Spotlight on NPR, Inc. Author, Dr. Angel Barrett
Almost exactly two years ago, an article published in the Los Angeles Times caught our attention here at NPR, Inc. The article, entitled “Where poor students soar: What works at a school dealing with poverty and a lack of English fluency? Tough love, hard work and a laser focus on achievement,” looked at Plummer Elementary School in North Hills (Los Angeles County, CA), where 90 percent of student body consists of students in poverty, and two-thirds of students are English language learners. Over the course of four years, the school’s Academic Performance Index score had risen more than 200 points, making it one of the district’s highest-scoring elementary schools. The article’s author, Sandy Banks, pointed to the strong leadership of the school’s principal, Dr. Angel Barrett, as a crucial factor in its turn-around success. Barrett cultivated a culture of high expectations and maintained “a laser focus on student achievement,” the key to which was data. “We are a data-driven campus,” Barrett was quoted as saying. “We look at everything,” (from discipline reports to test scores) “to make sure we’re working hard on the right things.”
Impressed with what we read, we proceeded to search google for more information on Dr. Angel Barrett. Our search turned up additional positive media coverage that offered greater insight into the secrets of her success. For example, we learned that, in addition to rigorously focusing on data as a means of improving instruction, Barrett also made a priority of increasing parent involvement and promoting student responsibility and accountability through community service programs and student-led conferences. Above all, “Everything is about the children.”
It seemed only fitting that Barrett was named the National Distinguished Principal for California in 2009, in addition to receiving other honors for her work. It also seemed to us that she would be a perfect person for National Professional Resources to contact about developing resources for school leaders working in high poverty districts. We could not have been more thrilled when she agreed to author the laminated guide RTI and Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Students. In this easy-access, six-page (tri-fold) laminated guide, Barrett presents a range of evidence-based Tier 1 and Tier 2 Response To Intervention (RTI) strategies that are targeted to address the educational needs of students in poverty and help them achieve core standards. The guide also provides teachers and school administrators with strategies for increasing parent engagement and supporting a college and career-ready environment.
Last year, after 15 years at Plummer Elementary School, Barrett assumed the role of lead instructional director in LAUSD’s Innovation and Intensive Support Instructional Service Center (ISIC). In this capacity, she works with over 100 innovative schools that include alternative governance and partnerships, and nurtures schools that historically have not been successful within traditional educational operations. Recent high profile projects include overseeing the restart of 24th Street Elementary School after a successful petition by parents to enact major changes at their low-performing school via the parent-trigger process.
These days, Angel Barrett is on the move—quite literally. In October she was in Albuquerque, NM for a presentation to the Council of Great City Schools. On November 1 she was in Los Angeles to receive the 24th Annual Distinguished Educators Award, a prestigious honor that recognizes the professional achievements of highly accomplished educational leaders. This week she is in San Jose, where she is making three presentations at the ASCA leadership summit, immediately followed by a presentation in San Francisco at the Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum.
Back here on the east coast at National Professional Resources, we remain in frequent contact with Angel and are looking forward to moving ahead on one of the many projects we have discussed pursuing with her in the near future. In the meantime, we invite you to check out her guide, RTI and Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Youth, on our website, and stay tuned to our blog and new product feed, and to Angel’s author page for updates on her activities, awards and projects.
Tags: Angel Barrett, author, Education Reform, ELLs, laminated guide, students in poverty
