WEERP examines evidence of bias and discrimination reflected in Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness Ratings

In this study, we examine statewide effectiveness ratings data of over 55,000 educators for evidence of bias and discrimination. Bias can take many forms that diminish the ability of educators of color to succeed, such as being assigned more challenging classrooms with more underserved students or being viewed by their administrator less positively because of their race. Acting on bias and assigning low effectiveness ratings to an educator of color is a form of discrimination. The results of this study suggest ratings assigned to educators of color are discriminatory. Administrators view White female educators as the most effective, with Black and Asian male educators viewed as the least effective; 89% and 78% of White female educators are rated as more effective than the average Black and Latinx male educator, respectively. The performance appraisal process is just the tip of the iceberg regarding the negative impacts of bias on educators of color in Wisconsin.
View full report here.

In this longitudinal study (from 2016 to 2019) of 211 Wisconsin schools, we examined the impact that schools with a strong professional culture have on the achievement gaps between Black, White, and Latinx students. If more schools serving Black and Latinx students were organized to improve, with a strong professional culture, our school system would be more equitable, more anti-racist, and achievement gaps would be reduced.

Full report available here.

As part of our evaluation of the MPS Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant, we analyze the connection between measures of high school performance, such as AP course participation, participation in GEAR UP programming, ACT scores, and GPA with first-year college GPA.

The lessons learned from a Hong Kong school’s efforts to switch to distance-learning while also dealing with the impact of COVID-19 may be of use to other schools struggling through their own transition to distance learning.Their experience stresses the importance of strong school leadership and two-way communication for building an effective system, helping teachers, parents, and students successfully transition to that system, and for helping people manage the stress and isolation of COVID-19.

UWM publishes news article that features our study on teacher retention and race in Wisconsin schools.

https://uwm.edu/news/uwm-researcher-studies-importance-of-diversity-in-recruiting-retaining-teachers/

In this report we explore relational trust as a possible explanation for: 1) why most Wisconsin schools do not have have any teachers of color and 2) the schools with the most students of color have the most difficulty retaining teachers.

Results from the evaluation of the first year of the Wisconsin Urban Leadership Institute (WULI) demonstrate that participating principals in the five largest Wisconsin school districts learned critical strategies for promoting equity in their schools.

In this study, we find schools that improve their implementation of the teacher evaluation process realized improved student achievement results.