AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

Five years ago, the author began a second career as a teacher in a small Wyoming town with a diverse student population. The beginning of her career coincided with a change in the demographics to include a large number of English Language Learners (ELs) and the imposition of sanctions from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) for being a failing school. The author collected, analyzed, and used summative and formative data in an effort to differentiate for all students. She went on home visits to build trust in the local community, co-planned and participated in work teams to further local curriculum, and conducted multiple rounds of extensive action research projects. False starts, circular paths, crushed dreams, and just plain exhaustion led to the development of a seed idea and the journey that follows, a yearlong project-based thesis, exploring how one classroom teacher could harness the power of an engaged community to supplement curriculum, motivate students, and instill a joy of learning. The focus of this thesis was derived from the following question: How might a community partnership of diverse agencies and leaders focused on education to foment radical change in public education, be founded and flourish?