Equity Audit: Louisville

City Schools, Ohio

Ken Kasee

Systematic Equity
A system-wide analysis of data that is used to

evaluate the effectiveness of a school in relationship

to its ability to offer all students full and equal
access to educational opportunities in order to
improve the schooling experiences of all children,
especially those from marginalized groups. (Skrla,
McKenzie & Scheurich, p. 3)

Section 1
Discussion with School Leader: Middle School Principal

School Leader Conversations

1. Graduate Candidate initiated conversation with MS Principal.
2. Principal agreed with project.
3. Principal indicated that the recently issued ODE Report would be
the best resource for the information needed.

4. Principal indicated the busy nature of people and processes in

the school/community; that the Equity Audit should not interfere

with other on-goings of the school.

5. Principal re-emphasized that the ODE Report should be the main

source of information; he could help analyze that data if needed.

6. Principal okayed inquiry to other school personnel for

information (Asst. Principal , Gifted Coordinator, SPED

Coordinator, Food Service Coordinator, etc.)

Section 2
Equity Audit Team Members

Equity Audit Team Process

The KSU graduate candidate discussed the principals

reluctance to involve many people from the school and

community.

The Graduate Candidates determined they would approach the

Equity Audit from a consultative angle.
In the U.S. educational arena, formal, extensive equity
audits of school districts are not uncommon. These are
sometimes conducted voluntarily or result from pressure by
local civic activists. (Skrla, McKenzie, & Scheurich, 2009)
Such civil-rights-based equity audits are often performed
by educational consultants who specialize in this work such
as Harvards Robert Peterkin. (Skrla, McKenzie, &
Scheurich, 2009)
Reference: Skrla, L., McKenzie, K.B., & Scheurich, J.J (2009).
Using Equity Audits to Create Equitable and Excellent Schools,
Corwin: CA.

Section 3
How members of the Louisville community understand Systematic Equity

Principal Jason Greathouse on Equity:

Equal treatment/equal opportunity
It is more practical knowledge/common sense & learned

from experience than guided by academic research/reading

scholarly texts
View on oppression is that the school prevents oppressive
situations rather than offers an avenue of expression for
those experiencing oppression
View on oppression as not recognizing the good deeds and
good character demonstrated by students; emphasized that
the school implements Caught being Good programs &
rewards good behavior
Speaking truth about reality of childrens lives was
addressed as an individual item for a student; certain things
about a students life may be told to teacher(s) in order for
the teacher(s) to approach that student empathetically, but
that deeper private issues would remain confidential.

Principal Jason Greathouse on Equity:

Encouraging people to action
None, really, for MS students; HS students have Student
Council; P recommends a MS Student Council

None, really, as far as with committees

Other systems are in place for people to make their
voices heard: FAC, Teachers & Support Staff Unions,
Board Meetings

Principal Jason Greathouse on Equity:

Who is empowered
People who have the compulsion to step up & speak
Sometimes these people are received with no
hearing/apathy

Decision-making
Based on past practice; present need; based upon equal
treatment of everyone

Policy-making
Reflection of the community
Policies possess elements of inequity that are

unchallenged (i.e. an empowered person(s) would have to

challenge it to get it changed)

Principal Jason Greathouse on Equity:

Engagement in Decisions
For marginalized pops/groups:
None

For unmet needs:

Continuously trying to look at
For activist strategies
As-needed basis

Rethinking School Structure:

Often; continually working on

Staff Member 1
Equity means being unbiased & impartial
Teachers role is to educate, thus

equipping/empowering/encouraging is done
through educating the student
It becomes the individual students/persons decision
whether or not to speak up or take action

Representation: each person represents themselves

Teachers need to stick to their role; do their job,
which is to educate

Staff Member 2
Equity means equal opportunity & is inclusive of

everyone; dont show preference to some school

programs over others

Be empathetic to reality of students lives

Equipping/Empowering/Encouraging:
Through supporting causes, fundraising campaigns for
worthy causes/needy families & people

Assemblies enable whole-group empowerment to

succeed in helping a cause

Section 4
Description of Louisville Districts Schools

LOUISVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

415 N. Nickelplate
(330) 875-1177

Current enrollment includes half of the students in

grades K-2 and all of grades three, four and five. The
students benefit from features like computers with
CD-ROMs in each classroom, a technology lab, a
guidance program and a science program, to name
a few.

NORTH NIMISHILLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

7337 Easton St. NE
(330) 875-2661

Enrollment at North Nim consists of about half of

the K-2 students in the district, as well as growing

preschool classes. In addition to computers in each
classroom, North Nimishillen offers a networked
computer lab and an emphasis on an integrated
approach to language arts.

LOUISVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL

1300 South Chapel Street
(330) 875-5597

Enrollment includes sixth, seventh and eighth

graders with an average classroom size of 25

students. All students are enrolled in a nine week
computer laboratory course in all three grades.
Louisville Middle School stresses an interdisciplinary
curriculum. This school also offers a gifted program
and special education services.

LOUISVILLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

1201 South Nickel Plate
(330) 875-1438

LHS serves the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade

students in the Louisville district. We are proud to have

many National Merit Scholars, outstanding band and
choir programs, a nationally recognized speech team
and competitive athletic teams. Louisville High School
students have the opportunity to attend several
vocational education offerings through R.G. Drage Career
Center in addition to the outstanding curriculum on
campus. It is a credit to these programs that
approximately two-thirds of our graduates attend
institutions of higher education.

Section 5
Equity Data Collected

Teacher Quality Equity

1) Teacher Education Degrees Held
2) Teacher Experience Years of Service Total
3) Teacher Certification

Teacher Education
100% of teachers district-wide hold Bachelors
degrees.

82% district-wide hold Masters degrees.

Source: ODE Report Card for Louisville City School
District
Accessed October 14, 2014

Average Experience, Salary, &

Attendance Rate
Average Years of Experience: 17
Average Salary: $55,710
Attendance Rate: 96.1%

Screenshots of salary and attendance

data

Source: ODE Website, Advanced Reports, accessed

November 2014
School Year: 2013-2014

Teacher Certification
100% of the teachers at the school are qualified to
teach what they are teaching.

Source: ODE Website, Advanced Reports, accessed November 2014

School Year: 2013-2014

Section 6
Programmatic Equity
Gifted and Talented
Special Education
Discipline
Bilingual None attending

Gifted and Talented Equity

Louisville identifies

gifted students and

provides lists to
teachers.
Prior to this school
year, few programs
existed to serve these
students.
ODE Report Card: C - getting one years
growth, but not
exceeding that
Middle School: D

At the MS, enriched classes in all core subject areas were created just
this year. (Prior years, there was only Enriched Math and ELA)
Students designated gifted in a certain subject are placed into
that enriched class.
No special gifted program enriched, AP, honors classes are
the sole source of service for these children

Special Education Equity

ODE Progress Grade for Special

Education
Louisville School District
Students with Disabilities C
Lowest 20% in Achievement C
Louisville Middle School
Students with Disabilities F
Lowest 20% in Achievement - F
Students are not getting a years worth of growth at the Middle School.
Is LMS trying to improve this?
This year:
Added more Special Education Staff
Created Inclusion classes students on IEPs are grouped together
Professional Development on RtI
Later in the slide show, the relationship of discipline with disability
will be made evident.

Discipline 2013-2014 School Year

1. What quantity of discipline actions resulted in out of school suspension?

2. What types of discipline are dealt with by the school?

3. Discipline compared to Race

4. Discipline Compared to Disability & Gender

High School

Middle School

 Elementary Schools

5. Discipline Among Gifted

Students

Section 7
Achievement Equity Data

Achievement Equity

State Achievement Tests

Graduation Rates

Graduation Rate Trend

Ability Grouping
Louisville Middle Schools offers Enriched Science,
Enriched Social Studies, Enriched Algebra, and
Enriched Language Arts, for which only students
who are listed as gifted are placed into these
classes.

Louisville Middle Schools Inclusion Science,

Inclusion Social Studies, Inclusion Algebra in which

all students on IEPs are placed with other students
in regular education classes.

Section 8
Documentation of Conversations on Equity with:
Principal
Equity Audit Team
Teachers

Principal

Jason
Greathouse
Questionnaire

Staff Members
A questionnaire was placed at Cindys Blog site. All of the
Middle School Staff were invited to take the questionnaire. Two
questionnaires were completed:

Screen shots of the 2

staff questionnaires

Section 9
Findings & Conclusions drawn from the data

Small populations without a

voice
What we have gathered from the data is that the
majoritys educational needs are being met.

A strong correlation in discipline handed down heavier to

some populations rather than the majority populations is
revealed by the ODE Advanced Reports searches.

LMS must improve from an F for Students with

Disabilities and the Lowest 20% in Achievement.

LMS must improve from a D for Gifted and Talented

students

LMS deserves help from specialists and coordinators

from the Louisville District for their Disability and Gifted

groups.

LCS (district) should access all of their discipline reports

and discuss them in their Leadership Teams for solutions

as to why certain groups are being disciplined with a
heavier hand.

Section 10
Research-based Solutions drawn from the data

Suggested
Solution

U.S. Department of Education

School Climate and Discipline
Guidance Package

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/schooldiscipline/index.html

Section 11
Documentation of Presentation to Equity Audit Team

Meeting set
Cindy has sent the presentation to Jason

Greathouse via email

Made an appointment to discuss the findings
School activities and meetings have dominated the
Principals schedule
Rescheduled a couple of times
Evals, Meetings. Assemblies, etc.

Section 12
Individual Reflections on Educational Equity in Schools

Our thoughts:
As an outsider to Louisville schools, Ive been able to
take a step back from biases or even community
members perspectives and focus purely on the data.
The data is alarming in some vital areas. Overhaul of
the discipline system seems necessary and warranted
considering the data on students with specific learning
disabilities and students of color.
Even with all of the data we collected, we know
some inequities lie outside of the research. Its a
school administrators role to find ways to measure
and evaluate these inequities. We will continue to learn
creative ways to spot these inequities as we grow in
the program.

The End