NASHVILLE, Tenn.—School choice is at the top of many K-12 policymakers’ agendas, but the impact of the nation’s burgeoning Latino population on this debate has gone largely unexamined. Vanderbilt experts will explore this topic and many more at the American Educational Research Association‘s annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif., April 7-11. All times below are Pacific Daylight Time.
“Magnetic attraction: Latino parents’ choice of magnet schools:”Ellen Goldring, professor of education policy and leadership at Vanderbilt University Peabody College, will participate in a discussion of how “Latino communities are reshaping debates over magnet schools that have been traditionally grounded in … black-white school desegregation politics” April 9 from 8:15 to 9:35 a.m. Goldring will be joined by Vanderbilt graduate students Katherine Taylor-Haynes and Kristie Rowley and researchers from the University of California, Davis, New York University and Trinity College-Hartford.
How does race impact magnet school funding and achievement? Goldring will chair a panel discussion from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. April 9, which will include new evidence from Nashville, Tenn., and Charlotte-Meckelenberg, N.C., schools on the role magnet schools play in the continued desegregation of public schools. “Our findings indicate that race and poverty still matter deeply for school conditions and educational outcomes, despite efforts to distribute resources in ways that aim to address racial gaps under the new grants of unitary status,” the panelists wrote.
Other Vanderbilt panelists will include Rowley and associate professors of public policy and education Dale Ballou and Claire Smreaker.
A light in darkness: Black male teachers’ success in an urban context:Rich Milner, assistant professor of education, will discuss “how black teachers develop and implement exceptional learning opportunities… with specific attention to their black male students.” Milner’s work illuminates the impact black male teachers’ personal and professional connections, management styles, students and their parents, and their urban community have on their effectiveness, and will offer insights on how to improve urban teaching and teacher education.
Online learning and behavior in youth—what impact do social and cultural factors have? The ubiquitous use of instant messaging, blogs, MySpace and other communication tools by teens has been endlessly documented—but how does this use differ among different cultural and social groups? Kevin Leander, assistant professor language and literacy, will discuss the use and impact of online connectivity on students in different social, ethnic and economic groups, and what this means for schools and neighborhoods, on April 11 from 12:25 to 1:55 p.m.
Visit http://www.aera.net for the full conference program.
U.S. News and World Report ranked Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development as fifth in the nation for the second consecutive year in its 2006 rankings of leading graduate and professional schools. Peabody’s Special Education program was ranked first in the nation for the fourth straight year, and, overall, the school saw seven of its programs ranked in the top 10. To learn more about Vanderbilt Peabody College, visit http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu.
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Media contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu