The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute

College Readiness and 6to16

The Urban Education Institute

The Urban Education Institute (UEI) works at the intersection of education practice, research and policy and is dedicated to improving urban schooling nationwide. UEI creates new knowledge and education models to address one of the nation’s most significant and enduring questions: how do we produce reliably excellent schooling for children growing up in urban America?

UEI’s services are implemented in 33 cities and 19 states nationwide – including charter organizations such as KIPP, Uncommon Schools, and Rocketship, and in public school districts in Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, and the Twin Cities. UEI’s activities are supported by the MacArthur, Joyce, Spencer, Dell, Pritzker, and Gates foundations.

UEI’s Four Operating Units

Schools UEI operates the University of Chicago Charter School, which comprises four charter school campuses that serve children from the South Side of Chicago, PreKindergarten to 12th grade.

Applied Research UEI’s University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research undertakes cutting- edge research on Chicago Public Schools to inform policy, practice, and the public.

Teachers and Leaders Through the UChicago Urban Teacher Education Program, UEI prepares teachers of the highest caliber for Chicago Public School while empirically testing a model for urban teacher preparation.

Tools and Innovation Through UChicago Impact, UEI develops and shares tools and training aimed at improving literacy, college readiness, teacher practice and school organization.

The Challengeeir children that begin

The University of Chicago Charter School

The University of Chicago Charter School was founded in

1998, when the University established the North

Kenwood/Oakland campus. Donoghue was opened in

2005, followed by the Woodlawn campus in 2006, and the

Carter G. Woodson campus in 2008.

Together, the four campuses of the University of Chicago

Charter School offer families a pathway to college for their

children that begins with prekindergarten and continues

through high school.

“[The charter school] becomes something that’s of great

value to the city because it’s a new way we can have

direct impact. On the other hand, it comes back and helps

the university because it’s actually something that

enhances our capacity to do research around a very

important societal problem.”

- Robert Zimmer, President of the

University of Chicago

s witUrban Education Institute: Making a difference

79% of UChicago Charter graduates attended college in the 2010-11 school year

COLLEGE ATTENDENCE FOR UCHICAGO CHARTER AND OTHER CPS SCHOOL GRADUATES IN THE SPRING OF 2010

Progress:100% of the 2012 Woodlawn Campus senior class were admitted to colleges and universities

reki College Readiness and 6to16

6to16 is a powerful example of how UEI builds tools designed for use at scale. It is a college readiness program for students in grades 6 to “16” (the completion of the undergraduate degree) designed and built at UEI, and now being used in schools across Chicago, Houston, New York, D.C. and the Bay Area.

6to16 is built on a distinct Theory of Action:

Belief: Students will have an informed belief in his/her ability to graduate from college. He/ She will be committed to this vision.

Path: Students will know the process for getting into and graduating from college and demonstrate that she/he is on that path.

Readiness: Students will know, develop, and demonstrate the skills and competencies for success in high school, college, and beyond.

Connect: Students will exercise agency and ownership over his/her educational process and identify and access social capital to support his/her goals.

ndergarten and continues through high school.

6to16 Vision

Inspired by the research of The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute, 6to16 was developed to dramatically increase the number of low-income, students of color and first-generation college going students who are successful in high school, college, and beyond.

At the core of the 6to16 program are supports that guide students in four key areas - seeing themselves as college-bound students; understanding the paths and process required to enroll in high school and college; developing the skills required to be successful in high school and college; and building social capital to help them succeed.

"We are informing young people of the transformational power of education, to prepare them to become

leaders, and to get them thinking about college by starting to talk to them about getting into a good high

school."

- Shayne Evans, Director of the University of Chicago Charter School

6to16 Offerings

- A comprehensive set of adaptable lesson plans from 6th to 12th grade

- E-learning opportunities for students that complement classroom lessons and allow students to practice decision making skills and apply concepts they learn in the classroom

- Online networking platforms for teachers and students

- Intensive professional development and implementation support for teachers, school leaders and other staff

Impact and Reach

In 2010-2011, over 3,500 students participated in 6to16 and were more prepared for high school and college.

In 2011-2012, just short of 10,000 6th-12th grade students participated in 6to16 and are more prepared for high school and college.

6to16 – Views from the Classroom

Preliminary results of the 2012 teacher survey have found the following:

- 100% of teachers strongly agree or agree that the implementation of 6to16 at their school enabled them to introduce their students to high school, college and career readiness topics at an earlier stage

- 93% of teachers strongly agree or agree that 6to16 has provided their school with an effective framework to deliver high school, college and career readiness materials

- 100% of teachers strongly agree or agree that 6to16 has enabled them to develop a college-going culture in their classrooms

- 90% of teachers strongly agree or agree that students are demonstrating improved attitudes and optimism about their future as a result of the 6to16 program at their school

6:16 – Views from Students

“The class gave me the encouragement i needed to do what’s important to get into a good high school, and going to a good high school helps you get into a good college.”

- 6to16 Middle School Student

“Before the class, I just thought the high schools looked at your test scores. I didn’t know that your seventh-grade attendance and grades counted so much. It really made me get some self-discipline and focus.”

- 6to16 Middle School Student

UEI Vision for Urban Schools

Create world class empirically tested, scaleable models

of schooling for low-income students from

pre-kindergarten through college.

Support for UEI

“The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute plays a pivotal role in Chicago’s efforts to improve schooling and is a remarkable example of how a university can partner with a

city to transform children’s lives.”

- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

“The Urban Education Institute is an instrumental partner in Chicago. UEI prepares children from across the South Side for success in college; trains exemplary teachers for our schools; and builds knowledge and tools that practitioners, parents and policy makers can use to improve schooling.”

- Chicago Public Schools CEO John Claude Brizard

Timothy Knowles, John

Dewey Director of UEI

Knowles has taught in Boston and Botswana, served as the founding director of Teach for America in New York City, as deputy superintendent of the Boston Public Schools and co-director of the Boston Annenberg Challenge, a nationally recognized effort to improve literacy instruction. Knowles also serves as a key educational advisor to Chicago Mayor RahmEmanuel.

“Our research shows incredibly high percentages of students aspire to go to college, but they are sidetracked both by poor academic preparation and a lack of knowledge navigating the process of getting to college and succeeding when they do. This is what 6to16 seeks to overcome.”

- Timothy Knowles, John Dewey Director of the Urban Education Institute