High Schools That Work 1 Lessons Learned from a Decade of Career Academy Development Scott Warren SREB

High Schools That Work 2 Scott Warren Former Math Teacher and Coach Assistant Principal and Principal Band Booster Club President Current Director of State Initiatives What I know! Career Academies/Career Pathways create purpose- driven students Purpose driven student put forth more effort! Career Academies put schools ahead of the new accountability trends

High Schools That Work 3 HSTW Career-Themed Academies Key Elements Semi-autonomous 300 – 500 Students Academic and career pathways in each - multiple career pathways in broad theme Pathway or pocket academy option BEGINS with business and postsecondary partners Common planning time for teachers Leader with primary focus on instruction NOT A SORTING MECHANISM

High Schools That Work 4 Additional Elements Solid Academic Core The math issue ASES program Rigor Extra Help Transition Senior Readiness C4C Program Engaging instruction (PBL, LDC, MDC)

High Schools That Work 5 Where did the lessons come from? First Career-focused SLC Development – 2004 (NYC, Georgia, SC and Texas) Set of common issues List adapted over past decade

High Schools That Work 6 SREB Tools for Schools HSTW Academy Rubric (Excerpt) HSTW Academy Blueprint Scheduling in Academies Counseling for Careers Program Instructional Tools LDC MDC PBL Teach 2 Lead

High Schools That Work 7 Before we start! A school improvement lesson: Most school improvement efforts work when implemented well. The problem is not with the initiative – it is typically with the implementation The advisement example.

High Schools That Work 8 Lesson #1: Start with a Square Dance! Grab your partners Workforce Data Business/Industry partners Postsecondary partners

High Schools That Work 9 Pause and Reflect Find an elbow partner! Where are you on this lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 10 Lesson #2: Go Big or Go Home All at one time may actually work easier Eliminates perceptions of favoritism Forces everybody to change so negative attitudes do not have time to grow Involves all Future years are spent focusing on quality

High Schools That Work 11 Pause and Reflect Find an elbow partner! Where are you on this lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 12 Lesson #3: Stay on the TRACKS – Train that is! Dual rails Academy development Instruction Focus on Instruction Literacy PBL Rigor of Assignments/ Assessments

High Schools That Work 13 Pause and Reflect Find an elbow partner! Where are you on this lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 14 Lesson #4: Turf Battles Will Come Have a plan Teacher rooms Teacher rooms Guidance areas Guidance areas Administrator roles Administrator roles Department heads Department heads Special needs Special needs

High Schools That Work 15 Key Point Change is like loss – if you change a teacher’s classroom, they will go through the grief process because they are LOSING something. Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance

High Schools That Work 16 Lesson #5: Talk is Cheap – But It is Essential Communicate throughout the process. Academy Leadership Team is key Frequent updates with answers to “Why?” Remember: Knowledge is power; spread the power.

High Schools That Work 17 Pause and Reflect Lessons 4 and 5 Find an elbow partner! Where are you on these lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 18 Lesson #6: Too Many Chefs in the Kitchen Schools tend to think about the changes for students and teachers, but ignore the changes in leadership. Changing role of the principal Instructional leaders in each academy Role of the assistant principals Role of guidance counselors

High Schools That Work 19 New Leadership Roles Academy Lead Teacher Critical to improving achievement/increasing rigor Part of the school’s overall leadership team

High Schools That Work 20 Successful Academy Lead Teachers … Can get other teachers to follow them Are considered master teachers Take ordinary students and inspire them to achieve at extraordinary levels Can facilitate discussions around improving achievement

High Schools That Work 21 Lesson #7: Teaching – the Oldest Profession Done in Isolation Common planning time is essential to the success. Daily is ideal – don’t let ideal be the enemy of better Collaboration by invitation does not work – Leaders need to establish expectations

High Schools That Work 22 Focus on Improving Instruction Evolution of Common Planning Start with products Academy Resume Calendars Awards ceremonies Focus shifts to students Struggling students Support programs Get to instruction Without a focus on instruction, academies development mirrors shuffling chairs on the Titanic.

High Schools That Work 23 Pause and Reflect Lessons 6 and 7 Find an elbow partner! Where are you on these lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 24 Lesson #8: I’ll Take the Same as My Girlfriend! Students will not make good choices about the SLCs unless given strong assistance Students will not make good choices about the SLCs unless given strong assistance Involve partners Involve partners Involve parents Involve parents Involve teachers Involve teachers Use interest inventories Use interest inventories Process to change Process to change

High Schools That Work 25 The Problem Educating parents, teachers and even counselors on pathways to success. kVs kVs

High Schools That Work 26 Pause and Reflect Find an elbow partner! Where are you on this lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 27 Lesson #9: The 9 th Grade Challenge Academically graduate (promote) every 9 th Grade student Teach Habits of Success Increase time for literacy and math Do not eliminate CT and Fine Arts Link with middle school teachers Accelerate – don’t remediate Do not create a new transition

High Schools That Work 28 Pause and Reflect Find an elbow partner! Where are you on this lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

High Schools That Work 29 Lesson #10: Have a Plan for Special Programs Develop specific plans to deal with special programs. Foreign language Fine arts (Even if an SLC) Special needs students

High Schools That Work 30 Questions about the Lessons? Lessons from others?

High Schools That Work 31 Key Point in Addressing the Lessons Learned: Leaders Must Use the Change Process Establish a need for change among those who must change Create a vision for what the change will create Involve faculty in developing a plan for the change – The Loose/Tight Issue Implement the plan Evaluate progress and make adjustments

High Schools That Work 32 Final Thought All teachers and all schools want to improve. However, few want to change. The fact remains, that to improve, one must CHANGE. Thank you Scott Warren –