Carnegie Schools for a New Society: Reflections on a National, Districtwide High School Reform Initiative
ROCHELLE NICHOLS-SOLOMON & MICHELLE FEISTAcademy for Educational Development
High Schools for the Future:Lessons From Reforming SchoolsJanuary 20, 2006Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA
Schools for a New Society (SNS)Carnegie Corporation’s largest initiative
• Additional funds from the Gates Foundation• $60 million to be spent in 7 cities over 5 years• $1-to-$1 local match for grant
Seven medium to large cities to redesign their high school systems• Both high school reform and district reform• Grants to lead partner organizations
Additional funds support • a learning network among the cities • individual site consultation services
GOALS OF SNS INITIATIVE
Reinvent high school experience for more than 140,000 students in more than 100 schools, by high school restructuring and district redesign that supports success for all students
•Competent in academic skills and knowledge
•College-ready
•Confident in their abilities
•Empowered to take on challenges
•Ready to become active members and leaders of their communities
Student Success:
SOURCES OF CONCERN
• Society and economy have changed, but most high schools remain the same
• Shift from sorting standards by race and class to helping all students achieve high standards
• Provide equitable opportunity for learning: Equity = Supports tailored to meet student needs
• Distributed leadership and partnership is essential
• Districts must be reformed along with schools
SNS SITES
Worcester San Diego Sacramento Providence Houston Hamilton County/Chattanooga Boston
SNS CORE PARTNERS
•Clark University, Hiatt Center for Urban Education (Worcester)
•American Institute for Research (formerly New American Schools) (San Diego)
•LEED Sacramento (Linking Education and Economic Development)
•Rhode Island Children’s Crusade (Providence)
•Houston A+ Challenge
•Public Education Foundation of Hamilton County (Chattanooga)
•Boston Plan for Excellence in Public Schools, also:
Jobs for the Future
Boston Private Industry Council
Center for Collaborative Education
TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAM
Academy for Educational Development
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Institute for Education and Social Policy at NYU
Collaborative Communications Group
SNS FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
WORKING PARNTERSHIP
Create and grow conditions and the resources needed to obtain educational excellence and equity for all students, including:
• Shared accountability for high schools• Expanded number of unique and creative resources
to support the educational process• Political will required to sustain change in the face
of the inevitable conflicts and resistance that is part of major reform work
PORTFOLIO OF EXCELLENT SCHOOLS
SNS advocates for systems of high schools with diverseorganizational formats, educational approached and
governance systems
A full portfolio of high quality schools may be:• Small schools• Schools restructured into small learning
communities (SLCs)• Charter schools• Schools operated by community-based organizations
under contract with district• Other innovative formats • Strategy for creating that system uses choice as a central
lever in a district change process
PORTFOLIO OF EXCELLENT SCHOOLS
Two essential elements of Portfolio of Schools:
• Clear focus that drives instruction
• Same high expectations for students’ learning
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Research demonstrates that young people who are engaged emotionally, cognitively and behaviorally intheir education are less likely to show signs of alienation, and that such engagement increases their connectedness to school.
In a model district, young people will be engaged in: their own learning their peers’ learning improving educational outcomes to the community
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
DISTRICT REDESIGN
SNS calls for a drastic redesign of urban school districts
Districts need to serve three essential functions: Provide schools, students and educators with needed
supports and timely interventions Ensure that schools have the power and the resources to
make good decisions Make decisions and hold people throughout the system
accountable by using indicators of school and district performance and practice
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DEMAND & SUPPORT
For systemic reform initiatives such as SNS, public engagement serves to:
Contribute to improving design and implementation, by tapping the ideas and expertise of parents, citizens and community constituencies
Help build a permanent constituency for the reform Strengthen the legitimacy of the reform Contributes to public participation in public education,
and thus: Maximizes the potential for democratic action
CHALLENGES
• Implementing student and community engagement• Penetrating the instructional core• Providing differentiated supports for adults and students• Reach: raising the bar while closing the achievement gap• Sustaining work through transitions in leadership
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Sustaining work through transitions in leadership• Evolution of the working partnership• Active use of data• Development of new “tables” and structures• Changes in values and beliefs• Increased coherence• Constellation of constituencies• Rethinking how resources are mobilized and deployed • Willingness and ability to be critical• Strong leadership
WHAT MATTERS:
•Equity and Excellence
•District Transformation
•Small Learning Environments
•Focus on Instruction
•Community Support and Accountability
•Relationships
Presenters:Rochelle Nichols-Solomon Director Schools for a New Society Technical Assistance Team at AEDAcademy for Education Development
Michelle FeistDeputy DirectorSchools for a New Society Technical Assistance Team at AEDAcademy for Education Development
For more information, contact: Rochelle Nichols-Solomon [email protected]