A Different Type of High Quality - The Impact of
Charter Schools On Dropout Recovery
• Ernie Silva, School for Integrated Academics
and Technologies
• Phil Matero, YouthBuild Charter Schools of
California
• Cindy Petersen, Gateway Community Charters
A Different Type of High Quality The Impact of Charter Schools On
Dropout Recovery
Ernie Silva
SIATech: School for Integrated
Academics and Technologies
The Importance of Dropout Recovery
• “The hope of Brown v. Board has yet to be fulfilled, and the
nation has a moral imperative to improve the educational
outcomes of students of color and Native students.”
• If only ½ of the dropouts from California’s Class of 2010
were recovered and graduated, they would earn an
additional $1.4 Billion per year; invest an additional $394
million per year; spend $4.5 Billion more on home
purchases; and generate $167 Million more in tax revenues
each year.
» Alliance for Excellent Education; www.all4ed.org
The Importance of Dropout Recovery
• “Despite considerable state progress in
addressing dropout prevention, few state efforts
exist to reengage dropouts and get them back on
track to graduation. States have largely focused
on dropout prevention because it is easier and
cheaper to prevent a student from leaving school
than to bring a dropout back to school. Yet, no
matter how effective a state‘s dropout prevention
efforts, students invariably fall through the
cracks.”
» (National Governor’s Association, 2011)
The Importance of Dropout
Recovery – ACR 57
SIATech Students
California SIATech
•
American Indian/Alaskan Native
1%
2%
•
Asian
11%
5%
•
Black or African American
7%
26%
•
Hispanic/Latino
51%
53%
•
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
1%
2%
•
Unknown
3%
1%
•
White
27%
12%
How SIATech Reengages Dropouts
• Accredited high school in partnership with Job
Corps and other WIA related programs
• Partners provide extensive reengagement
services – job training, health services, food,
housing, and more
• Graduates earn job skills and a diploma in less
than two years.
• Highly Qualified Teachers.
• Customized Professional Development:
• RAPSA and BTSA Induction targeted to serve our
students.
How SIATech Reengages Dropouts
• Our school accelerates learning
– Competency-based not seat-time
– Individual Learning Plan
– High Tech/High Touch
– Blended learning opportunities
How SIATech Reengages Dropouts
• Because students are far below grade level,
traditional measurements don’t work – we’ve
adopted growth model and have legislative
support for its use in lieu of other
measurements (AB 180)
SIATech Outcomes
Growth Model (AB 180)
Article by Dr. Linda Dawson, Kris Mallory & Khristel Johnson in the Association of
California School Administrators magazine in 2011.
How SIATech Reengages Dropouts
• Students not only earn diplomas and job skills
but also participate in high level learning
opportunities like Robotics and Legislative
Internships
SIATech Outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
Individual Student Growth
Gallup Poll – Hope, Engagement and Well Being
Graduation
CAHSEE
API – Ours has been above 900 for years
SIATech Outcomes: Grad Rates
SIATech Outcomes
Ethnicity and Race
SIATech Outcomes
College Enrollment
Ethnicity/Race
Percentage of Total High School Graduates
Enrolled in Postsecondary Institutions (3)
Hispanic or Latino of Any Race
30.4 %
Asian, Not Hispanic
31.7 %
African American, Not Hispanic
42.5 %
White, Not Hispanic
36.5 %
Not Reported
46.2 %
Total
35.1 %
SIATech Robotics
SIATech Legislative Internships
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson with the San Jose Team.
SIATech Legislative Agenda
School for Integrated Academics and Technologies
SIATech
Ernie Silva
Director of External Affairs
1029 J Street, Ste. 310
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916)712-9087
E-mail: ernie.silva@siatech.org
“
“
Each time a man stands up for an idea, or acts to improve the lot of
others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope,
and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and
daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest
walls of oppression and resistance. – ROBERT F. KENNEDY
History of YouthBuild Charter School of
California (YCSC)
• YouthBuild Charter School of California is one of
the charter schools in California that benefits from
the the Education Code exemptions that apply to
YouthBuilds, Job Corps, conservation corps, and
WIA funded programs.
• All of our students are enrolled in a YouthBuild
program, and we exist exclusively to provide an
education for them.
• Students can be overage, and we can operated
throughout the State.
continued…
• The charter school was authorized and
launched in 2008, opening initially at three
YouthBuild programs--in East Los Angeles,
Watts, and El Monte.
• It then expanded to seven sites in its second
year and to eleven in its third year. Now in its
fourth year, YCSC provides the education
component at 12 YouthBuild sites.
• Student to teacher ratio averages 17:1.
• It is a classroom-based school.
YCSC Core Values
• Philosophy of Education – YCSC students have the right
to an authentic education that will prepare them to
counter social inequities and become leaders in their
communities.
• Project-Based Approach – YCSC students have the right
to be creators of new knowledge in an engaging and
contextualized project-based curriculum.
• Post-secondary Opportunities – YCSC students have
the right to pursue meaningful postsecondary
opportunities in their areas of interest.
continued….
• Leadership Development – YCSC students have the right to
take their place as socially responsible leaders who
reflectively collaborate with all community members and
participate in service activities where they live.
• Caring Teachers – YCSC students have the right to caring
and supportive teachers who always express a sincere
interest in their lives.
• Alternative Approach to Discipline – YCSC students have the
right to be active participants in restorative justice, in which
they cooperate with adults and youth to change things
together.
• Commitment to Social Change – YCSC students have the
right to play meaningful roles in creating positive social
change.
A Community of Practice instead of
Authoritarian Lecturing
• YCSC avoids “teacher-centered” delivery of content or
what education pioneer Paolo Freire called the
“Banking Method,” where all-knowing teachers make
deposits of information into empty receptacles.
• YCSC teachers do not conduct lengthy lectures or rely
on textbooks. The students and teachers are
encouraged to co-create new, authentic knowledge.
• Student work is assessed via Bloom’s Taxonomy
through three indices—Higher Order Thinking Skills;
Post-Secondary Readiness Skill; and Commitment to
Social Responsibility.
Student Centered Youth Development
through YCSC’s
ACE Manual for Course Development
• YCSC teachers create 12-week courses that take
students through 3 projects (1 per month).
• Teachers collaboration across subject areas and
students explore an essential question that leads to
a community action project.
• The result for students is an instructional modeling
of democracy and collaboration.
• This collaborative process provides an opportunity
for YouthBuild program staff to be involved in the
design and implementation of instruction.
Project Example
Course: Earth Science A
Essential Question: How is knowledge power?
Instructions:
As a student-activist-scientist in East Los Angeles, you will study the ways knowledge about this community’s
pollution rates, sources, and effects impacts the motivation of your peers to create change.
In small teams, you will study the rates and types of pollution in East Los Angeles (air, water, land). Then, you
will research the sources of pollution (the rail yards, 710 freeway) and its negative effects on health
(asthma, cancer).
Based on this research, your team will develop a 10 minute Environmental Justice workshop to inform students
about your research. This workshop should target the Affective Domains and be interactive. Workshop
presentation will take place during Home Room.
Finally, you will identify and/or develop solutions or campaigns to better the environment. You will try to enroll
students to adopt a solution or take part in a campaign. Based on student interest, feedback, and
participation, you will reflect on the Essential Question: How did knowledge about the negative impacts
of pollution impact the collective desire to make change?
Outcomes
• On average, it takes students 4 trimesters to graduate.
• 85% of those who complete the coursework have
passed the CAHSEE.
• 2008-09 57 graduates
• 2009-10 214 graduates
• 2010-11 375 graduates
• Both schools are accredited by the Western Association
of Schools and Colleges
• Member of the CCSA, CSDC, Coalition of Essential
Schools and other education associations
Survey of YCSC Students - All Sites
1. Leadership Training**
2. Available electives
3. Available Technology
4. Meaningful work
5. Project-Based Learning
6. Life-readiness: Technical Skills
7. Academically empowered
8. Caring Staff
9. High Standards
10. Personalized Attention
11. Feel Confident vs. Prior Schools
12. Relavent Coursework
13. Academic Counseling
14. Community Engagement
15. Respect from Classmates
16. Respect from Staff
17. Career/Life Preparation
18. Critical-thinking Coursework
19. Supportive teachers
20. Controlled learning
21. Curriculum Application
22. Opportunities for Success
23. Challenged
24. Belonging
25. Feel Safe
4.4% 2.5%
5.0% 7.5%
5.1% 7.0%
3.2%4.4%
3.2% 7.6%
3.1% 10.6%
2.5%5.6%
4.4% 4.4%
3.1%3.1%
3.7% 6.2%
3.1%3.7%
2.5% 6.3%
3.7% 6.7%
2.4% 8.4%
4.2% 8.4%
2.4%1.8%
2.4%3.6%
1.8% 3.6%
3.0% 1.8%
1.8% 4.2%
1.9% 2.6%
2.5%
3.6%
22.5%
3.0% 5.4%
3.7% 4.9%
0%
10%
20%
62.0%
25.9%
17.5%
24.7%
22.8%
19.0%
24.4%
31.3%
22.6%
21.3%
27.3%
32.7%
18.2%
32.5%
25.1%
22.2%
39.9%
38.0%
28.6%
42.1%
31.3%
25.3%
47.8%
15.4%
28.9%
24.7%
62.5%
61.4%
67.7%
68.4%
58.1%
58.8%
59.1%
69.4%
59.6%
56.2%
69.8%
52.1%
61.1%
61.7%
54.8%
54.8%
61.3%
53.0%
60.8%
66.9%
49.1%
53.3%
60.2%
66.7%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
**Tructated Questions - Full Questions Provided
80%
90%
NA
Str Disag
Disagree
Agree
Str Agree
100%
Lessons Learned--Opportunities
 A Dropout Recovery school can be designed and
operated on progressive education principles.
 A Dropout Recovery school can become an engine for
youth transformation linked to significant action that
builds community assets.
 A Dropout Recovery school can provide meaningful
opportunities for youth leadership development.
 A Dropout Recovery school can value and respect
young people for what they know and who they are.
 A Dropout Recovery school can prepare young people
for post-secondary life challenges.
LA CAUSA YouthBuild
CRCD YouthBuild
Home Sweet Home
YouthBuild
YCSC
CCEO YouthBuild
SGV YouthBuild
YCSC
YES YouthBuild
Average Number of Trimesters it Takes to Graduate - YCSC
4
3.58
3
Trimesters
2.31
2.42
2
1
0
2008-'09
2009-'10
2010-'11
If Students Stay Longer than 4.5 Trimesters, They
have an 85% Chance to leave YCSC with a Diploma
98.8%
97.6%
96.0%
100.0%
99.4%
100.0%
92.7%
90.2%
90.0%
85.1%
81.8%
76.5%
80.0%
67.2%
70.0%
58.7%
60.0%
51.4%
50.0%
44.4%
37.0%
40.0%
30.5%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
>.5
>1
>1.5
>2
>2.5
>3
>3.5
>4
>4.5
>5
Trimesters with the School
>5.5
>6
>6.5
>7
>7.5
>8
Creating Quality School Choice in the
Greater Sacramento Area
History of Gateway Community
Charters (GCC)
• GCC began operations in 2003. Currently we have six
individual charters, serving over 4000 students,
offering a diversity of program options.
• In 2005 we opened Community Collaborative Charter
School (CCCS)
• In 2007 we opened Sacramento Academic and
Vocational Academy (SAVA)
• These two schools offer non-classroom based
instruction primarily for the vulnerable, under or unserved in our communities
GCC Vision
• Our vision is to provide all students, regardless
of circumstance, a safe, caring school choice
with high academic and behavioral
expectation where they can reach their fullest
academic and social potential
GCC Mission
• Gateway Community Charters, Inc. is an
independent non-profit agency that supports
students, parents and the community through
the conception, development, administration
and governance of innovative, high quality,
standards-based educational school choice
options within the greater Sacramento region.
GCC Core Values
•
•
•
•
Valuing People
Integrity
Excellence
Collaboration
• Student Focused
• Continuous
Improvement
• Positive Outlook
• Responsibility
CCCS Mission
• The Mission of CCCS to provide high-quality curriculum,
instructional support, and community and social resources to
families and students. We do this by:
– Emphasizing a standards-based curriculum
– Providing parents and guardians instructional guidance and support
– Identifying student instructional needs and providing individualized
education plans
– Assessing student learning style, modality, and achievement
– Providing access to district/social/community services as well as
mentoring opportunities
It is our belief that all students can learn and achieve if we first
ensure that basic needs and a support system are in place. We
then work to create multiple pathways to meet the diverse needs of
our student population.
CCCS Student Population
• CCCS serves students in grade levels kindergarten through
twelve. The school is open to all students who wish to and are
geographically eligible to attend, regardless of historical
academic performance level. CCCS serves 7th through 12th
grade high risk, out-of-school youth, disenfranchised
students, wards of the court, recovered drops,
pregnant/parenting teens, and students who have not been
successful in traditional schools for any reason. CCCS provides
viable educational choice for parents and students interested
in a more individual curriculum that personalizes instruction
based on individual assessment and interest data to co-create
a plan for student success
Expected School-wide Learning Results
• Core Subject Knowledge
– Students will make personal academic progress
– Students will move toward grade level competency
– Students will grow and develop critical thinking skills
• CAHSEE Completion
– All eligible students will pass the CAHSEE and obain a
diploma
– All eligible students will participate in activities aligned to
pass the CASHEE
– Students in grade 10 will show increasing first-time pass
rates
ESLR’s Continued
• Career and Technical Skills
– Students will have the opportunity to explore career paths
– Students will participate in technology courses
• Service Learning and Personal Skills
– Students will create and manage individual learning goals
– Students will complete a service learning course
– Students will display increased social responsibility
Outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CCCS has increased our total number of full
High School Graduate each of the past three
years from 87 in 2009 to 113 in 2011.
CCCS has been WASC accredited since 2007.
CCCS showed an increase of 86 points in API for
the Socioeconomically Disadvantaged student
subgroup
The highest school growth within Twin Rivers
Unified School District
While the African American subgroup is not
significant according to state measures, the
CCCS subgroup increased API by 131 points
ELA proficiency rate increase by 12 percentage
points
Math proficiency rate increased by 15
percentage points
Algebra 1 proficiency rate increased from 3% to
11%
Outcomes Continued…
• In August of 2012, CCCS and Sacramento Department of Parks
& Recreation partnered to open a student educational
resource center located at the Robertson Community Center
in the Del Paso Heights area.
• For the Graduation class of 2011, all 113 Graduates completed
the new Service Learning graduation requirement
• One of the main ASAM’s indicators identified by CCCS is called
Persistence. CCCS has increased the number of students
staying more than 90 days by approximately 4% since the
2008-09 school year.
– 2008-09 513 of 1127 (45.5%)
– 2009-10 586 of 1180 (49.7%)
– 2010-11 542 of 1104 (49.1%)
SAVA Mission
• It is the mission of SAVA to provide high quality curriculum, instructional
support, career exploration and preparation in a non-classroom based
environment for 7-12th grade students. We do this by:
– Emphasizing standards-based curriculum
– Identifying student instructional needs and providing individualized
educational plans
– Providing access to career opportunities including internships and job
shadowing
• It is our belief that all students can learn and achieve if we first ensure
that basic needs and support systems are in place. We then work to
explore multiple pathways to meet the multiple challenges of our student
population.
• At SAVA we seek to motivate and encourage students to be self-directed,
life-long learners. We provide a safe and friendly environment with a
parent, teacher and community involved approach o learning. We
empower students to reach their individual potential by teaching the skills
necessary to meet the challenge of a changing society.
SAVA Vision
• SAVA’s Vision is to establish a personalized setting,
serving a full range of students, designed to foster
the transition of students to the world of work or
post-secondary education. SAVA students have the
opportunity to meet requirements for graduation
with a high school diplomas as well as meet the
requirements for entry-level employment,
apprenticeship programs, post-secondary career
technical training or transition to two or four year
colleges.
Student Population
• SAVA’s student population is primarily
disenfranchised students who have been less
than successful in traditional school
environments. The student body is ethnically
diverse and socio economically challenged.
Many students’ state standardized test scores
place them in Below Basic and Far Below Basic
in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
Expected School-wide Learning Results
• SAVA Students are RICH
– Responsible citizens who:
• Identify, organize, plan, and allocate time efficiently
• Participate as contributing members of society
• Collaborate with people and ideas from diverse
backgrounds
– Independent & self directed learners who:
• Select goal-relevant activities and manage time
effectively to reach desired outcomes
• Assess skills and evaluate performance to make
adjustments to meet personal objectives
ESLR’s Continued
• Career-oriented individuals who:
– Discover, develop and pursue individual passions.
– Create and use an educational plan to set meaningful
personal, career, and academic goals based on individual
strengths and interests
– Organize and maintain information in regards to obtaining
and sustaining a career.
– Communicate effectively using speech, written language,
and technology in a logical, coherent, well-organized
manner to justify a position
ESLR’s Continued…
• Healthy individuals who:
– Participate in activities to increase self-esteem
and create a positive personal identity
– Effectively use information about health concepts
to inform lifestyle decisions
Outcomes
• SAVA became WASC
accredited in 2010
• API increase of 68 points
from 2009-10 to 2010-11
• Socioeconomic
disadvantaged subgroup
had a 45 point growth
• Hispanic/Latino subgroup
had a 49 point growth, with
a total of almost 90 points
in the last two years
Outcomes Continued…
• Exceeded API growth targets for 3
years
• SAVA demonstrated significant
increases in the CAHSEE passing rates
for both English Language Arts and
Mathematics
• Career Technology Education –
Developed and implemented career
technical opportunities such as
Playhouse Preschool, Fire Tech and
Auto Tech.
• NextSkills Certification – Successfully
partnered with Los Rios Community
College District to offer NextSkills
certification to our students
Lessons Learned
• “One size does not fit all”
• When working with high risk student population it is important to address their
basic needs before you can address their education
• The key to connecting with at-risk and disenfranchised youth is to form quality
relationships where the student is known and recognized and missed.
• Exposing at-risk students to Service Learning builds a broader connection for
students to become engaged in their community and learn the importance of
giving back
• Using the non-classroom based model allows for multiple one-on-one positive
adult relationships
Lessons Learned Continued…
• Career Technical Education can be a vehicle to connecting academics to the
“real world” while at the same time preparing our students for post high
school life
_ Such as Career Technical Pathways and work readiness
• Early Childhood Education, Fire Tech, Auto Tech
– Service Learning experiences
• Garcia Foundation, Diamond Bar Ranch, NCCC
– Partnerships with local social services and community based organizations
• Ameri-Corps
• NextSkills – Los Rios Community
• Birth and Beyond (County of Sacramento)
• Wind Youth Services
• WEAVE
• CAIR
• Greater Sacramento Urban League
Questions?
www.gcccharters.org
cindy.petersen@twinriversusd.org