On Personalizing Learning and Reculturing Teaching in Large High School Conversions to Small Schools

Abstract

Despite repeated evidence of successful change efforts in K-8 schools over the nearly three decades since the dawn of the standards era, the literature on school reform and change is fairly clear – high schools remain a kind of “holy grail” for education reformers. Graduation statistics suggest that American high schools fail to grant diplomas to a high percentage of students entering school as ninth or tenth graders. In many locales, 30–40% or more do not graduate on time; too often, these students drop out early in the experience. Other schools, particularly those located in urban centers, realize even lower student success rates.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Nature of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grants to Study Schools

District Grants. One of the schools included in the study was part of a Gates model district grant. These were awarded to increase the capacity of 11 Washington school districts and all their schools to improve academic achievement, infuse technology into the learning environment, increase professional development opportunities, and strengthen home and community partnerships. A major focus of these 5-year grants, which were awarded beginning in spring 2000, was to change district operations in ways that more clearly supported school-level work. District grant guidelines were not explicit about the foundation’s expectations for small schools or conversions.

School Grants. One of the schools in this study received a model school grant, designed to support schools in developing a common focus, high expectations, data-driven decisions, and time for teachers to collaborate – in service of helping all students achieve at higher levels. Over 50 elementary, middle, and high schools received 3-year grants beginning in 2001 to create and implement new designs.

Achiever Grants. The remaining four study schools received Achievers 5-year grants beginning in 2001 designed to support school redesign within 16 Washington State high schools serving large populations of low-income students. The program’s $100 million in resources were focused on improving college access for low-income students and combined academic readiness with scholarship opportunities over a 10-year period. High-achieving students from low-income families were eligible to compete for one of five hundred Achievers scholarships given annually to graduates of Achiever high schools. Students receiving the Achievers scholarship were supported with a 4-year full ride to a state college or university.

Appendix 2: The Schools

Elm is one of six small schools in a rural high school complex that was part of a district-wide grant from the Gates Foundation. At the time of the redesign effort, the large comprehensive high school that gave birth to Elm housed 1,650 students, almost all Caucasian, and was the only high school in the district. About 46% of the student body passed three sections (reading, writing, and math) of the state standardized test in 2005 and 12.9% qualified for free or reduced-price meals.

Elm serves approximately 315 students and has a staff of 14 teachers, including two teacher-leaders. The student population is over 75% male, possibly due to a strong focus on hands-on projects involving technology, math, and science. The school and district administrative leadership has remained constant since the grant was awarded.

Alder is one of five small schools in a comprehensive high school complex that received a school grant from the Gates Foundation. At the time of the redesign effort, the large comprehensive high school in this suburban district out of which Alder was created housed 94 teachers and 1,700 students. The majority of students are Caucasian. Approximately 40% of the students passed three sections of the state test in 2005 and 20% qualified for free or reduced-price meals.

Alder has approximately 320 students and 15 teachers, including all three industrial technology teachers in the building. Because of this focus and the school’s vocational image, the student population was primarily male in the first year of implementation. Recruitment efforts by the female teachers evened out the student body in year two.

Chestnut is one of six small schools in an Achievers grant high school complex. The overall building housed 1,560 students at the start of the redesign effort, more than half of whom represented minority populations. Approximately 16% of the student body passed three sections of the state test in 2005 and about two-thirds qualified for free or reduced-price meals. A small group of teachers worked on the initial grant proposal. Teachers formed a leadership team to research small schools and developed an RFP process. Students helped craft and critique the small school proposals.

Chestnut serves approximately 250 students with 11 teachers. Student representatives help plan advisory and other activities, such as student recognition and field trips, through a student council. Counselors were slow to adapt to the small schools structure, though in the second year of implementation they divided students by small school rather than alphabetically.

Cedar is one of six small schools at an Achievers high school complex in a smaller suburban district. At the beginning of the redesign effort, the comprehensive high school complex was one of two high schools in the district, serving a working-class neighborhood consisting of 2,100 students, two-thirds of whom were Caucasian. Approximately 33% of the student body passed three sections of the state test in 2005 and 50% qualified for free or reduced-price meals.

Cedar has international, global studies, communications, and technology themes and serves 394 students with 17 full- or part-time teachers. Teachers have spent a year planning a major curricular program that will direct instruction for the ninth and tenth grades. It continues a program from one of the district’s middle schools, whose students Cedar would like to recruit.

Hemlock is one of three small schools at an Achievers high school complex— the only high school in an urban fringe district with a highly transient immigrant population. The comprehensive high school complex housed 750 ethnically diverse students overall. Approximately 27% of the student body passed three sections of the state test in 2005 and over half of the students qualified for free or reduced-price meals. The school has been a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools since 2000.

Hemlock has 320 students and 16 staff, including all of the building’s visual and performing arts teachers. The staffing is a reflection of the school’s intended arts focus. The longtime and supportive superintendent left the district early in the grant’s third year and was replaced with an interim. A new superintendent, serving in his first superintendency, was hired at the end of the third year. At the beginning of the grant’s fifth year, a new building principal and assistant principal were hired.

Birch is one of five small schools at an Achievers high school complex located in a large urban fringe district. The building housed a diverse student population and was one of four comprehensive high schools in the district, serving almost 1,900 students in grades 9–12 at the start of the redesign effort. This number represented a significant growth in recent years due to an influx of 1,200 new students and 36 new teachers in the fall of 2004 when the ninth grade joined the high school. Approximately 31% of the student body passed three sections of the state test in 2005 and over half of the students qualified for free or reduced-price meals. One of four new small schools redesigned out of the larger comprehensive structure, Birch serves 340 students.