Innovative Schools empowers educators and communities
to adopt modern school models proven to inspire
passionate teaching and learning.
Newark Charter School has proposed an expansion that would add four grade levels and nearly double its enrollment by 2020.
If approved by the state Board of Education, the school -- which now stops at eighth grade -- would add a ninth grade in the 2013-14 school year and a higher grade each year after that. By the end of the decade, the school could have 2,500 students, up from the current enrollment of about 1,300, officials said.
The plan is one of several proposals announced this week to open new Delaware charter schools or change enrollments at existing ones.
Newark Charter's plan is welcome news for some parents, who say they struggle to find a suitable high school option after their children finish eighth grade.
To read the article on DelawareOnline.com, click here.
Bridging the academic achievement gap between high school and college usually comes down to remedial courses prior to or during the first year of college.
Delaware State University should be able to shortcut that route for Delaware students with its proposal to sponsor and take academic ownership of a new state charter high school.
Focused on the so-called STEM fields, the school will be open to students willing to take on the required academic rigor, but DSU will also seek out students who are the first in their families to attend college and are interested in science, technology, engineering or math.To read the article on DelawareOnline.com, click here.
That's why Innovative Schools has launched the Delaware Leadership Project (DLP). They're seeking applications for the state's only alternate route to principal certification. But Katie Gallup with Innovative Schools warns this program is not for the faint of heart.
Katie Gallup: "It takes them through a very intensive unique training process. It's a five-week summer intensive followed by a year-long residency in an actual school with a mentor principal -- that's based on the medical residency model, and then these principals would receive two years of additional coaching support once they are placed as a principal in a high-need school."
To read the article on wdel.com, click here.
President Harry L. Williams and Provost Alton Thompson took the trips not to meet with fellow leaders in higher education. They wanted to see two high schools -- operated by and located on the campuses of Akron University and Lorain County Community College.
The model they saw in action on their visits is known as "Early College High School." And if the state approves its charter school application, DSU will open the first school of that type in Delaware on its Dover campus by the fall of 2013.To read the article on DelawareOnline.com, click here.
U.S. Senator Tom Carper Visits
Delaware New Tech Academy in Seaford
To read the article on wmdt.com, click here.
DOVER - After revving up a few hundred adolescents in the Central Middle School auditorium during a recent homecoming pep rally, educators had to get the children out the doors and onto school buses idling outside. And there wasn't much time to do it.
As the children began to get up, principal Darren Guido jumped to direct traffic. Moments later, outside, aspiring school leader Nakia Fambro noticed some students were dallying. She rushed to the office.
"If you are a bus rider, the buses are leaving in 30 seconds," Fambro announced over the intercom system, repeating the urgent message several times.
To download a PDF of the full News Journal story, click here.
Delaware New Tech Academy
Under Way at Seaford High School
Thanks to a federal grant of $1.3-million, Seaford High School has begun the Delaware New Tech Academy.
Delaware New Tech Academy uses a project-based model of education that has been proven to be successful at more than 60 public schools across the nation. Students are encouraged and taught to learn through creative use of technology, including computers, video and Smart Phones.
To read more at newsworks.org, click here.
Delaware State University, Innovative Schools Plan to Establish Charter High School
Dover, Del. - Delaware State University and Innovative Schools have formed a partnership to create an Early College High School that would allow students to simultaneously earn a diploma and college credits on DSU’s campus.
DSU and Innovative Schools plan to submit an application for the innovative charter school in December to the Delaware Department of Education, which oversees such applications.
“If approved, the proposed charter high school would implement the state’s first Early College High School, a nationally recognized school design,” Delaware State University spokesman Carlos Holmes said.
To read the full article in the Dover Post, click here.
DSU to Explore New Charter High School On Campus
Delaware State University and representatives of the local community have partnered with Innovative Schools, a Delaware-based non-profit public school support organization, to submit a charter application to the Delaware Department of Education this December. If approved, the proposed charter high school would implement the state’s first Early College High School, a nationally recognized school design brought to Delaware through a partnership between Innovative Schools and EdWorks, and would be located on the DSU campus in Dover. The school would be designed specifically to serve first generation college-bound students.
Delaware State University to Explore New Charter High School On Campus
Dover, Del. - Delaware State University and representatives of the local community have partnered with Innovative Schools, a Delaware-based non-profit public school support organization, to submit a charter application to the state Department of Education this December.
DSU officials said that if approved, the proposed charter high school would implement the state's first Early College High School, a nationally recognized school design brought to Delaware through a partnership between Innovative Schools and EdWorks, and would be located on the DSU campus in Dover. The school would be designed specifically to serve first generation college-bound students.
To read the full article from WBOC News, click here.
New Charter School Aims to Have Students Bilingual
A new charter school is opening in Newark Monday with a goal of ensuring Delaware's students are bilingual by the time they're in the sixth grade.
Las Americas Aspira Academy Charter School will kick off the school year with more than 300 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
To read the article in its entirety and listen to clip, click here.
Delaware's New Charter Schools Learn Lessons Before Teaching Them
The operators of Delaware’s three newest charter schools have learned at least two lessons from the controversies that have swirled about two other charters in the past year: manage well and watch your money.
Leadership and financial problems earlier this year brought the Reach Academy for Girls and the Pencader Business and Finance Charter High School to the brink of closure. The state’s Charter School Accountability Committee recommended in June that charters for both schools be revoked. However, in July, after both schools took steps to strengthen their operations, the State Board of Education agreed with Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery’s recommendation to place both schools on probation.
To read the article in its entirety, click here.
Deeper Learning is an Imperative for all Students, New Brief Finds
WASHINGTON, DC – Policy and practice at the local, state, and national levels should support the concepts of “deeper learning” to help all students meet higher expectations and be prepared for college and career, according to a new policy brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education. It argues that deeper learning provides students with the deep content knowledge students need to succeed after high school and the critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills that today’s jobs demand.
“The term ‘deeper learning’ may be new, but its basic concepts are not,” said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia. “Deeper learning is what highly effective educators have always provided: the delivery of rich core content to students in innovative ways that allow them to learn and then apply what they have learned.”
According to the brief, “A Time for Deeper Learning: Preparing Students for a Changing World,” today’s increasingly complex world requires that young people learn more, process more, and produce more, but the nation’s education infrastructure is not currently designed to support these increasing demands. As evidence, the brief points to results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showing that American students trail their peers from other developed countries in using their knowledge to solve problems in key subjects like reading, math, and science.
“A Time for Deeper Learning” argues that American schools tend to offer a two-tiered curriculum in which some students—primarily white and relatively affluent—have had opportunities for deeper learning, while others—primarily low-income and students of color—have focused almost exclusively on basic skills and knowledge. It finds that the nation’s prosperity in the near future will depend more than ever on students from underserved groups.
There are hundreds of schools across the country that are successfully incorporating deeper learning principles and are seeing promising educational results, the brief finds. For example, Envision Schools, which operates four urban high schools in the San Francisco Bay area, educates predominately disadvantaged students, the majority of whom are first-generation college bound. In 2008, 95 percent of Envision graduates were admitted and have stayed in college.
Although individual schools and systems are successfully applying deeper learning and can demonstrate its effectiveness and practicality, bringing such experiences to all students is a formidable undertaking. However, as the brief notes, supportive policies such as the adoption of common core state standards that support college and career readiness, the development of next-generational assessments aligned to those standards, and recent developments in educational technology indicate that policymakers are starting to come together on the changes and investments that are needed.
The brief observes that the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind, presents a unique opportunity for federal policymakers to create opportunities for states and districts to put into place the kinds of policies and practices that a deeper learning environment requires. It outlines policy actions that support deeper learning in five different areas—standards, assessments, accountability, professional development and teaching practice, and state-level polices—and provides a picture of what deeper learning might look in the classroom.
The complete brief is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/DeeperLearning.pdf.
Alliance Brief call for Assessments that Measure Deeper Learning
WASHINGTON, DC - New assessments that measure a broader range of knowledge and skills than typical assessments measure are vital to ensure that students learn what they need to succeed in the future, according to a new policy brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education. Such assessments would indicate whether students understand challenging content and are able to apply that knowledge to think critically, solve problems, communicate their understanding, and work with their peers, the brief argues.
"All students need these deeper learning competencies in an increasingly complex society," said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia. "New assessments are needed not only to show whether students are developing those abilities but also to foster deeper learning in the classroom."
According to the brief, "Assessing Deeper Learning," state tests used for accountability purposes exert a strong influence on classroom practice. Such assessments make the expectations for student learning concrete, and they signal to teachers the kinds of performances students need to demonstrate in order to meet standards. Two consortia of states are currently developing new assessments, scheduled to be in place in 2014-15, that will measure the state-initiated common core state standards in English language arts and mathematics.
The brief notes that other countries routinely employ assessments that ask students to demonstrate deeper learning abilities. These assessments are used to hold schools accountable for results as well as to inform instruction. In addition, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which compares student performance among fifteen-year-olds in sixty nations around the world, tests students' abilities to apply their knowledge to real-world problems.
Technology can support a shift to assessments that measure deeper learning, the brief notes. Online assessments can employ simulations and other techniques that enable students to show their abilities to use their knowledge to think critically and solve problems. Such assessments also provide results almost instantaneously, making them more useful to teachers.
The brief also notes that assessments that measure deeper learning are feasible to develop and administer. Through the use of technology, and by pooling funds among states, states can lower the cost of high-quality assessments.
Federal policy can support the development and implementation of new assessments that measure deeper learning, the brief states. The federal government can require that assessments measure deeper learning competencies, support professional development for teachers, ensure that assessments fairly measure the performance of students with disabilities and English learners, and continue to provide support to states for ongoing operational costs of state assessments.
"Assessing Deeper Learning" is available online at http://www.all4ed.org/files/AssessingDeeperLearning.pdf.
For Prospective Principals, School is Still in Session.
For seven aspiring principals in Delaware’s high-need public schools, this summer has been just the beginning — a very intensive beginning.
“The information and experience I’ve gained in the first four weeks far surpasses what I picked up in traditional pathways,” said Reshid Walker, one of seven participants in the Delaware Leadership Project (DLP), a 14-month training program financed primarily by federal Race to the Top education reform funds and a grant from the Rodel Foundation.
Walker, who has worked in the Capital School district and in the New York City Department of Education, already is certified as an assistant principal and principal, but was attracted to the program by its rigor and the opportunity for hands-on training while building a strong relationship with a mentoring principal.
For the full article, click here.
Recruiting New Help to Bridge the Gap
The first class of a program designed to help bridge the achievement gap of students in Delaware graduated on Friday.
The 24 Delaware Teaching Fellows, trained to work with higher-needs students, will start this fall.
The program was created to address the fact that the community the child is raised in correlates with his or her academic success, said Christopher Ruszkowski, the Delaware Department of Education's Deputy Officer in Teacher and Leader Effectiveness.
The new teachers will work at schools where 60 percent of students come from lower-income communities. The districts include Capital, Christina, Seaford, Colonial and Red Clay Consolidated. All are new teachers who have never worked in a K-12 classroom. Some have changed their careers.
For the whole story, click here.
The People Behind Delaware's Principal Training
Innovative Schools Inc., the nonprofit public school resource center that is managing the Delaware Leadership Project certification program for aspiring principals, was founded in 2002 with a much narrower purpose: to help new charter schools obtain financing to acquire buildings needed to house their programs.
The organization raised $5 million from local foundations to establish a loan guaranty fund that subsequently helped seven charter schools purchase or construct adequate facilities.
Innovative Schools subsequently broadened its work with charter schools, providing back-office services in financial management, human resources, information technology, and technical assistance with completing the application and renewal paperwork required by the state Department of Education. It has already provided some form of support to 16 of Delaware’s charter schools and is assisting three groups with applications for new charter schools that will be filed with the state later this year.
To continue reading, click here.
New Program bringing more Than 20 Outstanding Recruits to State's Highest-Need Classrooms
Delaware Teaching Fellows will strengthen the state’s teaching force by offering another alternative pathway for talented professionals and recent college graduates to teach in high-need schools and subject areas.The Delaware Department of Education today announces the inaugural class of Delaware Teaching Fellows (DTF), a highly-selective program designed to recruit, select, train, and support accomplished professionals and outstanding recent college graduates to teach in the state’s highest-need schools. The new program is a key component in the state’s Race to the Top plan, which includes specific goals around the recruitment, development and retention of effective teachers.
After an intensive summer training program that includes leading a summer school class under the mentorship of a seasoned educator, this first class of more than 20 Fellows will teach math, science, English, and special education this fall to middle and high school students in all three Delaware counties. Throughout the year they will continue to receive close mentorship and support in the classroom while also taking classes at Wilmington University to earn their certification.
For the full article, click here.
New Program Gives Alternative for Principal Certification
Seven future principals say they're on a mission to make a difference in needy schools.
The Delaware Leadership Project, run by non-profit Innovative Schools, is a 15-month, principal certification that includes a five-week summer intensive and 10-month residency with a mentor principal.
Innovative Schools Executive Director Deborah Doordan tells WDEL the program goes above and beyond to prepare the candidates.
The candidates, most of whom have education backgrounds, have to serve for three years as principals in under-performing schools after completing the program.
To watch the video clip, click here.
Special Leaders for Needy Schools
In the neediest schools, finding qualified leaders can be a challenge.
When children are coming to school with problems that go beyond learning math and reading, these social and economic issues often require leaders who are trained specially to meet those needs.
To help, Delaware recently began a new program that aims to train and retain specially trained school leaders. The Delaware Leadership Project, funded with part of the state's $119 million Race to the Top grant, is a new way for educators to train to work in schools that struggle with low test scores.
Leah Anderson, a former Howard High School teacher, is one of seven educators selected to be part of the first round of the program. She decided to take part because the Delaware Leadership Project presented an opportunity to get trained in an area that she's passionate about: Helping youth in schools that struggle. Anderson, who is a Pittsburgh-area native, went to a low-achieving school, and that sparked her interest in helping others.
For the entire News Journal article, click here.
Program Trains principals to Work in High-needs Schools
DOVER — The Delaware Leadership Project — an intensive 14-month training program for aspiring school leaders that is the state’s first alternate route to principal certification pathway — launches this week.
The first cohort of seven candidates began its intensive summer training Monday and this fall will begin year-long residencies at schools throughout the state, working beside seasoned school leaders who will provide mentoring and coaching to participants.
To continue reading the article, click here.
10 Things. Dennis Littky
Education innovator Dennis Littky — co-founder of The Met school in Rhode Island, Big Picture Learning and College Unbound — knows that we can’t afford to fail our future. His ten steps to smarter schools:
To read all of Dennis's "10 things", click here.
NYU Study Updates and Expands 2009 Report
Schools led by graduates of the NYC Leadership Academy tend to improve student performance in English language arts (ELA) and math at a higher rate than schools led by similarly-tenured principals in similar schools, according to a study by the Institute for Education and Social Policy (IESP) at New York University. In this update, IESP applied the same methodology it used in its 2009 paper, The New York City Aspiring Principals Program: A School-Level Analysis. The new analysis adds a third cohort of Aspiring Principal Program (APP) graduates and an additional year of testing data. IESP found that APP graduates were more likely to be placed in elementary and middle schools with higher concentrations of African American and Latino students, and students eligible for free and reduced lunch. Their schools also had significantly lower initial student achievement and attendance rates, as well as lower proportions of experienced teachers than those led by comparison principals. After standardizing for citywide performance trends and controlling for differences in initial school and student characteristics, IESP found that APP-led schools cut the initial ELA performance gap between their schools and comparison schools in half. In math, the performance gap initially widened, but was virtually eliminated in years three and beyond.
To read the full press release, click here.
To read the study, click here.
SEAFORD, Del.- It will be a first for the First State when the Delaware New Tech Academy opens in August at Seaford Senior High School.
The Delaware New Tech Academy, a part of the New Tech Network, will use project-based learning. Students will work every day with laptop or desktop computers, and in teams on real world projects.
For the whole story, click here.
Wilmington, Delaware, August 31, 2010 Innovative Schools - a local, non-profit public school support center - is proud to welcome Matthew Swanson as the new president of its Board of Directors and to announce the addition of a seven-member Advisory Board of Directors. The new Board President and members of the Advisory Board will provide focused input and informed guidance to Innovative Schools as the organization undergoes an expansion into three new divisions that will support Race to the Top initiatives in Delaware – Innovative School Models, Innovative Staffing, and Innovative School Solutions. The organization’s goal is to redesign public schools into 21stCentury learning institutions through the replication of modern school models.
“This is an exciting time for education in our State,” stated Debbie Doordan, Executive Director of Innovative Schools. “Delaware’s receipt of the Race to the Top grant has generated a lot of positive momentum, and Innovative Schools is proud and eager to join other educators in the excitement of this unprecedented opportunity. Innovative Schools’ success and ability to fulfill our mission has always been a direct result of our Board of Directors’ effective volunteer leadership. In line with our new strategic plan to expand the organization and better support all Delaware public schools, Innovative Schools is fortunate to be able to expand this critical base of support.”
Matthew Swanson takes over the role of Board Chair from Paul Herdman, President and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, an organization that has played a pivotal role in implementing Vision 2015 and other education reform initiatives in this State. Dr. Herdman served Innovative Schools as Board Chair for seven years, and will remain on the Board. Other Board members are Martha Manning, Peter Morrow, Craig Schroeder and Karl Wagner.
Matthew Swanson is a local small business owner with a passion for education. His entrepreneurial skills will be a valuable asset to Innovative Schools as the organization begins to restructure. In addition to overseeing the expansion of Innovative Schools, Matthew Swanson will also benefit from the input of the newly-formed Advisory Board.
“All over the country, innovations in education are improving the quality of public schools for all students. Many of these strategies are a good fit for Delaware’s schools. The Advisory Board will provide Innovative Schools with perspective on how these programs are working around the country and how they may best fit here,” stated Matthew Swanson, Board Chair.
Schools and districts will need to take charge of their future, and Innovative Schools offers support and services as a local intermediary for nationally based programs.
“In line with local and national efforts to improve the quality of public schools, Innovative Schools will support the redesign of Delaware’s schools into 21stCentury learning institutions,” stated Debbie Doordan. “We look to serve as a partner with schools and districts, and feel confident that our plan provides a holistic approach to total school re-design, incorporates input from all critical stakeholders, and will allow schools to achieve better results for students and families.”
Supported by the Board of Directors and Advisory Board, Innovative Schools has the capacity to provide a fundamental transformation of education that is focused on students and academic success. The organization will now offer support to public schools in three critical areas:
To see a full list of Innovative Schools Board and Advisory Board members, click here.
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Join us on Facebook
Link to us on LinkedInInnovative Schools, Community Service Building, 100 West 10th Street, Suite 403, Wilmington, DE 19801
phone: 302-656-4737 fax: 302-656-4738
© 2009-12 Innovative Schools. All Rights reserved. Website design by Hollister Creative