An ethnic studies program will be piloted at six high schools across Austin ISD during the 2017-18 school year, an effort which aligns with the district’s goals of reinventing the instructional core and promoting cultural inclusiveness.
AISD’s Chief Officer of Teaching and Learning Edmund R. Oropez spoke of the curriculum’s benefits at a board of trustees meeting Monday night by referencing a study conducted in California that found a link between ethnic studies and improved student academic performance.
“Any time a child can see themselves in the curriculum and connected to the broader community, it provides self worth and meaningfulness,” Oropez said. “Academic benefits will follow.”
Trustees Edmund Gordon and Paul Saldaña spearheaded the initiative to bring ethnic studies to AISD—the first round of which to be piloted at Anderson, Akins, Austin, LBJ Early College, Reagan Early College, and Travis High Schools. Gordon said he hopes the curriculum will teach students to value diverse perspectives and cultural identities.
“We have come a long way in terms of the desegregation of bodies in this country and in this district, but we have come less far in the desegregation of knowledge,” he said. “There are other ways to see the world, and our children deserve to learn about those ways.”
According to the draft course description, the curriculum aims to allow students the opportunity to see themselves and their communities in a historical context in order to gain a deeper appreciation for the contributions and complex experiences of diverse groups.
“This will be a very rich curriculum and learning experience for our students,” said Dr. Lisa Goodnow, executive director for Academics & Social Emotional Learning.
Due to the accelerated timeline to pilot the program and eventually implement the curriculum throughout AISD high schools, the district has partnered with experts from the University of Texas and the Mexican American Cultural Center, who have experience teaching ethnic studies programs to assist in the training of AISD teachers.
The presenters also spoke of the “Grow Your Own” teacher initiative, which strives to create a pathway for AISD students to eventually become district teachers, especially for programs such as ethnic studies and elementary dual language. Dr. Angela Valenzuela, a University of Texas professor involved in “Academia Cuauhtli,” a language and cultural revitalization project offered at three AISD elementary schools, spoke of the importance of enabling teachers to understand and work with the district’s diverse student population.
“We have a lot of enthusiasm, but we don’t have a lot of curriculum and a lot of teachers prepared in the curriculum,” Valenzuela said. “'Grow Your Own’ solves both at the same time.”
Saldaña also voiced his support for the initiative.
“As we look at the demographics of the students we serve and the demographics of teachers, there are some challenges,” he said. “This helps in our overall strategy when we face the challenge of bringing in 800 new teachers every year with such a diverse population.”
If the ethnic studies pilot is a success, the program will be implemented throughout AISD high schools by the 2018-19 school year. Eventually, Saldana said, the goal is for the course to be offered at all school levels.
“If our kids really want to be innovative learners and leaders—and we talk about preparing our kids for college, career and life— this is the real life that is out there, the diversity in our community and our world,” he said. “ We don’t have to wait for somebody to start this and I prefer AISD be the first.”