Title: Community Relevancy and Academic Impact: Measuring the Effectiveness of the
California Teacher Pathway (CTP) and STEM Summer Institute on Latino Students
Educational Outcomes
Ed.D. Candidate: Carissa A. Purnell, San Francisco State University
Research Question(s):
1. How is the California Teacher Pathways (CTP) model maintaining its
commitment to the “50/50 design” (Henderson et. al, 2012) of incorporating local
relevancy alongside nationwide based research to participating
underrepresented students in their journey overcoming socioeconomic barriers
to get to college?
2. What is CTP doing to cater its practices and model design to directly serve the
learning, social, financial, and educational needs of their identified demographic
in their pathway to higher education?
3. How has the STEM Summer Institute contributed to the broader goals of CTP in
contributing to increasing access to higher education for California’s Latino
students?
Conceptual Framework and Purpose:
Increasing Access to Higher Education for California’s Latino Students
In California Latinos constitute 48% of California’s college age population, and in 2015
it is projected this age group, 18-24, will represent 52% of the state’s population
(College Campaign, 2012). While 57 percent of Latino students graduated from high
school across the state in 2009 only 16% graduated with scores making them eligible
to enroll in California’s 4-year universities, and only 8% actually enrolled (Walters,
2012). For every 100 Latino students who entered a California high school in 2009 only
15 enrolled in a community college, 6 at a CSU institution, and 2 at a UC campus
(UCLA IDEA, 2007). In addition to low enrollment in the CSU, UC, and private college
systems despite 7 out of 10 California Latinos enrolling in a community college, only 2
out of those 10 will obtain an associate’s degree, and only 14% will transfer.
Two key factors that pose as barriers to eligibility and access to the higher education
arena are language and income (Lopez, 2009). Seventy-six percent of Latino students
traditionally speak a language other than English in their homes and live in lower levels
of household income representation. According to 2009 the report from the Pew
Hispanic Center authored by Lopez, the median annual household income for Latino
families was only $20,000, and furthermore to augment the severity of the economic
household climate for Latino students, 30% under the age of 17 live in poverty.
This educational attainment and opportunity gap that exists between Latino students
and their white peers leaving them two to three years behind academically (McKinsey,
2008) is the result of an educational inequity in the state of California where more than
half of the state’s students are Latino; of the 6.2 million students statewide, 3.1 million
are reported Hispanic or Latino (The California Department of Education, 2010). The
intention of the CTP is to deliberately investigate and close this gap.
The CTP project is to, “enable under-served, low-income youth to have paid
employment in the afterschool workforce while earning a community college Associate
of Arts (AA) degree… while also creating a continuous career pathways that leads to a
multiple Subject Credential, then to teaching careers in K-8 settings” (Henderson et. al,
2012, p1). The CTP model deliberately recognizes the financial and social situations its
student participants come from, and directly aims to adjust and create programmatic
elements to address these two issues of income and language/culture for Latino
students.
CTP has been designed to cater the learning styles of underrepresented students with
a cultural and socioeconomic sensitivity that is not incorporated into California’s public
education system at the K-12 level. Diane Ravitch (2010) notes the adoption of “No
Child Left Behind” has left classrooms intensely focused on standardized testing
outcomes in order to meet state mandated proficiencies, and many schools and
districts meet these proficiency expectations at the expense of cutting social studies,
arts, music, and culturally relevant coursework that directly impacts students of color.
The purpose of this evaluation study is to explore not only the root causes of barriers to
educational access to California’s Latino students enrolled in the CTP program, but to
highlight the aspects of the model that have increased CTP student learning and
community engagement at College 1 and College 2.
Relevant Theoretical and Empirical Literature:
Adopting a Pedagogical Model Rooted in Culture and Community
Researchers and educators in the urban education field stress a strong need to
recognize the socioeconomic and diverse cultural backgrounds California’s students
come to the classroom with. This idea of recognizing and adapting learning to
California’s Latino and students of color is best defined through the lens of culturally
critical pedagogy. Based on the educational theory of Freire (1970) the practice of
critical pedagogy is designed to develop the critical thinking and conscious freedom of
students through the recognition of their own experiences as valid, moving from
thought and discussion to action. This pedagogy is one, “…that acknowledges the
spaces, tensions, and possibilities for struggles within the day-to-day workings of
schools” (Giroux, 2010, p. 121). CTP recognizes the additional need Latino students
may have and provides an academic coach or student support specialist throughout
the program to serve as a familiar face, that understands the cultural and linguistic
situation of students and can connect them to tutoring or wraparound support.
Leading advocates in the adoption of critical pedagogy in urban classrooms, DuncanAndrade and Morrell (2008) note that this recognition of culture and community are
imperative to the education reform movement,
To be effective, urban education reform movements must begin to develop
partnerships with communities that provide young people the opportunity to be
successful while maintaining their identities as urban youth. This curriculum, and
pedagogy identifies the cultures and communities of urban students as assets
rather than things to be replaced (p.7).
CTP incorporates these elements through it’s “50/50” design model. While 50% of the
CTP evaluation will focus on assessing the success of the wrap around support, the
student gains in student English and Math skills, progress in the pathway toward a
credential, 50% will be organic to the local program (Henderson et. al, 2012). This
recognition that local work and evaluation is equally relevant to the broader education
scope of academic gain is a reflection of the CTP commitment to culturally relevant
critical pedagogy for its participants.
In addition to the “50/50” model the afterschool model adoption directly addressing the
financial needs of California’s Latino students who struggle with household poverty
more than any other racial group in California (PEW Hispanic Research Center).CTP
provides after school employment in a community-based organization to maintain not
only cultural relevance, but relevance in the pathway to higher education process.
Children Now (2010) prepared a policy brief that stated,
“An afterschool workforce that is linked to a career ladder benefits students,
teachers entering the field and education systems… Student participation in
afterschool programs is associated with improved school performance,
decreased dropout rates, increased self-confidence, and positive school
behaviors. Young people who regularly attend afterschool programs have higher
rates of school attendance and are less tardy” (p. 4)
Methods of Data Collection and Analysis: Design, Setting, Participants:
The study was a comprehensive mixed methods study the collected both quantitative
and qualitative data across three sites throughout the greater Bay Area of California,
including two community colleges (College 1 and College 2) a local community
nonprofit agency.
Participants in the data collection were active participants in the CTP and STEM
Summer Institute and included students from College 1 and College 2, their course
instructors, in addition to a student support specialist.
Instruments:
1. Focus Groups
2. Document Analysis
3. Content Pre/Post Test
4. Qualitative Pre/Post Student Experience Survey
A variety of data collection tools were utilized to capture a broad scope of perspective
in a variety of formats to provide the most comprehensive reflection of both the
structure of the CTP, STEM Summer Institute Programs and the experiences of
participating students.
The focus group protocol was a collaborative design from three SFSU Doctoral
Candidates. Each was scheduled in partnership with the student support specialist to
ensure the scheduling and environment was in the best interest of student schedules
and environments.
Document analysis was conducted in the beginning of the research to provide
foundational background information to each individual researcher. SFSU Doctoral
Candidates drafted data memos to capture the key content features of selected
research and created an index of related subject materials and key vocabulary to be
referenced throughout the research process.
Both the content and experience pre and post-tests were designed by the contracted
agency MPR. This research body created the questions and SFSU Doctoral
candidates distributed the surveys and tests with the support of student support
specialist staff in addition to the grading, data entry, and data analysis of each
implemented instrument.
Timeline of Data Collection:
January-April 2012: Literature Review, Program Research, Data Collection Design
This four-month block was allocated to the collection and analysis of current
CTP literature. Document analysis and research took place, as the Ed.D
evaluation fellows documented the CTP model and its historic origins.
Documents were organized into a comprehensive index to capture both the
demographic audience, socioeconomic, and education support models of the
CTP design. This index will allow for the creation of survey and focused
interview questions.
May-July 2012: Fieldwork and Data Collection
This time frame allowed for classroom observation and fieldwork study following
the distribution of generated surveys to CTP student participants, after school
employers, and the parents of CTP student participants. This block was
identified during the summer months when Summer STEM Institute was in place
in order to allow for direct fieldwork in addition to the pre/post testing of content
knowledge acquisition and student experience pre/post STEM Summer Institute.
August-September 2012:Data Analysis and Progress Report #2
Upon the completion of summer data collection, analysis took place to compose
the second progress report addressing the STEM Summer Institute outcomes.
SPSS Statistics will served as the primary resource for the organization of
collected quantitative data, in addition to SurveyGizmo features to generate the
graphical data as requested by MPR. Qualitative data collected from interviews
and online surveys was generated into an additional index to be compared
alongside the introductory index based off document analysis and research from
phase one. These two elements served as the primary content drafted into
progress addressing the STEM Summer Institute submitted in September in
partnership with MPR.
November 2012- March 2013: Fieldwork, Data Collection and Analysis
These months served to collect additional data to capture student voice and
analyze all collected materials to compile a final report for submission. Indexes
compiled in year one were compared to the indexes and data collected in year
two to capture the long term impact of the CTP and STEM Summer Institute
programs on participating students.
Data Analysis:
Data Source
Summer STEM Institute
Pre/Post Content Tests
(College 1, College 2)
Summer STEM Institute
Pre/Post Student Surveys
(College 1, College 2)
Proposed Analysis
The pre and post tests were distributed to
student enrolled in Chemistry and Life Science.
Only 5- 20% participated in science courses at
the college level prior to entering the STEM
Summer Institute with only 40% having taken
science at the high school level. Despite little
foundational background there was an average
percentage gain of 2% from 29 to 31 percent
correct on the Physics assessment. There was
an 11% gain from 26 to 37 percent in Physical
science, and a 13% gain from 36 to 49 percent
in chemistry. 58% self reported a gain in
understanding and comprehension of materials.
One of the most successful components to the
STEM Summer Institute as reflected in the
student survey was the role of the support
specialist. 42% were in contact with them on a
daily basis, and 66% rated them as “very
helpful” while the remaining 33% identified
them as “helpful.” While there was no
statistically significant increase in interest
amongst sciences, there was a dramatic
number of students who felt the program
Focus Group, College 1
Community College
(CCCFG)
increased their capacity as an educators and
professional with 72% who “developed skills
needed to become a teacher” and 68% marked
the program “improved my ability to teach math
and science to younger students.”
Students believed they had more fruitful ideas
and curriculum enhancement ideas that could
be applied in their instruction, but were not
given the opportunity to place their own
thoughts and ideas into their curriculum. From
the kits students were not allowed to deviate,
and this left students feeling like they were
simply following directions of another, rather
than truly learn to grow their own teaching
style.
Students often felt rushed and forced to
complete tasks while being ill prepared. If
students are expected to teach they need
increase access to classroom for set up time,
and increased time allotted to develop
curriculum and set up materials.
Youthworker to Teacher
Pathway (YTP) Survey
(College 2)
The largest student concern rose of out of a
recognition to increase support to the young
children they were expected to teach. STEM
participants were not taught classroom
management and disciplinary skills, and felt ill
prepared to deal with socioeconomic factors
that affected the behaviors and actions of the
youth they were expected to teach.
The YTP survey administered online yielded 24
responses to a variety of questions regarding
personal experience, academic attainment, set
goals, and outcome. The majority of students
sited focus and “staying on track” as the most
beneficial outcome of the program as cited in
the text response portion of the survey. This
proved to be a key element as the most difficult
cited experiences included “papers…
vocabulary… coursework…and materials.” The
transition was reportedly difficult but the
support specialists and cohort model coupled
with community relevancy allowed students to
stay focused as cited with the collected survey
data. In addition the results yielded a positive
Field Notes
(College 1, College 2)
Document Analysis
financial and work force experience that served
as both motivation and encouragement for
pursuing a career in education, another key
goal of the CTP framework.
Field notes were collected by two SFSU
Doctoral Candidate students during the
Chemistry lecture and student led module
portion of the STEM Summer Institute. Both
researchers noted the rigor of the academic
content and encourage and investment from
the instructor that fostered the growth of
participating students. This was reflected in the
highest reported grades of the three courses
under evaluation during the STEM Summer
Institute. 30% of the students earned an A,
while 40% earned a B which reflects not only
academic success, but quality instruction given
only 5-20% had taken college level courses.
While the lecture and lab proved to behoove
the academic pursuits of students, the time
frame in which students were expected to
deliver the module trainings to youth were too
short for a meaningful impact. This was
demonstrated in field notes which reflected the
urgency of students to adhere to mandated
module rules, as well as in focus group data
where students requested more time to not only
complete the modules, but include time for prep
and debrief.
Introductory research yielded a promising set of
models within the CTP framework in function
and purpose that are currently running
throughout the state. These program models
include:
Linking Afterschool Employment Career
Pathways(LAECP) (2008)
Grant initiative from the California Community
College Chancellor’s Office as part of the
Career Advancement Academy (CAA). The
LAECP was formatted in a bridge semester
structure with linked coursework throughout the
program for curriculum and content cohesion.
Students were able to sample and explore a
variety of educational careers in the humanities
through afterschool work while receiving
community college credit.
Fresno Teaching Fellows (FTF) (1990)
FTF Began as a model in an effort to provide
academic assistance and enrichment to
teacher cohorts. Over 500 students are
involved in over 20 school sites in Fresno.
Students are placed in afterschool work to
enrich their educational experience and find
direct community connection to their
credentialing/teaching education. FTF relies
heavy on partnerships to support afterschool
work, and has placed an emphasis on STEM
work based on its most recent partnership with
NASA.
Urban Teaching Fellowship (UTF)
The Urban Teacher Fellowship program was,
“piloted by the South Bay Center for
Counseling in partnership with Los Angeles
Harbor College, California State University
Dominguez Hills, and a consortium of regional
afterschool program operators” (SBCC, p.1)
and is funded in part through the California
Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention
(CalGRIP) initiative. The 14 million dollar
investment in job training and education
programs initiated by Governor
Schwarzenegger in May 2007 was designed to
curb both gang involvement and gang-related
violence in targeted communities throughout
California. The UTF is designed specifically in
response to workforce instability in the after
school sector, and high barriers to entry for lowincome and minority students.
Notable UTF Outcomes:
60 students participated in 2008
100% experienced basic skills gains of at
least 3 grade levels
 95% completed after school worker training
 60% worked as teaching assistants
 52% completed an AA degree, and of that
percentage, 30 enrolled in a CSU
BA/credentialing program.
In efforts to capture perspective CTP


Student Support
Specialist Interview
(College 1, College 2)
participants from a leadership lens, a support
specialist was interviewed to shed light on the
experiences, reflections, and thoughts of
providing services to CTP students. The
interview supported the claims made by
students that support specialist did anything
within their powers to support not only their
educational efforts, but person and mental well
being. The support specialist believed in the
success of her students which was reflected
not only in words of respect and adoration but
genuine demeanor of care. Her duties ranged
from financial aid support in navigating the
FAFSA application to listening to the struggles
balancing a child and life at home amidst
midterms and the stress of assignments and
classwork. This interview supports data
collected from focus groups and surveys that
cite the role of the support specialist as integral
to the success of the CTP model for first
generation and underrepresented college
students.
Initial Analysis and Emerging Recommendations:
Community Engagement
One of the key initiatives of the CTP model was to incorporate local relevancy. While
the College 1 focus group conducted at the close of the STEM Summer Institute
alluded to a need for increased engagement, there were repeated threads of the
significance of this community based model from the voices of students throughout
collected survey materials and conversations with CTP and STEM participants allowing
for improvement while also marking it as a key motivator for participants.
The College 1 Community College focus group noted they wanted to see more
“community involvement” (CCCFG, 2012) when discussing both available resources to
the program as well as content materials incorporated into the curriculum design.
Several students noted they personally “had to bring in the community,” (CCCFG,
2012) which involved the integration of local politics and philosophy into their small
group work with students. While they validated their efforts multiple students voiced an
eagerness to further, “make it their own,” in regards to incorporating personal
testimony, experiences, and reflections into the module design which they felt limited
that option.
Despite reservations with the structure of the modules, the focus group reflected one of
the most rewarding pieces of the STEM Summer Institute was, “being involved with the
community” (CCCFG, 2012). This was echoed in the YTP survey where students
believed some of the most significant motivating factors for their participation in the
CTP program were, “having an impact on the world around me” (YTP, 2013) and
offering them an opportunity to,“…grow as an intellectual in my community” (YTP,
2013). These reflections embody the program structure to incorporate local relevancy
and community and one student noted a key learning was learning to, “work with my
youth as well as understanding how to apply my personal experience” (YTP, 2013)
which is one of the most foundational pieces in the delivery of a culturally responsive
pedagogy in a program aimed at building the capacity of Latino students.
Cohort Community and Support Structure
The most statistically significant outcome in collected survey data was the positive
response to the cohort model of the CTP program. Praise ranged from friendships
described as, “…lasting and supportive relationships with my peers” (YTP, 2013) to
motivational relationships that provided, “The on-going support and know(ing)
someone is always in your corner to help no matter what” (YTP, 2013). This positive
response is significant not only in its frequency of appearance but profound impact it
fostered in providing social support for a group of traditionally underrepresented
students whose socioeconomic environment differed as Latinos, as one student noted,
“camaraderie has been the most helpful to me. Knowing people from a similar
background are in the same situation and pursing a shared goal” (YTP, 2013).
To augment student experience within the cohort model the role of the student support
specialists was crucial to the success and experiences of students who truly felt
supported on a variety of levels. Students reported the ability to, “…talk about everyday
life and relieve stress” (YTP, 2013) and noted the support specialists, “constantly
checks in with me to make sure I am doing well at school and in my personal life”
(YTP, 2013). These strong ties delivered a unique experience for students who
invested in themselves, because someone invested in them, “my two mentors never
gave up on us, so I won’t give up on them and myself” (YTP, 2013).
Financial Benefits
In addition to student support and community engagement, the financial component
was another method in which the CTP framework directly catered to the needs of its
Latino students. In the completed CTP survey 20 of the 23 surveyed are currently
employed, 50% have been promoted, and most importantly100% applied learnings
from CTP program to their work. The overwhelming majority are currently employed in
after school settings where they positively reported not only the application of learned
content, but the interpersonal and community based perspectives the program has
encouraged them to embrace.
List of Related Presentations, Publications, Grant Applications, and Professional
Work:

Packard Youth Initiative Grant, 2013-2016, 425k (3 Years)
This purpose of this grant is to provide bilingual after school educational support
for children in the East Salinas community. The funding will provide a full time
coordinator to manage the learning center at Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary
School, in addition to providing tutoring stipends to youth enrolled in local
community colleges (Hartnell, Monterey Peninsula College) and CSU Monterey
Bay. Tutors will be provided with foundational literacy training to develop the
development skill set necessary to provide quality educational enhancement
and learning opportunities for East Salinas community youth, 95% of which are
Latino (Nielsen Claritas, 2009). This year funding cycle marks a committed
investment from the Packard Foundation to foster the educational development
of children in underrepresented communities, in addition to providing community
based employment opportunities in the educational sector for East Salinas
college students. In addition a portion of funding will be allocated to the
development and creation of a collaborative learning center that will compile
data, research, and literature applicable to youth serving agencies in the East
Salinas community to build organizational and movement capacity.

California Endowment, Youth Leadership& Development Grant 2010-2013,
350k (3 Years)
The California Endowment grant to the Cesar Chavez Library for 115,000
annually is funded through their Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Initiative.
These funds are allocated to providing employment options for youth in the
community in the education and art fields. After school employment options
range from music instruction to bilingual tutoring, but all recognize the value of
placing youth from within the neighborhood into the community in leadership
roles to motivate and inspire children and families. In addition to providing
employment opportunities that grant uplifts and recognizes the power of art and
culture through the development of a variety of indigenous and mixed media art
programs available to community youth free of cost.

CoderDojo Youth Computer Programming, 2012- 2013, 10k (1 year)
In line with recognizing the need for STEM based learning, the Salinas Public
Library wrote and received funding from the Pacific Library Partnership (PLP) to
provide credentialed educators in the computer science field to teach after
school and weekend digital courses to youth ages 8 and older. Instructors are
bilingual, from the local community college Hartnell and represent not only the
offering of a new professional skillset and digital literacy, but culturally reflective
opportunities for young women and men in the community wishing to pursue a
STEM based education.

2012 LULAC Youth Leadership Scholarship Awards, Keynote “Higher Education
for Latinos” (December 2012)

2012 California Peace Award, Carissa Purnell
“efforts have helped educate the community on powerful methods which
promote healthy and safe neighborhoods. Those who participate in Ms.
Purnell’s programs have the opportunity to learn about leadership, social justice,
and why education matters for the improvement and quality of life in their
community. Her programs not only promote peace, but emphasize education,
proving knowledge to be an essential tool for safe communities”
(Assemblymember Luis Alejo, August 2012)

Cultural Responsiveness, AmeriCorps Tutor Development (March 2013)
In hopes to develop a more culturally sensitive tutor workforce, AmeriCorps
reached out to the Building Healthy Communities East Salinas team to design a
training on the community and cultural responsiveness as a potential educator. In
addition to a lecture on framing culturally responsive pedagogical practices in the
local context of serving Latino students, a round table was held inviting local
Latino and ESL students to share their perspectives and experiences with future
teachers and educators in the AmeriCorps program.
Selected References:
Campaign for College Opportunity. (2012). Latinos and higher education. California
profile March 2012.
Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning. (2010) Who will be left to teach? Pink
slips+ retirements= Empty classrooms. Santa Cruz.
Children Now. (2010). After school policy brief: Teachers to high-need schools a career
pathway that builds on California’s Afterschool infrastructure.
Cobb, Paul. (2005). Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice. Second
Edition. Teachers College Columbia University. Danvers, MA.
Darling-Hammond, L., French, J., Garcia-Lopez, S. (2002). Learning to Teach for
Social Justice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Duncan-Andrade, J. & Morrell, E. (2008). The art of critical pedagogy. New York: Peter
Lang.
Duncan- Andrade, J. (2009). Note to Educators: Hope required when growing roses in
concrete. Harvard Educational Review. 79(2) (pp. 181- 194).
Freire, P. (1970/2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Gándara, P., Contreras, F. (2009). The Latino education crisis: The consequences of
failed social policies. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Giroux, H. (1989). Critical pedagogy, the state, and cultural struggle. New York: SUNY.
Gonzales, R. 2007. Wasted talent and broken dreams: The lost potential of
undocumented students. Immigration Policy: In focus 5: 1–11.
Henderson, B., Gabriner, B. (2012). Evaluation of the California Teacher Pathway
(CTP) Projects in Connection with the California State University Doctorates in
Educational Leadership. Final Report to the Packard Foundation.
Lopez, M. (2009). Latinos and education: Explaining the attainment gap. PEW
Hispanic Center. Washington DC.
Maslow, A. (1943) A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review 50(4).
McKinsey and Company, Social Services Office. (2009) “The Economic Impact of the
Achievement Gap in America’s Schools.”
Perez, P. A. (2010). College Choice Process of Latino Undocumented Students:
Implications for Recruitment and Retention. Journal Of College Admission, (206),
21-25.
Purnell, C. (2011). Packard-CSU Ed.D. Fellowship California Teacher Pathway (CTP)
Progress Report 1.
Purnell, C. (2012). Packard-CSU Ed.D. Fellowship California Teacher Pathway (CTP)
Progress Report 2.
South Bay Center for Community Development. (2011). Urban Teacher Fellowship:
Afterschool Program to Credentialed Teaching Career Pathways as a Support for
Increased Teacher Effectiveness. Los Angeles: SBCC.
UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access University of California All
Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity. (2007). Latino Educational
Opportunity Report.
Walters, D. (2012). New report finds low college attendance by California Latinos.
Sacramento Bee.