High School Leadership Summit Transforming High Schools Linda Clarke Executive Director Houston A+ Challenge October 8, 2003 Archived Information

High School Leadership Summit

Transforming High Schools

Linda Clarke Executive Director

Houston A+ Challenge

October 8, 2003

Archived Information

October 8, 2003 © Houston A+ Challenge 2

Project Partners Houston Schools for a New Society

Carnegie Corporation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Houston A+ Challenge Houston ISD

Regional Initiative Five Houston metro area school districts

• Aldine ISD• Alief ISD• Houston ISD• Humble ISD• Spring Branch ISD

Houston A+ Challenge


Key Elements

Reconstruct large, comprehensive, traditional high schools into small, personalized learning communities

Develop and implement new small high schools


Large Schools Regroup into small, semi-autonomous,

theme-based academies with no more than 300 students each

Examples• Fine Arts, Business and Technology,

Health Science Technology, Industrial and Engineering Technology, Magnet Technology


Large Schools (cont.) Add adult advocate for each student for

academic and social support from 9th grade through graduation Examples

• Meet 35 minutes per week one-on-one with students• Multi-grade advisory groups that allow teachers to

keep the same group of students for four years regardless of retention or change in grade status


Large Schools (cont.) Teacher professional development that

improves the quality of instruction Teachers identify need Small group delivery model 90-minute weekly meeting outside of

instructional time • Examples

• CO-Nect• Kagan Cooperative Learning• All teachers gifted/talented certified


Large Schools (cont.) Develop teachers as leaders

Teacher-led action teams American Leadership Forum


Large Schools (cont.) Literacy instruction is embedded in all

core subjects Literacy coach

• Work with content teachers in the classroom Each core-subject department outlines

strategies to identify and address areas of weakness


Large Schools (cont.) Curriculum is aligned, rigorous and based

on standards essential for successful entry into college or the workplace

Curriculum provides authentic, real-world experiences Example

• Service Learning


Large Schools (cont.) Internships for students Externships for teachers

• Faculty shadow professionals in businesses related to their academy


Large Schools (cont.) Each school develops a school-wide,

systemic set of interventions for one-on-one student remediation Students' strengths and weaknesses are pinpointed

with data Teachers focus on problem areas Academy structure allows teachers to quickly address

issues: struggling academics, excessive tardies & absences, behavior

Utilize community programs• Communities in Schools


Large Schools (cont.) All teachers belong to professional

learning communities that regularly meet to examine student work, then analyze how to alter curriculum and instruction to improve student achievement Example

• Critical Friends Group protocols


Large Schools (cont.) Community involvement

Parent academies Town hall forums Community advisory councils Free media Business oversight committee Community based organizations


Status As of fall 2003, 18 of 24

comprehensive HISD high schools have begun restructuring

11 regional high schools begun restructuring

6 more HISD schools expected to begin in fall 2004


Model Reagan HS

Process model for large school transformation in Houston

Met Adequate Yearly Progress for NCLB Achieved significant student progress Began work in 1999


New Small Schools Open three early college high

schools by 2005 Five-year program Housed on community college campus Students graduate with a high school

degree and two-year college degree


New Small Schools (cont.) Schools limited to 400 students Service Learning Authentic assessment Adult advocate


New Small Schools (cont.) Use time differently

Students complete curriculum at own pace Start classes one hour later on Mondays

• Teachers use hour for peer-group meeting to assess students’ progress


New Small Schools (cont.) Personalized academic plan for each

student• Tutoring/mentoring• One day week students chose content-

teacher to visit for one-on-one instruction in the morning


New Small Schools (cont.) Students take ownership

• Design extracurricular clubs• Outdoor chess• Gamesters• Rap band

• Voice in other decision making


New Small Schools (cont.) Teachers certified in content area Teachers have masters degree

• Will become adjunct professors at community college


Status First early college opened fall 2003

by Houston Community College, Houston ISD and Houston A+ Challenge


Design Comprehensive, three-pronged

approach Restructure schools Align district to new work Engage community


Leadership New Visions in Leadership Academy

All principals (new schools and large schools) participate

District superintendents (five districts)


Accountability Peer Review by community State of Texas standards No Child Left Behind

October 8, 2003 Houston A+ Challenge 26

1415 Louisiana, Box 9Houston, Texas 77002www.houstonaplus.org

Documents

High School Leadership Summit Transforming High Schools Linda Clarke Executive Director Houston A+ Challenge October 8, 2003 Archived Information