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An exploration of project -based learning in two California charter schools

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An exploration of project -based learning in two California charter schools

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Content AN EXPLORATION OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN TWO CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS by Jennifer Alexandra Welsh A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May 2006 Copyright 2006 Jennifer Alexandra Welsh Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3233806 Copyright 2006 by Welsh, Jennifer Alexandra All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. ® UMI UMI Microform 3233806 Copyright 2006 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my mother, Dr. Mickie D. Welsh, who modeled the possibilities for women in higher education during my early years (and constantly encouraged me to complete my dissertation before having a family). I acknowledge also the invaluable support, love, and understanding o f my family, friends, soon-to-be husband, and special roommates who tolerated my frequent neuroses during graduate school. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation could not have been completed without the support and assistance of Dr. Penny Wohlstetter, Dr. Joel Colbert, and Dr. Amanda Datnow; the members of the Parallel Dissertation Group; the one and only Wednesday night Cohort of the U.S.C. Ed.D. program; and the administration and staff of the Creative Arts Charter School and Bay Area School of Enterprise (with special thanks to Steve Good and Page Tompkins). These schools were a tremendous inspiration to my study and my future work in the field of education. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS............................................................................................. iii LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................vi ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW OF THE STU D Y ...................................................................... 1 Background to the Problem ...................................................................... 1 Promise of Project-Based Learning.........................................................3 The Role of Charter Schools..................................................................... 6 Statement of the Problem...........................................................................8 Purpose of the Study.................................................................................. 9 Importance o f the Study...........................................................................10 Organization of the Dissertation.............................................................11 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................. 13 Definition of Project-Based Learning....................................................14 Benefits of Project-Based Learning....................................................... 17 Conceptual Frameworks......................................................................... 22 The Role of Students and Teachers in Project-Based Learning 28 Supporting the Implementation o f Project-Based Learning...............31 Assessment of Project-Based Learning................................................ 38 Summary....................................................................................................40 3. METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................42 Research D esign...................................................................................... 42 Data Collection Processes and Procedures...........................................45 Data Analysis............................................................................................ 53 Evaluation of Methods.............................................................................54 Summary....................................................................................................56 4. FINDINGS .......................................................................................................57 Creative Arts Charter School..................................................................57 Bay Area School o f Enterprise...............................................................75 Summary..................................................................................................100 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 5. CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................ 101 Connections to Prior Research..............................................................101 Implications for Policy and Practice....................................................113 Implications for Future Study...............................................................116 Epilogue...................................................................................................118 REFERENCES..............................................................................................................119 APPENDIX A ...............................................................................................................124 APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................125 APPENDIX C.................................................................................................................127 APPENDIX D ................................................................................................................128 APPENDIX E ................................................................................................................138 APPENDIX F ................................................................................................................142 APPENDIX G ...............................................................................................................144 APPENDIX H ...............................................................................................................146 APPENDIX I ................................................................................................................. 150 APPENDIX J ................................................................................................................. 154 APPENDIX K ...............................................................................................................157 APPENDIX L ................................................................................................................ 159 APPENDIX M ............................................................................................................... 160 APPENDIX N ................................................................................................................ 195 APPENDIX O ............................................................................................................... 196 APPENDIX P ................................................................................................................201 APPENDIX Q ................................................................................................................202 APPENDIX R ................................................................................................................229 APPENDIX S ................................................................................................................232 APPENDIX T ................................................................................................................. 233 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX U .............................................................................................................. 237 APPENDIX V .............................................................................................................. 247 v i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES 1. Triangulating Across Data Collection Instruments....................................... 49 2. Profile o f Charter School: Creative Arts Charter School.............................59 3. Creative Arts Charter School Supporting Documents and M aterials.........77 v ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT While logic indicates that charter schools are engaging in innovation, little is known about the pedagogical practices inside charter classrooms. Given the unfortunate absence o f knowledge on this topic, it is impossible to disseminate information related to successful practices in charter schools to the larger public school system. In order for charter schools to realize the goal of serving as laboratories of innovation, research on the specific educational practices of charter schools, as well as the conditions that support high-quality implementation of such reforms, must be conducted. This study investigated the use of a specific educational practice—project- based learning—in California charter schools. Given that project-based learning has been identified in the literature as a promising practice that enhances student motivation, learning, and achievement, it is important to understand both the benefits and challenges associated with the implementation of project-based learning that can be documented and shared with educators who are interested in alternative strategies for improving student achievement in California and U.S. schools. Using the methodology of descriptive case studies, this project examined two California charter schools that are implementing unique forms o f project-based learning: arts-integrated project-based learning and enterprise project-based learning. At each site the researcher collected data by conducting interviews with the principal and lead teacher, a focus group o f teachers, classroom observations, and analysis of relevant documents. The findings illustrated that educators at both schools had experienced many similar benefits and challenges as those indicated by viii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. current research on project-based learning. More important, the study revealed novel issues and concerns related to the implementation o f project-based learning in K-12 settings, such as challenges of balancing the divergent priorities of standardized and alternative assessment practices. The goal of this study was to disseminate the wisdom gathered from experienced and innovative practitioners through the creation of an online compendium that will benefit other educators in project-based learning environments. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY Background to the Problem The recent 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board o f Education (347 U.S. 483,1954) has brought renewed interest and atten tion to the state of equity with respect to the nation’s schools. Specifically, in Cali fornia, policy makers are faced with both an increasingly diverse school-age population in which the existence of an achievement gap between minority and nonminority student groups remains a pressing concern (Orfield & Yun, 1999; Uhlenberg & Brown, 2002). According to data from the California Department of Education, only 1 o f every 5 African American and Latino students scored profi cient on the California Standardized Test (CST), compared to more than 3 of 5 Caucasian and Asian students. Socioeconomics also play a significant role in the achievement gap, as a mere 22% of “poor” students passed the CST versus 62% of “non-poor” students (Huizar, n.d.). Unfortunately, the concerns related to students’ underperformance, although more severe in the case of minorities, apply to the population of U.S. students at large. Despite the fact that the United States invests more resources per pupil than almost any other nation in the world, the most recent results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) indicated that fourth- and eighth-grade students in the United States are outperformed by their peers in seven and nine countries, respectively (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2004b). Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Education’s report The Condition o f Education 2004 (NCES, 2004a) indicates that only 32% o f fourth graders and 29% 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. o f eighth graders performed at or above the proficient level in mathematics; only 31 % of fourth graders and 32% of eighth graders performed at or above the profi cient level in reading. The situation in California public schools is equally disheartening. A recent report by the Rand Corporation (2005) chronicled the evolution of California’s K- 12 school system over the past 30 years, from a national leader to its current rank ing near the bottom in almost every objective category. Furthermore, California continues to provide relatively low funding levels to K-12 schools despite the state’s diverse population and consequent educational challenges. An extended legal battle was recently fought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in an effort to improve unacceptable educational environments for low-income Cali fornia youth whose lower test scores reflect the substandard schools, outdated text books, unqualified teachers, and inferior facilities that are often afforded to low- income, minority youth (Asimov, 2004). In order to address the issue o f student underperformance as well as the in equities of both the local and national educational systems at large, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), a bipartisan education reform aimed at increasing academic performance for all students in K-12 in American schools. The four pillars o f NCLB involve strengthening accountability systems by (a) monitoring state and school yearly progress, (b) increasing states’ and schools’ flexibility in the use of federal education funds, (c) emphasizing edu cational programs that have been scientifically determined to improve student achievement, and (d) providing choices for parents of children in low-performing schools (U.S. Department o f Education, 2005). 2 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Although it is rather early to identify any major improvements in student achievement, it is possible to assess changes in school curriculum that have taken place as a result of this reform. At the present time, NCLB requires each state to monitor schools’ progress in both reading and mathematics through the administra tion of annual tests aligned to individual state standards (U.S. Department of Edu cation, 2005). According to a recent report published by The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University, teachers are shifting their attention away from subjects that are not included on the state-mandated tests, with the intention of maximizing the pos sibility for improved student test scores (Sunderman, Tracey, Kim, & Orfield, 2004). Teachers are faced with the obvious challenge of maintaining a holistic and interdisciplinary curriculum while ensuring an emphasis on skills that are tested by the state. In order to reconcile such diametrically opposed obligations, teachers must find curricular alternatives that maximize both instructional goals in an effi cient and effective manner. Prom ise o f Project-Based Learning For over a century, educators such as John Dewey have espoused the bene fits of experiential, student-directed learning opportunities (Buck Institute for Edu cation [BIE], 2002). Dewey’s ideas were a precursor to the theory of constructivism, which emphasizes the importance of allowing individuals to con struct knowledge through interactions with the environment (Woolfolk, 2004). Project-based learning, which is rooted in constructivist principles, has formally existed for just over a decade as the instructional model that embodies the afore mentioned principles o f learning. Although project-based learning has many defi nitions, the following definition is used for the purposes of this dissertation: a 3 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. systematic teaching method that engages students in learning knowledge and skills through an extended inquiry process structured around complex, authentic ques tions and carefully designed products and tasks (BIE). Project-based learning involves the development of rigorous, relevant, and engaging instructional projects that require the integration and application o f vari ous disciplines, such as mathematics, social studies, science, and literature, to real- world problems. Despite inevitable variations in the implementation of project- based learning, both practitioners and researchers affirm that project-based learning provides many important benefits for student learning and achievement. In par ticular, project-based learning facilitates students’ mastery of the curriculum, fosters students’ self-esteem and motivation, and develops students’ problem solving abilities, higher-order thinking skills, and appreciation of life-long learning (Boaler, 1999; Thomas, 2000). A recent study that examined the effect of project-based learning on 3rd-, 5th-, and lOth-grade students reported that 82% of the students agreed that projects served to enhance academic motivation (Bartscher, Gould, & Nutter, 1995). Ac cording to the most basic principles o f motivation, motivation is a critical determi nant of human performance, as learned behavior will not occur unless it is energized (Huitt, 2001). Therefore, efforts aimed at improving student achievement should consider the implications of instructional methods, such as project-based learning, that support student motivation and, consequently, academic performance (Woolfolk, 2004). In addition to the measurable qualitative benefits o f project-based learning, such as motivation, self-esteem, and cooperative learning skills, research has dem onstrated gains in students’ standardized test scores in schools where project-based 4 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. learning reforms have been implemented (Thomas, 2000). The most extensive re search of any project-based learning context has been conducted with Expedition ary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB) schools, a New American Schools’ reform model.1 Research in various Expeditionary Learning (EL) schools has indicated dramatic improvements in academic achievement, as measured by standardized test scores, following the implementation of the EL program. An EL school in Maine reported a 59-point average increase in test scores, compared to the statewide aver age gain of 15 points (Thomas, p. 9). In the present era of accountability it is im perative that innovative instructional methods also support students’ ability to demonstrate knowledge in more traditional, standardized-test formats (Langhout, Rappaport, & Simmons, 2002). An additional benefit o f project-based learning is its unique ability to support a school-community collaboration that bridges students’ home and aca demic lives (Langhout et al., 2002). An enlightening study by Alexander and Entwisle (1988) demonstrated that African American and European American chil dren began first grade with roughly equivalent standardized test scores; however, by the second year of school, African American children had scored lower on stan dardized tests. One factor that has been identified as a probable cause of the achievement gap is the longstanding Eurocentric assumptions that are transmitted to children in the school. According to researchers, such assumptions lead to the disenfranchisement and ultimate inferior academic performance by minority youth (Ogbu, 1987). Project-based learning curricula, on the other hand, involve real- New American Schools is a leading provider of professional services that shape, support, and sustain system-wide innovation in the K-12 education system in an effort to improve student learning. For more information, see http://www.naschools.org. 5 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. world investigations that are inextricably tied to the local community. Therefore, students are provided with meaningful, culturally relevant learning opportunities that enhance meaning, motivation, and achievement for all students (Langhout et al.). Despite the numerous benefits o f project-based learning, few educational environments are focusing on such holistic curricular innovations in light of the quantitative federal standards that are used to evaluate schools. In order to further the investigation of promising practices, such as project-based learning, it is im perative to identify those educational environments that continue to innovate in this era o f accountability. Charter schools, by virtue of their founding premise (which is discussed in the following section), become a vital opportunity for future research related to innovative and promising educational practices. The Role of Charter Schools The charter school movement, which began in the early 1990s, was de signed to enhance the economic principles o f competition within the public educa tion system by increasing both choice and accountability at the school site level (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). Charter schools, which are free, public schools governed by self-designed charter documents, have greater autonomy and flexibility through their both independence from school districts and waivers from state laws and regulations (Wohlstetter, Griffin, & Chau, 2002). As a result of their independence, charter schools can serve as an empowering alternative for teachers, administrators, and parents who want to expedite changes in the local educational environment. For example, a study by Lockwood (2002) explained that charter schools in California can choose their own textbooks and select their own curricula, 6 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. which has resulted in a better match of instructional services to student needs. Charter schools are also authorized to make a variety of hiring and budgetary deci sions at the site-based level (Johnson & Landman, 2000). In return for such autonomy, charter schools initially operate under a 3- to 5-year contract approved by an authorized government agency that provides essen tial funding in addition to supervising the charter school’s performance contract. Charter schools are also accountable to local stakeholders, such as parents and students who voluntarily choose membership within the charter community (Buckley & Fisler, 2003). Both parent and community involvement in charter schools is generally high, as site-based governance councils allow parents, teachers, and community members to assume active decision-making roles within the school (U.S. Department o f Education, 2004). In order to attract and retain such important stakeholders, charter schools must demonstrate positive student achievement results, thereby diminishing the longstanding monopoly of underperforming district-assigned public schools (Buckley & Fisler). Therefore, charter schools have the potential to improve educational equity by providing school choice opportuni ties where pedagogical practices are designed to improve student achievement based upon the needs of the local community. Empowered with the autonomy to make site-based curricular choices, charter schools are more likely to engage in innovation (Crawford, 2001). In fact, according to Andrews and Rothman (2002), “One o f the fundamental reasons for the creation of charter schools was to enable these schools to serve as small labo ratories in which innovations could be tried and the outcomes brought back to the larger public school system” (p. 509). Therefore, if a charter school produces posi tive student gains as a result of a given educational strategy, such as project-based 7 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. learning, both the participating school and the surrounding educational community benefit, as the strategy can be shared with the larger public school system. This opportunity to innovate at the local level is particularly important in California, where the population of public school students is increasingly diverse and where specific educational strategies may be advantageous to particular sub groups of students. Although the evidence related to primary motivations that inspire charter applicants is minimal, studies indicate that most California charter school founders desire the autonomy afforded by charter schools (Murphy & Shiftman, 2002). According to Wohlstetter et al. (2002), 58% of charter schools cited their most important motivation as the opportunity to realize a vision. Given this trend, it is important to examine the degree to which such visions are success fully realized and result in improved student achievement. Statem ent o f the Problem While logic indicates that charter schools are engaging in innovation, little is known about the pedagogical practices inside charter classrooms. Given the un fortunate absence o f knowledge on this topic, it is impossible to disseminate infor mation related to successful practices in charter schools to the larger public school system. In order for charter schools to realize the goal of serving as laboratories of innovation, research on the specific educational practices of charter schools, as well as the conditions that support high-quality implementation of such reforms, must be conducted (Buckley & Fisler, 2003). Although recent research indicates that project-based learning provides meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities that enhance student motivation and achievement, project-based learning is not a common pedagogical practice in most 8 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. schools. The limited use of project-based learning can probably be attributed to the present pressures of standardized test-based accountability, which appear incom patible with the goals o f a holistic, interdisciplinary, instructional strategy such as project-based learning. However, a number o f high-performing charter schools are managing to achieve success on traditional student performance measures while also implementing project-based learning instructional models. One would assume that, if sufficient research related to the implementation of project-based learning had been conducted, project-based learning would be more widespread. According to Bardach (2003), such knowledge must be analyzed and compiled into an acces sible format, such as a compendium, so that it may serve the public interest. Purpose o f the Study The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of project-based learn ing in California charter schools. Given that project-based learning has been identi fied in the literature as a promising practice that enhances student motivation, learning, and achievement, it is important to understand both the benefits and chal lenges associated with the implementation of project-based learning. Daley, Norman, Weingarten, and Chavez (2005) defined promising practices as school- level practices, primarily related to curriculum and instruction, that “convey a sense of both innovation and potential impact” (p. 6). By investigating the implementa tion of project-based learning, this study was designed to glean and share the wisdom from those who have implemented project-based learning successfully. However, since the purpose of this study was not to conduct a rigorous evaluation of the impact of project-based learning on student achievement, the term best prac tices is not used. 9 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. This study was part of a thematic dissertation group effort to investigate a variety of promising practices in charter school settings. The other studies investi gated the following topics in charter school settings: school-university partnerships, parent involvement, high school reform, uses of technology for instructional pur poses in middle schools, administrative and teacher leadership, arts education, student discipline, use o f time, special education, English language development in primary grades, and integration of career and vocational education in high schools. Using the data that were obtained in the various dissertation projects, an interactive Web site called Multiple Measures of Accountability for California Charter Schools (MMACCS, n.d.) was developed for the purposes of enhancing innovation and sharing effective practices from high-performing charter schools. In addition to the compendium o f promising practices, the MMACCS Web site, which is housed at the University of Southern California’s Center on Educational Governance (CEG), will contain a quantitative database of school performance indices (CEG, n.d.). Importance of the Study Given the importance of maintaining a competitive and prosperous position in the global economy, American schools must continue to examine those educa tional practices that will lead to improved student achievement. By conducting a series of case studies related to the use of project-based learning in charter schools, this study will inform various stakeholders in the education community about con ditions of effective implementation o f a promising practice, in this case project- based learning, for the purposes of enhancing student achievement. 10 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The goal of providing research-based information related to promising practices is particularly important in California, where 443 charter schools, or 16% of all the charter schools in the United States, existed during the 2003-2004 school year (Ed-Data, 2005). Considering the plethora o f charter schools in California, successful innovations could be readily disseminated to the larger public school system for the benefit of all students. Such promising practices must be identified and translated into a form that is useful to practitioners so that the original goal of establishing charter schools as “laboratories of innovation” can be achieved (Manela & Moxley, 2002). Given the recognized limitations o f quantitative measures of school per formance, it is important for charter schools to develop multiple measures of per formance that demonstrate their achievements with respect to students’ academic performance. The qualitative portion of the MMACCS compendium will provide educators with detailed information related to the implementation of promising practices in high-performing charter schools. Such information will be invaluable to a variety o f stakeholders who face daily decisions related to professional devel opment, instructional strategies, performance assessment, and school improvement. O rganization o f the Dissertation Chapter 1 summarizes the importance of studying the implementation of project-based learning in California charter schools. Chapter 2 reviews the litera ture addressing issues and challenges related to the implementation of project- based learning in K-12 school settings. Chapter 3 delineates the research questions, the design o f the study, the instrumentation, the data collection procedures, and the process of data analysis. Chapter 4 presents findings and an analysis of the data 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. organized around the template for the MMACCS compendium. Chapter 5 summa rizes key findings from the study and present conclusions and implications for practitioners, policy makers, and researchers. 12 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW This study investigated the use of project-based learning in California charter schools. Given that project-based learning has been identified by the litera ture as a promising practice that enhances student motivation, learning, and achievement, it is important to understand both the benefits and challenges associ ated with the implementation of project-based learning. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the historical development of project-based learning, to define project-based learning and its attributes, and to review the literature as it relates to the rationale, benefits, and challenges associated with implementation o f project- based learning in K-12 educational settings. First, this chapter provides a brief overview of the origins and evolution of project-based learning. Second, a detailed definition of project-based learning and its attributes and recent findings related to the benefits of project-based learning are presented. Third, relevant conceptual frameworks that support project-based learning methodology as well as the recent revival of project-based learning are explained. Fourth, an in-depth review of recent research related to implementation of project-based learning is discussed. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion o f needed areas of research in the field of project-based learning. Project-based learning has existed as a method o f instruction in American classrooms for more than a century. At the outset, projects were conducted for the purpose of providing manual training in vocational skills such as carpentry, cooking, and sewing. However, prominent philosophers and proponents of educa tional reform, such as John Dewey, began to shift the focus o f education from 13 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. technical skills to children’s creativity, interests, and experiences as catalysts of the learning process (Knoll, 1997). With Dewey’s ideas, as well as Edward L. Thorndike’s psychology of learning theories, William Heard Kilpatrick redefined and expanded the project method to apply more generally to all learning contexts rather than to be limited to the realm of manual and vocational training (Kilpatrick, 1918). He espoused that the project, or “purposeful act is . . . the typical unit of worthy life in a democratic society, so also should it be made the typical unit of school procedure” (p. 2). D efinition o f Project-Based Learning As noted in chapter 1, project-based learning has many definitions. The first challenge in defining the term is clarifying the meaning o f the word project. Al though it is difficult to identify a universally accepted definition of project-based learning, one definition of project that is repeatedly cited in the literature is that given by Sylvia Chard, a renowned project expert. She defined a project as “an in- depth investigation of a real-world topic worthy o f children’s attention and effort” (Curtis, 2002, p. 50). More specifically, Curtis advocated a three-phased approach to projects that involves an initial discussion of the project topic, fieldwork and data collection, and presentation of the project to an audience (Curtis, 2005). As mentioned in the previous chapter, the definition of project-based learning that is used for the purposes o f this study is “a systematic teaching method that engages students in learning knowledge and skills through an extended inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks” (BIE, 2002, p. 4). 14 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chard’s broad definition of project obviously lends itself to be applied in a multiplicity of ways. Fleming (2000) described 13 project methods that explain the manner in which various types of projects can take place. For example, community study allows students to learn about specific issues in the local environment by conducting a community investigation and developing a related project. Design and technology experiences encourage students to develop a prototype or working model in a range of disciplines, such as architecture, music, science, or business. Students can also learn about life cycles, populations, and natural conditions by conducting an environmental investigation. Another project type is the micro society, wherein students create and manage a miniature, school-based community that includes economic, legal, and communication systems, among others (Fleming). Educational projects, such as those mentioned in the previous paragraph, are often referred to by labels other than project-based learning. For instance, expe riential learning embodies the same theoretical principles as project-based learning in its emphasis on interesting and authentic activities that stimulate students’ learning and motivation (Turnbull, 1999). Another common label in the literature, problem-based learning, is quite distinct. Problem-based learning, which originated in the field of medicine, involves the examination of authentic, simulated problems. Such learning problems provide opportunities for students and teachers to explore the application o f knowledge without the unpredictable nature and complexity of open-ended projects (Barron et al., 1998). Steinberg (1997, as cited in Southern Regional Education Board, [SREB], 2000) defined the critical elements of project-based learning as the “Six A ’s of Project-based Learning.” These elements, or features, are authenticity, academic 15 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. rigor, applied learning, active exploration, adult relationships, and assessment. Authentic projects are based on a question that is meaningful to the student and representative of a situation that might occur in the world outside of school (SREB). Thomas (2000) emphasized the importance of including projects as the central, rather than peripheral, aspect of the curriculum. This criterion has implica tions for the aforementioned standards-focused potential of project-based learning in that projects can and should be connected to meaningful course content rather than viewed as instructional accessories. Academic rigor requires that the student acquire and apply knowledge related to a variety of disciplines in addition to using research methods and higher-order thinking skills (SREB). According to Steinberg, applied learning mandates that students use skills, such as organization and self management, that will be expected in the workplace. In order to fulfill the criterion of active exploration, students must spend a significant amount of time conducting field-based work using a variety of media and methods for the investigation. Adult relationships indicate that the students must interact and work with experts in the field of their investigation. Other meaningful, collaborative relationships that emerge during project-based learning are same-age and multi-age student group work (BIE, 2002). Finally, assessment should include students’ participation in the design of rubrics, expert participation in the evaluation process, and frequent as sessment though methods such as exhibitions and portfolios (SREB, 2000). The details related to assessment of project-based learning are discussed at a later point in this chapter. The upcoming section focuses on explaining the benefits o f project- based learning when applied in the classroom. 16 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Benefits of Project-Based Learning The majority of anecdotal and research literature on the topic of project- based learning emphasizes the degree to which this teaching method enhances student motivation. Various studies have documented increased student motivation as a result of implementing project-based learning instructional techniques (Bartscher et al., 1995; Curtis, 2005; Liu & Hsaio, 2002). Liu and Hsaio examined learners’ motivation in a project-based learning environment using a pretest and posttest motivation questionnaire. Although the sample size of the study was small (N = 16), students’ self-report scores demonstrated a significant increase with regard to task value, learning belief, and self-efficacy. Bartscher et al. also found that project-based learning significantly improved student motivation, as measured by homework completion rates and voluntary class participation, in a targeted low- motivation population of 3rd-, 6th-, and 10th -grade students. The impact of project-based learning on student motivation is not surpris ing, given the number of situational and contextual factors that influence motiva tion and characterize project-based learning practices. For instance, the TARGETT model explains seven important features of instruction that support student motiva tion (Woolfolk, 2004). The acronym represents T, challenging and interesting learning tasks; A, opportunities for autonomy and self-regulation; R, rewards and recognition that focus on student progress and effort; G, grouping that encourages positive collaboration; E, frequent and variable methods of evaluation; T, flexible time structures that allow for individual pacing; and T, teacher expectations that hold high standards for all students. While certain elements of the TARGETT model, such as teacher expectations, are not determined by the nature of the learn ing activity, many o f the other elements, such as task, autonomy, and grouping, are 17 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. encouraged by project-based learning. Therefore, the inherent instructional design properties o f project-based learning, as well as the conclusions of previous re search, suggest that project-based learning enhances student motivation. Increasing student motivation is particularly important as motivation enables students to sustain behavior that enhances achievement (Woolfolk, 2004). An ethnographic study by Yamzon (1999) demonstrated that all participating teachers observed a relationship between student choice and achievement. The teachers reported that students who had a personal investment in the learning process exerted more effort and, consequently, made significant academic im provements. The teachers attributed these successes to the fact that students’ sense o f personal responsibility was heightened as a result of seeing that their work was linked in a meaningful way to real-world situations. As a result, students’ self esteem and sense of empowerment increased, thereby improving their levels of engagement and achievement. Another important benefit o f project-based learning methodology is the op portunity that it provides to work in the affective domain. Given that authentic learning opportunities lend themselves to authentic interpersonal interactions, it is inevitable that teachers be required to address a variety of issues related to the habits of mind such as flexibility, persistence, responsibility, and creativity (Fleming, 2000). In fact, action research conducted as early as 1919 explored the implications o f applying the project method in an advanced fifth-grade classroom and found that “habits of self-reliance and mutual helpfulness . . . have been given a kind and degree o f exercise that they could never have had under [traditional cir cumstances]” (Hennes, 1921, p. 8). Since the learning process involved “active cooperation and initiative of the children, rather than . . . imposition of tasks by the 18 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. teacher” (p. 8), students were able to practice important socioemotional skills that were not previously required by traditional instructional environments. Therefore, project-based learning lends itself not only to academic benefits but also to socioemotional development, a growing concern of schools and educators. While the aforementioned benefits of project-based learning for student motivation, development, and achievement would imply that implementation of project-based learning would be useful in a variety of educational contexts, recent research indicates that project-based learning can be more useful for specific student groups. Project-based learning that supports culturally relevant pedagogy helps to engage students who have demonstrated lacking academic motivation as well as students who are at risk for disengaging from school (Langhout et al., 2002). Teachers in Yamzon’s (1999) study reported that students who were not normally successful in traditional approaches to learning made significant im provements when participating in project-based learning. Teachers attributed these improvements to the fact that students were given opportunities to approach learn ing from new perspectives other than books and lectures, thereby allowing students to demonstrate their individual competencies and intelligences. Furthermore, project-based learning enabled students to study topics of personal interest, which enhanced their enjoyment, effort, and achievement in school. In addition to supporting at-risk or lower-ability students, research indicates that project-based learning methods are also especially applicable to the instruction of gifted students, as these learning opportunities provide more challenging, meaningful, and comprehensive activities than the traditional textbook-driven ap proach (Diffily, 2002). Whereas gifted students often experience boredom, frustra tion, and isolation from peers, project-based learning provides a natural opportunity 19 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. for differentiated instruction because all students work individually or in small groups on different aspects of the project (Woolfolk, 2004). In this manner, gifted students can be challenged to develop more complex products at their individual level without peer ridicule, which supports their emotional, social, and academic development needs. Research indicates that, in addition to helping specific groups of students, project-based learning may be more effective when implemented in specific contexts. Stites (1998) reported that various studies have demonstrated high learn ing gains when project-based learning was used in conjunction with technology. For instance, Lundeberg, Vega, Standiford, Larson, and Dibble (1997) examined project-based learning in a technology-rich environment and found that students had a high degree o f task engagement and excitement about learning. Research indicates that the use of technology in project-based learning facilitates the teach ers’ transition from didactic to constructivist pedagogical approaches. The technol ogy takes the focus away from the teacher as a lecturer so that students can work at individual paces while the teacher mediates the learning process. Since technology skills are extremely important for 21st-century students and teachers, project-based learning with technology also supports the simultaneous acquisition of academic and technological skills. However, given the current emphasis on educational accountability, project- based learning is often criticized for distracting teachers from the essential basics that are measured by standardized tests and other quantitative assessments. Ironi cally, recent research related to the most effective teaching practices for reading and writing, conducted by Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (1998, as cited in Diffily, 2001), provides a list o f recommendations such as more choice for students, more 20 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. active learning and more emphasis on higher-order thinking skills. While many teaching approaches can fulfill selected criteria from the list of recommendations from Zemelman et al., project-based learning is one of the few and possibly the only teaching method that truly satisfies all of the criteria (Diffily). Meyer, Turner, and Spencer (1997) explained the manner in which project-based learning supports recent reform efforts in mathematics instruction that advocate an emphasis on ap plication and problem solving rather than rote memorization. An experiment by Barron et al. (2002) demonstrated that low-, average-, and high-achieving groups of students demonstrated improvements in mathematics, as measured by state- mandated tests, following experiences with project-based instruction. Therefore, implementation o f project-based learning should support the development o f basic skills because the related teaching techniques represent effective, research-based instructional methods for both literacy and mathematics (Helm, 2003). Despite the reported benefits of project-based learning, this method is not widely implemented in K-12 classrooms. As Kilpatrick (1918) recognized nearly a century ago, the evidence in support of project-based learning would “suffice to destroy the [traditional education] movement were it not deeply grounded” (f 22). However, traditional methods of teaching remain well-entrenched in schools, thereby posing a continual challenge to educational reform efforts. For this reason, research that serves as a “counter-balance to the growing pressure for teachers to engage in transmission models of teaching” (Ruddell, 2000, p. 1) is of critical im portance given the current political pressures on the public system of education. Particularly in this era o f educational accountability, further research is needed to demonstrate the benefits of project-based learning on student achievement in order to reduce the perceived risk associated with implementation of innovative practices. 21 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. In addition to providing a sound justification for the use of project-based learning, research is also needed to support teachers, administrators, and schools in the process of implementing project-based learning. Since implementation of any innovation involves various barriers and challenges, it is critical to study those en vironments in which the innovation, in this case project-based learning, has flour ished. Thomas (2000) specifically called for research on best practices related to planning, implementing and managing project-based learning, research related to implementation challenges associated with project-based learning, and research on project-based learning as a whole-school reform. In accordance with Thomas’s recommendations, this study investigated the issues related to implementation of project-based learning in a school-wide setting. Prior to planning such an investi gation, however, the remainder o f this chapter focuses on providing various theo retical justifications, based on relevant conceptual frameworks, for project-based learning methods and the aforementioned critical features. Conceptual Frameworks Constructivist Theories o f Education A review o f modem educational literature clearly indicates that many prominent 20th-century theorists espouse methods of teaching and learning that support the project-based learning model (Hollyman, 2004). For example, Jerome Bruner, an instrumental figure in the cognitive movement of the 1950s and 1960s, shifted the focus o f mainstream psychology from behaviorist notions to the idea that education is a process of personal discovery. His theory of constructivism argued that learning is an active process in which learners create new knowledge based on current and past experiences. Since project-based learning specifically 22 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. involves active, rather than passive, learners who discover new knowledge through exploratory, student-centered activities, the theoretical framework of constructiv ism may be used to support the project-based learning model. Later, Vygotsky expanded upon the theory of constructivism by promoting the theory o f social constructivism. According to Vygotsky, an essential feature of the learning environment is the opportunity for the learner to interact and cooperate with people in her surroundings. In this manner, learning can be assisted, or scaf folded, by a more able peer or adult, and the learner is able to solve problems just beyond her actual developmental level. By reaching this “zone o f proximal devel opment,” the learner’s experience is enhanced beyond the opportunity to practice previously mastered skills or knowledge. As the section on attributes of effective projects explains, project-based learning involves adult, multi-age and same-age relationships that provide the learner with meaningful opportunities for collabora tion. Therefore, project-based learning, which empowers students to become both active as well as social participants in the learning process, also embodies the aforementioned theory of social constructivism (Woolfolk, 2004). Upon considering the impact of the learning context, it is also important to acknowledge the needs of individual learners within this context. Gardner’s well- known theory o f multiple intelligences explains that there are eight distinct intelli gences that can be exhibited by children and adults (Woolfolk, 2004). According to Gardner, traditional classrooms place a disproportionate emphasis on two intelli gences— linguistic and logical-mathematical— thereby preventing some students from realizing their gifts in other intelligences (SUNY Cortland Web Service, n.d.). However, classrooms that utilize project-based learning methods attempt to provide interdisciplinary learning opportunities that are not limited by the conventional 23 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. culture of the school. Instead, project-based learning encourages opportunities in which students can engage in a wide variety of authentic tasks that allow for dem onstration of knowledge through multiple intelligences, as would be required in the outside world. Therefore, Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences provides an other justification for the use of project-based learning in the K-12 classroom. Theories o f Information Processing The project-based learning method is also supported by cognitive theories of information processing. The first stage of the information-processing model requires that individuals attend to a stimulus of presumed interest or importance. Since project-based learning allows students to develop and conduct self-designed investigations, students are more likely to pay attention to the content of material being learned. In order for this new information to move from sensory and short term memory to long-term memory, students must activate and expand cognitive structures, or schema, that provide meaning and organization for prior knowledge (Huitt, 2003). Given that project-based learning encourages students to engage in learning that is relevant to their lives, new knowledge should be connected to prior knowledge, which enhances the likelihood of long-term memory storage as well as later retrieval (Woolfolk, 2004). In their report on more than 130 studies on experi ential learning, Sheckley and Weil found that participating students had “better recall of material over time and improvements in student performance” (1994, as cited in Turnbull, 1999, p. 10). Furthermore, since students involved in project- based learning are practicing the application of knowledge and skills, they are more likely to develop the ability to transfer such knowledge and skills to situations outside o f the classroom. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy The idea of making learning relevant to students’ lives has been extended into the cultural realm, particularly by educators such as John Ogbu. Ogbu’s re nowned work on “involuntary immigration” explains minority underachievement as a result of the disconnect between minority students’ cultures and the dominant Eurocentric curriculum of schools (Ogbu, 1987). In order to counteract such imbal anced pedagogy, effective school reform must involve a collaboration and mean ingful connection between the life of the community and that of the school. In their study on integrating the community into project-based learning, Langhout et al. (2002) demonstrated the potential for community-based projects to build mutually empowering collaborations between the community and the school. Therefore, the principles o f culturally relevant pedagogy should be applied to project-based learning to support the creation o f multicultural classrooms and equitable learning opportunities. Recent R evival o f Project-Based Learning It is evident that a variety of conceptual frameworks and educational the ories provides a strong foundation and justification for the principles of project- based learning. Over the past century, project-based learning has waxed and waned, despite the fact that research continues to support this instructional method. Vari ous explanations provide insight as to why only a minority o f teachers consistently implements such innovative practice. Among the many obstacles, educators cite time and resource constraints, large class sizes, and fixed curriculum as impedi ments to teacher creativity and autonomy (Barron et al., 1998). In addition, assess ment methods have been shown to shape the manner in which both teachers and students approach the learning process (Willis, 1993). While the educational 25 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. system continues to prioritize traditional evaluation methods and college entrance requirements, curriculum reform, such as project-based learning, is unlikely to be achieved, given the incompatibility between espoused support for reforms and current assessment practices (Barron et al.; Tyack &Cuban, 1995). Despite the aforementioned challenges, important developments over the past 25 years have stimulated the rebirth of project-based learning in American schools. First, recent research in the field of cognitive psychology continues to support the Vygotskian notion that learning is a social process (BIE, 2002). Thus, effective learning environments should focus not merely on memorization of content but also on the creation o f a context where application o f knowledge and social interactions can take place. Furthermore, the context of learning should reflect the culture, community, and prior experiences o f the learner such that new knowledge can be perceived as relevant and meaningful to the learner (Langhout et al., 2002). In some cases, dissatisfaction with the status quo has also sparked a search for alternative methods o f teaching and learning. For instance, a recent study by Turnbull (1999) detailed the adoption of a multidimensional project-based learning curriculum in French second language classes where the traditional grammar- translation approach had resulted in disappointing student outcomes. While more traditional curricula and instructional approaches may work for some students, the majority of students in the United States (as detailed in chapter 1) are not perform ing at designated proficiency levels. Therefore, as states and districts seek to im prove student achievement, schools must rethink the manner in which they teach so as to engage students from various cultural and intellectual perspectives (SREB, 2000). 26 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Global changes, which have resulted in new demands in the work force, provide another important impetus for the revival of project-based learning. As industrial culture has changed, children must be prepared for high-performance jobs where both knowledge and application skills are required. Since successful employees must be able to work collaboratively with a variety o f citizens, instruc tional practices must prepare students to adapt to the diverse and changing needs of the global environment (BIE, 2002; Liu & Hsaio, 2002). Given that project-based learning supports students’ development of higher-order thinking and cognitive skills, project-based learning is a natural mechanism for preparing students for success in life beyond the classroom (Liu & Hsaio). As worldwide changes continue to take place, instructional practices, spe cifically project-based learning methods, will adapt to these changes. Most re cently, project-based learning has evolved as a result o f a national emphasis on standards, outcomes, and accountability. With the passage of NCLB, educators are required to focus their instruction on state-approved standards. Such federal man dates logically imply a modification of project-based learning to standards-focused project-based learning (BIE, 2002). Given the ever-present challenges and resulting modifications to project-based learning, the next section o f this chapter defines and clarifies the roles of both students and teachers in project-based learning class rooms. 27 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Role of Students and Teachers in Project-Based Learning Role o f Students in Project-Based Learning When using project-based learning methodology, it is important to consider the role that students will play during the planning, implementation and assessment phases. On the one hand, teachers should maximize student involvement in all aspects of the project in order to develop students’ motivation and sense o f agency. As Bartscher et al. (1995) demonstrated in their study on student motivation and project-based learning, increased student choice in selecting the project topic supports high levels of motivation and high-quality student products. On the other hand, when students were forced to choose projects that did not align with their interests, their motivation decreased. While these results indicate the importance of student participation and en gagement in the project, it must be remembered that students who have not yet de veloped the self-management skills that are required by project-based learning can become overwhelmed and frustrated by the process. Thomas (2000) reported on a number of studies in which students experienced difficulty in developing meaning ful questions, designing investigations, analyzing data, and engaging in effective collaborative relationships with other students. As a result o f such challenges, stu dents’ motivation was not sustained, and they were not able to complete successful investigations. Therefore, it is important for teachers to scaffold students’ devel opment of self-regulation and other critical skills such that students feel competent to achieve the aims of their projects without significant frustration that inhibits their motivation to complete the investigation (Thomas). 28 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. In the process of scaffolding project-based learning experiences for students, teachers must strike a complicated balance between providing sufficient modeling and support and overtaking leadership of the project (Thomas, 2000). Fortunately, the literature provides many recommendations for teachers as to how project-based learning has been successfully scaffolded in the past. Obviously, the age, academic levels, prior experience with projects, and behavioral tendencies of the students should be considered when determining how students participate in the project design. For this reason, some teachers do not begin project work at the outset of the school year so that they can assess students’ ability levels and self regulation skills (SREB, 2000). The literature also recommends that teachers select a project with a more narrow scope until students develop the necessary self management skills to conduct broader and longer projects. Furthermore, teachers might consider selecting the topic for the first project and later allowing students to participate in the topic selection process so as to scaffold students’ acquisition of responsibility (BIE, 2002). Another method of scaffolding students’ efforts with open-ended projects is to begin with problem-based learning and then proceed to projects. Barron et al. (2002) explained that problem-based learning allows students to practice solving authentic, simulated problems without the complexity and unpredictability of projects. In their experimental study Barron et al. found that students who experi enced the problem-to-project approach developed an understanding of how to approach the project experience from a scientific standpoint, as the previous prob lems had taught students how to develop hypotheses and conduct experiments. Another method that Barron et al. recommended for scaffolding students’ under standing o f the investigative process involves the use of contrasting cases. By 29 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. asking students to analyze differences between two or more example cases, students develop an ability to notice relevant features and critical information that might not otherwise have been salient. Therefore, the literature indicates that the teacher should provide preparatory learning experiences that help to scaffold stu dents’ ability to approach project-based learning from a systematic and scientific standpoint. Role o f Teachers in Project-Based Learning As the previous section indicates, the learning activities that teachers design for students determine the eventual success of project-based learning experiences. In addition, the manner in which teachers participate in those learning activities can be dramatically different in project-based learning classrooms. Project-based learning handbooks often recommend that teachers reflect on their own personal teaching styles and preferences in order to determine whether they are, in fact, comfortable with relinquishing some of the traditional control o f the classroom to students. For instance, project-based learning often involves high levels of class room movement as well as spontaneity due to the in-situ nature o f the project de velopment process. Therefore, teachers must understand how to adapt the organization and procedures o f their classroom so as to create an environment that is conducive to project-based learning. A case study o f one middle school science teacher found that the teacher, who was accustomed to being the classroom “director,” had to completely shift her beliefs as to the teacher’s role in the learning process. As a facilitator of project- based learning, the teacher had to accommodate her classroom management strate gies to allow for collaborative learning among students (Ladewski, Krajcik, & 30 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Harvey, 1994). Fortunately, projects generally improve student motivation, thereby curbing disruptive classroom behavior. Nonetheless, teachers must be skilled class room managers in order to facilitate the interactive and diverse set o f projects that result from this teaching method (Curtis, 2002; Thomas, 2000). In addition to managing student interactions in the classroom, teachers must learn to manage time in new ways. Since the timeline for in-depth projects is often unpredictable, teachers must be able to adapt instructional plans in a way that allows for the successful completion of student projects without compromising other learning goals (Curtis, 2002; Thomas, 2000). The project-based learning method also represents the ultimate challenge for teachers in terms of differentiat ing instruction, as students may be investigating an assortment of projects at a vari ety of paces. For this reason, the aforementioned discussion on classroom climate is o f critical importance, as a well-managed classroom will enable the teacher to work individually with students. In order to support successful implementation o f project-based learning, the following section details recommendations for planning, organizing, facilitating, and assessing project-based learning in the classroom. Supporting the Implementation of Project-Based Learning Planning Project-B ased Learning Although any instructional activity requires significant planning on the part o f the teacher, it must be acknowledged that planning project-based learning activi ties certainly represents an extreme in the time required for this process. Since projects involve hands-on activities and investigations, teachers often have to assemble more resources and materials than would be required by traditional 31 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. methods of learning. That being said, most teachers report that teaching with projects is “more fulfilling and enjoyable” for the teachers, who become guides and facilitators in the process and have more opportunity to work individually with students (BIE, 2002). The first step in planning a high-quality instructional project is the identifi cation of specific learning goals, or standards, that will be covered by the project. It is important to understand that project-based learning is not an instructional acces sory but rather a central part of classroom curriculum. While project-based learning does not replace other teaching methods, such as direct instruction, it should be used as a thoughtful and deliberate complement to other forms of instruction (BIE, 2002; Hennes, 1921). Given that project-based learning allows for in-depth explo ration of topics, it makes sense that teachers should choose more important cur ricular concepts and ideas for project-based learning, leaving more simple standards to be taught through other methods (BIE). Once the major curricular concept or concepts have been identified, the lit erature recommends that the project be framed around a driving, or organizing, question (BIE, 2002; Fleming, 2000). This question should provide a broad and unifying framework that will inspire a significant and meaningful student investi gation. Without an appropriate driving question, students often get “caught up in the action without appropriate reflection” (Barron et al., 1998, p. 274). In this manner, a project that has great potential for encouraging deep learning does not make connections between activities and underlying conceptual knowledge. Petrosino (1998, as cited in Barron et al., 1998) examined a “Mission to Mars” cur riculum in which students built and launched model rockets. The first group of students did not have clear, well-crafted driving questions, which resulted in 32 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. students focusing on the construction of the rockets without understanding what made the rocket more or less effective in flight. On the other hand, the second group had clear research questions that encouraged students to investigate what specific properties of the rocket design impacted the height of the rocket flight. At the end of the experiment it was clear that the second group had learned the scien tific method as they were manipulating rocket features for each experimental trial, while the first group was merely launching the rockets without recording data. Therefore, the student learning outcomes from the rocket project were dramatically altered with the inclusion of scientific driving questions. After identifying the topic and scope of the project, the teacher should es tablish a rough timeline in light of other curricular goals and mandatory testing that must be accomplished during the year. This includes a consideration of the manner in which the project will be introduced to students and the evolution and assess ment of subsequent learning activities. With knowledge of students’ skills and abilities, the teacher should also be able to foresee those areas of the project in which students will benefit from direct instruction, individual tasks, and group in vestigations (Fleming, 2000). Teachers should consider the required resources for the project as well as any opportunities for school-based or external collaboration and support. The details of project elements, such as the role o f the student and the acquisition of resources, are discussed in detail later in this chapter. School-Related Factors While the teacher can generally control the degree to which the classroom environment supports project-based learning, the teacher should also consider a number of school-related factors that facilitate the implementation of project-based 33 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. learning. For instance, the science teacher in the case study by Ladewski et al. (1994) experienced difficulties in the setup, implementation, and cleanup of project-based learning activities as a result of the short, 45-minute class periods. According to the literature, project-based learning is most effective in schools that have extended blocks of learning time rather than traditional periods, as students are able to conduct the extended activities required by project-based learning in vestigations. Also, schools that are constructed around small learning communities, such as academies or houses, lend themselves to project-based instruction as teach ers in these environments generally work with fewer students in greater depth due to smaller class sizes (BIE, 2002). While these conditions may assist in the imple mentation o f project-based learning, many schools that are not designed along these lines have executed successful project-based learning experiences by using other systems of support, such as parent and community resources, that are discussed later in this section (Ladewski, Krajcik, & Harvey; Langhout et al., 2002). Resources Requirements The teacher or school administrator should ensure that the school capacity and district context are appropriately suited to conduct the anticipated project (Thomas, 2000). Specifically, the teacher should identify a list o f required re sources at the outset of the planning phase. In this manner, the teacher will not be unpleasantly surprised by subsequent challenges that present themselves during the implementation phase o f the project. Although resource challenges are certainly more prevalent in low-income public schools, teachers in these environments have successfully implemented project-based learning. For instance, The School o f Arts and Sciences in Florida spends only $5,750 per pupil but has implemented a 34 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. project-based approach that has increased their mathematics and reading scores to exceed the district average at every grade (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). According to the recent Rand Corporation (2002) study, such reforms can be suc cessfully implemented if the local district supports innovative improvement efforts, provides resources for implementation, and maintains trusting relationships be tween school and district staff. Collaborative Relationships For schools that find resources to be a challenge, it is especially important to establish collaborative relationships at every possible occasion. For instance, project-based learning represents a wonderful opportunity to involve both parents and surrounding community members in the life of the school and the education of students. Since the knowledge and resources of local communities are often neglected in low-income neighborhoods and schools, project-based learning creates a mutually beneficial opportunity to feature the strengths of the community and provide support for teachers’ innovative instructional efforts. However, in order for the relationship between the classroom and the community to be successful, a vari ety o f issues must be considered. A recent study by Langhout et al. (2002) investi gated classroom-community collaboration models that occurred as a result of two classroom gardening projects. The study found that a model of collaboration, rather than just cooperation, must occur in order for meaningful relationships and interac tions to result. This means that the various stakeholders must be able to engage in face-to-face interactions rather than merely relying on each other to complete their respective tasks. The topic of the project must be culturally relevant to the local community members so as to maximize the potential for community collaboration. 35 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. In this manner, teachers can truly benefit from the knowledge and resources in the local community as well as reverse their own, as well as students’, preconceived notions about the community’s limited resources (Langhout et al.). Another source of support is the potential for teachers to design collabora tive projects in which ideas and resources can be shared between classrooms. Since the labor associated with planning a project is largely independent of the number of students involved, teachers can share the responsibility involved with project plan ning and implementation in order to reduce their individual workloads and share the benefits of their labor with a greater number of students. Such collaboration with peers helps teachers to engage in meaningful reflection such that repeated and improved cycles of enactment, rather than isolated instructional change efforts, will take place (Ladewski et al., 1994). In the case study by Ladewski et al. the teachers found that collaboration with university staff was helpful in providing information on theoretical background, content, and activities, as well as feedback on imple mentation. When a prescribed curriculum or external design team is used to imple ment project-based learning, it is particularly important to maintain clear communication with the outside agency for the purpose of exploring any challenges or adaptations that may arise (Rand Corporation, 2002). For instance, Ladewski et al. explained the manner in which university staff assisted the classroom teacher in learning both new technology and content associated with her classroom project. As the literature documents, project-based learning is more complicated and labori ous than traditional textbook approaches; therefore, teachers foster effective col laborative relationships that can support their new pedagogical approaches. A common challenge that may arise when project-based learning is imple mented in multiple classrooms is a variation in levels of implementation. 36 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. According to a recent study (Rand Corporation, 2002), teacher support and buy-in are related to higher levels of implementation in the case of school-wide reforms. Since the level of implementation logically predicts the degree to which positive achievement gains result from the reform, it is important that school administrators who seek to implement reforms such as project-based learning allow teachers to participate in the decision making so that the teachers are motivated to engage in full implementation o f the selected reform. On the other hand, some teachers may find themselves to be the only person at the school who is interested in implementing project-based learning. However, BIE suggests that strong projects in one classroom may encourage cultural and structural changes in schools. As other teachers witness the benefits of project- based learning, which encourages student motivation and parent involvement in the learning process, such teachers are often inspired to engage in collaborative efforts to apply project-based learning to their own classrooms (BIE, 2002). In the mean time, the pioneer teacher can also follow the recommendations of both anecdotal data and research studies in order to make project-based learning most effective in her or his individual classroom environment, as the literature recommends various methods o f collaboration that do not require the participation of other teachers at the school. Specifically, Barron et al. (1998) suggested new models of professional development that provide teachers with preservice learning opportunities that mirror the type of learning that is being recommended for students. For instance, video clubs and online discussion groups represent ongoing alternatives to short term workshops and seminars. Whether teachers choose to collaborate with peers, community members, parents, or others, literature related to project-based learning 37 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reinforces the importance o f support systems by presenting a variety of options that are available to teachers. Assessment of Project-Based Learning In addition to developing a support network, assessment of project-based learning presents a critical and challenging phase of the project-based learning process. The most obvious challenge to project-based learning is the pressure to increase standardized test scores, a goal that is likely not the primary aim o f class room projects (Langhout et al., 2002). According to the Rand Corporation (2002) study, “The use o f state- and district- mandated assessments is likely to present a constant hindrance to understanding the effect o f innovative approaches” (If 41). Given that assessments, such as standardized tests, do not measure higher-order thinking skills, such assessments are generally not aligned with the goals o f reforms such as project-based learning. For this reason, Fleming (2000) emphasized that teachers must be careful to design projects that focus on standards rather than ac tivities. Since projects can be time-consuming, this method will help to ensure that students are provided with meaningful learning opportunities that involve important grade-level skills (Fleming). However, this recommendation often creates an addi tional challenge for teachers who must facilitate the development o f an investiga tion that addresses both students’ interests and required curriculum standards (Curtis, 2002; Thomas, 2000). Educators should supplement traditional assessments with reliable and valid measures that demonstrate the true impact of reforms such as project-based learn ing (Rand Corporation, 2002). Similar to research protocol, project-based learning requires multiple opportunities for assessment in order to provide a variety of 38 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. occasions for students to be evaluated in both formal and informal ways (McGrath, 2003). McGrath emphasized that teachers should conduct formative assessments throughout the course of the project rather than solely using isolated, summative events. Some examples of formative assessments are conversations, journals, and students’ self-evaluations. By using these artifacts and others, the teacher is con stantly checking student progress toward the goal using practical means, or learning activities, that help to measure student understanding. Another critical component o f the evaluation process is allowing opportuni ties for student involvement in setting the standards for assessment. Using this method will help students to develop self-regulation skills as they learn to engage in constructive criticism of their own work and the work of others (Fleischman, 2001; McGrath, 2003). Furthermore, students can assist the teacher in the design of a rubric so that students have an initial understanding of the criteria that will be used for assessment as well as an increased perception that the process is fair. Such involvement in the assessment process will help to sustain students’ motivation, goal orientation, and focus as the project expectations are completely transparent for the duration o f the learning process (Fleischman). At the conclusion o f the project, teachers often allow students to demon strate their new knowledge through performance-based assessment. Using this method benefits students in that they practice the application of skills in a real-life situation in addition to choosing the format in which their new knowledge will be represented (Fleischman, 2001). For instance, students might participate in a public contest or present a proposal to an outside expert. Many teachers also enlist profes sionals to visit the school and assist in the evaluation process. The expert may serve as a source o f valuable feedback in providing realistic recommendations as they 39 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. relate to the project (McGrath, 2003). The added degree o f authenticity that is pro vided by the professional assessment experience can enhance student motivation. Summary In addition to assessing student learning for classroom evaluation purposes, it is important to conduct research that justifies the use of project-based learning as an instructional method. According to Thomas (2000), there is a variety of chal lenges related to project-based learning research that, in turn, impede project-based learning implementation. Although a substantial body of research exists in relation to theories of human learning, there is no widely accepted framework or theory of project-based learning that provides a foundation for professional development. At the present time, the majority of evidence that supports project-based learning is anecdotal; as a result, implementation o f project-based learning varies substantially from setting to setting, thereby creating an obstacle to universal recognition of the reform (Thomas). Although anecdotal evidence clearly indicates that project-based learning provides a multitude of benefits to students, the disconnect between project-based learning research and practice prevents the development of an overarching frame work to guide project-based learning implementation. In order to disseminate the advantages o f project-based learning to more educational environments, it is im portant to conduct additional research on promising practices as they relate to project-based learning implementation strategies and challenges. Such information will clarify those factors that influence the effectiveness of project-based learning so that it may be spread to schools, districts and other learning communities (Thomas, 2000). 40 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Research related to project-based learning is particularly timely, given the current emphasis on standardized testing and accountability that tends to move schools toward models of traditional, direct instruction. Despite the obvious reality that “the status quo will not suffice,” schools are often hesitant to rethink the manner in which students are taught (SREB, 2000, p. 12). While project-based learning does not replace other methods of high-quality instruction, it should be considered as an alternative method for motivating students and enhancing aca demic achievement. 41 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation o f promis ing practices, specifically related to project-based learning, in California charter schools. This chapter describes the study design, sample, data collection process, instrumentation, and data analysis procedures of the study. First, the chapter provides a detailed explanation and justification for the chosen research design and selected sample. Next, the research questions and data collection instruments are presented. Finally, the data collection process and data analysis procedures are de scribed. Research Design The study was designed to investigate the use of project-based learning in California charter schools in order to improve both the frequency and quality of project-based learning implementation. The unit of analysis for the study was project-based learning. Daley et al. (2005) defined promising practices as school- level practices, primarily related to curriculum and instruction, that “convey a sense of both innovation and potential impact” (p. 6). This study was guided by the fol lowing four research questions: 1. How do high-performing charter schools use project-based learning to improve student achievement? 2. How are resources used to implement project-based learning success fully? 3. What challenges have charter schools faced in implementing project- based learning and how were they addressed? 42 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4. What evidence exists that project-based learning has resulted in positive educational outcomes? By investigating the implementation of project-based learning, this study was intended to collect and disseminate the wisdom from those who have imple mented the innovation so the information might be useful to a broader community of educators. However, since the purpose of the study was not to conduct a rigorous evaluation o f the impact of project-based learning on student achievement, the term best practices is not used. In order to examine the research questions, descriptive case studies were conducted. Merriam (1997) defined a descriptive case study as “one that presents a detailed account o f the phenomenon under study” (p. 38). Since the purpose of this study was to understand the benefits, challenges, and general implementation issues associated with project-based learning, the descriptive case study provides an ap propriate mechanism for an in-depth study o f the topic in its natural setting (Cres- well, 2003; Yin, 2003). For instance, Merriam mentioned that a case study may elucidate the conditions associated with a unique or atypical case that would be expected when investigating a promising or innovative practice. A case study is particularly appropriate when studying process, such as the implementation of a promising practice, as “case studies tend to spread the net for evidence widely” unlike experiments and surveys (Merriam, p. 33). In this manner, the unpredictable intricacies of the reform and its implementation can be considered and examined. Although the study addresses replication of the promising practice, the nature of educational settings, which entail variable funding and student demo graphics, do not always allow for tightly controlled conditions associated with quantitative research. Instead, the promising practice will most likely be adapted to 43 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. its future contexts; therefore, it is important to obtain a holistic account o f the vari ables associated with successful project-based learning practices. Patton (1987) specifically recommended the use o f a case study when an innovative local program may be adopted on a statewide or national level. Such qualitative research methods are appropriate as the research questions are concerned with understanding educators’ experiences with the implementation of project-based learning, not with hypothesizing, evaluating, or testing theories as they pertain to project-based learning. Therefore, a series o f descriptive case studies that analyze atypical or in novative cases was the most logical choice for the research design of this study. Having chosen the case study method, it is important to acknowledge both the strengths and limitations o f the design. For instance, while case studies provide a rich and holistic account o f a given phenomenon to assist the investigation of unique cases such as innovations, case studies are often too long and detailed for busy consumers to read (Merriam, 1997). The case study, which is conducted in a natural setting, can advance one’s understanding of the ways in which new knowl edge is applied; however, the use of a natural setting, in addition to the fact that participants are not randomly selected, makes the case study highly context specific and not necessarily reliable, valid, or generalizable. On the other hand, since the research conditions of a case study are not tightly controlled, the topic of investiga tion can be examined in a rather emergent manner, allowing the researcher to pursue important yet unanticipated topics o f inquiry. Case studies are limited by the sensitivity and integrity of the researcher. On one hand, a person has intuitions and insights that a quantitative data collection instrument does not; on the other hand, it is challenging for a person to remain free from bias during the data collection and analysis processes (Merriam). Given the purpose of the present study, the strengths 44 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. of the case study design outweighed the limitations. However, it is imperative that both sides be acknowledged so that the forthcoming analysis and resulting implica tions of the study can be reasonably applied. D ata Collection Processes and Procedures Creation o f the M MACCS Promising Practices Compendium Template This study was part o f a thematic dissertation group effort to investigate a variety of promising practices in charter school settings. The results obtained from the various thematic dissertation studies was compiled into a Web-based compen dium of promising practices to be housed at the University of Southern California’s CEG. Using a backward planning process, the thematic dissertation group mem bers, along with the committee chair and the MMACCS Promising Practices Working Panel (listed in appendix A), developed the MMACCS Promising Prac tices Compendium template, which details the information to be collected by each dissertation group member at the various school sites (see appendix B). Subse quently, the template was used to guide the design of all data collection instruments and research protocols developed by the thematic dissertation group members. In this manner, the researchers ensured an internally consistent focus during the data collection process so that all components of the compendium could be investigated with respect to each promising practice. 45 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Selection o f Study Participants Nomination Process In order to identify the schools that were successfully implementing the promising practices of interest to the various thematic group members, a one-page advertisement detailing the 10 areas o f inquiry was published by the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) in their Charter Journal in the June 2005 issue as a means o f publicizing the creation of the MMACCS compendium (see appendix C). CCSA is a membership and professional organization that serves more than 500 public charter schools in an effort to increase student achievement by strengthening and expanding charter schools throughout California by focusing on advocacy, leadership development, accountability, and member services and products (available at www.charterassociation.org). One such service, the Charter Journal, is an industry magazine mailed to over 11,000 national subscribers, con taining information for charter school educators related to technical assistance, best practices, and legislative and regulatory updates. A follow-up to the initial adver tisement was also sent to over 4,000 CCSA subscribers via E-Blast, a national Charter Journal listserv bulletin, on July 11, 2005 (see appendix D). In order to supplement the number of nominations, the thematic dissertation group members sought referrals for the study from charter school experts in the state who had familiarity with high-performing charter schools by contacting the California De partment of Education’s Charter School Division, the Charter School Development Center, and the California Charter School Association. The researcher also included nominations o f other charter schools based on her knowledge o f their use o f prom ising practices related to project-based learning. All schools with nominated prom ising practices were instructed to complete an online nomination form on the CEG 46 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Web site (appendix E). Sixteen nominations were received for schools that use project-based learning as an instructional method. Screening Interviews In order to choose the final study participants from among the nominated charter schools, a series of screening interviews was conducted. Prior to conducting the screening interviews, the researcher completed the Charter School Profile form (appendix F) for each school by obtaining information, such as student per formance data, from online sources. The accuracy of this information was verified by the principal, the office manager, and the special education and testing coordi nators during the site visits to the schools. A highly structured presite screening interview (appendix G) was also conducted with the principals o f two schools to determine each school’s eligibility for participation in the study and to confirm information that had been obtained from the Internet. The interviews, which aver aged about 15 minutes in length, were conducted by telephone during September 2005. The results of the screening interviews indicated that two promising prac tices— arts-integrated project-based learning and enterprise project-based learn ing—would be included in the study. The following criteria were used to select the promising practices in the sample: demonstration of innovative practice, evidence o f positive change, potential for replication, and implementation for at least 1 year. At the end of the presite interview with the principal, the researcher arranged a 2- day site visit during the fall 2005 semester at each of the charter schools where the promising practices were being implemented. 47 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Site Visits The site visits to each of the two charter schools were conducted by the re searcher; the 2-day visit to Creative Arts Charter School (CACS) was conducted in October 2005, and the 2-day visit to Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) took place during November 2005. During the visits the following methods were used to collect data pertaining to the four research questions: an interview with the principal, an interview with the lead teacher involved with the implementation of the promising practices, a focus group with teachers, observations o f classrooms and staff meetings, and document analysis. Table 1 illustrates the relationship between each data collection instrument and the individual research questions. Principal Interview The principal interview was scheduled based on the principal’s availability; in most instances, the principal interview was the first interview o f the site visit. The interviews lasted an average of 1.5 hours. A semistructured protocol, which was developed by the thematic dissertation group members, was used to conduct the interview (appendix H). According to Merriam (1997), interviews are necessary when past events are impossible to replicate. Since the initial implementation stages of project-based learning had already taken place at both schools, an interview with the principals, who had participated in this process, was critical to understand the process. For this reason, the protocol focused on a variety o f issues related to the history, rationale, and implementation of the promising practices at the school. 48 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table 1 Triangulating Across Data Collection Instruments Archival Interviews/ Observa Research area documents focus groups tions Background of school (demographics) X Research question 1 ( What are the promising practices in project-based learning that high- performing charter schools use to improve student achievement/school performance?) Description of promising practice X X X Goal of promising practice X X Theory of action for promising practice X X Research question 2 ( What resources are used to implement the promising practices successfully? Time (start-up/planning time) X X X Time promising practice has been in place X X X Budget information X X X Staffing (level and expertise needed) X X X Facility/space X Professional development training X Other (e.g., technology) X Additional resources (e.g., books, articles, Web sites) X Research question 3 (What challenges have charter schools face in implementing the promising practices? History of promising practices in school X X X Lesson learned (benefits and challenges) X Next steps for sustainability X Research question 4 (What evidence exists to show that promising practices have resulted in positive educational outcomes? Evidence of impact (e.g., evaluation reports) X X X Supporting documents (e.g., lesson plans, parent contracts, staff development manuals) X X 49 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Lead Teacher Interview The lead teacher interview was conducted with the teacher who was chosen to lead the implementation of project-based learning at the school. At Creative Arts Charter School (CACS) the lead teacher interview was conducted with the arts co ordinator, who had served as President of the Board for 4 years. At Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) the lead teacher interview was conducted with the 12th-grade Humanities coach, who also worked with the art and college and career preparation classes. She had participated in the HOME Project as a high school student and was, consequently, the youth coach for the Charter Development Team at BASE.1 In each case, the lead teacher interview averaged about 45 minutes in length. A semistructured protocol (appendix I), which was developed by the the matic dissertation group members, was used to conduct the interview. The purpose of the lead teacher interview was to gain a better understanding of the implementa tion process o f project-based learning from its inception to its present state at the schools. Teacher Focus Group A focus group was conducted with an average of six teachers at each school to investigate the perceived benefits and challenges associated with implementation o f project-based learning. At both schools the principal assisted the researcher in scheduling the focus group with the teachers involved in the implementation of the promising practice at the school. Since the duration of the site visit did not allow the researcher to interview each teacher individually, the focus group enabled the researcher to gather information from multiple informants during one focus group *The Charter Development Team, which designed BASE’S initial charter petition, is explained in detail in the History section of chapter 4. 50 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. interview, which lasted approximately 45 minutes. According to Patton (1987), focus groups provide some important quality controls on data collection due to the fact that participants tend to dispute each other’s false or extreme viewpoints. Fur thermore, the group dynamics help the interviewees to focus on the most important and relevant issues at hand. Although the response time o f each participant is more limited than in an individual interview, the researcher decided that the diversity of perspectives obtained from the focus group would provide a more holistic under standing of the implementation of project-based learning at the school. A semi structured discussion guide (appendix J), which was developed by the thematic dissertation group members, was used to conduct the focus group interview. The protocol focused on a variety of issues, such as lessons learned and evidence of impact resulting from the implementation o f the promising practices. Given the challenges of taking notes while facilitating an interview or focus group, the re searcher obtained each participant’s permission to record the respective conversa tions using an audio tape recorder. Following the interviews and focus group, the researcher transcribed key quotes from the recordings. Classroom Observations In addition to the interviews and teacher focus group, classrooms observa tions were conducted in approximately five classrooms at each school. With the teachers’ and the principal’s permission, the researcher observes the classrooms at any time during the site visit. Each classroom observation, which lasted between 20 and 45 minutes, enabled the researcher to witness the actual implementation of project-based learning in the classroom. According to Patton (1987), there are limitations to how much can be learned from conversations, as the complexities of 51 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. phenomena, such as project-based learning, are often difficult to describe. In addi tion to enhancing the researcher’s understanding of the phenomena through obser vation, the researcher confirmed information that was communicated during the interviews and focus group session. An observation protocol (appendix K), which was developed by the thematic dissertation group members, was used to collect data during the classroom observations. The protocol focused on a variety of issues related to the classroom environment and implementation of the academic lesson. Staff M eeting Observations In addition to the classroom observations, the researcher observed staff meetings at each school. At CACS, the researcher observed a staff meeting that involved classroom teachers o f K-2 students as well as the arts coordinator, who was also the visual arts teacher, and the dance and music teachers. This purpose of this meeting, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, was to encourage collabora tive planning between the classroom and the arts teachers at the school. As indi cated by the title of the promising practice, arts-integrated project-based learning, observation o f this meeting was critical to understanding the implementation process of integrating the arts and classroom curricula at the school. At BASE the researcher observed an “adult reflection” session, which con sisted of a group o f seven participants, including staff and administrators from the high school, the preschool, and the nonprofit group, as well as a facilitator. The purpose of this meeting, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, was to promote the same self-reflection in adults as is expected o f students at the school. According to the holistic youth development model at the school, “Adolescents respond to experience-based features especially when they are dramatic as opposed to just 52 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. academic exercises” (personal communication from the director, September 30, 2005). In order for teachers to instruct in this manner, they need opportunities to engage in this self-reflective, emotional engagement process, too. Document Analysis In order to enhance the researcher’s understanding of project-based learning at the schools, documents obtained from the principals, the office manager at CACS, and the teachers were collected and analyzed. Merriam (1997) stated that document analysis is a valuable data collection method due to the fact that documents are generally free, accessible, and stable in that data are objective and unaltered by the presence of the researcher. Using the document collection form (appendix L), the researcher obtained the following documents for analysis: the school’s charter document, staff and student handbooks, meeting schedules, and descriptions of classroom curricula. In this study document analysis was important due to the retrospective nature of the implementation process of project-based learning at the schools. Given the limited time frame of the study, the researcher was not able to witness the implementation process over time. Therefore, documents allowed the researcher to witness the scope o f a project from beginning to end. Furthermore, documents provided a means by which the researcher could triangulate the data to confirm information that was obtained from interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations. Data Analysis The data collection methods addressed the study’s purpose through exami nation o f the four research questions using interviews, focus groups, classroom observations, and document analysis. The information that was collected via the 53 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. various data collection procedures was coded in the following manner: data obtained from the different sources were reviewed and compared to identify key themes as they pertained to the four research questions. In accordance with the rec ommendations set forth by Merriam (1997), rudimentary analysis was conducted in the field so the researcher could compare new findings in light of previous ones. In order to enhance consistency and reliability, the coding process, which was adopted by the entire thematic dissertation group, was guided by the MMACCS Promising Practices Compendium template and applied across all data collection instruments. Evaluation of Methods Reliability According to Merriam (1997), the traditional concept o f reliability must be redefined when applied to qualitative research. Since qualitative studies often in vestigate unique cases that cannot be replicated, reliability should instead signify that qualitative studies are consistent with the data that are collected for the pur poses of the study (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Researchers should ensure that the results are dependable by explaining the researcher’s position, using triangulation, and providing an audit trail (Merriam). This study includes all three elements by discussing the relationship between the investigator and the chosen informants, using multiple methods of data collection and analysis, and describing the details of the data collection and analysis processes. Validity Merriam (1997) explained that internal validity is enhanced by the follow ing six strategies: triangulation, member checks, long-term observation, peer 54 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. examination, participatory or collaborative modes of research, and clarifying the researcher’s biases. In this study, triangulation o f both data collection methods and sources was achieved by including individual and focus group interviews as well as classroom observations and document analysis. The interviews provided detailed information with regard to the principals’ and teachers’ perceptions o f the imple mentation issues related to project-based learning. The classroom observations al lowed for first-hand analysis of the actual implementation of project-based learning as a teaching and learning method. Various documents were analyzed for the purpose of comparing the school’s documented intentions, as they related to use of project-based learning as an instructional method, with actual classroom practices. The researcher implemented a variety o f collaborative strategies that helped to reduce the potential isolation of the data collection process. Specifically, the re searcher’s use of member checks ensured that emergent results were plausible from the perspectives o f the study participants. Furthermore, the collaborative nature of the thematic dissertation group allowed the researcher to engage in both collabora tive research and peer examination during various points of the study. The objec tive input of colleagues helped to highlight and clarify any potential biases and assumptions made by the researcher (Merriam). Generalizability Given that this study involved the investigation of promising practices re lated to project-based learning at two charter schools, the findings from the study cannot necessarily be applied to project-based learning at all charter and noncharter schools. The participants in this study, the resources at the schools, the political climate among staff, and a variety of other factors cannot be assumed to be 55 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. representative of the conditions of all schools in California. Therefore, when ex amining a unique case involving a small, nonrandom sample, the concept o f gener alizability should be reconceptualized for the purposes of qualitative inquiry (Mer riam, 1997). Cronbach (1975, as cited in Patton, 1987) recommended that qualita tive research should provide a “working hypothesis” that provides an educator with more information with which to make a decision than was available before the study was conducted. Since the local conditions in which the study was conducted cannot be separated from the results and conclusions of the study, generalizability now implies that the researcher will extrapolate the findings of the study and con sider their application in other settings (Patton). In this manner, generalizability no longer indicates statistical or probabilistic implications for the application o f find ings in future settings; instead, generalizability involves a logical and thoughtful attempt to consider how a holistic, information-rich sample can enlighten future application efforts. In the case of this study, the findings related to implementation issues and challenges associated with project-based learning should be enlightening to other schools that are looking to implement or are currently implementing simi lar instructional programs. This study was in no way intended as an evaluation of the schools or their practices; instead, the sole purpose o f the study was to examine the implementation of a promising practice, in this case project-based learning, such that other schools may benefit from the lessons learned in this environment. Summary This chapter described the research methods utilized in the current study, including a description o f the research design, sample, rationale, data collection and instruments, and an explanation o f the data collection and analysis processes. 56 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS The purpose of the present study was to investigate the implementation of promising practices related to project-based learning in California charter schools. Two descriptive case studies, involving interviews, classroom observations, focus groups and document analysis, were conducted at schools that have been imple menting unique forms of project-based learning. This chapter describes the findings from each school as they relate to the categories of the MMACCS compendium template (appendix B). The chapter is divided into two major sections, which detail the findings from CACS and BASE, respectively. Quotes are from interviewees conducted with the designated person (e.g., principal, director, lead teacher) on October 18 and 19,2005, at CACS and on November 18 and 19, 2005, at BASE. Creative Arts Charter School Introduction to the School CACS is a start-up charter school that was founded by a group of local parents who wrote the founding charter, which was authorized by the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) in 1994. The school opened in 1995, initially serving a small population o f students in grades K-3. The school community quickly realized the difficulty of attracting families to a school that could not serve students beyond third grade when the majority of district schools served student populations o f K-5. Thus, CACS decided to expand to a K-8 school, which was completed in 2002. At the present time CACS serves approximately 200 students in grades K-8 and plans to expand to serve 312 students by adding one kindergarten 57 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. every other year over the next 10 years. The student body is comprised of a diverse group o f approximately 45% White students, 19% African American students, 12% Asian students, and 11% Hispanic students. Table 2 provides additional important background information pertaining to CACS. According to the school’s charter, CACS was founded “to provide K-8 grade students of San Francisco with an innovative, high-quality education [that will give] students a lifetime appreciation of learning and the development of their unique talents and abilities” (appendix M). Based on constructivist learning theory, the Reggio Emilia* approach, project-based learning, and arts education research, CACS’s philosophy encourages students to participate in a dynamic and multidi mensional learning process alongside their teachers. The founders believed that, through such experiences, students would experience the potential application of their academics and life skills in the world beyond the classroom. Description o f the Prom ising Practice: Arts-Integrated Project-Based Learning Arts-integrated project-based learning was succinctly described by the lead teacher at CACS as a learning process that addresses all conventional subjects studied in school-mathematics, reading, social science-through the study of one broad topic area. Arts-integrated project-based learning “reconnects subjects in a way that more closely resembles the way things happen in the world” (lead teacher), thereby creating a meaningful and motivating context in which students The Reggio Emilia philosophy is an innovative, project-based, arts-infused model o f early childhood education that originated in the northern Italian princi pality of Reggio Emilia at the end of World War II. Additional information can be found at http://zerosei.comune.re.it/. 58 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table 2 Profile o f Creative Arts Charter School (CACS) Measure Condition Status Start-up Charter authorizer San Francisco Unified School District Year chartered 1994 Year opened for operation with students 1995 Grades served: current K-8 Grades served: projected K-8 Students served: current 200 Students served: projected 312 Student population Ethnicity African American: 18.9% Asian: 12.1% Hispanic: 11.1% White: 44.7% Native American: 1.6% Pacific Islander: 0.5% Filipino: 2.6% Multiple/No Response: 8.4% Special populations Free/Reduced-Price Lunch: 40.5% Special needs: 11% English Language Learners: 2.6% Number of full-time administrators 1 (+ 2 office staff) Number of teachers 15 full-time, 13 part-time Teachers in a collective bargaining unit No Per-pupil spending $6,000 School address 1601 Turk Street San Francisco, CA 94115-4527 Type of school Site-based, Independent Contact information Director: Steven Good (415) 749-3512 goodms@aol.com Web site www.creativeartscharter.org 59 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. can learn. According to the lead teacher, art is emphasized as a critical and integral part of the curriculum at CACS because art is a “subject matter that is found in every civilization;” therefore, if art is “a core element of our humanity, why would we divorce it from our learning?” The arts lend themselves well to the philosophy of project-based learning as both center around a “process of inquiry and observa tion.” Additional details of CACS’s project-based learning approach are detailed in the charter petition (appendix M). The principal o f CACS provided an example of arts-integrated project- based learning at the school. Last year the sixth-grade students studied electricity and motion through a project, entitled “Autorama,” which involved designing and building cars through 22 learning tasks related to velocity, electricity, and art. As opposed to learning the mathematics standards by listening to a lecture and solving word problems related to velocity and auto racing, students learned about the same topics in creative and kinesthetic ways. Furthermore, they witnessed the direct ap plication of their learning, which creates a lasting impression for students, who will most likely be better able to retain the information (director). Goal o f the Prom ising Practice According to the principal o f CACS, arts-integrated project-based learning has many goals. First, project-based learning aims to “get students excited about learning” by working “in depth on specific focused areas o f the state content standards” such that kids will be involved and engaged in their learning. The current national emphasis on standardized tests and accountability is changing curriculum. The principal at CACS did not want his students to be great “box checkers” who memorize information in a passive manner; rather, he wanted 60 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. encourage students to be “thinkers” who can understand how to apply their knowl edge in meaningful ways outside the context of the classroom. Arts-integrated project-based learning specifically supports this goal by providing another impor tant medium through which students can communicate their ideas and reinforce their learning. For students who are preliterate or who are particularly drawn to art as a learning modality, the arts provide “another form of representation for their ideas” (lead teacher). The charter petition advocates arts-integrated project-based learning as a means of supporting the development o f “educated people in the 21st century” by building habits, such as self-discipline, critical thinking and imagina tion, that will stay with the students “throughout their educational and professional careers” (appendix M). Theory o f Action fo r the Prom ising Practice According to both the director and the lead teacher, arts-integrated project- based learning “teaches kids to think differently,” which is critical in a world where there are “multiple answers to every single problem except on the test” (director). In order to prepare students to be able to “solve problems in ways that are genera tive and innovative,” students must develop more skills than just test-taking (lead teacher). By teaching students “lots o f transferable skills” related to “thinking and problem-solving” (lead teacher), students will be equipped with indispensable abilities that can be used in a world where “everything is grey” (director). Arts- integrated project-based learning represents a “powerful alliance between contem porary educational theory and practice” by giving students “diverse options to respond to learning” (lead teacher). As chapter 2 and the CACS charter mention, such methods of teaching are supported by constructivist theory, which explains 61 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. that humans construct their own understanding through hands-on experience, and Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, which describes seven primary forms of intelligence as the rationale for why students think, learn, and should be taught in various ways (Gardner, n.d.). Implementation o f the Promising Practice History CACS was founded by a group of parents from a cooperative preschool en vironment and a “charismatic, visionary leader” (lead teacher). The school opened as a small K-3 school based on the Reggio Emilia philosophy, an emergent, project-based, arts-infused method of learning that builds on the interests of the children. According to the director, the “visionary who led the charge was ousted very early on” due to the fact that she was unsuccessful in translating her extensive theoretical knowledge and ideas into practice. As a result, the parents and the Board of Directors took over the leadership of the school in collaboration with the teach ers. Soon afterward, the Board of Directors voted to expand the school through eighth grade so parents would have a place for their children to stay through middle school. The school also implemented a head teacher model to replace the principal position; however, the school quickly found itself in crisis because none of the teachers had the training nor the desire to leave the classroom to assume adminis trative responsibilities (lead teacher). According to the lead teacher, there were many “years of struggling of how to realize the charter and overcome the difficult origins of the school.” While “people realized the promise o f the model, they didn’t have someone with the knowledge base to implement it;” as a result, the school was faced with visionary 62 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. as well as legal charter compliance issues. Furthermore, although the school was very “experiential and supportive o f the kids,” the school philosophy did not place a “huge emphasis on academics in early grades, [which] was in complete contrast to the direction that the state was going” (director). To meet their growth targets and to have their charter renewed, educators at CACS realized that they should take a “stronger look at the structure o f the academic program” (director). Fortunately, the charter was renewed after the first 5 years; however, the school has continued to reevaluate its instructional program under the leadership of the current director, who was hired approximately 8 years after the school was opened. In summary, he explained the curricular shift as one from an “experiential, Reggio-type environ ment to a more project-based, arts-integrated approach with a greater academic focus.” He mentioned that, although educators at CACS “view [themselves] as a project-based learning school, [they] also recognize that there are some basic things that you have to do in a more traditional way. Therefore, at the present time, they “look for the appropriate balance between project-based learning, traditional aca demics and arts-integration.” Time Although arts-integrated project-based learning as a formal pedagogy has not been in place since the inception of the school, the philosophical underpinnings, which are also common to the Reggio Emilia philosophy, have. For instance, the school has always prioritized constructivist teaching and learning methods, which place a strong emphasis on inclusion of the arts. However, many aspects o f the school continue to evolve and develop on a daily, weekly and annual basis. Al though the founders of the school initially took 1 year to plan before the opening, 63 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the school was “thrown into crisis immediately” (lead teacher) so it has been a long and laborious process to get the school onto “solid ground” (director). The major transitions were adding a middle school, hiring a full-time administrator, and changing the curriculum and the culture o f the school. According to the director, every year the school gets better in some areas, but they also “go backwards” in some areas. Like most public school educators, he was quick to admit that “we’re far from perfect;” however, the overall progress of the school has been such that “this year is the best year.” Lessons Learned According to the director and the staff at CACS, students, parents, teachers and the community experience a variety of benefits as a result of implementing this innovative reform model. At CACS, the teachers are “treated as professionals [who have the] freedom to teach within certain frameworks and guidelines” (director). The teachers cited the teaching and learning experience at CACS as “rich and re warding,” which, consequently, produces “a lot higher quality” student work (teacher). Since the learning experience is enjoyable, the information is more meaningful to students so they “remember it more” and “make connections more easily to other things” (teacher). Furthermore, whereas accommodating a range of student abilities might pose a challenge in a more traditional classroom, the open- ended nature o f project-based learning allows students to work at their own indi vidual levels so that “every student has a chance to be successful” (director). (The details of student successes are presented in an upcoming section of the chapter entitled Evidence o f Impact.) 64 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. While teachers experience the benefits and rewards of witnessing student success, the process of curriculum development requires the teachers to “invent everything” themselves, which demands a great deal of “time, energy and creativ ity” (teacher). During the instructional planning and implementation process teach ers are also faced with the challenge of finding a “balance” between the “concrete, discrete skills” that students need to learn and ensuring that the project-based process is both organic and authentic (teacher). Teachers also mentioned that the assessment of arts-integrated project-based learning is “really, really hard” because there are so many elements besides the final project, such as “how [students] worked in a group,” that require evaluation (teacher). Finally, teachers are chal lenged to ensure “grade to grade accountability” in the sense that teachers must verify that projects are appropriately aligned to state standards so that there are “no massive gaps” in the curriculum (teacher). In addition to the above concerns, teach ers also cited that they could benefit from “more collaboration time” so that a more equitable “exchange o f arts and classroom curricula” could occur (lead teacher). For instance, instead of just focusing on bringing the classroom curriculum into the arts program, the arts teachers would like to see the “arts brought back more to the classroom” (lead teacher). In addition to the challenges that are faced by teachers, arts-integrated project-based learning is challenging to students, parents, and community members who are more familiar with traditional teaching and learning methods. For instance, arts-integrated project-based learning might appear to lack structure from the per spective o f an outsider; however, the teachers affirm that “it’s an incredibly com plicated structure” that is nonlinear in nature (teacher). While students at CACS are accustomed to the atypical learning process at the school, the transition often 65 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. proves difficult for “kids who come in the middle of their school careers” and “can’t handle the responsibility” and the independence of the project-based process (teacher). As a result, teachers recognize the importance of “educating parents, kids, and incoming teachers who don’t have experience with it” (teacher). In addition to educating stakeholders about the arts-integrated project-based learning philosophy, educators at CACS cited various factors that have contributed to successful implementation o f the instructional model. To facilitate the teachers’ implementation of arts-integrated project-based learning, students in grades K-8 are placed in classrooms of no more than 24 students and each art class has approxi mately 15 students, which allows the teacher to provide more individualized in struction to students. The choice to hire a full-time arts staff (discussed in the Staffing section o f this chapter) had a major impact on the degree to which the arts are perceived as an equal instructional priority at CACS and the arts teachers can be “part of the community on a more official, deep level” (teacher). In order to realize the potential for meaningful collaboration, the teachers confirmed that the Tuesday meetings (discussed in the Professional Development section of this chapter) are critical to the success o f arts-integrated project-based learning. According to the director, the dedication and retention of teachers, as a whole, has also been crucial to “holding onto the vision and believing in the progressive educational model.” The teachers had to be willing to “communicate, collaborate, and self-reflect” in addition to being “open to change, flexible and honest with yourself about what works and what doesn’t work” in order for the model to succeed (director). As the director explained, “W e’re an urban school with urban challenges,” and the school is continually striving to realize the goals of the curricula, the arts program, and the charter. 66 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Educators at CACS cited a variety of critical support factors for achieving long-term sustainability. First, the lead teacher mentioned that there is still room for improvement with respect to achieving equity between the arts teachers and the classroom teachers. Although the school currently has full-time, benefited, salaried positions for the visual arts and music teachers, the program should provide “good, professional jobs to keep good people” in both dance and drama as well (lead teacher). Both the directors and the teachers cited the need for added support for teachers and students through hiring additional personnel, such as an Assistant Principal. Ultimately, such decisions “come down to a function of money” and, at present, the school is heavily reliant on fundraising and grants to supplement the money that is provided by the state. According to the director, the current size of the school is “not a sustainable model,” and he seeks to “find the magic number” that will keep the school small while also lowering the cost to educate each student. To this end, CACS has a “plan to grow the school to 312 students over 10 years by adding a kindergarten every other year” (director). In the meantime, CACS teachers will continue to keep arts-integrated project-based learning alive by, “try[ing] it and fail[ing] and then try[ing] it again!” Evidence o f Im pact Although CACS has experienced challenges throughout the implementation of arts-integrated project-based learning, the school has demonstrated enormous improvement and success on standardized test measures. Their API index has grown 169 points from 589 to 758 in the last 4 years, and their socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroup, which comprises their largest group o f students, increased 83 points in 1 year. The director has also conducted some enlightening analyses o f 67 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. student progress relative to time spent at CACS. Students who attend CACS for less than 5 years score below the 40th percentile in both reading and mathematics, whereas students who attend CACS for more than 5 years score around the 80th percentile for reading and mathematics (appendix N). The staff are proud that they “do not teach to the test in any way, yet [they’ve] been very successful in bucking the trends in education but being successful at them at the same time” (lead teacher). While the school’s quantitative evidence of impact is strong, the director and the teachers placed more weight on the “intuitive, soft science” measures that they witness every day (lead teacher). As stated in the CACS charter and confirmed by a focus group with teachers, the school has identified a variety o f “key academic skills, art/music/movement skills and social skills” that are measured through student portfolios and performances (charter, appendix M). The teachers at CACS specifically commented that the “quality of the school performances” increases every year as does the work that is visible on the walls of every classroom (lead teacher). When visitors come to the school, they frequently comment on the as tounding abilities of the students who are “so confident, so risk-taking, and so ‘out side the box’” (lead teacher). The director also mentioned that, at the most basic level, the school is serving “kids that have changed schools every year, and they stay with us.” Although “they have failed elsewhere, they find a place here” (di rector). Once the students adapt to the school culture, the impact o f the arts- integrated project-based learning is obvious as students enjoy learning and “love to practice their learning in different ways” (teacher). According to a teacher who was new to CACS, it has been a pleasant surprise to witness “how easy it is for kids to 68 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. work in groups and to get along [because] they are so used to collaborating.” The students know that “they are expected to be engaged in inquiry” and, as a result, they “always have a million wonderful questions” (teacher). According to the teachers, such instruction not only benefits the students but also the teachers, them selves, who find the process a “more interesting way o f approaching the world” (teacher). Furthermore, the students’ future “high schools,” “colleges,” and “pro fessions” benefit from the kids’ “skills to improvise, use critical thinking . .. and express [their ideas]” (teacher). The community is also afforded a benefit from the school’s creative instructional program, as the students study relevant, arts-related topics, such as the difference between graffiti and tagging, which inspires students to protect the aesthetic of the community. For the most part, the school attracts “more creative parents” who also embrace arts-integrated project-based learning philosophy and recognize the bene fits associated with this philosophy. For this reason, most parents “feel privileged to have their kids” at CACS;” however, at times, teachers have encountered parents who have difficulty understanding the value of the projects and their complex as sessments (teacher). For instance, CACS uses a “work sampling system” as well as a portfolio system to evaluate student work (appendix M). Both methods may be foreign to parents whose children have come from more traditional schools or whose children have been at CACS since the early years when the assessment system was less structured. In such instances, teachers work to educate parents and get them “on board” so that they will “completely trust [the teacher] and [the teacher’s] judgment” (teacher). Although this process can be challenging, the teachers reported that, when parents “see the end result, it speaks for itself’ (teacher). 69 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Resource Requirements Budget According to the director, approximately one million dollars, or 80% of the 1.4 million-dollar budget at CACS, is spent on payroll. While the project-based learning component of the reform does not really contribute to the school’s ex penses, the arts staff payroll of $140,000 and the materials, supplies, and benefits associated with the arts program, which cost $180,000, have a significant impact on the budget (director). When asked about the source of the supplementary funds for the arts program, the lead teacher explained that the school is “administratively lean” and operates without the assistance of a Vice Principal. In this sense, the “[extra] money comes out o f the [director’s] hide” because he assumes a wide vari ety o f added responsibilities, such as grant writing, in order to ensure that the re quired funds are available to support arts-integrated, project-based learning. Staffing The issue of staffing at CACS is particularly important in that the school requires “great teachers that are also artists” (director). Since the school strives to make the arts and classroom collaboration a bidirectional one, it is important for both arts teachers and classroom teachers to have both sets of skills. For this reason, the school tries to “hire people with an arts background and classroom ex perience;” fortunately, the director claims that it is often “easy to get both in one person [because] San Francisco is such an arts zone” (director). At the present time, the school has “artists that have taught” and “classroom teachers that are artists,” which enables an effective collaboration because both sets of teachers come from “a standpoint o f mutual understanding” (lead teacher). According to the lead 70 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. teacher, many of the staff at CACS came from other schools where the “arts were not understood or valued,” so they are delighted to work in an environment where professional “conversation^] can happen on a whole different scale.” With respect to the various leadership roles at CACS, there is currently a di rector, a full-time arts coordinator, and a staff o f 28 teachers. Since the design of the instructional program at CACS is “teacher-driven,” the director focuses primar ily on issues that pertain to school policy. For instance, he “put[s] out questions [to the staff] in order to get feedback for decision making and the Board of Directors.” Since the director has been a teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal in various school settings over the years, he heads the CACS curriculum committee; however, in order to empower the current classroom experts, he considers himself more of a facilitator in that he “offer[s] [his] input as a committee member,” but he “defer[s] to the teachers for their expertise on the curriculum.” He also “check[s] in once a month on the progress of the curriculum committee,” and he runs the monthly staff meetings, but he “do[es] the least amount of formal collaborating” with teachers due to his focus on issues pertaining to organizational, rather than curricular, lead ership. The arts coordinator, who also teaches the K-5 visual arts classes and runs the elective program in the upper grades, has a variety of responsibilities such as “bringing] in artists who want to do school projects,” creating a “bridge to the community,” “look[ing] for funding” to supplement programs, planning for the school’s biannual arts performances, and developing school-wide art projects such as a tile mural that is being installed on the playground. The arts coordinator also works with teachers to troubleshoot challenges pertaining to both curriculum and students. In addition to the arts coordinator, the school has a half-time visual arts 71 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. teacher for grades 6-8 as well as two dance teachers, one for grades K-2 and an other for grades 3-6 and the middle school arts electives. The dance teachers work with the students independently as well as with the classroom teachers to explore instructional topics with the students from a kinesthetic perspective. CACS also has two theater teachers, who each work 3 hours a week with the middle school elec tive classes. Given the emphasis that the school places on collaboration, each teacher has approximately 1 hour of paid preparation and collaboration time for every 3 hours o f classroom teaching. Facility For both psychological and programmatic reasons, it is important for an arts-integrated project-based learning setting to have a “dedicated space for each art” (director). In addition to supporting the individual arts classes, dedicated spaces provide a “sense of belonging and ownership” for the arts teachers, who might otherwise feel “frustrated” due to inequitable teaching conditions. As the director has emphasized, they want the “program to drive facilities” not “the facili ties to drive the program” (lead teacher). In the case of CACS, the arts are a core element of the school’s instructional program; therefore, it is crucial that the art teachers are afforded the same resources with which to teach their students. At present, the school has two rooms for the visual arts, a dance room and a music room, which is “sufficient;” however, the lead teacher would like the school to have a theater, as they did at their last venue. Professional D evelopm ent As is the case with many schools that are implementing innovative reforms, CACS has difficulty in finding professional development opportunities that are 72 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. both relevant and satisfying for the teachers. There are many areas in which the staff would like to improve, such as “strengthening academics through project- based learning,” “reinforcing literacy skills through project-based learning,” and “integrating math and science better;” however, the director does not see “enough of the workshops being offered in those areas.” Although the school has tried to “bring in outside people” as well as “send people to a lot of outside workshops” (director), the staff has generally found that “us[ing] [their] own in-house re sources” is most effective for the teachers (lead teacher). One mechanism that CACS has developed for strengthening professional teaching practices is an interesting series of collaborative meetings. Every Tuesday, the students are dismissed at 1:00 p.m. and the teachers meet in one o f several groups. On some Tuesdays the teachers have “arts collaboration,” during which a range of grade-level teachers, such as K-2, meet with the arts teachers and discuss the possibilities for improving the collaboration and connections that are made between the various disciplines (appendix O). On other Tuesdays teachers have “collaborative meetings with assigned groups” that involve teachers of various grade levels meeting to discuss ways in which they can support each other in plan ning and peer observations, for example. These meetings used to be conducted in mixed grade-level groups, such as K, 4 and 8; however, they are currently con ducted in sequential grade-level groups, such as K, 1, and 2, as the teachers have found the latter collaboration to be more effective. Another possibility for Tuesday meetings is the “curriculum committee meeting,” in which a small group of class room teachers works to document the “scope and sequence” of their self-designed curricula, which are implemented by the entire staff. An excerpt from the self designed mathematics curriculum can be found in appendix P. Tuesday afternoons 73 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. can also be used for general staff meetings or “open days,” during which teachers are free to work on any professional activity of their choosing. The schedule of collaborative staff meetings for the 2005-2006 school year, as determined by the director of the school, is contained in appendix P. As might be expected, the teachers often express that there is “never enough planning time;” however, they also said that they “want more time with the kids,” so the director is challenged to decide “how long . . . to stretch the day” (director). According to the lead teacher, there are various topics that would be beneficial for both arts and classroom teachers. For instance, classroom teachers could benefit from learning more “basic art technical skills [such as] how [art] materials work and how to support learning through using them.” They could also learn more about “making arts assessment more quantifiable” and how to include “arts learn ing in their standard rubrics for kids who opt to make a comic strip for their re search paper” (lead teacher). On the other hand, the arts teachers could benefit from more exposure to learning theory and pedagogy. Fortunately, the classroom teach ers have an additional 3 to 5 hours of preparation time per week when their students are in music or dance class. During this time teachers engage in informal collabo rations and discussions aimed at supporting one another’s classroom instruction. Supporting Documents and M aterials Supporting documents and materials related to the analysis o f the CACS are contained in the appendices as follows: (a) CACS Charter Petition, appendix M; (b) CACS Analysis o f Student Performance Data, appendix N; (c) CACS Arts Collaboration, appendix O; and (d) CACS Schedule o f Staff Meetings, appendix P. 74 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Recommended Resources Teacher-created materials for CACS are available at http://www. teachercreated.com; Foss Kits are available at http://www.fossweb.com; the aims of the program are published at http://www.aimsedu.org; Connected Math is avail able at http://www.math.msu.edu/cmp; Terc Investigations is available at available at http://www.terc.edu; Gems Guide is available at http://www.lhsgems. org/gems.html; Interact is available at http://www.highsmith.com. The Web site for Virtual Field Trip is www.field-trips.org. The CACS is a member o f Reggio Emilia (http://zerosei.comune.re.it/) and Project Zero (http://pzweb.harvard.edu). Bay Area School of Enterprise Introduction to the School BASE is a start-up charter school that was founded by a group of 10 youth who wrote and submitted the first ever youth-initiated charter school petition in the country. The youth, known as the “Charter Design Team,” received support and coaching from Alternatives in Action, a community and youth development program in the Bay area. After the charter was unanimously approved by the Ala meda Unified School District in May 2001, BASE opened in September o f the same year, serving 47 students in 9th, 11th, and 12th grades. At present, BASE serves 92 students in grades 9-12 and plans to expand to serve 115 students by 2007. The current student population at BASE is comprised of approximately 45% Hispanic students, 25% White students, and 21% African American students. While BASE is open to all high school-age youth who are committed to its unique educational program, BASE’S charter states that the school places special emphasis on serving youth who have been “unsuccessful or unchallenged in traditional 75 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. school” (appendix Q). Table 3 provides important details relating to background and other information pertaining to BASE. 2 BASE is affiliated with the Coalition of Essential Schools , an organization that seeks to create and sustain equitable school environments in which all students have the opportunities and resources to reach their fullest potential. The mission of BASE, which is written from the first-person perspective of the students, epito mizes the central role o f students with respect to the design o f educational program. The school’s mission emphasizes the importance of creating an “innovative alter native learning environment that engages and challenges both youth and adults” while also encouraging youth to use their skills to “take meaningful action in the world” (charter petition, appendix M). The mission involves five principles, or the 5 R ’s: responsibility, rigor, risk, real and relationships; these are applied to all ex periences and interactions at BASE. By focusing on the development of habits of mind in addition to academic skills, education at BASE becomes less “abstract [and] egocentric” and more meaningful and productive as students learn through participating in real-world, community-based activities (charter petition, appendix M). Description o f the Promising Practice: Enterprise Project-B ased Learning Enterprise project-based learning at BASE takes place within the context o f the school’s larger educational philosophy, Enterprise Learning, which is defined by the charter petition as a “developmental approach that integrates youth 2 Over the past 20 years the Coalition of Essential Schools has worked to disseminate their beliefs about the purpose and practice o f schooling through the creation of a powerful network o f schools, organizations, and individuals. More information can be found at http://www.essentialschools.org. 76 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table 3 Profile ofBay Area School o f Enterprise (BASE) Measure Condition Status Start-up Charter authorizer Alameda Unified School District Year chartered 2001 Year opened for operation with students 2001 Grades served: current 9-12 Grades served: projected 9-12 Students served: current 92 Students served: projected 115 Student population Ethnicity African American: 21% Asian: 1% Hispanic: 45% White: 25% Native American: 4% Pacific Islander: 2% Special populations Free/Reduced-Price Lunch: 35% Special needs: 33% English Language Learners: 4% Number o f full-time administrators 2 Number of full-time teachers 7 Teachers in a collective bargaining unit No Per-pupil spending $7,250 School address 2750 Todd Street Alameda, CA 94501 Type of school Site-based, Independent Contact information Principal: Page Tomkins (510)748-4314x302 ptomkins@altemativesinaction.org Web site http://www.altemativesinaction.org 77 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. development practices, experiential education, constructivism, and traditional college preparatory learning” (appendix Q). The school’s working definition of enterprising is “marked by an energetic spirit and a willingness to take daring action.” According to the director of BASE, Enterprise Learning, which involves opportunities for youth voice,3 public performances, rigorous intellectual development that focuses on the habits of mind, authentic assessment, and multiple age- and ability-level groupings, is the larger umbrella under which enterprise project-based learning exists. The instructional program at BASE adheres to the principles of Enterprise Learning, which include youth leadership at multiple levels, rigorous intellectual development that focuses on habits of mind, as opposed to merely information re tention, and multiple age and ability groups. Additional details on the Enterprise Learning approach can be found in the BASE Charter Petition (appendix Q). While almost all teaching and learning activities at BASE adhere to the philosophy of project-based learning, some activities take the form o f full-scale social action projects and others are simply classroom exercises. For instance, an exercise was observed in a Career and College Counseling class for seniors in which students presented business plans that exemplified their ability to consider an opportunity for innovation in the environment, to apply important economic terms to a self designed business idea, to speak persuasively in a public forum, and to work col- laboratively with peers. 3 Youth voice can be defined as the act o f involving young people in decision making to mobilize, create or change public policy, and take influential leadership roles in organizations and institutions (see www.youthengagementandvoice.org). 78 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. On a larger scale, enterprise project-based learning or “enterprises,” as they are called at BASE, involve the design and implementation o f a culminating project “which ties together all of the concepts learned in the course but also figures out a way to connect those concepts to an issue in the community” (lead teacher). Enter prises are developed using the 7 A ’s of project design: authenticity, academic rigor, applied learning, active exploration, adult relationships, assessment practices, and attainability (appendix R). In order to complete an enterprise successfully, youth must develop and defend their enterprise proposal, develop measures of success for the project, and self-evaluate and report on their successes and shortfalls. An exam ple of an enterprise that was developed and implemented by students at BASE is the HOME Sweet HOME Pre-School. HOME Sweet HOME is a fully licensed preschool that was founded by youth and continues to be run as a youth-and-adult collaborative. Youth learn about developmental psychology, child development, and curriculum design as they provide an extra hand to HOME Sweet HOME staff at the preschool. Moreover, youth continue to improve the preschool learning envi ronment by conducting activities such as redesigning the playground, building a playhouse, and creating a vegetable garden. As the HOME Sweet HOME preschool project demonstrates, enterprises at BASE are large in scope and remarkable in impact. While the day-to-day instruc tional approach at BASE, which emphasizes authentic and collaborative learning exercises, embodies a similar philosophy to that of project-based learning, BASE reserves the term project for the extensive, culminating “enterprises” that are con ducted by each grade level in their respective Humanities class. Such projects always extend beyond the walls o f the school and into the community, thereby creating a lasting change in the local environment that requires ongoing youth 79 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. involvement, even after the academic class is officially complete. Additional exam ples of BASE enterprises, such as the development of a community garden cooperative and the presentation o f a panel on war experiences and rights, is in cluded as appendix R. Goal o f the Prom ising Practice The instructional program at BASE focuses on holistic youth development, with the goal o f creating powerful and effective citizens for the 21st century. An effective citizen is defined as “someone who knows what they think (intellectual development), someone who knows what they feel (emotional development), knows what they believe (moral development), and knows how to take meaningful action in the world (social development)” (appendix Q). Therefore, the school’s primary instructional goal is to provide youth with “a desire to do something that matters and [providing them with] the skills to be able to do something meaning ful” (director). According to the director, Enterprise Learning is the “best methodology” that BASE staff have identified to “develop the holistic capacities o f youth.” En gaging and authentic enterprises provide youth with an opportunity to “work col- laboratively,” to “build relationships” with both peers and adults, and to develop a sense of “agency” with respect to their “school and their community” (lead teacher). The fact that intellectual, emotional, moral, and social development goals are given equal priority at BASE is a unique and important feature o f the instruc tional program. For instance, in “Youth Reflection,” a group of 10 students, facili tated by a teacher, reflected on personal experiences that they believed to be unjust. Each student spent about 20 minutes writing on the following topic: “Write about a 80 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. situation that was really messed up. What happened? How did you NOT get what you needed? How did you feel? What did you think and say?” After each student wrote individually, the group gathered to discuss their personal stories, which ranged from erroneous arrests to personal misdemeanors. As the students shared their stories, they were encouraged by the teacher to “listen and connect” with other students while also “considering] . . . and . . . giv[ing] different perspectives” on the various situations. Listening to the students’ and teacher’s astounding experiences, the pro found relationship between the intellectual, emotional, moral, and social develop ment goals at BASE became evident. In most schools, personal experiences are segregated from the academic goals of the classroom. As the director mentioned, “Most of the time, schools that are committed to youth development have an after- school program or youth-development focused [additions] to the educational program.” However, educators at BASE recognize that, if life experiences were excluded from the classroom, many students would likely be distracted from learning due to the weight of their nonschool experiences, which apparently involve drugs, gangs, and abuse, among other challenges. While the observed lesson did not focus on the mechanics of writing or the rules of grammar, the students were able to engage in an honest and challenging written and verbal exer cise with their peers and their instructor that will likely inspire them to build a sense of personal identification with their education. As a result, subsequent lessons that pertain to the mechanics of writing and rules of grammar will be more meaningful to the students. Therefore, as is evidenced by the above example, BASE establishes youth development as a fundamental foundation o f the school program that supports the development o f basic skills. 81 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Theory o f Action fo r the Promising Practice According to the principal of BASE, the essence of enterprise learning, which places equal importance on intellectual, emotional, and social development, supports traditionally unsuccessful students because they are provided with multi ple avenues from which to “develop [their] assets.” As the director mentioned, many students who did not experience success at school in the past encountered “social or emotional” obstacles rather than academic ones; therefore, the school’s philosophy embodies the idea that, “if you can help youth to repair [the social and/or emotional difficulties], they’re going to do better intellectually.” As the Youth Reflection example in the previous section explained, students who are dealing with intense emotional experiences outside of school need an opportunity to connect their social and emotional lives with their academics. Without such an opportunity, these students, as demonstrated by their past school experiences, will disengage from their academics due to the fact that ordinary writing lessons, for example, appear irrelevant when the student must cope with truly profound per sonal challenges outside of school. Instead, the relevance of the enterprise learning philosophy inspires youth to engage in their learning because they can see a “connection between what they’re learning and the community around them” (lead teacher). The lead teacher affirmed that “many high school students’ biggest complaint is that their learning doesn’t connect to their lives.” If “youth . . . have been largely disengaged from learning, those youth are not likely to attend school very regularly [or]... when they are attending, pay attention, complete their homework and do the real preparation to meet the standards and to take the exam” (director). Therefore, according to the director, “Even though [enterprise learning] is not directly aligned to .. .standardized 82 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. measures of accountability, it creates so much more engagement that those youth.. .are getting so much more preparation for those standardized measures than they would otherwise be.” An example of the profound relevance of the teaching and learning at BASE was demonstrated by the “Youth Advocates for Alameda Point,” a group of lOth-grade students coached by two adults who are investigating the redevelopment plans for their local community. Since the Executive Director o f Alternatives in Action recently discovered that the city’s redevelopment plans and accompanying map do not include BASE or the student-constructed skate park, the lOth-grade Humanities class has resolved to make a documentary that inspires awareness about issues related to the redevelopment plans. The students and coaches have divided the chapters of the city redevelopment documents in order to identify gaps, incon sistencies, and concerns as they relate to the future plans for the school and disen franchised groups in the Alameda Point community. While such activities may not relate directly to improving students’ performance on standardized test measures, the enterprise has obvious benefits in terms o f engaging students in an important, community-related project that will simultaneously support the development of various academic and critical thinking skills. Most important, such enterprises inspire disengaged students to attend school and to engage in their learning because they see a meaningful purpose for their work. Implementation o f the Prom ising Practice H istory In 1996 Alternatives in Action created HOME, an after-school and summer program through which youth develop real-world community projects that “reflect 83 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. young people’s interests and the communities needs” (pamphlet in folder). Many of the youth who took part in the HOME project felt that such profound learning ex periences should also form the basis of classroom learning activities. So a group of 10 youth, who formed the center of the “Charter Design Team,” worked in con junction with the founder and the staff o f Alternatives in Action and the HOME project, professors and graduate students from University of California at Berkeley (UCB), teachers from Alameda and Oakland, and other educational experts and community members to co-create the school’s charter petition. A student at UCB who was formerly a HOME project youth and is currently a teacher at BASE coached the youth in the charter design process. Time According to the coach of the Charter Design Team, the timeline for open ing BASE was “ridiculously fast.” The design team was assembled in January 2001, the charter was unanimously approved in May 2001, and the school opened in September 2001. According to the director and the Charter Design Team coach, two features o f BASE supported this rapid implementation. One feature is the philosophical link and shared personnel that existed between the HOME project and BASE. The HOME project, which opened in 1996, had developed a strong model of project-based learning and had implemented various successful projects. Thus, although the model had to be adapted to a school-based setting, most of the coaches and teachers at BASE had seen the “philosophy in action” (lead teacher). Also, the founding team was willing to accept the ongoing nature of the planning process. They realized that, “If you’re going to have an experimental and experien- 84 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. tial school, what are you waiting for? The only way that we’re really going to de velop [this school] is to start!” (director). Lessons Learned Given the experimental and experiential nature o f the school, the staff are constantly involved in formal and informal evaluation and redefinition o f their en terprise learning practices. As the director explained, “Part of what contributes to success is that I would never categorize what we’ve done as success. It’s been suc cessful experimenting. It’s not as simple as ‘that was successful or not successful.’ It’s always both.” In order to support successful experimentation, BASE has im plemented a variety of continuous improvement mechanisms, such as adult learning plans, adult learning teams and adult reflection (discussed in the section on profes sional development). With regard to the pieces that have been successful, the di rector specifically mentioned various practices that have been developed at BASE and requested by other educators. For instance, BASE’S “strategies for engaging youth voice,” “project development strategies,” and “learning plan through presen tations o f learning (LP-POL) sequence” are among the various effective pieces that “are available and useful to people in the field” (director). The LP-POL sequence is included as appendix S. The director appreciated that educators at BASE have “de veloped a model for doing projects that’s pretty powerful;” however, he was quick to assert that if “someone said, ‘Let’s create another BASE,”’ that would not mean creating a school that is [exactly like BASE]. Instead, it would involve a replication o f the philosophy, which entails “engaging] with a group of youth to truly cocreate and keep recreating a developmentally responsible environment” (director). 85 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. While the director and the coaches at BASE repeatedly emphasized the benefits of implementing a teaching and learning philosophy that engages students by creating connections between academic content, students’ lives, and students’ futures, the coaches also reported that enterprise learning is “more interesting and fun” for them as professionals. Specifically, the coaches are able to be creative in designing lesson plans that are “not just about textbook reading and discussion but really engage all forms of intelligence” (teacher). For instance, a recent enterprise involved the design and implementation of a Charter Schools Leadership Summit 4 that was co-hosted by the Charter Schools Development Center and CharterVoice. BASE youth also organized a youth summit to inform youth from around the state about the possibilities for youth leadership and experiential education. It is clear that many o f the cited benefits are inextricably linked to the chal lenges that are associated with enterprise learning. For instance, teachers mentioned that the process requires a consideration o f state standards, individual development, team building, and youth voice. When youth proposed to design and implement a youth summit at the Charter Schools Leadership Summit, the coaches immediately understood the value of such an activity; however, they were challenged to facili tate the process and ensure that it was connected to required learning standards. One coach appreciated the challenges as a part of what “makes our school unique;” however, she also admitted that it “takes a lot more time” to implement such large- scale enterprises than to teach in a traditional way. It is interesting that the coaches 4 Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC) is a nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance to the charter school reform movement (see www.cacharterschools.org). CharterVoice works in close collaboration with CSDC to support the growth and success o f the charter school movement (see www. chartervoice. org). 86 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. also mentioned that enterprise learning philosophy is more “emotional” and “risky” due to the fact that both teachers and students “go through the same process to gether.” For instance, youth recently designed an enterprise, the Violence Preven tion Event, which involved the creation of memorial walls in the community and speaking out in a public square against community violence. The enterprise was inevitably emotional for the involved coaches, who cannot separate themselves psychologically from the heavy topic of community violence, which may have also impacted them on a personal level at some point. Furthermore, the enterprise was risky from the standpoint that the coaches could not plan concrete lessons that would calculate how the project would unfold nor could the coaches predict how the community would react to the students’ public presentation on the topic o f vio lence. According to the coaches, such risks are worth the enormous benefits that result from such enterprises, which represent profound learning experiences for the youth. According to the director, the enterprise learning process is wrought with “tensions” that are inherent to both “real life and enterprise learning,” such as the dichotomy between the overwhelming benefits and challenges that result from im plementing enterprise learning. A critical aspect of the enterprise learning process is identifying the tensions and determining the optimal point “on the spectrum be tween the tensions” (director). For instance, there are “tensions between the [breadth] of academic rigor and the quality, depth and authenticity of projects” (di rector). In certain cases, students might be inspired to expand a particularly suc cessful project; however, the expansion, while beneficial to the students in various intellectual and emotional ways, might prevent the coach from covering state- mandated content standards. There is also tension between “collaboration” and 87 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “personalization” of projects (director). For instance, the enterprise learning philosophy places great importance on both students being able to exercise choice in the learning process and students being able to engage in collaborative learning. Therefore, these two goals often conflict when students want to pursue projects of personal interest that do not match the interests of their classmates. To this end, BASE uses a decision-making system that involves “gradients of agreement and meta-decision making” so that a chosen project has some level of appeal to all members o f the group (see appendix T). However, such challenges, as manifested by the tensions, are both “ongoing” and “unsolvable”; therefore, the staff at BASE must be committed not to recognizing “lessons learned” but instead “lessons that I’m still learning” (director). According to the coaches, the process o f “doing [enterprise learning] and surviving] every year,” exemplifies their “perpetual focus on continuous learning and continuous improvement.”. As a method of self-reflection, educators at BASE are also “documenting what [they’re] doing so that [they’re] not recreating every thing from scratch” (teacher). The staff have formally developed a toolkit, which includes a wide array of documents that support both students and teachers in all aspects of the project development, implementation, and assessment processes. The toolkit was created by groups o f staff who collaborated to document specific strate gies that have been used to support the implementation of projects. The toolkit is kept on a network where coaches can continually add information and strategies as they emerge from new experiences. The Humanities coaches have also documented the Humanities curriculum, which details the content o f each 1 -year Humanities course while including gaps for the insertion o f relevant project-related pieces. 88 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Excerpts from the toolkit and the Humanities curriculum can be found in appendices W and U, respectively. With respect to their recommendations for educators who might look to im plement the Enterprise Learning model, BASE educators suggested organizational and pedagogical strategies that can contribute to success. First, the lead teacher emphasized the importance of having a small school, which leads to “youth have strong relationships with adults and each other” as well as “strong connections with the families o f youth.” The parameters of a “small school” are inherently linked to the specific instructional program and are discussed in chapter 5. The director also mentioned the importance o f staff whose professional and personal characteristics are “crucial to getting dramatic growth from kids.” Specifi cally, the coaches mentioned the importance o f “having educated, passionate teach ers who are committed to bringing this model forward and helping it to evolve” (lead teacher). The coaches mentioned the inevitable challenge of stepping outside of the traditional role as teacher, which they cited as an essential component due to the fact that the youth will “mirror what adults do” (director). For instance, coaches need to be “ready to be vulnerable with [their] class” (teacher) as coaches “can’t ask youth to be authentic if adults aren’t being authentic” (director). In the case of the Youth Reflection that was mentioned in an earlier section of this chapter, the coach shared her own personal experience with injustice, thereby acting as a model, a confidante and a peer, to some extent, in the classroom learning context. In addi tion to having strong relationships within the school community, the lead teacher indicated that enterprise learning requires “continuous involvement of the commu nity outside of the school” who provide “feedback, ideas and support” to the enter prise learning projects. For instance, community experts often participate in the 89 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. panel presentations by youth. The lead teacher also appreciated having the “outside eyes” of a researcher “come in and see what we’re doing well and what can be improved.” In her words, she was eager to read the findings o f this dissertation as a means of experiencing some objectivity with respect to the implementation of en terprise learning at BASE. In addition to the intrapersonal and interpersonal recommendations, the coaches conveyed that “having a clear project plan” and “get[ting] buy-in from the students” are essential features of a successful enterprise learning experience. For instance, the lead teacher advocated that, for the project to be relevant and to inspire student engagement, the youth “have to care about it and the coach has to care about it as well.” In order to achieve consensus, BASE staff have developed a process called “gradients of agreement” (appendix T) so that a chosen project has some level o f appeal to all members o f the group. Fortunately, as the literature and the educators at CACS and BASE explained, the resulting benefits that are experi enced by students, who find the process o f a meaningful project “more fulfilling and enjoyable” than traditional instruction, are also shared by teachers in project- based learning classrooms. In addition to the process o f developing and imple menting a project that is natural, authentic, and interesting to all participants, the coaches must also “work backwards” in order to ensure that the academic content o f the project allows students to achieve the necessary state-mandated outcomes. Educators at BASE mentioned the inevitable importance o f both financial and intellectual resources. For instance, the coaches suggested that a “formal resource pool,” such as a database o f external contacts and resources, would help to ensure the future sustainability o f enterprise learning at BASE. With such a data base, coaches could supplement their internal professional development through the 90 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. exchange of ideas with other educators and publications by educators who are also implementing project-based learning. As is often the case in the world of education, the coaches stated that a continued and enhanced “focus on fundraising” will provide the necessary financial to sustain and grow the school and its reform model. Evidence o f Impact In the present national era of accountability, it is important to mention that BASE has demonstrated annual growth, as evidenced by an increase in standard ized test scores such as the Academic Performance Index (API). According to the Alameda Journal, BASE’s score improved by 12%, from 529 to 599, from the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 school years (appendix V). Although BASE must still make major progress in order to reach the state’s goal of 800, the staff at BASE recognize that they are drawing from “a group o f generally at-risk youth . . . who didn’t do well in the normal public or private school setting” (lead teacher). For this reason, educators at BASE must augment standardized tests with qualitative signs of progress, such as student confidence levels. BASE teachers mentioned that students’ confidence levels improve dra matically during their 4 high school years, as demonstrated by their ability to speak comfortably before large groups during public performances. Furthermore, the special education coordinator recognized added benefits with respect to confidence for her students, who “don’t feel so much like something’s wrong with them” because they are challenged “to work above their ability level instead of just being grouped in one room working on low skills curriculum.” Public performances also support students’ abilities to build relationships with others, to resolve conflict in 91 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. challenging situations, and to “be close to the community” (teacher). According to one teacher, “Those skills are really hard and a lot of adults don’t even have them.” While the director acknowledged the importance of quantitative measures, “looking at the kids . . . transforming themselves . . . [and] to kids’ stories o f their growth . . . is what really feeds me. Seeing a young person show up for me is the real proof.” In addition to the impact on students, teachers cited that Enterprise Learning impacts parents, teachers, and community members. With respect to parents, the small size o f the school, which exists because o f the nature o f the enterprise learn ing philosophy, allows parents to know and interact frequently with all of the coaches, which creates a “more personalized education” (teacher). Parents become involved in the school in a variety o f ways, including, but not limited to, the Family Association, a network of parents, guardians, and other families that plan and support various BASE events. Parents are also involved with Youth Led Confer ences in which youth share with members of their family the progress of their growth. Families participate in Family Dialogue Night, a student-designed enter prise to help parents and their children improve their communication pathways. Additional examples are detailed in the Examples of Social Action Enterprise (ap pendix R). One teacher mentioned that parents “actually hug a coach,” which ex emplifies the degree to which parents feel a strong sense of partnership with the teachers of their children. Teachers reported that community members often visit the school to participate in students’ Presentations of Learning (POL) as an expert community member who can provide feedback to the students’ portfolios. Addi tional information on the learning plan to POL sequence is included in the excerpt from the toolkit (appendix S). Teachers noted that, like the parents, community members are emotionally moved and inspired by the students’ work and often leave 92 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the school “in tears.” The teachers reported that the impact on community members is significant because the youth remind “people what is possible if you work really hard at doing something great in the world and getting along” with others. The impact o f Enterprise Learning on teachers is intense in that the philoso phy challenges them both as professionals and human beings. According to teach ers, Enterprise Learning encourages them to be creative in their professional practice. They reported that, since they are “able to do more things with [their] classes than [they would] be able to do in a regular school setting,” they are doing more than “teach the curriculum;” they are also able to “influence young people and help them with their lives” (teacher). As a result, teachers are “able to build a closer relationship with youth,” which inspires a “personal level o f commitment to each other” (teacher). Therefore, the experience o f the teachers at BASE, similar to that of the students, is “more rich” and “more profound” because the school chal lenges and expects students and teachers to “be real” in a way that is discouraged in most traditional schools and general work environments (teacher). Although, for some teachers, such cultural norms are “outside of what feels natural... even though it’s more authentic,” the teachers reported that they find the experience to be “really challenging . . . but much more worthwhile” (teacher). Resource Requirements Budget As many educators would agree, “what the public gives to public education is just not enough” (director). At present, there is a gap between the per-pupil al lotment provided by the state o f California and the amount that BASE spends to educate each student. Although the gap varies from year to year, it is approximately 93 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. $800 per student just to run the core instructional program. Fortunately, the HOME project and the Learning Lab, both enriching after-school programs at BASE, are funded independently and, therefore, do not contribute to the gap between the school’s revenue and programmatic expenses. The director stated that “the gap is not directly related to Enterprise Learning. Enterprise Learning, itself, doesn’t cost more .. . although there’s a lot of Enterprise Learning that’s greatly enhanced by [small] size,” which inevitably increases the cost per student. For instance, Enter prise Learning and the complex projects associated with this philosophy flourish when students have personalized educational experiences. Therefore, the average class size at BASE is 15 students. While a ratio of 15:1 does not represent a direct material expense that is required to implement and facilitate the success of Enter prise Learning, it increases the cost to educate each student at the school. The choice of a 15:1 ratio results from a careful consideration of the balance point at which the projects are successful and the school can survive financially. Facility Linked to the issue o f optimal class size is the importance o f having a facil ity that matches the philosophy o f the school. This means that the youth are knowl edgeable participants, advocates, and decision makers in the process of choosing the “right facility” for the school. Beyond the philosophical match, the director identified features of a “dream space” that would facilitate the implementation of enterprise learning. For instance, spaces for enterprise learning should have both classroom spaces and community spaces. First, a class would gather in the class room in order to conduct project preparation activities at tables and chairs. Then, during project time, students could “spill out” into the community space, which is a Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. working space with productive noise. Enterprise learning also requires multiple configurations for various kinds of meetings. For instance, the youth summit de scribed earlier in this chapter necessitated a larger space than a regular class or a small group meeting. A true enterprise learning space must be connected to the community, with windows, porous walls, and various entrances. The school itself should be “literally part o f the community” by operating out of a facility that is shared with other nonprofit and community organizations (director). Staffing Staffing choices at BASE are also linked to the success of enterprise project-based learning. In order to identify teachers who will be successful at BASE, prospective staff are interviewed by a panel of youth in addition to con ducting a simulation with the youth. In its fifth year of operation, BASE has almost 100 students and eight coaches, three of whom also serve as administrators. Ac cording to the director, “traditional classroom experience is important and valu able,” as are additional experiences such as facilitating after-school groups; however, the most important feature o f prospective BASE teachers is a “commit ment to [their] own learning.” The school recognizes that “everybody comes semi formed because w e’re human beings” (director). Therefore, BASE teachers cannot be solely focused on their students’ learning because their students’ learning is in extricably linked to their own professional growth. In addition to the mind set of the individual staff members, the structure of the staff is crucial to the growth and development o f the enterprise learning philosophy at BASE. Part o f the philosophy of the school is that “everyone is a coach,” so the director also works directly with students so that he is “actually 95 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. doing [enterprise learning], not just monitoring it.” The director stated that, al though there is no replacement for experience with Enterprise Learning, new teachers can initiate their learning about the school’s instructional program by reading BASE’S detailed Appendices to the Charter Petition, BASE’s toolkit (excerpt in appendix S), and an excerpt from BASE’s self-designed Humanities curriculum (appendix U). According to one of veteran teachers, an invaluable resource for ongoing professional development is the mentorship of administrators who model the educational philosophy through their own classroom instruction. Furthermore, since the “enterprises” take place only in the humanities classes, non humanities staff, such as the science coach, the special education coordinator, and the after-school program coordinator, work with the humanities coaches to support the various enterprises. The pairing o f the humanities and non-humanities teachers occurs solely based on the availability o f non-humanities teacher during the Humanities class and the non-humanities teacher’s interest in the topic o f the Humanities project. The senior class also works with all or one of the younger classes to implement. Therefore, “no humanities coach is doing a major culminat ing project on their own” (lead teacher). Professional Developm ent Similar to the authentic nature of enterprise learning, the professional de velopment at BASE, which is conducted on a “need-to-know” basis, has a re sponsive and organic nature as well. While this system is challenging because everyone is busy and “responsiveness is not programmable,” the director stated that professional development is most effective when it is “embedded in your work.” As a preventive measure, teachers also receive formal training on various topics so that 96 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “when the issue arises, there’s some context.” However, the director clearly stated that he has no expectation that staff will come out of the training knowing every thing about the topic. Instead, he considered the training to be an “introduction” as the “real learning and the real growth is when something real is happening.” A recent training session pertained to the issue of youth keeping their agreements with respect to participation and involvement with the enterprise. BASE coaches have found that, because the enterprise is a year-long endeavor, the team o f stu dents often undergoes some breakdown and reconstruction as interest in the project waxes and wanes. While training cannot prepare the coaches for every possible problem or scenario, it provides an underlying framework for understanding the issue that often plagues students at a some point in the project process. As a result, coaches are better equipped to recognize the problem and seek resources to handle the project-related challenges with students. Since professional and personal development is a critical aspect o f the En terprise Learning philosophy, BASE has an extended school day and an extended school year so that every Friday afternoon can be used for staff development pur poses. During this time, staff engage in adult reflection and program planning, which allows BASE coaches to work on refining their enterprises and their instruc tional program. In addition to the Friday staff development sessions, BASE staff receive approximately 10 joint professional development days distributed through out the course o f the school year. Also, the coaches work for 5 weeks in the summer prior to school opening to discuss the planning and implementation of the projects. Throughout the year, staff discuss important topics, such as “How do you coach the organic process and how do you align the project to course curriculum?” BASE training sessions, which are primarily internal, are based on a self-created 97 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. toolkit, which the school would like to share with other interested educators (excerpt included in appendix S). At the end of the year, staff spend 1 week de briefing their respective and collaborative teaching and learning experiences. Although the director is the curricular leader of enterprise learning, the school has a collaborative “group inquiry strategy” for examining and improving curriculum. The staff, who build important bonds as both “teachers and people,” provide a critical and cohesive support system for coaching each other’s work with enterprise learning. According to the director, “There is no expectation [for coaches] that you have [enterprise learning] figured out... none of us have this figured out... this is about continuous learning.” For this reason, coaches, like students, develop individual learning plans that focus on one personal and one pro fessional development outcome. Coaches also participate in adult learning teams, which involves peer observations, evaluations, and discussions pertaining to im provement of practice. The adults also participate in a transformative experience called adult reflection, which focuses on personal, rather than professional, issues and growth, as the two cannot be separated in an environment that is so committed to holistic development. In addition to peer evaluations, staff receive supervisor evaluations from one of three program coordinators. Two o f the program coordinators are coaches and the other is a coach and the director o f the school. Each program coordinator observes one coach each week. Prior to the observation, the coach and the coordi nator meet to discuss classroom instruction. Then the coordinator conducts two classroom observations and the coach and the coordinator meet again to discuss the results of the observations. Since there are three coordinators for a staff o f five coaches, every coach is observed by all three coordinators approximately four times 98 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. a year. Therefore, the coaches are constantly receiving feedback from supervisors and peers, which helps to diminish the anxiety associated with formal evaluations as well as to improve school-wide implementation of enterprise learning. Supporting Documents and M aterials Supporting documents and materials related to the analysis o f the CACS are contained in the appendices as follows: (a) the BASE Charter Petition, appendix Q; (b) examples of BASE enterprises, appendix R; (c) Learning Plan to Presenta tions of Learning Sequence, appendix S; (d) Gradients of Agreement, appendix T; (e) excerpt from BASE Humanities curriculum, appendix U; and (f) article from the Alameda Journal about BASE test score growth (appendix V). Recommended Resources The following books related to Enterprise Learning were recommended by BASE staff: 1. Christensen, L. (2000). Reading, Writing, Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice and the Power o f the Written Word. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools Ltd. 2. Freire, P. (1972). Pedagogy o f the Oppressed. Harmondsworth, IN: Pen guin. 3. Glazer, S. (1999). The Heart o f Learning. New York: Putnam. 4. Kaner, S. (1996). The Facilitator’ s Guide to Participatory Decision- Making. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers. 5. Steinberg, A., Cushman, K., & Riordan, R. (1999). Schooling for the Real World: The Essential Guide to Rigorous and Relevant Learning. San Fran cisco: Jossey-Bass. 99 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Two organizations were reported by BASE staff to be helpful in enterprise learning: Turning Points (http://www.tumingpts.org/) and Coalition of Essential Schools (http://www.essentialschools.org/). Other resources recommended by the staff were “We Are Here Together,” a documentary film about BASE by Karina Epperlein and John Koop; and “Education 190-Current Issues in Education,” a course presented at the University of California Berkeley. Summ ary The findings and analyses that correspond to each section of the MM ACCS compendium template have been presented this chapter. Major components of project-based learning and the process of its implementation in two school settings were discussed. 100 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of promising practices related to project-based learning in two California charter schools. Despite the fact that the two schools have implemented radically different forms of project-based learning, the findings from the study illustrate that educators at CACS and BASE have experienced many similar benefits and challenges akin to those reported in the review of related literature in chapter 2.. More important, the study of CACS and BASE has revealed novel issues and concerns as they relate to the implementation o f project-based learning in K-12 settings. Since the applied purpose of this research was to support the dissemination of promising practices in California charter schools, it is important to clarify commonalities between the schools’ practices and the research literature as well as new issues and concerns that may apply to the application of project-based learning in future environments. Therefore, this chapter presents conclusions as they relate to the original research questions and compares these conclusions from CACS and BASE with those from the literature reviewed in chapter 2. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research, educational practice and policy reform. Connections to Prior Research Research question 1: How do high-performing charter schools use project- based learning to improve student achievement? In order to address this question, it is important to clarify the definition of student achievement. If student achievement is defined by quantitative measures, such as the school’s standardized test scores or API, then it appears that neither CACS nor BASE uses project-based learning for 101 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the express purpose of improving student achievement. If educators at these schools merely wanted to boost students’ test scores, they would not implement such a complicated and holistic instructional program. Instead, they would focus on teaching only basic skills and preparing for standardized tests without concern for students’ ability to apply knowledge in real-world contexts. However, at CACS and BASE, project-based learning is implemented because educators at these schools have concluded that it is the “best methodology” for promoting students’ holistic development, critical thinking skills, and success in life beyond the classroom (one of the school directors). As earlier chapters de scribed, project-based learning provides students with opportunities to practice and demonstrate their knowledge and learning in various settings. While educators at both schools recognized that standardized tests are one of these measures, they would likely agree that standardized tests assess only a thin slice of the abilities that students will develop in project-based learning environments. For this reason, both CACS and BASE use multiple measures, which include portfolios, presentations, and grades, to assess student outcomes, as explained by teachers at each school and detailed by the sections devoted to pupil progress in their respective charters (see appendices M and Q). While the literature presents contradictory opinions as to whether project- based learning supports or distracts from students’ acquisition of basic skills, edu cators at both CACS and BASE claimed that project-based learning inspires students’ motivation to learn in a way that inevitably supports their ability to achieve. For instance, as mentioned at both CACS and BASE, students who had been previously disengaged from school exhibited improved attendance and retention rates at CACS and BASE. While the mere fact that they are present does 102 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. not guarantee improved achievement, it dramatically increases the possibility for improved achievement to occur. The literature that criticizes project-based learning for distracting students and teachers from essential basic skills assumes that students would exhibit the same level of motivation and, consequently achievement, in traditional classrooms. In reality, California, like many states, is battling a serious dropout problem, particularly with respect to its low-income and minority youth. At BASE, more than 85% of the students enroll with either “basic” or “below basic” scores on the CST. Since these students likely conceive o f their prospects of success in high school as limited, the retention of these at-risk youth in project-based environments is an achievement in itself. That is not to say that the standards for such students should be lowered to mere participation; however, their achievement in project-based learning settings cannot be compared with the achievement of students in traditional classrooms for the same reason that their achievement in project-based learning settings cannot be compared with the nonachievement o f the invisible masses who drop out and never take standardized tests. In reality, project-based learning, whether focused on the arts or social action enterprises, may actually be an all-or-nothing solution for students who were previously unsuccessful in traditional environments. Therefore, the instructional programs at CACS and BASE do, in fact, support the essential basics by engaging students in school so that learning and achievement can take place. The experiences o f educators at CACS and BASE parallel the conclusions o f research that cite project-based learning as a means of motivating students to sustain behavior that ultimately enhances achievement (Langhout et al., 2002; Yamzon, 1999). As teachers at both CACS and BASE mentioned, students want to see that their learning has a direct and relevant connection to their lives. Project- 103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. based learning provides a critical opportunity for culturally relevant and differenti ated instruction to recognize the interests and unique competencies o f individual students. As the director at BASE mentioned, project-based learning approaches students from an assets-based standpoint so that students are viewed as having a meaningful contribution to bring to the classroom, as opposed to a deficit that must be fixed by the educational system. While this method might not boost standardized test scores as successfully as teaching methods that focus on rote memorization of facts, educators at CACS and BASE posit that project-based learning will inspire more widespread and long-term achievement results due to the fact that students become purposefully and deliberately engaged in the learning process. As the charters and teachers from both schools explain, educators at CACS and BASE define student achievement in holistic terms, which include the ability to apply intellectual, emotional, social, moral, artistic, and other skills in real-world situations. In these terms, it is evident that educators at CACS and BASE use project-based learning specifically to improve student achievement as they create classroom environments in which exercises, projects, and enterprises are reflective of the world outside the classroom. For instance, students at CACS were encour aged in the Autorama project to learn and demonstrate their understanding of physics as it applies to the design and construction o f cars. At BASE, students were challenged to research and critique the city’s plans for local redevelopment. Such projects directly support the latter definition o f student achievement and prepare students to continue their achievement in the years beyond their K-12 educational career. Furthermore, project-based learning supports student achievement by cre ating a context in which the acquisition o f basic skills is desirable, meaningful, and important. 104 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The literature discusses specific contexts, such as technology-rich environ ments, wherein project-based learning has been most effective at supporting student achievement (Stites, 1998). The study of CACS and BASE indicates that the possi bilities for enhancing project-based learning extend far beyond the realm o f tech nology. As described in chapter 4, CACS has created an arts-integrated context that enables students to practice and apply their learning from an arts-related perspec tive. According to educators at CACS, arts-integrated project-based learning is suc cessful in part because San Francisco has a vibrant arts community that provides parents, teachers, and students who are drawn to the program. BASE, on the other hand, has created a version of project-based learning that emphasizes the link between projects and the local community. As a former naval base that is currently undergoing redevelopment, Alameda Point, the community that surrounds BASE, provides ample opportunity for student initiatives and innovation. Therefore, edu cators at both CACS and BASE have demonstrated that project-based learning is most effective at enhancing student achievement when specific assets o f the local educational context are used to support students and their instructional program. Research question 2: How are resources used to implement project-based learning successfully! Both CACS and BASE educators reported that project-based learning, itself, does not increase the overall expenses of the school. Instead, edu cators at these two schools echoed the literature in stating that project-based learn ing flourishes under certain conditions, such as small school size, that are not exclusive to this innovative reform but often involve higher per-pupil costs (BIE, 2002). The directors at both schools mentioned the importance o f identifying a “magic number” of students that will maximize the success o f the school from an instructional as well as a fiduciary standpoint. With respect to curriculum, it is 105 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. important for the innovative charter school to remain small so teachers can be in volved with students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth on an intimate level. From a fiscal perspective, however, it is important that the school establish a reasonable economy of scale that allows the school to remain small while also re ducing the cost per student o f fixed overhead expenses, such as the director’s salary. The “magic number” is different for each school, as the number is inextricably linked to the specific needs of the instructional program. What was common to both schools is the fact that the “magic number” could not be predeter mined. As a result, both schools continue to undergo a process of experimentation so that the schools gradually increase the number of students each year until their respective budgets can be less reliant on non-Average Daily Attendance (ADA) sources o f funding. As reported in the literature, educators at CACS and BASE recommended a careful consideration of the spatial and temporal resources prior to implementing a project-based learning curriculum. For instance, educators at CACS and BASE found that the facilities must match the instructional goals and philosophy of the educational program so the philosophy can be truly implemented. While the facility needs at CACS and BASE are extremely different, the commonality is that an ideal project-based learning space, as recommended by both schools, must accommodate the diverse learning experiences o f the innovation. In order to give dance, theater, small group work, or public speaking a true place in the curriculum, the environ ment must provide spaces that support such learning experiences. There must also be sufficient collaboration time during which teachers can reflect on the progress of the projects and build critical relationships with colleagues and community mem bers (Thomas, 2000). While the amount of time needed for collaboration is difficult 106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. to estimate, teachers in both schools indicated that, although there is never enough time, any established forum for collaboration will spark the reoccurrence o f essen tial, frequent, and informal collaboration among colleagues. Research question 3: What challenges have charter schools faced in imple menting project-based learning and how were they addressed? Educators at both CACS and BASE confirmed the findings of the literature that stated that managing an open-ended process, such as project-based learning, is extremely challenging and time consuming (Curtis, 2002; Thomas, 2000). In order for the process to be successful, both the literature and the teachers who participated in this case study advocated that a clear project plan, driving question, timeline, and assessment plan must be developed before the project begins and must be frequently revisited (BIE, 2002; Fleming, 2000). Such planning not only facilitates the implementation o f the project but also supports teacher accountability and student learning by ensuring that teachers consider the degree to which a project is linked to course learning objectives. In order to support project planning and implementation, both CACS and BASE have developed a variety of curricular and professional development materials that are used by the respective school staffs and other interested educators (appendices Q, R, S, T, and U). While certain aspects of the project can be planned, educators who imple ment project-based learning are also challenged to tolerate a great degree of ambi guity with respect to the development o f the project. The literature discusses strategies for project planning but it does not detail strategies for enduring the sub sequent uncertainty once the project is underway. Teachers and administrators at CACS and BASE referred to the “planning” period as the starting point of what is inevitably an ongoing evolution of the innovation. In order to succeed with project- 107 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. based learning, educators at both schools communicated the importance o f envi sioning the implementation process as continual rather than complete. In the same manner that project-based learning seeks to develop students as lifelong learners, project-based learning also demands that educators engage in a constant process of reflection aimed at maximizing the educational experience for each new group of students, each new project, and themselves as professionals. Therefore, as de scribed in chapter 4, both schools reserve time during weekly staff meetings for various types o f collaboration and reflection. In this way, teachers can share both wisdom and struggles pertaining to the teaching and learning process and lend support to each other’s project-based learning experiences. Furthermore, both CACS and BASE hire new teachers who are eager to engage in such ongoing pro fessional growth because teachers who are focused only on transmitting fixed knowledge to students will not be an appropriate fit for the philosophy o f the school’s instructional program. According to educators at CACS and BASE, an additional challenge for teachers is the attempt to achieve balance in many aspects of project-based learning implementation. For instance, educators at CACS and BASE mentioned the im portance o f balancing the teaching o f required basic skills while also ensuring the pursuit of students’ interests through authentic investigations. The director at BASE specifically referred to the challenge of addressing certain “tensions,” such as the importance o f encouraging students to collaborate on projects while also ensuring that projects reflect students’ unique individuality. According to the literature and the experiences o f teachers at CACS and BASE, educators who implement project- based learning must also find a balance between managing and facilitating the learning process so that true risks and rewards can be experienced by all 108 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. participants (Ladewski et al., 1994). In the opinion of the director at BASE, there is a constant and inevitable search “to find the right tension point;” however, he stated that such balance is never achieved. Instead, he asserted that the “pendulum is going to swing” and that it is the responsibility of the coach to recognize the conse quent outcomes and to recommend adjustments when necessary. Therefore, teachers in project-based learning environments must possess traditional abilities and knowledge in addition to a distinctive skill set that enables them to recognize and consider the optimal balance between various competing instructional tensions. In addition to shifting the traditional role of the teacher in project-based learning environments, the role of the student must also be transformed. Specifi cally, students must develop self-regulation and other critical skills that are re quired to succeed in the alternative confines of a project-based learning environment (Thomas, 2000). Educators at CACS and BASE concurred that stu dents of any age often experience difficulty when transferring from a traditional to a project-based learning environment. As reported in the literature, teachers at both schools emphasized the importance o f striking a balance between scaffolding stu dents’ acquisition of critical skills and supporting students’ autonomy so as not to compromise the aims o f the project-based learning process (Thomas). In order to achieve this goal, the literature recommends that teachers begin by implementing problem-based learning as a means o f allowing students an opportunity to practice solving complex problems. For instance, teachers at BASE engage students in au thentic “exercises” wherein students apply their learning to hypothetical, real-world scenarios without actually enacting a full-scale project (Barron et al., 2002). At CACS, teachers are fortunate that students are younger and habits and procedures of traditional educational environments are less engrained. 109 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Given that the nature of student learning is altered in project-based learning environments, educators face the challenge of reconciling the pressure for success on traditional standardized tests with holistic school-wide goals for students’ aca demic and personal growth. Fortunately, both schools have experienced improve ment on standardized test measures; however, each school has resolved to reconcile the dichotomous assessment goals in a way that is best suited to the age, develop ment, and needs o f their unique student population. At CACS, classroom observa tions indicated that instructional projects are standards based; however, some classes, such as mathematics and science, are taught in a more traditional manner. The “appropriate balance o f project-based learning, traditional academics, and arts integration,” a term used by the director at CACS, may be one o f the reasons behind CACS’s impressive API score o f 758. At BASE, on the other hand, teachers attempt to link all classroom knowledge to its application in the real world in addi tion to spending large portions of time focusing on character development. Al though BASE has struggled more on traditional measures, the students’ projects, such as founding a preschool, are undoubtedly larger than those of CACS in both scope and impact. Since educators at BASE, in many cases, are challenged to reverse a preexisting problem o f high school student disengagement, they have chosen to deemphasize certain goals, such as high standardized test scores, for the sake of achieving others, such as retaining students in school. In addition to considering individual student achievement, administrators in project-based learning environments struggle with the responsibility of defining and measuring school-wide achievement. Specifically, directors at both CACS and BASE mentioned the challenges o f creating a reasonable match between the goals of the charter and the reality of the school. The director at CACS provided an in- 110 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. sightful analogy to the Declaration of Independence, which was a “lofty, ideo logical document that the country was trying to achieve.” Similarly, a school’s charter declares independence from certain state and district regulations, but the school itself is “not everything that [it] claims to be in the charter” (director). Instead, the charter provides a set of goals toward which the school and its staff and students can strive. At BASE, the educators and students have encountered a similar dilemma that has been addressed by an elective course in which students are working to support the design of the charter renewal petition. As the students have found, the school has not developed exactly as was anticipated in the charter. From a political standpoint, it seems irresponsible for a charter school to have drifted from its established governing document; however, the charter schools in this study have uncovered an experience that is true to any innovative environment: After some period o f time, they now “have a much clearer and better understanding o f how it works” and what the original instructional intentions should have been. For this reason, both schools have prioritized an ongoing revision of the charter as the educational program evolves. Research question 4: What evidence exists that project-based learning has resulted in positive educational outcomes? As the literature predicts, project-based learning results in enhanced student motivation and, consequently, academic achievement as evidenced by CACS and BASE’s improved standardized test scores and increased retention rate of students who were previously unsuccessful in school (Woolfolk, 2004; Yamzon, 1999). CACS’s API index has grown 169 points from 589 to 758 in the past 4 years, and their socioeconomically disadvantaged sub group, which comprises their largest group o f students, increased 83 points in one year. The director has also conducted enlightening analyses of student progress 111 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. relative to time spent at CACS: Students who attend CACS for less than 5 years score below the 40th percentile in both reading and mathematics and students who attend CACS for more than 5 years score around the 80th percentile for reading and mathematics (appendix N). According to the Alameda Journal, BASE’s score im proved by 12%, from 529 to 599, from the 2002-2003 school year to the 2003-2004 school year, and their attendance rate has averaged 96% since the opening of the school (appendix V). Although the quantitative benefits are impressive and inspiring, educators at both schools cited qualitative measures as the greatest affirmation of their respec tive instructional program’s success. Since both schools prioritize students’ holistic development, both schools set high standards for students’ ability to demonstrate academic as well as social, moral, artistic, and other competencies. Educators at CACS and BASE have witnessed powerful indicators of student progress, as evi denced by the improved quality o f student work and public performances, for ex ample. Furthermore, visitors, such as researchers and community members, repeatedly refer to the unique creativity and confidence o f the students at both schools. The director at BASE recounted the story of a firewalk' in which a local city council member who attended the experience questioned the students as to the purpose of developing such profound emotional awareness in a surrounding culture that will place no value on such skills. The director recalled his own hesitation at the answer to the question but the student immediately responded that BASE was A firewalk is a BASE tradition that was developed by the students for assessing emotional development. Each senior must talk about his/her life experiences in the center of a circle, which is comprised of community members. When a member o f the circle is moved, he or she stands up. The firewalk ends when everyone in the circle is standing. 112 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. not preparing students for the world as it exists but rather the world as they want it to be. In the words of the director, such moments are intense reminders o f why the school operates in nontraditional ways. Nonetheless, educators at these schools continually struggle to create alternative assessments that document profound student outcomes that do not manifest themselves in standardized test formats. Im plications for Policy and Practice According to the conclusions just presented, schools that implement project-based learning struggle to demonstrate holistic student achievement and school-wide progress within the present assessment system. In the case o f CACS, BASE, and many other charter schools, the majority o f the student population arrives at school with academic, emotional, or financial setbacks that require extended time for significant progress to be achieved. For instance, BASE has a Steppin’ Stones Transition to College Program that allows students more than 4 years to complete graduation requirements. However, such students are counted as nongraduates, thereby lowering BASE’s perceived graduation rate to 50% in 2004. While such students might not have graduated in other environments, they are now preparing to enroll in college; nonetheless, BASE is penalized by a dramatically substandard graduation rate, which subsequently damages the school’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) score. In reality, all schools are plagued by the fact that the most critical quantitative indicator, the Academic Performance Index (API), has a standard error that often exceeds the AYP growth targets for individual schools (Campbell, 2002). Particularly in the case of charter schools, which are evaluated for renewal every 3 to 5 years in most states, an undue focus is placed on defining 113 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. progress by quantitative measures that may, in fact, be an indicator of good or bad luck rather than improved academics. Given the formulaic and unjust manner in which schools, in this case charter schools with disadvantaged student populations, are currently assessed, it is critical that the present model for measuring student progress be revised. If charter schools are to demonstrate meaningful progress, then reliable and valid assessment measures must consider student achievement from a value-added standpoint. At present, charter schools are dividing their energy between designing their own systems of alternative assessment and attempting to meet the goals set by stan dardized assessment systems. Meanwhile, the standardized measures of assessment inadvertently penalize schools for approaching student instruction in alternative ways. Given that the present educational system and inequitable student outcomes have demonstrated a need for innovation, it is important that systems of account ability do not thwart innovative efforts to improve student achievement. While it is beyond the scope of this dissertation to propose an alternative system of standardized assessment, the following recommendations can be made. First, charter schools should be provided with a reasonable timeline to demonstrate measures o f success. Since some schools have only a 3-year charter, they are re stricted to presenting data that compare student performance from Years 1 and 2 in their renewal charter, which must be created during Year 3. Given the aforemen tioned complications associated with the standard error of the AYP, charter schools should be given at least 5 years to collect data to document the progress of the school’s distinctive student population. It is believed that, in this manner, the trends in student performance will be more reliable because they can be demonstrated over a period of more than 1 year. 114 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Second, the standardized measures of assessment should recognize alterna tive instructional systems and evaluate them accordingly. For instance, students who are participating in an extended high school program should not be counted as nongraduates until they actually drop out o f school without graduating. Instead, a measure that evaluates the number of students who graduate within 4 years could be developed and implemented, as is the case in many college and university set tings. Third, a revised system of charter approval and renewal could be considered so that the charter petition might better serve the schools and the authorizing agency. At present, charter petitions often represent an ideal, as described by CACS and BASE, that is difficult to achieve and may lead the evaluators to believe that the school has not realized its instructional goals. While the presence and reminder o f the school’s long-term vision is important, many charter schools, which are dis tracted by the pressure to raise test scores with the abbreviated renewal period, often compromise their original documented intentions as stated by the charter petition. Therefore, it might be wise to create an ongoing charter portfolio that col lects evidence from a multidimensional standpoint regarding the evolution and progress of the school and its students. Such a system could employ some of the best features that charter schools are using for alternative assessment purposes and apply them at an administrative level. BASE has created a network-based toolkit that allows teachers to document revisions and improvements in their instructional program. By applying this model to the charter petition, charter schools would remain accountable to their original governing documents; at the same time, charter educators would engage in a unique and challenging process o f professional self- evaluation that encourages continual examination o f instructional practices. 115 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Implications for Future Study According to the case studies at CACS and BASE and a review o f the recent research reported in the literature, educators who implement project-based learning do not have a plethora of relevant professional development resources made available in the literature. Furthermore, since the pedagogical direction of the state is often contradictory to that of schools such as of CACS and BASE, it is dif ficult for educators who implement project-based learning to find workshops and professional development offerings related to this innovation. Given the limited options, teachers at both schools communicated their desire to see more profes sional development on project-based learning-related topics as well as improved teacher preparation for alternative instructional settings. With respect to professional development for educators who implement project-based learning, future research might conduct a more widespread investiga tion of professional development strategies that have been successful in schools that implement project-based learning. Although there is great variability among the practices of schools that implement project-based learning, the findings of this study indicate that project-based learning schools still face common issues, such as how to ensure sufficient teaching o f basic skills within the context of projects. Both CACS and BASE reported that the majority of their professional development is conducted internally, using materials that have been developed by their own staff. While both schools are willing to share their knowledge and eager to learn from others in the field, there is no established mechanism for doing so. The MMACCS compendium will provide an initial means o f displaying the implementation successes and challenges o f two high-performing charter schools that have implemented project-based learning. However, the intent o f the 116 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. compendium is primarily to assist new schools that are looking to implement project-based learning or are currently at an earlier stage of the implementation process. Therefore, the compendium will not serve as a forum for communication that enables project-based learning schools at similar implementation stages to engage in a dialogue about topics of interest such a professional development op portunities. As a result, future research should focus on establishing and enhancing such mechanisms for regular communication among schools, such as discussion boards, that will enable educators to share the resources and insights from their project-based learning experiences. One particular area of interest for professional dialogue, as expressed by staff at CACS and BASE as well as the section Implications for Policy and Practice, is that of alternative assessment. As the exhibitions of student work dem onstrate, students at both CACS and BASE are benefiting from a distinctive and impressive set o f educational experiences. Although the results are evident to stu dents, teachers, families, administrators, and community members, educators at both schools would still like to improve their assessment practices so as to docu ment the growth o f students in the most effective and concrete manner possible. Although the project-based learning innovation should still reveal improvements in student achievement on traditional measures, educators agree that standardized tests are not aligned with the goals o f the reform (Rand Corporation, 2002). Therefore, as the literature indicates, it is important to supplement traditional measures with reliable and valid assessments, such as public performances and portfolios, that provide more meaningful information for students and teachers (Fleischman, 2001; McGrath, 2003). While the literature recognizes the need for such assessments, specific assessments cannot be provided, as the assessments inevitably vary based 117 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. on the nature of a particular project. As teachers at CACS and BASE mention, future professional development efforts should focus on assisting teachers in the process of developing and implementing multiple measures that would capture the growth and progress of students in project-based learning environments. Epilogue It is hoped that the findings and conclusions presented in this study have provided some additional insights into the manner in which project-based learning can be successfully implemented in K-12 school settings. The evidence from CACS and BASE supports the primary conclusion of the literature on this topic, which states that the variations among schools who implement project-based learning are a challenge to researchers who seek to uncover successful implemen tation strategies aimed at disseminating the reform (Thomas, 2000). However, it is also important to note that there are many commonalities among environments that implement various forms of project-based learning, as shown by the findings from the case studies at CACS and BASE. While such commonalities do not provide formulas for implementation, they can enlighten educators as to the questions and “tensions” that must be considered in each project-based learning environment. For instance, what number o f students will maximize both financial sustainability and success of the reform? What are the needs of the student body as they relate to the acquisition of basic skills, social development, and school retention? By presenting the words of educators who reveal critical issues, concerns, and lessons related to the implementation of project-based learning, the MMACCS compendium should encourage innovative educators to engage in fruitful and supportive dialogues as they struggle to improve the “deeply grounded” traditional educational system. 118 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. REFERENCES Alexander, K. L., & Entwisle, D. R. (1988). Achievement in the first two years of school: Patterns and processes. Monographs o f the Society for Research in Child Development, 53(2), 1-157. Andrews, K., & Rothman, M. (2002). Cultivating innovation: How a charter/ district network is turning professional development into professional prac tice. Phi Delta Kappan, 83, 506-512. Asimov, N. (2004). Landmark deal reached for state’s poor schools [Electronic version]. San Francisco Chronicle. 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We think they’re learning: Beliefs, practices, and reflections of two teachers using project-based learning. Journal o f Computing in Childhood Educa tion, 5(1), 59-81. Manela, R. W., & Moxley, D. P. (2002). Best practices as agency-based knowledge in social welfare. Administration in Social Work, 26(4), 1-23. McGrath, D. (2003). Rubrics, portfolios, and tests, oh my! Assessing understanding in project-based learning. Learning and Leading with Technology, 30(8), 42-45. Merriam, S. B. (1997). Qualitative research and case study application in educa tion. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Meyer, D. K., Turner, J. C., & Spencer, C. A. (1997). Challenge in a mathematics classroom: Students’ motivation and strategies in project-based learning. Elementary School Journal, 97, 501-521. 121 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Multiple measures o f accountability for California charter schools (MMACCS). (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2005, from http://www.usc.edu/dept/ education/cegov/proj_mmaccsO 1 .html Murphy, J., & Shiftman, C. D. (2002). The embedded logic of charter schools. In J. Murphy & C. D. Shiffiman (Eds.), Understanding and assessing the charter school movement (pp. 125-148). New York: Teachers College Press. National Center for Education Statistics. (2004a). The condition o f education 2004. Retrieved February 17, 2005, from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe National Center for Education Statistics. (2004b). The release o f the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Retrieved February 21, 2005, from http://nces.ed.gov/commissioner/remarks2004/ 12_14_2004.asp Ogbu, J. (1987). Variability in minority responses to schooling: Nonimmigrants vs. immigrants. In G. Spinder & L. Spindler (Eds.), Interpretive ethnography at home and abroad (pp. 255-278). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Orfield, G., & Yun, J. (1999). Resegregation in American schools. Retrieved January 12, 2005, from http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Rand Corporation. (2002). A decade o f whole-school reform: The new American schools experience. Retrieved April 13, 2005, from http://www.rand.org/ publications/RB/RB8019 Rand Corporation. (2005). California’ s K-12public schools: How are they doing? Retrieved February 13, 2005, from http://www.rand.org/publications/MG/ MG186 Ruddell, M.R. (2000). Dot.com lessons worth learning: Student engagement, liter acy, and project-based learning. Retrieved April 29, 2005, from http:// www.readingonline.org/articles/ruddell/ Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). (2000). Using real-world projects to help students meet high standards in education and the workplace. Re trieved April 13, 2005, from http://www.jff.org/jff/PDFDocuments/ HighStds.pdf Stites, R. (1998). What does research say about outcomes from project-based learning? Retrieved April 13, 2005 from http://pblmm.kl2.ca.us/ PBLGuide/ pblresch.htm 122 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Sunderman, G. L., Tracey, C. A., Kim, J., & Orfield, G. (2004). Listening to teachers: Classroom realities and No Child Left Behind. Retrieved February 23, 2005, from http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu SUNY Cortland Web Service, (n.d.). Multiple intelligence (MI)—Howard Gardner. Retrieved on April 29,2005 from http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/andersmd/ leaming/MI%20Theory.htm Thomas, J. W. (2000). A review o f research on project-based learning. Retrieved January 30, 2005, from http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/ PBL_Research.pdf Turnbull, M. (1999). Multidimensional project-based teaching in French second language (FSL): A process-product case study. Modern Language Journal, 83, 548-568. Tyack, D., & Cuban, L. (1995). Tinkering toward utopia. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Uhlenberg, J., & Brown, K. M. (2002). Racial gap in teachers’ perceptions o f the achievement gap. Education and Urban Society, 34, 493-530. U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Executive summary. Retrieved February 16, 2005, from http://www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html U.S. Department of Education. (2005). Stronger accountability: The facts about . . . measuring progress. Retrieved February 17, 2005, from http://www .ed.gov/ nclb/accountability/ayp/testing.html Willis, D. (1993). Learning and assessment: Exposing the inconsistencies of theory and practice. Oxford Review o f Education, 19, 383-402. Wohlstetter, P., Griffin, N. C., & Chau, D. (2002). Charter schools in California: A bruising campaign for public school choice. In S. Vergari (Ed.), The charter school landscape (pp. 33-53). Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. Woolfolk, A. (2004). Educational psychology (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. Yamzon, A. (1999). An examination o f the relationship between student choice in project-based learning and achievement. Retrieved April 15, 2005, from ERIC FullText Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 123 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX A MMACCS PROMISING PRACTICES WORKING PANEL Carol Barkley State Department of Education, Charter Schools Office Roberta Benjamin Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Di rector, Charter Schools Development Office William Firestone Professor, Rutgers University Kristi Kahl Program Administrator, Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Rebecca Kilbum RAND, Director, Promising Practices Network Sharon Kinney Horn Director of Evaluation & Dissemination, U.S. De partment of Education Meg Palosic Co-Director, Synergy Charter Academy Ting Sun California Charter School Association (CCSA), Vice President, Leadership & Quality By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 124 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX B PROMISING PRACTICES TEMPLATE MMACCS Promising Practices Compendium: Content of Template Profile of Charter School: > Status (conversion or start-up) > Charter authorizer > Year chartered > Year opened for operation with students > Student enrollment: current and projected > Grades served: current and projected > Student population by subgroups (ethnicity, ELL, subsidized meals, special needs) > Teachers part o f a collective bargaining unit? □yes uno > Per pupil spending (X/Y) > School address > Type o f school: asite-based anon site-based nhybrid > Contact information (i.e., school email; phone) > Link to school Web site Goal ofPP Description of PP Theory of Action for PP Implementation Details: > History > Time (start-up/planning time; time PP has been in place) > Lessons learned (benefits, challenges, next steps for sustainability) > Evidence o f impact 125 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Resource Requirements: > Budget information > Staffing (level and type o f staff expertise needed) > Facility/space > Professional development/training > Other (e.g., technology) Supporting Documents and Materials (printable in PDF format): > Lessons plans > Parent contracts > Video to support PP > Staff development manuals > Evaluation reports (data demonstrating results o f PP) Recommended Resources for Additional Information: > Books > Articles > Web sites ’ > Sources o f technical assistance > Potential funding sources By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX C is MMACCS Multiple Measures of Accountability for California Charter Schools Do you know of a charter school implementing an innovative policy, practice, or program that should be widely disseminated? If so, then here’s your chance to share! What do we want? Nominations of charter schools with Promising Practices The University of Southern California’ s Center on Educational G overnance (CEG), in partnership with CCSA, is requesting nominations of charter schools with Promising Practices in the following 12 areas: 1. Administrative and teacher leadership 7. Project-based learning 2. Arts - themed charter schools 8. School-university partnerships 3. English language development in the 9. Special education primary grades 10. Student discipline 4. Increasing high school graduation rates 11. Uses of technology for instruction in middle 5. integration of career and vocational school math and science education 12. Uses of time for teaching and learning 6. Parent involvement Why do we want your nominations of Promising Practices< 7 We are developing a compendium of promising practices that can inspire educators to develop useful policies, practices, and programs that will improve student performance. What criteria will we use to select Promising Practices? • Demonstration of innovative practice • Evidence of positive change • Potential to transfer and be useful to other schools And what do schools get if their Promising Practices are selected? • Recognition and award at the annual CCSA conference! • Publicity! • O ne-year membership to MMACCS! Ready to nominate? If so, then log on to www.usc.edu/dept/education/ceaov/ and complete the nomination form. Deadline for nomination is July 15,2005 Center on Educational Governance, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90089-4039 ♦ (213) 740-0697[phone] • (213) 749-2707[fax) • www.usc.edu/dept/education/cegov/ Published by the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) in the June 2005 issue of their Charier Journal. 127 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX D FOLLOW-UP ANNOUNCEMENT From: listserv@charterassociation.org [mailto:listserv@charterassociation.org] Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 3:06 PM To: wohlstet@usc.edu Subject: Charter Journal Online - July 11, 2005 Dear Friends and Colleagues, Welcome to the Charter Journal Online. Please note that the "Question from the Field" section will return in August 2005. In this edition, the California Charter Schools Association is pleased to bring you: CHARTER NEWS 1. California Charter Schools Visa Affinity Credit Card from California Credit Union Offers New Fundraising Opportunity for Schools 2. Charter Regulations Approved 3. Nominations for USC's Center of Educational Governance's “Promising Practices” Awards Due this Friday, July 15, 2005 4. Charter School Revolving Loan Fund 5. Positive Labor Relations Workshop This Month - (3) Regional Sessions, (1) Online Session 6. Charter School Facility Grant Program - Forms Due by August 22, 2005 UPCOMING EVENTS 1. Why Writing Matters Conference at Renaissance Arts Academy - August 1-5, 2005 IMPORTANT INFORMATION 1. Update Information on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) 128 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. IN THE PRESS 1. Fire Causes Major Damage at CHIME Charter School 2. Enrolling Students At Last 3. Los Altos Community Continues its Fight for a Public School Sincerely, Caprice Young President/Chief Executive Officer California Charter Schools Association CHARTER NEWS 1. California Charter Schools Visa Affinity Credit Card from California Credit Union Offers New Fundraising Opportunity for Schools About the Affinity Card Program: The California Charter Schools Association is excited to announce that application forms are now available for individual (consumer) and school (corporate) Visa Affinity Credit Cards from the California Credit Union. The Charter School Affinity Visa Card program will return a full one percent o f all purchases to the California charter school movement. Half of one percent of purchases will be returned directly to individual charter schools and the other half of one percent goes to the Association to fund critical programs that further support your school and students. The individual (consumer) Affinity Card - which is available to all school employees and your students1 families - carries an extraordinarily low fixed rate (based upon credit of individual borrowers), has no annual fee and includes an interest-free grace period. So the more cardholders who obtain a card and designate your school as the beneficiary, the more money you can raise for your school! Schools may also apply for a School Affinity Credit Card - so as you make school-related purchases for this coming school year, you can get additional money back for other school activities. How to Apply for Individual (Consumer) Affinity Credit Cards: Please let your school staff, Board, and students' families know that they Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. can now APPLY ONLINE for an individual consumer affinity credit at: - http://www.califomiacu.org/ - Click on Individuals How to Apply for School (Corporate) Affinity Credit Card: To obtain an application form for a School (Corporate) Affinity Credit Card, goto: - http: //w w w . cal i fomi acu. org/ - Click on Schools 2. Charter Regulations Approved In the last two weeks two set of regulations have been approved that have a significant impact on charter schools. The Education Audit Appeals Panel (EAAP) adopted regulations that establish audit standards for charter schools for the 2005-06 school year. The Charter Association has been involved with the development of these regulations for over a year. In the end, we voiced opposition and concern with several parts of these regulations, but overall, the final regulations were much improved form earlier drafts. While the bulk of these regulations impact only the non-classroom based and independent study charter schools, several of the provisions affect all charter schools. The Association strongly encourages all charter schools to meet with their auditors as soon as possible to review these regulations and determine if any changes must be made to school level record-keeping and procedures to ensure compliance with these new regulations. While these regulations may not pose any new requirements on some schools, others may find they need to make significant changes in order to comply. The regulations can be found on the web site at: http://www.eaap.ca.gov/NewWebSite0804/AuditGuide.htrn. On a much more positive note, this week the State Board o f Education adopted amendments to the SB 740 funding determination process. These changes have been advocated by the Association over the last several months, and we supported their adoption. Funding Determination forms that conform to the new regulations will be developed by the CDE, and they may apply to decisions for the 2005-06 fiscal year and beyond. A recent version of the regulations is posted to the CDE web site at as Item 37 at: http://www.cde.ca.gOv/be/ag/ag/yr05/agenda0605.asp. The SBE adopted these regulations with two minor and clarifying amendments, 130 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. which will be posted to the CDE web site soon. We would like to thank the CDE staff and the Advisory Commission for all of their work and thoughtful deliberation on these amendments. 3. Nominations for USC's Center of Educational Governance's “Promising Practices” Awards Due this Friday, July 15, 2005 Do you know o f a charter school implementing an innovative policy, practice, or program that should be widely disseminated? The University of Southern California's Center on Educational Governance, in partnership with the California Charter Schools Association, is requesting nominations of charter schools with Promising Practices. Schools will be recognized and awarded at the upcoming annual charter schools conference, gain free publicity, and acquire one-year membership to Multiple Measures of Accountability for California Charter Schools (MMACCS). The deadline for nominations is this Friday, July 15. Log on to http://www.usc.edu/dept/education/cegov/ to complete the nomination form. 4. Charter School Revolving Loan Fund The Charter School Revolving Loan Fund provides low-interest loans to new charter schools to help meet purposes established in the schools' charters. Eligible Applicants are non-profit organizations, other organizations or agencies. The required criteria for eligible applicants are start-up public charter schools whose locally approved charter petition has been numbered by the California State Board of Education and has a County District School (CDS) code. Eligible charter schools can not be conversion charter schools or charter schools renewed by their charter-authorizing entity. View at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/profile.asp7idK)17. 5. Positive Labor Relations Workshop This Month - (3) Regional Sessions, (1) Online Session Attention charter school operators! As you know, California charter schools have recently experienced an increase in the efforts o f the Teacher Unions to organize charter schools. Positive working relationships among all employees are vital to healthy and successful charter schools. Learn how to create positive labor relations at your charter school by attending our upcoming Positive Labor Relations Work shop. This workshop explores organizational structures that foster mutually pro- 131 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ductive and effective working relationships. The workshop will also discuss EERA, PERB and collective bargaining policies as they apply to charter schools. School leaders wishing to formalize a healthy working environment as well as learn more about the collective bargaining process are strongly encouraged to attend. Presenter: Liebert Cassidy Whitmore The Association is proud to offer three (3) regional sessions and one (1) online session: - LOS ANGELES Monday, July 25, 2005, 10am to 3pm The Accelerated Charter School 4000 South Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90037 - SAN DIEGO Tuesday, July 26,2005, 10am to 3pm High Tech High 2861 Womble Road, San Diego, CA 92106 - SAN FRANCISCO Wednesday, July 27, 2005, 10am to 3pm Life Learning Academy 551 8th Street, Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA 94130 - 2-DAY ONLINE SESSION Thursday, July 28 and Friday, July 29, 2005, 10am to 12pm REGISTRATION FEE: $120 for Members, $200 for Non-members EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OFFER: SAVE today by purchasing an annual workshop pass for only $950 and 60% off the member rate and 75% off the nonmember rate on your choice of: - One seat at each o f the Association's Workshops for a FULL YEAR, plus one copy of a Workshop DVD OR - A total o f 20 seats at any combination o f the Association's Workshops for a FULL YEAR, plus on copy o f a Workshop DVD 132 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO REGISTER: - Register ONLINE at http://www.charterassociation.org under Events and pay by credit card. - Go to http://www.charterassociation.org under Events to download a registration form to FAX to Ana Fernandez at (213) 244-1448. QUESTIONS? Contact Ana Fernandez at (213) 244-1446, x 2215 or via e-mail at anaf@charterassociation.org. 6. Charter School Facility Grant Program - Forms Due by August 22,2005 The Charter School Facility Grant Program was enacted by Senate Bill (SB) 740 (Chapter 892, Statutes of 2001, Education Code Section 47614.5) for the purpose of providing assistance with facilities rent and lease expenditures for charter schools that meet certain eligibility criteria. Eligible charter schools may receive reimbursement for facilities rent and lease costs in an amount o f up to $750 per unit o f classroom-based average daily attendance (ADA), as certified at the 2004-05 second principal apportionment, but no more than 75 percent of their total annual facilities rent and lease costs. If there are insufficient funds to reimburse all eligible charter schools at the maximum level, the funding provided to each eligible school will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. It is anticipated that funding will be distributed in the fall o f 2005; however, distribution of funding will be contingent upon approval o f the 2005-06 budget and any amendments. To be eligible for reimbursement, a charter school site must be geographically located within the attendance area of a public elementary school in which at least 70 percent o f the pupil enrollment is eligible for free or reduced price meals, or serving a pupil population that meets or exceeds 70 percent eligibility for free and reduced price meals. Charter schools occupying existing school district or county office of education facilities and charter schools receiving reasonably equivalent facilities from their chartering authority pursuant to Education Code Section 47614 (Proposition 39) are not eligible for reimbursement. Additional conditions o f the Charter School Facility Grant Program provide that: - Charter schools receiving funding through this program that have exceeded their enrollment capacity must extend admissions preference to those students currently attending the charter school and to those students who 133 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reside in the elementary school attendance area in which the charter school is located, and - Charter schools relocating to the attendance area o f an eligible elementary school must give admissions preference to the students who reside in the eligible elementary school's attendance area. These conditions are intended to ensure that the needs of students residing in predominantly financially disadvantaged areas are also being met. To apply for reimbursement funding for expenditures incurred during the 2004-05 fiscal year, charter schools must submit a 2004-05 Application for Eligibility and a 2004-05 Facility Expenditure Report. (Even if you received funding under this program for 2003-04, eligibility must be established annually.) Multi-site charters must submit a separate application for each site for which they are seeking reimbursement. Copies of the required forms will be mailed to you in early July and will be posted on the California Department of Education website located at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/profile.asp?id=618. The completed forms will be due in our office by August 22, 2005. The CDE will determine the eligibility o f your school for this program based on the application for eligibility and the Free and Reduced Price Meals data on file at the CDE. Your facility expenditure report will only be considered if your school is eligible based on the Free and Reduced Price Meals data. The CDE will determine the amount o f reimbursement after all eligible applicants have submitted their applications and expenditure reports. All information provided on the application and expenditure report is subject to audit to ensure compliance with program requirements. If you have any questions about this or the Charter School Facility Grant Program, please contact Oluwole Olukoya at (916) 327-5929 or by e-mail at oolukoya@cde.ca.gov. UPCOMING EVENTS 1. Why Writing Matters Conference at Renaissance Arts Academy - August 1-5, 2005 Renaissance Arts Academy is holding their first annual “Why Writing Matters” Professional Development Institute in conjunction with the UCLA Writing Project at Renaissance Arts Academy this summer. A link to information about 134 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the institute can be found on the Renaissance Arts Academy web site at: http: //renarts. org/w wm. php. Dates: August 1-5, 2005 Individuals Fee: $475 School Teams o f 3 or more Fee: $450 each If you have any questions, please contact Lee Myrick of the Renaissance Arts Academy by e-mail at lee@renarts.org or call (323) 259-5700. IMPORTANT INFORMATION 1. Update Information on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) Approval of Addition to California Code o f Regulations, Title 5 Sections 80021 and 80021.1, Pertaining to Short-Term Staff Permits and Provisional Staff Permits The Office of Administrative Law approved the addition of Title 5 Sections 80021 and 80021.1 pertaining to Multiple Subject, Single Subject and Education Specialist Short-Term Staff Permits and Provisional Internship Permits on June 4, 2005. The new permits will be effective July 1, 2005 and will replace the current Emergency Multiple Subject, Single Subject and Education Specialist Permits. The Commission currently issues emergency permits at the request of employing agencies that are unable to sufficiently recruit fully credentialed teachers. Emergency permits are valid for one year and authorize the holder to provide the same service as a full teaching credential. To employ an individual on an emergency permit, the employing agency must have a valid Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators (DON) on file with the Commission during the valid period of the permit. The DON is a form submitted annually to the Commission by county offices of education, public school districts, statewide agencies or non-public schools/agencies that provides the employing agency's estimated number o f emergency permits that will be requested during the school year. Employing agencies must certify recruitment practices and estimate staffing on the Declaration of Need form. The DON is the employing agencies proof to the Commission that there is a need to hire individuals that are not fully credentialed. 135 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. On December 4, 2003, the Commission took action to discontinue the issuance of multiple subject, single subject and education specialist emergency permits with the understanding that there would be a continuing need for a document that addressed unanticipated staffing needs. With the assistance of stakeholders representing districts, county offices of education, colleges, universities and professional organizations, it was determined that there are two distinct types of staffing needs. One document is needed to meet immediate teacher vacancies and another to staff classrooms when, after a diligent search, no appropriately credentialed teacher could be found. Thus, the Commission developed the Short-Term Staff Permit (STSP) and the Provisional Internship Permit (PIP). The STSP is intended to immediately staff classrooms based on unforeseen circumstances and the PIP is intended to staff classrooms when the employer has conducted a diligent search yet is unable to recruit a credentialed teacher. These new permits may be issued for a total of three years combined. Within this time period, an individual should complete the subject matter competence requirement to qualify for an internship document or preliminary credential. Read full text of this correspondence here: http://www.ctc.ca.gov/notices/coded/050011/05001 l.htm l. The PDF version is available here: http://www.ctc.ca.gOv/notices/coded/050011/050011 .pdf. The CCTC web site can be reached at: http://www.ctc.ca.gov. IN THE PRESS 1. Fire Causes Major Damage at CHIME Charter School CHIME charter school, the California Charter Schools Association's 2004 charter school o f the year, is in the midst of cleaning up after a devastating fire that damaged the school's administrative offices. No one was injured but the blaze caused an estimated $110,000 in damages. Principal Julie Fabrocini, whose office was damaged in the fire, told the Los Angeles Daily News, "It's going to take an enormous amount o f staff time to re-create student files." Read more about the fire at CHIME and the effort to re-build before the start of the school year: Fire Damages CHIME Offices - The Los Angeles Daily News, July 6, 2005 http://www.dailynews.eom/Stories/0,1413,200-20954-2954151,00.html# 136 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2. Enrolling Students At Last Charter school leaders are known for their drive and determination and that's what it took to get The Academy o f Culture and Technology up and running. After being granted a three-year charter to teach sixth through twelfth grade, Tomas Ursa, the school's director said, "We wore them out...In the end they praised us for having such a great program." Several colleges, including Harvey Mudd, Cal Poly Pomona and Pitzer helped to get the Academy off the ground. Read more about this new charter school and its program: Charter School Gets off Ground - The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, July 7, 2005 http://www.daiIybulletin.eom/Stories/0,1413,203-21481 -2954779, OO.html# 3. Los Altos Community Continues its Fight for a Public School In an opinion piece that appeared in last week's San Jose Mercury News, editorial writer Patty Fisher highlights the determination and gusto of parents in Los Altos to build a school of their own following the school district's decision to close the community's last remaining public school two years ago. In response, the community raised $5 million and opened a charter school. "The community clearly wants to acquire a public school,” Mayor Breene Kerr said, "and Bullis Charter School represents our best opportunity to do so, at least in my lifetime.” Read this opinion piece in full: Hills Parents Unite Over Public School - The San Jose Mercury News, July 6, 2005; Patty Fisher opinion http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12064215.htm If you would like to unsubscribe, please send an e-mail with your first and last name to info@charterassociation.org. Source: Email sent to subscribers o f E-Blast, a national Charter Journal listserv bulletin, July 11, 2005. 137 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX E PROM ISING PRACTICES N OM INATION FORM MMACCS Promising Practices Compendium: Nomination Form INTRODUCTION: ❖ CEG developing compendium o f Promising Practices (General purpose) ❖ We are investigating Promising Practices in 12 areas; in subsequent years, additional areas will be included ❖ Define “ Promising Practice ” and give concrete examples (e.g., Parent Vol unteer Catalogue) ♦ ♦ ♦ Selection by educational researchers at USC. Selection criteria include: P Evidence o f positive change P Innovativeness o f Promising Practice P Potential for transferability and usefulness across school sites ♦ ♦ ♦ Benefits o f participating P Opportunity to present at annual CCSA conference in spring P Recognition in form o f a plaque; awarded by CCSA and USC at annual CCSA conference P Publicity in the local newspaper P Free one-year membership to MMACCs ♦ ♦ ♦ Site visits in Fall 2005 138 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SECTION I Please complete all questions. 1. Title of your Promising Practice: 2. In which general area does your Promising Practice fit it? (Please select one category): Administrative and teacher leadership Arts - themed charter school English language development in elementary school Increasing high school graduation rates Integration o f career and vocational education Parent involvement Project-based learning School-university partnerships Special education Student discipline Uses o f technology for instructional purposes in middle school Uses of time for teaching and learning 3. What is the objective/goal of the Promising Practice? 4. How long has the Promising Practice been implemented? 5. Provide a brief summary (100 words) o f your Promising Practice: 139 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 6. Documentation of evidence for Promising Practice success (mark all that apply): No data exist to support the results of this practice Anecdotal evidence Internally-conducted evaluation Externally-conducted evaluation 7. Please indicate the perceived areas of positive changes produced by your Promising Practice: a. Positive changes for target population (mark all that apply): Students Teachers Parents Other (Please specify: ) b. The changes were in the following areas (mark all that apply): Academic achievement (e.g., increased knowledge and skills) Attitudes/Behavior (e.g., improved attendance; de creased drop- out rate; decrease in discipline prob lems) School Operation/Management (e.g., improved cost effectiveness; expansion/efficiency of service deliv ery) Other (Please specify; ) 140 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SECTION II Contact Information: Please include contact information for any follow-up questions. 1. Name of Nominator: 2. Key Contact Name for Nominated School: 3. School Name: 4. School Address: 5. School Phone Number/ fax/ email address: 6. Summer Contact Information: By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University of Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 141 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX F CHARTER SCHOOL PROFILE Researcher:______ Date:____________ School Information School Name: Address: Phone # :__________________________ Fax #: Principal’s Name: Contact Information (if different from Principal): Email Address: School Web site: Promising Practice: Charter Information Type of School: Conversion Year Chartered:___________ Charter Authorizer: 142 Start up. Year Opened: _ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Student Population Information Student Enrollment: Current_______ Projected _______ Grades Served: Current________ Projected _______ Enrollment by Subgroups (#/%): Ethnicity (#) Special Populations (%) African American _______ Free/Reduced Lunch Asian______________ _______ Special Needs Ehspanic___________ _______ ELL White_____________________ Other Other______________ _______ ( < Specify Other_______________ ) (Specify Other_______________ ) Teacher Information Number of Full-time Administrators:_______ Number o f Full-time Teachers:_____ _______ Teacher Union Membership: Y es________ No Budget Information Per Pupil Spending (Year):_______________________ By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX G PROTOCOL, PRESITE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL School Name:________________________________ Date: ___________________ Name of Interview Subject:______________________________________________ Researcher: Start Time:________ End Time:__________ Total Time (minutes): [Introduction] I am working with the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Edu cation. We are studying promising practices in California charter schools. Through a nomination process, your school was identified as having success in/with [promising practice]. The purpose o f this interview is to learn more about [ promising practice] at your school and to schedule a site visit at a time this fall when it is convenient for you. The information from this research will be used to create a Web-based compen dium of promising practices. The Web site will be hosted by USC’s Center on Edu cational Governance and is part of the MMACCS project - Multiple Measures of Accountability for California Charter Schools. The goal of the compendium is to spread new knowledge and innovation about promising practices to inspire educa tors to improve school performance. By participating in this study, your school will get recognition at the annual Cali fornia Charter Schools Association conference, publicity in the media, and a one- year free membership to MMACCS. This preliminary interview should take only around 5-10 minutes. Is now a good time? (If not - when would a better time be to talk with you?) Do you have any questions for me before we begin? 144 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A. Background- Laving the Foundation 1. How long have you been the principal at this school? 2. What is your background and previous experience in education? 3. How long has this school been using the [promisingpractice/? 4. Who else on campus is involved with the [promisingpractice/? [Probe for lead teachers, teachers, parents] B. Scheduling and Logistics 5. We are planning to visit schools some time this fall, in October or Novem ber. Our visit will last no more than two days and we would like to speak with you again, along with the other people you mentioned who are in volved with [promising practice]. If possible, we also would like to observe a professional development session related to [promising practice] [and to visit a few classrooms]. a. What month and days are best to visit your school? b. Will it be possible to attend a professional development session related to [promising practice] during the visit? c. [Will we be able to observe a few classrooms during our visit?] 6. Who should we speak with about arranging the visit and scheduling inter views? I can fax you a schedule and a list of people we would like to inter view. 7. We would also appreciate copies of some school documents before the site visit. With whom should we speak about getting the documents? I can fax the list. If this is too burdensome, we can make copies when we visit. [Closing\ Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to visiting your school on By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 145 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX H ONSITE PRINCIPAL INTERVIEW PROTOCOL School Name:_______________________________ Date:___________________ Interview Subject Code:__________________________________________________ Researcher: Start Time:________ End Time:_________ Total Time (minutes): [Introduction] Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I am working with the University of Southern California’s Rossier School o f Education. We are studying promising practices in California charter schools. Through a nomination process, your school was identified as having success in/with [promising practice]. The purpose of this interview is to learn more about [promising practice] at your school. The information garnered from this research will be used to develop a Web-based compendium o f promising practices as part o f the Multiple Measures of Account ability for California Charter Schools (MMACCS) project. The goal of the com pendium is to spread new knowledge and innovation about promising practices to inspire educators to improve school performance. By participating in this study, your school will get recognition at the annual Cali fornia Charter Schools Association conference, publicity in the media, and a one- year free membership to MMACCS. This interview should take around 45 minutes. Do you have any questions for me before we begin? A. Theory of Action and History 1. Can you briefly describe [promising practice] at your school? 2. What is the goal o f [promising practice]? 146 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3. Please tell me about the history of [promisingpractice] at your school. {Probe: How/why did it get started, who were the people initially involved in de veloping the practice) 4. Can you tell me a little about your role as principal with respect to [promising practice]? 5. Who have been the main people involved with the planning and implementation of [promising practice]? 6. In your opinion, what factors have contributed to the successful implementation of [promising practice]? 7. How do you think that [promising practice] will lead to school improvement and higher student achievement? B. Implementation Details 8. How long has [promising practice] been in place? 9. How much start up/planning time was needed to implement [promisingprac tice'll 10. How much planning time on a monthly basis is needed to maintain implemen tation of [promising practice]? 11. How often do you collaborate with other staff members in order to sustain [promising practice]? 12. What do you see as the next steps for ensuring sustainability o f the [promising practice'll 147 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 13. How do you know [promisingpractice] is making a difference? [ What is the evidence o f impact ?] 14. What are the benefits of implementing {promisingpractice]? (Probes: Benefits for students, staff, administrators, parents) 15. What are the challenges o f implementing [promisingpractice]? (Probes: Challenges for students, staff, administrators, parents) 16. What lessons have you learned by implementing [promising practice]? C. Resource Requirements 17. How much o f your budget is spent on [promising practice]? 18. What is the level of staff expertise required with respect to [promisingprac tice■ ] ? 19. What facilities are needed to carry out [promisingpractice]! 20. How much professional development time has staff received to implement [promising practice]? 21. Do you think the training/professional development that has been conducted meets the needs for people to effectively implement [promisingpractice]? {Probe: What other types o f PD do you think would be helpful to effectively imple ment promising practice?) 148 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I). Recommended Resources for Additional Information 22. Are there any books that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 23. Are there any articles that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 24. Are there any Web sites that have been helpful to you in learning about [prom ising practice]? 25. Are there any sources of technical assistance that have been helpful to you in implementing [promisingpractice]? 26. Additional Comments: [Closing] Thank you very much for your time. Your comments and insights are invaluable for our research. By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 149 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX I ONSITE LEAD TEACHER INTERVIEW PROTOCOL School Name:______________________ Date:____________ Interview Subject Code: __________________________________________________ Position: _____________________________________________________ Researcher: Start Time:__________ End Time:_________ Total Time (minutes): [Introduction] Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I am working with the University of Southern California’s Rossier School o f Education. We are studying promising practices in California charter schools. Through a nomination process, your school was identified as having success in/with [promisingpractice]. The purpose of this interview is to learn more about [promising practice] at your school. The information garnered from this research will be used to develop a Web-based compendium o f promising practices as part o f the Multiple Measures o f Account ability for California Charter Schools (MMACCS) project. The goal of the com pendium is to spread new knowledge and innovation about promising practices to inspire educators to improve school performance. By participating in this study, your school will get recognition at the annual Cali fornia Charter Schools Association conference, publicity in the media, and a one- year free membership to MMACCS. This interview should take around 45 minutes. Do you have any questions for me before we begin? 150 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A. Theory of Action and History 1. Can you briefly describe [promising practice] at your school? 2. What is the goal of [promising practice]? 3. Please tell me about the history of [promising practice] at your school. (Probe: How/why did it get started, who were the people initially involved in de veloping the practice) 4. Can you tell me a little about your role as lead teacher with respect to [promising practice]? 5. Who have been the main people involved with the planning and implementation of [promising practice]? 6. In your opinion, what factors have contributed to the successful implementation o f [promising practice]? 7. How do you think that [promising practice] will lead to school improvement and higher student achievement? B. Implementation Details 8. How long has [promising practice] been in place? 9. How much start up/planning time was needed to implement [promisingprac tice]? 10. How much planning time on a monthly basis is needed to maintain implemen tation of [promising practice]? 151 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 11. How often do you collaborate with other staff members in order to sustain [promising practice]? 12. What do you see as the next steps for ensuring sustainability of the [promising practice]? 13. How do you know [promisingpractice] is making a difference? [What is the evidence o f impact ?] 14. What are the benefits of implementing [promising practice]? (Probes: Benefits for students, staff administrators, parents) 15. What are the challenges o f implementing [promisingpractice]? (Probes: Challenges for students, staff, administrators, parents) 16. What lessons have you learned by implementing [promising practice]? C. Resource Requirements 17. How much o f your budget is spent on [promising practice]? 18. What is the level of staff expertise required with respect to [promisingprac tice’ ]? 19. What facilities are needed to carry out [promisingpractice]? 20. How much professional development time has staff received to implement [promising practice]? 152 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 21. Do you think the training/professional development that has been conducted meets the needs for people to effectively implement [promising practice'll (Probe: What other types o f PD do you think would be helpful to effectively imple ment promising practice?) D. Recommended Resources for Additional Information 22. Are there any books that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 23. Are there any articles that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 24. Are there any Web sites that have been helpful to you in learning about [prom ising practice]? 25. Are there any sources of technical assistance that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 26. Additional Comments: [Closing] Thank you very much for your time. Your comments and insights are invaluable for our research. By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 153 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX J ONSITE TEACHER FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL School Name:_____________________ Date:____________ Researcher:_________________________________________________ Start Time:________ End Time:_________ Total Time (minutes): Subject Code: [Introduction] Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I am working with the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. We are studying promising practices in California charter schools. The purpose of this interview is to learn more about [promising practice] at your school. Through a nomination process, your school has been identified as having success in/with [promising practice]. A Web site that includes this knowledge will be de veloped detailing promising practices in California charter schools. The Web site is being hosted by Multiple Measures of Accountability for California Charter Schools (MMACCS) and the Center for Educational Governance. This focus group should only take 1 hour. Do you have any questions for me before we begin? A. Evidence of Impact 1. What has been the impact of [promising practice] on students? 2. What has been the impact o f [promising practice] on parents? 154 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3. What has been the impact o f [promising practice] on teachers? 4. What has been the impact of [promising practice] on other constituents/ stakeholders (e.g. investors, community groups etc.fl 5. Was any system for measuring the success of [promising practice] adopted during the planning stages? 6. Are you aware of any research studies that confirm the impact of [promising practice] on student achievement? If yes, may we please have copies? B. Lessons Learned 7. What benefits have you experienced as a result of implementing [promising practice/? (Probes: Benefits for students, staff, administrators, parents) 8. What challenges have you experienced while implementing the [promising practice/? (Probes: Challenges for students, staff, administrators, parents) 9. Have there been any efforts to improve the effectiveness of [promising prac tice/? If yes, explain. 10. What efforts have been made to help sustain [promising practice] at your school? 11. What future steps are needed to ensure the sustainability o f [promising prac tice^ 155 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 12. What recommendations would you make to other educators that are thinking about adopting [promising practice]? C. Recommended Resources for Additional Information 13. Are there any books that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 14. Are there any articles that have been helpful to you in implementing [promising practice]? 15. Are there any Web sites that have been helpful to you in learning about [prom ising practice]? 16. Are there any sources of technical assistance that have been helpful to you in implementing [promisingpractice]? 17. Additional Comments: [Closing] Thank you very much for your time. Your comments and insights are invaluable for our research. By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 156 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX K CLASSROOM OBSERVATION PROTOCOL School Name: Date: Subject Code: Observer: Type of Class: Grade Level: Time Started: Time Ended: Total Time (minutes): _____ Number of Students Observed:__________________ Lesson Topic (e.g., volcanoes, verbs):_______________________________ Instructional Goal (e.g., word recognition, comprehension): Indicate Language(s) Used for Activity: English □ Spanish □ Eng/Span. Combo □ Other □______________________________ A. Classroom Environment 1. How does the arrangement of the room support {promising practice]? {seating, learning centers, bulletin boards, display o f student work, etc.) 2. What resources in the classroom support [promisingpractice]? (presence o f aids/parents, technology, books, learning manipulatives, etc.) 157 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. B. Academic Lesson 1. What is the intended purpose of the lesson? (As written or stated by teacher-consider related standards) 2. What is the structure of the lesson? (Whole group, small group, pairs-consider instructional time spent) 3. Explain the sequence of events and distribution of time during the lesson as it relates to [promising practice]. 4. Describe the Teacher-Student interactions observed. 5. Describe the Student-Student interactions observed. 6. List (and collect copies) of pertinent resources from the lesson. (lesson plans, handouts, teacher’ s guide) 7. Additional Notes By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University of Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 158 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. School Name: APPENDIX L DOCUMENT CHECKLIST Date of Scheduled Site Visit: Promising Practice: ______ Researcher: _____________ Document Tvne Document Title Retrieval Date Charter (Petition): Renewal Petition Policy Documents Related to Promising Practice Handbook (Faculty, Staff, Student) Program Evaluations (Related to Promising Practice) Other Assessment Data (Related to Promising Practice) By the 2006 Thematic Dissertation Group, University o f Southern California, Center on Educational Governance. 159 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX M CH ARTER OF THE CREATIVE ARTS CH ARTER SCHOOL (CACS), 2004 CHARTER OF THE CREATIVE ARTS CHARTER SCHOOL A CALIFORNIA PUBLIC SCHOOL January 12,2004 San Francisco, CA TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction........................................................................................................................... 3 A. The Educational Programs of the School...................................................................... 3 B. Measurable Pupil Outcomes..........................................................................................10 C. Methods to Assess Pupil Progress towards Meeting Outcomes...................................12 D. School Governance Structure.......................................................................................14 E. Employee Qualifications...............................................................................................15 F. Health and Safety Procedures........................................................................................16 G. The Means to Achieve a Racial and Ethnic Balance Reflective of the District 17 H. Admission Requirements..............................................................................................17 I. Financial Audits.............................................................................................................18 J. Pupil Suspension and Expulsion....................................................................................19 K. Retirement System........................................................................................................20 L. Not Applicable...............................................................................................................20 M. Description of the Rights of Employees..................................................................... 20 N. Dispute Resolution Process, Oversight, Reporting and Renewal................................ 20 O. Labor Relations.............................................................................................................22 P. School Closure...............................................................................................................22 Appendix A: The Constructivist Classroom....................................................................... 24 Appendix B: Grade Specific Curriculum Overview........................................................... 25 160 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INTRODUCTION SCHOOL HISTORY Creative Arts Charter School (CACS) was founded in 1994 by a dedicated group of parents and educators who wanted to provide their children with high-quality public edu cation through implementing recent progressive theories in education that fostered cre ativity and exploration in children. The school began as an early childhood school with a Kindergarten through third grade program. In the third year of operation, planning began to extend the scope of the school through the 8th grade and each year an additional grade level was added. In its tenth year, CACS graduated its first 8th grade class to many of the most sought after high schools in San Francisco, and anticipates a minimum of 200 students in kindergarten through 8th grade classes in each year to come. The CACS charter was renewed by the San Francisco Board of Education in 1998, and has developed in both breadth and scope since its inception. Originally run almost exclusively by its Board of Directors and a long list of dedicated volunteers, the school now employs an administrative team of a School Director, Arts Coordinator, Office Manager, and an Attendance Director/Bookkeeper. There are nine classroom teachers (one each of Kindergarten through 8th grade), a special education teacher, and a dedicated arts staff. SCHOOL LOCATION Creative Arts Charter School shall operate as a classroom-based instructional program within the geographic boundaries of San Francisco Unified School District in the Enola D. Maxwell Middle School for the Arts facility located at 655 DeHaro Street, San Francisco, California 94107. CACS has established its own postal address within the Enola D. Maxwell facility at, 1802 19th Street, San Francisco, California 94107. A. THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF THE SCHOOL ^ 3) A description of the educational program of the school, designed, among other things, to identify those whom the school is attempting to educate, what it means to be an “ educatedperson ” in the 21st century, and how learning best occurs. The goals identified in that program shall include the objective of enabling students to become self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(A) EMISSION The mission of Creative Arts Charter School is to provide K-8 grade students of San Francisco with an innovative, high-quality education through a Reggio Emilia- influenced approach that focuses on an arts-integrated, project-based curriculum, with the overall goal of giving our students a lifetime appreciation of learning and the development of their unique talents and abilities. 2. HOW LEARNING BEST OCCURS CACS bases its teaching methodology on constructivist learning theory, based on the premise that students construct their own understanding of the world by generating 161 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “rules” and “mental models,” which help make sense of experiences. Learning occurs when mental models are adjusted to accommodate new experiences. At CACS, children learn when their existing set of beliefs, theories and perceptions are challenged through conversation, hands-on activity or experience. Constructivist theory also maintains that the brain does not necessarily or auto matically categorize information according to traditional academic disciplines. (See ap pendix A for description of a constructivist classroom.) CACS understands that all learners have different strengths and weaknesses. With these principles in mind, the CACS curriculum approaches subject matter from multiple perspectives, and includes a variety of learning activities so that every student will succeed. CACS embraces learning as a dynamic experience in which children actively partici pate in the process of inquiry in collaboration with their teachers. Students explore and learn the core curriculum- language arts, math, science and social studies, through direct experience, utilizing a hands-on, experiential, project-based curriculum with an arts- integrated focus. They also study the arts as distinct disciplines; disciplines which become more formalized as students progress through the grades in the middle school years. In order to nurture optimum academic and personal growth, our teachers practice in novative and diverse teaching models that value students as unique individuals with var ied learning styles and help nurture their academic and personal growth. This value is supported by the school infrastructure of small class sizes housed in a small school envi ronment. Parents are encouraged to participate actively in the learning experience. To ensure an intimate school experience, kindergarten through 5th grade students stay with their teacher for a two year loop; in 6th grade, the class is self-contained; and 7th and 8th grades are departmentalized into a humanities core and a math/science core. The core subjects at all grade levels (science, math, social studies and language arts) are taught as interdisciplinary units with arts integrated into each subject. These units let the students connect all of the subjects as they exist in real life. Traditional textbooks do not match this interdisciplinary style of teaching; therefore, they are valued as supplemental support to the resource-based curriculum, with most references coming from primary and secondary sources, such as library books, newspapers, periodicals, fieldtrips, teacher- created materials and electronic research. The result is a progressive liberal arts education that builds critical thinking skills in children and leaves each student feeling intellectually strong with the ability to examine, test and make sense of the world. Compelling evidence supports the emphasis on an arts-integrated curriculum and the positive impact of arts education in schools. The Association for the Advancement of Arts Education (AAAE) analyzed nearly 400 recent studies, public policies and programs in dance, theater, music and the visual arts for children and youth, including the bipartisan education legislation, America 2000 and Goals 2000. Concurring with the indisputable statistical and qualitative evidence documented in this research, the AAAE highly rec ommends sustained school-based arts education programs which: • have a sequential curriculum in the arts • include school arts specialists • include community artists and arts organizations • include a clear assessment component, and 162 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • connect the arts with other subject areas in the school.8 Yet while most American elementary schools offered at least minimal designated music and visual arts instruction in the 1999-2000 academic year, only 20% of them of fered designated dance instruction, and a mere 19% offered drama/theater. Just 38% of public elementary schools sponsored visiting artists, and 22% sponsored artists-in- residence. Furthermore, of the arts specialists teaching in schools, only 58% of music specialists and 53% of visuaj, arts specialists felt that they were supported by the ad ministration at their schools. In California’s current fiscal climate, these percentages have no doubt decreased, while CACS remains committed to maintaining at least our current level of arts education. In the primary grades at CACS, teachers utilize an emergent curriculum design, em powering children to engage individually and cooperatively with material and ideas. At all levels, instructors are creative and innovative in addressing the developmental needs of students, and in matching children’s individual learning styles to challenging daily activi ties. Since its beginning years as a kindergarten and elementary school, and now as a K-8 school, CACS has borrowed deeply from two highly esteemed teaching models: The Reggio Emilia Approach, and Arts-integrated, Project-Based Learning. All of the nine grade levels employ project-based learning to help students under stand the multifaceted relationships among academic subjects, technical and life skills, and the greater world. Teachers in the lower grades—particularly kindergarten through 3rd grade classes—embrace both methodologies, while in 4th through 8th grade the focus is on an arts-integrated, project based model. THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH The Reggio Emilia approach is a child-centered, socio-education model that origi nated in the Northern Italian principality of Reggio Emilia shortly after World War II. This internationally renowned educational system embodies the social constructivist learning theories of Dewey, Piaget and Vygotsky. In this model, learning is described as a process of creation where children construct meaning in a social context, based on pre existing knowledge and cultural experience by direct testing of their ideas. It assumes and respects that children learn best through their own creative process. Teachers support the explorative inquiries and follow the investigative lead of their students, fostering a learn ing environment where each child, the instructor and the class work together to investigate a student’s theories and general inquiries. Teachers carefully document individual and group learning processes and progress, sharing the information with parents who actively participate in their children’s learning and development. g Association for the Advancement of Arts Education, 1996. “Research on Arts Ed,” Kent Seidel, Ph.D. 9 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Fast Response Survey System (FRSS), "Survey of Elementary School Music Specialists," "Survey of Elementary School Visual Arts Specialists," and "Arts Survey of Elementary School Classroom Teachers," FRSS 77, 2000. 163 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley had the opportunity to visit classes studying under the Reggio Emilia approach. Notably impressed by the younger and older children alike, he declared, “the stronger the start, the better the finish.” CACS K-3 teachers are spontaneous, flexible and practiced at integrating the ideas of Reggio Emilia into their curriculum and daily learning experiences. The kindergarten teacher reports, for example, that a student came to class one morning and announced, “I hurt my finger.” The teacher optimized the opportunity to write that sentence down on a strip of paper. Her student pointed to each word and read it back. She then cut the sen tence into single words and mixed them up. The child put his words back in order and read them again as a complete sentence. Afterwards, the teacher put the words together in an envelope which she added to other envelopes containing this student’s articulations. He and his teacher access these envelopes periodically and reassemble his thoughts and expressions. The next step is to create new sentences from the accumulated words in the various envelopes. PROJECT-BASED LEARNING Project-Based Learning integrates multiple subject areas into a topic of study. That is, a single project has an overarching theme, but students approach it from a multi disciplinary perspective. Thus, by focusing on the project as a whole, students learn com petency skills such as reading, writing & arithmetic where the emphasis is placed on these skills as tools, not as ends to the process. As they work through the project, students are also acquiring and exercising problem-solving and critical thinking skills in practical situations. The project-based learning process engages and motivates students to accom plish multi-level achievements. Students increase core competencies and improve practi cal skills, as well as complete a tangible project. For example, 6th grade students at CACS embark on a math project that involves them in creating their own households, choosing cards for income and jobs, writing cover letters and resumes, creating food and clothing budgets, looking for apartments, drawing scale models of their apartments (computing area, perimeter, etc.), and budgeting their income. This project provides opportunities to improve math, reading, writing, technol ogy and drawing skills, as well as critical thinking and personal communications skills - all through an exercise with highly practical implications. Each of the above teaching models, Reggio Emilia and project-based learning, promote self-motivation and competence through the interests of students, enhancing their propensity to become lifelong learners. These approaches are particularly appropriate for the multicultural and socio-economically diverse population of CACS because they respect differences and encourage many modalities of expression. 3. COMPONENTS OF THE CACS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM CREATIVE STORYPLAYS: GRADES K-2 Storyplays are a key vehicle for learning in the k-2nd grades. This Macarthur-prize- winning educational technique calls for children to create, direct and act in plays that they formulate through their own fantasies and imagination. A child first dictates a story to the Pre-K-3 Educators Learn from the Reggio Emilia Approach. Education World. August 10, 2000. Available at: http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr256.shtml 164 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. teacher, casts himself and his classmates as characters, and then directs the story as a play. The mechanical act of lettering can be strenuous for young writers, so by taking dictation, teachers provide a bridge to help students gain fluency in composing their stories. Watching their language transformed into print, children become highly aware of their choices in vocabulary. They experiment and practice with narrative structures. Then, through performing their storyplays, the children learn to write for an audience. Writing becomes a social act. Story playing supports children in their literary efforts while en couraging them to listen to one another and work together. Through storyplays, children build their own literature of images and themes, as individuals and as a class. Storyplays are particularly well-suited for children up to age 7, and are practiced routinely at CACS in kindergarten and first grade, transitioning into self-written plays in the 2nd grade. ARTS PROGRAM: ALL GRADES CACS teachers and staff provide innovative educational experiences in collaboration with students, utilizing the arts as a vehicle for investigation, problem solving and multi modal learning. While working in the arts, students are uniquely called upon to envision and set goals, determine methods to reach those goals, re-vision and re-work original ideas, work collaboratively, and develop self-discipline. CACS believes that education of the whole child should include work in dance, drama, music and visual arts. Everyday at school should involve opportunities to play, invent and discover. As part of a universal, cross-cultural language, the arts represent innate aspects of our common humanity, providing an inherent foundation for communi cation and a bridge for understanding one another across boundaries of age, race, gender and culture. CACS has placed the arts at the center of its curriculum, and calls on them to provide fundamental purpose, definition and identity to the school. Students from kindergarten through the 5th grade participate weekly in visual arts, music, and dance / theater classes. Small class sizes (10-15 students as funding permits) assure quality learning experiences. The programs in each of these disciplines are se quenced by grade level in accordance with the State of California’s Visual and Performing Arts Teaching Standards. In grades 6th through 8th, students select a specific art form in the area they wish to emphasize as they prepare to apply to high school. Additionally, they choose an elective arts class, which they attend once a week. CAC S offers an assortment of elective classes based upon student interest, which previously has included, drumming, theater improvisa tion, current art forms (such as Japanese Animation), and “band meets rag-tag-orchestra.” Artists-in-residence work up to 30 horns per week, teaching specific arts disciplines and elective courses to CACS students. Student interns and parents also help staff these classes. The school’s Arts Coordinator collaborates with the artists to organize shows and performances, and also to work closely with the classroom teachers to integrate the arts into the regular curriculum. Music, for example, can inspire appreciation of mathematics and physics; likewise, students learn geometry through visual and graphic arts. Thus, students become well versed in a broad range of art media and techniques as they enhance their core competency skills. They also become knowledgeable of the impact and impor tance of the arts socially, historically and multi-culturally. The CACS arts staff are active and accomplished artists in their respective fields. 165 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Each year, CACS organizes a school-wide performance-art show which features all of the arts classes during two evenings of song, music, dance, theater and visual arts. Additionally, the school stages several smaller performances and art shows throughout the year. COMMUNITY SERVICE: GRADES 6 - 8 Every middle school student (6th, 7th and 8th grades) is required to participate in the community service program. CACS embraces volunteerism as a cornerstone of its own existence and as a means to inspire core values among its students. The school integrated the community service program as a requirement for its upper level classes, and views it as an opportunity for students to redefine the community’s perception of youth, from a “cause of delinquency” to a “source of solutions.” The community service Program at CACS is an invaluable tool for helping older stu dents to enhance their personal, academic and social development. They increase their civic responsibility, build adult relationships and become better prepared for college or careers, all while fulfilling unmet needs in their community. Community Service projects range from assisting seniors, to cleaning up local parks, to peer and cross-grade tutoring and mentoring within the school. Classroom assignments accompany volunteer projects. Teachers, therefore, can help students analyze, evaluate and synthesize core subject matter through practical problem-solving in “real-life” situations. Students are responsible for maintaining journals that reflect upon the community service project. Journal writing provides students with an opportunity to reflect and think critically about their volunteer work. They are encouraged to be honest, descriptive and meditative about the sights, sounds, smells, concerns, doubts, achievements and insights they experience during the process. While grammar and spelling are important for the final draft, students are encouraged to record their thoughts, feelings and impressions in a free-flow manner, editing later on. Ultimately, the idea is for students to reflect on their reactions to the decisions, successes, failures, and challenges that arose during their service, and to create a colorful verbal picture of each experience. MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVISORY: GRADES 7 AND 8 Middle school advisory focuses on issues most pressing to adolescents. Middle school teachers and other certificated staff are assigned advisory groups of 8-12 students. Advisors deal with adolescent-related issues along with communicating with parents and handle minor discipline issues. Each student is assigned an advisor with whom they meet within small groups once a week. The purpose of the advisory program is three fold. First, students focus on life skills such as conflict resolution and listening skills. Second, students devote time and study to self-esteem related issues along with goal setting and peer pressure. Finally, each advisory group completes the community service projects. 4. WHOM THE SCHOOL IS ATTEMPTING TO EDUCATE. The students and families that make up CACS are as diverse as the populace of San Francisco. CACS will continue to draw and educate 4-14 year-old students of all ethnicities, family lifestyles, socioeconomics, learning styles and abilities. Many students who come to CACS have been unable to succeed in other schools where the pedagogy is more conventional and less varied. Over the three years prior to this petition, as many as 25% of CACS students were considered at-risk for failing or dropping out, and 26 children (14% of the students) had diagnosed learning differ ences, and studied through Individualized Education Plans (IEP). Additionally, 166 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. many students had identifiable learning or behavioral disorders. CACS utilizes Student Success Teams to ensure that interventions are effective in addressing each student’s individualized needs and goals. CACS and San Francisco Unified School District are committed to working together to ensure the deliverance of a free and appropriate education to all students including those with exceptional needs. CACS will work with SFUSD to develop plans and pro cedures to cooperatively meet the needs of special education students enrolled at CACS and to provide all appropriate special education services, required by the state and federal laws. CACS staff is also committed to working with students that are designated as Limited English Proficient, and will convene Student Success Teams as necessary to de velop and deliver an appropriate educational program that meets the individual needs of such students. 5. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN “EDUCATED PERSON” IN THE 21ST CENTURY. Exposing children to the arts helps them become more successful students, better con nected to their communities, more confident in their personal development and better prepared for their careers. Ernest Boyer, former U.S. Commissioner of Education, sum marized his recommendations at the National Endowment for the Arts Conference in 1994: “ Here, then, is my conclusion. First, we need the arts to express feelings words cannot convey. Second, we need the arts to expand the child’ s way of knowing and to bring creativity to the Nation’ s classrooms. Third, we need the arts to help stu dents integrate their learning and discover the connectedness of things. Fourth, we need the arts in education to help children who are emotionally and physically restricted. ” By integrating arts into schools, educators provide their students with indispensable and invaluable opportunities to learn with identifiable program goals that shall include the objective of enabling students to become self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners. The arts are necessary at all grade levels. Dance, music, theater and visual arts are fun. They help keep children engaged in learning, and allow educators to reach students who are at-risk, as well as those with special learning needs who do not respond to standard teaching methodologies. The arts help develop the many types of intelligences that all people possess, but that traditional academic study does not reach. Gardner (1993) proposes seven primary forms of intelligence: linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, intrapersonal (e.g., insight) and interpersonal (e.g., social skills) An arts-based curriculum coupled with staff specialists in a community context is the ideal way to help students identify their strengths and capitalize on them. Likewise, by "U.S. Department o f Education, “Transforming Ideas for Teaching and Learning the Arts,” 1997. I2 Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. NY: Basic Books. 167 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. connecting the arts with core subjects such as math, reading, and science, students learn about, comprehend and value academic disciplines as well. The arts require creativity, self-discipline, imagination, critical thinking and confidence. They help students build good problem solving and other cognitive development habits that stay with them throughout their educational and professional careers. And the arts remove boundaries, allowing students to experience and understand an increasingly complex world and all aspects of life around them in safe and creative ways. B. MEASURABLE PUPIL OUTCOMES The measurable pupil outcomes identified for use by the charter school. “ Pupil out comes, ’’for purposes of this part, means the extent to which all pupils of the school dem onstrate that they have attained the skills, knowledge, and attitudes specified as goals in the school’ s educational program. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(B) By connecting the arts with core subjects students discover and further develop their creativity, self-discipline, imagination, critical thinking skills and confidence. Through this approach, we expect children to improve measurably in four key areas: • in their approaches to new tasks; • in their interactions with others, both children and adults; • in their ability to form and to test theories; • and in their approach to tackling new and evolving academic challenges. Our program is designed to support children becoming literate and numerate, meeting the content and performance standards set by the California Department of Edu cation including the California State Standards for Visual and Performing Arts and character education for a successful transition into ninth grade. 1. KEY ACADEMIC SKILLS < = > Developmentally appropriate or age appropriate mastery of core academic skills, including: • Language Arts: Students are literate and articulate and can demonstrate reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Students can communicate clearly to others both orally and in writing using a variety of means of expres sions. Students can comprehend and interpret a variety of forms of written ex pression. • Mathematics: Students can reason logically and understand and apply mathe matical concepts, processes and techniques. • History / Social Studies: Students have knowledge and understanding of a vari ety of cultures around the world, including their history and geography. • Science: Students understand general principles of scientific methods and in quiry and can apply these to life science, physical science and Earth science. 168 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. i= > Students have the ability to think critically, analytically, logically, and creatively. < = > Students can demonstrate the ability to gather, organize and communicate information, using various tools, including technology. = > Students can recognize their unique learning styles and reflect on and evaluate their own progress. 2. ART/MUSIC/MOVEMENT SKILLS ! = > Students demonstrate the ability to plan, initiate and complete their projects. Stu dents produce quality products reflective of the process of creativity. Students demonstrate a capacity for artistic expression through a variety of media, which may include music, visual arts, theater, dance, and other arts forms. 3. SOCIAL SKILLS < = > Students understand and respect the interdependent relationship of human beings, other living creatures, and the earth, and will reflect this in their decisions and ac tions. ! = > Students demonstrate a capacity for artistic expression through a variety of media, which may include music, visual arts, theater, dance, and other arts forms. < = > Students demonstrate the ability to problem solve with their peers, and to resolve disputes using non-violent conflict resolution. = > Students demonstrate their ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively, using interactive communication and showing compassion and consideration for individual differences. => Students demonstrate the personal habits and attitudes of responsibility, confi dence, motivation, perseverance and flexibility. Student performance will be evident by successful completion of the year’s portfolio, evaluation of scores from standardized tests, and documentation of progress using addi tional assessment tools. CACS expects that its eighth grade students will demonstrate readiness to graduate and move into a high school program by the end of the academic year. By completion of eighth grade, students will meet all statewide standards and conduct the pupil assessments pursuant to Section 60605 and any other statewide stan dards authorized in the statute or pupil assessments applicable to pupils in non-charter public schools. C. METHODS TO ASSESS PUPIL PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING OUTCOMES The method by which pupil progress in meeting those pupil outcomes is to be measured. — Education code section 47605(b)(5)(C) 169 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. While the majority of schools in San Francisco design their curriculum with a spe cific emphasis on raising standardized test scores, CACS has made a conscious decision to focus on the whole child. This is not to say that performance on standardized tests is not important; however, a hands-on, arts integrated, project-based approach to learning cannot be measured on a fill-in-the-bubble, multiple choice test. Creative Arts recognizes that these differences in the educational program and curriculum sequence may be re flected in variations in scores in specific areas of the state standardized tests in the early years of the program. As students progress through the grades, these variations will di minish. Creative Arts expects no significant variation once students have passed through the primary grades. For students that are Limited English Proficient or with Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and/or special needs, performance standards and assessments will be adapted as appropriate in accordance with their IEP or other plans that may be in place such as a 504 plan. To track student progress, teachers at CACS maintain individual student portfolios, which they use in conjunction with a performance assessment tool called the Work Sam pling System (WSS). The purpose is to document and address children’s skills, knowl edge, behavior and progress across a wide variety of curriculum areas on an ongoing basis. The seven curriculum areas measured with the WSS include Personal and Social Development, Language and Literacy, Mathematical Thinking, Scientific Thinking, Social Studies, The Arts, Physical Development and Health. These areas of assessment are based on state and national standards which guide CACS instructors in their curricu lum design. At the middle school level, students are assigned letter grades and effort designations in core subjects. Developmental checklists along with narratives are used to assess student achievement in the art disciplines. Parents have the option to request that letter grades not be assigned to their child. Student portfolios are also kept as documenta tion of student progress and growth in the seven areas listed above. Portfolios are re viewed with parents during conferences. Twice yearly, at the spring and fall parent/teacher conferences, teachers provide parents with detailed progress reports. Parents are also encouraged to schedule informal meetings throughout the school year with their child’s instructors to discuss progress, issues and challenges. These meetings serve to help teachers and parents become an edu cational development team for students, and are especially important for parents who have limited time to volunteer in the classroom. Additionally, CACS participates in the STAR tests program, a mandatory standard ized test for all California elementary and middle schools. Students at CACS typically take this test in the spring, and their results are sent home in mid-summer. METHODS TO ASSESS PUPIL PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING OUTCOMES Proficiency in Language Arts Work Sampling System (K-5) Grading system based on rubrics (6-8) State required testing Portfolios development and presentation Parent / Teacher conferences Proficiency in Mathematics Work Sampling System (K-5) Grading system based on rubrics (6-8) 170 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. State required testing Portfolios development and presentation Parent / Teacher conferences Presentation of research report / science fair project (6-8) Work Sampling System (K-5) Grading system based on rubrics (6-8) State required testing Portfolios development and presentation Parent / Teacher conferences Work Sampling System (K-5) Grading system based on rubrics (6-8) State required testing Presentation of projects Portfolios development and presentation Parent / Teacher conferences Art/ Music/Movement Developmental checklists Narratives to assess student achievement Presentation of work Portfolios development and presentation Parent / Teacher conferences Social Skills Work Sampling System (K-5) Completion of Advisory Program (7-8) Parent / Teacher conferences D. SCHOOL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE The governance structure of the school, including, but not limited to, the process to be followed by the school to ensure parent involvement. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(D) CACS has maintained 501 © (3) status as a California Non- Profit Organization since 1994. The parents and staff follow written Bylaws to assure the smooth implementation of the Charter. There are clear provisions in the Bylaws for making necessary changes in the organization. The Bylaws include a description of the relationship between staff, govern ing body and committees, and how each group is selected. The staff, parents, artists and other community leaders will govern the school with a directly elected Board of Directors. Board decisions will be made by consensus when possible, and by vote when consensus cannot be reached. In electing Board members, each family with a child currently enrolled in the school shall have one vote per child enrolled, as will each member of the teaching staff. There must never be enough com munity members and staff, separately or conjointly, to outvote the parents. That is, the parents, taken as a caucus, can veto any item. We believe that this sharing of power will ensure parental involvement. The Board of Directors is responsible for formal policy making, and the Director of the school is responsible for making decisions and imple- 171 Proficiency in Science Proficiency in History/Social Studies Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. menting programs consistent with school policy. However, the Board does not operate in a vacuum. Committees provide the information necessary for decision-making at the school. Parents working on committees are essential at every level of governance and planning, including hiring, budget, safety, public relations, community networking, etc. The following section describes committees and their activities in more detail. The Director and the Staff Representative regularly report to the Board and ensure staff members’ ideas and concerns are discussed at each Board meeting. Weekly staff meetings allow a place and time for all staff members to be involved in decision-making. Creative Arts Charter School Creative Arts Charter School A California nonprofit corporation Chart of Where to Direct Questions Board of Directors Oversees school governance - Responsible for school development I outreach Oeveiops community relations -Sets and oversees fundraising goals Develops school community relations - Approves all new hires Approves school operating budget - Resolves community disputes School Director Areas of Responsibility: school / daily operations school budget lead and supervise a il employees com m unity relations school discipline com m unity disputes / heads grievance process professional development student safety after school _______ education issues Teachers Artists Areas of Responsibility: im plem enting cu rriculum health and safety of children school / playground supervision record keeping com m unicating w I fam ilies s student perform ance student behavior Arts Coordinator Areas of Responsibility: head of arts d ep artm en t facilitates collab oration b etw een a rtists and classroom teachers oversees school p rod u ction s I e xh ib its teaches visu al a rts k -S fu n ction s as in-house a rts con su ltan t m ain tain s student a r t p o rtfo lio s chool Community participates in parent organization supports student learning participates in h irin g committees volunteers a m inim um of 6 fam ily hours a m onth upports teachers and adm inistratior ilecte Board of D irer ‘ ^ Director of Enrollment / Attendance Bookkeeper Areas of Responsibility: adm issions I en rollm en t attendance proced ures book keep ing / fin an ce ____________ o ffice su p p ort_____________ Office Manager Areas of Responsibility: oversees office duties coordinates office volunteers student records admissions school lunch program ordering supplies adm inistrative support attendance procedures reception After School Director Areas of Responsibility: entire after school program developing after school schedule setting up clubs supervising children collecting after school fees supervising assistant director health and safety of children locking up building 1. FAMILY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM Family participation is one of the founding principles of the CACS, as family in volvement in educational development increases a child’s personal growth and academic achievement. It is important that parents take an active role in their children’s education, both at school and at home. At school, parents assist with reading, storyplays and tutoring in the classrooms, particularly for the lower grades. CACS homework assignments for all grade levels often call for family input. Family participation is also crucial to the daily operations of CACS, with parents volunteering their time and talents to classroom activities, after-school programs, fund raising events and the governance of the school. The Board of Directors is mandated to be at least 51% parents. CACS views families and the community as highly valuable cur riculum resources. Families enrich the nature and quality of learning with their varied cultural heritages and languages, beliefs and values, and family life differences. The cul turally rich and diverse CACS community provides a warm climate for learning, commu nication and cooperation among its students. All families of CACS students are required to contribute several volunteer hours each month and attend school celebrations and social events. Students, therefore, have regular and consistent opportunities to explore cultures 172 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. different from their own. Just as important, parents who dedicate time and effort to this community program set a standard of volunteerism and self-initiative for their observant and impressionable children. Family volunteer hours are flexible and reflect individual talents, skills, interests and time availability. The Board and staff hold regular orientation meetings to assist families in selecting volunteer activities that best suit their needs and talents. CACS further builds family involvement into its structure through community meet ings. The staff and Board hold monthly meetings regarding school matters, community issues, the school’s governance process, etc. All parents are encouraged to attend, with occasional meetings being mandatory. Times and dates are posted in the school’s news letter. E. EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS The qualification to be met by individuals to be employed by the school. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(E) Teachers teaching core academic classes at CACS shall meet California Commission on Teacher Credential Requirements, consistent with the language and intent of Education Code Section 47651. For the purpose of this section, core academic classes shall be mathematics, language arts, science, and history/social studies. CACS shall also employs artists and other non-core teaching staff who have an ap propriate mix of subject matter expertise, professional experience, and the demonstrated ability to work successfully with students. Administrative and operational staff must posses a combination of applicable educa tion, professional experience, and knowledge of the tasks that will be required of them. CACS will provide opportunities for professional development to ensure the administra tion remains abreast of changes in the law or operational requirements. San Francisco Unified School District shall not require any employee of the school district to be employed by CACS; however, fully qualified special education teachers and paraprofessionals may be placed at CACS to address the needs of students with IEPs. F. HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES The procedures the school will follow to ensure the health and safety ofpupils and staff These procedures shall include the requirement that each employee of the school furnish the school with a criminal record summary as described in Section 4423 7 . — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(F) Each employee will observe health and safety requirements as established for Chil dren’s Centers School Age Programs. In particular, each employee will meet the require ments and procedures of Education Code 44237, including the requirement that as a condition of employment each new employee must submit to a criminal background check. CACS will adopt and implement a set of health, safety, and risk management poli cies. These policies will be developed in consultation with the school’s insurance carriers and at a minimum will address the following topics: 173 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. < = > Provide records documenting immunizations to the extent required for enrollment in non-charter public schools. < = > Response to natural disasters and emergencies, including fires and earthquakes. Provide necessary First Aid and CPR. = > Policies relating to the administration of prescription drugs and other medicines. < = > Require that each employee of the school submit to a criminal background check and furnish a criminal record summary as required by Education Code Section 44237. G. THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE A RACIAL AND ETHNIC BALANCE REFLECTIVE OF THE DISTRICT The means by which the school will achieve a racial and ethnic balance among its pupils that is reflective of the general population residing within the territorial jurisdiction of the school district to which the charter petition is submitted. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(G) The school will look to its outreach committee and the District to help inform parents of its availability and to develop and implement an appropriate student recruitment strategy to ensure an ethnic and racial balance among students that is reflective of the District. ^ The outreach committee will actively recruit participants to enrich the school’s racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity. The outreach committee will distribute informational materials to a broad variety of community groups that serve the various racial, ethnic, and interest groups rep resented in the District. < = > The outreach committee will provide (as necessary) promotional and instructional materials in languages other than English to appeal to limited English proficient populations. H. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS Admission requirements. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(H) Admission will be for children whose ages meet the current education code require ments. Selection shall be by public random drawing when the demand exceeds the space available, and shall incorporate steps as is necessary to honor the diversity commitment spelled out above and to keep the gender balance at 50% + or -10%. CACS will actively recruit a diverse student population from San Francisco who support the school’s mission and are committed to the school’s instructional and opera tional philosophy. Before children enter the school their parents must be invited to learn the nature of this school—and a copy of the charter must be made available for parents to 174 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. read. An application signed by the parent/guardian is necessary to process the student through the school’s admissions procedures and must be submitted. No other admission requirements will be made upon families. Waiting lists will be kept for each academic year, open to public inspection. Admission to CACS shall not be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil, or of his or her parent or guardian, within this state, except that it shall adopt and maintain a policy giving admission preference to pupils who reside within the City and County of San Francisco. In addition, when the number of applicants exceeds ca pacity, the school shall reserve the right to grant priority in admissions to siblings of current students and children of staff. Priority in admission will be granted according to the following order: 1. Children of staff 2. Siblings of current students 3. Residents of San Francisco. CACS is non-sectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, does not charge tuition, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender or disability. 1. ATTENDANCE CACS operates a classroom-based instructional program, requiring students to attend school everyday. CACS shall work with SFUSD’s Attendance Office to establish at tendance procures that ensures accurate student attendance counting and reporting. CACS shall maintain auditable attendance records that shall be open to inspection by SFUSD’s Attendance Office upon written request. CACS shall meet all applicable requirements of Education Code Section 47612.5, in cluding the requirement to meet, at a minimum, the same number of instructional minutes as set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 46201 for the appropriate grade levels. I. FINANCIAL AUDITS The manner in which annual, independent, financial audits shall be conducted, which shall employ generally accepted accounting principles, and the manner in which audit exceptions and deficiencies shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the chartering author ity. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(I) CACS’s Board of Directors will form an audit committee each fiscal year to oversee selection of an independent auditor and the completion of an annual audit of the school’s financial affairs. The audit will verify the accuracy of the school’s financial statements, attendance and enrollment, accounting practices, and review the school’s internal controls. The audit will be conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the school. To the extent required under applicable federal law, the audit scope will be expanded to include items and processes specified in any applicable Office of Management and 175 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Budget Circulars. It is anticipated that the annual audit will be completed by December 15 each fiscal year and that a copy of the auditor’s findings will be forwarded to the Chief Financial Officer of SFUSD, the State Controller, and the California Department of Edu cation. The school’s audit committee will review any audit exceptions or deficiencies and report to the school’s Board of Directors with recommendations on how to resolve them. The Board will report to the charter-granting agency regarding how the exceptions and deficiencies have been or will be resolved. Any disputes regarding the resolution of audit exceptions and deficiencies will be referred to the dispute resolution process contained in Element N. J. PUPIL SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION The procedures by which a student can be suspended or expelled. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(J) CACS recognizes that many daily decisions required of those who work with children and young adults are of a moral and ethical nature. The CACS Ethical Code of Conduct offers guidelines for responsible behavior and sets forth common basis for re solving the principal ethical dilemmas encountered at school. The primary focus is on daily practice with students and their families and setting and maintaining the moral/ ethical code of conduct appropriate for CACS. The provisions apply to the students, parents/guardians, teachers and administrative staff and ensure the Due Process obligation of the school. CACS recognizes that children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture, community and society. The goal of CACS is to help children and adults achieve their fall potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust, respect and positive regard. Students may be suspended for any of the acts enumerated in SFUSD student hand book as a suspendable offense, when that act is related to any school activity (including going to and coming from) or school attendance occurring within CACS’s jurisdiction or when attending school related events within the jurisdiction of any other school district. A student may be suspended for such acts when they are related to school activity or at tendance that occur at any time, including, but not limited to, any of the following: 1. While on school grounds 2. While going to or coming from school 3. During the lunch period 4. During, or while going to or coming from, a school sponsored activity. Incidents that may warrant student expulsion will be handled in a manner consistent with California Education Code, Section 48918, affording all required due process rights to students and their families. CACS may seek the advice and guidance of, or work in conjunction with, SFUSD Pupil Services Department in accordance with District policy for handling expulsion recommendations. Discipline involving students with Individual Educational Plans will be handled in accordance with the Individual Educational Plan and federal law. 176 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. All disciplinary actions will be documented on the CACS Breach of Student Conduct Incident Report and/or other appropriate SFUSD forms. K. RETIREMENT SYSTEM The manner by which staff members of the charter schools will be covered by the state teachers ’ retirement system, or federal social security. — Education code section 47605(b)(5)(h) Members of the teaching staff (core subjects) will be recompensed and receive fringe benefits on the same basis as the members of the bargaining unit. They will have their choice of the State Teacher’s Retirement System (STRS), or social security. Full-time art specialists will receive health insurance as if they were classroom teachers. L. NOT APPLICABLE The public school attendance alternatives for pupils residing within the school district who choose not to attend charter schools. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(L) M. DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES A description of the rights of any employee of the school district upon leaving the em ployment of the school district to work in a charter school, and of any rights of return to the school district after employment at a charter school. — Education Code Section 47605(b) (5) (M) Any SFUSD teacher who leaves the District to work at CACS will have return and seniority rights as provided in the California Education Code, Section 44931 or in the collective bargaining agreement. N. DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS, OVERSIGHT, REPORTING AND RENEWAL The procedures to be followed by the charter school and the entity granting the charter to resolve disputes relating to provisions of the charter. — Education Code Section 47605(b) (5) (N) 1. DISPUTE WITHIN THE SCHOOL The purpose of the dispute resolution process is to have school community members resolve issues in-house in an amicable and fair manner whenever possible and to avoid contacting the Board of Education and District unnecessarily. School community includes students, parents, teachers, applicant families, volunteers, advisors, community members’ partners and collaborators. The school community will review Creative Arts Dispute and Resolution Process each year. Procedures will be fair, specific and supported by the school community. In the event of a dispute: 177 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1) Make an appointment with the teacher or the person whose area of responsibility the issue involves, or the person directly involved in the issue. 2) If the meeting did not resolve the issue, make an appointment with the School Director. When appropriate, the School Director may request the teacher, staff member, or other party to take part in the meeting. 3) If after a reasonable amount of time, the issue has not been adequately ad dressed, you may submit in writing a statement to the Board of Directors and the School Director. The person whom the complaint is made will be given a copy of the written statement. The School Director and the president of the Board of Directors will work with all parties to resolve the issue. 4) If the issue or complaint is against the School Director, first, bring the issue to the Director’s attention. If after a reasonable amount of time the issue is not re solved, you may file a written complaint with the Board of Directors for resolu tion. 5) If the issue involves a school policy, first, bring the matter to the attention of the School Director. 6) If the Director is unable to resolve the matter, you may appeal to the Board of Directors by either submitting a written statement, or attending a board meeting. All CACS faculty, staff, administrators, parents, applicant families and Board of Di rectors will sign pledges to resolve disputes via this dispute process or its replacement. This means that individuals will avoid contacting the Board of Education and the School District regarding a conflict at CACS until all of the relevant procedures listed above have been exhausted and documented. 2. DISPUTE BETWEEN SCHOOL AND SFUSD The San Francisco Unified School District and/or Board of Education agrees to in form the Director of CACS if they are contacted regarding a conflict at CACS and to refer the involved parties to the Dispute Resolution Process before further action. If the conflict involves Creative Arts and either the San Francisco Unified School District or a member of the Board of Education, it is agreed that Creative Arts will have an opportunity to present its position before any action is taken, and that every effort to resolve the issue amicably will be given before any conditions are given or potential charter revocation actions are taken. If such meeting(s) fail to resolve the issue or dispute, the School District and CACS shall meet to jointly identify a neutral, third-party mediator. The findings of the mediation shall be non-binding. If mediation fails to resolve the dispute, both parties will agree to arbitration. Arbitration shall be final and binding upon the parties and shall be the exclusive remedy for all Arbitral Claims. If the allocation of responsibility for payment of the arbitrator’s fees would render the obligation to arbitrate unenforceable, the parties authorize the arbitrator to modify the allocation as necessary to preserve enforce ability. The decision of the arbitrator shall be in writing and shall include a statement of the essential conclusions and findings upon which the decision is based. The interpreta tion and enforcement of this agreement to arbitrate shall be governed by the California Arbitration Act. 178 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3. OVERSIGHT, REPORTING AND RENEWAL As part of the supervisory oversight provided by SFUSD, CACS recognizes the need for annual site visits and a review of the fiscal and educational programs of the school. The District shall provide CACS with reasonable notice to the school Director prior to any observation or inspection of school’s programs or records. SFUSD shall provide Creative Arts with at least three working days notice prior to the actual site visit or inspection. Activities related to supervisory oversight shall not be assigned to a third party without the mutual consent of the school’s Board of Directors. Should the findings of the District lead to a belief that it has cause to revoke this charter, the District will notify the governing Board of the school in writing of the specific cause for revocation, and grant the school reasonable time to respond to the allegations and take appropriate corrective action. Should the findings of the annual visit by SFUSD determine that the school is making satisfactory progress towards it goals, this charter, and any mutually agreeable revisions, is renewed for a term of no less than five years. O. LABOR RELATIONS A declaration whether or not the charter school shall be deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of the charter school for the purposes of the Educa tional Employment Relations Act (Chapter 10.7 {commencing with Section 3540} of Divi sion 4 of Title 4 of Title 1 of the Government code. — Education Code Section 47605(b) (5) (O) All employees of the CACS shall be employees of CACS and not employees of San Francisco Unified School District, and that CACS shall be the employer for all purposes, including collective bargaining, as provided in Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(O). P. SCHOOL CLOSURE A description of the procedures to be used if the charter school closes. The procedures shall ensure a final audit of the school to determine the disposition of all assets and li abilities of the charter school, including plans for disposing of any net assets and mainte nance and transfer of pupil records. — Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(P) Should CACS close, all remaining assets and liabilities of the organization will be disposed of by the school’s Board of Directors to another charter school, non-profit, or other appropriate entity, or returned to the state in accordance with the asset disposition provisions of the organization’s by-laws and state law. Assets allowing, administrative staff will be retained as long as necessary to ensure the transfer of assets, disposition of liabilities, transfer of student records, and closure of the facility. Student records and cumulative files will be forwarded to the schools to which the students transfer or, de pending upon circumstance, will be turned over to SFUSD. All other student and school records shall be disposed of in a way that will ensure the confidentiality of the records. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to finalize all closing arrangements. The Board Treasurer shall ensure that a financial audit of the school’s assets and liabilities is performed. 179 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A P P E N D IX A : T H E C O N S T R U C T IV IS T C LA S S R O O M Source: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (1995) In a Constructivist Classroom... • Student autonomy and initiative are accepted and encouraged. • By respecting students’ ideas and encouraging independent thinking, teachers help students attain their own intellectual identity. Students who frame questions and issues and then go about analyzing and answering them take responsibility for • their own learning and become problem solvers. • The teacher asks open-ended questions and allows wait time for responses. • Reflective thought takes time and is often built on others’ ideas and comments. • The ways teachers ask questions and the ways students respond will structure the success of student inquiry. • Higher-level thinking is encouraged. • The constructivist teacher challenges students to reach beyond the simple factual response. He encourages students to connect and summarize concepts by analyz ing, predicting, justifying, and defending their ideas. • Students are engaged in dialogue with the teacher and with each other. • Social discourse helps students change or reinforce their ideas. If they have the chance to present what they think and hear others’ ideas, students can build a per sonal knowledge base that they understand. Only when they feel comfortable enough to express their ideas will meaningful classroom dialogue occur. • Students are engaged in experiences that challenge hypotheses and encourage dis cussion. • When allowed to make predictions, students often generate varying hypotheses about natural phenomena. The constructivist teacher provides ample opportunities for students to test their hypotheses, especially through group discussion of concrete experiences. • The class uses raw data, primary sources, manipulatives, physical, and interactive materials. • The constructivist approach involves students in real-world possibilities, then helps them generate the abstractions that bind phenomena together. These suggestions are adapted from In Search of Understanding: The Case for Con structivist Classrooms by Jacqueline G. Brooks and Martin G. Brooks (Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1993) 180 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A P P E N D IX B : G R A D E SPE C IFIC C U R R IC U L U M O V E R V IE W KINDERGARTEN LANGUAGE ARTS The kindergarten year is essential to building a framework and basis for literacy skills and concepts. This is accomplished in a variety of ways and across all curricular areas. Oral communication skills, listening, letter and sound recognition as well as an understanding of the written word as a form of communication are all essential compo nents of the landergarten language arts curriculum. Students practice their oral communi cation skills through dictation, public speaking and storyplays on a regular basis. Individual assessment and goals are set for each child in the area of letter and sound recognition. Group lessons consisting of consonant and corresponding sound recognition as well as beginning letter sound occur on a daily basis. Concepts such as alphabetical order are demonstrated by using class lists other aspects of early literacy skills are intro duced in kindergarten throughout the year. Books are used throughout the curriculum as resources to be listened to and looked at, both formally and informally. This interaction with books occurs during shared reading with the whole group, one on one time with an adult, with peers, and with small groups of children. Components of books such as title, author, and illustrator are highlighted. Lev eled books and trade literature are used. As the children progress, key words related to classroom experiences are added and displayed both for individuals and the whole group. Informal alphabet games such as al phabet Bingo and Boggle are available daily, as are kinesthetic activities such as drawing letters in sand, letter molds and magnetic letters that can be freely manipulated. Hand writing is taught through the Handwriting Without Tears program and children are given the opportunity to write daily through the use of individual mailboxes, journals and a well-stocked writing center. MATHEMATICS In kindergarten, learning mathematics takes place in both formal and informal set tings. Real life experiences and integrated themes are used whenever possible to moti vate the children and create excitement about new concepts. Concrete math materials are used such as teddy bear counters, Unifix cubes and unit blocks in ways so that the stu dents can “discover” ideas, concepts and mathematical properties. For instance, while baking bread, math concepts such as measurements and com parative quantities are taught. During art exploration, concepts such as naming and com paring shapes are introduced and reinforced. Skills fostered in the kindergarten math curriculum are: sorting by single and then multiple attributes, creating subgroups, serra tion and observing and creating patterns. In addition to one-on-one instruction with the teacher, students participate in whole group math lessons during which the teacher introduces identified math concepts such as comparison, identification of numbers and corresponding amounts and values. 181 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. S O C IA L STUDIES Through daily social interactions, the children begin to form concepts of self, family and community. They begin to recognize self and others as having shared as well as dif ferent characteristics. Through a thematic based curriculum and frequent related field trips, the students are able to identify similarities and differences in habits, patterns of living and culture. By taking care of their physical environment as well as making joint class decisions, the students are introduced to the concepts of rights and responsibilities. Through discus sion and curriculum themes, the children begin to understand the reasons for rules and for leadership. Additional social studies concepts introduced in kindergarten include how people affect the environment, beginning geography, basics of habitats, and recycling. SCIENCE In kindergarten, the science curriculum focuses on the students developing observa tion skills and engaging directly with the natural world. Science concepts introduced in Kindergarten include identifying the differences between living and non-living things and respecting nature and the environment. Formal units of study, such as magnets, micro scopes, ladybugs, and animal skulls, are introduced throughout the year. Whenever possi ble, science curriculum is integrated with other curriculum areas. For instance, cooking is often incorporated into the science of how things change, and art is used extensively as the children observe and record the natural world. A variety of non-fiction and fiction books are also used to support the kindergarten science curriculum. FIRST GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS The 1st grade literacy curriculum builds upon the language-rich environment intro duced in Kindergarten. Spoken and written language, with an emphasis on communica tion, sets the stage for emergent skills development. The process of public speaking, storyplays, writer’s workshop journals and shared reading that began in kindergarten con tinues. These skills are built upon through direct, whole group instruction for handwrit ing, consonant and consonant blend sounds as well as initial digraphs. In addition to whole group reading lessons, the students work in small, leveled reading groups. The students are expected to decode words with 2-3 phonemes, learn simple punctuation and begin to write sight words as well as use inventive spelling to reinforce phonics. In addition to these expectations, there is a level of “the teachable moment” that occurs on a regular basis as children make natural connections to their world and the print around them. For instance, while the teaching of the “silent E” may not be on the 1st grade agenda, when a few students notice that it changes the sound of a word, the teacher will teach the whole class about the phonics rule. Assessment of language arts progress is made through direct observation and interaction, along with one-on-one meetings with the teacher. Materials used for the teaching of language arts in 1st grade are the leveled reading programs of Wright Group and Rigby as well as a varied children’s trade litera ture related to thematic explorations and a well stocked classroom library. Thematic units tie language arts to the other subjects. During a social studies unit about geography and mapping, the children read literature that includes maps. They gain sight word familiarity with the signs and labels that appear in maps. Children then make their own maps, labeling and writing various features. 182 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. MATHEMATICS In 1st grade, students continue sequenced exploration of prior concepts and are intro duced to new math concepts through development of the thematic curriculum as well as in directed whole group math instruction. The focus continues to be recognizing numerals up to 100 and making computations up to 20. Children begin to recognize place value in terms of ones and tens. Other math concepts taught in 1st grade are standard and nonstan dard measurements, comparisons, patterns and estimation. Through everyday experiences, the children are exposed to and have practice with mathematical concepts. These activities include the weather chart, calendar, counting 100 days of school, dice games, graphing and voting to make decisions. Math instruction occurs daily in a whole group setting as well as individually and in formally throughout the school year. For instance, during a board game, the teacher might ask a student how many more spaces he needs to win, while during a whole group math lesson, focus on addition with teddy bear counters. In 1st grade, the math center consists of board games and concrete math manipula- tives such as Unifix cubes, 1 inch wooden cubes, teddy bear counters, measuring links, pattern blocks, and geoblocks. While the emphasis is on the use of concrete materials, children are asked to think abstractly about math concepts as well. Whenever possible, math is integrated into thematic units. For instance, in a unit about mapping, the children count and classify the objects in the classroom, measure the items in the classroom and explore concepts of scale based upon their exploration of the room. They use spatial relation skills and abstract thinking to draw maps of the classroom. SOCIAL STUDIES In 1st grade, the students build on concepts of community explored in kindergarten, such as interdependence, group responsibilities and individual responsibilities. Through an integrated curriculum, students study maps and begin to discover their place in the world. This concept is expanded to explorations of the way people throughout the world live and interact with their environment and each other. Using a comprehensive and open-ended geography curriculum, children begin to recognize how a place can determine culture and how culture can affect place. Concepts of cultural difference and acceptance of those differences are highlighted for each child in the classroom and families are invited to come in and share their personal traditions. Literature that ties into social studies thematically is utilized whenever possible. For example, during the geography unit, the teacher would read “My Father’s Dragon and “Flat Stanley,” both of which prominently feature maps and locations. SCIENCE In 1st grade, the science curriculum continues to focus on the physical world with a greater emphasis on prediction and abstract concepts. Students study the physical world and learn about life cycles by making models of animals in their natural habitats. Students also study maps. Students observe the weather and learn to read weather maps. They learn how weather affects various regions of the world and how to read 183 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. measures of precipitation, temperature and wind. The students also study the properties of magnets and compasses and other items through the process of hands-on exploration. Through the process of exploration and study, students begin to make connections between their understandings of the states of matter to the world around them. For instance, the ocean is liquid and the land is solid. SECOND GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS As in all the primary grades, the 2nd grade language arts curriculum utilizes a bal anced approach to literacy, incorporating both phonics and whole language. Children learn how sounds are made in their mouths and continue to explore sound/symbol identification. Once the sounds and labels are learned, they are manipulated as pictures, blocks or individual letters to form words and phonemes. The program also introduces syllabication and spelling. Whole language approaches include journal writing, experience stories, chants, rhymes and songs. As in all curricular areas, skills are taught through integrating subject matter. While learning about the solar system, the students practice their literacy skills by reading books about “space,” writing and recording science experiments, reading leveled books about the topic, and writing creative fiction. Individualized reading practice and assessment is done through one-on-one instruc tion and in small groups, using skill-appropriate literature and targeted reading materials. MATHEMATICS The 2nd grade math curriculum builds on the concepts introduced in kindergarten and 1st grade. An emphasis on abstract thinking relies on the continued support of hands- on manipulatives and daily experiences. The math focus in 2nd grade includes introduction and reinforcement of the concepts of numeration and counting including the facts of, “10”, place value, parts of the whole and patterns. Mathematical operations include practicing facts and practical applications. Students also study nonstandard units of measure, linear measurement, weight, and time. Graphing is another content area in the math curriculum, which involves gathering and organizing data in bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts. The charts, graphs and number line that make up the daily calendar exercises provide opportunities to learn mathematical terms, compare quantities, count by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s, build equations, and record the passage of time. Whenever possible, math is organized into integrated curricular themes. For instance, in a unit about the Solar System, discussions about the vast distances in space generated math lessons about place value. To develop a concept of one million, the children manipulated Dienes blocks to the millionth place. 184 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. S O C IA L STUDIES Second graders, comfortable with the concepts of community and interdependence that the kindergarten and 1st grades emphasized, are exposed to beginning concepts of personal and cultural history. The students embark upon a cultural heritage project, researching family histories, identifying ancestors’ countries of origin, and creating oral presentations based on their findings. They answer questions such as: Where did our families come from and how did they get to San Francisco? Using personal experiences as a starting point, the students explore concepts of families and the movement of people around the world, including immigration and migration to San Francisco, answering the questions: Who was here first? Who came here after? And, why did they come here? As part of their study of cultural heritage, throughout the school year students are exposed to the multi-cultural music and art of San Francisco and their classmate’s family’s heritages. SCIENCE In 2nd grade, science continues to be taught through hands-on, participatory activi ties and the observing and recording of our physical world. Using GEMS Guides, Lawrence Hall of Science and other sources, the students study the basic structure of the Earth, Water Cycle/Plant Cycle, and the Solar System. The 2nd grade students perform a variety of explorations to leam about the physical world and physical sciences. Through hands on experiments the students engage in scientific meth ods of inquiry including forming hypothesis, making predictions, observing and recording phenomena and related past experiments to new questions. For instance, while studying the solar system the children studied jet propulsion. Using film canisters, Alka Seltzer and water, the children followed a procedure, make predictions about what will happen, observed and recorded the event, and finally make general conclusions about how jet propulsion works. Life Sciences are related to other thematic exploration as well as to other areas of science inquiry. The students observe plant/animal growth, changes over time, recording data, and leam to draw inferences. THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS In 3rd grade, students continue to expand their literacy skills through individual, small and whole group instruction. Using leveled readers as well as trade books, the students engage in literacy circles and guided reading. Language arts are consistently tied to integrated themes. While studying Native Americans, the students practice comprehension skills by reading and writing Native American stories and histories. They are taught research skills through the study of Native American names and their meanings. The students choose their own Native American names and write about the name and why they choose it for themselves. 185 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. An Introduction to the Native American values system is taught through symbols. The tomahawk symbolizes perseverance in mending things and also letting go of things which cannot be fixed. The children increase their ability to utilize symbolism, critical thinking, and research skills during discussions and debates. MATH Third grade math emphasizes an integrated curriculum, while maintaining emphasis on the development of skills necessary to meet 3rd grade state standards. Modifications and extensions are created to serve each child’s pace, style, interests and academic needs. Through the integration of different subjects into the math curriculum, students see the connection between math and its applications to the world. The study of Native Americans, a major focus of social studies, illustrates the connectedness of math to the other subjects. Problem solving is introduced and practiced through Native American math stories. The rounding off of numbers and the concepts and symbols of “more than” and “less than” are also studied through a unit on Native American populations, while moon calendars and tide logs are used to leam about patterns, time, and duration. Tying literature to mathematics, study of fantasy worlds includes lessons on money by designing and selling fantasy body parts i.e.: antlers 25 cents, wings 10 cents, fangs 5 cents, unicom homs $1.99. Creating favorite fantasy ice cream flavors, then conducting surveys, the class leams the skills required for data analysis and graphing; measuring, counting, and area computations are skills used to design fantasy castles. SOCIAL STUDIES Social Studies curriculum in the third grade focuses on the study of Native Ameri cans and Immigrants. The study of Native Americans is integrated into all of the academic subjects and arts as demonstrated in the descriptions of the other core subjects. This includes a project approach to the study of structures. The students leam about the design and purpose of various structures and design and build their own Native American homes such as a tipi, wigwam, igloo, wickiup, etc. The study of homes is extended to include concepts of global awareness and respect for varying cultures. The students leam about the use of war paint, linking Native Ameri cans with Maori and Masaii and other communities who use body paint. This type of learning across culture and geography fosters a sense of global connectedness for the students. SCIENCE The 3rd grade science curriculum includes as many opportunities to tie thematic cur riculum study to grade level expectations and standards. Physical sciences are studied through simple experiments tied to thematic explora tions exposing the children to the process of combining substances and making predic tions as well as documenting hypothesis and outcomes. For instance, during the study of Native Americans, the children make Calendula, a healing balm, by combining natural substances. During the study of Native Americans, the students plant herbs and study the effects of sunlight on life cycles of plants through prediction, observation and recording of results using graphs and other methods. An understanding of the stages of process, and use of substance combining and recipes to make natural dyes is another way the 3rd grade ties a thematic curriculum to science exploration and discovery. 186 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS The 4th grade language arts curriculum emphasizes making connections through reading and writing; that is, activating prior knowledge for deeper understanding as well as making connections to new text and connecting personally to written material. In the 4th grade, language arts focus on reading and writing for meaning, compre hension and analysis. Using the Reading and Writing Workshop models, students use authentic text, short text, fiction, picture books, nonfiction and the writing of their peers as models for personal writing. Students read across fiction and nonfiction genres, identify ing the strategies they use to make meaning, and writing responsively about what they have read. In small group literature circles, independent reading and whole group lessons, students read at their own level, investigate cognitive strategies and discuss their own techniques for understanding text. Direct skills instruction consists of illuminating strategies for reading expository text, including questioning techniques, visualization, inferring from text, and synthesizing. Students are taught to uncover patterns in nonfiction such as pictures, captions, title and subtitles. Listening and public speaking skills are taught in 4th grade as well. Students have opportunities to speak to large and small groups of peers on a daily basis. MATHEMATICS As children enter 4th grade, they continue to move from concrete thinking to under standing mathematics concepts more abstractly. The overall math curriculum in 4th grade supports this stage of development by continuing the use of math manipulatives, with an increasing focus on using algorithms and equations. The primary curriculum focuses on investigations in number, data and space. Throughout investigations, students construct knowledge and identify relationships and patterns in numbers. Students develop deep understanding of number concepts, reinforce basic skills, and leam conventional algorithms as well as invent their own. Materials such as The Problem Solver, and Mental Math in the Middle Grades support the curriculum, and whenever possible, math is integrated with other curricular areas. For instance, the science gardening project requires the use of measurement, sym metrical design, mapping and planning to scale. For supporting abstract thinking and the integrated projects, students articulate their thinking process in writing. SOCIAL STUDIES The 4th grade social studies curriculum focuses on geography skills. Beginning in a broad fashion, the students leam the skills necessary for reading and creating maps. They leam about scale, the use of keys, longitude and latitude. The children will construct a globe as a culminating activity. 187 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The curriculum narrows to the specific study of California and the various regions of the state. Fourth graders study California history and geography in a variety of ways. Stu dents read about history in differentiated historical fiction literature circles. In addition, students are guided through an understanding of history in expository text. They complete mini-research projects on explorers, learning to apply note-taking and research skills. Through simulations of California missions and the Gold Rush, students experience history. Students also create models of the geographic regions of California with physical maps made from clay and other materials. Students examine many versions of topo graphical and physical maps in preparation for this project. Field trips too are an important curricular resource. Students take a field trip to Strybing Arboretum where they investigate California’s Native People and their use of plants. Finally, working with the San Francisco City Parks’ Youth Stewardship Program allows students to leam about the changing landscape of the city over time. The abstract idea of history becomes more concrete for these learners. SCIENCE In 4th grade science, students study, investigate and explore the physical, Earth and life sciences. Through a partnership with City Parks and Recreation as part of the Youth Stewardship Program, students leam about native plants, bio-diversity, and the ecosystem of San Francisco and California. This is a service-learning project that involves the students developing and implementing a community action plan. Connected to this work is the Friendship Garden Project, which takes place on campus. In collaboration with other CACS classes and Enola Maxwell Middle school, the students measure, plant, and observe the science of gardening. Separate science curricula include investigations with minerals, electricity and life cycle. The students work with crystallized salt solutions and the study of crystals. The students perform the experiments and then construct a paper model of the three- dimensional shapes and hexagonal prisms. Using a curriculum developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science, students explore electricity and magnetism. Life cycles are explored trough the observation and recording of the butterfly life cycle. FIFTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS Students read and write daily using the workshop model, combining teacher-directed mini-lessons and choices with student-directed choices of genre and topic. Using the reading workshop model, students leam reading comprehension strategies and practice applying them in multiple ways. Students read across fiction and nonfiction genres, identi fying the strategies they use to make meaning, and writing responsively about what they have read. Students leam how to use text connections, style and format of different genres, questioning, inferring, summarizing, visualizing, determining importance, synthe sizing, identifying when meaning breaks down and using strategies to repair meaning. There are many reading opportunities: independent reading, shared books, read- alouds, reading in the content areas of social studies and science, reading for research purposes, etc. Reading is assessed through journals, reading lists, strategy use, discussion, conferences, running records, San Diego Quick assessments, and the Major Point Inter view for Readers. 188 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Using the writer’s workshop model, students have the opportunity to do many differ ent kinds of writing: research projects, essays, letters, stories, poems, and responses to literature. Students leam to revise and edit their work for form and content, and confer ence formally and informally with peers and the teacher. Students publish, share and cele brate their work in the class community. Writing is assessed by the teacher, the writer, and student peers, using rubrics and portfolios of diverse samples. Sentence structure, grammar, spelling patterns, punctuation, and capitalization are taught through mini-lessons that reflect emerging student needs and grade level expecta tions, throughout the writing process. These issues are also addressed explicitly as they arise in the content areas. Students have weekly individualized spelling quizzes, based on different learning strategies that guide practice. Words on the individualized quizzes are generated as they are encountered in reading and writing, as well as through use of high frequency word lists, including “spelling demons.” Reading and writing are also an important part of the science, math, and social studies curricula. For example, students write explanations of their mathematical thinking, essays about historical periods, and scientific explanations of the results of experiments. MATHEMATICS The fifth grade uses the TERC (Lawrence Hall of Science) spiraling curriculum, sup plemented to meet any gaps in California Math Content Standards. For example, since TERC does not address long division, it is supplemented with long division practice using scaffolded “math slam” worksheets. Wherever possible, math is integrated into other subjects. For example, in our GEMS Bubbleology science unit, dividing with decimals and finding the arithmetic mean are emphasized in order to complete the assigned experiment. The use of visual models and the integration of art are also coordinated with art staff. In number sense, children work into the thousands and beyond, solving problems using patterns with factors, missing factors, multiples, and prime numbers. They leam the relationship between multiplication and division, and fractions and decimals, using number charts, calculators, cluster problems, and group work. While group work is em phasized, assessment is also done on an individual basis and students are accountable for their own work. In measurement and geometry students work with “power polygon” shapes, coordi nate grids, and “turtle turner” degree angle finders to identify, measure, and compare regular and irregular polygons, angles and supplementary angles, lines and turns. Games are used to push children to use what they do know about geometric shapes to discover what they do not yet know, building constructively on their developing and prior knowl edge. In all areas of the math curriculum, students are expected to leam and practice how to articulate orally and in writing how they came to their conclusions. Students are asked to “prove it” in partners, groups, and in written assessments. What steps did they take? Did they use a known pattern or estimation based on past experience? What evidence can they provide for their conclusions? How did they check their answers? Can they use more than one way to get an answer, including but not exclusive to standard algorithms? 189 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. S O C IA L STUDIES Social studies and history are taught through research projects, simulations, reading assignments and read-alouds, and an interactive curriculum. For example, students use simulations to research colonial America, and develop travel agency projects to lure new colonists to a particular colonial region based on what they have learned about geography, commerce, weather, religious and political trends, and Native American populations of the time. Students leam about the experience of slavery through shared literature, music, and narratives of enslaved peoples. Students build a village based on Northwest Coast native people, conduct trade with European settlers and engage in treaty making. They use maps, timelines, fictional and informational books in the classroom and in the library, cultural artifacts, encyclopedias, atlases, online sources, music and art of dif ferent cultures and periods, and many other tools to discover history and culture. SCIENCE Science is taught using inquiry-based materials. For example, the scientific method of inquiry, fair tests and experimentation with variables are taught in an extended unit using bubbles, aerodynamics, and the color spectmm. The solar system is taught using different historical models of the universe, and tested through observation and the creation of new student models. The systems in the human body are taught using models, books, computer programs and resources. While learning about discoveries in the scientific community, students are given op portunities to develop their own hypotheses and theories about how things work, and to test them over time. Students engage in the study of the history of science through research and art projects, and connections are made with the literature read in class and with ideas available in the larger community. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS Sixth grade students inhale literature as they focus on a variety of novels, short stories and poems from traditional textbooks and from more contemporary sources. Selections from textbooks and novels are read in groups during literature circles, as well as read aloud daily in class. All units consist of a variety of comprehension based tasks, group work to be completed in class, homework assignments, and a host of art-integrated assignments and project ideas for students to choose that illustrate their final understand ing of the text read. Writing, grammar, and spelling are taught during writer’s workshop where students have the opportunity to leam to write many different genres: research projects, essays, letters, stories, poems, plays and responses to literature. Using “Writers Workshop,” students are actively taught strategies to improve their writing and editing skills and to increase their knowledge of genre. All writing begins with pre-writing strategies, under goes numerous revisions, peer and teacher edits, and then is finally published. All writing work from conception to conclusion is saved so their writing progress may be easily identified. Students leam to revise and edit their work for form and content, and confer ence formally and informally with peers and the teacher. In addition, 6th grade students specific spelling words that relate to spelling rules in addition vocabulary words that relate to their current study of science, math, literature or 190 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. social studies. Words that students misspell are also collected throughout the week to contribute to their spelling lists. MATHEMATICS In 6th grade, math is structured to enable students to progress at their individual skill levels and abilities. Math areas such as fractions, decimals, percents, division, geometry, pre-algebra and algebra are taught according to the needs of the individual student, where students progress as they master each subject area. Math theory and history is tied to the students’ study of and understanding of Ancient Civilizations. Students are exposed to Egyptian math during their study of Egypt, the Pythagorean Theory during the course of their study of Greece, as well as an understand ing of Babylonian math concepts. Mathematical concepts are revisited during our “Math Simulation” unit, which de velops students’ understanding of living in the “adult world.” Through this simulation students will apply for jobs, write cover letters and resumes, search for housing according to their incomes, and draw models of their apartments to scale, purchase cars, balance checkbooks, and budget for food, clothing and other expenses. SOCIAL STUDIES Sixth grade student social studies is almost entirely project based with the focus on the Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Asia, and Mesopotamia. The last unit synthe sizes student learning by allowing students to work in small groups to create their own cultures based on an ancient civilization that they chose to focus on. Language Arts and Literature highly interact as students read literature that is rele vant to the course of study. For example students focus on themed novels during Egypt, and read myths, drama, and write plays during the study of Greece. Writing and art is woven into each academic unit of study as students culminate their learning through large interdisciplinary projects that have students writing research essays and creating videos, sculpture, paintings, and three-dimensional projects. SCIENCE Sixth grade science focuses on the process of exploration in the understanding of the human body, and culminates in a unit on microscopy. Science units are interdisciplinary; art is integrated through individual lab reports, the creation of models, creating “digestive system machines,” etc. We observe preserved human organs as we dissect animal organs procured for the students’ learning needs. Whenever possible, GEMS units from the Law rence Hall of Science are incorporated into the curriculum to encourage an enriching hands-on experience. Science-related field trips include workshops at the Lawrence Hall of Science as well as to the Exploratorium. Sixth grade science culminates in a “mini science fair” where students choose an exhibit from the Exploratorium to construct and explain. 191 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS The 7th and 8th Grade Language Arts curriculum primarily focuses on student de velopment in the following three content areas: grammatical principles, reading compre hension, and writing strategies. Students develop and refine their competencies through both project-based learning and direct instruction. The grammatical principles portion of the curriculum challenges all students to increase their knowledge and subsequent utilization of elementary and sophisticated grammatical principles through exercises focusing on word analysis, language fluency, and systematic vocabulary development. Every week, students are assigned vocabulary words to develop the basic syntax skills of spelling and defining the words while identi fying sentence context clues in preparation for a vocabulary test. Students also enhance and employ these basic skills through a guided-editing process of sample papers and during the final stage of all writing projects. Students improve reading comprehension skills through a variety of exercises that are integrated with cultural arts, social studies, and language arts activities. Students read, discuss, interpret, and analyze class novels representing different genres of literature. Through in-class guided practice, students utilize the following comprehension strategies: predicting, clarifying, questioning, summarizing, inferring and making connections to other texts. The class novels also serve as exemplary models of story structure, theme, and literary devices that are subsequently applied to the multi-faceted projects. For exam ple, the curriculum for The Cay by Theodore Taylor demonstrates this integration of con structivist learning with direct instruction. Students create posters symbolizing the theme, write journal entries from different characters’ points of view, identify and illustrate liter ary devices, compose alternative endings, and design costumes and sets for the book’s theatrical debut. Writers’ workshop combines mini-lessons with student-centered activities that rein force all stages of the writing process and Language Arts curriculum through the inte gration of vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension into each major writing project. An example of a writers’ workshop project is the intensive two-month long Oral History Project which incorporates the following writing development strategies: reading published biographies, composing questions, interviewing a mature adult, synthesizing the acquired information into a biography, and culminating the experience with a public- forum speech about their respective interviewee at a luncheon. SOCIAL STUDIES The 7th and 8th grade Social Studies curriculum primarily centers on the geographic, social, cultural, and technological changes that currently affect societies throughout history and today. The 7th grade curriculum centers on major historical events occurring in Europe, Asia, and Africa from 500 C.E. to 1780 C.E. and the 8th grade curriculum focuses on United States History from Pre-Colonial settlement through the end of World War II in 1945. The curriculum utilizes students’ increasing understandings of chronological and spatial thinking, evidence, perspective, causes-and-effect reasoning, and historical inter pretation in order to develop an in-depth awareness of the complex mechanisms that cre ated the social, political, and economic landscapes throughout history. Students are encouraged to notice and become astutely aware of which individuals’ voices are heard 192 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. and identify unheard individuals and their socioeconomic status. To enrich student under standing in history, the curriculum units utilize the following materials and techniques: primary and secondary texts, core novels, simulations, period art pieces, and mock trials. A representative unit of this multi-faceted Social Studies curriculum is an 8th grade unit focusing on Native Americans. Students closely read and thoroughly analyze differ ent Native American Creation Stories, study Native American art, and subsequently utilize this newly acquired knowledge to write and illustrate their own Creation Stories. By reading primary and secondary sources, students recognize whose voice is heard and absence of the Native Americans’ voices in official international government documents. They rectify the injustices through revised treaty conventions and debates with the Native American representatives present. Students also follow the Native American’s painful path along the Trial of Tears through their music and poetry, to the missionary assimila tion (or cultural annihilation) schools, and finally, to the current plight of Native Ameri can reservations. The variety of texts, mediums of presentation, and forums for critical analysis create a multi-dimensional view of history and challenges students to understand rather than memorize the events of our collective past. MATH AND SCIENCE In order to learn about science, students must be actively engaged in the natural and technological world in which they live. Science cannot be taught in neat rows with hand outs and an overhead projector, for students must grapple with the ideas of science in order to make sense of them while building the awareness that science is a process of inquiry, not a static accumulation of facts. CACS utilizes constructivist pedagogical strategies that require students to manipulate their learning environment and the tools in it. Art and technology are also continually integrated throughout the curriculum. Units are project-based and designed to culminate in a presentation that incorporates art and tech nology. The middle school math and science curriculum is integrated and encourages students to collaborate while solving real life problems. For example, scientific method is taught by having students express questions regarding the world in which they live, research their questions and form hypotheses, design and construct testing methods, ana lyze and present data, and form conclusions. Because the study of science is multi faceted, the middle school science curriculum examines many areas of science. Physical, Biological, Earth, and Health Sciences are addressed in the seventh and eighth grade. Units are designed in accordance with the California State Science Framework. Examples of units include: Science topics and projects include: • Physical science, where students explore potential and kinetic energy by con structing a timing device • Biology, where students construct models of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the steps of mitosis • Anatomy and physiology, where students design and create children’s books about various systems of the body • Health science, where students study infectious and noninfectious disease and cre ate multimedia presentations with their findings 193 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Earth science, where students construct the earth’s plates and replicate earthquakes and plate movements Math units are also designed in accordance with the state framework. Seventh grade math is devoted to arithmetic, geometry, and pre-algebra. Eighth grade math is devoted to pre algebra and algebra. Examples of units and projects covered in math include: Math units and projects include: • Arithmetic • Pre-algebra • Algebra • Geometry, where students design and build a model of their ideal home • Graphing, where students display their data from scientific investigations. • Surface area and volume of three-dimensional figures, where students sketch and calculate various prisms and pyramids. By Creative Arts Charter School, A California Public School, San Francisco, CA. 194 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX N ANALYSIS OF CACS STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA 7th grade CAT 6 Reading and Math NP Scores Compared to Years Enrolled at CACS Median Scores 7th Grade 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 5 Years or M ore Less than Five Years □ Median Reading NP Score ■ Median Math NP Score By Creative Arts Charter School, A California Public School, San Francisco, CA. 195 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX O CACS ARTS COLLABORATION Creative Arts Collaborative Groups Purpose: 1) To promote collaboration and constructivist learning opportunities for adults and children. 2) To identify school wide and individual teacher goals. 3) To use collaborative groups that meet throughout the year to support each other in reaching our professional and community wide goals. To document teacher learning and evaluate our process. 4) To increase communication/collaboration across the various grade levels. Collaborative Groups: K, 3, 6; 1,4,7, Art Coordinator; 2,5,8,RSP Setting Goals Teacher goals should be rich enough to stimulate thought and give room for im provement over a year’s time. They could be specific, such as: • develop small reading groups in my class • integrate Family Math into the TERC math curriculum • bring community members into implementation of my science curriculum • improve documentation of student work and enhance displays in the classroom and hallway or broad, for example: • bring my own reading passions into my reading program • improve and increase assessment of student’s writing • collaborate with other teachers around social studies curriculum • bring more cultural diversity into my social studies resources Or, they could be something completely different. Your goal should reflect you as a teacher and help you improve your practice at CACS. The California Standards for the Teaching Profession are included as a good resource to inspire reflection on your practice and give you ideas for possible areas around which to develop a goal. When you set your goal you should provide an observable example of what progress might look like. For example, for the sample goal “bring com munity members into implementation of my science curriculum,” you and 196 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. your collaboration group might decide that photo documentation of parent participation in the classroom and a student narrative description of how it contributed to the experience might be a good observable outcome. Or, for the sample goal “improve and increase assessment of student’s writing,” you might decide to include a sample of an assessment and a short description of how it changed your thinking about the student. Your thinking may change during the course of the year, but imagining pos sible observable outcomes may give you more clarity about what you are reaching for and how to move toward your goal. You and your collaboration group will assess your progress using discussion, your portfolio, and a rubric. Teacher Portfolio The teacher portfolio is intended to be an assessment tool for you as a teacher, like a student portfolio. It should not include too much, or it will not be useful. It should include: • Your goals • Items from the beginning, middle, and end o f the year to show progress toward your goal from (2-6 per trimester) • Observation forms or notes from collaboration group meetings • A short write-up (half page) at the end o f the year describing your growth as you and your group see it It might include, for example: • student work that relates to your goal • assessments • photos o f your classroom or students or projects • lesson plans or materials • journal entries • records o f teacher learning experiences • reflections from your collaboration group • questions that relate to your goal Your portfolio should be added to each trimester. It will be used to selectively share your learning with staff at the end of the year. 197 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Ellen will provide a container of your choice to keep your materials in (file folder, box, notebook, etc.) if you need it. Creative Arts Collaborative Groups Purpose: 1) To promote collaboration and constructivist learning opportunities for adults and children. 2) To identify school wide and individual teacher goals. 3) To use collaborative groups that meet throughout the year to support each other in reaching our professional and community wide goals. To document teacher learning and evaluate our process. 4) To increase communication/collaboration across the various grade levels. Collaborative Groups: K, 3, 6; 1,4,7, Art Coordinator; 2,5,8,RSP Setting Goals Teacher goals should be rich enough to stimulate thought and give room for im provement over a year’s time. T eacher___________________________________________ Grade_______ Date_____ Teacher Goals: School Goals: 198 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Classroom Dates Time Subject 1) 2) 3) 4) Classroom Collaboration Form Teacher____________________________________ Grade. Subj ect____________ Participating T eacher(s)_______________________________________ Pre - Classroom Meeting Date_______________ Purpose of Lesson/Objectives Areas the teacher would like to observer to pay particular attention, i.e., tone, clarity o f instructions, side o f room preferences, unconscious behaviors, etc. 199 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Participation Date________ Teacher: instruction, modeling, expectations, disposition, techniques, circulating, preparedness, etc. Learning Environment: atmosphere, classroom management, appearance of room, other. Student: engagement, understanding of expectations/directions, class rules, etc. By Creative Arts Charter School, A California Public School, San Francisco, CA. 200 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX P SCHEDULE OF CACS STAFF MEETINGS ARTS Collaboration Schedule Sept - December 2 005 Grades K-2 meet from 2:00 - 3:15 - Grades 3-8 meet from 1:15 - 2:00 A ll m eetings are h eld in the K-5 A rt Room 9/13 - Grades 3-5 9/20 -K-2 (2-3:15) 9/27 All (or many) Arts Staff Meeting with optional Staff Drop-In Staff Meeting @ 2:00 10/4 - Grades 6-8 10/11 - Grades 3-5 10/18 - K-2 (2-3:15) 10/25 All (or many) Arts Meeting w/ optional Staff Drop-In Staff Meeting @ 2:00 11/1 Grades 6-8 11/8 Grades 3-6 11/15 All (or many) Arts Meeting w/ optional Staff Drop-In Staff Meeting @ 2:00 11/22 - K-2 (2-3:15) 12/6 All (or many) Arts Meeting w/ optional Staff Drop-In Staff Meeting @ 2:00 By Creative Arts Charter School, A California Public School, San Francisco, CA. 201 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX Q BAY AREA SCHOOL OF ENTERPRISE (BASE) CHARTER PETITION AND APPENDICES Table of Contents 1. Introductions 1.1 Legal Affirmations 1.2 School Location 1.3 Youth Charter Redesign Process 2 Educational Program 2.1 Mission of the Bay Area School of Enterprise 2.2 Population to be served 2.3 Educated person in the 21st Century 2.4 How learning best occurs 2.5 Enterprise Learning 2.6 Learning environment of BASE 2.7 Transferability of Courses 3 Measurable Youth Outcomes 3.1 Academic Requirements 3.2 Youth Development Outcomes 3.3 Graduation Requirements 4 Methods to Assess Progress Towards Learning Outcomes 4.1 Mandatory State Testing 4.2 Assessing Youth Development Outcomes 4.3 Assessing Graduation Requirements 4.4 Assessing Overall School Performance 5 Governance Structure 5.1 AIA Board of Directors (include board revised) Gail 5.2 Delegation of Operational Authority 5.3 Democratic Principles in Action 5.4 Joint Management Team 5.5 Youth Leadership 5.6 Family Involvement 5.7 Working Groups / Project Teams 5.8 Peer Discipline 6 Employee Qualifications 6.1 Cores Academic and College Preparatory Instruction 6.2 Other Qualifications for BASE Employees 7 Health and Safety Procedures 7.1 Criminal Records Screening 7.2 Immunizations 7.3 Safety Plan 7.4 Disruptive Behavior 8 Means to Achieve Racial/Ethnic Balance Reflective of District 8.1 Seeking a Diverse Student Population 8.2 Recruitment 9 Admissions Requirements 9.1 Non Discrimination 9.2 Application, Orientation, Interview 9.3 Priority Admissions 9.3.1 Current Students 202 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 9.3.2 Sibling Priority 9.3.3 HOME/BASE Participant Priority 9.3.4 Alameda Priority 9.3.5 Other Applicants 9.3.6 Late Applicants 9.4 Random Draw Procedure 9.5 Entry Assessments / Grade Level Assignment 10 Financial Audit 10.1 Supervisory Oversight 10.2 Funding Method 10.3 Annual Fiscal Audit 10.4 Access to Records 10.5 Financial Liability 11 Suspension, Expulsion and Disenrollment 11.1 Suspension 11.2 Actions That May Result in Expulsion 11.3 Disenrollment 11.4 Governing Board Due Process 11.5 Additional Procedures for Expulsion of Students with Disabilities 12 Retirement System 13 Attendance Alternatives 14 Description of Employee Rights 15 Dispute Resolution Procedures & AUSD Oversight 15.1 Dispute Resolution Procedures 15.2 AUSD Oversight 16 Exclusive Public School Employer Declaration 17 Charter-Related Issues 17.1 Term of Charter 17.2 Material Revision of the Charter 17.3 Revocation 17.4 Renewal 17.5 School Closure Procedures 18 Special Education 19 District Impact Report 19.1 Facilities 19.2 Administrative Services 19.3 Potential Civil Liability Effects 19.4 Financial Impact on AUSD Appendix A: School Design Appendix B: School Accountability Report Card 2004-2005 Appendix C: Operating Agreement Appendix D: Alternatives in Action, HOME Project, and HOME Sweet HOME Appendix E: Theory and References Appendix F: Press Clippings Appendix G: Alternatives in Action, Inc. By-laws 203 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1 Introduction 1.1 California Charter Schools Act In accordance with California Charter Schools Act, Alternatives in Action, Inc. (hereafter referred to as “ALA”), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefits corporation, petitions the Ala meda Unified School District (hereafter referred to as “AUSD”) to grant a charter for the Bay Area School of Enterprise (hereafter referred to as “BASE”). The Charter Schools Act of 1992 states that: It is the intent of the Legislature ...to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, pupils, and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate in dependently from the existing school district structure, as a method to accomplish all of the following: (a) Improve pupil learning. (b) Increase learning opportunities for all pupils, with special emphasis on ex panded learning experiences for pupils who are identified as academically low achieving. (c) Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods. (d) Create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site. (e) Provide parents and pupils with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system. (f) Hold the schools established under this part accountable for meeting measur able pupil outcomes, and provide the schools with a method to change from rule- based to performance-based accountability systems. (g) Provide vigorous competition within the public school system to stimulate con tinual improvements in all public schools. Ed. Code §47601 (a)-(g). In considering this petition, AUSD is to be guided by this intent: In reviewing petitions for the establishment of charter schools pursuant to this section, the chartering authority shall be guided by the intent of the Legislature that charter schools are and should become an integral part of the California edu cational system and that establishment of charter schools should be encouraged. A school district governing board shall grant a charter for the operation of a school under this part if it is satisfied that granting the charter is consistent with sound educational practice. The governing board of the school district shall not deny a petition for the establishment of a charter school unless it makes written factual findings, specific to the particular petition, setting forth specific facts to support one or more of the following findings: (1) The charter school presents an unsound educational program for the pupils to be enrolled in the charter school. (2) The petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement the pro gram set forth in the petition. (3) The petition does not contain the number of signatures required by subdivision (a). (4) The petition does not contain an affirmation of each of the conditions described in subdivision (d). (5) The petition does not contain reasonably comprehensive descriptions of all of the following: Ed. Code § 47605(b). The elements of the charter petition to be reasonably comprehensively described are indi vidually stated and discussed below. 204 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. By amendment, the legislature further limited the bases for denial in 2000: A petition for the establishment of a charter school shall not be denied based on the actual or potential costs of serving individuals with exceptional needs, as that term is defined pursuant to Section 56026. Ed. Code §47605.7(a). 1.2 Youth Charter Redesign Process A unique feature of BASE is that major components of the original charter petition, sub mitted in 2001, were developed by a group of high school students. That spirit of youth and adult collaboration is at the core of BASE culture. BASE is founded on the idea that youth can create and implement “Enterprises” that can have a real impact on the world, and BASE itself is a youth created project. For the past 3 years, a group of youth leaders, in partnership with the adult leadership of BASE, formed a team called “Enterprise: BASE.” This group has taken on the visioning, sustaining, representing, and dissemination of BASE as their Enterprise Project. Enterprise: BASE has co-authored and presented each annual report that has been submitted to AUSD. They have also written substantial portions of this charter petition and accompanying school design after gathering input from BASE youth, staff, and families. For a more detailed explanation of Enterprise: BASE please see the school site plan attached. 2 Educational Program A description of the educational program of the school, designed, among other things, to identify those whom the school is attempting to educate, what it means to be an “educatedperson ” in the 21st century, and how learning best occurs. The goals identified in that program shall include the objective of enabling pupils to become self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(A). 2.1 Mission and Principles of the Bay Area School of Enterprise The mission statement of BASE, developed by the members of the youth charter design team and revised by members of Enterprise: BASE as part of the charter renewal process, is: W e are intelligent and committed youth who are assertive about changing our world. W e provide an innovative alternative learning environment that engages and challenges both youth and adults. At the Bay Area School of Enterprise, each youth takes leadership in their education and community to: personalize their learning, know and be known by others, participate in real and dramatic experiences, and be part of committed teams. Our school graduates powerful citizens who know what they think, know what they feel, know what they believe, and know how to take meaningful action in the world. We are ready to take responsibility for the future. Our school is a model of what is possible in education when youth are empowered to take charge of their own learning. BASE youth fulfill this mission by striving to live by our principles, known as 5 R’s: • Responsibility: refers to the expectation that each members will hold themselves and others personally accountable for the achievement of their goals, the success of their projects, and the success of their education. In BASE this responsibility is de scribed in the often repeated idea that “there is no it or they, there is only us.” Success 205 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. or failure is in each individual or group’s hands, not the responsibility of some other youth or coach. • Rigor: refers to the expectation that youth and adult members of BASE will apply strenuous effort towards the attainment of the personal and community goals embodied in their endeavors at BASE. Learning for each member should be a stretch and goals should always be set beyond the realm of comfortable attainment. • Risk: refers to the real chance of failure or loss as a result of practicing the other “R’s.” It is a firm principle that without risking failure, learners (which include both youth and adults) cannot truly become daring leaders. • Real: refers to the expectation that both the youth and adults of BASE are their authentic selves; and that they commit themselves to genuine work in the community. • Relationships: refers to the primacy of interpersonal exchanges, expectations, ac countability, and respect. In order to do great work in the world, we must know and be known by other people. 2.2 Population to Be Served BASE will be open to all high school-age youth genuinely interested in youth adult col laboration, real and dramatic experience as a central part of their education, and advocacy and leadership on behalf of youth and their communities. Special emphasis will be placed on serving youth who have been unsuccessful or unchallenged in traditional school. 2.3 Educated Person in the 21st Century An educated person in the 21 st Century must be a powerful and effective citizen. The BASE community believes that an effective citizens know what they think, know what they feel, know what they believe, and take meaningful action in the world. 2.4 How Learning Best Occurs “When students engage in productive activity, their learning becomes part of a social exchange, benefiting other people as well as themselves. Education becomes less egocentric. It also becomes less abstract, as the consequences of students ’ actions become more immediate. This can provide new motivation for students in American high schools.... ” Dr. David Stem, University of California, Berkeley At BASE we believe that learning best occurs when: • Learning is made relevant to young people’s lives through real and dramatic experience • Youth have influence over their school and education • Learning experiences are facilitated to promote transfer of learning • Learning emphasizes depth of thinking over breadth of coverage • Learning is holistic, encompassing intellectual, emotional, civic, and social development • Learning is grounded in caring relationships For a thorough exploration of the educational theory that underpins learning at BASE, please see Section 2.5 below and refer to Appendix E. 2.5 Enterprise Learning BASE’s approach to education, “Enterprise Learning,” is a developmental approach that integrates youth development practices, experiential education, constructivism, and in- depth college preparatory learning. Enterprise learning emphasizes project 206 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. creation and performance as a tool to enhance personal efficacy, reading, writing, public speaking, and the ability to take social action. BASE provides a powerful alter native to a traditional school environment by focusing on small, group-based learning, in which students in project teams work with adult staff, peers and community mem bers to reach real-world outcomes. Curricula that encompass Enterprise Learning include the following: □ Opportunities for youth choice/personalization □ Enterprises meeting “7 A’s” requirements including applying course concepts (See Appendix A) □ Attention to group process and collaborative learning (group forming, deconstruction, reconstruction, high performance, reflection) □ Identified public performances □ Authentic assessments of youth learning including a clear process for developing learning plans and Presentations of Learning (POL) □ Youth ownership and leadership at multiple levels, including social action projects that address issues of importance to the external community □ Rigorous intellectual development that focuses on habits of mind as opposed to merely information retention □ Multiple age and ability level groupings that provide opportunities for cascading leadership and peer coaching For additional information about BASE’S philosophy of Enterprise Learning, please refer to Appendix A. 2.6 Learning Environment of BASE The learning environment is critical for changing the behaviors of adults and youth at BASE. It is designed to shift attention from the environment as a sense of place— a school- house-to a sense of ever-present learning opportunities. The learning environment for BASE includes the current AIA building at Alameda Point, but also extends to facilities throughout Alameda Point and the surrounding community. Learning takes place at a vari ety of locations, including: • AIA grounds which includes a native plants garden. • National Wildlife Refuge, San Francisco Bay shoreline and other open spaces • Performing arts and exhibition spaces in the Alameda Point civic core • Recreational facilities including the soccer fields, gymnasium and skatepark at Alameda Point • Internships at local businesses in Alameda and Oakland • Collaborations with local government and non-profit organizations • Field trips, meetings and conferences • HOME Sweet HOME Pre-School, a fully licensed pre-school that was founded by youth and is run as a youth adult collaborative See Section 19.1 below for a further discussion of BASE facilities. 2.7 Transferability of Courses BASE is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and maintains an active “A-G” course list for the purposes of eligibility for admissions to the University of California and the California State University systems. BASE will notify parents regarding the eligibility of specific courses to meet the college entrance require ments and BASE will communicate with parents and, at parents’ request, other high schools about the transferability of BASE courses. 207 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3 Measurable Youth Outcomes The measurable pupil outcomes identified for use by the charter school. “ Pupil outcomes, ’’for purposes of this part, means the extent to which all pupils of the school demonstrate they have attained the skills, knowledge, and attitudes speci fied as goals in the school’ s educational program. Ed. Code §47605(b)(b)(B). 3.1 Academic Requirements BASE will meet all statewide standards and conduct the pupil assessments required pursu ant to section 60605 and any other statewide standard authorized by statute or pupil as sessment applicable to students in non-charter public schools. The core of the BASE program is the Humanities, with a special emphasis on reading, writing, public speaking, social justice, and social action. BASE has adopted subject-specific outcomes that integrate the state standards, BASE’s school wide outcomes, and the requirements of the University of California/California State University A-G requirements. The regular course of study at BASE exceeds the academic requirements of the UC/CSU A-G system and includes: • Humanities (English/Language Arts & Social Science): 4 years • Mathematics: 3 years through completion of Algebra 2 • Laboratory Science: 3 years • Language other than English: 2 years • Visual or Performing Arts: 1 year • College Preparatory Elective: 1 year Because of the unique, diverse needs of BASE youth, BASE may develop special pro grams and/or courses of study consistent with the provisions of this Charter. Examples of specialized programs and/or courses of study currently include, but are not limited to: • After school academic support programs • Honors Humanities course sequence and seminars • The “Steppin’ Stones” transition to college program • Peralta College & University of California College Preparation Program (UCCP) Specialized programs and/or courses of study within the BASE program may have individ ual application procedures, prerequisites, participation requirements and other criteria (See Appendix A for a description of current special programs and courses of study). BASE recognizes that youth will need differing amounts of time and levels of support to meet these academic requirements. BASE creates specialized programs to support and challenge each youth to meet or exceed the BASE academic requirements. Methods to measure achievement of academic learning outcomes are discussed below in section 4.2. 3.2 Youth Development Outcomes BASE is a youth development model, which means in part that BASE is concerned with the holistic development of our youth. In order to create an environment in which youth can grow into effective citizens, BASE seeks to develop the developmental outcomes listed below in all youth across the program and curriculum. The BASE practices and assessment measures are examples of how BASE endeavors to continuously improve our ability to help young people develop these capacities. Think! (Intellectual Development) 208 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Knowledge (standards aligned course outcomes): Youth will demonstrate then- content knowledge in a variety of ways. • Habits of Mind: => Relevance: Youth will understand the importance of their projects, ideas, and feelings. Youth can answer the question “why does this work matter?” => Connection: Youth will identify the connections between their concepts, thoughts, feelings and actions, constructing their own “big picture” understanding of the world. Youth will understand how their course content has meaning in the real world. Curiosity: Youth will show an eagerness to learn and comprehend by inquiry and investigation. Youth will express a sense of wonder about the world. Perspective: Youth will understand multiple perspectives and be able to seek out, critique, defend and value differing points of view. => Evidence: Youth will be able to gather and use data to support and ground their perspective. => Supposition: Youth put forward a point of view based on current understanding of the world. Youth are aware of the assumptions and limitations of their own per spectives. => Meta-cognition: Youth will understand not just what they learn, but how and why they learn. Youth will recognize the growth in their learning abilities over time. Feel! (Emotional Development) • Identify Feelings: Youth will be able to identify their emotions and the impact those feelings have on their learning, beliefs and actions. • Express Feelings: Youth will be able to share their emotions with others. • Ownership & Responsibility for Feelings: Youth understand and take responsibil ity for how the expression of their feelings impacts others. • Empathy: Youth will show consideration and understanding for others feelings. Youth understand how their actions impact others emotionally. Youth will be able to listen to others in order to understand their emotions. • Self-Esteem: Youth will demonstrate courage in confronting their issues of confi dence and pride in themselves. • Personal Reflection: Youth will dialogue about their feelings in order to better understand themselves. • Connection to Others: Youth will develop meaningfid relationships with a diverse range of people. Youth will be able to identify their role in key relationships. Believe! (Moral Development) • Youth will describe and act consistently with a personal sense of right and wrong. • Empathy: Youth will express understanding and caring for the suffering, inequity, and oppression that affect groups of people in society. • Difference: Youth will demonstrate a respect for differences between themselves and others. • Keeping Your Word: Youth will make group agreements and take responsibility for their actions when they break agreements. • Passion: Youth will demonstrate enthusiasm for a cause or causes outside of themselves. 209 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Take Action! (Social Development) • Leadership & Collaboration: Youth will take leadership roles and develop as leaders. • Self-Efficacy: Youth will demonstrate the power and capacity to produce a desired outcome (ask for help, advocate for themselves and others). • Compassion: Youth will demonstrate empathy and willingness to take action on behalf of others. • Advocacy: Youth will actively support or defend a cause for the benefit of others. • Perseverance: Youth will set tough goals and reach them while overcoming obstacles. • Real and Dramatic Experience: Youth will attempt activities they are not sure they can complete successfully or are afraid to try, risking failure. • Powerful communication: Youth communicate persuasively through speaking and writing 3.3 Graduation Requirements Requirements to receive a high school diploma from BASE will include: • Passing the California High School Exit Exam, consistent with state law • Satisfactorily completing: 1. The minimum course requirements for admission into the University of California or California State University (A-G requirements); or 2. The requirements of an Associates Degree program through a commu nity college and meeting all state academic graduation requirements with the approval of BASE Director; or 3. An alternative course of study, based on specific future goals, and meeting all state academic graduation requirements with the approval of BASE Director. • Satisfactorily completing a senior project requiring a minimum of 100 hours • Passing a portfolio review and oral examination by a panel of judges to demon strate achievement of identified learning outcomes 4 Methods to Assess Progress Toward Learning Outcomes The method by which pupil progress in meeting those pupil outcomes is to be measured. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(C). BASE is a continuously improving school and assessment methods will evolve as the school develops. Some of the assessment methods now include: • Standardized test score results including California STAR tests and the California High School Exit Exam • Showcase portfolio pieces • Tests and quizzes • Written assignments • Oral assignments • In class participation 4.1 Mandatory State Testing As required by Education Code §47605(c)(l), BASE will “conduct the pupil assessments required pursuant to [Education Code] Section 60605”, including the California Standards Tests and the California High School Exit Exam. Data from standardized tests will be used to inform instruction, develop learning plans, and identify youth in need of additional support. 210 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4.2 Assessing Academic Requirements Progress of youth at BASE towards academic requirements will be assessed and reported at regular intervals. Students will be assessed in each of the core academic areas by a combi nation of ongoing, authentic assessments, traditional assessments, and standardized tests. Common benchmarks and rubrics are used in emphasized areas of instruction. Additional measures used to assess student achievement include: • Attendance records • Reviewed work products • Written reports • Enterprise performances • Ongoing adult evaluation of student work Youth and their parents will receive regular communication on academic progress, includ ing some or all of the following: • Written progress reports and/or report cards • Youth-led conferences with parents • Public performances • Public exhibitions • Portfolio presentations 4.3 Assessing Youth Development Outcomes A variety of methods are used to assess youth progress in addition to standardized test scores and the assessments listed above. BASE uses common rubrics for assessment of learning plans, portfolios, presentations of learning, writing, public speaking, debate, lead ership, collaborative work, enterprise projects, social analysis, and effective participation. For a more detailed description of how BASE assesses youth development outcomes, please see Appendix A. 4.4 Assessing Graduation Requirements Graduation requirements will be assessed using a variety of measures, selected to be ap propriate for the subject matter and student: • California High School Exit Exam standardized test results consistent with state law • Satisfactory completion of course requirements as described in section 3.3 above based on transcript evaluation • Senior projects based on coach evaluation including minimum school wide requirements • Senior Presentation of Learning- An oral defense of each senior’s portfolio evalu ated based on a specially designed rubric 4.5 Assessing Overall School Performance To evaluate overall school performance, AIA will compile and analyze the data from indi vidual student assessments. In addition, AIA will collect and publish information on some or all of the following measures, as appropriate: • Attendance rate • Graduation rate (the percentage of youth who ultimately meet the graduation requirements without respect to the length of their enrollment in BASE) • Drop out rate (the percentage of youth who leave BASE and do not enroll in other programs that lead to a high school diploma) 211 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Advanced Placement test scores • Community college and UCCP grades • SAT scores • College admissions • Student and parent satisfaction 5 Governance Structure The governance structure of the school, including, but not limited to, the process to be followed by the school to ensure parental involvement. Ed. Code §47605(b) (5) (D). BASE is an independent charter governed by the AIA Board of Directors with delegation of authority to on-site adult staff and stakeholder governance groups, as discussed below. AIA complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws. It will retain its own legal counsel when necessary. It will purchase and maintain as necessary general liability, prop erty, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance policies. 5.1 AIA Board of Directors AIA is governed by the Board of Directors in accordance with California’s Charter School Act and the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law. A designated committee of the AIA Board of Directors will serve as the governing board for the BASE (to be known as the BASE Governing Board Committee) and it will be governed pursuant to this charter and the bylaws adopted by the AIA incorporators, as subsequently amended pursuant to the amendment process specified in the bylaws. (See Appendix A). The Committee shall also be governed by applicable provisions of California law, including the Brown Act (Gov. Code Sections 54950 et seq.) and Public Records Act (Gov. Code Sections 6250 et seq.). (The AIA Board of Directors consists of a maximum of 21 regular members. AUSD can be represented on the AIA Board of Directors for purposes of BASE governance and over sight, by one non-voting member, to be selected by the AUSD Board of Education. The BASE Governing Committee will include a minimum of five (5) adult members of the AIA Board, to be chosen annually, and including the AUSD representative as a non-voting member. The BASE Governing Board Committee will include a maximum of two BASE youth and one BASE staff member chosen by their respective stakeholder groups. All members of the BASE governing board will comply with conflict of interest rules in AIA’s bylaws and other applicable AIA policies. The BASE Governing Board Committee is responsible for establishing policies affecting BASE, including policies related to personnel and financial management, and for on-going oversight of school operations. The BASE Governing Board Committee, pursuant to AIA Board resolution, also has exclusive final decision-making authority for all staff hiring, discipline and discharge; student expulsions, student disenrollment; preliminary approval of the annual BASE budget; and all financial commitments between $5,000 and $25,000 outside the approved budget. The BASE Governing Board Committee also participates in dispute resolutions, consistent with section 15 below. Some decisions of the BASE Governing Board Committee are subject to review and ap proval by the whole AIA Board of Directors. These include: hiring, dismissal or discipline of the BASE Director; final approval of the BASE budget; and financial commitments in excess of $25,000 outside the approved budget. 212 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 5.2 Delegation of Operational Authority To ensure the safe and efficient operation of BASE, daily operational authority will be delegated by the BASE Governing Board Committee to selected adult staff working as a joint management team (see 5.4). When circumstances dictate, a designated member of the joint management team will have authority to by-pass the democratic governance struc tures described below as long as they act in the best interests of the school and within the authority delegated to staff by the BASE Governing Board Committee. 5.3 Democratic Principles in Action BASE will operate generally using the principle that stakeholders or their representatives should have input on decisions that affect them . Three primary groups of stakeholders will have a voice in decision-making: youth, staff, and families. In addition, a peer discipline group will address violations of the behavioral rules necessary to ensure the health and safety of the community. Minor decisions of the governance bodies may be made by majority rule, but usually by consensus. The “gradients of agreement” method may be used to assist in reaching consensus. Gradients of agreement allows everyone to have a voice, produces a visible record of everyone’s vote, permits changes in the decision-making process, and creates an agreement that all stakeholders can support. Described below are the governance bodies in place during the 2005-2006 school year. However, the precise configuration is likely to change over time, both in response to changing conditions as BASE continues to grow and evolve, and as new groups of youth make their mark on the organization. Proposed changes that delegate any of the key re sponsibilities of the BASE Governing Board Committee, described above, to other govern ance bodies will be considered material revisions to the charter and will require the consent of the AUSD Board of Education (see 17.2, below). 5.4 Joint Management by Staff Selected BASE and AIA staff members will function as a Joint Management Team (JMT) to make decisions related to school programs and operations as delegated by the BASE Governing Board Committee. The Joint Management Team will also prepare recommen dations to the BASE Governing Board Committee on staffing, budget and school policies. 5.5 Youth Leadership A youth leadership team, representative of all youth stakeholders, will communicate regu larly with and advise the joint management team on all appropriate aspects of school op erations. Youth leadership will also be responsible for engaging all members of BASE community to advance the school’s educational goals and address issues of concern. The Youth Leadership Team will enact school policies, including a policy defining the roles, procedures, and authority of governance structures below the level of the Joint Man agement Team. Youth Leadership Team policies take affect upon approval of the Joint Management Team and after notice to all members of the community. The Youth Leader ship Team may appeal decisions of the Joint Management Team to the BASE Governing Board Committee. 5.6 Family Involvement Charter schools shall on a regular basis consult with their parents and teachers regarding the school’ s educational programs. Ed. Code §47605(c)(2). 213 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. BASE families will be involved in the school’s educational program and operations. Peri odic community meetings will be held to outline planned goals and projects, highlight op portunities for involvement, and to sign up for working committees. Family members will have opportunities to judge student work through exhibitions and participation on panels, evaluate the school and staff, volunteer at BASE site and BASE events, fundraise, and advocate for the interests of BASE in public forums. With respect to their own students, BASE parents will receive periodic progress reports, participate in student led conferences, and receive other information regarding the school program, as described in 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 above. 5.7 Working Groups / Project Teams Groups of staff, youth, parents and community volunteers will be formed as needed to undertake specific tasks or projects for the benefit of BASE. These groups may include, but are not limited to, committees on facilities, operations management, evaluation and assessment, and recruitment. The working groups will coordinate with the joint manage ment team, and youth leadership. 5.8 Peer Discipline BASE will employ a democratic peer judicial process to respond to inappropriate behavior by students or issues of concern in the community. The structure, procedures, and specific role of the Peer Discipline Committee will be determined by the Youth Leadership Group and approved by the Joint Management Team (as defined in section 5.5 above, please also see the Appendix A). These will include appropriate due process protections. BASE’s peer judicial process will be initiated by reporting behaviors or incidents that violate the com munity’s rules and or expectations. The Peer Discipline Committee may recommend to the Director that a youth be referred for expulsion or disenrollment pursuant to procedures described in Section 11. Behavior that presents an immediate threat to the safety of school staff, youth or others will be addressed by on-site staff, acting within their delegated authority to eliminate the threat by taking whatever steps may be necessary and appropriate, including removing the student from the site and/or requesting assistance from local law enforcement. Other behaviors or incidents outlined in Section 11 below will be dealt with by the Direc tor, designated staff and or the Disciplinary Subcommittee of the BASE Governing Board Committee using the discipline process as outlined in that section. 6 Employee Qualifications The qualifications to be met by individuals to be employed by the school. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(E). Teachers in charter schools shall be required to hold a Commission on Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools would be required to hold. These documents shall be maintained on file at the charter school and shall be subject to periodic inspec tion by the chartering authority. It is the intent of the Legislature that charter schools be given flexibility with regard to non-core, non-college preparatory courses. Ed. Code §47605(1). 214 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 6.1 Core Academic and College Preparatory Instruction Consistent with its enterprise learning methodology BASE will employ highly qualified teachers holding appropriate Commission on Teacher Credentialing credentials and meet ing the requirements of state law and California Department of Education guidelines for overseeing design of academic elements of enterprise learning, supervising assessments and conducting direct student instruction in the following core academic / college prepara tory areas: integrated humanities (English and language arts, social studies, history), mathematics; and laboratory science. BASE reserves the right to evaluate the expertise of each staff member and accordingly assign each person to student groups, curriculum, subjects, enterprises, coaching or mentoring assignments, consistent with BASE policy, as it deems in the best interests of the students. 6.2 Other Qualifications for BASE Employees All BASE employees will meet specific qualifications for employment as outlined in job descriptions. In addition, BASE employees will be evaluated for their ability to work ef fectively with youth. Skills and personal qualities identified by youth that facilitate learn ing relationships include real-world experience, flexibility, resilience, empathy, confidence in themselves and others, and listening and speaking skills. 7 Health and Safety Procedures The procedures that the school will follow to ensure the health and safety ofpupils and staff. These procedures shall include the requirement that each employee of the school furnish the school with a criminal record summary as described in Sec tion 44237. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(F). 7.1 Criminal Records Screening BASE will comply with the provision of Education Code §44237: Fingerprints and Crimi nal Records Summary. Each employee having contact with minor students will submit two sets of fingerprints to the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining a criminal record summary. This requirement will be a condition of employment. 7.2 Immunizations All students and staff will be required to show proof of necessary immunizations including TB screening, unless waived as permitted by law. Records of staff and student immuniza tions will be maintained. 7.3 Safety Plan AIA maintains a comprehensive safety plan specific to BASE site and planned activities. The plan addresses potential emergency situations, including but not limited to earth quakes, fire, floods, loss of power and violent incidents, both at the site and at likely off- site locations where BASE activities may regularly take place. Provisions for periodic emergency drills and annual review of the plans are included. 7.4 Disruptive Behavior Behavior that disrupts the sense of physical or emotional safety will be dealt with by on site staff, the peer disciplinary process, or through the suspension, expulsion, and disen rollment procedures as defined in BASE policy and section 11 below. 215 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 8 Means to Achieve Racial/Ethnic Balance The means by which the school will achieve a racial and ethnic balance among its pupils that is reflective of the general population residing within the territorial jurisdiction of the school district to which the charter petition is submitted. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(G). 8.1 Seeking a Diverse Student Population BASE will strive to ensure that its student population will be reflective of the population of our surrounding communities. BASE is mindful of the tendency of “schools of choice” to attract students from more affluent households in which parents have higher educational levels. To counteract this tendency, BASE will engage in a variety of means and strategies to try to achieve a socio-economically, racially, and ethnically diverse student population. 8.2 Recruitment The primary method for achieving a diverse student population will be to recruit in tensively from areas in the proximity of the school, particularly Alameda and Oakland. Outreach efforts may include school district open enrollment activities, community meet ings, contact with neighborhood groups, and direct personal recruiting. Brochures and other written materials, in various languages as needed, will be distributed. Because the student admissions will be done by random drawing (see 9 below), those admitted should reflect the pool of applicants obtained through this recruitment effort. 9 Admission Requirements Admission requirements, if applicable. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(H). Except as provided in paragraph (2), admission to a charter school shall not be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil, or of his or her parent or guardian, within this state, except that any existing public school converting partially or entirely to a charter school under this part shall adopt and maintain a policy giving admission preference to pupils who reside within the former atten dance area of that public school. (2) (A) A charter school shall admit all pupils who wish to attend the school. (B) However, if the number ofpupils who wish to attend the charter school exceeds the school’ s capacity, attendance, except for existing pupils of the charter school, shall be determined by a public random drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending the charter school and pupils who reside in the district. Other preferences may be permitted by the chartering authority on an individual school basis and only if consistent with the law. (C) In the event of a drawing, the chartering authority shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate the growth of the charter school and, in no event, shall take any action to impede the charter school from expanding enrollment to meet pupil demand. Ed. Code §47605(d)(1) et seq. 9.1 Non-discrimination In addition to any other requirement imposed under this part, a charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations, shall not charge tuition, and shall not discriminate 216 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. against any pupil on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability. Ed. Code §47605(d)(l). BASE will be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. No tuition will be charged to attend BASE. No student will be dis criminated against on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability or sexual orientation. Admission to BASE will not be determined by place of student residence, but priorities will apply as described in 9, below. BASE will not enroll any student who is not a resident of the State of California nor will BASE enroll any student over the age of 19 unless he or she has been continuously en rolled in public school and has been making satisfactory progress towards award of a high school diploma. BASE will have discretion to deny enrollment to any student who has been expelled from another charter school or non-charter public school of any district, including Alameda Unified. 9.2 Application, Orientation and Interview As part of the application process, all parents/guardians and students are required to attend an orientation meeting, complete an application, provide a transcript from their most recent school, indicate that they understand and are committed to the outcomes, philosophy, pro gram and expectations of BASE. As part of their application, students must also explain why they are interested in attending BASE. Interviews will be conducted after admission and prior to completing the enrollment process to ensure that students and parents are making an informed decision to enroll at BASE. The application period for the following academic year begins January 1st. The Joint Management Team will set the application period, which will not be less then ten (10) weeks, and will give reasonable notice to potential applicant families. 9.3 Priority Admissions To promote the goals of BASE program, priority admissions will be given to students who fall within the categories described below, in the order stated below. A student’s priority will be determined on the date of the scheduled enrollment lottery. 9.3.1 Current Students Students enrolled in BASE at the time of the scheduled enrollment lottery will be given first priority for enrollment in the coming year. 9.3.2 Sibling Priority In order to foster strong connections between BASE and the families it serves, second priority in admissions will be given to siblings of current BASE students and BASE graduates. 9.3.3 HOME/BASE Participant Priority Students who received credit for a BASE course through concurrent enrollment, either through HOME Project, their previous school, or another organization; and students who have successfully completed a HOME Project program in the fall or summer semester preceding their application, will be given third priority in BASE admissions. 9.3.4 Alameda Priority 217 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Fourth priority will be given to students residing within the jurisdiction of Ala meda Unified School District, where BASE is located. 9.3.5 Other Applicants Fifth priority will be given to all other applicants. 9.3.6 Late Applicants Sixth priority will be given to applicants who apply after the application period ends, in the order their applications are received. 9.4 Random Draw Procedure At the end of the application period, students will be admitted for the available spaces in each humanities level, based on priority and a public random drawing. Families will be informed of the date, time and location of the random drawing. Spaces will be assigned by each priority category in rank order. If there are more priority applicants in a category than there are remaining spaces, a public random drawing will be held from among those prior ity applicants to fill the available spaces. All applicants who are not admitted will be placed on a waiting list, by humanities level, ranked by their priority level and random draw number. Students will be admitted from the waiting list, as spaces become available. Spaces of students who are admitted, but do not complete the enrollment process, including interview, within one (2) months of the random lottery, will be released to the waiting list. Spaces that become available between the close the application period and the start of the following academic year will be assigned in order of the waitlist. Admission of students from the waiting list during the academic year will be at the discretion of BASE. 9.5 Entry Assessments Admission tests will not be required; however, assessments and transcript evaluations may be administered to determine individual instructional needs once students are admitted. Youth humanities level assignment and projected year of graduation may be adjusted upon these assessments and reviews according to the BASE youth outcomes and graduation requirements at any time. 10 Financial and Performance Audit The manner in which annual, independent, financial audits shall be conducted, which shall employ generally accepted accounting principles, and the manner in which audit excep tions and deficiencies shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the chartering authority. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(I). 10.1 Supervisory Oversight AUSD shall have responsibility for supervisory oversight tasks and duties specified and/or necessary for the implementation of this charter, including but not limited to: the revoca tion and renewal processes, monitoring performance and compliance, review of annual school performance, participation in dispute resolution, and representation on the govern ing board. BASE and AUSD will jointly develop the content, evaluation criteria, timelines and process for annual performance reports. AUSD shall be compensated for its actual costs for such oversight, but not more than 1% of the average daily attendance funds of the school provided pursuant to the terms of the Charter Schools Act. 218 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 10.2 Funding Method AIA will receive funding for BASE pursuant to Education Code Section 47613.5 and its successors and will elect on an annual basis whether to receive its funding locally or di rectly from the state. Any funds due to BASE that flow through AUSD shall be forwarded to AIA in a timely fashion. AIA may separately purchase administrative or other goods or services from AUSD or other vendors. The scope of any services to be provided and the fees to be charged by AUSD will be addressed in an operating agreement between AIA and AUSD. 10.3 Annual Fiscal Audit A charter school shall transmit a copy of its annual, independent, financial audit report for the preceding fiscal year, as described in subparagraph (I) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b), to its chartering entity, the Controller, the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the charter school is sited, unless the county board of education of the county in which the charter school is sited is the chartering entity, and the State Depart ment of Education by December 15 of each year. This subdivision shall not apply if the audit of the charter school is encompassed in the audit of the chartering entity pursuant to Section 41020. Ed. Code Section 47605(m). An annual fiscal audit will be conducted of BASE, the requirements and timing of which will be determined in consultation with AUSD’s Superintendent or his/her designated rep resentative. The annual audit will be completed by December 15th of each year and a copy of the auditors findings will be forwarded to AUSD, the California Controller, and the County Superintendent of Schools. The auditor will be hired by AIA and may be con tracted to perform the audit of BASE in conjunction with the audit of some or all other AIA activities, at the discretion of AIA. The AIA Board of Directors will resolve audit exceptions and deficiencies. The audit, and a report on the manner in which exceptions and deficiencies are resolved, will be provided to AUSD for review. Audit exceptions and defi ciencies shall be resolved to the satisfaction of AUSD. 10.4 Access to Records AIA shall promptly respond to all reasonable inquiries, including, but not limited to, in quiries regarding its financial records, from AUSD, the Alameda County Office of Educa tion (“ACOE”) or the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and shall consult with AUSD, ACOE or the State Superintendent of Public Instruction regarding any such in quiries. 10.5 Financial Liability AUSD will not be liable for the debts or obligations of BASE. AIA assumes these re sponsibilities. 11 Suspension. Expulsion, and Disenrollment The procedures by which pupils can be suspended or expelled. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(J). The BASE Governing Board Committee has adopted and will update as needed an Expul sion and Disenrollment Policy that is consistent with this Charter. The Charter and Policy address standards for behavior of youth and the procedures for imposing consequences for violating those standards, including action that may be taken by staff, peer discipline, and the BASE Governing Board Committee or its Disciplinary Subcommittee. Student acts 219 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. within the jurisdiction of BASE’s discipline policy include acts that take place: on school grounds; while going to and from school; during lunch or breaks (either on or off school grounds): or during, going to or coming from a school-sponsored activity. In addition, BASE shall exercise jurisdiction over other student behavior that is either intended or rea sonably likely to interfere with the operation of the school or disrupt school activities. A copy of the BASE Expulsion and Disenrollment Policy will be provided annually to all BASE families. 11.1 Suspension Youth may be suspended from BASE by the BASE Director or a designated staff person for up to ten school days pending resolution of the issue or referral to the Disciplinary Sub committee of the BASE Governing Board Committee for a hearing. Suspensions may be extended beyond ten days by the Disciplinary Subcommittee of BASE Governing Board following a hearing (see section 11.4 below). On or before the fifth (5th) full school day of suspension, youth or their family will receive oral or written notification of the status of their suspension. Conditions that may result in a suspension include but are not be limited to: • Reasonable suspicion of commission of the acts outlined in section 11.2, pending an investigation and/or a Disciplinary Subcommittee of BASE Governing Board Committee hearing • Behavior that disrupts the physical and emotional safety of students or staff of BASE • Behavior that disrupts the learning environment of BASE • Willful or habitual violation of school policy • Reasonable concern that a youth’s presence in school will interfere with success ful and safe conclusion of a disciplinary investigation • Apparent failure to meet the terms of an academic or behavioral probation 11.2 Actions That May Result in Expulsion It is recognized that some behaviors present such a serious risk to the health and safety of the community that they constitute grounds for expulsion from the school. Acts that will be immediately referred to the Disciplinary Subcommittee of the BASE Governing Board Committee by the BASE Director for consideration of expulsion without prior proceedings will include: • Possession of any firearm or other dangerous objects including knives or ex plosives; • Possession, use or sale of any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or other intoxicant, or drug paraphernalia; or • Committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault. Other acts for which students may be referred to the Disciplinary Subcommittee of the BASE Governing Board Committee for consideration of expulsion by the BASE Director, a designated staff member, or following proceedings of any authorized staff or peer panel will include but are not be limited to: • Causing, attempting to cause, inciting, or threatening physical injury to another person; • Intentionally causing, attempting to cause, inciting, or threatening serious emo tional injury to another persons; • Committing or attempting to commit robbery or extortion; • Causing or attempting to cause damage to school or personal property; • Stealing or attempting to steal school or personal property; 220 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Knowingly receiving stolen school or personal property; • Committing an obscene act or engaging in habitual profanity or vulgarity; • Engaging in sexual harassment; • Disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, other school officials, or other school personnel; • Offering, arranging, or negotiating to sell or to provide any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or other intoxicant, or drug paraphernalia; • Interfering with a school disciplinary proceeding by harassing, threatening, or intimidating a student who is a witness in the investigation, or lying in the course of the proceeding; • Possessing an imitation firearm, i.e.: a replica of a firearm that is so substantially similar in physical properties to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to conclude that the replica is a firearm; • Making a terrorist threat against school officials, school students, and/or school property; • Violating of the terms of a suspended expulsion or behavioral probation; • Committing a hate crime defined as any violation of school rules that has a victim who was singled out on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or sex ual orientation. 11.3 Disenrollment BASE is a public school of choice with unique graduation requirements and school expec tations. No student is forced to attend BASE and BASE does not presume to be the best educational option for all students. Students may be disenrolled from BASE if they are demonstrably unlikely to succeed in the BASE learning environment. Youth may be re ferred to the Disciplinary Subcommittee of BASE Governing Board Committee by the Director for consideration of disenrollment. The peer disciplinary group (as described in section 5.8) and or an authorized staff panel may make recommendations to the Director regarding disenrollment referrals. Referrals for disenrollment will only be made upon vio lation of the terms of a disciplinary or academic probation and consistent with the BASE Expulsion and Disenrollment Policy. 11.4 Governing Board Due Process Action to extend a suspension beyond ten days, expel, or disenroll a student may only be taken by the Disciplinary Subcommittee of BASE Governing Board, after providing the student and his/her parents or guardians with reasonable notice, an opportunity to be heard and to have legal counsel or other representative/s present, consistent with the Expulsion and Disenrollment Policy. Findings and decisions of the governing board will be in writ ing, as will be any recommendation for expulsion or disenrollment made by the BASE Director or designated staff person. Decisions of the Disciplinary Subcommittee can be appealed to the full BASE Governing Board Committee. The decision of the BASE Gov erning Board Committee is final. 11.5 Additional Procedures for Expulsion of Students with Disabilities A BASE student identified as an individual with disabilities pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is subject to the same grounds for expulsion that apply to non-disabled students. The Board’s criteria for suspending the enforcement of an expulsion order shall be applied to students with disabilities just as they are applied to non-disabled students. As provided in BASE policy, all applicable procedural safeguards set forth in federal and state laws and 221 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. established by BASE shall be observed in considering the expulsion or suspension of stu dents with disabilities. 12. Retirement System The manner by which staff members of the charter schools will be covered by the State Teachers ’ Retirement System, the Public Employees ’ Retirement System, or federal social security. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(K). (a) If a charter school chooses to make the State Teacher’ s Retirement Plan available, all employees of the charter school who perform creditable service shall be entitled to have that service covered under the plan’ s Defined Benefit Program or Cash Balance Benefit Program, and all provisions of Part 13 (commencing with Section 22000) and Part 14 (commencing with Section 26000) shall apply in the same manner as the pro visions apply to other public schools in the school district that granted the charter. (b)(1) If a charter school offers its employees coverage by the State Teachers ’ Retire ment System or the Public Employees ’ Retirement System, or both, the charter school shall inform all applicants for positions within that charter school of the retirement system options for employees of the charter school. (2) The information shall specifically include whether the charter school makes avail able to employees coverage under the State Teachers ’ Retirement System, the Public Employees ’ Retirement System, or both systems, and that accepting employment in the charter school may exclude the applicant from further coverage in the applicant’ s current retirement system, depending on the retirement options offered by the charter of the charter school. Ed. Code §47611. Employees of AIA who qualify for membership in the State Teachers’ Retirement System (“STRS”) may choose, through a democratic process, to be covered under that system. If qualifying employees so choose, they will contribute at the rate established by STRS. All employees who are not members of STRS must contribute to the federal social security system. AIA will inform prospective employees of the retirement system options for em ployees of the charter school, as required by Education Code Section 47611. AIA will make all employer contributions as required by STRS or federal social security. AIA will also make contributions for workers’ compensation insurance, unemployment insurance and any other payroll obligations of an employer. 13. Attendance Alternatives The public school attendance alternatives for pupils residing within the school district who choose not to attend charter schools. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(L). Students who choose not to attend BASE may attend other district schools or pursue an inter-district transfer in accordance with existing enrollment and transfer policies of their district or county of residence. 14. Description of Employee Rights A description of the rights of any employee of the school district upon leaving the em ployment of the school district to work in a charter school, and of any rights of return to the school district after employment at a charter school. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(M). It is the goal of AIA to work collaboratively with AUSD and its employee organizations regarding “return rights” of current district employees who become employees of AIA. It is the goal of AIA that AUSD employees retain rights to return to AUSD consistent with the 222 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “Leave of Absence” provisions or other relevant terms of applicable collective bargaining agreements. 15. AUSD Oversight & Dispute Resolution Procedures The procedures to be followed by the charter school and the entity granting the charter to resolve disputes relating to provisions of the charter. Ed. Code §47605(b)(5)(N). 15.1 AUSD Oversight AUSD may inspect or observe any part of the school at any time, but shall provide reason able notice to the BASE Director prior to any observation or inspection unless such notice would prevent the performance of reasonable oversight functions. AUSD shall endeavor to provide such notice at least three working days prior to the inspection or observation unless the BASE Director, Joint Management Team, or BASE Governing Board Committee agree otherwise. Inspection, observation, monitoring, and oversight activities may not be as signed or subcontracted to a third party by AUSD without the mutual consent of the BASE Governing Board Committee. AIA will submit financial reports to AUSD and the county superintendent of schools in accordance with the timelines stated in charter school law (Ed Code Section 47604.33(a)).AIA will submit quarterly fiscal reports in accordance with the timelines stated in charter school law. BASE and AUSD will jointly develop a timeline of other re quired ongoing monitoring documents, including deadlines of when the documents will be submitted, when reviewed, when feedback will be given to BASE, and by when corrective action will occur. BASE will be given reasonable time to take appropriate corrective action, unless the alleged violation presents an immediate threat to health or safety. 15.2 Resolution of Disputes - AUSD and AIA AIA is committed to working with AUSD in a continuing partnership for the benefit of BASE youth. Disputes relating to compliance with or interpretation of the charter will be referred initially to the BASE Governing Board Committee, the membership of which includes an AUSD representative. Disputes arising from the operating agreement or school activities will initially be addressed at the most appropriate governance level nearest the source of the problem and referred to the BASE Governing Board Committee if negotia tions at the initial level are unsuccessful. Resolution of disputes between AUSD and AIA or the school’s management will be by consensus, with all parties’ interests being ad dressed. If these dispute resolution efforts are unsuccessful, the District and AIA will appoint representatives to work with a mutually-selected neutral mediator, with the costs to be shared. Should mediated dispute resolution fail, the parties will have recourse to what ever legal remedies may be available. 15.3 Resolution of Disputes - Other When the operations of BASE give rise to disputes or complaints other than between AIA and AUSD, BASE will seek a mutually-satisfactory resolution, employing a process that includes: defining the problem, identifying interests, gathering facts and evaluation options for resolution. Complaints will be addressed first at the source of the problem and referred to the appropriate level of school management. Disputes that cannot be resolved informally will be addressed as provided by BASE’s adopted com plaint policy, which will be consistent with California’s Uniform Complaint Procedure (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Sections 4600 - 4671). Through this 223 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. procedure, disputes that cannot be resolved initially may be referred to the BASE Governing Board Committee. The role of the District in resolution of complaints received by it about BASE will be ad dressed in an operating agreement between AIA and AUSD. 16. Exclusive Public School Employer Declaration A declaration whether or not the charter school shall be deemed the exclusive public school employers of the employees of the charter school for the purposes of the Edu cational Employment Relations Act (Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 4 of Title I of the Government Code. Ed. Code §47605(b) (5) (O). AIA is deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of the charter school for purposes of the Educational Employment Relations Act. 17. Charter-Related Issues A charter may be granted pursuant to Sections 47605... for a period not to exceed five years. A Charter granted by a school district governing board... may be granted on or more subsequent renewals by that entity. Each renewal shall be for a period offive years. A material revision of the provisions of a charter petition may be made only with the approval of the authority that granted the charter. Ed. Code §47607(a)(1). 17.1. Term of the Charter The second BASE charter term will begin upon conclusion of the current charter term and will extend through the end of BASE’s 2010-2011 academic calendar. 17.2. Material Revision of the Charter AIA may present a petition to materially revise the charter at any time, which petition will be acted upon by the AUSD Board of Education within 60 days of receipt, unless other wise agreed by AIA and AUSD. A petition to materially revise the charter will include a clear statement of the language to be added, deleted or modified and the reasons for the amendment. Revisions of the charter considered to be material include changes in the ages and/or grades to be served, relocation of the school, and delegation of additional decision making authority away from the AIA Board of Directors. Approval of material revisions of the charter shall not be unreasonably withheld by AUSD. Changes to the Charter that are deemed to be nonmaterial will be made by BASE Govern ing Board Committee, as authorized by the ALA Board of Directors. AUSD will be in formed in writing through its representative to the BASE Governing Board Committee regarding any such changes. 17.3. Revocation A charter may be revoked by the authority that granted the charter under this chapter if the authority finds that the charter school did any of the following: (1) Committed a material violation of any of the conditions, standards, or procedures set forth in the charter. (2) Failed to meet or pursue any of the pupil outcomes identified in the charter. (3) Failed to meet generally accepted accounting princi ples, or engaged in fiscal mismanagement. (4) Violated any provision of law. Ed. Code §47607(b)(l)(4). Prior to revocation, the authority that granted the charter shall notify the charter public school of any violation of this section and give the school a reasonable 224 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. opportunity to cure the violation, unless the authority determines, in writing, that the violation constitutes a severe and imminent threat to the health or safety of the pupils. Ed. Code §47607(c). AIA and AUSD agree to act in good faith to communicate any violation that may result in the revocation of the charter and to provide a reasonable opportunity to cure such a viola tion. Before instituting any proceeding for revocation of the charter, AUSD agrees to engage in the dispute resolution process described in section 15 of this charter, unless the alleged violation constitutes a severe and imminent threat to the health or safety of the students or staff. Any proceeding for revocation will conform to then-applicable laws and procedures, including requirements of administrative due process. 17.4. Renewal (a) (1) A charter may be granted pursuant to Sections 47605, 47605.5, and 47606 for a period not to exceed five years. A charter granted by a school district gov erning board, a county board of education or the State Board of Education, may be granted one or more subsequent renewals by that entity. Each renewal shall be for a period offive years. A material revision of the provisions of a charter petition may be made only with the approval of the authority that granted the charter. The authority that granted the charter may inspect or observe any part of the charter school at any time. (2) Renewals and material revisions of charters shall be governed by the standards and criteria in Section 47605. (b) Commencing on January 1, 2005, or after a charter school has been in opera tion for four years, whichever is later, a charter school shall meet at least one of the following criteria prior to receiving a charter renewal pursuant to paragraph (I) of subdivision (a):... Ed. Code Section 47607 AIA will be governed by Sections 47607, 47605 and other applicable provisions of Cali fornia law in seeking renewal of the charter for BASE. Specific procedures for charter for renewal may be addressed in AUSD policy and/or the operating agreement between AIA and AUSD. In addition to the requirements in charter school law, AUSD will consider BASE’s value in providing an alternative educational program for students who had been previously unsuccessful or unchallenged in school. AUSD will not fail to renew the charter for lack of consideration. 17.5 School Closure A description of the procedures to be used if the charter school closes. The proce dures shall ensure a final audit of the school to determine the disposition of all assets and liabilities of the charter school, including plans for disposing of any net assets and for the maintenance and transfer ofpupil records. Ed. Code §47605(b) (5) (P) BASE is operated by Alternatives in Action, Inc. As such, its assets and liabilities will be integrated into those of the corporation. In the event that BASE closes, the school’s assets and liabilities will remain those of the Alternatives in Action, Inc and will be audited as part of the audit specified above in Section 10. Resources utilized by BASE but to which neither BASE nor AIA hold title at the time of closure will be disposed of consistent with agreements providing for their use, including, but not limited to, return of the property to the owner. Public or private funds received through grants, but not fully expended at the time of closure, shall be disposed of in accordance with the terms of the grant agreements or applicable law. 225 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Upon matriculation, at the end of each school semester or term, and upon graduation, parents or guardians of students are provided with a printed or electronic record of their student’s academic progress at BASE, along with other relevant information. Thus, in the event of school closure, parents and students will possess an independent copy of poten tially necessary student records. The BASE governing board may also provide for the transfer of such records to a responsible and willing school district, county office of educa tion, or other qualified entity, if available at the time the school closes. School resources allowing, former BASE staff or other AIA personnel may be retained for a designated period after school closure to ensure that student records are transferred to families and/or appropriate agencies. In the event that no such willing repository is available, the records shall be disposed of or destroyed in a fashion that will ensure confidentiality of the records. 17.6 Severability The terms of this charter contract are severable. In the event that any of the provisions are determined to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remainder of the charter shall remain in effect, unless mutually agreed otherwise by Alameda Unified School District and BASE Governing Board Committee. The district and school agree to meet to discuss and resolve any issues or differences relating to invalidating provisions in a timely, good faith fashion. 18. Special Education Notwithstanding Section 47651, all state and federal funding for special education apportioned on behalf ofpupils enrolled in a charter school shall be included in the allocation plan adopted pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 56195.7 or Section 56836.05, or both, by the special education local plan area that includes the charter school. Ed. Code §47642. AIA pledges to work in cooperation with AUSD and all local education agencies (“LEAs”) to ensure that students with exceptional needs are served. Services and outreach will be conducted in accord with applicable laws to ensure that appropriate services are provided for exceptional needs students in compliance with the California Master Plan for Special Education and any applicable federal law. These cooperative arrangements may include, but are not limited to, the following: • Open communications among the AIA, BASE, the school district of residence and the SELPA to ensure that students with exceptional needs are identified and that their needs are evaluated and served in compliance with any and all applicable laws; • Delivery of special education services either at BASE site or sites maintained by a school district, county office, SELPA, or other appropriate provider. These arrange ments may need to be developed on a case-by-case basis and reviewed and modified on a regular basis and in coordination with applicable laws and individual education plans; and • Equitable sharing of revenues and costs associated with maintaining and operating services for students with exceptional needs. These arrangements will be included in an operating agreement between AIA and AUSD. 19. District Impact Report The governing board of a school district shall require that the petitioner or peti tioners provide information regarding the proposed operation and potential effects of the school, including, but not limited to, the facilities to be utilized by the school, 226 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the manner in which administrative services of the school are to be provided, and potential civil liability effects, if any, upon the school and upon the school district. Ed. Code §47605(g). 19.1. Facilities The renewal of the charter for BASE will have minimal initial impact on AUSD facilities, as it is the intent of AIA to continue to use its current facilities for at least the first four (4) years of the renewed charter. These facilities include the premises at 2750 Todd Street in Alameda, for which AIA holds a lease until June 2010, plus three (3) surplus relocatable classrooms provided by AUSD under the terms of the operating agreement. These facilities are adequate to house the expected maximum enrollment of BASE. Under the terms of the lease, AUSD currently has no financial responsibility for the building. The planned redevelopment of Alameda Point raises some uncertainty about ALA’s ability to renew its current lease after 2010. AIA will work cooperatively with AUSD to assess the impact of redevelopment on BASE’s facilities. 19.2. Administrative Services AUSD may charge AIA its actual costs for supervisorial oversight, not to exceed 1% of the charter school’s revenue. Ed. Code §47613. Based on the experience of the first four (4) years of BASE’s operation and the terms of the most recent operating agreement, this payment should be sufficient to cover actual costs for any revocation and renewal processes, monitoring performance and compliance, review of annual school performance, participation in dispute resolution and AUSD’s representation on the governing board during the next charter term. In addition, AIA may seek to purchase services from AUSD, beyond the 1% fee for super vision, as allowed by Ed. Code §47613 (d) (“This section shall not prevent the charter school from separately purchasing administrative or other services from the chartering agency or any other source”). AIA expects to pay for any such services at AUSD’s cost, so there will be no substantial financial impact on AUSD. The scope of any services to be provided and the fees to be charged will be addressed in an operating agreement between AIA and AUSD. 19.3. Potential Civil Liability Effects An authority that grants a charter to a charter school to be operated by, or as, a nonprofit public benefit corporation is not liable for the debts or obligations of the charter school, or for claims arising from the performance of acts, errors, or omis sions by the charter school, if the authority has complied with all oversight re sponsibilities required by law, including, but not limited to, those required by Section 47604.32 and subdivision (m) of Section 47605. Ed. Code §47604(c). AIA is a nonprofit public benefit corporation, thereby protecting AUSD from potential liability for acts of the charter school. The charter petition includes procedures to facilitate AUSD oversight. Additional oversight provisions and measures to reduce the risk of liabil ity claims will be included in the annual operating agreement between AIA and AUSD. 19.4. Financial Impact on AUSD AIA is not requesting any funding from AUSD for BASE beyond that provided by law, nor does it expect any services to be provided by AUSD to BASE without fair compensation. Changes in state funding formulas for charter schools (most recently, SB 319) over the term of the first BASE charter have sought to eliminate any inequity in funding that would have caused a net negative impact on chartering districts. Therefore, the potential financial 227 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. effects are limited to the possible loss of net revenue from enrollment of AUSD students at BASE. The net impact of such enrollment on AUSD’s budget is difficult to determine pre cisely, but on average it should be positive. First, students at BASE who would not otherwise be enrolled in AUSD schools (from other districts or private school) have no impact on AUSD’s costs or revenues. Because BASE recruits from Oakland Unified School District and other Bay Area districts, the number of students diverted from AUSD will be significantly less than BASE’s full enrollment. During the first four (4) years of BASE’s operation, approximately half of its students have been non-residents of AUSD. Second, the financial impact of students transferring from AUSD schools to the charter will depend on a comparison of costs and revenues for those students. While AUSD loses the revenue, it also avoids the costs of serving these students. As a unified school district, AUSD receives the same amount of state funding per ADA for all students. However, on average, high school students are more expensive to serve than students in lower grades because of the variety of courses and facilities in the traditional high school setting. In addition, BASE seeks to serve students who have not been successful or sufficiently chal lenged in traditional high schools, including a high percentage of students with special needs. These students tend to be more expensive for traditional schools to serve. As for the revenue, because high school students tend to have lower attendance than other grade levels, they generate lower ADA relative to the number of enrollees and therefore less revenue per enrolled student. On average, the costs avoided by not having to serve BASE students who would otherwise enroll in AUSD high schools can be expected to exceed the lost revenue and the net effect on AUSD’s budget will be positive. By Bay Area School of Enterprise, A Public Charter High School, Alameda, CA. Copyright Alternatives in Action, 2006. Reprinted with permission. 228 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX R EXAM PLES OF BASE STUDENT ENTERPRISES Social Action Enterprise Projects The real world projects youth at BASE design and implement are called enterprises. Through co-creating and implementing community enterprises, youth develop their core academic skills, their habits of mind, and their sense of self- efficacy. Enterprises at BASE are real and dramatic, have a meaningful impact on the community, and are designed to enhance and apply the academic content of their coursework. To successfully complete an enterprise, youth must develop and defend their enterprise proposal, develop measures of success for the project, and then self evaluate and report on their success and shortfalls. Enterprises are developed using the 7 A’s of project design described below. Enterprises at BASE are designed to meet rigorous criteria. The 7 A’s: Authenticy o Enterprise is “real world” - it meets a real need in the community o Enterprise has meaning and value to the youth o The enterprise constitutes daring action. It is public and involves risk Academic Rigor o The enterprise applies knowledge central to the disciplines and content areas youth have explored or will explore, o The enterprise requires youth to develop higher order thinking skills and habits of mind. o The enterprise requires rigorous work including reading, writing, research, formal presentations, and understanding of new disciplines or development of other academic skills. Applied Learning o The enterprise clearly links to and applies specific course outcomes (as listed in the course syllabus), o Enterprises take place in the world beyond BASE o The enterprise requires youth to use skills and develop competencies expected in the world of work (Time-management, use of technology, problem solving, creative thinking, professional communication, learning skills, and collaborative work skills.) o Enterprise requires youth to develop organizational and self-management skills. o Enterprise improves youths’ understanding of community needs and how to take meaningful action. Active Exploration o Youth spend significant time doing “field based work” or work in the community (focus group meetings, presentations to other organizations, building collaborative partnerships, presenting to community panels), o Enterprise requires real investigation, using a variety of methods (i.e. focus groups, traditional research, site visits, stakeholder interviews, etc.) o Youth are expected to communicate what they are learning through presentations and performances. 229 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Adult Relationships o Enterprise requires youth to meet and interact with adults with relevant expertise and experience, o Youth have the opportunity to work closely with at least one adult, o Enterprises are a collaborative partnership between youth and coach(s). Coach(s) are personally invested in the enterprise and committed to its success. A ssessm ent Practices o Youth reflect regularly on their learning using clear enterprise criteria that they co-created (i.e. measures of success, group agreements, and individual performance outcomes), o Adults from outside the group (other BASE coaches, community adults) provide feedback and/or expert assistance to ensure that youths’ work meets real world standards, o Overall performance on project, using BASE methods such as portfolios and presentations of learning, will measure the extent to which the “6 A’s” were achieved by each youth and/or project group. Attainable o The enterprise has a realistic project plan that can reasonably be accomplished in the time allotted or in the time the youth have committed, o The enterprise has a clear and realistic budget including sources of income, o If the enterprise requires financial resources to sustain it beyond the life of the proposing group, there is a clear business plan with committed resources. Examples of Social Action Enterprise Projects HOME Sweet HOME Pre-School: HOME Sweet HOME Pre-School is a fully licensed pre-school center, which is a hive of activity and learning for twelve 2-4 year olds. HOME Sweet HOME was founded by HOME Project youth in 2001 and continues to be staffed and co-run with youth. In 2002-2003 youth enrolled in the Developmental Psychology of Children course used HOME Sweet HOME as their real world lab. In addition to working directly with the young children, designing and implementing curriculum, youth spearheaded the redesign of the HOME Sweet HOME playground including new murals, a hand built playhouse, and a vegetable garden. Youth Expressions: One Belt Can’t Tighten Two Pants: This project represents the culmination of the Humanities 1 work in social analysis. In the beginning of the year this group of first year BASE youth studied Gandhi and others. They noticed how leaders can use their voice to impact the world. They also learned that as young people, they must think of others besides themselves. Then they experimented with their voices and their own community. Through this experiment—all 22 youth in Humanities 1 produced a poem and visual art piece representing their voices. Content of their poetry and art was everything from their thoughts on the president to personal identity. During the “One Belt Can’t Tighten Two Pants” members of the Humanities 1 group displayed their art pieces and recited their poetry at a cafe style event. The name of 230 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. their event spoke to how one style of learning does not fit every youth; that each person is an individual who brings something different to a group of people. Remembering the Victims of Violence: The BASE Humanities 2 class covers both English 2 and Modem World History. During , * * * these studies the group of 24 sophomores focused on a theme of ■ j| Stories and Storytelling. After examining stories from a world history " perspective—the sophomores decided they wanted to get the stories of ^ people in their own communities. At the same time, the youth of BASE recognized harsh realities of violence and death in their neighborhoods across the Bay Area. With the help of 13 BASE seniors the Humanities 2 group created 4 memorial art walls dedicated to the memory of people who passed away due to violence. They believed people who died due to violence still have a voice as long as people in the community speak out against violence! On Wednesday, May 11—both Humanities 2 and the seniors of BASE joined community members at the Avenida de la Fuente in East Oakland to unveil the 4 art walls to the public. Members of the community had the opportunity to speak on behalf of their lost loved ones, and place their names on the art walls. Panel On War Experiences and Rights (P.O.W.E.R.): War affects everybody; from people loosing lov3ed ones in combat, to the state of the economy. The BASE Humanities 3 group were concerned about the state of the country and wanted to get perspective on how war affected their lives and country. After studying U.S. History and the impact that war has on people—the 18 youth in Humanities 3 wanted to understand more about current events surrounding war, including gay rights in the military. Humanities 3 invited a panel of 6 veterans (5 from the War in Vietnam and 1 Tuskegee Airman) to present their experiences around war, and their opinions around current issues. Enterprise BASE: Youth studying Sociology and Adolescent Psychology worked together with the BASE Director to help run BASE as a community organization and advocate in the community for BASE’s principles of youth ownership and leadership, learning through real and dramatic experience, and high academic expectations for all youth. Enterprise BASE participants represented BASE to the local government, funders, and community educators. Their work in 2004-2005 included writing the annual report and presenting it to the Alameda Unified School District School Board, presenting at two statewide conferences, providing training workshops to educators from around the world, teaching a seminar at UC Berkeley, and hosting a Candidate’s Night Voter’s Forum. The group presented to over 350 educators, youth workers, and interested community members over the course of the year. From Bay Area School o f Enterprise, A Public Charter High School, Alameda, CA. Copyright Alternatives in Action, 2006. Reprinted with permission. 231 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX S BASE LEARNING THROUGH PRESENTATIONS OF LEARNING (POL) SEQUENCE Learning Plan thru Presentations of Learning Sequence Learning Plans, Youth Led Conferencing, Narrative Evaluations, Portfolios, Enterprises, and POLs are not separate components of our program. They are all part of a sequence that is intended to make learning at BASE more real, more personal, more owned by each youth, and to leverage learning to develop youth outcomes. The following is an overview of the planned LP-POL Sequence for 2005-2006: Aug/Sept 1. Who Am I? Framing LP 2. Coaches highlight showcase portfolio pieces that will be developed 3. LP development (see LP section of workbook) Oct 4. LP Presentation 5. Each youth reports out to group IN EVERY CLASS what their goals and strategies are in the LP that relate to that class. Coaches make a chart to post on the wall. 6. Youth Led Conferencing/Quarter Narrative Evaluations Nov 7. Showcase portfolio pieces completed for non-humanities courses (early in November - but still time for revisions) Dec 8. Enterprise Panels=humanities showcase portfolio piece completed 9. Family Portfolio Reviews 10. Semester Narrative Evaluations Jan 11. Revisit/revise learning plans in Leadership Teams based on 1s t Portfolio Feb 12. Revisit STAR test, CAHSEE, and Writing Goals in learning plan March 13. Youth Led Conferencing/Quarter Narrative Evaluations - 15th 14. CAHSEE Testing 22n d (ELA) & 23rd (Math) 15. Non Humanities Showcase Portfolio Pieces Due - 31s t April 16. Humanities Enterprise Complete (shift to showcase portfolio piece) - by 13th 17. Showcase humanities pieces (connects projects & academics - also used as a “transference” reflection tool) 18. STAR Testing! 25th -28th May 19. Complete final portfolio - 26th June 20. POL / BASE exhibition & performance day- 1s t 21. Debrief POL 22. Graduation - 9th 23. Semester Narrative Evaluations - 14th From Bay Area School o f Enterprise, A Public Charter High School, Alameda, CA. Copyright Alternatives in Action, 2006. Reprinted with permission. 232 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX T BASE GRADIENTS OF AGREEMENT Gradients of Agreement & Meta-Decision Making Purpose: At BASE we have many principles that are frequently in tension. One such area is the belief that all members of our community (youth and adults) should have input into decisions that affect them, which is frequently in conflict with the belief that groups, coaches, managers, and leadership teams, must make concrete decisions. The following are some strategies to move from input to decision making. Focus on Youth Development: Decision making is partly a means to an ends (“we need to pick an enterprise idea so that we can get on with our proposal...”), but it is also a process o f individuals using their voice, collaboration, compromise, and connection. These methods described below may not be the fastest way to a decision (coaches’ decision being the fastest, and up or down group vote being a close second), but they are the best ways we’ve thought of to make decision making a process of growth. Formal Decisions: Gradients of Agreement & Meta-Decision Making: • Description: Gradients o f Agreement and Meta-Decision Making as practiced in ALA’s programs (adapted from Sam Kaner’ s “ A Facilitator’ s Guide to Participatory Decision Making”) is a decision making method that strikes a balance between majority rules voting (which can lead to the “tyranny o f the majority” and resentment from those in the minority) and consensus based decision making (in which decisions can be held hostage by only a few dissenters). Gradients o f Agreement allows for group members to express the substance of their concerns, for group members to explain the depth o f their 233 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reservations, and it allows for proposals to evolve and improve as the process continues. • How it Works: Alternative’s In Action’s Meta-Decision Making Model Summary 1. Discussion 2. Call for proposal 3. Select meta-decision maker (if you haven’t already) 4. Clarify proposal 5. Poll the group 6. Amend the proposal if necessary to increase consensus 7. Meta-decision maker, (a role that was pre appointed, rotates, was randomly selected, or is the coach themselves) decides: a. There is enough consensus, the proposal is adopted b. There is not enough consensus, reopen the discussion or call for a new proposal. 8. Record the decision. 234 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1. Discussion: groups talk about ideas, brainstorm, narrow, etc. until the are close to something that is a workable proposal. 2. Call for Pronosal: After brainstorming, discussing, narrowing, etc. a proposal emerges or is requested by the facilitator or coach (“I propose that we develop our project around the idea o f creating more youth space in the plans for Alameda Point.”). Make sure that the facilitator writes the proposal down on the board or chart paper, word for word, so that everyone can see it. 3. Meta-decision Maker: The facilitator (frequently the coach or a youth coach) selects a “meta-decision maker.” It is best when the meta-decision maker is as neutral a person as possible. Usually, the coach is not a good person to be the meta-decision maker. Meta-decision makers can be chosen randomly (this removes many of the power dynamics that can cast suspicion on the final decision). For some decisions or with younger groups, the coach may choose to be the be the meta-decision maker or ask a youth coach to be the meta-decision maker to keep a tighter reign on the groups decision. 4. ClarifV the Proposal: The facilitator or coach checks to be sure that everyone understands the proposal. Add to the proposal to make it more clearly understood if necessary. 5. Polling the Group: The facilitator “polls the group:” The following gradations are written on the board or chart paper: 1- 2-1 3- I am 4- I 5-1 I Agree Agree, but I have neutral or Disagree, but I Disagree, I reservations undecided will go along would block if I with the group. could Each group member states their level o f agreement with the proposal; the facilitator records each person’s initials under their vote. 6. Amending the Proposal: The facilitator seeks to solicit input from group members who polled at 2 or higher to determine if adjustments to the proposal can increase the degree o f consensus. Suggestion: start with the 2s, frequently their objections are less vehement and it can get the conversation going in a positive, compromising direction. Starting with the 4s can lead quickly to acrimony. For example: (“Jinny, you are a two. What is your 235 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reservation?” “I just think that this project will be too hard to fit into the 7 A ’s” “Are there any changes to the proposal that could address your reservation?” “Well, maybe if we check in after our rough drafts o f our proposal to decided if we still think this project is doable.” “OK, let me add that change... Does that adjustment change anyone else’s vote? Good, three more 1 s. Joe, you are still a 2, what is your concern...) and so on. Make sure that you write down every amendment to the proposal. You do not have to repoll after each amendment, but be sure to repoll before moving to decision making. 7. Decision Making: Once the facilitator has teased out as much consensus as is likely without scrapping the proposal, they ask the Meta-Decision maker to decide whether there is enough consensuses to successfully implement the decision. The meta-decision maker should consider the following: => Are any of the people that are 3, 4, or 5 critical to the success o f the proposal (i.e. if the coach, youth coach, or youth leads are leaning away from the proposal that is probably not good. If a youth who is planning to transfer to another class prior to the project is against it that may not be as big of a factor). = = > Is there enough buy in that the project will be successful (if there is a substantial minority o f folks who are 3, 4, or 5, can the group really pull off the proposal?) => NOTE: The meta-decision maker is making a judgment about whether there is enough consensus. NOT MAKING THE FINALLY DECISION BASED ON THEIR OWN FEELINGS ABOUT THE PROPOSAL. As the coach you may occasionally have to intervene if it is clear to you that the meta-decision maker is not fairly gauging the level of consensus. If the Meta-Decision maker says there is enough consensus, the proposal is adopted. If not, back to the drawing board. 8. Recording: Write down formal decision so that you have a record. • Notes: How formally you follow this process depends on the seriousness o f the decision. For a group decision on what enterprise you will be doing, sticking to all the formal steps is key. To decide if you should have a study period or go outside for a group dynamic, you may just ask the group to hold up numbers on their fingers. • Rational: This process allows for more people to have input into a decision, it allows decisions to evolve to increase the groups by in, it allows people to express the subtleties of their opinions rather than just voting up or down, and it avoids the situation where those in the minority are silenced. From Bay Area School of Enterprise, A Public Charter High School, Alameda, CA. Copyright Alternatives in Action, 2006. Reprinted with permission. 236 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX U EX A M PLE OF BASE HUM ANITIES CU RRICU LU M NOTE: This Draft Course Outline is intended for the Humanities 3 coach to use as a starting point. It is designed to fill approximately 60% of the instructional year, leaving plenty of time enterprise project development, additional units, and more in depth exploration into selected topics according to the of the youths’ interests. Humanities 3 ♦ US History / Honors US History English 3 / Honors American Literature of Social Change US History Purposes & Themes: 1. To use critical thinking to develop historical interpretation that shows the connections between historical events and current social, economic, and political trends. (State Social Science Analysis Skills) 2. To recognize the complexity of historical causes and effects. (State Social Science Analysis Skills) 3. To develop the ability to interpret past events and issues in the context of their times and from today’s perspective. (State Social Science Analysis Skills) 4. To develop the ability to do historical research, provide evidence and identify point of view. (State Social Science Analysis Skills) 5. Current Events: To understand how US history impacts on contemporary issues. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.9) 6. World Events: To understand the historical and contemporary US Role in the world. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.4, 11.5, 11.8, 11.9) 7. Economics: To understand the history of the economy including transitions, growth, impacts, class, and justice issues over time (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.2, 11.5, 11.6, 11.8, 11.11) Outcomes: • Historical Analysis: To understand and critique the traditional narrative of US History. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4,11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 11.10, 11.11) • Diversity: To understand the impact of diversity in America including: Ethnicity, Race, Gender, and Culture. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.5,11.8, 11.10, 11.11) • Economics: To understand the history of the economy including transitions, growth, impacts, class, and justice issues over time (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.2, 11.5, 11.6, 11.8, 11.11) • Wars, Conflict & Genocide: To understand the nature of the wars and conflicts the US has been involved in. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.7) 237 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Current Events: To understand how US history impacts on contemporary issues. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.9) • World Events: To understand the historical and contemporary US Role in the world. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.4, 11.5, 11.8, 11.9) • Ideology: To understand the US dominant culture’s ideologies and values, and their origins. To compare and contrast those ideologies and values with the historical record and current events. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.3, 11.5, 11.9) R eading Purposes / Habits of Mind: 1. To critique, analyze, compare and synthesize a variety of texts and media. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 11/12 Reading: 1.0,1.1, 1.2,. 1.3; 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5a, 3.5b, 3.5c, 3.5c, 3.6, 3.7a, 3.7b, 3.7c, 3.8, 3.9) 2. To gain information, insight and perspective via reading. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3; 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5a, 3.5b, 3.5c, 3.5c, 3.6, 3.7a, 3.7b, 3.7c, 3.8, 3.9) Outcomes: • To read, comprehend, analyze and respond to works for fiction. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5c, 3.5c, 3.6, 3.7a, 3.7b, 3.7c, 3.8, 3.9; Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5a, 1.5b, 1.5c; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; Listening & Speaking: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 2.3) • To read, comprehend, analyze and respond to non-fiction. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.8, 3.9; Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d, 2.4e; Listen & Speaking: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) • To read, comprehend, analyze and respond to works of poetry. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5c, 3.6; Writing: 1.5, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; Listening & Speaking: 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, • To read, comprehend, analyze and respond to dramatic works. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5c, 3.6; Writing: 1.5, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c; Oral: 1.0,1.1, 1.2,1.3; Listening & Speaking: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5) • To read, comprehend, analyze and respond to examples of speeches. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, Listening & Speaking: 1.1, 1.3, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14) 238 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Writing Purposes / Habits of Mind: 1. To critique, analyze, compare and synthesize a variety of texts and media. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1a, 2.1b, 2.1c, 2.1d, 2.1e, 2.2a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d, 2.2e, 2.3a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d, 2.4e, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.5c, 2.5d, 2.6a, 2.6b, 2.6c, 2.6d) 2. To communicate effectively in written form for a variety of purposes in real world settings. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12) 3. To gain information, insight and perspective via writing and peer editing. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8,1.9, 2.0, 2.1a, 2.1b, 2.1c, 2.1d, 2.1e, 2.2a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d, 2.2e, 2.3a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d, 2.4e, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.5c, 2.5d, 2.6a, 2.6b, 2.6c, 2.6d; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3) Outcomes: • To develop and write one of the following: a biographical narrative, an autobiographical narrative, or a short story. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 2.1a, 2.1b, 2.1c, 2.1d, 2.1e; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) • To write one of the following forms of expository compositions: analytical essay or research report. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d, 2.4e; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Reading: 3.8) • To write a persuasive composition. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1) • To write responses to a variety of forms of literature. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 2.2a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d, 2.2e; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9) • To develop and write business letters or technical documents. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing:l.l, 1.4, 1.7, 1.8,2.5a, 2.5b, 2.5c, 2.5d, 2.6a, 2.6b, 2.6c, 2.6d; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 • To write and deliver examples of quality public speaking. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 1.3, 1.4, 1.8, 2.6a, 2.6b, 2.6c, 2.6d; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; Listening & Speaking: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 2.5) Oral Communication Purpose: 1 . To express yourself honestly, directly, and powerfully as an effective citizen (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: ) 239 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2. To be able communicate formally and informally in a variety of settings including personal, professional, and educational. (State Language Arts/English Standards, Listening & Speaking:) 3. To be able to advocate persuasively for change in your community. (State Language Arts/English Standards, Listening & Speaking:) Outcomes: • Presentations: To deliver formal presentations including: narrative presentations, expository presentations, interviewing, and responses to areas of study. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.3, 1.4,1.5, 1.6, 2,1a, 2.1b, 2.1c, 2.1d, 2.2a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d, 2.2e, 2.2f, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d, 2.6a, 2.6b, 2.6c; 11/12 Listening & Speaking: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8a, 1.8b, 1.8c, 1.9,2,1a, 2.1b, 2.1c, 2.2a, 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c, 2.4d, 2.3e, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d, 2.5) • Persuasive: To take and defend positions, and to advance them powerfully and forcefully (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.5c, 2.5d) • Organization: To present and advance a clear thesis using appropriate proofs (statistics, quotes, etc.) and appropriate language conventions (Standard English Vernacular, other Vernaculars, informal expression for effect, technical language, etc.) (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.3, 1.4,1.6; 11/12 Listening & Speaking: 1.4, 1.5a, 1.5b, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8a, 1.8b, 1.8c, 1.9) • Visual Aids: To use props, visual aids, graphs, and electronic media to enhance the appeal and accuracy of presentations. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.7; 11/12 Listening & Speaking: 1.10, 2.4a, 2.4b, 2.4c, 2.4d) • Audience: To analyze the occasion and the interests of the audience and choose effective verbal and nonverbal techniques. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.9) • Historical Perspective: To analyze and critique historical speeches. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14) • Notes: To produce concise notes for extemporaneous delivery (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.8) • Interview: To apply appropriate interviewing techniques including preparing relevant questions, taking notes, using public speaking skills, and demonstrating understanding of topic. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c, 2.3d, 2.3e, 2.3f, 2.3g) • Communication: To communicate directly and honestly. To develop sensory and emotional awareness to express perceptions of the world. To communicate simple emotions and concepts effectively. To develop interpersonal communication skills. • Listening: To listen actively to others. To comprehend and demonstrate curiosity about what other say. (State Language Arts/English Standards, 9/10 Listening & Speaking: 1.0, 1.1; 11/12 Listening & Speaking: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3 1.11, 1.12, 1.13) 240 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Course Outline: Semester 1 Unit 1 : Examining Self, History & Literature Unit 2: Geography & Speech Unit 3: American Values & Ideology Unit 4: Social Movements: Intro Unit 5: Youth Social Action: Enterprise Development Semester 2 Unit 6: Social Movements: Revolution & Resistance Unit 7: Trail of Tears: Native Americans Culture & History Unit 8: Wars, Conflict & Genocide Unit 9: Multiculturalism & Diversity Unit: Economics (If Possible) Unit: Drama (If Possible) Not in This Course: At BASE we believe in depth over breadth AND we are committed to enterprise work that takes learning beyond books and classrooms. For that reason, we are unable to cover all aspects of US history or American Literature (not that anyone can). This course does not cover: • The Colonial Period • Industrialization • Urbanization • The Cold War (beyond Vietnam) If these periods are of particular interest to you, please see your coach who will arrange for additional resources to meet your needs. 241 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Timeline Topic US Hist Topics Lang Arts Topics Literature Topics Major Assign/Activities Enterprise/ POL Work SEMESTER 1 Week 1-4 Unit 1: Examining Self, History & Literature Current Events How To Study History The Writing Process Personal Narrative Parts of Speech Fiction: Plot, Perspective, Character, Setting, Symbolism, Theme. Select Book 1 (Youth Choice) Personal Narrative LP Framing Enterprise Learning Week 5 Unit 2: Geography & Speech US Regions & Geography Intro Public Speaking Literature Circles Geography Presentations: *Coach models with California Presentation *Youth teams complete mini research project *Presentations *Youth Generated Quiz Week 6-8 Unit 3: American Values & Ideology American Values Sentences Compare & Contrast Essays Literature Circles Franklin Emerson Write a Compare and Contrast Essay American Values vs. Your Values Learning Plan Presentations Week 9 Unit 4: Social Movements: Intro Social Movements Literature Circles Week 10- 17 Unit 5: Youth Social Action: Enterprise Development Youth Movements Writing Sentences Persuasive Writing Response to Literature Complete Book 1 Enterprise Proposal Response to Literature Enterprise Dev. Seauence Proposal Panel Present N > -i^ to Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Timeline Topic US Hist Topics Lang Arts Topics Literature Topics Major Assign/Activities Enterprise/ POL Work SEMESTER 2 W eekl8- 24 Unit 6: Social Movements: Revolution & Resistance Global Perspectives American Revolution Abolitionists Civil Rights Subject Verb Agreement Using Pronouns Response to Literature: Huck Finn Response to Literature Social Movements & Enterprise Assignment (to be developed) Enterprise Development Week 25 & 26 Unit 7: Trail of Tears: Native Americans Pre-European America American & Indian Wars Native American Civil Rights Mvmt Using Modifiers Begin Group Book 2 (Selected to match Enterprise) Alcatraz Mini Perf. Week 27- 31 Unit 8: Wars, Conflict & Genocide 1812 Civil War WWI WWII Vietnam Terrorism Research Report Punctuation Capitalization Literature Circles Angel Island Research Paper Enterprise Development Week 32- 33 Enterprise Completion Public Speaking Complete Book 2 Enterprise Performance Enterprise! Week 34- 35 Unit 9: Multiculturalism & Diversity Multiculturalism in America Short Selections from Many American Cultures Response to Literature Week 36- 38 Showcase Portfolio Piece Photo Journal Exhibit Enterprise POL to u o Unit #1 Guide Examining Self, History, & Literature Critical Question(s): . Who Am I? • Why do we study history and how do schools get the study of history wrong? • How does what happened in the past affect what is happening today? • How do you read literature? • How do you express truth through fiction? Length (Days/Weeks): 4 Weeks (Week 1- Week 4) Youth Outcomes (Essential Knowledge & Skills): • Historical Analysis: To understand and critique the traditional narrative of US History. (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1,11.2, 11.3, 11.4,11.5,11.6,11.7,11.8,11.9, 11.10, 11.11) = > Youth will be able to explain a criticism of the way history is traditionally taught. = > Youth will be able to explain how this humanities course will integrate history, literature, and writing through understanding, interpreting, critiquing and applying historical knowledge (spiraling). • Current Events: To understand how US history impacts on contemporary i s s u e s . (History/Social Science Standards: 11.1, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.9) = > Youth will identify several current issues and some of their historical roots. • To read, comprehend, analyze and respond to works for fiction. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Reading: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,. 1.3,2.4, 3.1, 3 .2 ,3 .3 ,3.5c, 3.5c, 3.6, 3.7a, 3.7b, 3.7c, 3.8, 3.9; Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1 .4 ,1.5a, 1.5b, 1.5c; Oral: 1 .0 ,1 .1 ,1 .2 ,1 .3 ; Listening & Speaking: 1.4,1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10,2.3) • Youth will read four short pieces of historical fiction to examine plot, theme, setting, and character. • To develop and write one of the following: a biographical narrative, an autobiographical narrative, or a short story. (State Language Arts/English Standards , 11/12 Writing: 2.1a, 2.1b, 2.1c, 2 .Id, 2 .le; Oral: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2,1.3 ) • Youth will write a biographical work o f historical fiction using characters, setting, and themes from their own lives. Text: Social Science: United States History: How To Use This Book Study Guide Unites States History: Chapter 32 Newsweek OR Currents Literature: Short Stories Baseball Saved Us, Ken Mochizuki The Day The Sun Came Out, Dorothy Johnson 244 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Dragon’s Pearl, Julie Lawson From Elena, Diana Stanley Language Arts: Language Network, Chapter 12: The Writing Process Language Network, Chapter 18: Personal Narrative Language Network, Chapter 1: Parts of Speech Honors: Introduction, In Lies My Teacher Told Me, Loewen How Students Learn: History In The Classroom Key Terms: Plot Barracks Desperate Drought Notorious Character Bleachers Grudging Scorched Condolences Setting Glinting Endured Craved Detain Theme Savoring Pierced Refugees Sedately Flourished Barrio Key Lesson Plan Topics: 1. Group Charter (See Workbook) 2. Personal Sharing (See Workbook) 3. Team Building (See Workbook) 4. About Humanities 3 including themes (American values, stated and unstated, compared to the reality o f our history), “spiraling,” showcase portfolio pieces (what they are, what we will do, how it could fit into your learning plan), establish “Timeline” (a visual timeline to help make sense of a non-linear history class, different historical elements that are discussed are added to the timeline, color coded to fit the theme/unit). 5. Current events: Why study history? Selections from Newsweek or Currents and their historical roots. o I.e. Iraq War ■ Colonialism ■ Israel & Middle East, Holocaust, WWII ■ Cold War: Afghanistan, CIA, Hussein ■ Economics: Oil & industrialization, o Race ■ Immigration ■ Slavery ■ Civil Rights ■ Native American Genocide o Drugs 245 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ Tobacco ■ Prohibition ■ Colonialism (Latin America) o Politics ■ Founding Principles ■ South v. North, civil war, reconstruction ■ Civil Rights ■ Cold War 6. Honors Students lead breakout groups based on Lies My Teacher Told Me: Introduction. 7. Fiction: Plot, Character, Setting, and Theme (4 lessons) 8. Writing sequence: Personal Historical Short Story OR Personal Narrative (including writing process). 9. Grammar: Parts o f speech. (Idea: require the youth to have a “Grammar and Usage” section of their binder/notebook where they collect all o f their notes on Grammar and Usage elements as they are covered over the course o f the year. 10. LP Goals & Baselines for Writing, Reading, Communication, and Historical Analysis (also, personal narratives/fiction contributes to personal development and social action). 11. Select the first Book (tiered choices-literature) and establish literature circles. Assessment(s) (Did youth achieve outcomes and essential learnings?): 3-5 pages. A Personal Narrative (See Language Network) linking to their learning plan (and the basis for a revised Personal Narrative at the end of the year prior to POLs). (Expand writing rubric to assess development of theme, character, plot and setting). The themes from this piece should help the young person express there personal or social action goals in their learning plan. Each person to present their personal narrative to the class. This is practice for public speaking and learning plan presentations and also aids in youth sharing themselves with others. They should tell their story and say why the picked that topic and what it says about them. IDEA: Require illustration or photos of the personal narrative. For youth who require accommodations, the illustration component can be expanded and the writing requirement can be reduced. IDEA: Require youth to breakdown one paragraph of their final paper identifying the parts of speech. From Bay Area School of Enterprise, A Public Charter High School, Alameda, CA. Copyright Alternatives in Action, 2006. Reprinted with permission. 246 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDIX V JOURNAL ARTICLE: BASE TEST SCORE GROWTH M. J io I * Nc^'wt-snd ; < m-tti com * Emtay, April < ? M ) ~ Charter school making progress in API scores B y Peter H e g a i l y STA#1; W « n t l T h e Bay A rea S chool o f F.»* tctrpruie, Che c h a rte r highschoo? a i A b m e d a P o in t, h a s sh o w n stead y g ro w th in th e latest API r e p o r t. B ecau se BA SE is a sm all sc h o o l w ith l m th a n WO siu- deofx teste d , it d o e s n or h av e a “sim ilar schools* ra n k in g in the A cadem ic P erfo rm an ce In d e x — a key aaegory that parents use to t h e c k h o w a school is doing, Aloof with ranking schools Based on how t h # compare to simitar schools* tbfemdex offers a I th ro u g h 10 statewide rank ing on how the school's API score compare wftft w y other A PI score, In thsd u a u g n ty BASE’ S r a t* ing ju m p ed th is y ear from <«*e to th ree, | T he API is intended to itcmon- strate h o w sc h o o ls a re d oing I b a se d or? sta te w id e tests. ! ITii* 2004 in d ex rolls to g eth er I resu lts from th e high school exit ! ex am am i C alifo rn ia sta n d a rd s te s ts in s e c o n d th ro u g h 11th- g ra d e E n g lish a n d m a th , fifth g ra d e sc ien ce a n d eighth-grade lustcay, in a single score betw een 200 a n d 1,000. BASE’S sc o re w en t fro m 529 in 2062*4)3 to 599 in 2003-04 - a 12 p e rc e n t increese. T he state's goal is to Hft e v « y C alifo rn ia sc h o o l’s score above 800. T h e 4-year-okf BASE, w hich it) high sd to o l stu d en ts founded, recru its y o u n g peo p le w ho have LEARN MORF. ror man rtqmOin <n K3» •M frpH fi‘ im -v tr « J Bias b e e n u n su c ce ssfu l o r u n c h a l lenged in trad itio n al sc h o o l sel lings T h e idea b eld n d it is to iide- gnW ctoB cge^iraparafcry a cad e m ic o b je c ts wirtt re a l w ork) so cial action projects. M ore th an h a lf o f its 90 s tu d e n ts are fro m O a k la n d and A & m eda an d a re co n sid ered by the state to b e e d u catio n ally d is advantaged T h e school is p a rt o f Afteroa- tiw s i« A ctual Inc., a n o n profit th a t a lso o p e ra te s th e H O M E Project, a n after-school p ro g ram a t the form er Navy b ase Supplied by the Bay Area School of Enterprise (A Public Charter High School), Alameda, CA. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

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Creator Welsh, Jennifer Alexandra (author)

Core Title An exploration of project -based learning in two California charter schools

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag education, administration,education, curriculum and instruction,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Colbert, Joel (committee member), Datnow, Amanda (committee member), Wohlstetter, Priscilla (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c16-426183

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