K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I N N O Vat I O N S I N E D U Cat I O N

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

K–8 Charter Schools Closing the Achievement Gap Innovations in Education

K–8 Charter Schools Closing the Achievement Gap

Innovations in Education

Prepared by WestEd

For

U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement

2007 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. ED-01-CO-0012, Task Order D010, with WestEd. Sharon Kinney Horn served as the contracting officer’s representative. The content of this report does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations imply endorsements by the U.S. government. This publication also contains URLs for information created and maintained by private organizations. This information is provided for the reader’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education is not responsible for controlling or guaranteeing the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of information or URL does not reflect the importance of the organization, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered.

U.S. Department of Education Margaret Spellings Secretary

Office of Innovation and Improvement Morgan Brown Assistant Deputy Secretary Office of Parental Options and Information John Fiegel Director

September 2007

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap, Washington, D.C., 2007.

To order copies of the Innovations in Education K-8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap (order number-ED003767P), write to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398; or fax your request to: 301-470-1244; or e-mail your request to: [email protected]; or call in your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). Those who use a telecommuni- cations device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY), should call 1-877-576-7734. If 877 service is not yet available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA-LEARN; TTY: 1-800-437-0833); or order online at: http://www.edpubs.ed.gov.

This report is also available on the Department’s Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/charterk-8/index.html.

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0852 or 202-260-0818. Contents

Foreword v

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1 The Role of Charter Schools in Closing the Gap (2) The Charter Schools Featured in This Guide (4)

Part I: K–8 Charter Schools Closing the Achievement Gap: Common Themes 7 Closing the Achievement Gap (7) Common Factors Among All Schools (11) Conclusion (31)

Part II: Profiles of Charter Schools Highlighted in Part I 35 Alain Locke Charter Academy (37) Amigos Por Vida—Friends for Life Public Charter School (43) Amistad Academy (49) Carl C. Icahn Charter School (57) Cesar Chavez Academy (63) The Intergenerational School (69) Pan-American Elementary Charter School (75)

Appendix A. Research Methodology 81

Appendix B. Resources 85

Notes 87

iii K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

IIlustrations

FIGURES

1. Pan-American Elementary Charter School: Mission Statement 13

2. The Intergenerational School’s Core Values (Excerpted from TIS’s 2004–05 Annual Report) 14

3. The Intergenerational School’s Form for Referral to Principal for Student Misconduct 16

4. Cesar Chavez Academy Flow Chart for Identifying Appropriate Student Supports 17

5. The Intergenerational School Reading Assessment Plan 19

6. Cesar Chavez Academy Monthly Syllabus for Grades 3, 4, and 5 (Example) 21

7. Alain Locke Charter Academy Sample First-grade Homework Assignment Sheet 22

8. Carl C. Icahn Charter School Parent Satisfaction Survey (Excerpt) 23

9. Amistad Academy School-Student-Parent Contract 25

10. Carl C. Icahn Charter School Teacher Consultant Log (Excerpt) 29

11. Amigos Por Vida Charter School: Teacher Report Card (Excerpt) 30

12. Percentage of Alain Locke Students Meeting or Exceeding Standards on 2005–06 ISAT Reading and Mathematics 42

13. Percentage of APV Students Who Met Standards on 2005–06 TAKS Reading (First Administration) and Mathematics 48

14. Percentage of Carl C. Icahn Students Scoring Proficient and Above on 2006 NYSTP English Language Arts 62

15. Percentage of Carl C. Icahn Students Scoring Proficient and Above on 2006 NYSTP Mathematics 62

16. Percentage of CCA Students Scoring Proficient and Above on 2005–06 CSAP Reading, Writing, and Mathematics 68

17. Percentage of TIS Students Scoring Proficient or Higher on 2005–06 OAT Reading and Mathematics 74

18. Percentage of PAES Students Meeting or Exceeding Proficiency on 2005–06 AIMS Reading 79

19. Percentage of PAES Students Meeting or Exceeding Proficiency on 2005–06 AIMS Mathematics 79

TABLES

1. Selected Variables of Profiled K–8 Charter School Sites 8

2. Percentage of Amistad Students Scoring Proficient or Above on CMT Reading 55

3. Percentage of Amistad Students Scoring Proficient or Above on CMT Mathematics 55

iv Foreword

From our small towns to our inner cities, I’ve visited innovative charter schools throughout the country that are changing the face of education. Like the schools highlighted in this guide, successful charter schools are showing their drive to improve levels of student achievement and their commitment to the difficult task of educating every child.

The seven schools profiled here are dispelling the myth that some students cannot achieve to high standards. They demonstrate that when presented with a challenging curriculum, high expectations, and the proper support, all our students can excel academically.

In this guide, you will read about schools that are acting as laboratories for innovative educational practices. Many implement a longer academic day and year, some provide programs based on community needs, and all are proving that breaking tradition and taking risks can yield tremendous results for students.

This guide is part of a series produced by the U.S. Department of Education, and it builds on two previous works: Successful Charter Schools, which was published in 2004, and Charter High Schools Closing the Achievement Gap, which was published last year. Previous guides have highlighted promising practices to expand the pool of high-quality charter schools and strategies to engage parents. A forthcoming publication will feature ways in which distance learning can increase students’ access to rigorous academic course work.

I hope the following examples of charter schools will help other schools and communities as they work to close achievement gaps and reach our goal of every child reading and doing math at grade level by 2014. The demands of the 21st century are not going to wait, and we need schools that will help every child reach his or her potential today.

Margaret Spellings, Secretary U.S. Department of Education

Acknowledgments

This guide was developed under the auspices Alain Locke Charter Academy of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office 3141 West Jackson Boulevard of Innovation and Improvement. Sharon Horn Chicago, Ill. 60612 http://www.alainlocke.org was project director. Lennie Jones, Principal

An external advisory group provided feedback Amigos Por Vida—Friends For Life to refine the study scope, define the selec- Charter School tion criteria, and clarify the text. The advisory 5500 El Camino Del Rey, Suite 49 Houston, Tex. 77081 group members and the position they held at http://www.amigosporvida.com the time the meeting was conducted included: Carlos Villagrana, Principal Morgan Brown, director, School Choice and In- novation, Minnesota Department of Education; Amistad Academy Robin Lake, associate director, Center on Rein- 407 James Street New Haven, Conn. 06513 venting Public Education; Alex Medler, director http://www.achievementfirst.org/schools for K–12 Education Policy, Colorado Children’s .amistad.html Campaign; James Merriman, executive director, Matt Taylor, Director Charter Schools Institute SUNY; Lisa Grover, executive director, New Mexico Coalition for Char- Carl C. Icahn Charter School 1525 Brook Avenue ter Schools; Karen Rusthoven, principal, Com- Bronx, N.Y. 10457 munity of Peace Academy; and Elliott Witney, http://www.ccics.org principal, KIPP Academy. Jeffrey Litt, Principal

Staff in the Department of Education who pro- Cesar Chavez Academy 2500 W. 18th St. vided input and reviewed drafts include Kate Pueblo, Colo. 81003 Devine, David Dunn, John Fiegel, Steve Fried, http://www.cesarchavezacademy.org Virginia Gentles, Cathy Grimes-Miller, Margaret Lawrence Hernandez, Guenther, Doug Herbert, Ellen Kendrick, Dean Chief Executive Officer Kern, Stacy Kreppel, Meghan Lerch, Meredith The Intergenerational School Miller, and Tiffany Taber. 12200 Fairhill Road Cleveland, Ohio 44120 Representatives of the seven schools participat- http://www.tisonline.org ing in the development of this guide and the Catherine Whitehouse, case studies on which it is based were generous Principal-Chief Educator with both their time and attention to this proj- Pan-American Elementary Charter School ect. We would like to thank those who were 33001 W. Indian School instrumental in coordinating and participating Phoenix, Ariz. 85017 in the site visits. Marta Pasos, Principal

vii

Introduction

Parents of all income levels and backgrounds face a daunting array of questions as their children approach kindergarten. Will my child learn to read and to solve mathematical problems? Are the teachers well qualified? Even more fundamentally, is the neighborhood elementary school safe?

In high-poverty communities these questions are especially urgent and the school options for families woefully meager. Indeed, traditional public schools have struggled to successfully educate poor and minority students. In high-poverty communities, dangerous conditions can make it hard for students to make their way safely to school, and for schools to attract high-quality teachers. While there have been gains in recent years at the elementary level, white and Asian American students still consistently outperform their African-American, Hispanic, and Native American peers. Students with disabilities and those from poor families lag behind, as do English language learners.1

But some public schools are successfully tackling the achievement challenge. This guide profiles seven K–8 charter schools that are making headway in narrowing gaps in achievement. It examines factors contributing to these charter schools’ hard-earned successes, highlighting practices that may inspire and inform other school communities as they strive to help all students meet high academic standards. For underserved children, these charter schools offer hope.

School reform efforts across the nation aim to be reported to the public in various ways. In close the achievement gap. The goal? Raise addition to parents receiving test results for their achievement levels and ensure that all stu- individual students, the public has online access dents—no matter their race, ethnicity, income to school report cards showing how all students level, learning differences, or home language— at the school are performing. This provides are well educated and held to a high standard. powerful tools for comparison among schools The first concrete step in this endeavor is identi- within a state. To monitor how students are do- fying where the gaps are and strategizing inter- ing nationwide, educators and policymakers rely vention and approaches to closing those gaps. on results of the National Assessment of Educa- tional Progress (NAEP) tests, also known as the As part of the nationwide push to ensure stu- Nation’s Report Card, standardized mathematics dent proficiency in mathematics and reading, and reading exams administered to a random achievement data has become more transparent. sample of students across the country. Specifically, theNo Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires that students be tested every Results from the most recent battery of NAEP year using standardized state tests and that results tests, administered in 2005, are encouraging.

1 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Fourth-graders showed consistent gains in In charter schools, autonomous board members reading proficiency and gaps narrowed to the can make decisions quickly and administrators smallest size in history when comparing the have greater control over school budgets. They achievement of white students to their African- can also hire teachers and other school staff American and Hispanic peers.2 In mathematics, who embrace the school mission and, com- while the overall achievement gap did not nar- pared to most traditional schools, they can row, scores went up across the board. Impor- more easily fire staff who are not performing tantly, average scores for white, African-Ameri- up to par. can, and Hispanic fourth-graders were higher in 2005 than in any previous assessment year.3 The Role of Charter Schools in Breaking those overall results down reveals Closing the Gap further, more specific gains. Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (an indicator of This guide builds on earlier work of the Inno- family poverty) had higher average scores in vations in Education guides: Successful Char- mathematics in 2005 than in 1996. The percent- ter Schools (2004) and Charter High Schools age of fourth-graders performing at or above Closing the Achievement Gap (2006).6 Charter basic in mathematics increased by 30 percent- K–8 schools share some common themes with age points, and those at or above proficient in- charter high schools: They are mission-driven, creased by 23 percentage points. Fourth-grad- working with a clear and tangible set of goals; ers with disabilities had a higher average score, they teach for mastery, with tests aiming for and a higher percentage of them achieved at in-depth understanding; and they hold them- or above basic in mathematics than in previous selves accountable for successes and failures. assessment years.4 Yet, compared to charter high schools, K–8 charter schools also face unique challenges that Positive as these numbers are, the work is far are specific to educating elementary and middle from finished. NCLB mandates that all students school-age children. reach proficiency in mathematics and reading by 2014. The bar is high. What recent NAEP results Since the first charter school legislation was show, however, is that by paying attention to the data, and implementing thoughtful, research- passed in Minnesota in 1991, the number of based teaching and assessment practices, schools schools nationwide using this governance mod- are empowered to close gaps in achievement el has grown rapidly. By the 2006–07 school and meet NCLB’s goal.5 In this effort, elementary year, 40 states and the District of Columbia and middle schools play a critical role, by help- had adopted charter school laws. That same ing all students to develop a strong foundation school year saw the opening of 381 new charter in mathematics and reading early on. Within this schools in 31 states, an 11 percent increase over broad category of schools, those that operate the previous year that brought the total number with a charter may have the best chance of mak- of charter schools nationwide to almost 4,000, ing data-driven reforms a reality. serving about 1,150,000 students.7

2 The popularity of charter schools may result length of the school day and year, and they have in part from their ability to innovate to meet more discretion when making hiring and firing students’ needs. In some instances, charter decisions. Increased autonomy can make it eas- schools have put reforms into place before tra- ier for a charter school to integrate community ditional public schools in their states have been services and resources, including philanthropic able to do so. Such is the case with one of the investment, into school programs. Significantly, schools profiled in this guide, which set up a compared to traditional public schools, charter full-day kindergarten program before its home schools tend to serve a proportionately higher state made such a program mandatory. Students’ number of low-income and minority students, needs drive the programs of the schools high- the precise population of students targeted by lighted in this guide. Although charter schools school reform efforts.10 While there remains are eligible to receive federal funding for such room for progress, these schools are more suc- programs as special education, the state fund- cessful than traditional public schools in hiring ing varies according to state charter school leg- staff that reflect the diversity of their student islation. Thus, some charter schools receive less populations. For example, in 1999–2000, tradi- per student funding than their traditional public tional public school staffs averaged 8.9 percent school counterparts.8 Several of these featured African-American teachers, while African-Amer- schools have implemented innovative funding icans made up 15.5 percent of charter school solutions, including parent donations and se- teaching staff.11 curing need-based grants, in order to offer prekindergarten programs that enabled them to be- Although academic achievement data com- gin working with students as early as possible. paring students in charter schools to those in traditional public schools show mixed results, Even with more limited state and district fund- research indicates that charter schools are ing than is typically available to traditional well positioned to demonstrate more success public schools, charter schools are in a unique after the start-up phase. In one study, charter position to help further national gains in stu- schools that had been open for at least nine dent achievement. Like all public schools, un- years showed an advantage over their neigh- der NCLB they are held accountable for results, boring traditional public schools. Hoxby’s 2004 and if a charter school does not deliver on its nationwide study found that 10 percent more education promises, it can lose its contract to charter school students demonstrated profi- operate. Yet, charter schools are free to choose ciency on state reading and mathematics ex- their teaching approaches, rather than having to ams compared to students in nearby traditional follow district curricula requirements, and to of- public schools.12 But test results alone do not fer grade configurations (e.g., K–8, 5–8, K–12) give the whole picture. Assessment data have less typical of traditional public schools, which limitations, a 2006 study suggests, often ignor- tend to be configured as elementary (i.e., K–5), ing indicators, such as safety, teacher quality, middle (i.e., 6–8), and high school (i.e., 9–12).9 class size, grade configuration, exposure to Charter school leaders have greater control of content, instructional support, parent satisfac- their budgets, class and school size, and the tion, attendance, and other measures—all areas

3 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

where charter schools may be positioned to in- lunch account for at least 60 percent of each stu- novate and excel.13 Indeed, when these school dent body, and at three of the schools, they ac- climate and governance variables are factored count for over 90 percent of the student body. in, charter schools appear to demonstrate a bet- One school uses a dual-language approach, by ter attunement to student needs and greater which a Spanish-speaking teacher works concur- success in meeting them. rently with an English-speaking teacher. At one school, 92 percent of students are English lan- A close look at the individual missions of suc- guage learners. Three schools offer special edu- cessful charter schools highlights their focus on cation services to 10–12 percent of their students, tailoring programs for the communities they with all seven having moderate to low percent- serve. Many charter schools aim to level the ages (under 5 percent to 12 percent) of students playing field for students from low-income and in special education programs. minority backgrounds. Others work explicitly to prepare every student for college and be- Each school has adapted to serve its commu- yond. Such customized approaches are not in- nity. All seven offer an extended day and longer formal. The schools profiled in this guide oper- school year than their local district schools, while ate with a clear mission, defined intentions, and one operates on a year-round schedule. Six of the thoughtful goal setting. In so doing, these suc- schools use assessments on an interim basis to cessful schools have created innovative models monitor how students are doing and what needs that are reducing the achievement gap. to be retaught. Four of the schools are still run by the founding principal, two are led by “turnaround” principals with track records of success The Charter Schools Featured in at other schools, and three were started by hus- This Guide band-wife teams. The school leaders know their students personally and understand the cultures The seven schools featured here vary consid- of the families they serve. One school uses a erably, reflecting their sensitivity to the unique developmentally based curriculum, structuring communities they serve. One serves kindergarten grades according to each child’s developmental through sixth grade, three offer K–7 programs, level, rather than his or her age. and two serve kindergarten through eighth grade. The seventh is a middle school, offering grades Collectively, these schools have a clear vision of 5–8. Three include prekindergarten programs, six what constitutes excellent teaching. All teach for offer full-day kindergarten, and one is expand- mastery, doing “whatever it takes” to help stu- ing to create a high school. Five are located in dents reach proficiency, rather than merely cov- large cities, and two schools are located in the ering the curriculum. Each has found a way to relatively small cities of Phoenix, Ariz., and Pueb- help students meet high standards while nearby lo, Colo. They range in size from 114 to 1,100 public schools have struggled and sometimes students. Six of the schools serve populations failed in this endeavor. (For comparison data, that are 96 percent or more students of color. see the school profiles in Part II of this guide, Students who qualify for free or reduced-price starting on p. 35.)

4 The schools highlighted in this guide were iden- teachers, students, parents, administrators, and tified through a multistep selection process, de- members of the governing board, both individ- scribed more fully in Appendix A, that consid- ually and sometimes in focus groups. Illustra- ered a number of factors, among them, overall tive materials, such as the artifacts highlighted achievement levels and test scores in compari- in this guide, were collected from all sites. son to similar schools in the same city or state. An external advisory group of charter school re- This is not experimental research that can searchers, charter school practitioners, and rep- make causal claims about what works. Read- resentatives from various organizations workers should judge for themselves the merits of ing to support charter schools helped guide the these practices and reflect on why the prac- development of a research-based conceptual tices are working in these specific contexts. framework used to analyze candidate schools These descriptions do not constitute an en- and to inform site selection criteria. dorsement of specific practices or products. However, this descriptive research process To be considered for the guide, a school had has revealed that while there are differences to show solid evidence of effectively closing from one school to another, it is the similari- the achievement gap among different student ties among the schools that may prove helpful subgroups. Based on state standardized test for others looking to close the achievement data, “closing the gap” is defined as students gaps among their own students. outperforming local district public schools that serve a similar population of students in Common themes found at these highlighted mathematics and reading. Alternately, it may charter schools include: mean that certain subgroups—including Afri- can-American and Hispanic students, special Closing the Achievement Gap—Each of these education students, English language learners, schools is closing the achievement gap by out- and students that qualify for free or reduced- performing local district schools serving a sim- price lunch—are exceeding state averages in ilar population of students, or by meeting or mathematics and reading. In cases of schools exceeding the state testing averages in math- with internally diverse populations, closing the ematics and reading. gap means that students of different subgroups are achieving on par within the school. Schools Mission-driven—These schools create a included in this guide must have met adequate shared vision with school leaders, teachers, yearly progress (AYP) benchmarks for at least parents, and students all relentlessly focused on the past two consecutive years. Additionally, ensuring student success. at least half of the students at a school must qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, be of a Teaching for Mastery—Teachers are not sim- minority status, or both. ply providing a rigorous curriculum. They are expected to teach for understanding. The use Each profiled school received a two-day visit of interim assessments helps teachers monitor during which researchers spoke directly with student progress in mastering concepts and

5 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

standards and makes them aware when rein- ments, involve community organizations, and forcement is needed. make budget decisions that advance the goals of their school. Positive School Culture—Each school creates a safe learning environment and a strong school Continuous Professional Learning and Im- culture built around the education vision, creat- provement—These schools are committed to ing a unique, focused community. School staff ongoing internal professional development, respond to students’ academic and social needs often arranging time for teachers to work and take responsibility for doing whatever it collaboratively. Coaching and training are pro- takes to ensure student learning. vided, and all staff members are engaged in continuous professional learning. Families as Partners—Schools engage parents in a variety of ways, such as requiring them Part I of this guide explores these common to sign off on nightly homework and participate themes in more depth. To illustrate the points in school decision-making. Many also partner more fully, sample materials collected at the with community resources to provide parents school sites are presented in accompanying fig- with ongoing adult education opportunities. ures. This cross-site section ends with a discus- sion of implications. Holding Themselves Accountable—These schools tend to be well run, with active gov- Part II is intended to provide the reader with erning boards that generate creative solutions a holistic “snapshot” of each school. The indi- to challenges and empower administrators to vidual school profiles in this section were based implement decisions promptly. They are fiscally on observations and interviews, and they offer a resourceful, ensuring that every dime is well view into how each school is making headway spent in support of the school’s mission. at closing gaps in student achievement. A brief profile or narrative of each school brings to- Innovating Across the Program—They gether important contextual information about have flexibility that traditional public schools each school, its history, and key features. These often do not have to create a longer school profiles provide a more comprehensive under- day or year, design unique staffing arrange- standing of each site.

6 PART I K–8 Charter Schools Closing the Achievement Gap: Common Themes

All seven schools presented in this guide are making significant inroads toward closing the achievement gaps in their respective school communities. As a group, they have created learning environments where historically underserved children are thriving. As a group, these successful charter schools operate in different geographic locations, serve a range of student populations, and offer different approaches to curriculum and instruction. Yet, there are significant commonalities among the schools. How is it that when faced with many of the same challenges, these fledgling charter schools are succeeding in closing achievement gaps where many of their traditional public school counterparts have not? Among other strengths, each of these charter schools is driven, as one school leader puts it, to do “whatever it takes” to ensure student achievement. Each has committed itself to the hard work of teaching student by student.

Closing the Achievement Gap Across the board, these charter schools are managing to bring student test scores up to and Working with many children who enter school beyond the numbers earned by more affluent performing far below grade level and who are students. A few examples include: from neighborhoods and families with scant re- • Alain Locke Charter Academy (Alain Locke), sources, these schools are not settling for anything in Chicago, saw 72 percent of its students less than the best for their students. School leaders meet state standards in mathematics, reading, at Amistad Academy in New Haven, Conn., seek and science in 2005, compared with 31 per- to “change the life options of kids so they can cent of students in neighboring schools and succeed in college and life,” says Doug McCurry, 69 percent statewide. Due to its students’ superintendent of the New Haven-based non- 58-point gain from 2002 to 2005 in mathe- profit Achievement First, which was formed to matics, reading comprehension, and science scores on the Illinois Standards Achievement replicate the Amistad model in other schools. “It’s Test (ISAT), Alain Locke earned the title of not about raising [scores] from the 20th percentile most-improved school in the Chicago Pub- to the 35th. That’s still poor. We want dramatic lic School System. Students at Alain Locke gains in academics and character.” outperform the state average in almost

7 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Table 1. Selected Variables of Profiled K–8 Charter School Sites a

School and Year First Grades Enrollment Student Population Percentage Percentage Free or Annual State Distinctive Features Location Chartered & Ethnicity English Special Reduced- Cost per Per- Authorizer Language Education Price Student Pupil Learners Lunch Funding

Alain Locke 1999 Pre-K–8 505 94% African-American 0 12% 89.0% b $7,000 $6,500 Year-round schedule Charter Academy Chicago Public 5% White Chicago Schools Board 1% Hispanic b of Education

Amigos Por 1999 Pre-K–6 374 98.6% Hispanic 95.4% b 5% c 99.7% b $8,829 $6,436 Dual language Vida— Texas State 0.7% African-American program in Spanish Friends for Life Board of 0.7% White b and English Charter School Education Houston

Amistad Academy 1999 K, 5–9 405 64% African-American 10.0% b Less 84.0% b $11,000 $8,250 Data-driven New Haven, Conn. State of 31% Hispanic than 5% instruction: use of Connecticut 2% White b interim assessments

Carl C. Icahn 2001 K–7 278 59% African-American NA 5% 89.0% b $9,829 $9,084 Core Knowledge Charter School SUNY Charter 41% Hispanic b curriculum; e Bronx, N.Y. Schools Institute professional development coaches for teachers

Cesar Chavez 2001 K–8 1,100 75% Hispanic 62.0% c 12% 62.0% b $8,696 $6,342 Core Knowledge Academy Pueblo City 23% White curriculum hybrid; f Pueblo, Colo. District Colorado 1% African-American tutoring support 1% Native American c programs

The 2000 K–7 114 86% African-American NA 8% 59.0% b $8,818 d $7,616 Multiage classrooms; Intergenerational Lucas County 4% White Intergenerational focus School Educational 1% Asian American Cleveland Service Center 9% Multiracial

Pan-American 2001 K–7 270 97% Hispanic 62.0% Less 98.0% c $6,109 $6,080 Accelerated Elementary Arizona State 2% African-American than 5% curriculum Charter School Board for 0.4% White c Phoenix Charter Schools

a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are drawn from school report cards for 2005–06 posted on state education agencies’ Web sites. c These data are reported online for 2005–06 at http://www.schoolmatters.com. d Includes aftercare, summer camp, summer school. e Core Knowledge curriculum developed by E. D. Hirsch to focus on key concepts of western civilization in mathematics, language, and more. f Core Knowledge curriculum hybrid means the school uses some Core Knowledge curriculum and augments it with additional resources and materials.

8 Table 1. Selected Variables of Profiled K–8 Charter School Sites a every measure: Ninety-four percent of third- graders met or exceeded state mathematics standards in school year 2004–05, compared School and Year First Grades Enrollment Student Population Percentage Percentage Free or Annual State Distinctive Features with 56 percent of the same-age students in Location Chartered & Ethnicity English Special Reduced- Cost per Per- Authorizer Language Education Price Student Pupil the local district and 79 percent of Illinois Learners Lunch Funding third-graders overall.

Alain Locke 1999 Pre-K–8 505 94% African-American 0 12% 89.0% b $7,000 $6,500 Year-round schedule • Amigos Por Vida—Friends for Life Public Charter Academy Chicago Public 5% White Charter School (APV), in Houston, serves Chicago Schools Board 1% Hispanic b a larger percentage of new immigrant stu- of Education dents and English language learner (ELL) students than other Houston public and Amigos Por 1999 Pre-K–6 374 98.6% Hispanic 95.4% b 5% c 99.7% b $8,829 $6,436 Dual language Vida— Texas State 0.7% African-American program in Spanish charter schools. Yet, 99 percent of its third- Friends for Life Board of 0.7% White b and English graders met state mathematics standards on Charter School Education Texas standardized tests in 2005, compared Houston with a range of 52 percent to 65 percent of third-graders at other local elementary b b Amistad Academy 1999 K, 5–9 405 64% African-American 10.0% Less 84.0% $11,000 $8,250 Data-driven schools and 88 percent for students state- New Haven, Conn. State of 31% Hispanic than 5% instruction: use of wide. On state reading and language arts Connecticut 2% White b interim assessments tests in 2004–05, the school’s third-graders Carl C. Icahn 2001 K–7 278 59% African-American NA 5% 89.0% b $9,829 $9,084 Core Knowledge outperformed their peers at all local ele- Charter School SUNY Charter 41% Hispanic b curriculum; e mentary schools but one. Bronx, N.Y. Schools Institute professional development coaches • Amistad Academy’s eighth-graders outper- for teachers formed their neighborhood peers on tests administered in the 2005–06 school year, with Cesar Chavez 2001 K–8 1,100 75% Hispanic 62.0% c 12% 62.0% b $8,696 $6,342 Core Knowledge 68 percent meeting reading standards com- f Academy Pueblo City 23% White curriculum hybrid; pared to only 35 percent of eighth-graders in Pueblo, Colo. District Colorado 1% African-American tutoring support other New Haven public schools. On math- 1% Native American c programs ematics tests, 60 percent of Amistad eighth- The 2000 K–7 114 86% African-American NA 8% 59.0% b $8,818 d $7,616 Multiage classrooms; graders met standards, compared with 28 per- Intergenerational Lucas County 4% White Intergenerational focus cent of their public school peers districtwide. School Educational 1% Asian American Cleveland Service Center 9% Multiracial • Cesar Chavez Academy (CCA), in Pueblo, Colo., not only consistently outperforms other district and state schools that serve student populations with similar demographics, its Pan-American 2001 K–7 270 97% Hispanic 62.0% Less 98.0% c $6,109 $6,080 Accelerated students’ performance significantly exceed Elementary Arizona State 2% African-American than 5% curriculum the state averages for all schools. On state c Charter School Board for 0.4% White tests in 2005–06, CCA third-graders scored Phoenix Charter Schools proficiency levels of 94 percent in reading, 96 percent in writing, and 100 percent in a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. mathematics. Also, that year, CCA fourth- b These data are drawn from school report cards for 2005–06 posted on state education agencies’ Web sites. c These data are reported online for 2005–06 at http://www.schoolmatters.com. graders scored 88 percent proficient on d Includes aftercare, summer camp, summer school. reading, 86 percent on writing, and 94 per- e Core Knowledge curriculum developed by E. D. Hirsch to focus on key concepts of western civilization in mathematics, language, and more. cent on mathematics tests, compared to f Core Knowledge curriculum hybrid means the school uses some Core Knowledge curriculum and augments it with additional resources and materials. fourth-grade scores statewide of 68 percent

9 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

for reading, 50 percent for writing, and day work of learning in a positive and effec- 69 percent for mathematics. tive environment. Principals and teachers inter- • Carl C. Icahn Charter School (Icahn Charter viewed for this guide shared stories of students School), in the Bronx, was recognized in demonstrating major shifts in attitude and be- 2006 by the New York Board of Regents and havior, growing from low-achievers into strong the New York State Education Department as students who consider it “cool” to earn good a high-performing and gap-closing school. grades. Other school leaders described strug- This recognition came after Icahn Charter gling students who want to learn and who, School students met all state language arts and mathematics standards during the 2004– through determination and effort, become suc- 05 school year, and the school met AYP in cessful learners and high achievers. language arts, mathematics, and science in both 2002–03 and 2003–04 school years. One such student, at CCA, made remarkable In 2005–06, Icahn Charter School’s third-, strides after struggling in traditional schools. fourth-, and fifth-graders outperformed all The year the school opened, this fourth-grader, other New York charter schools in English Patricia,* walked into the unfinished building and and language arts. Also that year, a full 100 percent of Icahn Charter School third- and asked the principal what he was doing. When fourth-graders scored proficient and above he answered that he was building a school, she on state mathematics assessments, compared asked, “Can I come?” When he explained that she with 60.8 percent of third-grade students and needed to apply, she froze. Patricia’s father had 52.3 percent of fourth-graders in the district. abandoned the family, her mother was in prison, • The Intergenerational School (TIS), in Cleve- and the girl herself had been diagnosed as having land, had 100 percent of its third-graders severely limited intellectual capacity, with an IQ of score proficient or higher on state reading and around 60. She was unable to read and lived with mathematics assessments in 2005–06, com- an uneducated grandmother, who subsequently pared to 50.7 percent of Cleveland Municipal signed Patricia’s application for CCA. Walking School District third-graders in reading and 43.4 percent in mathematics. The Ohio De- through the tough neighborhood in which CCA partment of Education gave TIS a rating of is located, Patricia came to school every day and excellent, while Cleveland Municipal was on received intensive academic, developmental, and academic watch. Also in 2005–06, TIS met behavioral interventions. “We taught her a lot of AYP, while the district as a whole did not. skills,” recalls principal and cofounder, Lawrence • Pan-American Elementary Charter School Hernandez. Patricia is now an accomplished (PAES), in Phoenix, outperformed schools in tenth-grader who maintains a 4.0 average. its own district, both traditional public elementary and other charter schools, on Arizona’s Another child entered the third grade at Icahn state mathematics, reading, and writing tests in Charter School unable to decode or read, in 2004–05, with higher percentages of students in grades 3 and 5 scoring proficient or above. spite of high scores at his previous school. With hard work and support from the school, the But scores do not tell the whole story. Behind boy showed major progress on state tests. “He these encouraging numbers are children whose lives change dramatically through the day-to- * A pseudonym

10 worked his head off and he did great,” says Icahn the opening of APV, local students had been Charter School principal Jeffrey Litt. “I called his bused out of their neighborhood. mother to tell her his results. She was screaming and crying into the phone, ‘Mr. Litt, I love you,’ Everyone involved with a new charter school and I told her, ‘No, love him. He worked hard.’ ” goes out on a limb at first to get the new school off the ground. Some are fortunate enough to have a benefactor. Icahn Charter School opened Common Factors Among All Schools in 2001 with the financial backing of billionaire Carl C. Icahn, whose Foundation for a Greater What is going on behind the scenes to explain Opportunity finances the improvement of educa- such successes? One common strategy is that tion in New York City. As the school’s sponsor, school leaders concern themselves with more the foundation provides it with ongoing support. than test scores. Teachers care that students are mastering concepts and skills, learning to think But most charter school founders face big chal- critically, solving problems, understanding what lenges. Although Phoenix’s PAES now serves they read, and writing coherently. The seven 270 students in kindergarten through seventh themes highlighted below show some of the grade and will add eighth grade next year, the practices common to these schools that contrib- school got off to a bumpy start. Delayed build- ute to their strengths and successes. ing inspections pushed the opening day off by more than a month. With 200 students enrolled Mission-driven and ready to start school in early August, doors did not open until mid-September. “Many of Each of these schools has a clear focus and our parents just waited and waited, but [oth- mission. Most emerged because motivated par- ers] got nervous that [we] weren’t opening the ents and educators were dissatisfied with the doors. … So they pulled out,” recalls principal quality and safety of existing public schools Marta Pasos, who had to lay off some teachers in underserved communities. Aiming to close when enrollment dropped. Other teachers took gaps in achievement between urban and subur- a pay cut and administrators were not paid for ban students in Connecticut, graduates of Yale three months. Pasos and her husband gambled University Law School founded Amistad Acad- their own personal security and took out loans emy in 1999. Similarly, TIS founder Catherine to cover costs. To keep overhead low, they Whitehouse was appalled by the poor teach- also wore, and continue wearing, many hats, ing she witnessed in Cleveland’s public school doing their own busing, payroll, maintenance, classrooms. She hoped to “create something and business management. Remarkably, by the different” by opening a charter school that fos- middle of the school’s second year, Pan-Ameri- ters lifelong learning and where both older and can was debt-free, making it possible for the younger generations can connect (e.g., seniors school to purchase its building. serve as reading buddies, tutors, or mentors for students). In one case, a charter school opened Icahn Charter School’s Litt ran into great skepti- where there had been no local school; prior to cism when he first considered using the Core

11 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Knowledge curriculum, developed by profes- difficulty getting to school on time. Principal sor and author E. D. Hirsch to expose children Hernandez says the school is committed to giv- to key concepts of western civilization in math- ing “poor people the power to change their ematics, language, history, science, music, art, community. We’re family,” he says. “We’re all and more. When Litt visited a suburban Florida here for the kids.” school already using the curriculum and told its staff that he wanted to use it for inner-city In each school, the mission is almost tangible, South Bronx students, he was met by doubt- evident in multiple ways, from displays of stu- ful educators who argued that the curriculum dent work in hallways and classrooms to the would not be effective for the population he positive way students and teachers interact. described. Undaunted, Litt moved forward, At TIS, a class of students readily recited the adapting the curriculum for his students, who school mission by heart and in unison for a vis- have since proved that his confidence was well iting researcher: placed. They continue to demonstrate that low- The Intergenerational School fosters an income, minority students can and do master this curriculum. educational community of excellence that provides experiences and skills for lifelong The leaders at these schools are nothing if not learning and spirited citizenship for learn- committed. (Four of the schools are run by their ers of all ages. founders.) Collectively, they pride themselves on accepting responsibility for their students’ TIS students recognize that their school is a success. This commitment often is explicitly ar- special community for learning. As evident ticulated, as in the mission statement from Pan- in figure 2 on page 14, the Intergenerational American (see fig. 1 on p. 13). As thisstatement School’s Core Values, such elements as personal makes clear, school leaders strive to build a integrity, work ethic, interpersonal skills, shared strong connection between school and home, and responsible use of resources, and celebra- and between the school’s approaches and the tion of diversity shape school values, goals, and cultural values and traditions of the commu- objectives. The school’s mantra—“learning is a nity. The mission statement also is translated lifelong development process”—is the founda- into Spanish, the home language for most Pan- tion of its mission. American students. CCA leaders also fuse their school culture with their community’s values Each of these schools sets high expectations and work to foster them. CCA’s mission—“to for its students, makes expectations clear, and prepare a diverse cross-section of Pueblo’s chil- provides the necessary support and “scaffold- dren for success as young scholars, citizens of ing” for students to be successful. From school the world, and community leaders”—embraces to school, the aim is the same: to improve the Latino culture through language, the arts, and future prospects for children from low-income history. Even the school’s board of directors and minority backgrounds and, in effect, to has become an emissary of this dedication, with level the playing field so that every child has board members picking up students who have access to an excellent public education.

12 Positive School Culture drug activity. Icahn Charter School, which is located in the South Bronx, uses a security of- For each of these charter schools, creating a ficer, video monitors, and metal fences to keep positive, safe school culture, so that everyone students safe. But safety also is stressed on a can focus on learning, has been critical to suc- personal level. When a child falls down on the cess. A safe environment is taken seriously, playground at recess, teachers are required to in part because it is one of the main reasons wash the scrape with soap and water, put on parents have enrolled their children. Many a band-aid, and call home. This way, parents of these campuses are located in dangerous are kept informed. These schools are inten- urban neighborhoods marked by gang and tional about creating a positive culture and

Figure 1. Pan-American Elementary Charter School: Mission Statement

Pan-American Elementary Charter School Mission Statement

The Pan-American Elementary mission is to ignite in every child the wonder of learning and to provide meaningful educational experiences in a safe and caring environment.

Pan-American is committed to realizing its mission by providing: • Strong standards-based academics • Accelerated instruction based on the student’s own capacity and pace • An enriched curriculum through exposure to a foreign language (English/Spanish)

Misión de Pan-American

La misión de Pan-American Elementary School es encender en cada niño el deseo de aprender y proporcionarle experiencias educativas significativas en un ambiente agradable y seguro.

Pan-American está comprometida a realizar su misión proporcionando: • Programas académicos basados en los planes estatales • Instrucción intensiva basada en el progreso y el avance del estudiante • Un plan de estudios enriquecido con la exposición a un idioma extranjero (Inglés/Español)

13 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Figure 2. The Intergenerational School’s Core Values (Excerpted from TIS’s 2004–05 Annual Report)

about maintaining open communication with There is a pervasive sense in these schools that the families they serve. it is “cool to be smart.” After-school programs extend student learning. For example, Alain Part of this approach involves offering students Locke takes students on trips to college cam- incentives, such as leadership roles in the stu- puses. These charter schools promote respect dent-led recycling program at TIS and “scholar and value culturally relevant practices so that dollar paychecks,” a positive incentive program students feel connected to their community and culture. These are schools where staff and stu- at Amistad Academy, where students earn and dents want to be, where the energy is positive, accumulate points toward special activities for and where hard work is rewarded. positive efforts and progress in attendance, homework, and behavior. At APV, students join These schools recognize that acknowledging in a mathematics competition to win prizes, student achievements—either through indi- such as bicycles. Classes there are also named vidual rewards or whole-school meetings—fos- after universities, and students learn to sing col- ters a positive attitude and a strong sense of lege anthems and compete in such monthly community. The simple act of coming together events as designing the best college banner. as a community, learning how to respectfully

14 listen, and being an appreciative audience is schools. When a student has a bad day and off- not taken for granted. It is a skill that teach- task behavior occurs, students are given clear ers and school leaders teach intentionally, to warnings and incentives to help them under- provide students with step-by-step guidance stand what is expected. A baseball diamond- to meet not only academic, but also social and shaped diagram in classrooms at TIS illustrates behavioral standards. The first assembly of the how the approach works at this school. Stu- year, explains TIS principal Whitehouse, was dents earn strikes and fouls for infractions in cancelled because students were unable to sit class, with the final consequence being a refer- still and listen. Whitehouse sent students back ral to the principal. (Fig. 3 on page 16 shows to their classrooms, and for two weeks they the referral form used for students who have practiced the skills of being a polite, attentive acquired three strikes.) Conversely, students audience. “Now when we have community can earn runs around the bases, with a reward meetings, the kids walk in, sit down, and wait once they reach home base. The most cov- quietly for the meeting,” Whitehouse says. “The eted prize? Lunch with the teacher. CCA uses children have learned to line up quietly to walk what staff refer to as a “see three before me” through the hallways and to pay attention when approach to discipline, in which, before being adults ask them to listen to the presentations.” sent to the principal, a student receives counseling, guidance, and redirection by three staff Expectations are very clear. At Amistad Acade- members, including a prevention specialist and my, they are presented transparently as “REACH” a psychologist. When a student does receive values: respect, enthusiasm, achievement, citi- a referral, for either behavior or academic is- zenship, and hard work. Respect includes re- sues, the team works closely with the student specting teachers, being nice to teammates, hav- and his or her family, integrating the student’s ing patience in class, keeping desk, classroom, home and school life into the problem-solving bathrooms, and school clean; enthusiasm means process. (See fig. 4 on page 17 for a flow chart following directions the first time, focusing, and illustrating the school’s discipline process.) bringing a positive attitude; achievement includes doing one’s personal best on all assign- The working assumption across all these schools ments and showing improvement on grades and is that students can meet clear and high expec- test scores; citizenship includes taking responsi- tations. Rather than blaming underperforming bility for one’s actions, being honest, and help- students for gaps in their knowledge and skills, ing others; and hard work means coming to class these teachers take seriously their responsibility prepared, in full uniform and with necessary for helping students catch up and meet high ex- materials. Students are evaluated against these pectations. They know how to work with and standards by their teachers, who grant REACH motivate students who enter performing below awards each month, which consist of certificates grade level, and they are prepared to provide presented weekly at an all-school ceremony. acceleration or remediation as needed. Tutor- ing is available both before and after school, There are fewer discipline problems in these as are after-school enrichment classes and field charter schools than at nearby traditional public trips. Some of these schools also provide health

15 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Figure 3. The Intergenerational School’s Form for Referral to Principal for Student Misconduct

16 Figure 4. Cesar Chavez Academy Flow Chart for Identifying Appropriate Student Supports

17 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

services to students and their families, including this year-round schedule would help students eyeglasses, flu shots, and nutrition guidance. maintain learning momentum.

Teaching for Mastery These charter schools have greater freedom than traditional public schools in many ways. They Responsiveness to student needs is reflected in can choose their own textbooks, rather than teaching approaches as well. While teachers in pick from a district-approved list, and they can traditional public schools might complain that make decisions about how much time teachers their work is too prescribed and that there is will spend on specific subjects, rather than follow too much emphasis on the end goal of raising state-mandated “instructional minutes.” They also test scores, teachers see themselves teaching have autonomy to decide what curriculum and for mastery, rather than teaching to the test. instructional strategies they will use. Instruction Teachers work long hours, spending extra time is still geared toward teaching to state standards, with students who need the help. “I’m here on since charter students take standardized tests; but a Saturday because I just want the kids to do teachers in charter schools can approach material well,” a teacher at Icahn Charter School ex- in innovative ways, for example, using an indi- plains. “I’m teaching beyond the test and I’m vidualized, project-based curriculum. also teaching toward it, so students know that they will be well prepared. You’ve got to teach To monitor how well their approaches are work- them for the future.” ing, these schools use interim assessments to gauge student progress and discover which stu- Rather than aiming low or going easy on dents need support, acceleration, or remediation, underserved students, these teachers strive to and which subjects must be retaught. Assess- help students acquire deep understanding of ments used include Accelerated Reader com- the content. This often requires students to prehension tests, Success for All reading exams, spend more time at school than is typical, and teacher- and adminstrator-developed assessment many of these profiled charter schools have a tools to monitor student reading progress on a longer school day and year. Some also work regular basis, and other methods. (See fig. 5 on with three- and four-year-olds to help prepare page 19 for a chart that shows how TIS staff them for kindergarten. PAES offers an acceler- map the use of specific assessments to monitor ated, full-day kindergarten program to ensure student progress in reading.) Several of the high- that all students are reading by first grade. lighted schools have developed sophisticated Icahn Charter School has a mandatory Saturday systems to analyze student progress on specific school program for students who have scored standards. The resulting data then are used by below proficiency on state tests. Alain Locke teachers and administrators to help them un- recently implemented a year-round schedule, derstand and adapt instruction to meet students’ with 10 weeks of instruction followed by a learning needs. At Amistad Academy, Icahn three-week intersession break. In a community Charter School, TIS, and CCA, teachers and ad- with few constructive summer opportunities ministrators interpret interim assessments stan- available anyway, school leaders believed that dard by standard to monitor student progress.

18 Figure 5. The Intergenerational School Reading Assessment Plan

19 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Some schools even have modified report cards rate, satisfactory growth, and a score of average to show parents precisely which standards are or above on state tests in order for a student to challenging their child. For example, at TIS, each move up to the next grade. To graduate from developmental stage has a separate report card eighth grade, CCA students must demonstrate that includes a detailed list of the specific learn- what the school refers to as their scholarly ca- ing objectives for that stage. For reading, writing, pacities through a series of presentations—in- and mathematics standards, students must pass cluding a portfolio and a thesis project. 90 percent of the learning objectives or demonstrate proficiency on state assessments in those Families as Partners subjects before they can move on to the next developmental level. These schools emphasize a shared sense of responsibility and communication between Principals at some of these highlighted schools families and school staff. Principals try to be as report that they have received complaints from approachable as possible, and many schools hold parents who want to know why their children mandatory parent-teacher conferences. TIS holds had received higher grades at their previous these conferences in the evenings and on week- school. The answer, parents are told, is that ends so working parents can attend, and it has a more is expected of their children at their new 100 percent parent participation rate. Seeking schools. In fact, these schools have learned the parent input, many of the schools send out sur- importance of making sure that parents under- veys. Icahn Charter School sends out a survey stand with some specificity what is expected of that is written in both English and Spanish. In their children at school. A steady flow of infor- 2006, the school sent out 245 surveys. All were mation, in the families’ home languages, can returned, with 96 percent of parents rating the help parents understand what their children are school good or excellent. (See fig. 8 on page 23 studying and why they may be receiving lower for an excerpt from the survey.) marks. At CCA, for example, parents receive a monthly syllabus detailing topics and themes to Parents also are encouraged to be involved in be taught each month, homework assignments their children’s education. At all seven of the and due dates, and a schedule of upcoming schools, parents are asked to sign reading and quizzes and tests (see fig. 6 on page 21). homework logs daily, listen to their children read every night, and help the school by orga- Collectively, these seven schools set high ex- nizing community potlucks, chaperoning field pectations for every student and follow through trips, and serving food at special events. when it comes time for grade promotion. In order to prepare students for college, staff at Alain In some instances this high expectation for in- Locke assign reading and homework every night volvement is formalized. At Alain Locke, parents, and require parents to sign off on completed as- students, and staff all sign a contract that within signments (see fig. 7 on page 22 for an example the school community is commonly referred to of the assignment sheet for first grade). Icahn as “a commitment to excellence.” Parents, for Charter School requires a 90 percent attendance example, commit to holding high expectations

20 Figure 6. Cesar Chavez Academy Monthly Syllabus for Grades 3, 4, and 5 (Example) Cesar Chavez Academy: October Elementary Academy Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Reading SFA—Reading comprehension and response, SFA—Reading comprehension, response, SFA—Reading comprehension, response, writing, spelling, grammar, usage, writing, research, grammar, usage, spelling, writing and research, grammar, usage, vocabulary vocabulary spelling, vocabulary Language Norse Mythology—Asgard, Valhalla, Hel, Odin, Concord Hymn, George Washington, Paul Tales of Sherlock Holmes—The Red-Headed Arts Thor, trolls, gods/names of week—Tyr, Odin, Revere’s Ride, Stanza, line, The Legend of League, A Poison Tree, Some Opposites, Woodin, Thor, Freya Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, Patrick Henry The Tiger, pseudonym, imagery, metaphor, “Give me liberty” speech, Don’t put all eggs simile, symbol, personification, Chip on in basket, Etc. Half loaf shoulder, History & Spanish Exploration cont.—St. Augustine, American Revolution—Paul Revere’s Ride, European Exploration—Trade and Cultures, Geography Geography—Caribbean, West Indies, Puerto Concord/Lexington, Bunker Hill, Second background, European motivations, Spice Rico, Cuba, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi, Continental Congress, Declaration of European exploration, colonization, Portugal, Exploration of Southwest—Spanish Independence—‘All men created equal’, Spain, England and France, Trade and sugar explorers, Coronado, Grand Canyon, ‘unalienable rights’, natural rights, ‘right of trade, Transatlantic slave trade Rio Grande, Pueblo Indians, Vikings— the people’, Revolutionary women, Loyalists, Scandinavia, Norseman, Eric the Red, Leif Victory at Saratoga, European helpers, Valley Erickson, Early Europeans Forge, Benedict Arnold, John Paul Jones, Nathan Hale, Cornwallis, government— republican government, Articles of Confed, Founding Fathers, Constitutional Convention, Spirit of 76 Science Ecology—habitats, balance of nature, Geology—crust, mantle, core, crustal plates, Chemistry—Elements, Periodic Table, food chain, ecosystems, pollution, pangaea, continental drift, earthquakes, well- elements and symbols, metals and environmentalism, John Muir San Andreas fault, seismograph, tsunamis, non-metals volcanoes, magma, lava, active, dormant, extinct, hot springs, Old Faithful, Vesuvius, Krakatoa, Mount St. Helens, igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary rock, Benjamin Banneker, Elizabeth Blackwell Visual Arts Light, shadow, Chapin—Ruby Green Singing, Copley—Paul Revere, Washington’s Crossing of Elements of art—shape, form, space, color, Vermeer—Milkmaid Delaware, Spirit of ‘76 painting light, design, symmetry Music Timbre, Orchestra—trumpet, French horn, Melody, Harmony, timbre, form, rhythm, Dona Nobis Pacem, Havah Nagilah trombone, tuba, Mozart—Horn Concertos, Hayden—Symphony No 94, Blow the Man Copland—Fanfare for Common Man, Sousa— Down, Waltzing Matilda Stars/Stripes, You’re a Grand Old Flag Mathematics Story problems, place value, base 10, skip Using numbers and organizing data—many names Fractions, decimals, and percents—fraction Program count, high/low temperatures, multi- for numbers, place value in whole numbers, mixed numbers ordering fractions, two digit subtraction/addition, addends, organizing and displaying data, the median, finding equivalent fractions, fractions area, addends, polygons, line segments, addition of multidigit numbers, displaying data decimals part 1,2, and 3, using a calculator measuring length on a bar graph, subtraction multidigit numbers convert fractions to percents, bar and circle Physical Basic exercise, Kinesthetic study of skeletal Basic exercise, Kinesthetic study of skeletal Basic exercise, Research elements used body Education and muscular body systems and muscular body systems from the periodic table Spanish Vocabulary—Ecology Vocabulary—Earth Vocabulary—Elements Computer Power Point projects—Ecology Power Point projects—Earth Power Point—Elements/Periodic Table

21 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Figure 7. Alain Locke Charter Academy Sample First-grade Homework Assignment Sheet

22 Figure 8. Carl C. Icahn Charter School Parent Satisfaction Survey (Excerpt)

PARENT SURVEY JUNE 2006 Please mark each item next to the response that you feel is appropriate. Por favor poner una seña al lado de cada respuesta que sea apropiada para usted. 1. I feel welcome when I visit this school. Me sienta bien recibida(o) cuando visito la escuela. o Poor – nunca o Satisfactory – satisfactorio o Good – bien o Excellent – excelente 2. This school provides a safe environment for learning. La escuela mantiene un ambiente seguro para que los estudiantes puedan aprender. o Poor – nunca o Satisfactory – satisfactorio o Good – bien o Excellent – excelente 3. My child has up-to-date instructional tools (books, computers, videos, etc.) that are used effectively. Mi niña(o) tiene materiales instructivos lo más recientes (libros, computadoras, videos, etc.) que son utilizados efectivamente. o Poor – nunca o Satisfactory – satisfactorio o Good – bien o Excellent – excelente 4. The school holds high academic expectations for my child. La escuela tiene esperanzas académicas altas para mi niña(o). o Poor – nunca o Satisfactory – satisfactorio o Good – bien o Excellent – excelente 5. The school holds high expectations of discipline for my child. La escuela tiene esperanzas altas de comportamiento para mi niña(o). o Poor – nunca o Satisfactory – satisfactorio o Good – bien o Excellent – excelente

Carl C. Icahn Charter School is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and the State University of New York Charter Schools Institute and is a result of the collaborative efforts of the Foundation for a Greater Opportunity and the Center for Educational Innovation-Public Education Association. Carl C. Icahn Charter School is a public school open to all children on a space available basis, by lottery.

23 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

for students and staff, helping their children with For many of these families, their children’s edu- daily homework, ensuring their children’s regu- cation already is opening up new possibilities. lar attendance, and maintaining communication When 15 students at the PAES were selected to with staff as part of their role in promoting “abso- participate in a Saturday enrichment experience, lute excellence.” At Amistad Academy, parents, Programs for Talented Youth at Arizona State student, and teacher all sign the same contract, University (ASU), parents needed to take them to which notes that if the school is to achieve its the campus each Saturday. For many of the par- “very ambitious goals, we must work together.” ents, it was their first time on a college campus. It then lists specific responsibilities for the teach- Several called home to their families in Mexico, er, the parents, and the student (see fig. 9 on proud and excited to report that their child was page 25). The parents at these charter schools attending a program at ASU in Phoenix. For many tend to follow through on such promises. One of them, it was the first time they visualized col- Icahn Charter School parent, for example, takes lege as part of their children’s future. two buses to bring her child to the school. And the commitment goes both ways. At several of Beyond educating their students, these schools the schools, staff members enroll their own chil- bring another important value to their communi- dren. At CCA, 80 of the students (i.e., 7 percent ties: adult education opportunities. PAES offers a of total enrollment) are children of school staff. “parent university” in January each year. During these sessions, parents learn how to help their All of this effort of reaching out to families is pay- children with mathematics and letter sounds and ing off. According to the Evaluation of the Public how to research high school options. Through- Charter Schools Program: Final Report in 2004, out the year, PAES reinforces parent education charter schools are more likely than traditional through one-on-one conferences to provide guidance on ways to support their children’s ac- public schools to have high levels of parental in- ademic progress. In partnership with the Family volvement in the areas of budget decisions, gov- Resource and Learning Center, a complementary ernance, instructional issues, parent education program that is located within the school but has workshops, and volunteering.14 At Alain Locke, its own staff, Alain Locke provides classes for a parent of two children enrolled in the school parents. One parent who took a General Educa- was hired as the parent-community liaison and tional Development (GED) preparation class at also serves as the enrichment coordinator. She Alain Locke, earned her GED diploma—some- knows every family, ensures smooth end-of-day times called an equivalency certificate—and is release of students to the persons authorized now a clerk at the school. to pick them up, organizes parents to conduct fund-raisers for enrichment programs, and also Innovating Across the Program coordinated efforts to build a playground. At APV, a school located in the middle of a mixed- Even armed with a clear mission and dedicated income housing complex, parents have helped families, these schools still could go only so far paint, repair, remodel, and landscape the school, toward achieving their goals were it not for their creating beautiful grounds for the students. charters. As charter-governed institutions, these

24 Figure 9. Amistad Academy School-Student-Parent Contract

25 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

schools have the autonomy to make creative year with the intent of expanding to a full K– scheduling, curriculum, and instruction decisions. 12 program. Alain Locke serves prekindergar- The flexibility to customize their programs to fit ten through eighth grade, a range not typically offered by traditional public school districts. the needs of their particular communities is enabling these schools to deliver on their promises. • Each school is intentional about its teaching approaches, but CCA, APV, TIS, and PAES Because student populations vary, no one of all cite the research-based instructional practices they are explicitly implementing to sup- these schools is exactly like another. port reading skills. • APV has a dual-language model, by which all students—both native Spanish speakers and Principals of these seven schools have discov- native English speakers—receive instruction ered that innovation may lead to better achieve- from two teachers each day, one teaching in ment outcomes, but not by itself. The standards Spanish, the other in English. For example, these schools have set require top-notch instruc- students might read Charlotte’s Web in Span- tion by high-quality teachers. Because low-in- ish in the morning and then write essays come communities typically struggle to retain about the novel in English in the afternoon. top-grade teachers,15 many of these schools work Therefore, all students are receiving instruc- diligently to recruit new as well as retain existing tion in two languages as opposed to a pull- out model where only some students receive teachers. At PAES and TIS, a number of current Spanish instruction. teachers started out at their schools as student teachers and found the environment welcoming • Amistad Academy places the strongest teachers and supportive enough to want to teach there with the students who are struggling the most— an atypical arrangement in public schools. once licensed. At Icahn Charter School, a teacher who began teaching history and geography as • At CCA, teachers form teams, creating a com- electives was encouraged to go back to school munity of colleagues to support students to become certified as a core teacher. He now struggling with academics, behavior, or both. teaches fourth grade at the school. CCA actually • At TIS, teachers are eschewing direct instruc- has its own teacher development program that tion in which teachers drive the pacing and trains both mid-career professionals and young classroom activity. Instead, they facilitate adults from the community. Through this alter- an individualized, student-directed learning process, in which students have more to say native licensing program, accredited by the state about what projects they work on and how of Colorado, the school has been able to add long they work on them. to its teaching staff a former physicist, a former chemist, and a former stockbroker. Through • Some of these schools offer unusual grade configurations to serve their communities’ the program, says principal Hernandez, novices needs. CCA, which started with 248 students “learn to become great teachers.” in grades K–3, now has 786 children in grades K–7, and, in addition, an eighth grade in the Holding Themselves Accountable 2007–08 school year. Amistad Academy had been providing grades 5–8, but added kinder- Unlike traditional public schools, charter garten and ninth grade for the 2006–07 school schools are authorized for a specific number of

26 years—typically five to 10 years at a time—and Because many charter schools receive less pub- authorizers can shut a school down or decide lic funding than traditional public schools, one not to renew a charter if the school does not of the most important functions of a governing perform adequately. As a result, these schools board is fund-raising. Charter schools operate take accountability very seriously. For starters, under tremendous financial vulnerability.T IS, for each has a governing board to support and example, does not receive any of the local tax guide the school. funds that account for 47 percent of funding for other public schools in its district. In addition, un- The governing board holds staff accountable like traditional public schools, charter-governed for results and has the ability to fire the director schools must cover their own facilities and trans- or teachers if they fail to advance the school portation costs. District and state funding also mission. Boards can make decisions quickly, are calculated in a manner that puts new charter which, as TIS principal Whitehouse explains, schools at a disadvantage. Often a year’s alloca- “allows them to be nimble.” When the school tion is based on the school’s attendance levels decided to expand from a school of 100 to a from the previous year. For a school that has re- school of 200 over a five-year period, she recently added two or more grades to its program, calls, the board wanted to be sure the school using last year’s attendance numbers and budget stayed true to its mission and could make will fall far short of providing what it needs. the changes needed to handle more students. “There’s no big bureaucracy to work your way To compensate for unpredictable cash flow, through,” Whitehouse says, “so you can make some charter schools form nonprofit 501c(3) decisions that are in the best interest of children organizations or operate under the umbrella pretty quickly.” of one, enabling them to receive grants from foundations, individuals, and other organiza- Governing boards oversee policymaking and tions. Charter school leaders sometimes find help develop school goals. Board members may themselves in the position of having to sell the represent business, education and community charter concept, either to political leaders or groups, and may be parents or, even, teachers, benefactors, to gain access to revenue streams. Board members at Amistad Academy had some who cannot serve on traditional public school success persuading the state legislature to in- boards due to union constraints. Board mem- crease funding for Connecticut charter schools, bers help to attract partnerships, raise money and the school was granted $25 million in fa- for their schools, and secure buildings and facility bond money to renovate a building and cilities. Further, the board oversees the fiscal expand its program to grades K–12. health, management, and leadership of these schools, performing some functions of a stream- lined school district administration. Boards at Continuous Professional Learning and Improvement profiled schools average nine members, with one board having as few as five members and Standards are high for students and teach- another as many as 19. ers alike at these schools. Teachers are held

27 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

accountable for meeting ambitious missions port than traditional public schools. Coaches and goals, but at the same time they receive on- and master teachers—high-quality, experienced going professional development and support. teachers—help newer educators refine lessons, team-teach, and model instructional strategies. • At Alain Locke, teacher collaboration time All seven charter schools support teachers by is built into the year-round schedule with a providing additional staffing, such as Title I block of time reserved each week for profes- mathematics and reading intervention special- sional development. ists, who work with small groups of students • At APV, during a weekly two-hour profession- having difficulty with academic skills. al development period, prekindergarten staff participate in a team project meeting to plan The kind of support described above is one way lessons and share instructional strategies. The these schools retain great teachers. Bonuses are school’s reading specialist and mathematics coordinator observe classes, provide feed- another. Several of the schools—CCA, Icahn back, model lessons for each teacher, and Charter School, and PAES—pay bonuses or mer- provide training. Teachers also are given time it pay for meeting student achievement goals, every day for planning and have opportunities teacher attendance, and investing additional to work on curriculum and instruction with time in after-school tutoring, Saturday classes, both a reading specialist and a mathematics and summer school. Administrators also select specialist. their staff carefully. Lennie Jones, principal of • Icahn Charter School has a staff devel- Alain Locke, explains that besides looking at an oper and three curriculum specialists on applicant’s education background and creden- staff who, in addition to their other work, tials, he looks for new hires who are willing serve as coaches. For example, one coach to put in the time and effort required to meet might team-teach a class with a staff teacher the school’s goals. The school “may not be for while another works with an individual stu- everyone,” Jones says. “We look for intelligent dent who is struggling with an assignment. people with a heart for children who are look- Teachers are required to submit lesson plans each Monday to the staff developer. This ing to grow professionally.” Once hired, teach- year, with five teachers new to the school, ers are observed, evaluated, and held to high the coaches demonstrate successful lessons, standards. Unlike traditional public schools, provide feedback, and share approaches for charter school principals have the autonomy to addressing students’ needs. All professional fire or decide not to renew contracts if a teacher development efforts are carefully document- is not committed to the mission or meeting the ed. (See fig. 10 on p. 29 for a teacher log standards for instruction. At CCA, principal Her- that a writing coach from the New York City nandez says he over-hires by four or five teach- Writing Project, a community partnership to ers each school year and keeps only the best, coach teachers on writing, uses as a tool to letting go by December “those that don’t make keep track of ongoing professional development work with teachers.) it or buy in.” At APV, when a new principal and governing board took over leadership, they de- These schools tend to offer teachers consider- veloped a new dual-language program for all ably more professional development and sup- students and decided to fire all noncertified

28 Figure 10. Carl C. Icahn Charter School Teacher Consultant Log (Excerpt)

* Names deleted to protect privacy.

teachers. This step meant that half the school’s conducive to teaching. Teachers are not left teaching staff was fired and replaced. (See alone to deal with challenging students. At APV, fig. 11 on page 30 for APV’s teacher report card, for example, a designated problem-solving team an excerpt of a tool that is used to evaluate composed of teachers works, as needed, with teachers. The principal and administrators use individual teachers to strategize on how to ad- this tool to evaluate teacher performance in a dress students’ behavioral and academic issues. way that promotes ongoing learning for staff to At Cesar Chavez, innovative hiring has helped meet expectations for high-quality teaching.) create a community of experts to support classroom teachers: School staff includes an instruc- All of these schools aim to create an envi- tional coach for elementary and middle school, ronment for teachers that is supportive and a lead tutor, a director of assessment, a school

29 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Figure 11. Amigos Por Vida Charter School: Teacher Report Card (Excerpt)

30 psychologist, a speech therapist, a cross-grade lies in these communities have joined educators special education team, and a prevention spe- and philanthropists to create innovative schools cialist to coordinate family support services. dedicated to ensuring student success.

Several of these schools have principals who Some readers of this guide, particularly teachers serve as instructional leaders. “It’s my job to or administrators working in charter or tradi- help the teacher figure out how to make each tional public schools, may wonder whether any child succeed,” says principal Whitehouse of of these strategies have “cross-over” potential TIS. “When a teacher is having difficulty fig- for other schools. The descriptive research pro- uring out what to do for a child, we will sit cess on which this guide is based suggests ways down and brainstorm together.” She observes to do things that leaders and staff at the featured teachers daily, spending time in classrooms and schools have found to be helpful and practical providing feedback to teachers. One teacher how-to guidance. But it is not the kind of ex- on staff had worked for 39 years in Catholic perimental research that can yield valid causal schools before moving to TIS. “My other school claims about what works. Thus, readers should was seven-tenths of a mile from my house. I judge for themselves the merits of these prac- could walk to school,” says the teacher. “Now tices based on their understanding of why such I travel 55 miles a day round-trip to get here. practices should work, how they fit the local But I just love this program, even though it is context, and what happens when they actually probably the most difficult teaching I’ve done try them. Also, readers should understand that in all those years.” Another teacher, new to the these descriptions do not constitute an endorse- profession, says Whitehouse helped her get off ment of specific practices or products. to a good start in her classroom: “[During] my first year of teaching she was there every single That said, the successes of these schools pro- step of the way. She held my hand through the vide an impetus to look closely at how they go entire process.” about the business of educating all children and closing achievement gaps.

Conclusion These schools share a sense of urgency: To a one, they are on a mission to improve the fu- The populations of students attending the ture for students who have not had many op- schools profiled in this guide are distinctive portunities, and they are of the mind-set that in their levels of need. These students reside there is no time to waste. Each is staying true in urban communities, and many have limited to an original, formal mission to help their stu- English fluency. Many come from poor fami- dents achieve and, uniformly, these schools lies, and many are African-American or Hispan- provide the necessary support to help each stu- ic. Their neighborhood schools are unsafe and dent meet high standards. They do this work suffer a chronic lack of resources. Frustrated in a positive school culture that emphasizes and unhappy that their children’s academic and student achievements and makes expectations developmental needs were not being met, fami- clear. Schools profiled in this guidepartner with

31 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

their students’ families in multiple ways, from work together to support students with spe- requiring parental signatures on homework to cial needs.16 Teachers are trained to think, “It offering adult education classes. School leaders is my responsibility to make sure this child learns.”17 These schools proactively provide are innovative about their approaches across all students with individualized instructional the board, taking care to notice what their stu- support, using special education designation dents and staff need—from longer school days as a last resort. Additionally, both schools to year-round school schedules. Leaders hold that are serving high numbers of English themselves accountable and also are held ac- language learners use a highly collaborative countable by governing boards that can fire dual-language approach, enabling teachers principals and teachers who are not following to hone in on academic problems and identify whether they are language- or learning-re- through with the school’s mission. These schools lated.18 School reform advocates will want to provide ongoing professional development and consider ways to nurture this shift in think- other support for teachers, which help to re- ing, from asking teachers to impart material tain high-quality staff in communities that often to holding them responsible for student suc- struggle to hold on to top-notch teachers. cess, particularly when students enter school performing below grade-level. While achievement levels for students in these • Teachers are supported to meet high schools do indeed outpace those of students standards. These schools each have master in neighboring public schools, there are also teachers on staff to model lessons for newer more-nuanced indicators of success at these instructors. Teachers are encouraged to col- charters, each of which may have implications laborate or team-teach, and, at some schools, for other public schools: they receive bonus pay when achievement goals are met. Their shared sense of pride • These schools offer lessons about indi- and the knowledge that they are having a vidualizing curriculum. The schools in real impact serves as additional reward. If this guide use approaches that specifically underserved urban districts want to attract meet the needs of their student populations. and retain high-caliber teachers, they should They group students in innovative ways, consider offering high levels of professional sometimes offering unusual grade ranges, development in addition to other rewards for and even clustering students developmental- a job well done. ly rather than by age. (TIS students learn in • These charter schools are places where multiage classrooms rather than being sepa- theory and practice meet. Free from dis- rated out by grade-level groupings.) Tradi- trict and state mandates about instructional tional schools can learn new strategies for minutes and textbook choices, several of tailor-making their programs to teach student these schools are explicit in their use of re- by student. search-based teaching and assessment prac- • High teacher accountability raises stu- tices. Although sometimes faced with skep- dent achievement. The seven schools pro- ticism from colleagues in the field, leaders filed here have moderate to low percentages at a few of these schools have implemented of students in special education programs, curricula that had never been used to teach ranging from less than 5 percent to 12 per- low-income students in urban schools. Oth- cent. One reason for this may be that teachers er schools in the profiled group also have

32 raised the bar high but use more traditional would be impossible for a traditional pub- teaching methods. Their successes in rais- lic school to develop a cohesive staff willing ing student achievement levels demonstrate to work the long hours each day as well as that historically underserved students can work extra days to ensure student achieve- and do master high-level material, whether ment. It is easier, without question, for charter a school uses traditional (e.g., direct instruc- schools to achieve this task. However, having tion) or more innovative (e.g., project-based a highly qualified and unified teaching staff learning) pedagogy. is certainly possible at non-charter schools. Those committed to education equity must • These schools share common constraints. all These schools are united by a common de- consider what is needed to ensure that termination to meet their students’ needs by schools, especially those at the losing end of doing whatever it takes. But they also share the achievement gap, have such dedicated similar challenges. Responsible for financing teachers. School reform advocates must take their own school transportation and buildings, note of policies and practices that either in- these schools face major financial struggles hibit or support developing staffs like these with each new school year. School reform and must make decisions accordingly. advocates committed to expanding public school options will want to consider ways to One of the more insidious myths about educa- support schools like these, which offer an im- tion is that students who have traditionally been portant alternative for students and their fami- characterized as at risk cannot manage a rigorous lies. Standards are high for teachers as well, curriculum and that, if pushed too hard, they will and working at a fledgling charter school drop out of school. The achievement outcomes would not work for every teacher. Hours are of these seven profiled schools refute that belief, long, but there are also rewards. Many school directors give staff bonuses for working extra demonstrating that when presented with a de- hours and bringing student achievement lev- manding academic curriculum, high expectations, els up. Teachers are encouraged to collabo- and the support to excel, students rise to meet, rate across departments with master teachers and often exceed, the bar. With solid support working closely with these new educators. and research-based teaching and assessment ap- Further, in those schools there is a shared proaches, these traditionally underserved learners sense of pride among students and teachers when they accomplish benchmark goals be- can meet the challenge. It may even be possible, cause students know they have worked hard based on the outcomes of these seven charters, to earn their marks, and teachers can see the that all public schools—in affluent or low-income impact of their efforts. communities alike—can learn from the individu- • These schools make learning a priority. alized, innovative, and committed work that can Readers of this guide may conclude that it happen when theory meets practice.

33 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

34 Part II Profiles of Charter Schools Highlighted In Part I

Alain Locke Charter Academy

Amigos Por Vida—Friends for Life Public Charter School

Amistad Academy

Carl C. Icahn Charter School

Cesar Chavez Academy

The Intergenerational School

Pan-American Elementary Charter School

35 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

36 School Profile: Selected Variables a Alain Locke Year First Chartered 1999 Grades Served Pre-K–8 Enrollment 505 Charter Student Ethnicity b 94% African-American 5% White 1% Hispanic Academy Special Education 12% Free or Reduced-price Lunch b 89% Chicago Annual Cost per Student $7,000 a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are drawn from Alain Locke Charter Academy school report card for 2005–06 posted on the Illinois State Board of Education Web site.

Mission and Founding leadership to establish a stable and learning- focused environment. The need for change On Chicago’s West Side, families in neighbor- became evident in 2002, when Alain Locke’s hoods including East Garfield Park,N orth Lawn- pioneer class reached third grade and first took dale, and Austin now have access to a school Illinois’ standardized tests. The percentage of where academic rigor and what staff refer to as students reaching proficient levels was in the “absolute excellence” are expected. Acting on single digits. Soon thereafter, the school’s board the belief that all children, regardless of race, hired a new principal. Under the leadership of ethnicity, or socioeconomic background, can Lennie Jones, the school blossomed. By 2005, succeed if given quality educational opportu- over three-quarters of Alain Locke students were nities, Patrick Ryan, Jr., founder of Inner-City Teaching Corp (ICTC), opened Alain Locke meeting or exceeding standards on the Illinois Charter Academy in 1999. Ryan maintains, Standards Achievement Test (ISAT), scoring 74 “Equality is a hollow promise without equal ac- percent proficient or above in reading and 84 cess to quality education. Despite all the rheto- percent proficient or above in mathematics. ric, we are on the verge of leaving another gen- eration of urban students behind.” Alain Locke’s transformation from a struggling school into a success story is testament Named in honor of the first African-American to ICTC’s dedication and mission “to transform Rhodes scholar, Alain Locke is guided by the education in underserved communities and to principle of absolute excellence and dedicated empower children in urban schools.” All stu- to producing globally competitive students. Stu- dents, parents, and staff sign a contract that fo- dents in this predominantly African-American cuses on excellence as an expectation for all community have historically been underserved members of the school community. According by inadequate traditional public schools. Even to Claire Hartfield, the ICTC chief of staff, this after Alain Locke opened, students did not im- expectation is a statement “that our students mediately show academic progress. will not only be among the best in our com- While the school had the bedrock of a spacious munity, but they will be excellent absolutely, and well-maintained facility, missing in its early across the board, and able to compete citywide, years were the necessary focus, discipline, and statewide, nationally.”

37 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

School Operations and Educational percent of the student body is African-American, and choosing culturally relevant practices is part Program of Alain Locke’s success. Every week there is Alain Locke opened in 1999 with prekindergarten an all-school harambee (i.e., a Swahili term for through first-grade classes and has expanded “pulling together all at once”) meeting, at which one grade level per year, with the original cohort students, dressed in their uniform of white shirts completing eighth grade in 2007. In 2006–07, the and navy pants, line up in a double circle to school served 505 students. Each grade level has sing and celebrate achievements. Meetings be- two classes of 25 students. Eighty-nine percent gin with student renditions of the “Pledge of Al- of the students qualify for free or reduced-price legiance,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and “Lift lunch, and admission to the school is based on Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” and they conclude with a lottery. Alain Locke operates with an extended the traditional harambee call to unity. school day, which starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at To help them see the connection between be- 5 p.m. Initially, the school also adopted an extended-year calendar in which the school oper- havior and the ability to do their best work, stu- ated from September through July. In 2005, the dents receive citizenship grades along with aca- school switched to a year-round schedule, with demic grades. To maintain an orderly learning four 10-week quarters separated by three-week environment, every classroom adheres to the intersession breaks. That change was made, in school’s clear and consistent discipline system part, to reduce teacher burnout associated with of warnings, removal of privileges and, then, the school’s longer teaching days and, in part, to communication with parents. minimize the learning loss that typically occurs Since 2002, Alain Locke has successfully es- over a long summer break. tablished a standards-based curriculum in five When principal Jones arrived at Alain Locke in core areas: reading, writing, mathematics, social 2001, her first challenge was to create an en- studies, and science. The school’s extended day vironment in which academic excellence was allows regular instruction in art, music, Spanish, taken seriously. She determined that more struc- PE, and technology. In addition, Friday after- ture was needed if the school was to develop noon enrichment clubs give students the op- a culture in which, as Jones puts it, “It’s cool portunity to partake in activities ranging from to be an academic achiever.” Today, school additional language classes (including Swahili staff encourage students to carry their inde- and Japanese) and performing arts to sports and pendent reading books with them while they games (such as word play and chess). walk around the school, which enables Jones to chat with students about their chosen texts. Starting in first grade, students use the com- The safe and welcoming school climate allows puter-based Accelerated Reader program. Stu- students to focus on academics and helps them dents who perform well on Accelerated Reader develop a strong work ethic. As evidenced by tests receive a congratulatory reading certifi- the school’s 93 percent attendance rate, students cate. Jones, whose office is lined with picture look forward to coming to school. books, maintains an open-door policy that allows students to interrupt her during any meet- Character education, based on the seven prin- ing in order to get a reading certificate signed. ciples of Nguzo Saba from the Kwanza tradition, The assistant principal, Gloria Woodson, is embedded in the curriculum. Ninety-nine runs a club called Reading Angels, in which

38 fourth- to eighth-graders read to younger stu- students have individualized education plans). dents and run the school’s bookstore. Literacy In pre–K through third grade, a teacher associ- instruction is not limited to formal instruction in ate in each classroom provides students with core classes. For example, in an art class during personalized help during class, and in the older which students work with clay, the teacher in- grades community volunteers tutor students. fuses the lesson with topically appropriate vo- Additionally, Alain Locke has created a buddy cabulary words, such as slab, score, and slip. system, in which every staff member adopts a student who is experiencing challenges and Alain Locke’s mathematics goal is for all eighth- works one-on-one with that student to reach graders to graduate proficient in algebra 1, a specific goals. high school gatekeeper course. In K–6 classrooms, teachers supplement the Everyday Math The use of both formal and informal assessments curriculum and basic skills review with Acceler- helps teachers develop the capacity to maximize ated Math computer lessons. In seventh grade, learning for individual students. Alain Locke em- students take pre-algebra, moving on to algebra ploys Learning First, a district-approved assess- in eighth grade. ment system that provides feedback three times a year. Teachers write progress reports every Experience-based learning is another element five weeks and send home report cards at the of Alain Locke’s curriculum. The school encour- end of each 10-week quarter. The year-round ages teachers to take their students off campus calendar also allows teachers time to reflect on to have meaningful learning experiences, and it their practice and modify lessons based on ana- provides transportation and other funds to do lyzed data to help students master specific skills so. Hartfield describes a trip to the Argonne Lab- or content areas. Jones says a year-round sched- oratory as “inspiring. … At least one of the kids ule, with every 10 weeks of school followed by came out of it saying ‘I know what I want to do three weeks of vacation, sends the message to now. I want to be a scientist.’ ” Says Jones, “We students, “When it’s time to work, work hard, feel that if children have rich exposure at an and then you can relax and regroup.” early age and continue to have that exposure, they’re going to make the connections they need to perform well on things like standard[ized] External Partnerships tests, as well as in their classes.” Although Alain Locke now serves multiple Explicit teacher training on standards-based neigborhoods, it was conceived to focus on the lesson planning for heterogeneous classes and needs of East Garfield Park. As such, it was, the availability of self-paced computer pro- and remains, part of a network of organiza- grams for students eliminate the need for Alain tions working to positively affect this particular Locke to operate a separate gifted program. neighborhood. Another ICTC-sponsored orga- The school also helps connect students in need nization in that network is the Family Resource of more advanced learning opportunities to a and Learning Center, which operates within fast-paced algebra course offered by the Uni- the Alain Locke facility to provide a variety of versity of Illinois, which several seventh-grad- family-oriented programming, including par- ers take for high school credit. There are also ent-and-child-together classes and GED prepa- special programs for students who need addi- ration classes for adults. Offered four days a tional support (approximately 10 percent of the week for both Alain Locke families and those

39 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

from the broader community, these programs ates enrichment activities for families. Foster reflect ICTC’s mission to provide “seamless ed- explains her own commitment when she says, ucational opportunities for families” in a “one- “Every child deserves an opportunity to get the stop education source.” best education.”

Community partnerships make Alain Locke’s experiential education programs possible and Governing for Accountability bring in much-needed resources. The school works with such external groups as the Chicago Alain Locke’s 11-member board of directors Children’s Choir and the Garfield Park Conser- draws representatives from leaders in both the vatory Alliance. A relationship with the Chicago- business and the education world. Originally its based Aon Corporation provides the upper role was to bring resources into the school and grades with tutors; the Mead Witter Foundation lend credibility to the start-up venture at a time funded the construction of a state-of-the-art sci- when the concept of charter schools was new ence lab; and Chicago Communities In Schools to Illinois. Since then, the board has evolved connects Alain Locke with such companies as to address the school’s needs as it has grown LensCrafters, which provides glasses and vision and, now, is trying to institutionalize processes. care for students in need. Supportive of the school leadership, the board gives the principal and the assistant principal Parent and family involvement is a key con- the autonomy to make education policy and tributor to student achievement at Alain Locke. enact decisions in line with the school’s stra- A parent’s role begins with signing the commit- tegic plan. In 2004, Alain Locke completed the ment to excellence contract, with which fami- charter renewal process with the state of Illinois lies pledge to maintain high expectations for approving continuation of the school’s program their children, to help their children with daily for another five years. homework, to make sure their children attend school regularly, and to communicate regularly Since Jones has taken the helm, she has worked with school staff. By signing the contract, par- hard to rally staff behind a common mission. ents agree to uphold the school’s belief that, Prior to each new school year, she conducts in collaboration with the school, parents are a retreat that gives staff an opportunity to responsible for shaping the attitudes and be- reexamine the mission and review procedures havior of their children. Alain Locke makes a and policies. “We address all the issues togeth- concerted effort to educate parents about aca- er,” says Assistant Principal Woodson. “I think demic standards. At the school’s open house, that makes a big difference in terms of having parents learn about each teacher’s system for a well-run organization where everybody is on communication about homework and citizen- the same page and working towards the same ship. The administration and teachers organize goal.” Both Jones and Woodson taught for many meetings to explain expectations for third and years in Chicago prior to joining Alain Locke, sixth grades, which are critical benchmark and they work with teachers on a regular ba- years evaluated by state exams, and to show sis to improve instruction. Teachers recognize parents sample test questions. Voynell Foster, and appreciate the supportive environment in the parent and community liaison, touches which they work. One teacher notes, “The staff base with families every day at dismissal, runs is young and vibrant and nice to work with … an after-school Girl Scout program, and cre- everybody shares.” Ongoing staff development

40 time allows staff to analyze data from informal tive salaries, some important teacher perks in- and formal assessments together and make clude the use of teacher associates in the lower plans accordingly. Teachers meet weekly for grades, a strong collaborative staff, and support professional development. for experience-based learning. When hiring, Jones looks for more than academic qualifications. “We look for intelligent people In the 2004–05 Chicago Public Schools Char- who have a heart for children and are looking ter Schools Performance Report,19 Alain Locke to grow professionally,” she says. Alain Locke earned “high” ratings for financial practices and teachers earn salaries that are on par with those compliance. The school receives about $6,000– paid by the local district, but school leaders $6,500 per student from public sources, includ- would like to raise salaries to make them even ing per-pupil state funds, Title I money, and oth- more competitive. “The quality of your teachers is really the key, and by quality I don’t just mean er state aid for low-income populations. Private teachers’ educational background, but a whole funds and donations contribute another $1,000 package,” says Hartfield. In addition to competi- per student every year.

41 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Student Achievement at Alain Locke Charter Academy • Since 2002, Alain Locke has made significant strides in raising student achievement, culminating in a March 2007 Chicago Public Schools “Exemplary Achievement Award” for four years of consecutive gains on state testing. • From 2001 to 2005, Alain Locke posted the highest test score gains of all Chicago public elementary schools. During this period, reading achievement for grades 3–8 increased from 9.4 percent proficient or above in reading in 2001–02 to 61.6 percent in 2004–05, a gain of 52.2 percentage points on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). • In 2004–05, Alain Locke third- and fifth-graders outperformed students at neighboring elementary schools and the district on the ITBS in reading and mathematics. • As shown in figure 12, in 2005–06, Alain Locke third- and fifth-graders outperformed students at neighboring elementary schools and at the district level, and they performed about the same as, or slightly better than, students at the state level on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) in reading and mathematics.

Figure 12. Percentage of Alain Locke Students Meeting or Exceeding Standards on 2005–06 ISAT Reading and Mathematics

100

90 Alain Locke Charter School

80 Average Percentage for 70 Neighboring Elementary Schools 60 Chicago Public Schools

50 State (Ill.) 40 30 20 10 0 Grade 3 Grade 5 Grade 3 Grade 5 Reading Reading Mathematics Mathematics

Source: Interactive Illinois Report Card 2006 and Illinois State Board of Education, 2006 Illinois School Profile

42 School Profile: Selected Variables a Amigos Por Vida Year First Chartered 1999 Grades Served Pre-K–6 Enrollment 374

—Friends for b Student Ethnicity 98.6% Hispanic 0.7% African-American 0.7% White Life Public c Special Education 5% Free or Reduced-price Lunch b 99.7% Charter School English Language Learners 95.4% Annual Cost per Student $8,829 Houston a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are drawn from the Amigos Por Vida—Friends for Life Public Charter School school report card for 2005–06 posted on Texas Education Agency Web site. c These data are reported online for 2005–06 at http://www.schoolmatters.com.

Mission and Founding board and convinced the local community to support the board’s efforts to get the school Amigos Por Vida—Friends for Life Public Char- back on track. ter School (APV) emerged from a tumultuous beginning to become a school that has raised The new five-member board issued a tri-fold achievement for its mostly immigrant students. mandate to rebuild the school. It insisted that the Carlos Villagrana, the school’s third principal school, renamed by a second principal, create a and a primary driver of its turnaround, describes dual-language program for all students, replace the school’s work as, “We’re in the business of all noncertified teachers with certified teachers, empowering.” APV’s commitment to empow- and implement internal controls, including a erment extends beyond its student population more accurate accounting system for all finances and beyond those families living in the 535-unit and operations. A controller was hired to ensure mixed-income apartment complex in which the sound financial operations of the school. InD e- school is located. It embraces all of the fami- cember 2003, Villagrana took over as the third lies living in the broader Houston neighborhood principal and set out to rehabilitate the school in it serves, irrespective of whether their children accordance with the board’s agenda. attend APV. When Villagrana started at APV, only 50 percent In 1999, the school that is now APV opened of its students were earning passing rates on Tex- as Escuela de Reyes, or School of the Kings, as’s annual statewide assessments. Today, APV under the charter authority of the Texas Educa- serves prekindergarten three-year-olds through tion Agency (TEA). Early mismanagement and students in the sixth grade, and 85 and 99 per- the school’s failure to provide a quality educa- cent of its students are earning passing rates on tion led to a 2001–02 audit by the TEA, which state reading and mathematics exams, respec- threatened to close the school. It was due to tively. As Villagrana set about reforming APV, the diligence of staff at the apartment complex he did so with a dual vision for what the school management company that the school was could be. First, because there is tremendous saved. Recognizing the need for a good school need in the community, he wanted APV to serve in the neighborhood, they helped recruit a new as a safe resource center for students, families,

43 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

and the local community. Second, he wanted is a lot of diversity, with about 50 percent of to honor the students’ heritage by instituting a student families hailing from Mexico and 50 per- dual-language program that promotes fluency in cent from Central American countries, such as both Spanish and English. Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. While 57 percent of the student body has been in the The area APV serves had not had a school United States for more than five years, 17 per- within walking distance for decades. APV was cent relocated to the United States three to four the first charter school in the largely immigrant years ago, and 13 percent moved here within Gulfton neighborhood, but today there are two the past one to two years. additional charter schools in the area. There is strong collaboration, rather than competition, Students can start attending APV as three-year- between these schools, and one of the other olds in its prekindergarten program. These school’s directors sits on the APV board. In addi- children have one teacher for their full day of tion, APV has helped change the neighborhood classes; 90 percent of these students are taught in which it is located. Board member Omar in Spanish and 10 percent in English. The dual- Velez says, “This is a high-risk community,” and language immersion program starts at the next five to six years ago, “You wouldn’t walk here.” level (prekindergarten for three- and four-year- Villagrana has made major strides in creating a olds) and extends through sixth grade. In 2006– safer environment by reaching out to the teens 07, prekindergarten through fifth-grade students in the neighborhood. Today, many neighbor- began learning through a dual-language immer- hood youths, including alumni and teens from sion program and grades 6 and higher began the apartment complex, volunteer at all three receiving a different model, consisting of con- schools for such events as Earth Day cleanup. tent area classes in English, along with Spanish language enrichment classes. For the majority of APV students, then, half the school day takes School Operations and Educational place in Spanish and half the day takes place Program in English. In pre-K immersion through second grade, reading and English language arts are APV occupies four buildings within the large taught in both languages, mathematics and sci- apartment complex. The classrooms are con- ence are taught in English, and social studies is verted two- and three-bedroom apartments, con- taught in Spanish. For third through sixth grade, tributing to the cozy, family feel of the school. reading and English language arts are taught Having a bathroom in every classroom means in both languages, while mathematics, science, that students can go to the bathroom as the and social studies are taught in English with teacher continues with lessons. The school con- sheltered instruction, that is, the teaching occurs verted the apartment complex’s clubhouse as its in English, but support is given in Spanish. administration building, and two APV teachers are certified to teach swimming in the complex According to Alicia Garza, the English as a sec- swimming pool. ond language (ESL) teacher for kindergarten, the full-day prekindergarten and kindergarten pro- Of the 374 students attending APV, 99 percent grams make a huge difference, as students learn are Hispanic, 97 percent qualify for free or re- to read and write at a younger age. In addition, duced-price lunch, and 95 percent are English the dual-language program helps the school language learners. But within this group, there efficiently differentiate between the needs of

44 English language learners and special education APV follows the same school-year schedule as students. If a student is struggling in English, its local district. Students interested in attending staff can evaluate his or her performance in the school must complete an application and Spanish to assess whether the problem results are then selected by lottery. Preference goes from a language barrier or from a learning dis- to siblings of enrolled students,20 and there is ability. Thus, although the school provides spe- currently a wait list for prekindergarten and kin- cial education services, it finds that only 5 per- dergarten. Seven staff members, including Prin- cent of the students qualify. Teachers also laud cipal Villagrana, send their children to APV. the dual-language program’s two-teacher model. Prekindergarten teacher Hazel DeLaFuente To bolster the bilingual school environment, explains that the process of collaborating with APV has adopted a language-of-the-week program, whereby each week everyone (in- a co-teacher lends itself to more creative lesson cluding staff) agrees to try speaking the same plans, activity ideas, and professional support. language—either Spanish or English—outside The school day starts with homework support of class in common areas. Nonnative-Spanish- at 7 a.m. and breakfast at 7:20 a.m. After school, speaking staff commented that this program there is a tutorial and enrichment program that allows them to learn from their students and runs from 3:15–5:45 p.m., which helps working helps them empathize with the struggles faced parents who cannot pick up their children at the by students who are English language learners. end of the school day. During this time, teachers Native-Spanish-speaking staff praise the program for giving them an opportunity to serve work with groups of no more than 12 children as role models for being proud to speak two in tutorials to help them succeed academically. languages. “We come from the same back- The enrichment program is diverse, ranging, for ground, [as many of our students], so we know example, from choir, dance, and art to nutrition how it is for them,” says registrar Laura Lara. and computer science. Underscoring the success One teacher recalls having a student point to of the after-school program, the school’s fifth- her and say proudly to a friend, “She’s bilin- graders entered and won the Hewlett-Packard gual, like me.” One parent told the school nurse Robotics Competition in 2005–06. APV also in- that APV reminded her of Mexico because of fuses information about college into its program the Spanish being spoken, but that her son’s in a variety of ways, including naming class- ability to come home and speak English makes rooms after universities. Students represent their her feel like he attends a private school. homeroom university in monthly celebrations during which they compete in activities, such “We’ve developed our own curriculum around as designing the best college banner or singing the needs of the kids,” Villagrana says. Two their college cheer the loudest. School staff also coordinators, one for mathematics and one for take students on field trips to local colleges. At reading, help teachers by crafting curriculum, one point, APV took all third-grade students and developing resource libraries, aiding with lesson their families to visit the University of Houston plans, and working with individual students. because none of the students or their parents The reading coach meets with the Spanish had ever before been on a college campus. Most teachers every Wednesday and with the English years, APV offers an eight-week summer school teachers every Thursday to review lesson plans in June and July that is open to all students, but is and brainstorm strategies for improvement. The required for students at risk of being held back. mathematics coordinator evaluates a specific

45 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

standard every Friday and determines whether classes for parents on the first Thursday of ev- students are ready to move forward. ery month on topics that range from nutrition to violence prevention. There are also reading, Using its own internal assessments, APV collects writing, science, and math nights for parents at and analyzes data regularly. Assistant Principal which students present their work and teach- Silvia Trinh explains to students that the testing ers model lessons and expectations for students, is important because it serves as “a safety net” so families learn how to support their children for them, but she also reassures them that the in school. The full-time school nurse, Marisol testing “doesn’t define you.” She encourages Villegas, treats entire families as well as other them to be persistent in their efforts to demon- community members; she also arranges vision strate their knowledge of a particular subject, and dentistry screenings, free flu shots, and free but reminds them that the school cares about mammograms, and she coordinates preventa- who they are more broadly. tive health-care fairs. The school asks parents to volunteer 10 hours of their time per year and also concretely shows the value it places on par- Family Involvement and External ent input in other ways. For example, when the Partnerships school was debating about whether to add grade levels, staff surveyed the fifth-grade parents. Parents were instrumental in the turnaround Based on parents’ clear interest in expanding of APV, and they continue to devote time the school, APV then added the sixth grade. and effort to making the school a clean, safe, and beautiful place in which to learn (e.g., by Key community partnerships also have influ- repairing the playground, planting a garden, enced the school’s success. The DePelchin painting the buildings). Regular communica- Children’s Center, a local nonprofit social ser- tion between school staff and families contrib- vices agency, offers parenting classes at APV, utes to the school’s attendance rate of above while Houston Community College pays for 97 percent. Because many students live in the and sends a teacher to provide ESL classes for apartments surrounding the school, administra- parents two nights a week. The Gulf Coast Lit- tors can walk down the street to meet with par- eracy Center gives ESL, computer, and GED ents and find out why their children are not in preparation courses, and Head Start provides class. Similarly, most parents pick up their chil- an extra prekindergarten teacher. One private dren from school, which gives them frequent school donated over 2,000 books to the APV face-to-face contact with teachers. There are two library, and the Harris County Department of formal school-parent conferences a year, but if a Education’s Cooperative for After-School En- student is struggling, the school informs the par- richment (CASE) helps support the before- and ents and convenes a meeting in which school after-school tutorials. staff, students, and parents sign a contract stat- ing what their responsibilities are in helping the student succeed. A regular bilingual newsletter Governing for Accountability helps APV keep in touch with parents about more general school issues. The five-member VAP leadership team, which meets weekly, includes the principal, assistant In conjunction with the school’s parent-teacher principal, reading specialist, mathematics spe- organization, APV also hosts free enrichment cialist, and controller. Villagrana stresses that staff

46 commitment to the school’s mission, parent and visits, performing well (as indicated on the student dedication to success, and the school’s school’s teacher report card), and for campus- ability to adapt are what make APV thrive. Re- wide achievement on state testing. In addition, flecting on his time at the helm ofAPV, Villa- there is a stipend for ELL teachers that all teach- grana says, “This is a marathon and I’ve come in ers receive because all are ELL-certified. sprinting. We’ve been fortunate to recruit a dedicated staff, and that makes all the difference.” When Villagrana joined APV, the school was cash-strapped, he says. But thanks, in part, to Formal professional development meetings take the principal and the controller’s intensive line- place every Thursday from 3–5 p.m., but Villa- by-line scrutiny of the school budget and two grana makes it a point to visit at least three class- successful federal grant applications (i.e., Read- rooms daily and to collect lesson plans weekly ing First and Title I School Improvement grants), to help create a professional culture among the the school has become financially solvent. Just staff. The school encourages collaboration and over a quarter of the budget comes directly often sends teachers to trainings with the expec- from grants while the state contributes $6,436 of the $8,829 per-student cost. APV also receives tation that when they return they will share the a prekindergarten expansion grant for high- new knowledge with everyone else. Last year need communities through the Texas Education APV began using Teacher Report Cards that Agency that enables it to offer a prekindergarten incorporate incentives, such as extra pay for class for three-year-olds and another for four- high-attendance rates, and require teachers to year-olds. The school currently leases its build- develop portfolios that showcase student learn- ings from the apartment complex owner, but ing and school service. The school’s in-house has launched a capital campaign in hopes of problem-solving team, composed of selected acquiring a permanent facility of its own. teachers and the school counselor, provides a forum to discuss and troubleshoot any student- The same five-member board of directors that related concerns. For example, if a teacher is helped resurrect the school continues to over- having difficulty with a particular student, the see it. The board set conditions for recreating team will offer strategies and resources for the the school and ensures that past mistakes are specific situation. Teachers earn salaries equal not repeated. In 2004, the state renewed APV’s to those offered by the Houston Independent charter for another three years. The school will School District and can earn bonuses for high go through the renewal process again during the classroom attendance rates, conducting home 2007–08 school year.

47 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Student Achievement at Amigos Por Vida (APV) • In 2006–07, APV received the Governor’s Excellence Award as a high-poverty school that performed in the top quartile on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). • For the last three years, APV has made adequate yearly progress and was rated “academically acceptable” under the Texas 2006 school accountability rating system. • In 2004–05, 85 percent of APV third- and fifth-graders met the TAKS reading standard in the first and second administration of the exam,* and more than 99 percent of third-graders met the standard for the mathematics exam. Looking at results for the entire school, APV exceeded the performance in mathematics and reading of neighboring schools serving similar populations of students. • As shown in figure 13, in 2006, 99 percent of APV third-graders met TAKS standards in reading (for the first adminstration) and mathematics, outperforming students in neighboring schools, as well as at the district and state levels.

Figure 13. Percentage of APV Students Who Met Standards on 2005–06 TAKS Reading (First Administration) and Mathematics

100 90 Amigos Por Vida Charter School 80 Average Percentage for 70 Neighboring Elementary Schools 60 Houston Independent School District 50 State (Texas) 40 30 20 10 0 Reading Reading Mathematics Mathematics 3rd Grade 5th Grade 3rd Grade 5th Grade

Source: Texas Education Agency, Academic Excellence Indicator System, 2005–06 Campus Performance

* In Texas, there are multiple test administrations for third-grade and fifth-grade reading, and fifth-grade mathematics. Only students who do not pass the first time take a second administration. These test scores are used for promotion to the next grade level, so students are given multiple opportunities to pass. However, there is only one administration of the third-grade mathematics test because this test is not used for promotion.

48 School Profile: Selected Variables a Amistad Year First Chartered 1999 Grades Served K, 5–9 Enrollment 405 Academy Student Ethnicity b 61% African-American 31% Hispanic 2% White Special Education Less than 5% New Haven, Conn. Free or Reduced-price Lunch b 84% Annual Cost per Student $11,000

a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are drawn from the Amistad Academy school report card for 2005–06 posted on Connecticut State Department of Education Web site.

Mission and Founding philanthropists, bankers, lawyers, government leaders, foundation and university representa- In 1998, a group of Yale law students began tives, and six additional Yale law students. studying urban education issues and became inspired by civil rights leader and mathematics Charles Terrell, chief executive officer ofN ew Ha- educator Bob Moses, who views the realms of ven Savings Bank, helped to galvanize the busi- civil rights and mathematics education as inter- ness community and worked to get the school twined: “The absence of mathematics literacy financing. Carroll Stevens of Yale Law School and in urban and rural communities throughout this Rod Lane of Southern Connecticut State Univer- country is an issue as urgent as the lack of regis- sity provided needed support from connecting tered black voters in Mississippi was in 1961.”21 Amistad with potential donors to helping to re- Inspired by Moses’ words and work, the Yale cruit teachers and serving as resources develop- students concluded that closing the achievement ing the education program. Local leaders and gap is the civil rights issue of today. In exploring philanthropists offered financial and strategic how they could help to close achievement gaps support, as did the New Haven County Bar Asso- in Connecticut, they decided that the most pow- ciation and the Greater New Haven Chamber of erful way would be to open a public charter Commerce. The approval process was challeng- school to prove that urban students can achieve ing because, while this charter school application at extraordinarily high levels. Critics told them was ranked number one in the state’s charter ap- it could not be done and certainly not without proval process (i.e., it would have been the first the expertise of a veteran principal. Others cau- school to receive a charter), at the time there was tioned against starting a middle school, advising no funding for new charter schools. Applicants that it is the hardest nut to crack. But a few were forced to appeal to members of the Con- visionary leaders offered hope and said they necticut General Assembly to get the necessary would support the idea. funding. They did so successfully.

Led by the two Yale law students, Dacia Toll, The doors of Amistad Academy opened in a former teacher and Rhodes scholar, and Ste- 1999 to serve New Haven middle school stu- fan Pryor, a former New Haven City alderman dents in grades 5–8. The school started with and policy advisor to the mayor, a 32-member 84 fifth- and sixth-graders and subsequently ex- team worked for 18 months to plan the school. panded to 270 students. The school is named On the planning team were teachers, parents, after the schooner La Amistad, which became a

49 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

symbol in the abolition movement after 53 West The school’s mission is embedded in many of African captives on the ship staged a rebellion its daily routines. A daily, student-run morning in 1839. A replica of the ship is based in the circle at which the whole school gathers is an New Haven harbor. opportunity to publicly recognize students for good work and positive citizenship. On a month- In its first five years, the school received a deluge ly basis, students complete a REACH rubric, rat- of applications—eight for every available seat. “I ing themselves on the five REACH values. Upon didn’t like having to explain to parents that get- teacher corroboration of their self-assessment, ting a good education was based on luck in the students can earn awards and privileges, such as lottery,” says Toll, who served as Amistad’s first invitation to a formal breakfast at the end of the principal. In 2003, as it became clear that more school year. Within the school, staff take care to seats were needed to meet the demand, Amis- “sweat the small stuff,” with the intent of pre- tad’s school leaders formed a separate nonprofit, venting small issues from escalating into larger Achievement First (see the box on p. 51, Repli- problems. Likewise, teachers use timers to keep cating Amistad’s Successes: The Role of Achieve- classes on task and ensure that no time is wasted. Administrators demonstrate their commitment to ment First, A Charter Management Organization), academic excellence by teaching classes, and which replicated the Amistad Academy model parents are asked to affirm their own devotion and established Elm City Preparatory School in to Amistad’s goals by signing a contract pledging New Haven, a K–8 school. The nonprofit later support of their children and the school. launched several additional schools in Brooklyn, N.Y. Toll subsequently gave up the principalship to become president and CEO of Achievement School Operations and Educational First. In what was reportedly a smooth transi- tion, seasoned Amistad teacher Matthew Taylor Program stepped in to replace her as principal. “Rigorous” and “relentless” are two words that staff, parents, and community members fre- Amistad Academy’s mission is three-fold: aca- quently use to describe this school’s academic demic excellence, public citizenship, and pub- and behavioral environment. Expectations are lic school reform. The school seeks to educate clearly communicated, verbally and visually, to students so they will graduate prepared for suc- students. Within the clean and bright school, cessfully tackling academic challenges in high hallways are decorated with art, college pen- school, college, and beyond. The school also nants, inspirational phrases, and signed parent works to foster responsibility among students so contracts. Bulletin boards draw attention to fa- that they take care of themselves, their school, mous Latinos and African-Americans who can and their community according to REACH values serve as role models to the 95 percent Latino (i.e., respect, enthusiasm, achievement, citizen- and African-American student body. Amistad ship, and hard work). Doug McCurry, the super- demonstrates its commitment to all of its stu- intendent of Achievement First schools, explains dents by providing free lunch to everyone, that the mission is to “change the life options of not just the 84 percent who qualify for free or kids so they can succeed in college and life. It’s reduced-price lunch. not about raising [scores] from the 20th percentile to the 35th. That’s still poor. We want dra- A large “Commitment to Excellence” poster matic gains, in academics and in character.” hangs on the wall of every classroom. The post-

50 Replicating Amistad’s Successes: The Role of Achievement First, A Charter Management Organization In Amistad’s fourth year, the leaders and board began carefully planning a way to maintain excellence at Amistad while building a new school reform effort. In June 2003, Amistad’s leaders created a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit, Achievement First, with the mission of bringing Amistad’s model and best practices to scale by creating a network of high-performing public charter schools to effect dramatic student achievement gains in low-performing urban districts. Their goal was to create a replicable system that can generate positive educational opportunities and outcomes for thousands of urban students by sharing effective practices and growing a network of high-performing charter schools in New York and Connecticut. As a charter management organization (CMO), Achievement First provides a range of organizational and institu- tional supports for its member schools. The support it offers network schools is extensive, including but not limited to, developing curriculum; creating a technology-based interim assessment system; providing monthly budget reports for each school; purchasing staff benefits and insurance; fund-raising; providing access to audit and legal services; recruiting teachers and school leaders, providing a two-year sequence of professional development opportunities for all teachers and leadership training for all prospective principals; conducting principal evaluations twice a year and an intensive school inspection once every two years; and coordinating special services, such as food service, maintenance and custodial service, and transportation. Achievement First also handles marketing to potential parents, students, and teachers, and manages the student lottery and enrollment process for its network schools. As a network, Achievement First can leverage resources to provide high-quality systems for which individual schools might not have the resources on their own. By providing these services, Achievement First frees the principal to focus on instructional leadership and ensuring high-quality school programs. For example, Achievement First does all of the fund-raising, so that principals do not have to engage in such time-consuming activities. While the local school site pays the salary for each school site’s director of operations, Achievement First manages this staff member, providing training and oversight. All teachers and administrators from Achievement First schools come together two days a year for focused seminars, professional development, and exchange of best practices with colleagues.

er begins with a preamble that states, “I have I treat them with TOTAL RESPECT.” The focus the power to create a great life for myself. I have on helping these middle school students aspire high standards and always behave in a way that to college appears twice within this pledge. brings me closer to my goals of success in high For example, under Enthusiasm are the words school, college, and life. I follow the rules to “Bring an A+ Attitude: I’m excited to climb the keep my community safe and strong. To achieve mountain to college. I always bring a positive my goals, I will follow the REACH values. …” attitude. I never whine, pout, or act out when Beneath this opening, the five REACH values things don’t go my way.” are listed with specific methods of achieving them. For example, under Respect, one of the Just as the classroom poster is explicit about be- instructions is “Treat Teachers Like PLATINUM: havioral expectations, so, too, are Amistad staff My teachers care about me and my family. I honest with students about their achievement. never talk back, roll my eyes, or suck my teeth. They talk to students directly about their level My teachers are here to help me be my best, so of performance in order to inculcate a sense

51 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

of urgency regarding achievement. “We’re up From Monday to Thursday, Amistad students at- front with them,” says dean of students William tend school from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., a school Johnson. “We tell them, ‘You are behind.’ We day that is an hour and a half longer than that congratulate them when they do well, but not of typical public schools. On Fridays, students when they’re behind.” This attitude feeds into start at 7:30 a.m. but are dismissed at 1 p.m., school policy. For example, if students get in giving teachers time to plan together and en- trouble and are removed from class for breaking gage in professional development. During the rules, they cannot avoid schoolwork. They must nine-and-a-half-hour school day, students spend make up any missed work. three and a half hours on reading and writing; after school, all students have homework as- Amistad Academy prides itself on using data to signments that include independent reading. In inform teaching and learning. All Amistad stu- all of their work, the emphasis is on conceptual dents are selected by a blind lottery run by the learning. “We teach for mastery, not for cover- New Haven Public Schools; as a result, there age,” says Harmon. is no “creaming,” that is, taking only higher- performing students. On average, Amistad’s Amistad uses an unconventional form of track- incoming fifth-graders test two years below ing to push students forward: staff divide stu- grade level in reading and mathematics. Every dents into four academic groups and differenti- six weeks, the school conducts interim assess- ate teaching and support to ensure that members ments based on, but more rigorous than, the of each group get what they need to succeed. Unlike in traditional tracking where low per- Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT), to evaluate formers get less attention and low expectations, student progress and identify areas in need of Amistad teachers expect all students to work to improvement. Using these data help Amistad their capacity and constantly push all students staff teach for mastery because they can find in all groups to do better. Some fifth-graders out whether or not students understand under- enter performing at a kindergarten or first-grade lying concepts and, if not, refine their teaching level. That group gets the best teachers, those accordingly. Sue Harmon, Amistad’s academic described by Harmon as being “experts at mov- dean, brags that all Amistad teachers are ex- ing kids forward.” cellent but says that she assigns the “best of the excellent” to teach struggling students in With the exception of the Reading Mastery pro- small groups. This staffing decision differenti- gram for the poorest readers, Amistad does not ates Amistad from many public schools where use packaged curricula and, instead, develops the least experienced or prepared teachers fre- its own standards-based and rigorously taught quently are assigned to the most challenging curriculum. Director of Curriculum Develop- students. Amistad also has a group of teachers ment Kathleen Porter-Magee describes the known as the “Whatever It Takes” team that Amistad curriculum as “state standards plus.” provides intensive help for struggling readers. For the past two years, Amistad has focused on “The goal,” says Toll, “is to close the achieve- science and mathematics, and it is currently go- ment gap with the wealthiest districts.” This ing through what one staff member calls “writ- takes “audacity and focus,” she adds. Amis- ing revolution.” Upon opening, the school’s tad offers before- and after-school tutoring for writing curriculum centered on expository and struggling students, as well as Saturday classes persuasive writing; now it is broadening to in- and a three-week summer school. clude personal narratives, poetry, research pa-

52 pers, compare-and-contrast analyses, and liter- tions faster and faster until there is one student ary analysis essays. left standing. At the end of the game, everyone was energized. Members of the school management team, including the principal and academic dean, teach classes. Harmon says that as an instructional Family Involvement and External leader, she loves being in the classroom be- Partnerships cause it shows her what teachers need to do in order to be successful with Amistad students. Parents, students, and school staff sign a con- One tool employed in every classroom is using tract that outlines their shared commitment to a timer to keep students on task and push them hard work and consistent support of one an- to be productive. In a low-level reading class, other. In addition, Amistad staff members meet for example, a teacher eyed a student who had with new families over the summer to ensure been dragging his feet and said, “You’ve been they understand the school’s expectations. The picking through those books for 12 minutes.” school also communicates regularly with parents She then selected a book and offered it to the throughout the year. Every Monday, students student, telling him that he would “love it.” This bring home a “scholar dollar paycheck.” Scholar teacher also demonstrated her ability to push dollars are points earned through good atten- and compliment lagging and ambitious students, dance, good work, and good behavior; they can alike. To a student who picked out the slim- be used for such things as pizza lunches and fun mest book available, she said, “You won’t read after-school activities one Friday a month. The anything over 100 pages. That’s a wimpy way paycheck provides detailed information about a out of things. Challenge yourself. I’m not ask- student’s attendance, work, and behavior. ing you to read a 700-page book. At least get to a 200-page book.” To another student who se- Every Wednesday, parents receive a more gener- lected the 352-page biography of Medgar Evers, al school update with information about sched- she offered accolades: “I’m very proud of you. ules and upcoming events. Parents are required That’s a tough book.” to sign the monthly REACH rubrics that students and teachers complete, as well as to attend a Amistad teachers are attuned to habits and progress report conference every trimester. changes among individual students, but are also responsive to the class as a whole. In one math- Parents appreciate the effort the school makes ematics class, a teacher asked the students to to involve them. One parent says, “The school individually complete a timed mathematics ex- is open and they welcome you anytime. They ercise and then swap papers with a partner to value parent input. Every time I’ve raised an is- check answers and explain the problem-solving sue, it’s been addressed.” Amistad gives parents techniques used. When she saw how lethargic various opportunities to be directly involved students were in working together, she stopped in school leadership, in such ways as partici- the class, told everyone to stand up, and said, pating on the Parent Leader Council or as the “You need a warm-up.” She then engaged them parent member of the board of directors. They in a game in which she calls out types of an- also encourage parents to be involved with the gles (e.g., right, left, acute) that students have classroom, in such ways as chaperoning field to form with their arms. Students who miss the trips. One of the school’s newest parent-school angle sit down, and the teacher gives instruc- activities is the Big Job Seminar at which the

53 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

entire school staff and parents gather three Amistad’s success. There are two full-time staff times a year to discuss parenting challenges dedicated to recruiting teachers for Achieve- and to offer one another advice and support. ment First’s New Haven schools. When hiring According to the parent satisfaction survey teachers, Amistad looks for those with a strong completed at the end of the 2005–06 school commitment to closing the achievement gap, year, 97 percent of parents gave Amistad an interest in being in an urban school, comfort A or A+. One parent commented, “This is a with data-driven decision-making, receptiveness good institution. They stress the importance of to feedback, and dedication to working as part education. They have high standards and push of a team. The hiring process includes an ex- people toward those standards. … It should tensive written application, phone interviews, be a model everywhere. Every child deserves school visits, guest teaching, and a debriefing what they have here at Amistad.” to gauge how well the candidate receives feedback. “We put them through the ringer to make Within the community, Amistad has main- sure we find the right people,” says recruiter tained the close relationship its founders had Carla Seeger. Toll also notes that she hires “for to Yale University and the surrounding area. attitude as opposed to experience. With the right The volunteer tutor program, for example, attitude, we can teach them how to teach.” draws over 30 volunteers from Yale, local churches, and businesses. Amistad utilizes ongoing professional development to advance its teachers’ skills. Frequent Governing for Accountability classroom observations, combined with twice yearly comprehensive evaluations, yield feed- The state of Connecticut authorizes Amistad’s back for teachers, who, in exchange for working charter, which is, in turn, overseen by a 19- longer days, earn about 10 percent more than member board of directors. The board includes those in other public schools in the area. Teach- representatives from the business, legal, phil- ers also are eligible for a $1,500 attendance bo- anthropic, and education worlds. Two teach- nus if they are present every day and a prorated ers and a parent also have spots on the board, amount based on the number of missed days. which meets about five times a year. Amistad’s board of directors works in partnership with The state provides about $8,000 of the $11,000 Achievement First to provide support, oversight, Amistad spends per student. To fill the gap, and leadership to the school. Amistad uses a combination of categorical federal funding (e.g., Title I, special education), The Amistad management team consists of the government grants, and philanthropic gifts. principal, the academic dean, and the dean of The Achievement First development office students. Since 1999, the school has had only helps raise money, and the school has success- two principals, Toll and, now, Matthew Tay- fully petitioned the state to increase charter lor. Teacher recruitment plays a large role in school allocations.

54 Student Achievement at Amistad Academy • Based on Amistad Academy’s successes, the Connecticut State Department of Education selected the school as one of the first four Connecticut Vanguard School Award winners, which gave the instructional leadership group a chance to mentor the staff of a nearby middle school. • Amistad Academy was named Connecticut’s 2006 Title I Distinguished School for showing the greatest academic performance gains of any school in the state. • As shown in tables 2 and 3, Amistad Academy sixth-graders in the classes of 2004, 2005, and 2006 consistently tested ahead of students at the district level, but behind those at the state level, in reading and mathematics on the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT). Yet, when tested again in eighth grade, the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Amistad Academy cohorts exceeded the district and state in reading and mathematics.

Table 2. Percentage of Amistad Students Scoring Proficient or Above on CMT Reading

Class of 2004 Class of 2004 Class of 2005 Class of 2005 Class of 2006 Class of 2006 in 6th Grade in 8th Grade in 6th Grade in 8th Grade in 6th Grade in 8th Grade Amistad Academy 37 80 46 69 33 68 New Haven 25 31 27 33 29 35 Public Schools State (Conn.) 64 67 64 65 62 67

Source: Connecticut State Department of Education, Strategic School Profile 2005–06

Table 3. Percentage of Amistad Students Scoring Proficient or Above on CMT Mathematics

Class of 2004 Class of 2004 Class of 2005 Class of 2005 Class of 2006 Class of 2006 in 6th Grade in 8th Grade in 6th Grade in 8th Grade in 6th Grade in 8th Grade Amistad Academy 35 75 43 62 41 69 New Haven 24 19 29 22 28 28 Public Schools State (Conn.) 61 56 61 56 62 58

Source: Connecticut State Department of Education, Strategic School Profile 2005–06

55 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

56 School Profile: Selected Variables a Carl C. Icahn Year First Chartered 2001 Grades Served K–7 Enrollment 278 Charter School Student Ethnicity b 59% African-American 41% Hispanic Bronx, N.Y. Special Education 5% Free or Reduced-price Lunch b 89% Annual Cost per Student $9,829

a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are drawn from the Carl C. Icahn Charter School school report card for 2005–06 posted on the New York State Education Department’s Web site.

Mission and Founding The school’s portable buildings are protected by a locked metal fence with curled barbed Known as a “turnaround” principal, Jeffrey Litt wire at the top. A television monitor in Litt’s has been working in the same five-mile radius office enables him to view the entire campus at of the South Bronx for most of his 38 years in any time. Understanding that, as he puts it, “A education. “I won’t take an easy assignment,” reputation is everything in the inner city,” Litt he says. “I always work with the population has worked tirelessly to ensure that the school that most people run from.” Given the opportu- has a good reputation and commands respect. nity to build a charter school from scratch, Litt Prior to opening the school, Litt walked floor jumped at the chance and has created a new to floor in neighboring high-rise housing proj- elementary school based on E.D. Hirsch’s Core ects to introduce himself, spread the word about Knowledge curriculum, which focuses on key Icahn Charter School, and encourage parents to concepts of western civilization in mathematics, send their children to the new school. language, science, history, music, art, and more. Litt sets high expectations for school and stu- With the financial backing of billionaire Carl C. dents alike. The school’s mission is to pre- Icahn, the eponymous school received its char- pare its 278 students to be productive citizens ter in March 2001 and opened in September through rigorous academics. As Icahn Charter 2001 with grades K–2. School board member Seymour Fliegel, president of the Center for Educational Innovation, Constructed in three months out of modular por- underscores, the school is dedicated to giving tables on an empty lot, the Carl C. Icahn Charter kids from the South Bronx the chance to suc- School has outgrown its original space. As of ceed at high levels: “Carl C. Icahn has a big 2006–07, the child care and K–1 classrooms were thing for poor kids,” Fliegel explains. “He cares located across the street in the Icahn Homeless about the leadership of the school.” Shelter* while the school was completing building an $11 million, five-story facility that will Based on Litt’s previous positive experience accommodate eight classrooms, a library, and with the Core Knowledge program at another multipurpose rooms. Once this building is fin- school, he selected it as the path to implement- ished, the school will be able to expand from a ing the school’s mission. Visiting a model Core K–7 to a K–8 school. Knowledge program in Florida, Litt was told the curriculum would not work in the Bronx be- * This shelter also is funded by Carl C. Icahn but as a separate entity from the school. cause “the kids are too poor.” Undaunted, Litt

57 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

listened and learned, ultimately choosing to in individual desks, lined up in rows, and focus use the curriculum, but to make some adapta- on workbooks or textbook assignments. Every tions that would render it more accessible to classroom has three computers and a library of his particular inner-city students. For example, books for students to use. Litt made sure to emphasize minority history and culture and connect those areas to math- Siblings of current students are automatically ematics and science. In addition, Litt decided to enrolled in the school, and a lottery assigns the extend both the school day and the school year remaining slots. In 2006, 652 students were on (September through July) to increase teachers’ the waiting list. Older children may apply for opportunity to teach necessary skills and instill openings in later grades. While many who enter a love of learning in students. in an upper grade must catch up to their peers, those who have worked hard have been suc- As the school looks forward to initiating an cessful. Litt points to a third-grader who entered eighth grade, it intends to prepare students for Icahn Charter School unable to decode or read the New York City high school admissions tests and ended the year passing the Iowa Test of Ba- for selective public schools, as well as for appli- sic Skills (ITBS) on grade level. “After the Iowa cations to prestigious boarding schools, such as results in June, I called his mother to tell her his Connecticut’s Choate Rosemary Hall. Students results,” Litt says. “She was screaming and cry- accepted to Choate may apply to become an ing into the phone, ‘Mr. Litt, I love you,’ and I Icahn Scholar, thus receiving full scholarship. told her, ‘No, love him. He worked hard.’ ”

The Core Knowledge program accounts for School Operations and Educational about 50 percent of the Icahn Charter School Program curriculum. It is used in all subjects, and teachers supplement it with the McGraw-Hill reading Icahn Charter School is a safe oasis in a tough and mathematics program, an internal writing urban neighborhood. Litt describes the school and literacy program, and manipulatives in sci- as “a huggy, kissy school,” adding that “stu- ence and mathematics. As one teacher points dents don’t want to leave us at vacation.” Par- out, Core Knowledge is about “exposure, in- ents comment that Litt respects their families, troducing students to phrases, art, music, ge- noting that Litt always signs his letters, “Thank ography, science, giving them a well-rounded you for your wonderful children.” education.” The program offers teachers a clear outline of what to teach, as well as a sequenced During the school year, many students attend grade-to-grade learning map that promotes Icahn Charter School’s Saturday Academy from consistency in instruction. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and almost half the students stay for extended care Monday through Friday until Teachers send home monthly syllabi that detail 6 p.m. The school population is 59 percent Afri- the topics or themes to be taught in the month, can-American and 41 percent Hispanic. Eighty- a list of nightly homework assignments with nine percent of its students qualify for free or due dates, and a schedule of quizzes and tests. reduced-price lunch. It also has a 95 percent One parent refers to the school’s no-nonsense attendance rate. In the lower grades, students approach. The school’s teachers have devel- work at group desks in classrooms with color- oped detailed rubrics to assess literacy and writ- ful displays on the wall and engaging materials ing at every grade level. Whether talking about on the shelves. In the older grades, students sit a writer’s notebook, looking through a writer’s

58 poetry portfolio, or grading bimonthly assign- assistance tutoring. Students can play on bas- ments, such as literature responses, research re- ketball, flag football, volleyball, and softball ports, and narrative memoirs, teachers, students, teams. Through the Charter School Athletic and parents are all in sync about how work is Association of New York, on Mondays, its assessed. Thus, it’s easy for parents to under- students can play flag football in the fall and stand how their children are progressing. run track in the spring at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. To be promoted to the next grade, students must demonstrate 90 percent attendance, satisfactory growth, a score of average or better on External Partnerships the ITBS, or a level 3 or 4 (out of four) on the New York State English language arts (ELA) and Parents or guardians are instrumental to their mathematics exams, and be judged by teach- children’s success in school, and school staff are ers as able to succeed at the next level. A full- in constant contact with them. If a student is ab- time director of assessment monitors academic sent, parents know to expect a phone call check- progress using pre- and post-ITBS results as a ing up on their child’s well-being and asking baseline. Because the New York state exams be- why the child missed school. The school sends gin in third grade, the school has K–2 students narrative progress reports to and holds confer- take the McGraw-Hill Fox-in-a-Box literacy as- ences with parents six times a year, but teachers sessment and uses the Waterford Early Read- stay in touch more frequently by phone. Because ing Program to monitor these younger students’ 87 percent of the students are brought to school reading progress. by their parents, teachers see and speak with parents in person. At a schoolwide open house The assessment director also identifies students at the beginning of every year, Litt makes clear who need skill development in the same area that he wants to meet and talk with parents. He and places them in four- to five-member groups starts by saying, “Don’t ever call the office to for 40 minutes of remediation work five times a make an appointment with me.” After waiting week with the targeted-assistance teacher. These students also may receive help from a parapro- to see the concerned expressions pop up on fessional during school, after-school tutoring, parents’ face, he cracks a big smile and contin- homework assistance, and weekend tutoring. ues, “Come in, make yourself a cup of coffee. … When all is said and done, the school will re- Wait [and] I will make myself available as soon tain students who are not considered ready for as possible to meet with you. I am here every the next grade. As Litt says, “We don’t hesitate day until 7 p.m.” to hold them if we need more time.” For the 5 percent of students who qualify for special Parents also contribute their time to the school. education services, there is a part-time special They organize class parties, chaperone field education teacher. Students who are referred to trips, and sign the reading logs, homework, and speech therapy can receive help from an after- tests sent home. The school PTA meetings are school speech teacher. standing room only and have been known to last five hours. When seventh-grade teachers Icahn Charter School also offers after-school wanted each of their students to have a calcula- activities, including a step team, cheerlead- tor at home, all of the families found money to ing, school newspaper, Girl and Boy Scouts purchase them. “You give parents a school that programs, and mathematics and ELA targeted- takes care of their kids, and you will get all the

59 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

parental support you need,” comments board school management team, have positions on the member Fliegel. Icahn Charter School also has board. In contrast to the school principal who created opportunities for parents. At the school’s concentrates on curriculum and school opera- math fair, students present research on profes- tions, the board focuses on accountability, ad- sions to their parents, and then the parents learn vocacy, and long-term planning. how to navigate Excel spreadsheets to look at information students compiled and engage in The principal, the assistant principal of op- learning with their children. erations, the director of assessment, and the staff developer meet daily as the school’s Within the community, the school also part- management team. There is also an administra- ners with several organizations. Staff can refer tive team, which consists of the principal, the students to the Bronx Children’s Psychiatric assistant principal of operations, the director of Center for counseling. Grants from the Charles assessment, the staff developer, the math coach, Hayden Foundation support both operating and the ELA coach. The teaching staff is made expenses and camp opportunities for students. up of two teachers at every grade level, three The school also arranges summer camp expe- targeted-assistance teachers, two cluster teach- riences through the New York Times’ Fresh Air ers for history and geography, three paraprofes- Fund, and it connects students to twice-yearly sionals, and one school aide. arts programs at Columbia University. Teachers have a designated common planning Community partnerships also support profes- period every day, during which they can plan sional development for teachers. Icahn Char- together, develop instructional units, compose ter School contracts with the City University the monthly syllabi, and meet with support of New York’s Creative Arts Team to conduct staff to coordinate student assistance. The staff storytelling and questioning skills workshops developer and curriculum specialists provide with teachers. Lehman College provides five in-depth support to teachers who submit their scholarships for graduate school and, together weekly lesson plans every Monday. The team of with the New York City Mathematics Project, coaches and the staff developer maintain a log the Institute for Literacy Studies at Lehman of consultations to keep track of areas needing College, CUNY, provides two mathematics improvement. There are also ongoing profes- consultants. sional development workshops for teachers on such topics as differentiated mathematics classrooms, research and grade-level rubrics, and Governing for Accountability teaching grammar. Together, the teachers and staff developers have created high-frequency Authorized by the Charter Schools Institute, the word lists as well as rubrics for ELA standards, school’s charter was renewed for five years in expository writing, poetry and narrative, re- 2005. A 10-member charter school board led by search reports, literature responses, and grade- chairperson Carl C. Icahn oversees the school, level writing mechanics. which is supported by collaboration between the Foundation for a Greater Opportunity The school operates on a budget of $3,006,721, (which Icahn created in 1997) and the Center of which $198,884 comes from federal cat- for Educational Innovation-Public Education As- egorical sources, $2,766,764 comes from the sociation. Representatives from area foundations state, $32,173 comes from grants, and $8,900 and institutions, as well as from the PTA and the comes from donations. The school expects to

60 spend $10,815 per student during the 2006– the larger salaries given to experienced teach- 07 school year. Teachers are paid a salary on ers. To help compensate for this discrepancy, par with the public school district, but are not the school offers teachers a 401(k), life in- eligible for the district’s pension, its housing surance, and bonuses based on schoolwide allowance for math and science teachers, or student performances.

61 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Student Achievement at Carl C. Icahn Charter School • The 2005–06 English language arts results on the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP) show that Icahn Charter School students outperformed those at all other New York charter schools in grades 2–5 and were second to students at only one other charter school in grade 6 for mathematics. • As shown in figures 14 and 15, Icahn Charter School students scored at least 40 percentage points higher on the 2006 NYSTP than students in other district public schools. • In May 2006, the New York Board of Regents and the New York State Department of Education recognized the Carl C. Icahn Charter School as one of the state’s 795 “high performing gap closing” schools out of 1,658 public schools and 288 school districts.

Figure 14. Percentage of Carl C. Icahn Students Scoring Proficient and Above on 2006 NYSTP English Language Arts

100 90 80 Icahn Charter School 70 New York City District 9 60 New York State 50 40 30 20 10 0 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6

Source: New York State Education Department, School Report Card 2005–06

Figure 15. Percentage of Carl C. Icahn Students Scoring Proficient and Above on 2006 NYSTP Mathematics

100 90 80 Icahn Charter School 70 New York City District 9 60 New York State 50 40 30 20 10 0 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6

Source: New York State Education Department, School Report Card 2005–06

62 School Profile: Selected Variables a Cesar Chavez Year First Chartered 2001 Grades Served K–8 Enrollment 1,100 Academy b Student Ethnicity 75% Hispanic 23% White 1% African-American Pueblo, Colo. 1% Native American Special Education 12% Free or Reduced-price Lunch c 62% Annual Cost per Student $8,696

a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are reported online for 2005–06 at http://www.schoolmatters.com. c These data are drawn from the Cesar Chavez Academy report card for 2005–06 posted on the Colorado Department of Education Web site.

Mission and Founding educators, challenged by engaging curriculum, afforded adequate time to master content, and Anyone entering Cesar Chavez Academy, a mod- held to ambitious standards. The mission binds ern adobe-style refurbishment of a former public school staff, students, and parents together as elementary school, first sees a large black agui- familia. Says one board member, “If you don’t la, the square-winged eagle symbol of La Causa, buy into the mission that poor students can and César Chávez’s populist, nonviolent crusade for will excel, you won’t want to work as hard as Mexican immigrant dignity, living wages, de- you have to at Cesar Chavez—and we won’t let cent working conditions, and pride. This sym- you stay long.” “Here,” he adds, “we’re family; bol of social justice speaks as loudly today for we’re all here for the kids.” underserved Latino students in Pueblo, Colo., a community characterized by its poverty, as it did Originally conceived as serving kindergarten when Chavez first united poor farmworkers in the through third grade, CCA soon grew into a pre- 1960s. With Pueblo’s earlier steel mills replaced kindergarten through eighth-grade program. today by a low-wage service economy and local The school is committed to achieving academic families facing rising gang crime and narrowing excellence through rigorous studies, team teach- job prospects, husband-and-wife team Lawrence ing in small classes, a longer school day and and Annette Hernandez, along with community year, strong parent commitment, and “healthy activists, founded Cesar Chavez Academy (CCA) intrusiveness”—this last described as the inten- in 2000 as a new kind of school, one that could sive involvement of faculty and staff in the lives live up to the eagle’s promise. of their students. This includes an extensive tutoring program. The school’s motto is “No ex- CCA’s mission, displayed in hallway murals, cuses, no surprises.” Every student knows their banners, bulletin boards, and, even, the school’s academic standing, in every course and every bus, is to prepare Pueblo’s children for “success assignment, and knows there are resources as young scholars, citizens of the world, and available to help them excel. community leaders.” This mission is grounded in the conviction that all children are capable of CCA cofounder and principal Lawrence learning at high levels if they are taught by skilled Hernandez grew up in Pueblo and left his

63 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

hometown to pursue advanced studies. After on-one tutoring program is designed to give earning a Ph.D. in education from Stanford Uni- students whatever they need to master core sub- versity and serving on the faculty at Harvard jects, improve their writing, hone study skills, University, he decided to “go home to make a and manage emotions that can get in the way difference.” The core group of founders were of learning (e.g., anxiety, frustration). Students inspired by Chavez’ phrase, “Si, se puede” (Yes, meet with teachers for tutoring before school, we can), and named their enterprise after the during recess, lunch, and teacher preparation Mexican-American leader. periods, after school, during weekends, and on holidays. Students have teachers’ personal phone numbers so they can call after hours for School Operations and Educational help with assignments. Students receive enrich- Program ment, accelerated learning opportunities, field experiences, counseling, and additional time to Cesar Chavez Academy offers its students an relearn lessons. They are responsible for taking award-winning, ambitious academic program, comprehensive oral and written exams, manag- with a curriculum aligned to meet or exceed Col- ing regular projects, demonstrating key skills, orado’s high academic content standards. The and creating portfolios of their work—all of program also emphasizes the history, culture, which is graded using rubrics. They must redo and native language of Latinos. “We’re very in- work that receives a grade of 80 percent or less, tentional about our culture,” explains principal and all written work must undergo an extensive Hernandez. “It emphasizes hard work, respect, revision process that results in a final mistake- personal responsibility, resourcefulness, and free product. loyalty to the golden rule [i.e., treat others as you would like to be treated].” Of the school’s Student success is not left to chance. In addi- rigorous curriculum, he says, “It holds students tion to academic support, CCA provides its stu- to a higher bar with high standards, and they dents with clear rules for behavior and conduct. must meet it over and over.” Each student must These rules are modeled throughout the school complete every assignment. Work that receives and codified in a student-parent-teacher com- a grade below 80 percent must be redone with pact. Students are required to wear uniforms, additional instruction, time, space, materials, and dress code violations result in disciplinary or other resources needed to ensure mastery. action, starting with reflective writing assign- “All students succeed because we don’t allow ments about school expectations. Behavioral in- them to fail,” Hernandez says. “We set kids up fractions are documented and then followed by for success.” a “see three before me” intervention by which students receive counseling, guidance, and re- Tutoring is used schoolwide to help teachers in- direction from three staff members before, if dividualize instruction, modify pacing, check for necessary, the principal gets involved. Good understanding, reteach content, monitor student behavior is rewarded and bad behavior is ad- work, and build teacher-student relationships. dressed. The most common infractions are in- “Kids will work for someone they love,” reflects complete homework, tardiness, and absences. a veteran teacher who believes that when in- One board member speaks of a student who struction is personalized and teacher-student was regularly tardy or absent and falling behind connections are made, struggling students be- in her studies. A home visit revealed that both come more successful learners. CCA’s one- parents were mentally disabled and no longer

64 had a car. They rode bicycles instead and were must teach or supervise at least one extracurricu- unable to transport her across town to school. lar activity. The school boasts champion sports Board members and teachers came together to teams; the mariachi band has placed second in make sure the student had a ride to school ev- international competitions; there are choir, the- ery day. That same student subsequently won ater, and other clubs, such as public speaking, that year’s district spelling bee. LEGO challenge, and chess. Student leadership is cultivated through the student council, Except for the prekindergarten and kinder- academic competitions, honor-society activities, garten programs, the school is structured around and charity work. Middle school students at CCA team teaching, and students rotate to different mentor students in the lower grades. Though the classes. In the first and second grades, students student population is primarily low-income, they have three teachers, one for reading and social collect food for less fortunate farmworkers in the studies, one for mathematics and science, and rural part of their county. one for writing. In third through fifth grades, students rotate to 11 different teachers, plus a School leaders pay attention to individual stu- tutor, for writing, reading, mathematics, science, dents’ academic needs and work hard to culti- social studies, Spanish, and five different elec- vate a safe environment where students feel they tives. Middle school students rotate similarly belong. Staff members are also mindful of more but have one less elective teacher. For teachers, quantitative measures of success. “We see our- mastering deep content and pedagogical exper- selves as a totally data-driven school,” explains tise is essential to their professional success at the principal, pointing to ways that teachers use CCA, and they rely upon one another for help assessment score data to customize curriculum with specialized knowledge and skills. and instruction to meet students’ learning needs. “Data,” he explains, “tell us where we are” with A typical day for the school’s prekindergarten each student, class, and grade level and help through eighth-grade classes begins at 8 a.m. teachers choose the appropriate interventions. and ends at 4:05 p.m., with full-day kindergar- At the center of CCA’s assessment approach is ten ending at 3:50 p.m. The half-day kindergar- an individual achievement plan for each stu- ten programs runs from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and dent, which is based on an intensive quarterly from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Many students ar- item analysis of a repeat-measures exam aligned rive about an hour before school to eat a free to the Colorado Student Assessment Program breakfast and nearly all students stay until 5:30 (CSAP). By analyzing student performance on p.m. for extracurricular activities or tutoring. the same test items over time, teachers can Middle school students in the award-winning gauge student mastery of the standards. “We all mariachi band program have a slightly varied do item analysis,” says a new teacher. “I fought it schedule to accommodate their daily, two-hour tooth and nail, but I lost—and I’m glad because practice sessions. [doing] it shows a clear picture of what I need to teach or reteach.” Score data are disaggregated As a way to battle the influence of gang activity in using a number of criteria: student name, grade, the community and to help foster student friend- ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, English ships, school staff encourage membership in learner designation, date entering Cesar Chavez authorized—and supervised—student clubs and Academy, and special education status. Num- organizations. All students must participate in af- bers are presented in graphs and charts for staff ter-school enrichment activities, and all teachers to review and then follow up on as appropriate.

65 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

One teacher comments that the principal has a them. Hernandez has an open-door policy and computer-like brain, because if someone points often walks around the parking lot during drop- to a particular student, he can immediately de- off and pick up to speak with families. Parents scribe the assessment data for that child. are invited to join the board of directors and to attend monthly meetings.

Family Involvement and External From the outset, CCA offered a prekindergarten Partnerships program, charging families $350 per month. Since full-day kindergarten is not funded in Colorado, CCA believes student success is enhanced when CCA provides scholarships, sliding scale fees, parents participate in the life of the school and and fund-raisers to retain this option for families in students’ learning process. Parents, explains and to cover the monthly cost. According to the the principal, “support us by making sure kids principal, Cesar Chavez Academy has a tradition have a place and time to do homework, and of not relying upon other organizations to pro- [by] coming to conferences.” Parents provide vide services. Except for the local library, few transportation for other needy students, drive community organizations give services to CCA. students to sports events, staff the concession Versatile school staff members meet most needs stand at events, work in the library, donate uni- themselves. However, the board and the princi- forms to the clothes closet, and staff clubs and pal do work with the Pueblo Chamber of Com- other activities like Girl Scouts. merce and the Latino Chamber of Commerce “to serve our business interests and help us raise School staff and parents agree that two-way money” and to support the economic health of communication is strong and consistent, that Pueblo, as a board member explains. The prin- parent input is constant and valued. Regular cipal also cooperates with the local Hyde Park newsletters are sent home in Spanish and Eng- Neighborhood Association, which is developing lish, and parents are contacted early in the day if new higher-end housing in the neighborhood a student is tardy or absent or is missing home- adjacent to the school. CCA’s success has stimu- work. If such problems persist, the school’s lated local real estate development, with devel- prevention specialist conducts unscheduled opers aligning their plans with school capacity home visits to investigate the problem and find projections. Additionally, this neighborhood as- ways to support the student. New this school sociation was recently awarded grant funding year at CCA is PowerSchool, an online track- to develop after-school programs for neighboring system that allows parents and students to hood children and youths and is working with electronically monitor assignments and grades the school as it moves forward. from home.

“We constantly collect data from parents,” ex- Governing for Accountability plains Hernandez. “All parents have opportunities to voice issues.” Parents are invited to com- A nine-person board made up of business lead- plete an anonymous online survey at least four ers, parents, and community activists governs times a year, timed with quarterly conferences. CCA. The board actively assists and guides the Twice a year, a school climate survey is sent administration, faculty, students, and families home, asking parents how welcome they feel at and does not provide a rubber stamp for all the school and what staff can do to better serve school proposals and plans. The board’s goal,

66 like that of school leaders, is to make CCA “the feedback, evaluations of student work, analyz- epitome of great instruction, a source of pride ing student-level performance data, joint lesson for all of us.” planning, regular observations, and coaching on such techniques as differentiated instruc- A site-based leadership team was initiated this tion, which means tailoring instruction to stu- year, the direct result of putting kids’ learning dents’ individual needs, learning style, interests, needs first and monitoring efforts to close the and abilities. All new teachers receive mentor- achievement gap. The leadership team, including from a teacher with at least two years of ing the principal, director of operations, chief experience at CCA. Induction support is highly financial officer, director of assessment, teacher valued. The mentor serves as a guide, advo- coaches, and family support team members, cate, confidante, subject expert, critical friend, oversees the quality of teaching and learn- champion, and reflective partner.O ne first-year ing and its improvement. The new structure teacher says, “There’s always someone to go to created three academy directors, each a lead for everything.” teacher without classroom duties, to direct the instructional programs for prekindergar- The school had its charter renewed in 2005 and ten through second grades, third through fifth will be up for reauthorization again in 2010. Re- grades, and middle school (sixth through eighth newal was part of a $2.1 million award settle- grades). Each academy director is responsible ment against the local district, which did not for producing a quarterly student achievement adequately address CCA’s needs in an approved plan, a snapshot of how students are doing and local bond. Currently, the school is embroiled plans to improve learning, with current disag- in another lawsuit with the district over what gregated student- and grade-level data to iden- school leaders believe to be anti-charter and tify gains and target areas for interventions. anti-choice bias in the district’s treatment of the school. Despite these challenges, the board and Teacher talent is key to the school’s successes, principal are clear that the school’s accomplish- and one way the school ensures high-quality ments result from its charter status, giving it the instructors is to grow its own. It is accredited flexibility to hire top teacher talent, fire teachers by the state of Colorado to train and license that do not meet the stringent standards, choose teachers.22 “We give teachers a ton of support,” effective curricula, and adjust its budget to ex- reports Hernandez. Teachers agree, describ- tend the school day, hire tutors, and add facili- ing professional development as being “every- ties as needed. “Without the charter we couldn’t where, everyday” and “whenever we want it.” do what we are doing—it would be squashed,” It starts during the interview process, explains reflects principal Hernandez. the principal. “We try to hire only people who will be stars,” believing that novices “learn to The school has a waiting list of 3,000 students. become great teachers here.” While using out- Spaces are offered by lottery and some families side experts as needed, “we try to build in- apply years before their children are school age, house capacity and expertise to do our own in hopes that they may be at the top of the wait- professional development,” which includes curing list in time. “Love and high test scores make riculum trainings, topical workshops, ongoing us an easy sell,” explains an academy director.

67 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Student Achievement at Cesar Chavez Academy (CCA) • Data from the statewide assessment program, Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), show that CCA students consistently outperform students at neighboring schools serving similar populations and, also, at schools serving students from higher-income families. • In 2005, the Colorado Children’s Campaign conducted a study of the state’s achievement gap, tracking CSAP test scores over a decade. The study found that while, for the most part, academic gains for low-income students did not keep pace with those of their more affluent peers at other schools, some exceptional schools beat the odds. One of those schools was CCA, which ranked fourth in the state for improved elementary schools serving low-income students and first in the state for improved middle schools.23 • As shown in figure 16, CCA students in grades 3–8 consistently outperformed students at the district and state levels on the 2005–06 CSAP in reading, writing, and mathematics by an average of 25 percentage points. In a typical example, CCA proficiency scores in fourth-grade mathematics averaged 94 percent, as compared to an average of 69 percent statewide. CCA sixth-graders scored an average of 87 percent proficient on state reading tests, compared to an average of 69 percent for sixth-graders statewide. On mathematics tests, CCA sixth-graders scored an average of 71 percent proficient, compared to an average of 57 percent for sixth-graders statewide.

Figure 16. Percentage of CCA Students Scoring Proficient and Above on 2005–06 CSAP Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

100 90 Cesar Chavez Academy 80 Pueblo School District 70 State (Colo.) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Grades 3–5 Grades 6–8 Grades 3–5 Grades 6–8 Grades 3–5 Grades 6–8 Reading Reading Writing Writing Mathematics Mathematics

Source: Colorado Department of Education, 2005–06 School Accountability Report Cards. Data are reported separately for grades 3–5 and 6–8.

68 School Profile: Selected Variables a The Year First Chartered 2000 Grades Served K–7 Intergenerational Enrollment 114 Student Ethnicity 86% African-American 4% White 1% Asian School 9% Multiracial Special Education 8% Cleveland Free or Reduced-price Lunch b 59% Annual Cost per Student c $8,818

a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are drawn from the Intergenerational School school report card for 2005–06 posted on Ohio Department of Education Web site. c Includes aftercare, summer camp, summer school.

Mission and Founding in the work of developmental theorists, such as Piaget, Kohlberg, Vygotsky, and Dewey. On the second floor of a building that houses services aimed at successful aging, the Intergen- In 2000, TIS opened with 30 students, a staff of erational School (TIS) is bringing new meaning to two teachers, and a commitment to placing stu- lifelong learning. Purposefully located in Cleve- dents in classrooms by their developmental stage land’s Fairhill Center for the Aging, a community rather than chronological age. That first year re- resource center which houses physician’s offices, vealed how much these students had missed in services for seniors, and a Meals on Wheels Asso- their early development. “We really were not ciation of America program, the school matches adequately prepared for how unprepared the its students with local seniors, engaging these el- children would be,” Whitehouse recalls. “[Stu- ders as partners in the learning process. dents] came in and didn’t recognize their name, didn’t know a single letter, and didn’t know The idea for the school was born during con- how to hold a pair of scissors to cut paper. They versations between the husband-and-wife team didn’t know how to ask for something. I think it of Catherine Whitehouse, an educator and child is because they have not had early educational development psychologist specializing in read- experiences, such as preschool.” ing and learning disabilities, and Peter White- house, a geriatric neurologist and cognitive neu- Since then, TIS has added one developmental roscientist. Ohio’s 1998 decision to allow charter stage each year, which is similar to adding a schools provided the Whitehouses with the op- grade level, except that the school organizes stu- portunity to put their ideas into practice. The dents by developmental stage rather than grade couple spent a year working with Stephanie level. TIS currently has 114 students enrolled FallCreek, executive director of Fairhill Center, across six developmental stages that correspond to devise a plan for a developmentally based to the sequencing of learning from kindergarten school for low-income inner-city students. through seventh grade. Each grouping includes “Healthy aging is a life-span process that starts children from two to three years apart in age. when you are born,” says Catherine White- The school expects to add an additional devel- house, who now serves as the principal of TIS. opmental stage in the next two years, once it The school’s philosophy, she adds, is grounded has the funding base to expand its operations.

69 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

School Operations and Educational the next when they have mastered 90 percent of the math, reading, and writing objectives at Program a 90 percent level and demonstrate proficiency The school’s structure follows these stages of on state assessments. Students can move up to developmental learning: emerging (grade K–1), the next developmental stage at any time during beginning (grades 1–2), developing (grade 3), the school year if they are ready, and TIS trimes- refining (grade 4), applying (grades 5–6), and ter report cards are organized to assess student leadership (grade 7). The school places students mastery of skills, values, and standards within a into each of the flexible, multiage groupings given developmental stage. based on their developmental needs. Within a Literacy is a major focus within the school. Stu- given classroom, older and younger students dents engage in 30 minutes of sustained silent work both cooperatively and independently reading (SSR) daily in class and are required to and progress through the stages at their own complete another 30 minutes of reading at home pace. “I try to instill in the age group that I work every night. In addition to SSR, most classes have with that they can be thinkers and learners,” an additional half hour of sustained silent writ- one teacher explains. ing once the students are able to do this inde- The school curriculum, designed collaboratively pendently. The principal trains senior volunteers by the principal and teachers, is aligned to state from the community to serve as mentors and to benchmarks and Ohio content standards. While work with students on reading and math. For it deviates from the grade-level structure em- students who are struggling, there are several ployed by the state, TIS created an educational intervention strategies available, including after- program that measures student progress and school tutoring by a teacher and support from identifies areas for further instruction so students the Title I instructor during the school day. TIS are academically prepared for high school by the also contracts with special education teachers to completion of the leadership stage. Individual assess and create individual education plans for learning experiences are a hallmark of TIS. Ac- students and with a part-time speech and lan- cording to the annual report, an “individually tai- guage pathologist as necessary. lored education address[es] each child’s unique needs and capabilities.” No class has more than The Montessori-like classrooms are filled with 16 students per teacher, and all students develop colorful displays of student projects, vocabu- one-on-one relationships with adult reading and lary words, and signs enumerating community math mentors, as well as with the assisted living values. One classroom, for example, has cloud- and nursing home residents they visit regularly. shaped cutouts reading, “We are: thoughtful, co- Some stages are designed to take more than one operative, truthful, caring, kind, self-controlled, school year to complete, and the range of ages happy, loving, sharers, friends, respectful, lis- among students in every class ensures that stu- teners, playful, workers.” In another classroom, dents do not stand out, whether they advance a student selects a “sharing song” for the group quickly or more slowly through a stage. to sing; a teacher plays the song on a tape re- corder and the class sings along, verbally rein- In this model, teachers use multisensory, dif- forcing the value of sharing and positive behav- ferentiated instruction to build on students’ ior. One board member remarks, “It is unusual strengths and meet their developmental learn- to find this type of a school for inner-city kids,” ing needs. Students progress from one stage to and the annual report describes TIS as an oasis

70 of vibrant learning, uncommon in its poor east- TIS created its own internal authentic assess- side Cleveland neighborhood. ments to evaluate student progress throughout the school year. In conjunction with the Ohio “It is our belief that learning cannot take place state tests, which include a beginning-of-year in chaos,” says principal Whitehouse. “School diagnostic screening and achievement test, the should be a calm, peaceful, respectful, and ex- school can determine if students are making citing place to learn. ‘High expectations’ does adequate progress and can intervene or make not mean regimentation, but it does mean that referrals as necessary. The school’s assessment what every student is expected to do and to allows the staff to closely monitor academic learn is made very clear.” The school dress progress in between state benchmarks. code of dark pants, jumper, or skirt and a plain, colored shirt also helps create a calm climate. “Students are accountable for their choices both External Partnerships behaviorally and academically and learn to TIS works closely with parents, families, and the make good choices by experiencing the natural community to support students. By providing consequences, both the good and bad,” White- flexible meeting times for parent-teacher con- house says. Four schoolwide rules set high ex- ferences, the school has consistently enjoyed a pectations for behavior: (1) Be respectful (of 100 percent participation rate. The school reach- yourself, others, and school materials such as es out to parents in other ways: The school news- books); (2) Be where you are supposed to be at letter, TIS Community News, which provides all times; (3) Keep your hands, feet, and objects families with information regularly; notices sent to yourself; and (4) Remember that one person home by teachers in homework folders; and speaks at a time. Many teachers use classroom school events, such as family math night, when incentive programs, quotations from famous teachers model working with children on math individuals, and music, such as the sharing assignments. TIS also runs a six-week summer song, to help students develop positive on-task school for students who need additional aca- behavior norms. demic help and assists families in applying for other summer programs and scholarships. The The students—86 percent African-American and school would like to continue to increase its 9 percent multiracial—attend school from 8 a.m. outreach to parents. “The best intergenerational to 2:30 p.m. An after-care program that ends at 6 programs have kid-only time, adult-only time, p.m. is available to help working families. Even and time together,” Whitehouse says. “What we though the school lacks the resources to pro- don’t really have well developed is the adult- vide transportation, it maintains a 96 percent only part, and that’s where that would include attendance rate and a 90 percent average reten- parent education. I would love to have a GED tion rate from year to year. Beginning in Janu- program available here for parents who have ary, there is a six-week open enrollment period not completed a high school degree.” in which any student in the state of Ohio may enroll in TIS. Returning students are guaranteed In interviews for this guide, parents raved about a space, and preference is given to siblings and the individual attention their children receive at residents of Cleveland. If the school receives TIS and point to the principal’s approachability more applicants than there are spaces available, as a key factor in making the school atmosphere TIS uses a lottery to select new students. warm and welcoming. One parent explained that

71 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

for her child, a special education student, “the Other external partnerships have included piece of paper that is the [individualized educa- Groundworks, a contemporary dance company tion plan] has turned into something real in that that worked with older TIS students and seniors classroom.” Another parent commented that her to create a dance piece based on science con- daughter used to hate to go to school prior to cepts, and Case Western Reserve University, coming to TIS. “We had to fight about it every whose nursing students observe classes, plan day,” she recalls. “There was no one-on-one at- nutrition lessons, and staff a family health fair tention at that school.” TIS has transformed her during parent-teacher conferences. daughter’s relationship to school, she continues, “Now, she can’t get enough of this school. I love the atmosphere in the classrooms, the commu- Governing for Accountability nication, and the high academic standards.” A Sponsored by the Lucas County Education Ser- third parent chimed in, saying, “TIS has been vice Center, TIS is a nonprofit organization op- the answer for us. The process of education is erating under a charter from the state of Ohio. incredible here because every child is treated as It has been rated excellent for three consecutive an individual.” years by the Ohio Department of Education, the only charter school in the state to achieve this Community partnerships are critical to TIS fulfill- distinction. TIS recently was recognized by the ing its intergenerational mission. Teachers work national Schools That Can network as a high- with nursing home facility coordinators to plan performing urban school. meaningful exchanges between students and residents during monthly (and, for older stu- A seven-member board of directors oversees dents, weekly) visits. The school and the part- TIS’s executive director and chief educator. Ex- ner facilities have found that the visits benefit ecutive Director Brooke King manages budgets both the children, who often internalize a sense and finance, compliance, community relations, of worth and belonging, and the seniors, who marketing, fund-raising, facilities, and develop- more frequently engage mentally and emotion- ment and coordination of volunteer programs, ally with children than with staff. as well as hiring and supervising nonteaching staff. Principal Whitehouse is the school’s chief The location of TIS within Fairhill Center helps educator. She hires and supervises teaching sustain local collaborations. Within Fairhill, the staff, classroom aides, and special education Senior Adult Resource Center recruits volunteer staff, and oversees curriculum, assessment, stu- tutors and mentors from its population. The cen- dent learning and behavior, special education ter facilitates an after-school museum explorer compliance, and volunteer training. The board program, in which seniors and students together meets monthly to review school governance, visit the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, finances, and policy, and it strategizes about and a Cleveland Orchestra music program, in future growth and fund-raising capacity. In ad- which seniors and students attend performances dition to the board, there is a national advisory and learn about instruments. Volunteers from council comprising experts in medicine, geriat- the National Council of Jewish Women come to rics, and education with whom TIS consults. the school monthly to meet with the parents of younger students, loaning books and discussing The nine full-time teaching staff are fully cer- ways to read to their children. tified and rated as highly qualified according

72 to No Child Left Behind guidelines. There is a was there every single step of the way. She one-hour staff meeting every other Monday held my hand through the entire process.” and regular professional development days for working on curriculum development and proj- Funding is TIS’s biggest challenge. On aver- ects, such as redesigning the school report card. age, teachers at TIS earn $10,000 less than other In addition to scheduled training time, teach- teachers in the Cleveland public school district. ers highlight their extensive informal collabo- Where most school districts can rely on local ration. New teachers are paired with veteran funding sources for 47 percent of their total in- teachers who serve as mentors, and the princi- come and do not pay for any of their facility pal observes and coaches teachers frequently. costs, TIS does not get any money from local “It’s my job to help the teacher figure out how taxes or levies and must use 13 percent of its to make each child succeed,” Whitehouse says. limited budget to meet facility costs. The per- “When a teacher is having difficulty figuring out what to do for a child, we will sit down pupil cost of the school is $8,820, which in- and brainstorm together.” A new teacher’s ex- cludes all intergenerational programs, summer perience at TIS illustrates the principal’s com- school, and meal programs, but TIS receives mitment to helping her staff blossom. “The best only $7,616 per pupil from the state. As a result, thing about this school is Cathy Whitehouse,” TIS must raise about $1,204 per student on an the teacher says. “My first year of teaching, she annual basis.

73 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Student Achievement at the Intergenerational School (TIS) • TIS is the only community school in Ohio thus far that has been rated “excellent” for three consecutive years by the Ohio Department of Education. • State tests show that even students who did not complete a full TIS developmental stage in a given year gener- ally achieved proficiency. For example, of the 39 percent of students who did not complete a full stage during the 2005–06 school year, 88 percent scored proficient on state reading assessments. • Compared to the performance of African-American students in the wealthier, suburban Cleveland districts of Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights-University Heights, TIS students scored higher on state proficiency exams in 2005–06. • In 2005–06, TIS made adequate yearly progress, whereas the local district, Cleveland Municipal District, did not. • As show in figure 17, in 2005–06, 100 percent of TIS third-graders and sixth-graders scored proficient or above on Ohio Achievement Tests (OAT) in reading and mathematics. Also, TIS students in third and fifth grades significantly outperformed students in the local school district in reading and mathematics.

Figure 17. Percentage of TIS Students Scoring Proficient or Higher on 2005–06 OAT Reading and Mathematics 100 90 The Intergenerational School 80 Cleveland Municipal District 70 State (Ohio) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Reading Mathematics Reading Mathematics Reading Mathematics 3rd Grade 3rd Grade 5th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 6th Grade

Source: Ohio Department of Education, School Report Cards 2005–06.

74 School Profile: Selected Variables a Pan-American Year First Chartered 2001 Grades Served K–7 Enrollment 270 Elementary b Student Ethnicity 97.0% Hispanic 2.0% African-American .04% White Charter Special Education Less than 5% Free or Reduced-price Lunch b 98% School English Language Learners 62% Annual Cost per Student $6,109 Phoenix a Unless otherwise indicated, these data are reported by the school and are for the school year 2006–07. b These data are reported online for 2005–06 at http://www.schoolmatters.com.

Mission and Founding delayed its opening for a month. After some families gave up on enrolling that year, the 200 Founded by a principal and her teacher-husband preenrolled students dropped down to 94, and who, while both working in public schools, the school was forced to lay off teachers hired recognized the potential of charter schools, the in anticipation of the larger enrollment. The Pan-American Elementary Charter School (PAES) state funds that the Pasos were expecting were overcame a rocky start to flourish as a school that withheld for five months, arriving in the middle embodies a sense of family. From its full-day kin- of the school year. “We did not receive one dergarten to its after-school tutoring and Saturday cent from the state [from] Nov. 15, 2001 until school, the PAES program is designed to improve April 15, 2002,” says Pasos, explaining that she the lives of all the children the school serves. and her husband took out personal loans to keep the fledgling school aloft. PAES’s written mission statement promises that the school will “ignite in every child the wonder Despite this rough start, PAES more than doubled of learning and … provide meaningful educa- its student population during its inaugural year, tional experiences in a safe and caring environ- ending the school year with 195 students. By the ment.” It also includes PAES’s plan for fulfilling second year, the school had enough students this mission: to use standards-based teaching to offer two classes for each of the K–2 grades adjusted to the individual student’s abilities and and enough money to pay off the Pasos’ debts. to supplement the curriculum with foreign lan- They even made plans to purchase a building. guage (English or Spanish, depending on the Pasos also looked out for her staff during this student) instruction and exposure. time and, as soon as possible, she gave them a bonus for making it through the bumpy start. In Founder Marta Pasos drafted the charter for the 2003–04 school year, PAES was able to cover the school during evenings, weekends, and va- all of its operating costs through state per-pupil cations from her job as an administrator of a funding and federal categorical funds (e.g., spe- 1,400 student K–8 public school in Phoenix. cial education), and it received financing from PAES received the charter for the school in 2001 a local bank to buy a building. According to and intended to open in August 2001, but post- Pasos, the complete turnaround, from the fiscal poned building inspections for the new school uncertainty and low student numbers of year

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one to the financial sturdiness and healthy stu- large achievement benefits. The full-day pro- dent population of year three, can be attributed gram enables PAES teachers to cover the state- to “not contracting out services. … [and] doing mandated kindergarten standards in half a year everything we can ourselves.” and move onto the first half of the first-grade standards during the second part of the year. As a result, students are at least a half-grade ahead School Operations and Educational of their peers in other public schools. For exam- Program ple, outside the first-grade classroom, the work on display showed that students have solved PAES currently serves 270 students across grades math word problems that required reading com- K–7, 97 percent of whom are Hispanic and plex sentences and have written up the answers 98 percent of whom qualify for free or reduced- in neat handwriting. Pasos explains that the price lunch. The school’s 98 percent student re- school teaches handwriting using graph paper, tention rate and a 95 percent staff retention rate so that as the students master letter formation, indicate high satisfaction within the PAES com- students use increasingly smaller graph paper munity. Indeed, the school has a waiting list of until they are ready to switch to lined notebooks 20–30 students at any given time without formal for writing assignments. PAES second-graders advertising or fund-raising appeals; word-of- learn multiplication and its fourth-graders read mouth from families to their friends and cowork- such books as Charlotte’s Web and work on a ers functions as PAES’s only recruiting tool. variety of writing modes, including research reports, literary responses, persuasive arguments, Tucked away in a building in the back of a park- expository newspaper articles, expressive short ing lot, PAES starts every school day with an stories, and poetry. 8 a.m. opening assembly outside. Wearing the red shirts and khaki pants required by the school’s Prior to students starting full-day kindergarten, dress code, students are in school for at least sev- PAES invites them to attend a six-week summer en hours a day and may elect to use the teacher- session. Once in kindergarten, students have two run tutoring provided after the school day ends teachers, one English-speaking and one who is at 3 p.m. The climate inside the building is warm Spanish-dominant. The English speaker teaches and encouraging; the hallway bulletin boards are literacy for half the day and the Spanish-domi- filled with student work and monthly recogni- nant speaker teaches math, social studies, and tion of students who score above 80 percent on vocabulary for the other half in Spanish. Starting Accelerated Reader. The school has what mem- in kindergarten, all students receive homework, bers of the school community refer to as a family and parents are expected to read with their chil- spirit among staff and the families. By knowing dren daily and sign a reading log. the people you serve well, Pasos says, “You can better meet their needs.” One third-grade teacher noted that within any classroom, which might contain between 18 and The PAES curriculum was designed to respond 32 students, “We teach to the top half of the to its student population. A full 100 percent of class, and the rest will follow.” To ensure that students enter the school achieving below grade struggling students can make this leap, teach- level, Pasos indicates. Offering a full-day kinder- ers tutor students after school, offer a Saturday garten program, in contrast to Arizona’s half-day education program each week from January to programs in most public schools, has yielded April, and provide summer school in June and

76 July. All of these activities are open to every Pasos show that the school not only succeeds PAES student, but teachers make sure to identify when the staff works together, but also that the those who would most benefit from these extras school community appreciates their hard work and encourage them to use the services. and recognizes their achievements. To that end, the school set up 401(k) plans for teachers, so In second through sixth grade, classes use the Ac- PAES can pay into their retirement; with the pas- celerated Reader program. Students take weekly sage of Proposition 301, an education sales tax tests and need to score 80 percent or better to passed by voters in November 2000, PAES can move to the next level. Because so few students provide retirement for all of its employees. are read to at home, as a way to encourage them to embrace reading, Pasos urges teachers to read aloud to students, using inflection to portray Family Involvement and characters as actors would. At the end of every Partnerships grading period, PAES recognizes perfect attendance and academic achievement with parties Cooperation between parents and PAES staff is and raffles. Participation in the school’s twice- critical to the school’s success. “Parents are part- yearly coed soccer tournament is dependent on ners with us,” says Pasos. “I tell them ‘I need to good study habits and attendance, which further have your support to effectively educate your encourages students to work hard and come to child.’ ” Parents support the school’s operations school. Luis Pasos, who coordinates the tour- in both passive and active ways. By comply- nament, says the rule for participation is: “You ing with the school’s calendar and waiting to don’t study, you don’t play.” schedule family trips for school vacation periods, parents reflexively demonstrate their com- The curriculum is tied to state standards and the mitment to the school’s mission and help yield AIMS (Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Stan- a 97 percent attendance rate. Approximately dards) test, administered every spring. But be- 98 percent of the students return to PAES each cause the AIMS results are often not available year. By attending parent-teacher conferences until after school is out in June, PAES also moni- and science fairs and by helping in the cafete- tors student progress with teacher-designed as- ria, as well as with such events as the Back sessments in math, reading, and writing. The ac- to School Fiesta, parents put into practice their celerated curriculum has paid off as test results support of PAES. have improved, and many of the 62 percent ELL students are able to relinquish that designation. The school works hard to involve parents in their students’ lives. Teachers speak with par- In addition to Marta and Luis Pasos, PAES’s 20 ents daily and send written progress reports staff members include 12 teachers and an as- to parents in English and Spanish every four- sistant principal. A committee of teachers in- and-a-half weeks. The Spanish-speaking office terviews candidates for school positions, and manager helps non-Spanish-speaking teach- Pasos is selective about the teachers she ulti- ers communicate with parents. One Saturday mately hires. Pasos sets high expectations for in January, PAES also offers Parent University, her staff and works personally with teachers a program to teach parents how to work with to help them meet her goals. When possible, their children on mathematics and reading, as Pasos awards her staff with pay bonuses. Giv- well as how to research high schools and other ing financial rewards to all of her staff helps educational opportunities.

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PAES partakes in several community partner- dent cost is $6,109.77. To make up the differ- ships, such as one with Arizona State Univer- ence, the school has applied for and received sity (ASU) through which PAES students par- grants from arts organizations and foundations. ticipate in ASU’s Programs for Talented Youth. The state does not provide charter schools with The school nominated 15 children, all of whom funding for transportation, so PAES decided were accepted, to this Saturday enrichment pro- to use some of its operational funds to buy gram. Despite the $250 cost, all of the families three buses, making it possible to transport the of the accepted children scraped together the 96 percent of its student body who live within money and carpooled to take their children to an eight-mile radius. Luis Pasos comments that ASU. These trips were, for many families, the “It was a conscious decision to provide transpor- first time anyone had been on a college campus. tation. … [For] anybody who wanted to come to “It was an eye-opener,” says Pasos. “For many, our school. For any parent who was willing to it was the first time they considered universi- trust us with the education of their children and ty as an option for their kids. We had several was willing to support the school, we would, families calling their families in Mexico saying, as much as possible, provide transportation.” ‘You know, my son is going to ASU; he is going Parents, appreciative of the busing, provided to the university in Phoenix!’ ” In another part- regular donations for transportation costs vol- nership with Arizona Commission on the Arts, untarily. When gas prices subsequently soared, PAES hosts artists-in-residence who work with the school asked parents to pay $5 per week to students. Past artists have taught Japanese taiko help with the increased cost. drumming, Chinese origami, calligraphy and brush painting, and folk tales. Teachers have a weekly, 45-minute staff meeting on Mondays and meet after school on Fridays to Governing for Accountability plan together. Once a quarter, the school holds professional in-service days that are used to dis- Marta and Luis Pasos embody a “do it ourselves” cuss how to better serve students, to set annual mentality, and PAES is a family affair. Marta and goals, and to analyze test data to improve in- Luis take care of operating tasks, such as payroll, struction. PAES staff also participate in distance maintenance, business management, and busing, learning courses to better prepare to teach Eng- with Luis driving one of the buses. In the sixth lish language learners. year of PAES, the Pasos’ son, Todd Wade, who taught for five years at PAES, became the assis- A five-member charter school board, including tant principal. Also, teachers helped to write and Marta and Luis Pasos, Todd Wade, as well as develop the scope and sequence of the school a teacher and a community member, oversees curriculum. The only contractor is an accountant the school. In 2006, PAES passed the state’s who monitors school finances to ensure that the five-year review of PAES’s ten-year charter, school stays in compliance with the law. a milestone that reflects PAES’s fiscal and academic successes. In 2006–07, Arizona provided PAES with $6,080.77 per student, but the actual per-stu-

78 Student Achievement at Pan-American Elementary Charter School (PAES) • PAES has made adequate yearly progress for the past three years and received a “Performing Plus” ranking by the Arizona Department of Education in 2005–06. • As show in figures 18 and 19, third- and fifth-grade students at PAES outperformed their peers at neighboring elementary schools and outperformed Hispanic students at the state level in both reading and mathematics on the 2005–06 Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS).

Figure 18. Percentage of PAES Students Meeting or Exceeding Proficiency on 2005–06 AIMS Reading

100 Met Exceeded 90 Pan-American Elementary Charter School 80 Average Percentage for 70 Neighboring Schools 60 State (Ariz.): Hispanic Students 50 40 30 20 10 0 Grade 3 Reading Proficiency Grade 5 Reading Proficiency Source: Arizona Department of Education, School Report Cards 2006–07

Figure 19. Percentage of PAES Students Meeting or Exceeding Proficiency on 2005–06 AIMS Mathematics

100 Met Exceeded 90 Pan-American Elementary Charter School 80 Average Percentage for 70 Neighboring Schools 60 State (Ariz.): Hispanic Students 50 40 30 20 10 0 Grade 3 Mathematics Proficiency Grade 5 Mathematics Proficiency

Source: Arizona Department of Education, School Report Cards 2006–07

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80 APPENDIX A Research Methodology

The research approach used to develop this Study Framework and Data guide is a combination of case study methodol- Collection ogy and benchmarking of “best practices.” Used in businesses worldwide as they seek to contin- A conceptual framework was developed to uously improve their operations, more recently guide the study of the selected sites. While many benchmarking has been applied to education. things happen at a busy school site, each case Benchmarking is a structured, efficient pro- study needed to focus on those practices most cess that targets key operations and identifies likely to contribute to a school’s success. The the following: promising practices in relation- framework for this study was an adaptation of ship to traditional practice, previous practice at that used in a previous guide on charter schools the selected sites (lessons learned), and local in this Innovations in Education series,25 which outcome data. The methodology used here is was derived from the research literature on char- further explained in a background document,24 ter schools and on organizational effectiveness. which lays out the justification for identifying The dimensions of the conceptual framework promising practices based on four sources of were mission-driven school, school operations rigor in the approach: and educational program, family involvement and external partnerships, and governing for • Theory and research base; accountability. A site visit to each school was • Expert review; conducted to gather the information for this • Site evidence of effectiveness; and guide. Each visit lasted for one or two days and included informal observations throughout the • Systematic field research and cross-site analysis. school, attendance at events, and interviews. The primary source of data was interviews The steps of the research process were: defin- with a variety of key groups, including paring a study scope, seeking input from experts ents, teachers, board members, administrators, to refine the scope and inform site selection and school partners. An interview protocol was criteria, screening potential sites, selecting sites developed based on the study framework and to study, conducting site visits, collecting and adapted to each role group. That is, separate but analyzing data to write case reports, and writing overlapping sets of questions were developed a user-friendly guide. for teachers, administrators, parents, and other interviewees. Interviews were digitally recorded

81 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

with key interviewees and later transcribed for D.C. and all 40 states with charter school leg- more detailed analysis. islation, an initial list of candidates included approximately 187 schools from 30 different Documents from each school served as an ad- states and Washington, D.C. Based on recom- ditional source of information. Collected during mendations from an external advisory group the site visit, these documents included such of charter school researchers, charter school items as school schedules, sample assessments, practitioners, and representatives from vari- lesson plan forms, teacher planning protocols, ous organizations working to support charter newsletters, application forms, brochures, char- schools, information from state department ter plans, and report cards. Principals and exec- staff and state association leaders, and re- utive directors also completed a standard form view of achievement data, the initial list was to facilitate consistent compiling of school de- narrowed down to 22 schools. These schools mographic and outcome information. served students in kindergarten through eighth grade, had met AYP for at least the past two consecutive years, had a full grade set of el- Site Selection Process ementary-school-age students, and served at least 50 percent of students who qualified for For this guide, a school had to show evidence free or reduced-price lunch programs, at least of closing the achievement gap. Based on state 50 percent of the school population were stu- standardized test data, closing the achievement dents of color, and demonstrated evidence of gap means that students are outperforming lo- closing achievement gaps. After screening data, cal district public schools that serve a similar 18 schools were selected and information about population of students in mathematics and read- program features and additional outcome data ing. Alternately, closing the gap may mean that were collected using phone interviews to fill certain subgroups—including African-American gaps in information. and Hispanic students, those receiving special education services, English language learners, From this group of 18 schools, seven schools and students eligible for free or reduced-price were ultimately chosen as case study sites, lunch (an indicator of family poverty)—are out- based on the compiled information and crite- performing either state averages or district stu- ria ratings on a screening matrix. Demographic dents from the same subgroup. Schools includ- variation, a range of promising practices, geo- ed in this guide also must have met adequate graphic location, and achievement data all were yearly progress (AYP) for at least the past two considered in the final site selection. consecutive years. They must each serve a student body where at least half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and half Selection Criteria are students of color. A cross-section of schools were selected to high- After examining AYP, student demographics, light K–8 charter schools successfully meeting and achievement gap data from Washington, the needs of traditionally underserved popula-

82 tions of students (e.g., low income, special edu- Achievement Gap Criteria cation, African-American and Latino students), Researchers looked for additional evidence with strong academic programs serving a range that schools were making progress eliminating of grade configurations (e.g., pre-K–8, K–7, 5–8, achievement gaps. A school was considered to K–12) and in a range of geographic locations, be narrowing the achievement gaps if, inter- all making academic achievement gains. Schools nally, gaps among students of different races were selected based on the following criteria, and socioeconomic backgrounds were closing prioritized by the advisory group as key issues over time or if the school was demonstrating for consideration. higher achievement for low-income, minority, or students receiving special education services Demographic Criteria in comparison with a similar population of stu- Many schools demonstrated that they were dents in its local district public schools. working hard to educate students, who have been largely underserved in traditional public Analysis and Reporting schools. The schools that were selected had student populations with two or more of the A case report was written about each site, and re- following characteristics: Sixty percent or more viewed by site administrators for accuracy. From qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 60 per- these case reports, artifacts, and transcripts of cent or more are African-American, Hispanic, or interviews, the project team identified common both; 10 percent or more receive special educa- themes that contributed to success across the tion services, and 60 percent or more are Eng- sites. This cross-site analysis was built using both lish language learners. the research literature as reflected in the study scope as well as emerging patterns in the data. Achievement Criteria This descriptive research process suggests prom- Schools selected met AYP targets for at least ising practices, including ways to do things that two consecutive years, including the most re- other educators have found helpful and lessons cent year for which data were available. Re- they have learned, as well as practical how-to searchers looked for schools that scored at guidance. This is not the kind of experimental least at the 50th percentile in mathematics or research that can yield valid causal claims about reading on state standardized tests with dem- what works. Readers should judge for them- onstrated evidence of continued improvement selves the merits of these practices, based on over several years, or for schools that were their understanding of why they should work, consistently high achieving, ranking in the how they fit the local context, and what hap- 90th percentile range annually. Data from state pens when they actually try them. Also, read- departments of education Web sites and the ers should understand that these descriptions Web site SchoolMatters.com provided achieve- do not constitute an endorsement of specific ment information. practices or products.

83 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Using the Guide continue to study, using the ideas and practices from these sites as a springboard for their own Ultimately, readers of this guide will need to se- action research. In this way, a pool of promis- lect, adapt, and implement practices that meet ing practices will grow, and schools can support their individual needs and contexts. Schools each other in implementation and learning. coming together in learning communities may

84 APPENDIX B Resources

Charter Schools National Charter School Research Project Based at the Center on Reinventing Public Ed- US Charter Schools Web site ucation, the National Charter School Research Project is developing a database of studies on The US Charter Schools Web site provides a charter school achievement and collecting char- wide range of information and links to resourc- ter school data from the states. This project is es to guide charter schools in every phase of generating several research studies, focusing on their development—from start-up to expansion, student achievement in charter schools and on to renewal. The site includes a national calendar building capacity to scale up charter schools. of events and a community-exchange feature. http://www.crpe.org http://www.uscharterschools.org

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Education Commission of the States The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools The Education Commission of the States in- Web site provides a variety of online publica- cludes both charter schools and charter districts tions related to charter school development, as issue topics on its Web site. The site includes policies, and performance, a charter blog, and a a searchable database on high school research database for comparing charter school policies. and high school policy topics, including closing http://www.publiccharters.org the achievement gap. http://www.ecs.org Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation provides links to major studies and to over 50 other organizations’ Web sites in the area of charter schools and choice.

http://www.edexcellence.net

85 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

Center for Education Reform Achievement Gap The Center for Education Reform provides up- to-date reports on charter schools and choice Education Trust activity around the country. The Web site also links to “fast facts” and resources designed with The Education Trust Web site provides reports, parents in mind. A searchable database identi- resources, data, and policy information about fies resources and charter schools in each state. the achievement gap.

http://www.edreform.com http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust

U.S. Department of Education: Public Charter SchoolMatters Schools Program SchoolMatters is a Web site of Standard & The Office of Innovation and Improvement in Poor’s that provides national-, state-, district-, the U.S. Department of Education operates the and school-level information about school de- public Charter Schools Program, which sup- mographics and student achievement. It in- ports the planning, development, and initial cludes a search tool to identify charter schools implementation of charter schools. Other grants and another tool to compare their data to those target support for charter school facilities. of other district and state schools.

http://www.ed.gov/programs/charter/index http://www.schoolmatters.com .html

86 Notes

1 U.S. Department of Education, n.d. Nation’s 7 The Center for Education Reform, 2006. All Report Card Shows Continued Progress—Gen- About Charter Schools (CER Quick Facts). Wash- eral. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Ed- ington, D.C.: The Center for Education Reform. ucation. Available at http://www.ed.gov/nclb/ Available at http://www.edreform.com/index accountability/achieve/report-card.html. Last ac- .cfm?fuseAction=document&documentID=1964. cessed on May 30, 2007. Last accessed on May 30, 2007. 2 The Education Trust, 2005. Closing the Achieve- 8 Finn, Jr., C. E., Hassel, B. C., and Speakman, ment Gap: 2005 NAEP Reading and Math Results S., August 2005. Charter School Funding: Ineq- Show Some Gains, But Slowing Progress. Wash- uity’s Next Frontier. Washington, D.C.: Thomas ington, D.C.: The Education Trust. Available at B. Fordham Institute, Progress Analytics Insti- http://www2.edtrust.org/EDTrust/Press+Room/ tute, and Public Impact. Available at http://www NAEP+2005.htm. Last accessed on June 1, 2007. .edexcellence.net/institute/charterfinance. Last accessed on July 23, 2007. 3 U.S. Department of Education, National Center 9 for Education Statistics, n.d. Education Indica- Lake, R. J. and Hill, P. T., eds., 2005. Hopes, Fears tors for the White House Social Statistics Brief- & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter ing Room (SSBR). Washington, D.C.: National Schools in 2005 (p. 15). Seattle: Center on Rein- venting Public Education, National Charter School Center for Education Statistics. Available at Research Project. Available at http://www.ncsrp http://nces.ed.gov/ssbr/-pages/mathematics .org/downloads/HopesandFears2005_report.pdf. .asp?IndID=29. Last accessed on May 30, 2007. Last accessed on June 30, 2007. 4 U.S. Department of Education, National Center 10 Ibid., p. 11. for Education Statistics, 2005. Average Scale Scores and Achievement-Level Results in Mathematics 11 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Students With Disabilities. Washington, D.C.: for Education Statistics, October 2005. Digest of National Center for Education Statistics. Avail- Education Statistics: 2004 (Table 100). Available able at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nrc/ at http://www.nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d04/ reading_math_2005/s0029.asp?printver=. Last ac- tables/dt04_100.asp?referrer=list. Last accessed on cessed on June 3, 2007. August 17, 2007. 5 North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 12 Hoxby, C. M., 2004. Achievement in Charter 2004. Perspectives on the Gaps: Fostering the Aca- Schools and Regular Public Schools in the United demic Success of Minority and Low-Income Stu- States: Understanding the Differences. Cambridge, dents. Naperville, Ill.: Learning Points Associates. Mass.: Harvard University and National Bureau of Available at http://search.learningpt.org/query Economic Research. .html?qt=Perspectives+on+the+Gaps%3A+ 13 Hamilton, L. S. and Stecher, B. M., 2006. “A Bet- Fostering+the+Academic. Last accessed on July ter Way of Measuring Charter School Success and 23, 2007. Failure,” chapter 6 in Hopes, Fears, and Reality: 6 U.S. Department of Education, Office of In- A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in novation and Improvement, 2004. Successful 2006, R. J. Lake and P. T. Hill, eds. Seattle: Center on Reinventing Public Education, National Charter Charter Schools. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Depart- School Research Project. ment of Education; U.S. Department of Educa- tion, Office of Innovation and Improvement, 14 U.S. Department of Education, Office of the 2006. Charter High Schools: Closing the Achieve- Deputy Secretary, 2004. Evaluation of the Public ment Gap. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department Charter Schools Program: Final Report. Washing- of Education. ton, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Available

87 K–8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap I n n o vat i o n s i n E d u cat i o n

at http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/choice/pcsp 19 2004–05 Chicago Public Schools: Charter -final/index.html. Last accessed on June 1, 2007. Schools Performance Report. Available at http:// www.ren2010.cps.k12.il.us/docs/2004-2005_ 15 Unraveling the “Teacher Shortage” Problem: Teach- Performance_Report.pdf. Last accessed on July 3, er Retention is the Key, Aug. 20–22, 2002. A sympo- 2007. sium of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future and NCTAF State Partners, Wash- 20 According to section C-4 of the U.S. Department ington D.C. Available at http://www.ncsu.edu/men- of Education’s Charter Schools Program, Title IV, torjunction/text_files/teacher_retentionsymposium Part B, Non-regulatory Guidance (July 2004), the .pdf. Last accessed July 17, 2007. following students may be exempted from a charter school’s admissions lottery: students enrolled 16 A 2003 survey of California charter schools by in a public school at the time it is converted to a the Reason Foundation found school directors re- charter school, current students’ siblings, children ported using aggressive early intervention strat- of charter school’s founders, and children of em- egies and remediation strategies to help reduce ployees in a work-site charter school (so long as the rate of special education classification of stu- the total number of students allowed under this dents. Reason Foundation, Special Education Sur- exemption constitutes only a small percentage of vey, as found in L. Snell, 2004. Special Education the school’s total enrollment). Accountability: Structural Report to Help Charter 21 Moses, R. P. and Cobb, Jr., C. E., 2001. Radical Schools Make the Grade. Los Angeles: Reason Equations: Math Literacy and Civil Rights (p. 5). Foundation, Reason Public Policy Institute. Avail- Boston: Beacon Press. able at http://www.reason.org/ps319.pdf. Last accessed on June 1, 2007. 22 CCA’s alternative licensing program requires

17 completion of course work, school-based training A 2002 report from the President’s Commission and mentoring, and observation and monitoring on Excellence in Special Education reported that of the integration of effective practices. To qualify, two out of five special education students are candidates apply, document 30 semester hours of assigned to the program “simply because they courses in their content field, pass state-required haven’t learned how to read.” U.S. Department tests, and agree to be evaluated by the Colorado of Education, Office of Special Education and Department of Education. After one year these Rehabilitative Services, 2002. A New Era: Revital- teachers receive a provisional credential and af- izing Special Education for Children and Their ter two more years of supervised work they are Families. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department awarded their professional credential. of Education. Available at http://www.ed.gov/ 23 inits/commissionsboards/whspecialeducation/ Brodsky, A., 2005. 390,343 Children Left Be- reports/images/Pres_Rep.pdf. Last accessed on hind: Who’s Closing the Achievement Gap in Col- June 30, 2007. orado’s Schools? (pp. 2, 17–18). Denver: Colorado Children’s Campaign. Available at http://www 18 Research shows that English language learners .coloradokids.org/our_issues/k12_education/ “… historically have suffered from disproportion- projects.html. Last accessed on June 2, 2007.

ate assignment to lower curriculum tracks on the 24 basis of inappropriate assessment and, as a re- Filby, N., 2006. “Approach to Methodological sult, from over-referral to special education.” In La Rigor in the Innovation Guides,” working paper. San Francisco: WestEd. Celle-Peterson, M. W. and Rivera, C., Spring 1994. “Is It Real for All Kids? A Framework for Equitable 25 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innova- Assessment Policies for English Language Learn- tion and Improvement, 2004. Successful Charter ers,” Harvard Educational Review 64, no. 1, p. 2. Schools. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Ed- Available at http://ceee.gwu.edu/products_ELLS/ ucation. Available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/ isitreal.pdf. Last accessed on July 7, 2007. comm/choice/charter/index.html.

The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.