Ella+Risk+ES

= Ella Risk Elementary School  = = Central Falls  =



Introduction:
The Ella Risk elementary school in Central Falls is one of three elementary schools in the Central Falls school district. It is located at 949 Dexter Street, and services grades 1 through 4. The school has 414 students, with 53 teachers. The school population is predominately Hispanic, with a sizable chunk classified as White. The district has been struggling for the last few years to meet standards, and as such was taken over by the state in an effort to raise NECAP (standardized tests) scores. Among the issues studied are the chronically low NECAP scores, the teachers and their qualifications, the demographics, the economics of the region, the school's environment, and the funding of the school. The indicator by which progress has been measured has been the NECAP tests. (Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) 2011) [1]

NECAP Testing:
For the last five years, the Ella Risk School has not met adequate yearly progress. The school has failed repeatedly, in multiple areas. The NECAP scores reflect this, with all of them below the state average, some by as much as 30%. The math scores are consistently low, third grade being at only 29% proficient, while fourth grade is at 59% proficient. There is not even enough data to judge the fifth grade on any subjects, math, reading nor writing. The reading scores are better, at 42% for the third grade and 66% for the fourth grade. Unfortunately, fourth grade science is lacking at only 20% proficient. The state averages for these categories are significantly higher, and highlight a clear problem area in the state as far as public education is concerned. This failure cannot be blamed on the teachers though. (RIDE, 2011)

Teachers:
The teachers at Ella Risk are in no way less qualified or of lower quality than other teachers. Ella Risk actually has no teachers with Emergency Certification, and no teachers qualifying as Not Highly Qualified. While this does not mean that every teacher at Ella Risk is a great teacher, it does mean that every teacher is qualified to teach. Adding to the quality of education available is the teacher-student ration, which is at 1 teacher for every 9 students, a ratio well suited for learning and one which favors closer teacher-student contact. It is apparent that the low performance of the school is not due to a plethora of unqualified teachers nor is it to blame on a lack of teacher-student interactions (as far as the data shows). Clearly, the issues rest somewhere else. (RIDE, 2011)

Student Demographics:
Opposite the teachers on the equation of education are the students. The student population of Ella Risk is diverse and comes from a diverse home life. Of the 414 students at Ella Risk, 72% are Hispanic, 26% are White, and of the remaining 2%, half are Multicultural and the other half are African American. With more than 70% of the population Hispanic, the question of language is raised. In Ella Risk, 19% of the students are receiving bilingual education services. This most certainly plays a role in the low reading and writing NECAP scores. It is also important to note that 19% of students are receiving special education services. This most certainly affects the test scores in a negative way. (RIDE, 2011)

Economics:
Another element which impacts the overall education of students at Ella Risk is economics. 88% of the student body is eligible for subsidized lunch. This is a substantial portion of the school and representative of the economic status of much of Central Falls. Economic standing has been proven to be a large factor in education and is one of the foremost obstacles to education reform. The low economic standing of Central Falls is undoubtedly having a negative impact on the learning occurring at Ella Risk, which in turn is being reflected on the standardized tests. This is not to say that low economic standing is by any means an indicator of intelligence, nor is it to say that the economy is the reason for poor performance of a school. It is to say that economics is an important factor in the education that a student receives.

(RIDE, 2011)

School Environment:
Another important factor in education is the school environment. If students are not safe and do not feel safe, then the quality of education will decrease. The Ella Risk school had only 2 incidents of suspension in the 2009-2010 school year. This is representative of a safe school, well on top of its discipline and any disciplinarian issues. This is mirrored by the high attendance rate of 94%. Such a high attendance rate suggests that students feel comfortable going to school. The 17% of chronic absenteeism is more likely related to another factor, such as the economics of the region, than to students or parents feeling the school is not a safe place. This parental view is also mirrored by the stability and mobility indices. Ella Risk has an 89% stability index, representing that 89% of students stay in the school from one year to the next. The school has an 11% mobility index, which represents only 11% of the student body either enters or leaves during the school year. The stability index is higher than the state average by 2% and the mobility index is lower than the state average by 2%. It is apparent that Ella Risk is considered to be a safe and supportive school (as judged by the data). (RIDE, 2011)

Funding/Budget:
It is important that the funding of Ella Risk also be taken into account. The numbers are rather confusing as the state has taken control of the school district and therefore funding is being allocated differently than other districts. An example of this can be found in the difference between the district property value per student of Central Falls compared to other towns mirrored against the per pupil expense. Central Falls has a substantially lower property value than other towns, but the per pupil expenditure is higher. This means that while the overall economic standing of the city is worse, more money is being spent educating its students than other towns. This pattern can be found comparing other elements of school funding, such as the district tax effort, or the median family income. Both are lower than many other towns, yet, Central Falls is putting more money into each pupil than more affluent towns. The explanation for this can only be found in state funding, as the tax rate is lower in Central Falls than other places, representing lower tax revenue going toward the schools. (RIDE, 2011)

Conclusion:
The Ella Risk elementary school is in many ways a contradiction. The school has low NECAP scores, yet has more qualified teachers and a better teacher-student ratio than many other higher-scoring schools. The school spends more money per student than other districts, while taking in lower tax revenues. The school has a low number of suspensions, yet has a rather high percentage of chronically absent students. Overall, the school has many things going for it but just as many holding it back. Progress is being made, but it is slow and will take time. For Ella Risk to change for the better, the community around it must also change. Only when community has picked itself up and found a solid economic footing can Ella Risk begin to make more rapid improvements. This is not to say that everything rests on economics, but that economics has a great impact on education. With time and patience, Ella Risk elementary school will grow to fulfill its full potential as a school providing its students with a solid foundation in all aspects of learning.

Sources:

 * 1) ^ Rhode Island Department of Education. (2010). Ella Risk Elementary School. //InfoWorks Live//. Retrieved from []