Trends in Catholic School Minority Enrollment and Higher Education Entrance Over the Recession

Research has shown that enrollment in Catholic secondary schools has positive outcomes for minority students, including increased enrollment in higher education institutions and higher academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine if minority enrollment in secondary schools altered over the recession. Results of this study suggests that minority enrollment of Black and Hispanic in secondary schools increased over the recession, as well as Black and Hispanic enrollment in higher education institutions. Data limitations make it impossible to confirm the exact enrollment of minority students in higher education institutions and from the establishment of a direct causal relationship. Keywords Minority students, secondary schools, recession, enrollment Tendances en matière d\u27inscriptions et d\u27entrée dans l\u27enseignement supérieur des minorités dans les écoles catholiques pendant la récession Une étude a montré que les inscriptions dans les écoles catholiques secondaires donnaient des résultats positifs pour les élèves issus des minorités, y compris davantage d\u27inscriptions dans les établissements d\u27enseignement supérieur et une meilleure réussite scolaire. Le but de cette étude était d\u27examiner si les inscriptions des élèves issus de minorités dans les écoles secondaires étaient différentes au cours de la récession. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que les inscriptions des minorités noires et hispaniques dans les écoles secondaires ont augmenté pendant la récession, de même que les inscriptions des noirs et des hispaniques dans les établissements d\u27enseignement supérieur. Des données limitées font qu\u27il est impossible de confirmer le nombre exact d\u27élèves issus des minorités dans les institutions d\u27enseignement supérieur et d\u27établir une relation directe de cause à effet. Mots-clés : élèves issus des minorités, écoles secondaires, récession, inscriptions Tendencias en las matrículas de minorías en escuelas católicas e inscripción en educación superior durante la recesión Algunas investigaciones han mostrado que matricularse en escuelas secundarias católicas tiene resultados positivos para los estudiantes de minorías, incluyendo un aumento de la matrícula en instituciones de educación superior y de mayores logros académicos. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar si las matrículas de las minorías en las escuelas secundarias se vieron alteradas durante la recesión. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que las matrículas de minorías negras e hispanas en escuelas secundarias aumentaron durante la recesión, así como la matrícula de negros e hispanos en instituciones de educación superior. Las limitaciones de los datos imposibilitan el confirmar el número exacto de estudiantes de minorías matriculados en instituciones de educación superior y el establecimiento de una relación causal directa. Palabras clave estudiantes de minoría, escuelas secundarias, recesión, matrícul

CONSTRUCTION AND VALIDATION OF A HOLISTIC EDUCATION SCHOOL EVALUATION TOOL USING MONTESSORI ERDKINDER PRINCIPLES

The purpose of this study was to construct a holistic education school evaluation tool using Montessori Erdkinder principles, and begin the validation process of examining the proposed tool. This study addresses a vital need in the holistic education community for a school evaluation tool. The tool construction process included using Erdkinder literature to justify the development of each item through the use of an item matrix, ultimately leading to the development of the 23 item formative Montessori Erdkinder School Evaluation Survey. The validation process included a series of three Rasch Rating Scale Model analyses with data from a sample school. The validation process used item anchoring estimates from the earlier analyses in the later analyses and included determining the tool’s dimensionality, reliability, item fit, possible differential item functioning, and comparing the order of item difficulty levels to the holistic model of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Results of the study showed that six items had issues with fit and would need to be revised, and that the items in the cognitive and moral facet will need to be revised to better match Maslow’s model. This study provides the foundation for the development of a holistic education evaluation or accreditation system, and constructed a resource that could be directly implemented in schools

Determining the Measurement Quality of a Montessori High School Teacher Evaluation Survey

The purpose of this study was to conduct a psychometric validation of a course evaluation instrument, known as a student evaluation of teaching (SET), implemented in a Montessori high school. The authors demonstrate to the Montessori community how to rigorously examine the measurement and assessment quality of instruments used within Montessori schools. The Montessori high school community needs an SET that has been rigorously examined for measurement issues. The examined SET was developed by a Montessori high school, and the sample data were collected from Montessori high school students. Using a Rasch partial credit model, the results of the analysis identified several measurement issues, including multidimensionality, misfit items, and inappropriate item difficulty levels. A revised version of the SET underwent the same analysis procedure, and the results indicated that measurement issues persisted. The authors suggest several ways to improve the overall measurement quality of the instrument while keeping the Montessori foundation. Additional validation studies with a revised version of the SET will be needed before the instrument can be endorsed for full implementation in a Montessori setting

Using Social Network Analysis to Evaluate Academic Assistance Networks in a Holistic Education Secondary School

One goal of Erdkinder schools is for students and teachers to provide academic assistance to their peers, particularly to less-knowledgeable ones. However, traditional educational evaluations do not provide a means to investigate the exchange of academic help. This study piloted the use of social network analysis to describe academic assistance relationships within a Montessori secondary school. Using a network survey, social network data concerning the exchange of academic help were collected from 23 students and 8 teachers. The results show that while students provide help to both fellow students and teachers, teachers are the main source of assistance for students. In some subjects, a few students and teachers neither provided nor received assistance, indicating another area for improvement. The results of a multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure (multiple regression-QAP) show that for most subjects, their willingness to help others was not significantly influenced by their own personal level of knowledge. Thus, more-knowledgeable individuals do not provide more assistance to less-knowledgeable peers. To adhere to Erdkinder principles, this school should encourage more-knowledgeable students to recognize their responsibility to help others and to actually help those who need support. This pilot yielded valuable information, and social network analysis warrants further study within holistic education