Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive

Angela and Davey reflect on a recent blog post by Dr. Howie Knoff who is concerned about the increasing likelihood of special education litigation stemming from pandemic-related service disruptions. Dr. Knoff has been an Expert Witness on over 25 different federal special education or school law court cases since 1993. Your Hosts then move on to discuss Dr. Howie's experience that some school districts often prioritize short-term legal victories (i.e., winning their case in Court) without considering how the "win" will impact their future relationships with the same parents and students. They discuss a recent court case that Dr. Knoff was involved in as an expert witness to illustrate the potential consequences of prioritizing legal wins over collaborative solutions. Angela and Davey then review Dr. Knoff's seven suggestions that can help avoid special education litigation and needless Court appearances. These include improving communication and collaboration with parents of students with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of admitting mistakes, understanding parental perspectives, and maintaining a professional approach. They ultimately suggest that building strong relationships yields better long-term outcomes for students, staff, and the district as a whole, despite the fact that district tend to win many (most) special education cases at the due process or federal court levels.

Davey and Angela begin this Podcast by discussing Sesame Street and the broadcast's commitment to only airing evidence-based instructional approaches. They then contrast this with the dangers of implementing untested educational programs that are based on popularity rather than evidence. Based on a Blog by Dr. Howie Knoff, your Hosts then outline the lack of empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of the very popular growth mindset interventions being implemented in schools across the country. A meta-analysis of numerous studies is described that reveals significant flaws in research design and reporting bias, suggesting that positive results are largely artifacts. Next, Davey and Angela reference Dr. Knoff's Blog discussion regarding the effect of "culturally fluent ideas" and how this bias explains why some educators continue to recommend or use growth mindset strategies in their classrooms. . . despite the contradictory evidence. The Podcast concludes by emphasizing the waste of resources and potential harm to students when ineffective classroom interactions, instruction, and interventions are used.

Angela and Davey examine the detrimental effects on students when there are inflexible state education policies that force schools into "one size fits all" processes. The specific example discussed focuses on how many state departments of education evaluate districts on the percentage of students who graduate in four years. The discussion is grounded on a blog written by Dr. Howie Knoff who argues that prioritizing timely graduation over students' academic mastery and proficiency forces schools to compromise effective teaching and student learning practices. Dr. Knoff advocates for a competency-based approach to learning and graduation, suggesting that allowing giving some students more (or less) time to graduate will ultimately be more beneficial to their post-graduation success. Angela and Davey highlight how some state education policies are often based on flawed assumptions about teacher motivation and performance, how they can negatively impact at-risk students, and how they create an environment of stress and competition rather than collaboration and effective learning. Ultimately, they recommend a shift toward policies that support student proficiency over rigid timelines, and the need to use this example as a cautionary tale.

Davey and Angela discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's July 8, 2023 blog that analyzes current research, concluding that Restorative Discipline (a) has largely been a media-fed bandwagon that (b) has never been validated through methodologically-sound research, (c) included many past, effective classroom management strategies in its branding efforts, and (d) has been maintained by a “group contagion bandwagon” buoyed by five dynamics that are discussed further in the piece. Your Hosts discuss Knoff's analysis of a well-designed study in the Pittsburgh School District that showed limited effectiveness and even negative consequences for the schools implementing a Restorative Practice Program. They also review the reasons why Dr. Knoff believes that restorative discipline has continued to be popular. . . despite its questionable (at best) findings. These reasons include people's affinity for simplistic solutions to complex problems, social contagion, and a reliance on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific findings. Davey and Angela further note that restorative practices are often merely rebranded classroom management techniques, and that addressing school discipline requires a multifaceted approach that focuses on bias, teacher training, and effective classroom management. Finally, they note Dr. Knoff's suggestion for a complete rollback of restorative discipline programs, emphasizing the need for scientifically-proven interventions.

Davey and Angela examine the long-standing issue and reality of the disproportionate school disciplining of Black students. Reflecting the analyses and thoughts of Dr. Howie Knoff, a key finding is that teacher bias, particularly among less experienced white teachers in schools with high minority populations, contributes significantly to this disparity. Your Hosts review two new research studies, highlighting the role of implicit bias in the discipline referrals of Black students, and how teacher experience also contributes to the disproportionality. Dr. Howie proposes three paths to address the issue: improved data analysis, policy changes aligning with recent federal guidance, and enhanced teacher training focusing on cultural competency and classroom management. A case study illustrates the devastating effects of racial harassment on a Black student's well-being, and Davey and Angela reflect on what educators need to do to correct this historical issue.

Angela and Davey continue their recent discussions on teacher training, coaching, supervision, tenure, and post-tenure activities. Today, the focus is on keeping post-tenure teachers actively involved as leaders in schools' continuous improvement processes. Based on Dr. Howie Knoff's recent blog post, your Hosts outline seven interdependent areas crucial for continuous school improvement. These areas, focusing on classroom instruction and multi-tiered student support, provide opportunities for post-tenure teachers to take on leadership roles. Their discussion details how these seven areas are implemented through various school committees, emphasizing the contributions of experienced teachers. Post-tenure teachers' expertise in areas like curriculum, assessment, and community outreach are highlighted as vital for effective school improvement. The framework promotes a shared leadership model, leveraging the experience of veteran educators to enhance student success. Angela and Davey emphasize that this is all part of using the talents of post-tenure teachers as leaders and experts.

Angela and Davey discuss what should happen after teachers earn tenure. . . so that they continue to improve and maintain their instructional effectiveness. The discussion is based on Dr. Howie Knoff's blogs advocating a new approach to teacher evaluation and professional development. . . shifting from a model that focuses largely on "time-in-rank" to a performance- and outcomes-based model emphasizing continuous growth and improvement. The core of today's discussion is the use of Professional Development Plans (PDP) that teachers create and administrators approve, and that outline specific, measurable goals in research, instruction, and community service. Differentiated by the number of years of teaching experience, the PDP guides teachers' development, potentially leading to increased post-tenure responsibilities like coaching or specialization. Regular reviews of the PDP ensure accountability and ongoing progress, while also aligning individual teacher goals with school-wide initiatives. The system also includes a structured process for continuing advanced teachers' tenure appointments and salary increases. . . based on their PDP success and contributions.

Davey and Angela do a "Deep Dive" to discuss how to improve the tenure process for new teachers such that they earn tenure based on products and demonstrable outcomes. Guided by Dr. Howie Knoff's recommendations for improving teacher recruitment, evaluation, and tenure, your Hosts discuss the need for a multi-year induction program for new teachers. They differentiate these teachers as "novice," "transfer," or "transitional" teachers, and they emphasize that schools' induction/tenure process needs to focus on skill development in research, curriculum, instruction, and community service. They, through Dr. Howie, propose that tenure be awarded after five years, and that "candidates" need to submit a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in the areas above. The portfolio should be evaluated by a Tenure Committee and the district's Superintendent. This entire process emphasizes professional growth rather than simply time-in-employment, and it utilizes teacher effective frameworks, like the one developed by Danielson, to guide teacher development and progress. Some initially-unsuccessful candidates may receive additional time to improve. Other clearly ineffective teachers should not be tenured, and their contracts should not be renewed.

Angela and Davey discuss the process whereby districts and schools recruit and hire new teachers, and then introduce and orient them to their new school and responsibilities. Much of their discussion is based on a blog post from Dr. Howie Knoff, President of Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. Your Hosts examines the shortcomings of current teacher recruitment, training, and evaluation methods, in the context of the fortieth anniversary of the "A Nation at Risk" report. Highlighting the continuing need for school improvement they analyze Dr. Howie's belief that districts' current staffing and personnel systems are ineffective. He proposes a four-pillar approach focusing on hiring, induction, continued coaching, and leadership development. Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie's advocacy for a more rigorous teacher selection process, using his analogy of what happens in universities' graduate program admissions processes to illustrate a more effective interview approach. Finally, the discussion emphasizes the importance of a thorough teacher orientation program to ensure a smooth transition and successful integration into the school environment.

Angela and Davey analyze and discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's January 28, 2023 blog post which critiques the ineffectiveness of widely adopted school programs like PBIS and SEL. Dr. Howie argues that these programs often lack rigorous research support, produce inconsistent results, and are marketed more effectively than they actually work. Your Hosts discuss and describe Dr. Howie's advocacy for a direct, evidence-based approach that focuses on teaching specific, observable social and emotional skills. This approach emphasizes practical skill-building, consistent positive reinforcement, and multi-tiered support systems tailored to student needs. The discussion details practical social skills to teach and provides a five-step instructional model based on social learning theory. Finally, it highlights essential school conditions for successful implementation, such as staff training and buy-in.