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AHSI News & Events

AHSI LAUNCHES NEW ENTERPRISE
On September 30, 2009, the Alternative High School Initiative reached a pivotal milestone as Directors of active member organizations completed and approved a business plan for future sustainability of the network. To implement this plan, nine of twelve organizations involved in the original Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supported initiative will become founding members of a new AHSI enterprise that aspires to help every large and medium-sized city in the nation develop high quality pathways to graduation that meet the needs of all youth. The newly formed AHSI organization will become financially sustainable by 2014.

As of October 1, 2009, the AHSI Founding Member organizations below listed have committed to work together to lead — through innovation and intentional collaboration — a national response to the imperative that our country educate all youth:

• Big Picture Learning,
• Communities in School of Georgia,
• Communities in Schools National,
• Diploma Plus,
• EdVisions Schools,
• Gateway to College,
• National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families,
• StreetSchool Network, and
• YouthBuild USA.

The AHSI strategy builds upon characteristics of high quality alternative school designs as defined by the AHSI Distinguishers, and it addresses the need for policies that enable effective programs to succeed, as outlined in the AHSI Policy Conditions for Large Scale Success. Specifically, the AHSI business plan encompasses seven key components that will unfold during a five-year strategic period beginning in 2010, namely to

1. Create a transitional capital base;
2. Define and implement a fee-based membership enterprise;
3. Deliver two major convening events per year, including a members’ meeting and a national alternative high school conference;
4. Update the AHSI place-based business model for sustainability and expand to other cities;
5. Promote best practices and network initiatives;
6. Build capacity to advocate policy at the federal level to double the current market size; and
7. Frame and support next generation learning solutions for the youth our members serve.

To implement this plan, AHSI will invest $1.6 million in capital over the initial five years of this enterprise. By 2014, AHSI will have assisted large and medium-sized cities and states across the country in strengthening their secondary school portfolios to include a diverse range of high quality high school alternatives.

As AHSI launches this ambitious and inspiring strategy, its members express sincere thanks to John Anderson and Mark Strickland of Schoolhouse Partners for their leadership and expertise in facilitating the development of this business plan between April 1 and September 30, 2009. AHSI continues to extend gratitude to Anh Nguyen for her leadership and support for AHSI within the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

EDUCATION WEEK PUBLISHING COMMENTARY ON AHSI PLACE-BASED PARTNERSHIP SITES
On October 21, 2009, Education Week will publish a commentary on the issue’s back page by Mayor Greg Ballard of Indianapolis, Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, and Mayor Karl Dean of Nashville entitled “An Education Stimulus for the Nation’s Cities.” The commentary details the efforts of all three cities as AHSI Place-Based Partnership sites in creating a portfolio of meaningful educational options for their cities’ students. CONGRATULATIONS to NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families on this article which we look forward to reading next week!!

AHSI News From The Network

AUDIO CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS
The National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families will host a free, hour-long audio conference on Thursday, October 22, 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time on “Opening Doors: New Municipal Initiatives to Put College Education Within Reach.” Speakers will highlight city efforts to help students attend college and boost postsecondary completion rates. As postsecondary credentials become ever more essential to finding employment in most fields and industries, cities are forming new partnerships with community colleges and other postsecondary institutions to expand college access and completion.

While the call is free, it is only available to a limited number of participants. Advance registration is required by close of business Tuesday, October 20. No phone registrations can be accepted. One day prior to the call, each registrant will receive an email providing a toll-free, dial-in number to use in joining the audio conference. For questions about the YEF Institute’s audio conference series, contact Michael Karpman at (202) 626-3072 or karpman@nlc.org.

EDVISIONS WELCOMES NEW STAFF MEMBER AARON GRIMM
In early July, the EdVisions Schools team grew by one more member. Aaron Grimm took on the challenge of the position of Director of Outreach. Aaron brought his experience as an advisor at the Minnesota New Country School and EdVisions Office Campus High School. He earned his BS in English/Speech Education from Minnesota State University and did his graduate work in Advocacy and Political Leadership at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Aaron has a passion for politics, especially concerning issues of education. He lives in Bloomington, Minnesota and enjoys exploring the Twin Cities with his two boys, Cain and Broden. He is focusing on getting the word out on The Hope Study and starting/converting schools to the EdVisions model.

JAPANESE EDUCATORS CONTINUE TO FORGE RELATIONSHIP WITH EDVISIONS – UPDATE FROM AARON GRIMM
Like clockwork, our friends from Japan visited us to continue their research on student-centered education. The leaders of the group, Professor Uesugi, Mr. Mizutani and PhD candidate Ms. Yoko Ide have been visiting and hosting EdVisions Schools staff and teachers for the past ten years. This group has formed The Project Based Learning Institute of Japan. Both Professor Uesugi and Yoko work at Chiba University. Along with the leaders, the visitors included: teachers, nonprofits employees (that are working to prevent drop outs), College of Education faculty and the company Community and Education Project.

During their visit in Minnesota, the group visited: Lafayette Charter School, World Learner Academy (Chaska), Minnesota New Country School and Green Isle Community School. Our visitors took tours of the schools, gathered school data and asked questions about programming and curriculum. The focus of the trip was to look at the need for student-centered education in Japan and to help the group build a framework for this “student as the worker” model (rather than the “teacher as the worker model in traditional education).

After their visit to Minnesota, the group moved on to visit four schools in Los Angeles, hosted and arranged by EdVisions staff Liza Bearman. The focus of their visits here were to check out inventive schools in California. They visited the schools: Para Los Ninos, Film, Theatre and Arts, Santa Monica Alternative Schoolhouse and Odyssey Charter School. It should be noted these schools are not in our network, but are great schools nonetheless.

After spending four days with our visitors and a week in Tokyo last summer, I have personally come to some conclusions:

1. The diet and portion size in Japan is much healthier than in America (lots of fish and a large beverage there is our small size).
2. They are unbelievable hosts, whether in their home country or visiting us.
3. Eating meals with them is always a lesson in building community. I enjoy how everyone gets a chance to reflect on the day’s events over a meal.
4. There is a great need for innovative, relationship-based education, both in Japan and in America. Strictly “teaching to the test” is not providing students with the hope they will need to face life’s challenges.

Our time with Japanese friends involved lots of travel and planning. We thank every one involved in helping us with our visitors.

While at times we needed an interpreter to understand complex ideas, we are on the same page that the EdVisions model is superior for kids and teachers. We hope to continue our mission of helping create and sustain small schools, even if those schools are on the other side of the world.

EDVISIONS SCHOOLS ANNOUNCES SUMMER INSTITUTES
We are excited to announce the dates for the 2010 EdVisions Schools Summer Institutes. The first one will be held on July 12th – 15th at the Minnesota New Country School in Henderson, Minnesota. The second one will be on July 26th – 29th in Wisconsin, location to be announced. The EdVisions Schools Summer Institutes are annual events which have been successfully introducing, informing and training educators and other interested parties in the EdVisions Schools model for 10 years.

We have been hosting these types of events both nationally and internationally; however, this particular event is unique. The EdVisions Schools Summer Institutes are a very intense four-day training filled with a keynote address, workshops, discussions, information and networking. Past attendees have referred to it as a “Comprehensive”, “Transformative” and even “Life Changing” event.

The four-day long Institute covers not only the foundations of the EdVisions Schools model but also the theory, research, and practice. Those on our Summer Institute Staff are experts on all of these pieces because they not only know our model; they practice it as successful educators in our network of schools.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact us at 507-248-3738 or email Mary Menne or Mary Murphy.

YEF INSTITUTE REPORT DESCRIBES THE STATE OF CITY LEADERSHIP FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN 2009
A groundbreaking new report by Nation League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education and Families (YEF) identifies the nation’s 32 most cutting-edge city innovations to help children and families thrive, and documents emerging and established trends in municipal leadership to promote child and family well-being.

Building on the YEF Institute’s intensive work with hundreds of cities over the past decade, “The State of City Leadership for Children and Families” highlights the progress that cities have made and the potential for future action in nine areas:

• Early childhood;
• Education;
• Afterschool;
• Youth in transition;
• Youth violence prevention;
• Family economic success;
• Community wellness;
• Youth civic engagement; and
• Local “infrastructure” for children and families.

The publication was unveiled Tuesday, October 13, before more than 300 municipal leaders attending the 2009 National Summit on Your City’s Families in Boston.

“In describing the state of city leadership for children and families in 2009, this report highlights the broad range of innovations and trends gaining traction at the local level,” said Savannah, Ga., Mayor Otis Johnson, 2009 Chair of NLC’s Council on Youth, Education and Families. “It also provides municipal leaders with a valuable new tool that will strengthen city efforts and accelerate the spread of promising strategies across the nation.”

Download the report

New Opportunities & Stories of Interest

NEW YORK CITY HOSTS SESSION FOR NEW SCHOOLS DEVELOPERS
The Office of Portfolio Planning, New York City Department of Education, is hosting a series of workshops for those interested in applying to open new schools in September 2010 and/or 2011. The link below leads to detailed information including the entire schedule. The next session on October 21st will address the topic Data and Accountability. The session originally scheduled for November 11, 2009 will now be held on November 4, 2009. There will be no session on November 11-Veterans Day. Download the updated New School Development Workshop Timeline and Calendar.

BEYOND THE BRICKS – DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES SOLUTIONS TO POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND LOW GRADUATION RATES OF SCHOOL-AGE BLACK MALES IN THE U.S.
Location: Newark Museum
Event Date: October 28, 2009
Event Time: 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Contact: Ouida Washington

The Open Society Institute Campaign for Black Male Achievement and the Association of Black Foundation Executives host the premiere screening of Beyond the Bricks, a short documentary from Washington Koen Media that explores solutions to the poor academic performance and low graduation rates of school-age black males in the United States.

Beyond the Bricks follows two students from Newark, New Jersey, as they struggle to improve their circumstances. The film includes interviews with educators, administrators, elected officials, and activists who offer their ideas about solutions to the crisis facing young black men.

A Q & A with an expert panel will follow a short reception and screening of the film.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Please RSVP here.

Panelists:

• Xiania Foster, Policy Analyst for Education, Youth Development, and Child Well-Being, Division of Constituent Services for the Mayor’s Office of Newark, NJ
• Shaquiel Ingram, 10th grade student, Barringer High School, Newark, NJ
• Vincent Mays, Director, Office of Alternative Education, Newark Public Schools
• Pedro Noguera, Executive Director, Metropolitan Center for Urban Education; Co-Director, Institute for the Study of Globalization and Education in Metropolitan Settings
• Pastor Thomas Reddick, Executive Director of Newark’s Renaissance Community Development Corporation Center, Inc.

Location: Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Learn more and view the film trailer.

INVESTING IN INNOVATION FUND – NOTICE PUBLISHED IN FEDERAL REGISTERY
On October 7th Jim Shelton announced the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to launch the Investing in Innovation Fund. On October 9th the proposed guidelines were published in the Federal Registry, officially opening the one month comment period for the public. Lauren Smock-Randall, AHSI Network Support Coordinator, prepared a summary of the key provisions proposed in the guidelines; if you would like to receive a copy of that summary please email her at lsmock-randall@bigpicturelearning.org.

AHSI will host a one hour discussion call on Monday, October 26th to prepare comments on the Innovation Fund to submit on behalf of AHSI. This call will take place between 3:00pm and 5:00pm EST; final details are currently being determined. If you are interested in joining this call please email Lauren and she will add you to the participant list and include you on the final call information email.

NETWORK MEMBERS AT CES FALL FORUM
The Coalition of Essential Schools is holding its annual Fall Forum in New Orleans, November 5-7, 2009. This event is CES’s primary networking and professional development event, bringing together several thousand educators, students, parents, and leading thinkers in education from around the world to exchange ideas, ask questions, and share insights about effective school practices and designs. The conference consists of workshops, interest group gatherings, and other sessions in the content strands of teaching, learning, and assessment; school culture, practices, and design; leadership; and community connections. Be sure to check out the following sessions offered by network members:

• Creating a Culture of Thinking via Student-Centered Project-Based Learning
  Facilitators: Tracy Money, Allison Krone, Liza Bearman, and Steve Rippe
  Two EdVisions schools, Phoenix High School in Kennewick, WA (rooted in advisory-based project based learning) and Academy of Architectural and Contemporary Themes in North Bergen, NJ (rooted in course-based and thematic project-based learning) invite you to learn from and with us about the ways we approach project-based learning in our highly personalized high schools. These include: advisory, Socratic Seminar, project planning, goal setting, project conferencing, and public exhibition of learning in a safe and joy-filled environment. Participants will leave with tips for coaching successful advisories, seminars, and projects.
• College Unbound: Changing Higher Education, Changing Lives
  Facilitators: Dennis Littky, Jamie Scurry
  The CES/Big Picture Learning principles have been applied to the first college of its kind in the United States. College Unbound opened in Providence, RI in August 2009 with eight students. It is a three-year B.A. degree program that combines high-skill, entrepreneurially focused experiential learning with a liberal arts education. Faculty and students will present work from their first three months, discuss the application process, their two-week orientation trip by bus to each student’s home (from LA to Providence), their internships, and their plans for the future. They will also discuss the implications for work in high schools from extending CES/Big Picture Learning principles to higher education.

Learn more about the CES Fall Forum.