Journal of a Black Teacher

By Don Allen (Editorial Opinion) - Journal of A Black Teacher (2024) In education, data speaks volumes, yet it’s often met with silence. Teachers, administrators, and policymakers stand at a crossroads when using data to drive decisions. Schools are rich in one crucial resource: children. The talent we have in our students is immeasurable. They are our society's future thinkers, creators, and leaders, and we are fortunate to be surrounded by this talent daily. But what happens when school sites and districts don’t listen to the data, refusing to acknowledge where the challenges lie? How can we possibly nurture this talent if we don’t understand the obstacles in their way? This article explores the consequences of neglecting data and how the lack of collective determination in favor of individual agendas stifles growth and progress. Despite the immense talent within our classrooms and the available resources — human capital, expertise, and technology — our schools still struggle. Th

  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT - Entry: J ournal of a Black Teacher May 26, 2023 Today, I am frustrated.      I’ve worked for the last seven years to understand the data-driven defeat of some of our most reputable educational institutions. When I write ‘defeat,’ it does not mean the system is not functioning at some level; you have buses, students, passing bells, teachers, social workers, counselors, administrators, and such with an output that might not meet the core ethics of society’s expectations for a well-rounded education system (creating Minnesota’s Best Workforce ). I could be wrong. Maybe people don’t care? I don’t hold any of the power; if I did, the conversation would look different. To be honest, I do not understand the current rules about being just fine with less and inefficient with what you have. Processing the Twin Cities' educational information for understanding and critique is very different from simply blaming the school systems for the recent uptick in teenage

  Written by Don Allen, M.A. Ed. /MAT Economically Disadvantaged Students K-12  According to a study done economically disadvantaged students are the ones that mostly belong to a household that meets the income standards for free or reduced-price meals. This is because they live in poverty. This information about the economic status of individual students has been a result of county data on scholarship information and post-secondary options information. Economically disadvantaged children have a hard time succeeding in school. Most of the students in this state tend to drop out of school and choose a low-paying job because it is hard for them to keep up with their well-off peers. They become a center of ridicule because they cannot be able to afford to dress in fashionable clothes or even pay a fee for an educational trip (Thompson).  There are various reasons as to why there are economically challenged students, first is the income status. Poverty either situational or generational ma