 |
|
|
More
than 600 schools, from 44 states, have been nominated
in the past eight years for recognition as schools that
have significantly changed for the better. Responding
to 16 specific criteria, each nominated school provides
data and documentation to supposrt their quest for this
prestigious national award. Each year six schools are
selected. |
|
|
Portraits
of School Change
|
|
|
"Surrender was not
an option."
Fox-Tech
Academic & Vocational HS
San Antonio, Texas
| Fox-Tech is
a mile away from the Alamo, where Texas freedom fighters
refused to yield to the overpowering forces of General
Santa Ana's Mexican troops. Now, more than 150
years later, the local population is overwhelmingly
Mexican-American and surrender to the forces of despair
and defeat is still not an option. Fox-Tech had been
defeated, declared by the Texas State Department of
Education to be disestablished. But new principal
Joanne Cockrell was firm as she told the reconfigured
staff that she expected them to like kids and not
watch the clock. Fox-Tech lowered its dropout rate
in seven years from 14.2%to 2.6%. Sophomore state
mathematics results went from 22% to 92% passing.
From the worst high school in Texas, the school rose
to national recognition by Time Magazine in 2001. |
|
"This school must
be a sanctuary."
John
H. Williams Elementary School Number 5
Rochester, New York
| The first thing
that Michele Hancock did when she was appointed anew
principal in June 1999 was to bring together her family
to paint the uninviting elementary school she inherited.
Michele's new message was that expectations had to
be high for the students in this urban high poverty
area and, with hard work, school improvement was possible.
Over the next four years, the grade 4 English Language
Arts (ELA) passing scores went from 13.3% to 63.2%
while the math scores rose from 30.7% to 78.8%. Science
scores jumped 39 points to 70% and 83% passed the
new social studies exam. Now a poster hangs outside
each teacher's room announcing the instructional
specialty, such as cooperative learning, that teachers
can model. Michele covers classes so teachers can
observe other classes and discuss those instructional
specialties and best practices with their colleagues. |
|
|
"We
succeed. No exceptions. No excuses."
South
Heights Elementary School
Henderson, Kentucky
| You
do not usually associate hockey with the state of Kentucky.
But Rob Carroll, the principal of South Heights Elementary
in Henderson, used a film to show his staff and students
that miracles could happen. The film tells the story
of Herb Brooks, the untraditional hockey coach, who
announced to the American Olympic officials that he
was going to create a team that would beat the Soviet
Union, the legendary power-house. Months of grueling
practice built upon severe discipline transformed the
players; they became gold medal winners in 1980. The
South Heights miracle was equally dramatic. In 1997,
only 41% of the South Heights' 4th and 5th graders averaged
a proficient score in reading, writing, mathematics,
science, social studies, arts and humanities. In 2002
it was 66%. The five-year jump was especially dramatic
in writing (49 percentage points), mathematics (30),
and science (66). |
|
"If the system doesn't
work, go around it."
Gustav
Fritsche Middle School
Milwaukee, Wisconson
| Bill Andrekopoulos
likes to make trouble and now he is the superintendent
of the Milwaukee Public Schools. As a middle school
principal, Bill would constantly challenge the status
quo with simple questions like Why does it have to
be this way? Mr. A (as he is called), and his teachers
dared the state of Wisconsin to make Fritsche a public
charter school that would report directly to the state,
rather than to the district's bureaucracy. They got
their wish. Bill used a participatory model, visits
to exemplary middle schools, and data driven decision-making
to involve the entire staff. Teacher isolation, desks
in command-like straight rows, and a traditional eight-period
day disappeared. By 2000, Fritsche's 6th graders
out-performed other district students by two times
in writing and four times in mathematics. |
|
|
Panasonic
National School Change Awards
|
|
|
This is the only award of its
kind. Annually, six schools across America are recognized
for having "significantly changed." Responding
to an invitation to nominate such schools, state commissioners
of education, superintendents, national educational associations,
universities, and foundations endorse candidates to be considered
for these prestigious awards. Nominated schools measure
themselves against sixteen criteria summarized below.
A school, in our view, is a
candidate for the award if it meets at least two criteria
in each of the four dimensions and a total of at least ten
criteria. Award winners are selected in the spring of each
academic year, with 24 finalists and the six winning schools
gaining national recognition. Schools may nominate themselves. The
awards are conducted and sponsored by the Panasonic Corporation
of North America.
|
|
Criteria
|
|
Dimension
1
|
Dimension
2
|
Dimension
3
|
Dimension
4
|
| How
meaningful is the change? Is it substantial rather than
superficial? |
How
deep and broad is the change? Is it systemic rather
than isolated? |
How
is the change focused? Is it student centered looking
at teaching and learning? |
How
is it measured? Is it solution or outcome oriented?
|
| A.
There has been a measurable change in attitudes, beliefs,
and values. |
A.
The change is not merely affecting one classroom or
grade; it is more widespread (systemic) in the school. |
A.
The overall quality of teaching has improved as measured
by observations, peer evaluations, self-assessments,
student feedback, parent comments, etc. |
A.
Multi-year performance data documents increases in academic
achievement among all students. Evidence of closing
achievement gaps. |
| B.
The practices, especially in-classroom instruction,
dramatically changed. |
B.
The changes in the school are evident in decisions about
instruction, organization, governance, and accountability. |
B.
Innovative teaching practices, such as problem-based
learning, interdisciplinary teaching, cooperative learning,
etc., have been effectively implemented and sustained. |
B.
Documented increases across all groups of students demonstrated
by "outside" evaluations such as district,
state or national norm or criterion-referenced examinations
and/or standards. |
| C.
Teachers are engaged and own the change vision. |
C.
There is a perception in the school among all stakeholders
(administrators, teachers, students, parents) that positive
change has taken place. |
C.
There is an alignment of curriculum, instruction, assessment,
and standards. |
C.
There are documented increases in measurable outcomes
such as promotion rates, graduation rates, acceptances
into prestigious schools, job placements, number of
visitors to the school, etc. |
| D.
Students and staff want to come to school, enjoy being in school,
and often stay beyond normal school hours. |
D.
There is a perception in the larger community that positive
change has taken place, as reflected in a higher number
of applicants, registrations, visits, etc. |
D.
The school culture promotes inquiry, use of research,
professional development, growth, the idea of a learning
organization. |
D.
The school has won recognition and awards for improved
performance. |
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
|
The Award to each of the six
schools will include:
- A ceremony conducted at
their school in May/June 2008
- $5,000 including Panasonic
products
- National recognition and
coverage by the media
- Subsidized participation
of the school's principal in the Annual National
Principals Leadership Institute to be conducted in New
York City
- An awards presentation by
the United States Department of Education at a special
ceremony in July 2008
- Participation in a major
national research project focusing on school change
|
|
| |
Nominations
Have Been Received From These States
|
|
|
|
|
