Driving School Excellence for Minnesota’s Twin Cities Urban Catholic Schools.

In collaboration with the GHR Foundation and Minnesota Comeback, Dr. Fernandez is supporting evaluation efforts to strengthen urban catholic schools in Minnesota’s twin cities by integrating data analysis from periodic assessment into ongoing school improvements. Two overarching goals direct our research and analysis efforts: 1) Identify and work to close the student achievement gap in Catholic schools in Minneapolis, and 2) Promote best practices in data collection, assessment and use within schools. Analysis of assessment data focuses on the extent to which students are performing at or above grade level to identify areas of celebration and areas to focus instructional supports. More specifically, we examine how students are performing, which grade levels/subjects are strongest, whether achievement gaps exist, if students are demonstrating growth, and where teachers should focus instruction.

Fayetteville State University Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (FSU-GEAR UP).

As program evaluator for FSU-GEAR UP, Dr. Fernandez is studying the implementation and associated impacts of academic coaching, college mentoring, and socioemotional learning and development on low-income students. Research and evaluation efforts focus on conducting a needs assessment, documenting the extent to which services and supports are implemented, measuring the extent to which schools adopt a college-going culture, and identifying program effect on student outcomes.

Girls Math Identity in Stem

While there has been significant progress in closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math (also known as STEM), women are still underrepresented in STEM education and careers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women make up 48 percent of the U.S. workforce but just 24 percent of STEM workers. Within STEM, the largest number of new jobs are in the Computer Science and Mathematics field. However, the gender gap in Computer Science and Mathematics careers has actually increased rather than decreased, with female representation decreasing since 2000. To address these concerns Dr. Fernandez is conducting a systematic literature review that focuses on Girls’ Math Identity (i.e., girls’ belief and dispositions towards math). This search will examine the link between girl’s math identity and academic achievement in STEM, the relationship between math identity and persistence and engagement in STEM, and the key mechanisms and characteristics that foster girls’ math identity. A copy of the systematic review protocol can be found here.