractions. A lack of knowledge about cultures may explain why Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students are disproportionately disciplined. Limited opportunities for extracurricular activities like sports exist for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students because they do not feel welcomed in those groups. In addition, limited after-school programs are offered so students might struggle to find a place to do their homework or get some tutoring. The dropout rate for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students is significant which indicates more academic supports are needed. One employee explained, “some students don't know that they have the right to take higher level classes. And there are certain policies in place that would limit students to transition to higher levels.” Another employee added that certain gatekeepers and some educators manage the courses that keep kids from attending honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Moreover, college and career readiness opportunities are very limited. Stressful transitions. Newcomers face stress when transitioning to the U.S. education system. They have to learn all new customs, cultures, foods, and lifestyles in addition to content knowledge. Thus, they are under tremendous pressure. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Employees’ Recommendations Employees shared several recommendations that they feel would improve the experience of Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es within the LPS district. They include making LPS a more welcoming environment with more representation, more academic opportunities and supports, more flexibility, and more consistency. More welcoming environment. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees assert a more welcoming and approachable environment needs to be established, especially for newcomers. When a family comes to register a student with the LPS district, an orientation in their native language should be provided with information on the district, school, and child’s education. The information session should also review expectations for students and families (e.g., attendance, homework). During this process, each family should be connected with a representative or liaison that can help them navigate all aspects of this new educational system. In addition to a newcomer orientation, a 39 �more welcoming environment within the schools can be created by having more bilingual and multilingual people working, providing educators training about cultures, and offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for families. In addition, English speaking teachers could learn some greetings in other languages to make their classrooms more welcoming. Lastly, the sports program could find ways to become a more welcoming place for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students as well. More representation. More people of color are needed in leadership positions. As one employee put it, “we need to have leaders that look like us, speak like us, think like us, not because we are divisive, but we need to be included.” One suggestion was to increase the diversity of interview committees and the use of different recruitment approaches for finding diverse candidates. They also mentioned that their affinity groups need more people. Another employee asserted that the schools could benefit from Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e leaders and professionals being brought in from the community to talk to students (e.g., doctors, lawyers, government employees). In addition, dialogues within the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e community as well as with allies need to continue. More academic opportunities and support. The employees noted that Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students need more academic opportunities and support, especially in terms of access to rigorous higher-level coursework. Practices at the elementary and middle school level need to be reviewed to make sure students are being set up for future success when they transition to high school. Policies should be reviewed to make sure they are not marginalizing any groups from academic success. When a Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student comes to this country, the tendency to label them as a special education student needs to stop as well. Not all Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students need such services. The employees believe standards should be the same for everybody and Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students should receive the same amount of recognition as White students when they excel. Also, more college and career opportunities are needed. More flexibility. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees also advocated for more flexibility in several areas. For instance, educators need to be willing to call parents at times that work for them. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents often work long hours, so their availability is limited. Schools should be willing to go out into a community and meet parents within places they feel more comfortable (e.g., churches, community centers, homes). In addition, teachers should let newcomers speak in their native language when they first arrive instead of restricting all communications to English only. Providing language flexibility to students will help reduce stress and increase feelings of comfort. One teacher felt providing language flexibility would also reduce incidents of bullying related to students’ language capabilities. More consistency. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees emphasized the importance of consistency. Once something is started and made a priority, efforts need to remain consistent to keep families excited, engaged, and active. To increase consistency, political willingness, an allocated budget, and a timeline with planned changes need to be developed. 40 �4.2 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Parent Focus Group Results Like the employees, the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents were forthcoming with their perspectives on what they like about LPS, how they define academic success, the challenges HispanicsLatinos/as/xs/es face in the LPS district, and their recommendations for improvement. What Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Parents Like about LPS The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents who participated in the focus group also shared several aspects they like about LPS. Inclusion of families. First, the parents feel the district has done a good job of including or welcoming people from different backgrounds into the community. They invite people to activities and projects even if they do not speak English. Parents are given the opportunity to give suggestions when something is happening, and those suggestions and perspectives are considered by LPS. They also shared that when a concern or situation occurs, the school addresses it; as one parent shared, “there is no negligence.” Other aspects parents liked about the LPS school system were activities related to cultural traditions from other countries, seminars on racism, and the way Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e families and students help each other. Good communication. When asked about the school’s communication efforts, the parents said there is a lot of good communication. According to the parents, schools use Classdojo, Zoom, email, and phone calls to contact them. The parents especially like it when teachers put information on the Classdojo app, so they know what their children are working on or learning. They especially like the app and email when they are at work and unable to answer their phones or attend a Zoom call. The app and email allow them to quickly check in to make sure everything is okay. The translations available via Zoom have also been very helpful. They have noticed that as the number of Spanish speaking staff has increased within the district, inclusion and communication within the schools has improved. Active learning during pandemic. Lastly, one parent noted that they were happy that the children were actively learning during the pandemic and that homework was being sent home. How Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Parents Define Academic Success When asked how they would define academic success for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, parents shared a variety of definitions. For one parent, academic success was passing classes and being able to interact with and adapt to people who speak other languages. Another parent asserted academic success is striving to perform academically and obtaining honors, but also developing as an individual as well. In addition, this parent felt academic success includes doing service or positive things for the school. Another parent defined academic success as a student who understands, comprehends, writes, and speaks in English; develops into someone who can function professionally; and knows how to serve not only themselves, but also society when they finish their studies. Another parent added that academic success includes enriching Americans in their language, culture, music, and folklore while another parent stated that it is about setting and achieving goals, whether those goals are going to a university, obtaining an apprenticeship, or starting a career. 41 �Challenges Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es in LPS Face Parents shared several challenges they feel Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es face within the LPS district. They include language barriers, untrained substitute teachers, limited familiarity with the U.S. education system, stereotypes, bullying, and low expectations. In addition, they mentioned a few external factors that create challenges for parents and students. Language barriers. Language barriers can inhibit school participation from both student and family members. As one parent shared, when “a child comes in and only knows how to speak Spanish, and they take him to a classroom where they only know how to speak English. That’s terrible, that’s terrible!” Moreover, different dialects can affect communication. For instance, Portuguese-speaking students and families have a harder time because most of the bilingual people who are available in LPS speak English and Spanish, but not Portuguese. As a result, some of the bilingual students are asked to serve as translators for languages they do not know. More specifically, if no one speaks Portuguese a Spanish speaking child will be asked to serve as a translator but this child struggles serving as a language broker because Spanish and Portuguese are not the same language. Untrained substitute teachers. According to the parents, substitute teachers make mistakes and sometimes mark their child(ren) absent when they are in fact present in class. For example, a parent received a phone call that made them nervous because they had just taken their child to school, but a substitute called them in error to tell them that their child was not in school. Limited familiarity with the U.S. education system. Some of LPS’s Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents come from very different education backgrounds, so they are not familiar with the U.S. assessments and grading systems, as well as the school rituals and routines. One parent was unclear about how homework is handled as her child does not bring homework home, and when the parent asks, the child says it was finished at school. It is important to note that this parent’s experience with homework is significantly different from the aforementioned parent who said homework was being sent home consistently. Also, the food in U.S. schools is unfamiliar to the students as they do not always like pizza, hamburgers, and hotdogs, instead they want foods that are familiar to them: “rice, broth, beans, and lentils”. Stereotypes. The parents shared several stereotypes they encountered in the LPS system that create challenges for Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es. They include, “Hispanics/Latinos are loud”, “Hispanics/Latinos move into a neighborhood and damage it”, and “Hispanics/Latinos are scandalous.” In addition, they have encountered people who just assume everyone who is Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e is from Mexico, but this ethnic group is not monolithic. Instead, it is composed of a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Bullying. Several parents also brought up bullying as challenge Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es students face. One parent shared, “my child is being bullied a lot at school and it affects them emotionally.” Another parent mentioned that her two children have been bullied multiple times. She then spoke about how aggressive or uncontrolled behaviors of classmates can negatively affect children. Another parent had to report a bullying incident that involved a classmate sending her elementary student inappropriate text messages. 42 �Low expectations. According to one parent, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students are not being pushed enough. This parent further shared that her child told her they do not do anything in English class, so the parent wonders, “What are they learning?” if they are not doing anything. External factors. Parents also mentioned a few external factors that are affecting both parents and students. For instance, they want to participate in school activities, but they are busy with work. Parents also mentioned their children are affected by external factors like music, the internet, and technological devices. One parent asserted, “we are raising mummies” when she explained how technology is influencing children's development. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Parent Recommendations for Improvement Parents shared several recommendations that they feel would improve the experience of Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es within the LPS district. They include adding more bilingual adults, more safety trainings, more bullying prevention, more sports and extracurricular programs, and more cultural exchanges within the school community, in addition to other recommendations. More bilingual adults. LPS needs more bilingual adults (Spanish as well as Portuguese) who can help the teachers. Another suggestion was to have two teachers team instruct the children together, one who speaks English and one who speaks Spanish. The parent felt a bilingual teacher would be welcoming for the children during the learning process. In addition, parents believe English speaking teachers should work on becoming bilingual. As one parent shared, “Education is two-way, the teacher learns from the student just as the student learns from the teacher. A teacher who only masters their language does not have effective communication with the student.” In addition, parents and the community also learn as well. “Everyone gets rich and grows.” Another suggestion was to have bilingual mentors within the same school who teach children how to adapt to the new school system as well as a mentor for the parents to help them learn about the district and navigate U.S. school systems. Some families also need help with knowing how to fill out applications, how to communicate with the nurse or social worker, how transportation works, and how to access English classes for parents. More safety trainings. Parents also want more security related trainings. They are concerned about the shootings that have been happening inside U.S. schools and they want LPS to teach the children how they can handle such situations without panicking. One parent noted that emergency drills used to happen more before Covid. They want the reestablishment of drills, trainings, and seminars that help children know how to stay safe during various types of emergencies. They also suggested that the district establish plans for how to communicate with non-English speaking parents during such emergencies and share those plans with the parents. In addition, parents would like information sessions that teach parents about the dangers on the internet for children and how to put parental controls on electronic devices. More bullying prevention. Parents would like the adults in the schools to take better action on bullying matters. They would like to see a program that helps children overcome bullying and provides a platform for children to be heard. They said schools need to give a lot more talks about what bullying is and how to react to it. Also, each school should be provided with a counselor or a psychologist, someone beyond a teacher, who can talk to the children involved. A program that “follows up with the aggressor because they really need the most help.” 43 �More sports and extracurricular programs. Parents want more sports programs to be made available to the students. They feel sports are great because they teach discipline, education, character, healthy mental and physical habits, as well as encourage students to keep their grades up. In addition to sports, parents believe more extracurricular activities like afterschool programs, crafts, and community service opportunities that promote responsibility are needed. More cultural exchanges. Parents suggested that more cultural exchanges should occur within LPS. The Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es within this district are not a monolithic group, but instead have rich diversity. One parent asserted that every American could be enriched learning about Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e cultures (e.g., folklore, customs, history, food). Another parent suggested holding cultural weeks where students and families in the entire district get to discover all of the different cultures present in LPS. They also suggested reaching out to retired family members (i.e., grandparents) who might be able to join in on school activities in the place of parents who cannot attend because of work. In addition, they would like to see a more inclusive cafeteria menu that offers a variety of cultural dishes. Other recommendations. Parents had a few more recommendations. First, they believe establishing a few newcomer schools that provide bilingual education until children are ready for English only education. Parents would like more support, rules, and trainings for substitute teachers. They would also like more links, connections, or information about additional community resources such as emotional therapists and speech therapists. 4.3 Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Student Focus Group Results Like the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents and employees, the elementary, middle, and high school students were also very forthcoming with their perspectives on what they like about LPS, how they define academic success, the challenges Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es face in the LPS district, and their recommendations for improvement. What Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Students Like about LPS During the focus groups, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students were asked what they liked about LPS. Diversity. Overall, the students like how racially and ethnically diverse LPS is. One student shared that diversity makes life more interesting. Another student mentioned the different flags that are hanging up in their school while another highlighted the cultural celebrations or potlucks that are held because both feel they acknowledge and celebrate the different LPS cultures. Racial/ethnic discussions. Students especially like when race/ethnicity is talked about in school because they believe such discussions increase people’s understanding and awareness of others which helps the overall community. One student, in particular, liked that the school was holding these focus groups because they gave the students an opportunity to share their school experiences, which was viewed as a gesture from caring people who are trying to make things better. 44 �Translation supports. They appreciated the use of adult translators, translated materials, peers/buddies who translate, and translation tools like Google Translate because such supports help to improve their understanding and communications. Community connections. The students also liked the connections they have made with other students, and some of the adults in the school community (e.g., guidance counselor, social workers, and translators). Students especially like it when teachers contact parents for positive reasons (e.g., doing a good job, earning a field trip for good behavior) or when parents advocate for them (e.g., need extra time or help). They also looked favorably upon the opportunities they have had to learn about other cultures (e.g., new vocabulary, customs). Lastly, a student described the Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es within LPS as a large accepting, “nice community” that “feels like home.” How LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Students Define Academic Success LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students had a variety of definitions for academic success. About half of the students defined academic success as having good grades in school. Some students further clarified that good grades meant getting straight As. Other definitions included having perfect attendance, demonstrating good behavior, paying attention, skipping a grade, being on time, being really smart, having a positive attitude, earning free time and bonus stuff, learning how to speak English, being an active member in the school community, attending honors classes, graduating from high school, and going to college. One student said academic success occurs when a student tries their hardest or best to “to keep up with schoolwork and their family stuff.” Another student clarified that academic success is more than just getting a job, it is having “the knowledge to do whatever you want in the future.” Lastly, an academically successful student not only gets along with their classmates, but they also help their peers to succeed by sharing what they have learned. Challenges LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Students Face Students shared several challenges they feel Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es face within the LPS district. They include assumptions and stereotypes, micro- and macro-aggressions, bullying and harassment, unfair treatment and inequities, lack of representation, academic language-related difficulties, lack of trust in adults, and other challenges. Assumptions and stereotypes. According to the focus group participants, people often jump to conclusions about the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students based on color of their skin, the languages they speak, and their cultural backgrounds. The most common assumptions or stereotypes students have heard within the school community include Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es are “trouble”, “loud”, “aggressive”, “poor”, “illegal immigrants”, “on government help”, and “dumb”. In addition, students have experienced people in the school system who assume because someone is Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e they are more likely to “go to church”, eat “tacos” and “spicy food” “do something wrong”, “steal something”, “pick or start a fight”, “have an attitude”, “get into trouble”, or “have abusive parents”. One middle school student shared, “Everyone always says that they hate the Portuguese and Brazilian kids because of how loud they are.” One student has noticed when something bad happens on the news that involves a Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e, people are more likely to make negative assumptions about others from that culture. When we asked the students why they thought the discipline rates for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in 45 �LPS were so high, they said that they believe “culture clashes” are occurring and “mannerisms are being misinterpreted” or “perceived as disrespectful” by the teachers. The students further explained that Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students cannot be themselves because they will be told they are acting inappropriately or wrong. Lastly, students who identify as Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e but only speak English often encounter people who assume they speak Spanish or Portuguese. When they are unable to converse, they are told they are not really Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e often by others from the same ethnic group. Similar sentiments have been expressed towards students whose skin tones do not match what others assume Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es should look like. Micro- and macro-aggressions. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students often experience micro- and macro-aggressions. They shared various back-handed compliments they encounter from teachers and other students. For instance, “Oh, you’re quiet for a Hispanic girl!”, “Wow, you’re very polite for a Puerto Rican!”, “Why are you trying to act like you’re White?”, “You’re really smart for a Hispanic or Puerto Rican!”, “You’re more intelligent than I would’ve thought you were!”, “You’re a lot more well-spoken than I would’ve expected!”, and “I’m surprised how good your grades are!” One student clarified that comments like those mentioned above were usually stated in a friendly manner, but the deliverer’s intentions did not have the desired impact. In addition, this student experienced people touching and commenting on their hair in uncomfortable ways (e.g., your hair is like rope). Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students also experience racial slurs, blatant insults, or putdowns. Another student commented that “negative people are mean to successful people”. Students in LPS who are viewed as acting White are referred to as “White-washed.” Students from multiple cultural backgrounds in LPS have been called “mutts” or from a “mixed breed”. The students said even when people are joking around (e.g., “You dirty Mexican”, “You tiny Hispanic”), they do not find it funny. Bullying and harassment. LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students get bullied for their race and culture, the way they look, and how they talk. Bullying occurs both verbally and physically. Cyberbullying often trickles into the school and fights that started online will escalate into a physical altercation when students come into contact with one another. The “No sabo kids”, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students who do not speak Spanish or Portuguese, are often invalidated by their peers. They are told they are not Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es if they do not speak Spanish and/or Portuguese. For those who do speak Spanish, some have encountered English speakers who have told them to “go back to your country if you want to speak Spanish.” In addition to bullying, the female students we interviewed experienced harassment in elementary, middle, and high school. Some of the girls shared that they have been touched in uncomfortable ways by their peers without their consent. When the students were asked if they had ideas on how to stop bullying, one student did not think there was a way to stop it because “we can’t control how other people act.” Unfair treatment and inequities. Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es have experienced unfair treatment and inequities in the LPS school system. As one student explained, “they say they don’t treat you [Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e] differently, but they do…especially teachers.” Students reported being looked down upon by some teachers, guidance counselors, and security guards. Some students do not go to school because they do not like the way they are treated by the adults. They would rather not be in school, so they do not have to be in an environment that makes them feel inferior. A student said that some parents also avoid going to the schools because of how they are 46 �treated. One student was called a racial slur by another student in class and the teacher did not address it. Instead, the student felt the teacher was kind of “egging on” the offending student. Then the teacher did something that the student referred to as “racist”, and according to the student the teacher did not experience any consequences. The student felt it was “not fair” because the school “didn’t really acknowledge” the teacher’s inappropriate behaviors. When the system incorrectly had the wrong schedule for another Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student, multiple adults jumped to the conclusion that the student was skipping classes when in fact the issue was a logistical error in the system. Another student had a guidance counselor who was perceived as unsupportive and having low expectations of the student. Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es in LPS are more often placed in lower-level classes. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students have been racially profiled by security guards when they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They have also experienced inequities in discipline responses. They have noticed when White students get in trouble the consequences are less harsh than the ones Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e receive. Like Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e employees, Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students also felt they have to work harder than other racial or ethnic groups to achieve similar goals (e.g., scholarship opportunities, place in higher level courses). One student described the systematic differences in the LPS as follows “it [going to school] is kind of normal … for regular Americans.” For this reason, another student explained, some immigrants feel they need to Americanize themselves because it is required to be successful because as another student put it, you “might live in America, but it doesn’t mean you’re American.” This student also emphatically shared, “I don't like when people use that term, American, I feel like it is putting you in a certain class that you shouldn’t be put in.” Lack of representation. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students do not feel represented within the school and within the city as one student exclaimed, “It’s to the point that we don’t have any kind of representation anywhere.” Very few multilingual teachers and teachers of color are working in the district. Very few Hispanics-Latinos/as/xs/es are enrolled in higher level classes so some students who are eligible will not take those classes because they do not want to “feel out of place”, “isolated”, and “awkward”. They are also not represented in their textbooks or in the curriculum. As one student shared, “our ethnicity and culture are not really brought to life” in the classroom. Another student felt the teachers appear to feel awkward when talking about race so such discussions are not being held as often as they should. Academic language-related difficulties. Some Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students experience academic language-related difficulties. The students felt there was not enough help for students learning English and they “don't have the same opportunities to perform and get the same grades as other students.” Newcomer or multilingual students can find it difficult to pass tests when they do not know English yet and tests like MCAS are only provided in English. Multiple students told us that their EL class was not helpful because they were not engaging in English lessons instead the course was treated like a study hall, and they were told to do the homework they had for other classes. One student said the EL class was, “a waste of time.” Another student told us that when they were younger, teachers would pull them out of class to have them serve as a translator for an EL in another class. Because the student was constantly being pulled out of class to serve as a translator for someone else, they got behind in their own studies. 47 �Lack of trust in adults. Many of the students who participated in the focus groups did not have an adult at school they feel comfortable going to if they had an issue or a problem. One said they are scared of them, another said they do not trust them, while another said the teachers do not really understand them. In addition, one student avoids telling teachers something during class because other students are nosey and eavesdrop. Other challenges. A few other challenges were cited by students. They included coping with trauma and mental health related issues, being involved with gangs, having limited knowledge of their rights as students, having to work to support their families, and being the first generation to finish high school or attend college. They also mentioned a lack of connection and communication between teachers and the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents as well as the pandemic as additional challenges. LPS Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Students’ Recommendations for Improvement Students shared several recommendations that they feel would improve the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience within the LPS district. They include increasing Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e representation, educator-related suggestions, encourage more connections, provide more language-related academic supports, offer more clubs and social opportunities, improve awareness, and other recommendations. More Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e representation. LPS needs more diversity in their staff so the adults’ backgrounds match those of the students. Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students would like more teachers of color and more multilingual educators. The students feel more comfortable and calmer with teachers of color that understand them and can relate to their experiences. The students think students would be more respectful if more teachers of color were present because they would be able to be themselves. If students need help, they are more likely to approach a staff member who has a similar background to theirs. In addition to the educators, students would also like more representation within the city, the curriculum, their textbooks, their daily lessons, and the community (e.g., memorials). Moreover, students would like culture and race related topics integrated into their classes (e.g., slavery). They believe teachers should start talking about race early so students understand at a young age that it is inappropriate to speak badly about other races and cultures. They would also like more students of color in higher level classes. Lastly, the students suggested having world language classes in all grades not just in the high school. Educator-related suggestions. In addition to teachers of color and multilingual teachers, students would like more culturally responsive White educators who are understanding and accepting of differences. They would like for teachers, counselors, and other adults in the school district to treat students fairly. They would like for them to have higher standards for HispanicLatino/a/x/e students. They want them to encourage students to do better and to prepare to go to college. They would like for their educators to provide more guidance as well as academic and social support. Lastly, they would like for teachers to be held accountable when they do say or do something inappropriate. Encourage more connections. Students would like to see more connections between teachers and parents. They would also like students to develop connections with each other more through 48 �integrated opportunities where they can get to know each other and learn from each other. A student suggested adding a community service requirement so students can make connections to their community. They suggested drawing upon community resources like the Latinx Community Center for Empowerment, Teen Block, and Mill City Grows. Provide more language-related academic supports. Another recommendation students made was to provide more academic support, especially for reading in English as that skill affects every class. Students felt more time to practice English was needed. Classes should have bilingual teachers or access to translators as well as tools like Spanish-English dictionaries and Google Translate when needed. The MCAS and other standardized tests should be provided in multiple languages. They would like to see bilingual study groups established for doing homework and more group work being employed in classrooms. Offer more clubs and social opportunities. Students would like to see more clubs and social opportunities in all grades, especially those that are related to culture and language. For high school clubs that exist, consider holding some or all meetings during lunch so students who have to work after school still have an opportunity to participate. They also think existing clubs (e.g., Gear Up, Tenacity Challenge, Black Unity Club, Latino Club, Anti-Bias Club, etc.) need to be promoted more so students know such opportunities exist. In addition, they suggested having more inclusive sports programs. They are also interested in dance groups, as well as more recess and socializing time. Improve awareness. The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students identified several issues that need more awareness and prevention efforts in LPS. First, they suggested starting a bullying prevention campaign. One student suggested having students make signs with sticks they could hold. Other students said the campaign could tell people, “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it at all!”, “Don’t jump to conclusions!”, and “Stop talking behind people’s backs!” Another student suggested having students work through bullying in groups. Second, another student thinks LPS should educate students on what their rights are. Third, an orientation for transfer students should be implemented so they become more aware of what LPS has to offer them (e.g., social workers, clubs, and various kinds of support). Fourth, students believe more should be done about mental health awareness especially because the pandemic exacerbated already existing issues. Other recommendations. Students provided a few other recommendations. They include having elevators that students can use, providing bigger playgrounds with swings, installing a trampoline park and a playroom inside. They also want equitable disciplinary practices (e.g., suspensions) implemented. Lastly, they recommended that LPS increase merit-based scholarship opportunities for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students. 49 �5. Limitations All studies have limitations which shed light on possible avenues for future studies or evaluations. The most salient limitations for this formative evaluation include: • It took a long time to establish the contract and data sharing agreement; • The likely impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the school data; • Small sample size on student survey; and • A limited number of current EL students participating in the focus groups. Although this evaluation had these limitations, our findings are still important for the program and for future evaluations of similar programs. 6. Conclusions LPS has experienced a 14.5% increase in Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e student enrollment since the 2017-2018 school year. The district has hired more Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e staff (38.2%) during that same period. The Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e parents have noticed that as the number of Spanish speaking staff has increased within the district, the inclusion and communication within the schools has improved. The district has dedicated teachers who are actively trying to improve the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience. Employees, parents, and students feel the district acknowledges and celebrates the different cultures within LPS. Employees within the district like the increased diversity, the relationships they have, and the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e culture. Parents like how the district includes families, has good communication, and had students actively learning during the pandemic. Students like how diverse LPS is. They also like having racial/ethnic discussions, having translation supports, and making community connections. However, the district needs to continue improving the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e experience within the district by amending some current practices and adapting to students’ varying needs and cultural backgrounds. The various types of challenges identified need to be addressed: bullying and harassment, low expectations, assumptions, stereotypes, micro- and macro-aggressions, unfair treatment and inequities, limited opportunities, lack of representation, academic languagerelated difficulties, language barriers, lack of trust in adults, turnover, stressful transitions, untrained substitute teachers, limited familiarity with the U.S. education system, and external factors. Also, it is important to note bullying was a main topic of discussion and concern for students and parents, but for employees it was minimally discussed. Considering that several students said they do not have an adult they feel comfortable talking with at school, this fact might explain why the employees do not know such incidents are occurring. The following section provides recommendations for continued improvement based upon the work that has already been started in LPS. 50 �7. Recommendations First and foremost, given the number of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students within the district, more Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e educators should be hired. LPS might consider “Grow Your Own Model” that has been successful in Illinois and Washington. More details can be found here: https://www.doe.mass.edu/teach/NationalModels.html. To improve the experience of HispanicsLatinos/as/xs/es in LPS, the recommendations from the employees, parents, and students provided earlier in this report and summarized in the bullets below should be considered and incorporated: • Employees recommended establishing a welcoming environment with more representation for Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students, families, and staff, more academic opportunities and supports, more flexibility, and more consistency. • Parents recommended adding more bilingual adults, more safety trainings, more bullying prevention, more sports and extracurricular programs, more cultural exchanges within the school community, and other recommendations discussed further in the report. • Students recommended increasing Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e representation in faculty and staff, encourage more connections between members of the school community, provide more language-related academic supports, offer more clubs and social opportunities, improve awareness issues such as bullying, and other recommendations discussed further in the report. In addition, the findings in the Best Practices Report should also be considered and incorporated. They include specific recommendations about how to do each of the following essential elements for building the success of Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students: • Develop and implement inclusive policies and practices. • Encourage bilingualism and multilingualism. • Connect curricula to students’ cultural backgrounds. • Engage Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in classes and have high expectations. • Strengthen communication between schools and Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e families. • Support and understanding familism. • Empower students. • Strengthen relationships between students and school personnel. • Increase community connections and partnerships. • Address racial and ethnic inequalities, discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes. • Increase resources and supports for students and families. • Increase mental health resources and supports. 51 �References City of Lowell. (n.d.). Public school zones. https://www.lowellma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14355/PublicSchoolZones_CEDITED Fortaleza. (2021, November 16). About [Facebook page]. https://www.facebook.com/FortalezaLowell/about/. Granberry, P., & Mattos, T. (2017). Latinos in Massachusetts selected areas: Lowell. Gastón Institute Publications, 222, 1-12. https://scholarworks.umb.edu/gaston_pubs/222 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2021). School and district profiles: Lowell. https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/general/general.aspx?topNavID=1&leftNavId=100&orgcod e=01600000&orgtypecode=5 U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). QuickFacts: Lowell city, Massachusetts. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/lowellcitymassachusetts 52 �Appendices 53 �Appendix A Student Focus Group Protocols English Version Topics Perceptions of School/District • • • • • • • • • • Communicating with Parents Supports or Resources • • • • Family and Community Connections • Question Examples How do you identify racially or ethnically? Do you prefer Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine or Hispanic? Can you tell me about your experiences as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic student in Lowell Public Schools? What, if anything, do you like about your experience as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic in this school district? What, if anything, would you like to change about the Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic experience in this school district? How would you describe academic success for Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students in Lowell Public Schools? What, if anything, do you like about the school you are attending or this school district? What, if anything, would you like to change about the school you are attending or this school district? Have you noticed any positive or negative outcomes for Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in this district? If so, what are they? How many of your classes focus on Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics? Do any of your classes link to your own experiences outside of school? o (If yes) Can you tell me about these classes? o (If no) Why do you think that is? Can you tell me about any clubs that support you as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic student? What are some ways the school contacts you and your family? Do you think these methods are effective? What kinds of school provided resources or supports have you used? (translators, afterschool programs, ESL classes, phone calling system, etc.). Which ones are working for you and which ones aren’t? What kinds or supports or resources do you think Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics need? Do you feel comfortable talking to somebody in the school district about your needs? Do you think other Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in the district feel comfortable going to the schools? Why or why not? In what ways are you supported by your family in terms of your education – at home? – at school? 54 �• • • Assets & Needs • • • External Factors • Recommendations • • Additional Comments • What are some underlying assumptions or beliefs that people in your school community have about Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics students and their families? What are some ways the school has tried to involve you and other Latina/o/x or Hispanic students? What are some ways you would like to participate? How often would you like to participate? What do you think is the benefit of having Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students in the school system? What, if anything, do you or other Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students need to be successful in school? Are there any other needs that Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in this district have that are not being met? Are there any things outside of school that influence you or other Latina/o/x/e students’ ability to be successful? What are some ways the school can reach out to Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students and their families? What are some recommendations you have to help improve the Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic experience in your school and/or in your district? Are there any other comments or suggestions you like to share? 55 �Spanish Version Temas Percepciones de la escuela/Distrito • • • • • • • • • • Comunicarse con los Padres • Apoyos o Recursos • • • Conexiones familiares y comunitarias • Ejemplos de preguntas ¿Cómo identificas su raza o etnia? ¿Prefieres Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine o Hispano? ¿Me puede contar sobre sus experiencias como estudiante latina/o/x/e o hispana en las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell? ¿Qué le gusta de sus experiencias como latina/o/x/e o hispana en este distrito escolar? ¿Qué le gustaría cambiar sobre la experiencia latina/o/x/e o hispana en este distrito escolar? ¿En su opinión, que es el éxito académico para las estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos en las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell? ¿Qué le gusta de la escuela a la que asiste o de este distrito escolar? ¿Qué le gustaría cambiar de la escuela a la que asiste o de este distrito escolar? ¿Ha notado algún resultado positivo o negativo para las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en este distrito? Si es así, ¿Que son? ¿Cuántas de sus clases se enfocan en latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas? ¿Alguna de sus clases se relaciona con sus propias experiencias fuera de la escuela? o (En caso afirmativo) ¿Puede hablarme de estas clases? o (Si no) ¿Por qué crees que es eso? ¿Puedes hablarme de algún club que te apoye como estudiante latina/o/x/e o hispana? ¿Cuáles son algunas formas en que la escuela se comunica con usted y su familia? ¿Crees que estos métodos son efectivos? ¿Qué tipo de recursos o apoyos proporcionados por la escuela ha utilizado? (traductores, programas extracurriculares, clases de ESL, sistema de llamadas telefónicas, etc.). ¿Cuáles te funcionan y cuáles no? ¿Qué tipo de apoyos o recursos cree que necesitan las latinas/os/xs/es o las hispanas? ¿Se siente cómodo hablando con alguien en el distrito escolar sobre sus necesidades? ¿Crees que otras estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en el distrito se sienten cómodas yendo a las escuelas? ¿Por qué o por qué no? ¿De qué manera recibe apoyo de su familia en términos de su educación, en el hogar? - ¿en la escuela? 56 �• • • Activos y necesidades • • • Factores externos • Recomendaciones • • Comentarios adicionales • ¿Cuáles son algunas suposiciones o creencias que tienen las personas en su comunidad escolar acerca de los estudiantes latinos/os/xs/es o hispanos y sus familias? ¿Cuáles son algunas de las formas en que la escuela ha tratado de incluir a usted y a otras estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos? ¿Cuáles son algunas formas en las que le gustaría participar? ¿Con qué frecuencia le gustaría participar? ¿Cuál cree que es el beneficio de tener estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos en el sistema escolar? ¿Qué necesitan usted y otras estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos para tener éxito en la escuela? ¿Hay otras cosas que las latinas/os/xs/es o las hispanas en este distrito necesitan? ¿Hay cosas fuera de la escuela que influyan en la capacidad de usted o de otras estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es para tener éxito? ¿Cuáles son algunas otras formas en que la escuela puede comunicarse con las estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos y sus familias? ¿Qué otras recomendaciones tiene para mejorar la experiencia latina/o/x/e o hispana en su escuela y/o en su distrito? ¿Hay algún otro comentario o sugerencia que le gustaría compartir? 57 �Appendix B Parent/Guardian Focus Group Protocols English Version Topics Perceptions of School/District • • • • • • • • • Communicating with Parents Supports or Resources • • • • Family and Community Connections • • • • Question Examples How do you identify racially or ethnically? Do you prefer Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine or Hispanic? Can you tell me about your experiences as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic parent in Lowell Public Schools? What, if anything, do you like about your experience as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic in this school district? What, if anything, would you like to change about the Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic experience in this school district? How would you describe academic success for Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students in Lowell Public Schools? What, if anything, do you like about the school your child is attending or this school district? What, if anything, would you like to change about the school your child is attending or this school district? Have you noticed any positive or negative unanticipated outcomes for Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in this district? If so, what are they? Do you know if your child has any classes that have a focus on Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in the U.S.? What are some ways the school contacts you? Do you think these methods are effective? What kinds of school provided resources or supports have you used? (translators, afterschool programs, ESL classes, phone calling system, etc.). Which ones are working well, and which ones aren’t? What kinds or supports or resources do Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics need? Do you feel comfortable talking to somebody in the district about your child’s and your needs? Do you think other Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in the district feel comfortable going to the schools? Why or why not? In what ways do you support your child in terms of their education – at home? – at school? What are some underlying assumptions or beliefs that people in your school community have about Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students and their families? What are some ways the school has tried to involve you and other Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic parents? What are some ways you would like to participate? How often would you like to participate? 58 �Assets & Needs • • • • • External Factors • Recommendations • • Additional Comments • What do you think is the benefit of having Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students and families in the school system? How might the school tap into those benefits? What does your child(ren) or other Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students need to be successful in school? What, if anything, do you or other Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic parents need in supporting your/their child(ren)’s education? Are there any other needs that Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics have in this district that are not being met? What kinds of external factors (things that are outside of your control) have an influence on Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in this school district? What are some other ways the school can reach out to Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic parents? What are some other recommendations you would provide to the Lowell Public Schools to help improve the Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic experience in your school and/or in your district? Are there any other comments or suggestions you like to share? 59 �Spanish Version Temas Percepciones de la escuela/Distrito • • • • • • • • Comunicarse con los Padres Apoyos o Recursos • • • • Conexiones Familiares y Comunitarias • • • • Activos y necesidades • Ejemplos de Preguntas ¿Cómo identificas su raza o etnia? ¿Prefieres Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine o Hispano? ¿Puede contarme sobre sus experiencias como pariente latina/o/x/e o hispana en las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell? ¿En su opinión, que es el éxito académico para las estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos en las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell? ¿Qué le gusta de ser latina/o/x/e o hispana en este distrito escolar? ¿Qué le gusta de la escuela a la que asiste su hijo o de este distrito escolar? ¿Qué le gustaría cambiar de la escuela a la que asiste su hijo o de este distrito escolar? ¿Ha notado algún resultado positivo o negativo para las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en este distrito? Si es así, ¿Que son? ¿Sabe si su hijo tiene alguna clase que tiene un enfoque en latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en los estados unidos? ¿Cuáles son algunas formas en que la escuela se comunica con usted? ¿Crees que estos métodos son efectivos? ¿Qué tipo de recursos o apoyos proporcionados por la escuela ha utilizado? (traductores, programas extracurriculares, clases de ESL, sistema de llamadas telefónicas, etc.). ¿Cuáles funcionan bien y cuáles no? ¿Qué tipos de apoyos o recursos necesitan las latinas/os/xs/es o las hispanas? ¿Se siente cómodo hablando con alguien en el distrito sobre las necesidades de su hijo y las suyas? ¿Crees que otras latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en el distrito se sienten cómodas hablando con alguien en las escuelas? ¿Por qué o por qué no? ¿De qué manera apoya a su hijo en términos de su educación, en casa? - ¿en la escuela? ¿Cuáles son algunas suposiciones o creencias que tienen las personas en su comunidad escolar acerca de los estudiantes latinos/os/xs/es o hispanos y sus familias? ¿Cuáles son algunas formas en que la escuela ha tratado de incluir a usted y a otros padres latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos? ¿Cuáles son algunas formas en las que le gustaría participar? ¿Con qué frecuencia le gustaría participar? ¿Cuál cree que es el beneficio de tener estudiantes y familias latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en el sistema escolar? 60 �• • • • Factores externos • Recomendaciones • • Comentarios Adicionales • ¿Cómo podría la escuela aprovechar esos beneficios? ¿Qué necesitan su(s) hijo(s) o otras estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos para tener éxito en la escuela? ¿Qué necesitan usted o otros parientes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos para apoyar la educación de su(s) hijo(s)? ¿Hay otras cosas que las latinas/os/xs/es o las hispanas en este distrito necesitan? ¿Qué tipo de factores externos (cosas que están fuera de su control) tienen influencia en las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en este distrito escolar? ¿Cuáles son algunas otras formas en que la escuela puede comunicar con las parientes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos? ¿Qué otras recomendaciones tienen para mejorar la experiencia latina/o/x/e o hispana en su escuela y en su distrito? ¿Hay algún otro comentario o sugerencia que le gustaría compartir? 61 �Appendix C Employee Focus Group Protocols English Version Topics Perceptions of School • • • • • • • Supports or Resources • • • Family and Community Connections • • • Assets & Needs • • • Question Examples How do you identify racially or ethnically? Do you prefer Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine or Hispanic? Can you tell me about your experiences as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic employee in Lowell Public Schools? How would you describe academic success for Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students in Lowell Public Schools? What, if anything, do you like about your experience as a Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic in this school district? What, if anything, would you like to change about the Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic experience in this school district? Have you noticed any positive or negative unanticipated outcomes for Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in this district? If so, what are they? Do you or any other teachers offer classes that focus on Latinas/os/xs/es? Do you have sections of your classes that center Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic histories or culture in the U.S.? What kinds of resources or supports does the district provide for Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics? Which ones are working well, and which ones aren’t? What kinds or supports or resources do Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics need? Do you feel comfortable talking to somebody in the district about your experiences as a Latino/a/x/e? Do you think other Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in the district feel comfortable in this district? Why or why not? What are some underlying assumptions or beliefs that people in your school community have about Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanic students and their families? What are some ways the school or district has tried to involve Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics? What are some ways you think Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics would like to participate? How often do you think they would like to participate? What benefits do Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students & families bring to the district? How might the district capitalize on those benefits? What, if anything, do Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic students need to be successful in school? 62 �• • External Factors • Recommendations • • Additional Comments • What, if anything, do Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic parents need to support their child(ren)’s education? Are there any other needs that Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics have in this district that are not being met? Are there any things outside of school that influence Latina/o/x/e students’ ability to be successful? What are some ways the school can reach out to Latinas/os/xs/es or Hispanics in the district? What are some recommendations you would provide to the Lowell Public Schools to help improve the Latina/o/x/e or Hispanic experience in your school and/or in your district? Are there any other comments or suggestions you would like to share? 63 �Spanish Version Temas Percepciones de la escuela • • • • • • • Apoyos o Recursos • • • Conexiones familiares y comunitarias • • • Activos y necesidades • • • • Ejemplos de preguntas ¿Cómo identificas su raza o etnia? ¿Prefieres Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine o Hispano? ¿Puede contarme sobre sus experiencias como empleada latina/o/x/e o hispana en las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell? ¿En su opinión, que es el éxito académico para las estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos en las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell? ¿Qué le gusta de ser latina/o/x/e o hispana en este distrito escolar? ¿Qué le gustaría cambiar sobre la experiencia latina/o/x/e o hispana en este distrito escolar? ¿Ha notado algún resultado positivo o negativo para las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en este distrito? Si es así, ¿Que son? ¿Usted o algún otro maestro ofrece clases que se enfocan en latinas/os/xs/es? ¿Tiene secciones de sus clases que se centren en historias o cultura latina/o/x/e o hispana en los estados unidos? ¿Qué tipo de recursos o apoyos brinda el distrito a las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas? ¿Cuáles funcionan bien y cuáles no? ¿Qué tipo de apoyos o recursos necesitan las latinas/os/xs/es o las hispanas? ¿Se siente cómodo hablando con alguien en el distrito sobre sus experiencias como latino/a/x/e? ¿Cree que otras latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en el distrito se sienten cómodas en este distrito? ¿Por qué o por qué no? ¿Cuáles son algunas suposiciones o creencias que tienen las personas en su comunidad escolar acerca de los estudiantes latinos/os/xs/es o hispanos y sus familias? ¿Cuáles son algunas formas en que la escuela o el distrito ha tratado de incluir a las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas? ¿En su opinión, cuáles son algunas formas que las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas les gustaría participar? ¿Con qué frecuencia cree que les gustaría participar? ¿Qué beneficios traen los estudiantes y familias latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas al distrito? ¿Cómo podría el distrito capitalizar esos beneficios? ¿Qué necesitan las estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es o hispanos para tener éxito en la escuela? ¿Qué necesitan los padres latinos/as/xs/es o hispanos para apoyar la educación de sus hijos? 64 �• Factores externos • Recomendaciones • • Comentarios adicionales • ¿Hay otras necesidades que tienen las latinas/os/xs/es o los hispanos en este distrito que no se están satisfaciendo? ¿Hay cosas fuera de la escuela que influyen las estudiantes latinas/os/xs/es para tener éxito? ¿Como puede la escuela comunicarse mejor con las latinas/os/xs/es o hispanas en el distrito? ¿Qué otras recomendaciones le darían a las Escuelas Públicas de Lowell para ayudar a mejorar la experiencia latina/o/x/e o hispana en su escuela y/o en su distrito? ¿Hay algún otro comentario o sugerencia que le gustaría compartir? 65 �Appendix D 5-Year Student Enrollment in Each of the Lowell Public Schools by Race/Ethnicity It is important to note the total student enrollment provided in Table D.1 for each year applies to all of the figures in this Appendix. Table D.1 5-Year LPS Student Enrollment Totals for Each School Year School Year n 2017-2018 14,436 2018-2019 14,548 2019-2020 14,434 2020-2021 14,023 2021-2022 13,991 Figure D.1 Abraham Lincoln Elementary School 2017-2018 5.1 2018-2019 3.1 2019-2020 2.8 2020-2021 3.7 47.8 2021-2022 4.1 46.9 0% African American 50.5 29.2 49.9 30.8 46.7 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 30% 32 Native American White 60% 3.9 70% 11.4 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 4.5 3.9 5.2 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 487; 2018-2019, n = 509; 2019-2020, n = 493; 2020-2021, n = 460; 2021-2022, n = 484. 66 12 11.3 32 50% 3.7 14 33 40% 11.3 �Figure D.2 Bartlett Community Partnership 2017-2018 9.4 39.7 32.8 15 2.9 2018-2019 8.2 40.9 31 2019-2020 8.6 39.3 34 15.4 2.7 2020-2021 8.9 39.7 33.5 14.3 3.6 2021-2022 8.9 0% 38.1 10% African American Asian 20% Hispanic 30% 16.9 37.4 40% Native American 50% White 60% 2.7 12.1 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 3.2 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 521; 2018-2019, n = 474; 2019-2020, n = 488; 2020-2021, n = 474; 2021-2022, n = 462. Figure D.3 B.F. Butler Middle School 2017-2018 8.1 2018-2019 7.2 2019-2020 7 2020-2021 6.9 31.5 34.5 21.6 5.5 2021-2022 6.8 31.7 34.8 21.6 5.2 0% African American 27.3 26.3 29.4 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 30.3 28.7 5.6 33.5 27 6 24.5 6 33.1 30% 40% Native American 50% White 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 534; 2018-2019, n = 567; 2019-2020, n = 571; 2020-2021, n = 550; 2021-2022, n = 515. 67 90% �Figure D.4 Cardinal O'Connell Early Learning Center 2018-2019 6.7 2019-2020 4.6 2020-2021 5.7 2021-2022 25 45.2 23.9 39.4 11.9 African American 32.9 23.8 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 40% Native American 50% White 4.6 25.7 40.5 30% 3.8 27.5 32.9 0% 19.2 2.9 16.7 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 6 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2018-2019, n = 104; 2019-2020, n = 109; 2020-2021, n = 70; 2021-2022, n = 84; No data was available for 2017-2018. Figure D.5 Charles W. Morey Elementary School 2017-2018 4.9 61.6 2018-2019 4.9 62.4 10.8 17.2 4.3 2019-2020 5 61.8 11 17.5 4.6 2020-2021 5.6 59.9 12.3 17.1 5 16.3 15 2021-2022 4.2 0% African American 9.7 59.4 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 30% 40% Native American 50% White 60% 70% 19.2 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 5.1 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 515; 2018-2019, n = 511; 2019-2020, n = 498; 2020-2021, n = 479; 2021-2022, n = 473. 68 4.3 �Figure D.6 Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School 2017-2018 5 2018-2019 4.7 45.1 31.7 42.8 2019-2020 6.3 2020-2021 6.3 35 2021-2022 7.3 30.5 0% African American 33.8 40 10% 20% Asian Hispanic 12.6 14.3 38.3 12.8 39.2 15.6 43 30% 40% Native American 50% White 60% 16.1 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 5.6 4.3 2.5 3.6 2.9 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 501; 2018-2019, n = 509; 2019-2020, n = 475; 2020-2021, n = 474; 2021-2022, n = 453. Figure D.7 Dr. An Wang Middle School 2017-2018 8.1 2018-2019 7.6 2019-2020 8.3 2020-2021 9 2021-2022 9.8 0% African American 17.9 39.6 15.8 17.2 17.5 18.2 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 31.1 42 29.8 4.8 40.4 28.8 5.3 39.4 28.9 5.2 27.2 5.6 39.2 30% 40% Native American 3.3 50% White 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 692; 2018-2019, n = 688; 2019-2020, n = 715; 2020-2021, n = 668; 2021-2022, n = 665. 69 90% �Figure D.8 Dr. Gertrude Bailey Elementary School 2017-2018 4.3 2018-2019 4.3 2019-2020 5.3 42.3 21.7 26.6 4.1 2020-2021 4.9 42.9 22.1 25 5.1 2021-2022 4.4 23.7 24.3 5 34.8 21.1 38 33.8 21.5 31.3 42.5 0% 10% African American Asian 20% 30% Hispanic 40% Native American 50% White 5.7 60% 70% 4.7 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 488; 2018-2019, n = 508; 2019-2020, n = 489; 2020-2021, n = 452; 2021-2022, n = 456. Figure D.9 Dr. Janice Adie Day School 2017-2018 26.9 26.9 2018-2019 17.4 17.4 2019-2020 17 18.9 2020-2021 18 18 2021-2022 15.4 0% African American 10% Asian Hispanic 23.1 32.6 Native American 50% White 60% 6 36.5 70% 5.8 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Note. 2017-2018, n = 26; 2018-2019, n = 46; 2019-2020, n = 53; 2020-2021, n = 50; 2021-2022, n = 52. 70 3.8 32 1.9 40% 4.3 32.1 26 25 30% 28.3 28.3 15.4 20% 23.1 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic �Figure D.10 Greenhalge Elementary School 2017-2018 10.4 13.3 2018-2019 12.4 2019-2020 11.6 11 2020-2021 10.8 11.1 2021-2022 13.5 12.9 0% 29.1 43.8 48.2 48.3 20% Asian Hispanic 26.9 3.2 25.2 4 49.7 30% 40% Native American 4.4 25.1 12.3 10% African American 42.6 50% White 4.7 21.5 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 3.7 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 502; 2018-2019, n = 502; 2019-2020, n = 473; 2020-2021, n = 443; 2021-2022, n = 465. Figure D.11 Henry J. Robinson Middle School 2017-2018 11.3 2018-2019 10 2019-2020 8.7 15.1 2020-2021 10.2 12.8 2021-2022 7.2 0% African American 17.3 16.8 Asian 24.3 4.5 45.8 24 3.4 49.9 23.8 48.9 11.3 10% 42.6 26.1 54.6 20% Hispanic 30% 40% Native American 2.5 2 24.6 50% White 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 666; 2018-2019, n = 638; 2019-2020, n = 643; 2020-2021, n = 658; 2021-2022, n = 635. 71 2.2 �Figure D.12 James S Daley Middle School 2017-2018 3.7 2018-2019 4.2 2019-2020 3.9 2020-2021 5.1 47.3 2021-2022 4.5 49.3 0% 44.7 10% African American 20% Asian Hispanic 19.9 26.9 4.9 45.8 19 26 5 45.8 18.5 27.1 4.7 30% 17.9 16.9 40% 50% Native American White 60% 70% 25.2 4.5 23.9 5.4 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 700; 2018-2019, n = 695; 2019-2020, n = 697; 2020-2021, n = 691; 2021-2022, n = 649. Figure D.13 James Sullivan Middle School 2017-2018 9 14 2018-2019 8.3 15.6 2019-2020 6.5 2020-2021 5.3 2021-2022 6.2 0% African American 39 42.8 12.9 30 4.7 32.2 43.1 13.8 Asian 4 41.5 13.2 10% 33.9 33.4 44.9 20% Hispanic 30% 5.3 30.7 40% Native American 5.3 50% White 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 643; 2018-2019, n = 494; 2019-2020, n = 676; 2020-2021, n = 641; 2021-2022, n = 644. 72 4.2 �Figure D.14 John J. Shaughnessy Elementary School 2017-2018 5.4 2018-2019 29 6.7 27.6 2019-2020 5.2 30.8 2020-2021 5.1 30.8 2021-2022 6.1 29.5 0% 10% African American 33.3 20% Asian Hispanic 28.6 34.9 27.8 38.3 30% 40% Native American 50% White 3.5 2.6 23.1 2.7 39.6 21 3.5 41.2 20.4 2.8 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 462; 2018-2019, n = 493; 2019-2020, n = 481; 2020-2021, n = 452; 2021-2022, n = 461. Figure D.15 Joseph McAvinnue Elementary School 2017-2018 6 2018-2019 5.5 15.2 50.3 17.7 49.9 2019-2020 7.6 16.9 2020-2021 7.5 16.4 2021-2022 7.4 0% African American 49.8 45.8 15.3 10% Asian 25.5 Hispanic 30% 40% Native American 2.8 21.8 3.8 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 5 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 487; 2018-2019, n = 469; 2019-2020, n = 472; 2020-2021, n = 428; 2021-2022, n = 444. 73 4.4 22.1 50% White 24.1 25.9 50.2 20% 3.1 �Figure D.16 Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School 2017-2018 6.4 2018-2019 5 2019-2020 4.5 2020-2021 2021-2022 49.6 29.7 48.4 5.9 4.5 30.7 10% African American 20% Asian Hispanic 3.2 12 3.9 47.4 31.7 12.6 3.8 44.8 33.1 12.5 3.7 45.2 0% 11.1 36.4 30% 40% Native American 50% White 60% 11.6 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 2.3 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 684; 2018-2019, n = 675; 2019-2020, n = 682; 2020-2021, n = 656; 2021-2022, n = 646. Figure D.17 Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School 2017-2018 13 2018-2019 60.9 15 2019-2020 2020-2021 4.3 45 9.5 0% African American 33.3 60.9 5.9 Asian 20% Hispanic 30% 9.5 26.1 47.1 10% 8.7 40 47.6 4.3 2021-2022 13 8.7 29.4 40% Native American 50% White 60% 70% 17.6 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Note. 2017-2018, n = 23; 2018-2019, n = 20; 2019-2020, n = 21; 2020-2021, n = 23; 2021-2022, n = 17. 74 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic �Figure D.18 LeBlanc Therapeutic Day School 2017-2018 5.6 2018-2019 5.6 63.9 8.6 2019-2020 3 2020-2021 2.8 2.8 2021-2022 2.6 2.6 54.3 6.1 0% 11.4 30.3 52.8 9.1 38.9 59 Asian 20% 30% Hispanic 5.6 25.7 51.5 10% African American 19.4 2.8 33.3 40% Native American 50% White 60% 70% 2.6 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 36; 2018-2019, n = 35; 2019-2020, n = 33; 2020-2021, n = 36; 2021-2022, n = 39. Figure D.19 Lowell High School 2017-2018 11.4 31.7 25.3 28.9 2.6 2018-2019 12.3 30.6 26.3 27.9 2.9 2019-2020 12 30.6 27.5 26.7 3.2 2020-2021 11.1 29.9 30.6 24.7 3.7 2021-2022 11 29.4 0% African American 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 34.9 30% 40% Native American 50% White 60% 20.7 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 3.9 90% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 3154; 2018-2019, n = 3174; 2019-2020, n = 3011; 2020-2021, n = 3048; 2021-2022, n = 3056. 75 100% �Figure D.20 Moody Elementary School 2017-2018 4.5 18.5 40.3 2018-2019 6.9 17.7 2019-2020 7.6 16.9 2020-2021 6.1 2021-2022 6.2 0% African American 40.8 Asian Hispanic 30% 1.8 29 40% Native American 1.3 32.5 51.5 20% 2.2 29.8 44.7 11.6 3.7 32.5 44.4 14.9 10% 32.9 50% White 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 1.2 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 243; 2018-2019, n = 277; 2019-2020, n = 225; 2020-2021, n = 228; 2021-2022, n = 241. Figure D.21 Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School 2017-2018 8 2018-2019 9.5 23.2 26.2 36.5 4.6 2019-2020 9.8 22.9 25.8 36.8 4.7 2020-2021 8.2 2021-2022 7 0% African American 22.3 28.2 25.5 27.4 24 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 35.8 30.8 30% 40% Native American 50% White 60% 70% 5.7 34.1 4.8 32.8 5.3 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 511; 2018-2019, n = 496; 2019-2020, n = 489; 2020-2021, n = 463; 2021-2022, n = 454. 76 90% �Figure D.22 Peter W. Reilly Elementary 2017-2018 3.9 2018-2019 2.1 9.4 2019-2020 1.5 8.5 2020-2021 3.1 2021-2022 36.9 8.3 2.9 46.7 39.8 44.3 38.1 9.2 36.2 10.3 36.4 0% 10% African American Asian 20% Hispanic 4.2 4.3 47.6 4.2 47.2 4 45.2 5.3 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Native American White Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 542; 2018-2019, n = 575; 2019-2020, n = 473; 2020-2021, n = 445; 2021-2022, n = 456. Figure D.23 Pyne Arts School 2017-2018 4.5 2018-2019 5.7 2019-2020 6.7 2020-2021 7.7 2021-2022 5.7 0% African American 12.9 36.3 12.1 39.2 12.5 38.2 13.6 14.1 10% Asian 41.8 20% Hispanic 30% 4.5 39.2 3.7 38.6 4 37.5 37.5 3.6 39.5 36.9 3.5 40% Native American 50% White 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 490; 2018-2019, n = 487; 2019-2020, n = 505; 2020-2021, n = 469; 2021-2022, n = 453. 77 90% �Figure D.24 Rogers STEM Academy School 2017-2018 8.8 24.4 39.3 2018-2019 9.3 23.3 39.4 2019-2020 11.2 2020-2021 10.6 2021-2022 9.5 0% 22.5 21.6 19.8 10% African American Asian 20% Hispanic 24.1 23.2 40% 50% Native American White 4.7 42.1 20.6 3.6 44.2 20 3.5 21.2 3.7 45.7 30% 3.5 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 685; 2018-2019, n = 738; 2019-2020, n = 843; 2020-2021, n = 848; 2021-2022, n = 865. Figure D.25 S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School 2017-2018 6.6 8.1 2018-2019 6.5 8.3 2019-2020 6.1 9 2020-2021 5.8 11.8 2021-2022 5.8 0% African American 44.3 48 47.5 Asian 49.9 20% Hispanic 30% 40% Native American 2.5 34.4 49.7 9.2 10% 38.5 50% White 60% 70% 32.8 2.4 30.9 3.9 30.9 4 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 483; 2018-2019, n = 506; 2019-2020, n = 491; 2020-2021, n = 482; 2021-2022, n = 479. 78 2.8 �Figure D.26 The Career Academy 2017-2018 9.7 15 2018-2019 10.2 15.3 2019-2020 2020-2021 7.7 0% African American Asian 23.7 4.2 22 47.9 21.6 10% 4.4 50.5 21.3 6.2 23.9 46.6 16.5 4.3 2021-2022 46.9 20% Hispanic 21.3 44.3 30% 40% Native American 50% White 3.3 5.3 20.6 60% 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 7.2 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 113; 2018-2019, n = 118; 2019-2020, n = 91; 2020-2021, n = 94; 2021-2022, n = 97. Figure D.27 Washington Elementary School 2017-2018 4.8 45.2 22.6 19.4 8.1 2018-2019 4.2 46.3 22.1 19.6 7.9 24.1 19 7.6 22.4 7.1 2019-2020 2020-2021 6.8 42.6 5.4 2021-2022 43.2 7.3 0% African American 22 42.7 10% Asian 20% Hispanic 30% 26.4 40% Native American 50% White 60% 17.5 70% 80% Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander 90% 100% Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic Note. 2017-2018, n = 248; 2018-2019, n = 240; 2019-2020, n = 237; 2020-2021, n = 241; 2021-2022, n = 246. 79 5.3 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Equal Education in Lowell Research Files, 1970-1990 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1970-1990 Description An account of the resource These research files were collected while writing the paper titled <a href="https://scholarworks.umb.edu/iaas_pubs/53/">"The History Matters: Fighting for Equal Education in Lowell, Massachusetts, 1970-1990"</a>, published by the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston.<br /><br />The supplemental materials provided in this collection cover the story of how Southeast Asian and Latino parents in Lowell confronted the Lowell School Committee in the late 1970s and 1980s, demanding that schools be desegregated and that their children have equal education opportunities.<br /><br />Some items are restricted from online publication due to copyright law. Researchers can access these materials upon request. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Forrant, Bob Khoeun, Chandaranee Khuon, Chrisna Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Born digital collection preserved at the Center for Lowell History. Donated by Bob Forrant in May 2025. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). No Copyright - United States: This item is believed to be a part of the Public Domain under the laws of the United States. Language A language of the resource English Spanish Subject The topic of the resource Public schools School facilities Immigrant students Racism in education Educational equalization Education, bilingual Latin American students Hispanic American high school students South Asian American students Legal briefs Racism against Asians Veterans Public housing Gentrification Immigrants--Housing Education, bilingual School boards School integration Racism against Hispanic Americans Puerto Ricans--United States City council members Social work with immigrants Cambodian Americans Lawyers Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF m4a Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Audio Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lowell (Mass.) Revere (Mass.) Cambridge (Mass.) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Yem, Paul Ratha Perez, Camilo Kiang, Peter Higgins, Jim Gargiulo, Chales Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Analysis of the Lowell Public Schools Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e Experience Report Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-25 Description An account of the resource The Center for Program Evaluation was contracted by Lowell Public Schools (LPS) and Fortaleza Inc to conduct an analysis of the Hispanic-Latino/a/x/e students in this school district. To provide a complete picture of the students’ experience, this report, along with several supplemental documents, compiles both quantitative and qualitative data and concludes with an assessment of the students’ experience, followed by recommendations for potential improvements. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lohmeier, Jill Hendrickson Gonzales, Teresa I. Thompson, Shanna R. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Center for Program Evaluation, UMass Lowell Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only: This Work has been digitized in a public-private partnership. As part of this partnership, the partners have agreed to limit commercial uses of this digital representation of the Work by third parties. You can, without permission, copy, modify, distribute, display, or perform the Item, for non-commercial uses. For any other permissible uses, please review the terms and conditions of the organization that has made the Item available. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Spanish Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lowell (Mass.) Subject The topic of the resource Public schools Latin American students Hispanic American high school students