high school leadership summit transforming high schools linda clarke executive director houston a+...
TRANSCRIPT
High School Leadership Summit
Transforming High Schools
Linda Clarke Executive Director
Houston A+ Challenge
October 8, 2003
Archived Information
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 2
Project Partners Houston Schools for a New Society
Carnegie Corporation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Houston A+ Challenge Houston ISD
Regional Initiative Five Houston metro area school districts
• Aldine ISD• Alief ISD• Houston ISD• Humble ISD• Spring Branch ISD
Houston A+ Challenge
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 3
Key Elements
Reconstruct large, comprehensive, traditional high schools into small, personalized learning communities
Develop and implement new small high schools
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 4
Large Schools Regroup into small, semi-autonomous,
theme-based academies with no more than 300 students each
Examples• Fine Arts, Business and Technology,
Health Science Technology, Industrial and Engineering Technology, Magnet Technology
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 5
Large Schools (cont.) Add adult advocate for each student for
academic and social support from 9th grade through graduation Examples
• Meet 35 minutes per week one-on-one with students• Multi-grade advisory groups that allow teachers to
keep the same group of students for four years regardless of retention or change in grade status
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 6
Large Schools (cont.) Teacher professional development that
improves the quality of instruction Teachers identify need Small group delivery model 90-minute weekly meeting outside of
instructional time • Examples
• CO-Nect• Kagan Cooperative Learning• All teachers gifted/talented certified
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 7
Large Schools (cont.) Develop teachers as leaders
Teacher-led action teams American Leadership Forum
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 8
Large Schools (cont.) Literacy instruction is embedded in all
core subjects Literacy coach
• Work with content teachers in the classroom Each core-subject department outlines
strategies to identify and address areas of weakness
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 9
Large Schools (cont.) Curriculum is aligned, rigorous and based
on standards essential for successful entry into college or the workplace
Curriculum provides authentic, real-world experiences Example
• Service Learning
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 10
Large Schools (cont.) Internships for students Externships for teachers
• Faculty shadow professionals in businesses related to their academy
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 11
Large Schools (cont.) Each school develops a school-wide,
systemic set of interventions for one-on-one student remediation Students' strengths and weaknesses are pinpointed
with data Teachers focus on problem areas Academy structure allows teachers to quickly address
issues: struggling academics, excessive tardies & absences, behavior
Utilize community programs• Communities in Schools
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 12
Large Schools (cont.) All teachers belong to professional
learning communities that regularly meet to examine student work, then analyze how to alter curriculum and instruction to improve student achievement Example
• Critical Friends Group protocols
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 13
Large Schools (cont.) Community involvement
Parent academies Town hall forums Community advisory councils Free media Business oversight committee Community based organizations
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 14
Status As of fall 2003, 18 of 24
comprehensive HISD high schools have begun restructuring
11 regional high schools begun restructuring
6 more HISD schools expected to begin in fall 2004
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 15
Model Reagan HS
Process model for large school transformation in Houston
Met Adequate Yearly Progress for NCLB Achieved significant student progress Began work in 1999
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 16
New Small Schools Open three early college high
schools by 2005 Five-year program Housed on community college campus Students graduate with a high school
degree and two-year college degree
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 17
New Small Schools (cont.) Schools limited to 400 students Service Learning Authentic assessment Adult advocate
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 18
New Small Schools (cont.) Use time differently
Students complete curriculum at own pace Start classes one hour later on Mondays
• Teachers use hour for peer-group meeting to assess students’ progress
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 19
New Small Schools (cont.) Personalized academic plan for each
student• Tutoring/mentoring• One day week students chose content-
teacher to visit for one-on-one instruction in the morning
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 20
New Small Schools (cont.) Students take ownership
• Design extracurricular clubs• Outdoor chess• Gamesters• Rap band
• Voice in other decision making
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 21
New Small Schools (cont.) Teachers certified in content area Teachers have masters degree
• Will become adjunct professors at community college
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Status First early college opened fall 2003
by Houston Community College, Houston ISD and Houston A+ Challenge
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 23
Design Comprehensive, three-pronged
approach Restructure schools Align district to new work Engage community
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 24
Leadership New Visions in Leadership Academy
All principals (new schools and large schools) participate
District superintendents (five districts)
October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 25
Accountability Peer Review by community State of Texas standards No Child Left Behind