Schools for a New Society Roundtable: Chattanooga and Providence Update

A Roundtable  — May, 15, 2006

Background: A Systemic Approach to High School Reform

Over the past three decades, the graduation rate in U.S. public high schools has declined steadily. According to recent studies, a staggering one third of public high school students fail to graduate. The statistics are even worse for historically disadvantaged minority groups. Only about half of black and Hispanic students finish high school. Even those students who do graduate are often not prepared to succeed in the workplace or higher education. Just 32% of all U.S. students leave high school qualified to attend four-year colleges.

Schools for a New Society (SNS), an effort funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York along with additional support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is a systematic attempt to address the failings of traditional high schools. These district-level reform efforts have produced significant changes in local policy that also have an impact at both the state and federal level. These changes include the adoption of rigorous high school core curriculum, the creation of single path diploma tracks, and the development of high standards with appropriate supports for both students and teachers.  The ambitious five-year SNS effort has been grounded in the following design principles:

• Build a working partnership between the urban school district and a leading community nonprofit
• Redesign the district to change how organizational and fiscal resources are mobilized and deployed to support schools
• Leverage community support and demand for excellent education for all students
• Create a citywide portfolio of excellent high schools, not just isolated islands of high achievement

This forum provided an overview of the SNS Initiative and an update by two of the SNS cities, Chattanooga and Providence, following several years of implementation of their work.

Schools for a New Society Initiative—Overview of Change Theory

Rochelle Nichols-Solomon, Director, Schools for a New Society Technical Assistance Program, Academy for Educational Development, described how SNS has evolved since 2000 to become a blueprint for successful district-wide change as well as a mechanism for pushing high school reform to the top of the national education agenda. “For those of us doing this work for 15 years that is really encouraging,” she said.

Schools for a New Society is the Carnegie Corporation’s largest initiative. Seven SNS sites were selected in 2001: Boston, MA; Hamilton County (Chattanooga, TN); Houston, TX; Providence, RI; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; and Worcester, MA. There are 140,000 students in more than 100 schools taking part in the initiative. The majority of students are from low-income families, and a high percentage of students speak English as a second language.

The guiding theory of change for SNS, Nichols-Solomon said, is fundamentally about rethinking high school to address the needs of students and teachers in a way that “demands and supports reform.” A core partner is selected in each district to integrate the larger community into the reform work of the district. Partners can be local education funds, universities, or other organizations with the interest and capacity to support the initiative. Nichols-Solomon explained that the Carnegie Corporation also created a national assistance team made up of the Academy for Educational Development, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, and the Institute for Education and Social Policy at New York University. “It’s a pretty messy and complex network that demands attention to relationships,” she said.

The Carnegie Corporation has developed “cogs” to visually show how this theory of change that has been constructed in collaboration with individual sites works together to affect change. Key elements of the work include developing a portfolio of quality schools; redesigning school districts; committing to youth engagement; mobilizing community engagement; and working with core partners.

Schools for a New Society Cities

Chattanooga, TN

Jesse Register, Superintendent of the 41,000-student Hamilton County Schools, spoke about the year-long process of becoming an SNS site. Teachers, students and parents from all 17 schools in the district were consulted about the need for change. A retreat was held that brought together leadership teams and parents to talk about the initiative and to begin thinking about the strengths and weaknesses of individual schools. “I was very impatient and eager to get started,” Register admitted. “But this resulted in a greater sense of ownership in the community.”

Dan Challener, President of the Public Education Foundation in Chattanooga, the community partner for the SNS grant, noted that a key to building the initiative was respecting the diversity of the district. “You can’t go at this work with a cookie cutter model,” he said. “You have to go at this with different strategies. We started with looking at the data and setting measurable goals around things we thought mattered.” Some of these goals included having students pass state accountability exams, increasing the graduation rate, and having more students take the ACT and attend college.

Register noted that it is not about a top-down or bottom-up philosophy, but rather striking a balance in how local schools and district leaders work together. Two years after the district became an SNS site, Register said, a decision was made to move toward a universal diploma. This included having a core curriculum built on high academic standards and requiring a senior exit project for all students. Another key decision, according to the superintendent, was realizing that they “couldn’t do everything for everybody. We knew we had to concentrate our interventions and decided to focus on creating small academies with a maximum of 250 students per academy.”

Challener noted that the business community stepped into the debate about raising standards for all students. This was a substantial help in building consensus that academic tracking would be a relic of the past. At the same time, respect for the autonomy of schools still exists. “High schools have goals and strategies and very diverse schools come up with very diverse answers,” he said. Examples of these strategies include academies, themes across schools, senior year projects, and intensive literacy focus.

Funding for the initiative, Challener explained, came to the district, but money went right to schools. “It wasn’t held in the central office,” he said. “This empowered schools. They owned this work.” Improving instruction is the core element, however. Monthly principal meetings have become a staple for strategic planning. Schools have gone from being 17 “different kingdoms” where principals mainly “talked about their football teams,” he said, to being part of a focused network of learning with literacy team leaders, math specialists, guidance counselors, and other staff who now have a common framework for success.

This has included being relentless in using data to track progress or trouble spots. The district has seen consistent progress in graduation rates and the percentage of students going on to college. “We have been very intentional about sharing data with principals at our principals’ meetings so they can see what other schools are doing,” Challener said.

Providence, RI

Rochelle Nichols-Simmons filled in for Mary Sylvia Harrison, the President of the Rhode Island Children’s Crusade for Higher Education, who could not attend the forum. If Chattanooga is the poster child for stability among the SNS sites, she said, Providence is probably the poster child for turnover. Donnie Evans, the current superintendent, is the third superintendent over the life of the initiative. Even with this challenge, Nichols-Simmons said Providence has focused attention on curriculum and instruction and created a strong data system that “tells a story about what is happening and needs to happen.”

The urban district has also shifted from large, comprehensive high schools to smaller learning communities where all students have an individual learning plan. Among other things, Providence has adopted a scope and sequence curriculum framework aligned to state standards; developed a set of interim assessments; embedded test preparation using the states’ new exam to provide feedback and provided scaffolding interventions and supports for low-performing students. The district also incorporated Reading 180, a high school literacy program.

The strategic planning process for schools, Nichols-Simmons said, is now informed by data. Providence works with the Center for Research Management to help schools use data teams and each school has “dashboards” that clearly display data. Youth engagement has also been a centerpiece of Providence high school reform. The city has worked to embed youth engagement into teaching and learning and created the first citywide youth council with representatives from every school. Community engagement is reflected in the development of the Providence Education Excellence Coalition, which has provided a seat at the table for community and civic advocacy organizations.

Donnie Evans, Superintendent, Providence Public Schools, began with a brief description of his district. The school system is a department of city government, which means the superintendent works for the mayor and the school board. There are a total of 54 schools, eleven of these are high schools. Fifty-seven percent of students are Latino; 80% qualify for free/ reduced-priced lunches; 20% are in programs for English language learners and about 20% are in special education programs. A key aspect of high school reform is creating small learning communities through academies and other variations on small schools. A number of different themes guide these schools such as health science, leadership, and service. Providence offers choice through its student assignment system.

Evans noted the district is building on the work of his predecessors providing 39 hours of professional development for teachers. The union has been supportive and pays for some of this. However, one of the main challenges the district faces is working with a “collection of schools and not a school system.” This is an artifact of school-based curriculum and instruction that was never coordinated with the district office. District office reform, Evans stressed, was needed to begin providing better support for schools. Other challenges include low public confidence in the school system, union seniority rules that allow veteran teachers whose positions are phased out to “bump” other teachers out of positions, and a minimal number of high schools that are not accredited.

Evans said a strategic planning process for the district helped Providence see the need for research-based programs that are outcome driven. A K-8 model of schools will be adopted and extended learning opportunities before and after school are viewed as essential. The district is also looking at ideas for “full service schools.”  District office reform has also been critical to creating a more effective system. There is now a high school reform office staffed by a director who provides support and holds teachers accountable for performance.

As far as the challenge of sustainability after SNS money runs out, Evans said that while adequate funding is a major issue in a city with already lean budgets, there are now more people aware of the importance of what the initiative has brought to the district.

Lessons Learned from Schools for a New Society

Mindy Hernandez, Program Associate with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, explained how the Carnegie Corporation evaluates their work with SNS and what implications can be drawn from studying Schools for a New Society cities. Site visits, teacher and student surveys, interviews with the technical assistance team members, and comparative data analysis are all used in this process. The challenge of data collection, Hernandez noted, is that data is inconsistent across states.

One evaluative tool used by SNS is an "urban composite" that allows Carnegie to compare sites and assess the initiative' s impact. There is some indication that cities where excellence for all students was a key concern showed greater gains for traditionally undeserved students. In addition, while instructional improvement is necessary, initial evaluation evidence indicates that more is needed. "In order to change districts you have to change policies and that takes commitment that must be supported by the community," she said.

An important finding is that approaching education as a technical problem is not sufficient. The politics of race, ethnicity, class, and other deeply rooted issues, must be addressed for genuine change to take root. "If this were only a technical issue," Hernandez said, "we would have figured it out 20 years ago."

Presenters' Bios

Rochelle Nichols-Solomon is currently a senior staff member at the Academy for Educational Development (AED) where she directs technical support for Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Schools for a New Society initiative.  Schools for a New Society is effecting sweeping, large-scale high school renewal and district redesign in seven urban communities. 

Prior to joining AED Rochelle was Senior Program Director at the Philadelphia Education Fund where she directed one of the Education Trust’s early K-16 partnerships aimed at increasing college readiness, enrollment, and retention through changes in secondary and post-secondary institutions.  She has extensive experience in the area of community and family involvement, and has played a lead role in conceptualizing and facilitating trainings for organizers and leaders from faith-based and community organizations working to transform schools across the country.  

Rochelle’s background includes teaching, education administration, grantmaking at a community foundation, and research in several areas including tracking practices in comprehensive high schools.  She currently serves on the boards of Art Sanctuary and Research for Action in Philadelphia, and has worked with numerous local and national organizations in support of improving the quality of urban school and community life.

Dr. Jesse Register, Superintendent, began employment with the Hamilton County Department of Education on October1, 1996, and officially became “superintendent” on January15, 1997. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in English from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; a Master of Education Degree with a major in Education Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; an Advanced School Administrator's Certificate with a major in Education Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and, a Doctor of Education with a major in Education Administration from Duke University.

Since assuming the duties of Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, Dr. Register has successfully merged two very unique school systems and provided a support base of teachers and programs to provide the opportunity for ‘Success for all Students.’  Under the leadership of Dr. Register, the district has become nationally recognized for its reform efforts. The system has adopted a strategic plan that includes a differentiated pay plan for high achieving schools and salary incentives to recruit high performing teachers to inner-city schools. The urban education reform effort has addressed double standards in quality and has reduced the achievement gap.

Hamilton County Schools is one of only eight systems in the country to receive a Carnegie Corporation “Schools for a New Society” grant for systemic high school reform. The reform effort has resulted in a single path diploma requiring rigorous academic core requirements, coupled with a system of academies and small learning communities focused on specific professional or career fields.

As superintendent, Dr. Register has seen the need to transform central office administration in order to better support school-based plans that improve instruction and establish an accountability system that ensures the academic progress of all students. He has championed the high-school reform initiative publicly, collaborated with community and business partners on a continuous basis, and worked diligently to remove barriers in order to achieve the vision of reform.Dr. Register has been ahead of the curve in his innovative efforts to redefine and redesign Hamilton County's high schools. By effectively blending funding resources, serving as a catalyst in the system's journey of reform, and maintaining a strong commitment to the goals of the change initiative, Dr. Register has enabled Hamilton County to be recognized nationally as a successful model of high school transformation.

Dr. Dan Challener, President, of the Public Education Foundation in Chattanooga, Tennessee. As president, Dr. Challener oversees the Foundation’s efforts to strengthen student achievement in Hamilton County’s public schools. Among these programs are the Benwood Initiative, which has yielded dramatic improvement in the district’s nine most challenged elementary schools, Schools for a New Society Initiative, which brings about innovative improvements in Hamilton County’s seventeen public high schools, and Hamilton County Leadership Initiative, which provides training and learning opportunities for experienced, new, and future leaders in all schools.

Before coming to Chattanooga in 1999, Dr. Challener served for seven years as CEO of the Providence Blueprint for Education (PROBE), a community-based advocacy and research project that involved communities in the improvement of public schools in Providence, Rhode Island.

Dr. Challener holds a bachelors degree from Princeton University and a masters and Ph.D. in English from Brown University. He is the author of Narratives of Resilience (Garland Press, 1997), a study of what builds strength in young people. He has taught high school in New Jersey and served as adjunct faculty of both Brown University and Johnson and Wales University.

Dr. Challener is married to the former Melinda Cragg. They have three children, all of whom attend Hamilton County public schools.

Dr. Donnie W. Evans, Superintendent , comes to Providence from the Hillsborough County School District in Florida where he served as Chief District Academic Officer for a diverse school district of 190,000 students. Evans holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from North Carolina Central University. He has a Doctorate degree in Education Administration and Supervision, with a Minor in Special Education, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Previously, as Assistant Superintendent of Supportive Services for the Hillsborough County School District, Evans was the chief architect of an innovative program, Whole School Effectiveness Modes, in partnership with Charles Willie, Professor Emeritus at Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Under Evans’ leadership, in five short years during his tenure, the program resulted in significant gains in student achievement. The number of “A” schools in the district evaluated in statewide tests went from seven to 87.

In Hillsborough County, Evans also served as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Assistant Superintendent for Supportive Services, Director of District Reform, and Supervisor of Exceptional Student Education. In the Durham County Public School system in North Carolina, Evans served as Assistant Principal, and Director of Programs for Exceptional Children.

Evans served as an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa with joint appointments in the Department of Educational Leadership and the Department of Special Education. While at the University of South Florida, Evans also developed and directed a statewide Leadership Training Institute for principals and special education administrators and a doctoral program in Special Education Administration. He also engaged in field-driven research, and co-authored or authored a dozen articles, books chapters, and other publications on school reform.

Evans was born the son of tobacco farmers in a small, rural town in North Carolina. Mr. Evans earned scholarships to put himself through college, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to learning, and what he calls the personal fulfillment of “education as the great equalizer.” Evans is married to Deborah Harris, Ph.D. and has two children and three grandchildren.

Mary Sylvia Harrison, President and Executive Director, earned a Bachelor's Degree from Villanova University in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from Antioch School of Law in 1981.

Ms. Harrison joined the Rhode Island Children’s Crusade for Higher Education in 1994, where she serves as President and Executive Director. The Children’s Crusade is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to increase educational and career success for youth in Rhode Island's low-income communities. The Children’s Crusade enrolls students in the program when they are in the third grade. Upon enrollment, these children pledge to work hard in school, stay off drugs, avoid early parenthood, obey the law, graduate from high school, and serve as role models in their communities. To help Crusaders keep this pledge, the organization offers a series of age appropriate interventions designed to help to keep students on track for higher education. Crusaders who earn admission to higher education and financially qualify receive scholarships for college, junior college or trade school. There are currently more than 8,000 Crusaders in grades 3-12 with an additional 1,100 in post-secondary institutions on Crusade scholarships, including the first class of Crusaders who will graduate from four year colleges in the spring of 2005.

Ms. Harrison has more than 20 years of experience administering and managing programs that provide hope for people struggling with issues of poverty and despair. Early in her career, she established the state's first shelter for runaway youth at the RI Department of Community Affairs. While at Opportunities Industrialization Center of RI (OIC) she directed the Women's Educational Equity Act Project, and led RI's participation in a national demonstration project for minority single parents living in poverty. At the Citizens Advocate Center in Washington, DC, she established the first lobbying office for a Native American Nation. Just prior to joining the Children’s Crusade, Ms. Harrison served for six years as Executive Director of Times2, a non-profit organization that provides math and science enrichment programs for African American, Hispanic and Native American children in Grades K-12.

Ms. Harrison served on the RI Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education from 1994-1999 and represents the Children’s Crusade as Core Partner in the High School Redesign effort. Mary is Vice President of the RI Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. She serves on a number of Boards, including the United Way of Southeastern New England, The International Sailing Institute (Paul Cuffee Charter School), and The MET School.

Mindy L. Hernandez is a program associate in the Education Division of Carnegie Corporation of New York. Her work focuses on the Corporation's urban high school reform initiatives.

Hernandez joined the Corporation from For Love of Children's Neighborhood Tutoring Program (FLOC), an organization that serves at-risk children in educational, family and community matters in Washington, DC. During her tenure, she managed the literacy initiative of FLOC's Neighborhood Tutoring Program (NTP), which involved designing an advanced curriculum for eleven tutorial programs that assisted hundreds of children, revising program evaluation instruments and procedures to gauge the effectiveness of FLOC's work and supervising site coordinators to ensure the tutorial programs were successfully implemented.

While an undergraduate at Cornell University, Hernandez founded and expanded an award-winning organization called Balance: Equality Through Children, which brought college students into elementary schools to work with children on gender equality, respect and fairness issues. As a result of her work, Hernandez was nominated by the president of Cornell for the Howard R. Swearer Humanitarian Award, sponsored by Campus Compact.

Her background includes a stint in the AmeriCorps VISTA program, where she designed an English-language after-school program for children in impoverished Puerto Rican communities, and a summer spent in Kolkata where she conducted research on the gap between sex trafficking legislation and its implementation. Later she worked as a legislative correspondent and legislative assistant in the office of U.S. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) drafting correspondence for the congressman, monitoring legislative developments and negotiating with interest groups and government officials on his behalf.

Hernandez holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a master's degree in Public Affairs-Domestic and Social Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

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