OPS' Constant: Hanover Research's findings give us marching orders to change for the better

May 18—Hanover Research reported to the Owensboro Public Schools Board of Education last week that, according to its findings, a lot of district stakeholders have concerns with the lack of diversity, equity and inclusion being taught and discussed within city schools, as well as differing educational opportunities based on student socioeconomic status.

These findings, along with several others, were part of Hanover's year-long research into the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion — DEI.

Hanover Research is a custom research firm located in Arlington, Virginia, that works closely with K-12 and higher education institutions, as well as corporations, to understand the priorities of each and to create and execute a specific research agenda.

Last summer, OPS sought out the services of Hanover to help the district take a look at, and find solutions to, any issues that students, parents, faculty and staff were facing in terms of DEI.

Jennifer Jones, Hanover content director, told board members that the firm sent out a DEI diagnostic survey and received 2,153 responses from students, parents, classroom teachers, instructional assistants, administrators and other staff members. The firm also held five focus group sessions that included two student groups, two parent groups and one administrator group.

Jones presented the Hanover report, which included information regarding curriculum and instruction, class and racial disparities, gender disparities, parent communication and engagement, staff diversity, and staff resources and training.

OPS Superintendent Matthew Constant said he and others within the district knew that this information would be somewhat difficult to hear. The results give district officials "more marching orders," he said.

"When we started with you a year ago, Hanover, there were several things that were clear our district needed to incorporate to achieve our goals, there were a couple of things we got started on right away, and those items were validated by your research," he said.

According to the Hanover report, stakeholders don't think OPS curriculum and instruction sufficiently addresses DEI, and they want more differential instruction to address achievement gaps and meet students' needs. They also see a need for greater emphasis on preparing students for life after graduation.

Hanover recommended educators review curriculum and instructional materials to identify opportunities to make teaching and learning more inclusive, and encourage teachers to facilitate conversations with students about DEI-related topics regularly in the classroom.

Jones also said the focus groups reported that student populations of some elementary schools consist of mostly white children from higher-income households, whereas other elementary schools enroll mostly non-white children from lower-income families.

One administrator noted anonymously in the report that "There's not a lot of diversity because of the way the district lines are set up ... There's a big difference in the populations of (the elementary) schools. You have the have and the have-not schools."

Hanover recommended the district explore ways of enabling elementary school students to experience greater diversity before they enter middle school.

The findings also indicated that students experience schools' academic and social environments and disciplinary practices differently based on their "status," most often defined by either their family's income or their race/ethnicity.

One student noted in the report, anonymously, that "I told my teacher what I wanted to do in the future, and he said, 'You know you have to be kind of smart, right?' He said that in front of the whole class."

Female stakeholders and stakeholders with non-binary, gender non-conforming or self-described gender identities said they feel less supported by schools. Also, those students expressed concerns about discipline and safety.

According to the report, "When surveyed, these students are more likely than their male peers to consider bullying a problem at their school.

Hanover recommended OPS strengthen supports for students and staff with diverse gender identities and expressions, and provide sexual harassment training to staff and age-appropriate education on gender identities and expressions to students.

Stakeholders also expressed dissatisfaction with how the district and schools communicate with parents. It was noted that some parents lack easy access to communicative tools, like email, and that non-English-speaking parents may not receive information if messages aren't translated.

Some parents are unaware of opportunities to be involved in their child's school, focus group participants said, while others simply cannot participate due to time and location. Stakeholders also said parents need more opportunities to provide feedback and engage in decision-making.

Hanover recommended the district communicate clearly and regularly with parents in their home language using methods they prefer to raise awareness of parent engagement opportunities and reduce barriers to participation by widely publicizing events in advance, holding events at different times and neutral locations, and by helping parents participate virtually.

Hanover also recommended the district use multiple channels to gather input from diverse families on a regular basis.

The demographics of school staff reflecting the characteristics of the student population was another thing noted in the report. Also, perceptions of the diversity of Owensboro's teachers differ across stakeholder groups.

According to the report, more than three-quarters of surveyed students (78%) agree that teachers come from many different backgrounds, while 65% of staff and 58% of surveyed parents felt similarly.

Reviewing recruitment practices and exploring strategies to increase the gender and racial/ethnic diversity of staff were recommended by Hanover.

Staff members indicated the equity-related professional learning opportunities currently provided by OPS are sufficient, and they shared a need for training on instructional practices that support more equitable academic outcomes.

Stakeholders also said they find OPS staff unprepared to facilitate equity-focused conversations in the classroom.

Hanover recommended the district ensure all staff receive added professional development on equity and diversity-related topics, and offer training opportunities. Also recommended was a consideration of how training needs may differ by school level and student demographics.

Following the presentation of the report, Constant detailed ways in which OPS is currently working to address some of these concerns already. Some actions the district has already taken, including the hiring of David Phillips as the district's DEI director, and Ashlie Hurley as the OPS English language student services coordinator.

Constant said OPS is also in the process of revamping its website to make it easily accessible for families, including an ability to translate to other languages when needed. The district is also applying for a Kentucky Department of Education grant to help fund its "grow your own" initiative to target students of color who may want to teach someday.

OCTC and Owensboro Black Expo have also partnered with OPS to develop a cohort of students of color to focus on college readiness, he said.

All district schools are also receiving training and cultural responsiveness trauma-informed care, and youth mental first aid. This is a required training that takes place this year, but OPS will begin incorporating additional information that will put more of a focus on the diverse populations it serves, Constant said.

He said those are "pretty tangible steps" the district is already taking, but that he and others in OPS are ready to move forward with action.

"While this information is sometimes very difficult to hear," he said, it's important to remember these findings are the perceptions of those currently involved with the district.

"We've got to work on communication and education to really make those perceptions hopefully change for the better," he said.

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315