SIATech
School for Integrated Academics and Technologies, Inc.
White Paper
SIATech re-engages disconnected students through an innovative curriculum that integrates technology
with academics and provides the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. SIATech campuses currently
serve over 4,000 students in at least five states. SIATech offers a unique education program specifically
designed for reluctant or disengaged learners who have dropped out of traditional high schools. SIATech
provides a rigorous core academic program coupled with an electives program emphasizing workplace
and college readiness and vocational certification for a 21st Century workforce.
SIATech schools meet the needs of knowledge workers. This extraordinary educational experience is
possible because of an innovative educational design and a partnership with the federal Job Corps
program or WIA community based program. The partnership allows disadvantaged out of school youth
the opportunity to complete their secondary education in a blended, technology-rich, classroom-based
environment that supports academic achievement, vocational training, and workplace readiness. The use
of a high-tech, motivating, integrated curriculum that is competency-based rather than seat-time
dependent, provides incentive for students to build their skill set and achieve their goals. At the core of
this process is the Individualized Learning Plan for every student that guides their path to a high school
degree and beyond. Anytime, anyplace, any pace accessibility to curriculum content and expert assistance
supports personalized learning leading to success.
SIATech's integrated academic curriculum embeds common core, state-aligned content standards into
industry-standard software programs such as Microsoft Office Suite, AutoCAD, Macromedia Flash and
Adobe. This custom curriculum requires that students learn to manipulate these and other software
applications in order to move through their learning plans. Competency is demonstrated in benchmark
assessments and culminates in the presentation of five senior projects that represent a broad sampling of
student learning. Students leave SIATech with a solid academic knowledge base as well as marketable
technical skills, increased academic confidence, and a high school diploma.
Drawing on the foundational work of Abraham Maslow (Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs), Bloom's
Taxonomy of Educational Effectiveness, and Covey's 7 Habits, SIATech has created an educational
delivery model that has effectively transformed the lives of over 11,000 former high school dropouts by
helping them to re-engage in the education process and achieve the goal of a high school diploma and the
opportunity for a meaningful career.
The SIATech competency-based approach is based on the learning organization work of Peter Senge (The
Fifth Discipline), Michael Fullen's work on Professional Learning Communities (Change Forces,
Turnaround Leadership), Ron Edmonds research on the school effectiveness movement, Robert
Marzano's What Works in Schools, Larry Lezottee's Stepping Up!, Reuven Fuerstein’s Mediated Learning
and Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
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Small learning communities of between 150 and 450 allow for both a "High Tech" and a "High Touch"
environment where students gain the relationship skills, academic skills, metacognitive skills, and
confidence to learn to self-monitor their progress. This is facilitated by caring adults with high
expectations for every student being successful. Based on a sound theoretical framework of competencybased, authentic education, SIATech provides high expectations, an orderly atmosphere, strong emphasis
on skill acquisition, frequent monitoring of progress to promote student success, and data-driven
decisions in real-time.
Innovations of SIATech schools include:
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competency-based and authentic portfolio assessments,
workplace-designed classroom environments for knowledge workers,
Research-based program
Custom-designed academic curriculum,
Computer workstation for every student,
Small class size (25:1),
7¾ hours training day,
Extended school year (180-220 days),
Standards-based testing, individual student growth required for graduation,
Multi-media presentations of each student's best work,
Daily access to industry-standard software,
Blended Learning opportunities for anytime, anywhere access
Post-graduation placement and follow-up.
The custom designed curriculum provides for:
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Complete integration of State and Common Core Content Standards;
High-interest, engaging projects and assignments;
Academic skills of math, science, literacy and history taught using real-world problems and
situations;
Multi-media tutorials to learn math, grammar, writing, and technology;
Basic skills embedded in leaning high-end technology; and
Interwoven connections with higher education, vocations, trades, and employability skills.
One of the most important components of the SIATech system is to use a model that allows for
competency-based learning in a blended delivery model. Competency-based learning moves away from a
system that relies on seat-time credits (a measure of the length of time a student has studied a subject) to a
system that awards credits based upon the demonstration of skill level mastery. Access to core
curriculum, highly qualified instructors, and synchronous assistance is foundational to student persistence
and success. Recovery and program completion and graduation is based on a willingness to break the
confinement of grade-level boundaries. Time-shifting that allows access to curriculum in the form of
extended day and on-demand learning opportunities, work-based learning, and community service. This
supports a truly unique experience and meaningful personal transformation. When a student acquires a
defined level of skill or competency, they move on to the next set of standards, regardless of grade level.
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Competency-based learning is not unique to SIATech and academia. The state of New Hampshire is
undergoing a complete redesign of their high school education system. A key component in this redesign
effort is a competency-based model. Through research and experience New Hampshire has discovered
that a competency-based model brings the following benefits:
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Personalization and relationships;
Relevance and engagement;
Rigor and high standards;
Results - desirable outcomes;
Empowered educators, including encouraging teachers to expand their role as "learning
facilitators";
Whole community involvement;
Flexibility in School Calendar; and
Extended learning opportunities for earning credit towards graduation
Competency-based learning allows teachers more freedom to use meta-cognitive approaches and
differentiated instructional practices. A Competency-based delivery model considers each student as an
individual with different learning needs. SIATech’s experience working with CTE (Career Technical
Education) students demonstrates that competency-based learning is a natural way to assist students’
transformation from drop out to life-long learner. The workplace needs of a 21st Century economy
demands that workers have actual task mastery of skills, not just time on task.
A key to SIATech's success has been a willingness to abandon a system of education that became
established during the early days of the industrial age. That nineteenth century system of education that
decontextualized learning remains in place in the majority of schools today. David Thornburg in his book,
THE NEW BASICS; Education and the future of work in the Telematic Age (April, Created on 8/20/2007
3:29:00 PM2002) states,
"Much of this decontextualized approach to education is still in place, . . . For the knowledgevalue worker, everything is highly contextual; information devoid of context is meaningless. Just
as our schools mirrored the dominant paradigm of decontextualiation during the industrial era,
they must now reshape themselves to mirror the needs of the knowledge-value worker. The
knowledge-value era is one of increased value in the intellect of the worker. The real value
workers bring to their jobs lies in their knowledge mad creativity.”
Thornburg goes on to describe a few key characteristics of a knowledge-value worker. "The knowledge
value worker is one that is comfortable with ambiguity, a lifelong learner, highly mobile, and highly
entrepreneurial and creative."
The School for Integrated Academics and Technologies is an idea whose time has come. Never has
“Real Learning for Real Life” been more critical to the success of our students, our education system, our
economy, and our democracy. Competency-based education in an individual student growth model
coupled with rigor, relevance and relationship, in a high tech and high touch environment, facilitates a
unique experience and meaningful transformation that creatively meets the needs of a 21st century
economy and culture.
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