Managing Fundamental Change in High School Reform Presentation by: Kathleen A. Mullin, Director Boston Public Schools Office of High School Renewal

Under Performing High Schools Key indicators: –Low achievement –Low test scores –Low attendance –High Incidents –High SPED population –High DYS population

Theory of Action Something has got to change. –small schools must, by their vary nature, be different than their predecessors, and demands that we all make adjustments and provide the conditions for these changes Small in and of itself does not make schools successful. It is what small allows: –More personalization and improved instruction –A strong focus on academics ; equal emphasis on relationships –Accountability/ownership for success or failure –Encourage stronger adult-adult, student-student, adult- student relationships –Close the achievement gap for all students

Financial Support Carnegie Corporation of New York Small Learning Communities Literacy Student Alienation Collaborative Coaching and Learning (CCL) Funds held centrally and brought to schools via literacy coaching and Student as Researcher projects. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Small Schools Technology Instructional Materials Technical Assistance Student Achievement Key Student Activities Consultancies Curriculum Funds go directly to the schools

HSR Collaborating Partners Boston Plan for Excellence Boston Private Industry Council Center for Collaborative Education Jobs for the Future

Key Elements Small Schools Autonomous Single Leader Budget Staff Students Real Estate (Portions of a building) Size (no larger than 400 students) Small Learning Communities Within a comprehensive high school May have an SLC leader Staff assigned Students assigned (9-12) Budget (?) Real Estate Size = 275 -> 400 students

SLC Policy Supt. Payzant instituted a policy: high schools to be structured into SLCs. The format was not clearly defined. SY HSR Work Group completed a study to assess how high schools were instituting the SLC policy. –There were SLCs, but no uniformity, no solid structures. –HSR Work Group made recommendations to the Supt. To change the SLC policy to mandate that all small schools be vertically aligned grade 9 – 12. Supt. presented findings and made recommendation to the Boston School Committee. School Committee voted in favor of recommendation.

SLC Policy Update By September 2005, All Boston Public High Schools will institute a vertical framework (grades 9 – 12) as one of the following models: –small schools –small learning communities

Timeline SLC Rollout Brighton English East Boston Burke Charlestown Small School Rollout SBEC DEC BIHS ACC BCLA Quincy Upper Orchard Garden New Boston Pilot Middle Community Academy Boston Day Academy WRHS/HPHS

Rollout for September 2005 SLCs Brighton English East Boston Burke Charlestown Snowden Small Schools WRHS –5 design teams competing for 4 small schools HPHS –5 design teams competing for 3 small schools

BPS Now (2005) High Schools with SLCs –Brighton –Burke –Charlestown –East Boston –English –Madison Park –Snowden Pilot High Schools –New Mission High –Boston Arts Academy –Fenway High School –Quincy Upper School –Boston Day & Evening Academy –Health Careers Academy –Greater Egleston I nternational High School –Boston International High School Exam Schools –Latin School –Latin Academy –O’Bryant Education Complexes –Dorchester Ed Complex Academy of Public Service Economics & Business Academy TechBoston Academy* –South Boston Ed Complex Excel Monument Odyssey –Taft Ed Complex Another Course to College Boston Community Leadership Academy –Hyde Park High School TBD –West Roxbury High School TBD

Graduation Policy Ungraded policy –Students who fail courses are not held back; they repeat only the courses that they fail. –Students who need more time to finish high school can take it. Alternative Ed DYS New Comers

Universe of HSR Work Create diversified strategy (portfolio) of options –Reality is that students need more options to be successful Alt Ed Small Schools Pilot SLC Identify and deploy resources for support Create harmonious partnerships Establish agreed upon indicators for success/failure Revisit indicators and assess progress

HSR Projects Policy Development/Changes –High School small school/SLC policy –Ungraded policy/Graduation policy –Alternative Ed Network –DYS –Student Assignment Over-age student analysis Small School Selection Process –SPED – SCAN/Universal Design/Partnership Design Team Coordination Study Groups – Research and Due Diligence Student Voice/BSAC

Student Voice Boston Plan for Excellence hired high school students to survey their peers. –Students as Researchers HSR has contracts with two youth voice organizations to work with schools around creating a more active student voice within schools. –Youth on Board –Teen Empowerment

Technical Support to Small Schools Design Team Coordination Building Conveners and Capacity Coaching Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) Gates grant management Program development (grants) Curriculum development (signature courses) Family and Community Engagement Professional Development –Small School Leaders –Middle Managers –Design Teams –Central Office

Small School Design Teams RFP Rubric Design Team PD Co-facilitation of team activity Align proposal review committees Make recommendation to Supt. Technical assistance for proposal writing –HSR bulletin board

Small School Development Areas of Work School Vision and Culture School Organization Curriculum and Instruction Student Assessment and Performance Special Education Family and Community Involvement Professional Culture Student Support Student Voice and Engagement Staffing Governance Structure

Networks and Affiliations National –Gates –Carnegie (Schools for a New Society) –New England Small Schools Network/CES BPS –HSR Coordinating Group –HSR Work Group –Boston Small Schools Network –Small School Leaders –Pilot School Network –Alternative Ed Network –Community Engagement Work Group