Breaking the Poverty Barrier: Changing Student Lives With Passion, Perseverance, and Performance, July/2011

Strong leadership, parent involvement, mentoring, data-based intervention, and high expectations are known factors in student success. But what do they really look like in practice—and are they as powerful as research says? Breaking the Poverty Barrier illustrates the specific strategies and critical steps that transformed a school beset with poverty and shockingly low proficiency into a National Showcase School.

More than just an inspirational tale, this book serves to outline the measurable results that any school is capable of with the right attitude and work ethic. In LeBlanc-Esparaza’s own school, he entered at a time where the percentage of incoming freshmen who met state standards was 2% in reading, 2% in writing, and 1% in math. By the time he left, the percentage of sophomores meeting standards rose to 77% in reading, 67% in writing, and 31% in math. If these numbers seem promising, wait until you start to see your own statistics begin to rise.

About The Authors:
Ricardo LeBlanc-Esparza is a change coach with 29 years of experience in high-poverty schools. Ricardo has also been an alternative high school principal, a high school principal, an assistant principal, an athletic director, a teacher, and a coach.

When Ricardo served as principal of Granger High in the state of Washington, the school had a 30 percent graduation rate and the community had the highest reported crime rate in the region. By developing a team approach which involved parents, students, educators, and the community working toward a common goal, he helped Granger High achieve a 90 percent graduation rate and the crime rate in the community decreased.

Ricardo was named 2007, 2005, and 2002 Principal of the Year, 1996 Athletic Director of the Year, and 1990 Coach of the Year. He has given dozens of presentations and has written for numerous educational publications.

Ricardo earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Central Washington University.

William S. Roulston is a consultant, researcher, and author. He focuses on helping schools replicate the success of the turnaround at Granger High School, a high-poverty public school that improved from a 38 percent graduation rate to 90 percent. Will works with schools and nonprofits to set up effective intervention programs for struggling adolescent readers. He also researches best instructional and institutional practices for these learners.

Will developed the literacy program for Granger and was a reading teacher and staff development leader in instruction. His experience includes 10 years as a classroom teacher, and he served as writing improvement director for one district and designed the first ESOL program for a reservation school experiencing an influx of migrant workers.

As a consultant, Will worked for years as a curriculum generalist in migrant education in Washington State, helping 30 school districts become more effective with English language learners who were also impacted by issues of poverty, mobility, family illiteracy, and cultural differences. He has spoken extensively at conferences and has been an advisor on statewide committees in developing standards in reading and writing. Will formed a nonprofit reading foundation to research and disseminate effective practices in 6–12 reading instruction.

He is director and producer of the film DreamRiders, an award-winning documentary that appeared on the Travel Channel. He is a fellow of the National Writing Project.

Will earned a bachelor’s degree at Washington State University.