StreetSchool Network™ is a network of independently operated faith-based schools, led by local leaders who have passionate hearts for providing a quality education for high-need students in at-risk environments. The nearly 50 schools in the network are non-public, 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, but also include some charter & community-based schools. The national organization provides “district like” functions to build the capacity of these schools in a number of ways. As members of the StreetSchool Network™, the schools commit to serving all students through adopting an “open access” policy for admission, regardless of religion, ethnicity, income, or previous experience in school.

In addition, each member school commits to actively move toward being accredited. The StreetSchool Network™ is an accredited sponsoring corporation with AdvancED, representing North Central Association (NCA) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and works with other accrediting regions to have its schools accredited in their local regions. The StreetSchool Essentials, conditions for successfully implementing best practices for high-needs students, are the basis for each school’s continuous improvement plan, which leads to and maintains accredited status.

The Network has developed a comprehensive, data-driven continuous improvement system to assess and improve school outcomes. This system suggests the strategies, resources and professional development to enable schools to implement appropriate best practices, while the student-centered approach of AHSI, characterized by its Distinguishers, is expressed in advocate facilitated personalized Student Learning and Career Transition Plans (SLCTP), where students set individual goals in academic, personal/social, career, and spiritual/character development within the inviting environment of small, personalized schools.

“At a time when people across the country are becoming more and more aware of the serious problem of students who are not engaged in and who are dropping out of traditional educational programs, AHSI organizations have been proving their success in engaging students in innovative, student-centered, quality programs. Beyond that, AHSI has been the most collaborative and mutually beneficial group of school developers that I can imagine. AHSI’s focus has truly been for the benefit of students. Students who often need all the support they can get. Students who are enthusiastically embraced by individuals within the AHSI schools. With this common heart for kids, and through the creative and innovative strategies used to engage students in highly successful school experiences, AHSI is providing much needed answers to today’s educational crisis.” Todd Goble, Vice President of Education, StreetSchool Network™.

The StreetSchool Network Student-Centered School Design Team

The StreetSchool Network™ is expanding what it does best – helping leaders create student centered schools for high need students in at-risk environments - and leveraging its knowledge and experience in a new consulting effort it is referring to as the StreetSchool Student-centered Design Team.

Intended to be available both within its network of schools and also available to private, public and charter schools outside our network, the Design Team will consult on school design by initially assessing the students of the school in a variety of ways to create an overall profile of the students, then suggest design features that match student needs. As our model focuses on the whole student, our individualized attention is placed upon academic, personal/social, career, and spiritual, or in public schools, character development. In a like manner, the Design team will assess community assets as to how it can provide partnerships and opportunities to meet the particular students in this particular community. The result will be a truly student-centered design, tailored to the students and supported by the community around them.

Using the StreetSchool Essentials, direct experience with schools within our network, and the experience and ideas from seven years of collaboration with other AHSI networks, the Design Team will enlist not only our senior staff at the national level, but also add outstanding school leaders from within our network. The Design Team will then help local school leaders put together a customized school design which will have the best chances of meeting the needs of their students in their community, and will result in the highest percentage of student success.

The StreetSchool Network™ has already begun the Design team process with start-up and existing schools in and outside of our network, and plan to partner with other AHSI organizations in collaboratively designing student centered schools with blended design features.

College Career Fair Reaches 2,000 Students

The StreetSchool Network™ recently hosted the Transitions 2010 College & Career Expo, a free event with the purpose of connecting students, families, and adult learners with traditional and non-traditional education and career opportunities.

Learn more about this amazing event here.

Follow StreetSchool Network™ on Twitter! http://twitter.com/streetschools

Student Stories
StreetSchool Network™ is working nationwide to meet the needs of at-risk youth. Find out how StreetSchool Network™ has made a difference in the life of Jonathan Huntington!