Inside Urban Inside Urban Charter SchoolsCharter Schools

Katherine MersethKatherine MersethHarvard Graduate School of EducationHarvard Graduate School of Education

Presentation Presentation to to

New York City Charter School CenterNew York City Charter School CenterApril 13, 2010April 13, 2010

Kay_Merseth@Harvard.eduKay_Merseth@Harvard.edu

Copyright © Katherine MersethCopyright © Katherine Merseth

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

Overview of the StudyOverview of the Study Review of Purpose and the 5 Case Study Review of Purpose and the 5 Case Study

SitesSites Cross-Case Analysis and FindingsCross-Case Analysis and Findings

Culture & MissionCulture & Mission Getting the Right PeopleGetting the Right People Structures & SystemsStructures & Systems InstructionInstruction

Beyond the StudyBeyond the Study Concerns about the Future and ReplicationConcerns about the Future and Replication

Questions & AnswersQuestions & Answers

Who were the Schools?Who were the Schools? Schools located in Schools located in

high poverty districtshigh poverty districts Schools with Schools with

renewed chartersrenewed charters Schools that made Schools that made

AYP in 2006AYP in 2006 Schools Schools

outperforming outperforming sending districts on sending districts on MCASMCAS

Study conducted Study conducted from January 2007-from January 2007-January 2009January 2009

Academy of the Academy of the Pacific RimPacific Rim

Boston Collegiate Boston Collegiate Charter SchoolCharter School

Lawrence Lawrence Community DayCommunity Day

MATCHMATCH Roxbury Roxbury

Preparatory Preparatory Charter SchoolCharter School

The 5 Case StudiesThe 5 Case Studies

ACADEMY OF THE PACIFIC RIMACADEMY OF THE PACIFIC RIMHyde Park, MassachusettsHyde Park, Massachusetts

Founded in 1997Founded in 1997472 Students in Grades 5-472 Students in Grades 5-

12 12

57% African-American57% African-American23% White23% White

16% Hispanic16% Hispanic3% Asian3% Asian

1% Multi-race non-Hispanic1% Multi-race non-Hispanic

13% Special Education 13% Special Education 51% Low Income51% Low Income

4-Year Graduation Rate = 4-Year Graduation Rate = 90.3%90.3%

2005-2006 Dropout Rate = 2005-2006 Dropout Rate = 0.7%0.7%

BOSTON COLLEGIATE CHARTER BOSTON COLLEGIATE CHARTER SCHOOLSCHOOL

Dorchester, MassachusettsDorchester, Massachusetts

Founded in 1998Founded in 1998412 Students in Grades 412 Students in Grades

5-12 5-12

64% White64% White27% African-American27% African-American

6% Hispanic6% Hispanic2% Asian2% Asian

1% Multi-race non-1% Multi-race non-HispanicHispanic

17% Special Education 17% Special Education

42% Low Income42% Low Income4-Year Graduation Rate 4-Year Graduation Rate

= 93%= 93%2005-2006 Dropout 2005-2006 Dropout

Rate = 0%Rate = 0%

COMMUNITY DAY CHARTER PUBLIC COMMUNITY DAY CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLSCHOOL

Lawrence, MassachusettsLawrence, Massachusetts

Founded in 1995Founded in 1995330 Students in Grades K-8 330 Students in Grades K-8

87% Hispanic 87% Hispanic 9% White 9% White

2% African-American 2% African-American 1% Asian1% Asian

1% Multi-race1% Multi-race

18% Special Education 18% Special Education 64% Low Income64% Low Income

80% First Language not 80% First Language not EnglishEnglish

THE MATCH CHARTER PUBLIC HIGH THE MATCH CHARTER PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLSCHOOL

Boston, MassachusettsBoston, MassachusettsFounded in 2000Founded in 2000

220 Students in Grades 220 Students in Grades 9-12 9-12

62% African American 62% African American 30% Hispanic 30% Hispanic

4% White 4% White 2% Asian2% Asian

2% Multi-race non-2% Multi-race non-HispanicHispanic

11% Special Education 11% Special Education 70% Low Income70% Low Income

4 Year Graduation Rate = 4 Year Graduation Rate = 60%60%

2005-2006 Drop Out Rate 2005-2006 Drop Out Rate = 3.2%= 3.2%

ROXBURY PREPARATORY CHARTER PUBLIC ROXBURY PREPARATORY CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLSCHOOL

Roxbury, MassachusettsRoxbury, MassachusettsFounded in 1999198 Students in

Grades 6-8

61.1% African American

32.8% Hispanic 1.5% Native

American 4.5% Multi-race

non-Hispanic

11.6% Special Education

69.7% Low Income

All these schools are…All these schools are…

SmallSmall MatureMature Nimble and EntrepreneurialNimble and Entrepreneurial Filled with adults who believe in the Filled with adults who believe in the

purpose and mission of the schoolpurpose and mission of the school

Why can’t all schools look like Why can’t all schools look like this?this?

Cross-Case AnalysisCross-Case Analysis

Student Outcomes

Structures

People Systems

Culture

Student Outcomes

Mis

sio

n

Instruction

  

Looking Across these Looking Across these schoolsschools

WhatWhat makes these schools makes these schools successful? successful?

A A clear missionclear mission and a broadly shared and a broadly shared and strong and strong institutional cultureinstitutional culture

Purposefully chosen teachers and Purposefully chosen teachers and administratorsadministrators who “fit” the who “fit” the organization’s cultureorganization’s culture

OrganizationalOrganizational structures and systemsstructures and systems that support student learningthat support student learning

Specific classroom proceduresSpecific classroom procedures COHERENCE across allCOHERENCE across all

School Culture: Mission School Culture: Mission and Operating and Operating AssumptionsAssumptions

Mission StatementsMission StatementsThe mission of Boston Collegiate The mission of Boston Collegiate Charter School is to prepare each Charter School is to prepare each student for college.student for college.

The MATCH Charter Public High School The MATCH Charter Public High School prepares Boston students to succeed in prepares Boston students to succeed in college and beyond.college and beyond.

Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, a Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, a public school that serves grades 6-8, public school that serves grades 6-8, prepares its students to enter, succeed prepares its students to enter, succeed in, and graduate from college.in, and graduate from college.

Norms & Operating Norms & Operating AssumptionsAssumptions

High expectationsHigh expectations for students “No for students “No Excuses”Excuses”

High expectationsHigh expectations for families “Buy-in” for families “Buy-in” High expectationsHigh expectations for staff “Whatever for staff “Whatever

it takes” it takes” A commitment to A commitment to continuous continuous

improvementimprovement Complete dedication to the missionComplete dedication to the mission

The Right People: The Right People: LeadershipLeadership

Hiring and RetentionHiring and Retention

LeadershipLeadership

Leadership roles differ across Leadership roles differ across schoolsschools

Varying involvement in classrooms Varying involvement in classrooms Some schools split management Some schools split management

and instructional rolesand instructional roles Leadership more shared in some Leadership more shared in some

schools than othersschools than others Not always the charismatic leaderNot always the charismatic leader

““Hiring is the most important thing that Hiring is the most important thing that we do.  It's a huge, huge, huge luxury we do.  It's a huge, huge, huge luxury that cannot be overstated with charter that cannot be overstated with charter school leaders…So that's the major school leaders…So that's the major advantage that we have as a charter advantage that we have as a charter school. We try to take full advantage of school. We try to take full advantage of that, and we spend a significant amount that, and we spend a significant amount of time on the hiring process...”of time on the hiring process...”

- Roxbury Prep - Roxbury Prep AdministratorAdministrator

The Importance of Hiring

What is the hiring What is the hiring process?process?

A Typical Hiring Process: A WinnowingA Typical Hiring Process: A Winnowing

Job Posted, 100’s of Resumes flood inJob Posted, 100’s of Resumes flood in 10 phone interviews, several called back10 phone interviews, several called back On-site interviewsOn-site interviews Sometimes observed in current teaching jobSometimes observed in current teaching job Invited to teach sample lessonInvited to teach sample lesson Feedback from teachers, administrators, Feedback from teachers, administrators,

studentsstudents Second visit to to meet staff, see school, Second visit to to meet staff, see school,

observe. Receive feedbackobserve. Receive feedback Discuss strengths & weaknesses and explicit Discuss strengths & weaknesses and explicit

consideration if the candidate will fit into consideration if the candidate will fit into school cultureschool culture

Differences in what schools Differences in what schools look forlook for

““When your mission is to get [students] prepared for When your mission is to get [students] prepared for college and know that socially they can handle that and that college and know that socially they can handle that and that they’re going to be resilient, and when they get kicked they’re going to be resilient, and when they get kicked down they’re going to come back fighting, down they’re going to come back fighting, they need to be they need to be surrounded by lovesurrounded by love at the school in order to help foster at the school in order to help foster that. If they’re not, then we’re in big trouble. So I’m just that. If they’re not, then we’re in big trouble. So I’m just eager to meet as many candidates as I can that are going to eager to meet as many candidates as I can that are going to love our students.” love our students.”

- Boston Collegiate Administrator- Boston Collegiate Administrator

““We want someone who’s pretty much ready We want someone who’s pretty much ready to sell their to sell their soul to the devilsoul to the devil, who’s not going to have any sort of private , who’s not going to have any sort of private life at all – a minimal one. Because when you come here, life at all – a minimal one. Because when you come here, you have to obviously devote yourself to at least 12 hours a you have to obviously devote yourself to at least 12 hours a day, and that doesn’t include weekends. So you want day, and that doesn’t include weekends. So you want someone who is very young and has a lot of energy.” someone who is very young and has a lot of energy.”

- MATCH Administrator- MATCH Administrator

Why do teachers leave Why do teachers leave these schools?these schools?

““Not a good fit could mean a lot of things. Typically Not a good fit could mean a lot of things. Typically it’s because they don’t get the no-excuses, urgency it’s because they don’t get the no-excuses, urgency piece, or they’re general teachers, or they’re of the piece, or they’re general teachers, or they’re of the go-it-alone mentality, or overwhelmed, you know go-it-alone mentality, or overwhelmed, you know just really struggle.”just really struggle.”

- APR Administrator- APR Administrator

““We lose teachers every year when teaching staff We lose teachers every year when teaching staff have children or they get married - especially when have children or they get married - especially when they have children. It seems to be really they have children. It seems to be really challenging trying to balance both here.”challenging trying to balance both here.”- MATCH Administrator- MATCH Administrator

Philosophies about Philosophies about teacher retention?teacher retention?

Some willing to accept turnover as a Some willing to accept turnover as a tradeoff for teacher commitmenttradeoff for teacher commitment

Others feel that turnover is “culturally Others feel that turnover is “culturally devastating” or unsustainabledevastating” or unsustainable

Willingness to accept turnover is a Willingness to accept turnover is a luxury of reputation and locationluxury of reputation and location

Is there a Human Resource–Is there a Human Resource–Supply Challenge in Scaling up Supply Challenge in Scaling up

these High Performing these High Performing Charters? Charters?

No YesNo Yes “ “Do I wish ultimately Do I wish ultimately

everyone who’s good, everyone who’s good, everyone who came everyone who came and it worked out and and it worked out and was very effective, was very effective, stayed for five to seven stayed for five to seven years? Sure, the years? Sure, the school would be school would be stronger…We try to put stronger…We try to put systems in placesystems in place so so that we're not that we're not starting over every starting over every time we have a new time we have a new teacherteacher.”.”

““I think that one of the I think that one of the things that we’re interested things that we’re interested in, in terms of being in, in terms of being sustainable and replicable, sustainable and replicable, is finding that [work life] is finding that [work life] balance. If you can’t work balance. If you can’t work here and also have a family here and also have a family and manage your life and and manage your life and grow in a career, then grow in a career, then we’re failing as a schoolwe’re failing as a school. . If If we’re just turning people we’re just turning people over who are young and over who are young and leave, then you know, leave, then you know, that’s not the school I that’s not the school I want this to bewant this to be.”.”

What is the turnover in What is the turnover in these schools?these schools?

Annual Teacher Turnover Rates in the Three Most Recent School Years

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

APR BCCS CDCPS MATCH RPC

School

Perc

en

tag

e o

f Te

ach

ing

S

taff

Dep

art

ing

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

Systems and Structures:Systems and Structures:Getting Organized for Getting Organized for

InstructionInstruction

Structures – Time and Structures – Time and PeoplePeople

Extended day and school yearExtended day and school year

Scheduling to reflect prioritiesScheduling to reflect priorities

Assignment of Students to Adults – Assignment of Students to Adults – advisories, tutors, team-teachersadvisories, tutors, team-teachers

MATCH TutorsMATCH Tutors

SystemsSystems Data Driven TeachingData Driven Teaching

Classroom Observation in Some Classroom Observation in Some SchoolsSchools

Interim Assessments tied to MCASInterim Assessments tied to MCAS Follow Up TutoringFollow Up Tutoring

Student Accountability for Behavior Student Accountability for Behavior Student & Family HandbooksStudent & Family Handbooks School-wide Discipline PlansSchool-wide Discipline Plans Parent Buy-InParent Buy-In

School-Wide SystemsSchool-Wide Systems Homework ClubHomework Club Thursday AssessmentsThursday Assessments

Instruction: Instruction: Going Inside the Going Inside the

ClassroomsClassrooms

Instructional Instructional PhilosophyPhilosophy

““Our philosophy is [that] we have a greater Our philosophy is [that] we have a greater school culture that allows each teacher the school culture that allows each teacher the maximum opportunities for them to use that maximum opportunities for them to use that time well. Our culture allows fifty-six minutes time well. Our culture allows fifty-six minutes of learning to really be fifty-six minutes…. of learning to really be fifty-six minutes…. It’s It’s not like we have unique, amazing not like we have unique, amazing ideas of how to teach math… We ideas of how to teach math… We don’t have an overarching don’t have an overarching philosophy of ‘How to actually philosophy of ‘How to actually teach,’ ‘How to actually instruct.’ teach,’ ‘How to actually instruct.’ It’s more of making sure that there It’s more of making sure that there is no time wastedis no time wasted. And how to use that . And how to use that time is up to you.”time is up to you.”

- - School School AdministratorAdministrator

Classrooms Classrooms of High Performing of High Performing Urban Charters: A Black BoxUrban Charters: A Black Box

External Dimensions External Dimensions are well definedare well defined Lessons tightly Lessons tightly

aligned to state aligned to state standardsstandards

Test PreparationTest Preparation Format of lesson Format of lesson

deliverydelivery Sense of UrgencySense of Urgency Kids are ‘busy’Kids are ‘busy’

But busy at what?But busy at what? Instructional TasksInstructional Tasks

Variations in Instructional Variations in Instructional TasksTasks

Blooms TaxonomyBlooms TaxonomyLower Lower LevelLevel

HigheHigherr

LevelLevel

Knowledge Knowledge (retrieval)(retrieval)

UnderstandingUnderstanding

ApplicationsApplications

AnalysisAnalysis

SynthesisSynthesis

EvaluationEvaluation

Enormous Variation in Enormous Variation in Level of Cognitive Tasks set Level of Cognitive Tasks set

for Studentsfor Students More classes tended to focus on More classes tended to focus on

tasks that were based on tasks that were based on memorization, information retrieval, memorization, information retrieval, low level cognitive demandlow level cognitive demand

Less higher order cognitive demandLess higher order cognitive demand Will these students know how to Will these students know how to

think? think?

Is the Varied Instructional Is the Varied Instructional Practice across the classrooms Practice across the classrooms

in these schools surprising?in these schools surprising?

Yes-- given the enormous and pervasive Yes-- given the enormous and pervasive cultural coherence within these schools.cultural coherence within these schools.

No– Because these schools do very well No– Because these schools do very well on standardized tests.on standardized tests.

Explanation?? SExplanation?? Systems and structures, ystems and structures, mission and coherence TRUMP varied mission and coherence TRUMP varied instruction and a tendency toward low instruction and a tendency toward low level cognitive tasks.level cognitive tasks.

A QUESTION:What explains the fact that MATCH and BCCS ranked in the TOP 20 high schools in the state on the MCAS Verbal and Math scores in the spring of 2008, testing 100% of their tenth graders, while in the following fall of 2008, these same students (all 100%) receive combined SAT Verbal and Math scores of 920 (MATCH) and 1039 (BCCS)?

MCAS MCAS vs. vs. SATSAT

MCASMCAS

Proficient + Proficient + AdvancedAdvanced

BCCS MathBCCS Math

BCCS ELABCCS ELA100%100%

93% 93%

MATCH MathMATCH Math

MATCH ELAMATCH ELA100%100%

98%98%

SATSAT

Verbal MathVerbal Math

TotalTotal

545M545M

494V494V

10391039

490M490M

430V430V

920920

Instruction: Instruction: Performance on MCAS vs. Performance on MCAS vs. Attainment and Success in Attainment and Success in

CollegeCollege All score exceptionally well (usually All score exceptionally well (usually

100% proficiency) on state MCAS 100% proficiency) on state MCAS exams. exams. http://vimeo.com/6872050http://vimeo.com/6872050

Additional Additional Questions/ResearchQuestions/Research

Do charter kids succeed in college or drop Do charter kids succeed in college or drop out when the tight control is removed? In out when the tight control is removed? In other words, are these school other words, are these school unnecessarily paternalistic?unnecessarily paternalistic?

Is success on state competency exams just Is success on state competency exams just a ‘sucker’s game’ for urban charter a ‘sucker’s game’ for urban charter schools?schools?

Human Capital questions: As charters Human Capital questions: As charters grow will they be able to find sufficient grow will they be able to find sufficient numbers of teachers willing to ‘sell their numbers of teachers willing to ‘sell their souls to the devil’?souls to the devil’?

What will the growing interest and What will the growing interest and presence of unions do to the charter presence of unions do to the charter movement?movement?

More QuestionsMore Questions

Are these schools “Drop Out Are these schools “Drop Out Factories”? Is it their fault if kids Factories”? Is it their fault if kids transfer back to BPS after passing the transfer back to BPS after passing the MCAS?MCAS?

Do they discriminate against SPED Do they discriminate against SPED students? What is the right standards? students? What is the right standards? Boston’s 20.9% SPED rate or the Boston’s 20.9% SPED rate or the State’s 17.1 or APR’s 13.9, BCCS 17.2, State’s 17.1 or APR’s 13.9, BCCS 17.2, MATCH 7.9 Community Day’s 18%MATCH 7.9 Community Day’s 18%

What about LEP? What about LEP? What are your questions? What are your questions?

Next Research StudyNext Research Study

Plans to identify the Plans to identify the Massachusetts Charter Massachusetts Charter Schools that do not do well Schools that do not do well on exams and determine on exams and determine what, if anything from the what, if anything from the coherence framework is coherence framework is missing.missing.

Thanks for your attention Thanks for your attention and for coming!and for coming!