CARVER TRANSFORMATION

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CARVER TRANSFORMATION

• EPFP Research Project
• June 2009

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SECTION 1High School Transformation A National
Matter and a Local Response - Atlanta Public
Schools H.S. Strategy
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Case for ChangeLike other cities and towns
across the nation, graduation rates were stagnant
and APS needed to redesign and retool high
schools.
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In order to prepare students for the future, we
must rethink the concept of high school.

• One major challenge school structure
• The large comprehensive high school no longer
  serves most students this one size fits all
  model doesnt meet the needs of current students
  it cant consistently deliver the type of
  experience research tells us is critical to
  prepare all students for success in the future
• Impersonal environment
• Lack of consistent rigor and engaging instruction
• Limited connection with students interests

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The research says

• Students need smaller, more personalized
  environments
• Students need instruction that is more
  consistently challenging and engaging
• Students need school to provide experiences that
  connect with their world and the world outside of
  the school

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The reality shows

• The 12th grade class is 40 smaller than the 9th
  grade class four years earlier.
• Georgia ranked 49th among states in college
  enrollment rates for 18 to 24 year olds.
• The direct economic impact of high school non-
  completion was 17 billion dollars annually.
• 80 of Georgias prison inmates are high school
  dropouts.
• 
  Georgia Department
  of Education, Early College RFP, 2004

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Education Economic Opportunity

• In 2005, Six out of 10 jobs today required a
  college degree (Southern Growth Policies Board)
• By 2010
• 80 of the jobs will require post-secondary
  education (US Department of Labor)
• In the City of Atlanta, the best jobs will
  require advanced education as indicated on the
  following chart

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Top 15 Fastest Growing OccupationsCity of
Atlanta, 2004 2014
Source GA Dept of Labor
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SECTION 2APS Rationale for Small School Model
and Theme Schools
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• Carver Redesign Task Force
• Sub-committees
• Instructional Program Design
• Industry Partnerships
• Post Secondary Connections
• Industry Standards
• Agency Collaborations
• Project Design Team

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To deliver a new high school experience, we are
seeking holistic transformation at four different
levels.
Delivering the new experience for all students
requires changing how APS . . .
1. Portfolio and school design
More graduates ready for post-secondary success
12th
11th
. . . designs its high schools
10th
9th
. . . delivers instruction inside and outside
the classroom
2. Instructional foundations
. . . supports students inside and outside the
classroom
3. Student programs/supports
. . . supports schools in delivering this
experience to all students
4. District support and accountability
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This is how it works!
Math
Science
Social Studies
English
Dedicated Team of Teachers
Students Prepared for College and Careers
Theme
Graduation Plan
Student Advisory
Internships Job-shadowing
College-Prep Curriculum
College Tours
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Small Schools

• Approximately 100 students enter each school in
  the 9th grade
• Maximum enrollment of 400 students reduces
  student alienation and strengthens relationships
  with staff
• Allow school leaders and staff to be more
  adaptive and responsive to learning and
  developmental needs
• 
  
  
  Every Child a Graduate

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• Staff Selection
• Hiring of principals was a nationally competitive
  process.
• Principals have authority to recruit and hire
  staff who apply through the APS system.
• Current APS teachers had to apply to work in The
  New Schools at Carver.
• A high percentage of Teach for America teachers
  at Carver.

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• Staff Development
• Institute for Student Achievement provided basic
  training for operating small schools at its
  facility in New York.
• Institute for Student Achievement offered
  coaching on site to Principals and Teachers.
• Outward Bound Atlanta built a high ropes course
  adjacent to the Carver campus and provided staff
  team building exercises.

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Communications and Community Engagement
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SECTION 3 The New Schoolsof Carver
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Features of Each School

• Small School of 400
• College preparatory
• Real world experiences
• College counseling
• Center for Excellence in Teaching
• Summer opportunities

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Carver Redesign

Internships
The Arts
Early College
LabSchool
CollegePreparatory
Scholarships
HealthCareers
Science Technology
Summer Opportunities
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School of the Arts

• Students study masterpieces to inform their own
  performances
• 2005-2006 Dance, Instrumental Music, Vocal
  Music
• 2006-2007 Theater, Music Technology, Visual
  Arts
• Represented on the planning team Metro Atlanta
  Arts and Culture Coalition, Creating Pride,
  Neighborhood Music School, Clark Atlanta
  University

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Health Sciences and Research

• Prepares students for high level careers in
  medicine and research
• Students learn using the case study method
• Represented on the planning team Clark Atlanta
  University, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Emory
  and Morehouse School of Medicine

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Science and Technology

• Prepares students for careers in engineering,
  architecture and design
• Students engaged in interdisciplinary projects
  that result in tangible products
• Represented on the planning team Georgia
  Institute of Technology, Turner Broadcasting

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Early College

• Students graduate with 60 college credits
• Curriculum is competency based and aims to
  accelerate college preparation
• Represented on the planning team Georgia State
  University, Georgia Department of Education and
  the Gates Foundation.

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Project GRAD Atlanta Alignment

• Maintain enrollment in the current GRAD
  initiative
• which supports students with
• Additional counseling and family support services
• Opportunities for
• participation in summer institutes
• internships
• Project GRAD scholarships

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Upon Graduation from New Schools at Carver

• Earn up to 60 college credits
• Prepared for college without remediation
• Eligible for a Project GRAD scholarship
• Participate in internships
• Have an articulated plan for post-secondary
  success
• Experience in the world of work

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School Partnerships

• Partners provide the following
• Internships
• Mentors and tutors
• Experts
• Teach master classes and special seminars
• Judge special events and competitions
• Exhibition space
• Job Shadowing opportunities

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SECTION 4 FundingIs the New Schools at
Carver model replicable or sustainable
financially?
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Budget Impact FY 08 - FY 12 and Beyond for High
School Transformation
Estimated costs
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• 32.7 M

One-time
Ramp-up (FY08-FY11)

• 65.4 M

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• 32.7 M

Ongoing
High school transformation
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• 13.3 M/year

Steady state (FY12 onwards)
Funding gap of 27M for ramp-up costs
One-time Start-up, short term costs Ongoing
Continuous costs during the ramp-up period Steady
State Long term costs to sustain full blown
implementation
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High School Transformation Costs

• The APS high school transformation projects
  estimated costs for FY2008 FY2011 are expected
  to be 65.4 million
• 33.7 million in one-time costs
• 31.7 million in ongoing costs during this time
  period
• Continuing operational costs from FY2012 on are
  expected to be 13 million per year to maintain
  these models over the typical high school design

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Transformation Funding Sources

• 10.4 million grant from the Gates Foundation
• 7 million from the GE Foundation (part of a 22
  million math and science grant)
• 10 million from APS SPLOST funds
• 10 million from APS or other grantors
• Operating budget from state, federal and local
  taxes
• 69 local
• 22 state
• 9 federal

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Why is the small school design so expensive?

• Some of the associated costs from FY 2008 FY
  2011
• 4.2 million for professional development (3.9
  million one-time)
• 7.1 million for Instructional Coaches and Model
  Teacher Leaders (3 million one-time)
• 4.1 million for curriculum (3.7 million
  one-time)
• 10.8 million for additional student supports
• 3.8 million for Advisory/Mentoring/Postsecondary
  Awareness (1.6 million one-time)
• 7 million to keep students on-time to graduate
  (0.6 million one-time)

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Why is the small school design so expensive?

• State funding does not accrue for individual
  students. The QBE formula is geared more towards
  teacher allocation.
• In grades 9-12, the student teacher ratio is
  231 per class period for six segments of the day
  (138 students).
• When calculating the costs to tax payers per
  graduate, rather than by student, small schools
  were less expensive than large ones because of
  their lower dropout and higher graduation rates.

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Consider the following scheduling examples for a
high school teacher and the financial result
based on QBE
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• The Schools of Carver had the following 9th grade
  enrollments in 2007-2008

• Early College 92
• School of Health Sciences and Research 125
• School of Technology 116
• School of the Arts 80
• This is a compromise of the small school design
  it is not a comprehensive high school in
  miniature. It is a specialized theme school.

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SECTION 5

• Metrics
• Graduation Rate
• HS Graduation Test Scores
• End of Course Test Scores
• Attendance Rate
• SAT/ACT Scores (before and after)

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Test Results

• On the following slides are the 2007-08 New
  Schools results compared to the Carver High
  School results pre-transformation
• End of Course tests
• Graduation Tests

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How has the student population changed?
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Staff and Student Quotes in Atlanta Journal
Constitution May 10, 2009

• I feel safe here. Its OK for me to try and if
  I fail its still OK. The teachers talk with you
  and make you feel like you shouldnt be
  intimidated or scared. Alex Rowland, Junior in
  School of Health Sciences and Research
• The teachers dont let up. If it isnt good,
  they make you do it again. It can be annoying
  because sometimes you dont want to work that
  hard. If you dont do your best, or at least what
  they think is your best, they are going to keep
  on you. Desmond Johnson, Junior at the School
  of the Arts
• When they know you care, they dont want to let
  you down. Thats why theyre succeeding here.
  Erin Barksdale, English teacher, School of Health
  Sciences and Research

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HIGH SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION OVERALL TIMELINE
Fall 2010
Sustain and renew
Fall 2009-July 2010
Complete school conversions, monitor instruction
and support programs
Fall 2008-2009
Depth and sustainability of change
Fall 2007-2008
Launch broad roll-out of instruction and support
programs
Pilot instruction and support programs
Douglass, Wash launch
Grady, Mays, North Atlanta launch
Southside launch

• Monitor and refine instruction and support
  programs
• Prepare for Grady, Mays and North Atlanta launch

• Assess 5-year performance and refine strategies
• Increase accountability and choice to renew the
  portfolio, continuously improve performance

• Across all schools
• Roll-out student supports across all campuses
  (advisory, mentoring, on-track, post secondary
  plans)
• Introduce GHSGT benchmark assessments
• Launch unit plans for Social Studies and ELA
  managed curricula interventions across Math,
  Science, ELA and Social Studies
• Prepare for Douglass and Washington launch

• Across all schools
• Launch new teaching initiatives
• Launch new student assessments (college, 9th
  grade, EOCT benchmark)
• Finalize theme pathways
• Finalize staffing model
• Launch scope and sequence for all core subjects,
  unit plans for Math and Science
• Build foundations and guidelines for remaining
  initiatives
• Pilot advisory on 5 campuses pilot on-track to
  graduate and post secondary plans
• Pilot talent management initiatives (e.g.,
  teacher portfolios)
• Prepare for Southside launch

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Policy/Legislative Implications

• State Funding
• Formula recognizes staffing for small schools
  e.g. funding for principals
• NCLB/AYP Designation
• New Graduation Rule
• APS policies in response to the States new
  graduation rule to support HS Transformation
  goals