The three programs that have proven track records are Uncommon Schools, YES Prep Public Schools and Pathway to the Baccalaureate. What makes them successful over other programs?
Uncommon Schools, New Charter Schools
Doug Lemov oversees charter schools under the umbrella of Uncommon Schools. Lemov is the author of the book, Teach Like a Champion /em>. [Jossey-Bass, 2010] This book outlines 49 techniques that successful teachers use to be effective. These tips allow teachers to actually teach and Lemov incorporates these methods into his successful charter schools. Lemov is a former Teacher of the Year that earned this honor while teaching in one of Washington D.C.’s most challenging schools. He researched the most effective teaching methods and compiled them into his book. [1]
Teach Like a Champion helps teachers how to troubleshoot situations in the classroom.
- Technique #1: No Opt Out. How to get students to focus in on instruction.
- Technique #2: Do It Again. When students fail to successfully complete a basic task – reteach and expect perfection.
- Technique #3: No Warnings. Say what you mean and mean what you say -- the first time.
The book includes a DVD of 25 video clips of teachers demonstrating successful classroom management and teaching methods to be viewed as the reader progresses through the book. [4]
YES Prep Public School
High-performing charter schools in Houston have turned heads. YES, a network of high-performing public charter schools, serves low-income students in grades 6-12 who will be the first in their family to attend college. They are not only attending college but have been admitted into Rice University which is known for its high academics, far above the typical U.S. College. [1]
YES Prep Public Schools are growing from Los Angeles to Boston and sending students to college from neighborhoods that rarely send children on to higher education. While many of YES graduates struggle in college, they beat the odds by graduating from high school and even attending a college.
YES serves 3,500 students in the Houston area in seven schools. Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report rank YES Prep in the top 100 public high schools in the nation. 100% of YES Prep’s graduating seniors are accepted into four-year colleges including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Rice and Stanford. [3]
Pathway to the Baccalaureate
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) offers a program called Pathway to the Baccalaureate. The NOVA program enters local high-minority high schools and recruits students that had no prior prospects of attending college. The program targets juniors and monitors seniors closely for developing the right study skills and successful steps for college funding. [1]
Who are the students that NOVA targets?
- 68% are 1st generation college attendees
- 11% come from homes with less than $10,000 annual income
- 33% come from homes with incomes between $10,000-35,000
- 25% come from homes with incomes between $35,000-50,000
- 28% have disabilities
- 37% Latino
- 20% Caucasian & Middle Eastern
- 15% African American
- 18% Asian American [2]
If successful, these students attend Northern Virginia Community College. Based on a 2.5 grade point average, students are accepted to George Mason University to earn a four-year degree. The track record of this program has been very successful.
In 2008-2009, The Pathway to the Baccalaureate Program operated in 30 high schools and had 2800 students participating.
- 84% of these students transition from high school into post-secondary institutions.
- 12% transition directly transition into four-year colleges.
- 70% are in good academic standing after the first semester.
Historically, junior colleges have been tracking admission records. NOVA is asking them to track graduation rates instead. Many are shifting in that direction. Unfortunately, junior colleges have had very low graduation rates, many below 25%. The records show entry into junior college is increasing but this is meaningless data unless students actually graduate and have careers in the real world.
The three programs outlined here are very successful and can be replicated. In the world of educational doom and gloom under No Child Left Behind, they represent success and hope.
[1] Whitmire, Richard and Rotherham, Andrew, "How Schools Can Achieve Obama’s Lofty Education Goals: Three positive trends offer big lessons on making America more educationally competitive by 2020," U.S. News & World Report, May 18, 2010.
[2] Pathway to the Baccalaureate, 8333 Little River Turnpike, CG Building, 222 Annandale, VA 22003, 703-323-3359
[4] JosseyBass.com
Barbara Pytel - Email me Experience Although I was never particularly fond of going to school as an ELL student, I ironically became a teacher, ...
