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DKG Practice/Program

DKGIEF Grant to the Rescue

By Kimberly Daugherty

I am an educator who loves working with challenging students in low-income
areas. As such, in 2019, I began my work with a can-do attitude at a newly opened
Kansas middle school. As one part-time interventionist, I was tasked with assisting
students in reaching grade-level proficiency in math.
Our school district, with a 63% graduation rate, had notoriety across the state
for poor performance. It was and is a challenging environment for educators, most
of whom look for work in districts that have more funding and less challenging
students. Because of this, the district often has first-year teachers and very high
turnover rates for seasoned educators.
But educators are ultimately resourceful, and meeting challenges is what DKG
members do. Our Society provides many exceptional opportunities for assistance,
as this article illustrates.

The School and Students’ Background
At the time that the DKG opportunities described here were mined, the middle
school student body (800 students in Grades 6–8) consisted of many different
backgrounds and cultures: 45% Hispanic/Latino students, 37% Black or African
American students, and 18% Asian and non-Hispanic
students. All qualified for free or reduced-price meals because
of low income.
The diversity was significant. Many students spoke little
to no English. Some students had only attended school in
one-room schoolhouses taught by missionaries. Students were
starved for adult interaction. I worked with students whose
only promised meals came from the school cafeteria and with
students who went home from school and provided childcare
for younger siblings so that their parents could work their
second-shift jobs.
In 2019, state testing showed 13% of students as proficient in math at grade
level, with 15% of students proficient in language arts. The lowest performing
students in math were those in Grade 7: In total, only 3% of these students had
tested as proficient going into their Grade 7 school year.
Most concerning was that, by the end of the first quarter, our middle school
had set a record. Our 800 students had more than 547 office referrals for behavior
concerns that quarter. This was the largest referral rate in the district.
Students’ and Teachers’ Needs

As a math interventionist, I was tasked with tutoring 476 students testing
below grade-level standards in math. I hold a master’s degree and have taught for
nearly 20 years. Luckily, I am not the primary earner in my household because this
position paid roughly $13 an hour without benefits. I could have said no and looked
for a teaching opportunity somewhere else, but, as I said, I love a challenge.
I joined the team with a positive attitude and real delight at the idea that

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