2017 ANNUAL REPORT Table of Contents A New Approach to Personalized Learning 5-6 School-based Learning Models 7-9 Our Team and Leadership 10-11 Key Accomplishments 12 Partner Spotlights 13 2016-17 School Partners Map 14-15 Content Partners 16-17 Year 5 Results 18 Our Funding Partners 19 Appendix 20 Appendix A: 2016-17 New Classrooms Regional Enrollment 21 Appendix B: School Data Sheets 21-56 Appendix C: NWEA Norms for 2011 and 2015 57 Appendix D: Audited FY17 Financials 58 2 3 A New Approach to Personalized Learning Dear Friends and Supporters, Who We Are Solving a Core Problem students to be ready, we have to think about what skills they need no In June 2011 we launched New Our work is grounded in the belief matter their age or assigned grade We celebrate and reflect on our fifth year of helping schools Classrooms Innovation Partners as that the traditional school model level. That’s a major driver behind deliver student-centered learning models for the benefit of every a 501(c)(3) to personalize learning by makes it nearly impossible for TTO’s growth to high schools, which redesigning how a classroom works teachers to meet each student’s you can read about in greater depth student, every day. Teach to One: Math (TTO), our first school- – from the use of technology, time, unique needs. With one teacher, in this report. based model, served students in 40 schools this year. and physical space to the instruction a set of textbooks, and 30 or and content that engages each so same-aged students in an TTO is just one of what we hope to students. New Classrooms was 800-square-foot-room, this model be many new learning models that founded by many members of the prioritizes grade-level material will emerge over the next decade. Some of these models may be We’re pleased to share that students participating in TTO team that created School of One, an over a tailored approach that meets initiative incubated within the New students where they are. Too often, focused on specific subjects or continue to see consistent growth on on NWEA’s MAP, a norm-based interim assessment derived from York City Department of Education the traditional model fails those grade spans, while others may apply more broadly. They will incorporate more than 10 million students in the U.S. This year, students made gains at 1.4 times the national (NYCDOE) under Chancellor Joel who enter behind grade level and Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. hinders all students from reaching different pedagogical approaches, average and underserved student populations also continued to perform well. Special education Co-founders Joel Rose and Chris their potential. different educator roles, different Rush launched School of One to ways to use technology, and students and English language learners exceeded the national average growth by 50%. This problem is especially acute determine whether it was possible different ways of using time and in mathematics and presents a to ensure that each student is space. And they will reflect the major obstacle to being college learning the right math lesson, at very best thinking from those Reimagining the classroom and meeting students where they are with the ready. Mastery of math concepts the right time, and in the right way operating both inside and outside build on one another over time so right lesson, at the right time, and delivered in the right way is working to that best meets their strengths and of the system today. Our theory of when students fall behind, those needs. Teach to One: Math (TTO), change is rooted in replacing the accelerate learning for diverse students. gaps carry over as the years go New Classrooms’ flagship learning century-old classroom model and by and their chances of catching model, is the realization of this looking at personalization through Our team had an exciting year marked by expansion to new schools, new states, and new grades. This up dwindle. If a student goes into vision. the lens of what, when, how and ninth grade off track in math, they past fall, we launched our first high school programs and initial outcome data is promising. Each of our where students learn. have less than a 1 in 5 chance of pilot schools made gains that were more than twice the national average, with one school exceeding three times the national average. We imagine a world where personalized learning is just the way This year we also dug deeper into our research & development work in efforts to use data to improve students learn — a world where every student attends a school that the program and, ultimately, the learning outcomes of students. Given the data we’re collecting on meets them where they are, adapts to the unique ways they learn, and a daily basis, we have the unique opportunity to learn about learning—to better understand which develops habits for lifelong success. combinations of learning experiences are most impactful for different kinds of students. With emerging graduating high school college new technologies, we will have more opportunities to accelerate student learning even further. Thank ready. Currently, two-thirds of Over the last six years, New you for joining us on this journey. students nationwide enter high Classrooms has continued to school off track in math. develop and refine TTO while also growing the number of partnership Math is essential to success schools and districts across the beyond high school and college. country. This year, Teach to One To be successful in the new global served about 13,000 students in 40 economy, having strong math skills Joel Rose Chris Rush schools nationwide. is a necessity. If we really want Co-founder and CEO Co-founder and Chief Program Officer 4 5 School-based Learning Models Schools have several options when exploring how best to support personalization. At one end of the spectrum are digital products and tools that teachers can use as learning supplements for their classroom. These products generally require the classroom teacher to determine how best to integrate them into their daily activities and workflow. On the other end are comprehensive, school-based learning models such as Teach to One: Math Personalized learning does not have to mean students are working in (TTO) that typically replace a school’s core curriculum and embed personalization into all aspects isolation. They can experience a variety of instructional approaches and of learning. School based models combine an academic design that articulates what students learn Defining can be continually regrouped with other students who share common with a set of operating structures that shape where, when, and how students learn. They affect what needs. While technology can play a role, it does not mean that students the teacher does, what the student does, and the organization of the classroom. Personalized must spend all of their time on computers. Learning Personalized learning describes the practice of making each student’s needs the driving force in his or her education. It is an alternative to the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach where students who happen to be the same age learn the same things at the same time. Learner Profiles Personalized Learning Paths In 2014, a group of educators, advocates, Each student has an up-to-date All students are held to clear, high philanthropies, and non-profit organizations record of his or her individual expectations, but each student came together to create a working definition strengths, needs, motivations, and follows a customized path that and four common attributes of personalized goals. responds and adapts based on his learning: or her individual learning progress, motivations, and goals. Personalized learning seeks to accelerate student learning by tailoring the instructional environment—what, when, how, and where students learn—to address the individual needs, skills, and interests of each student. Students can take ownership of their own learning while also developing deep, personal connections with each other, their teachers, and other adults. Competency-based A Flexible Learning Models developed by organizations such as New Classrooms have teams of academic, operational, Progressions Environment and technological experts focused on the research and development required to support Each student’s progress toward Student needs drive the design clearly defined goals is continually of the learning environment. All personalization. To date, hundreds of thousands of hours have gone into the details of TTO on assessed. A student advances as operational elements—staffing everything from learning progressions to instructional content to assessment to the logistics that soon as he or she demonstrates plans, space utilization, and time enable personalized homework. Schools are then able to customize the model to meet the needs of understanding. allocation—respond and adapt to support students in achieving their their particular school community. goals. 6 7 How it Works Deeper Learning Through Multiple Modalities Complete Learners Personalized Pathways Students explore, question, defend, Students have personalized Anyone who’s tried to master a complicated and build mathematical ideas, learning paths that are frequently task—such as preparing the perfect coq a while also growing as curious, and thoughtfully tailored just for vin to impress your dinner guests—knows Core Design Tenets motivated, and collaborative them. They are able to accelerate there’s a disconnect between instruction members of their school their own learning, regardless of We designed Teach to One: Math (TTO) to enable and execution. You could have the greatest community. their individual starting point. students to explore the beauty and complexity of cookbook in the world, but conquering a mathematics while also building habits for lifelong Able to Meet Students Multiple Integrated difficult new recipe means trying, failing, success.