Small Schools, Big Ideas : The Essential Guide to Successful School Transformation

by Benitez, Mara; Davidson, Jill; Flaxman, Laura; Sizer, Ted; Faust Sizer, Nancy

• ISBN13: 9780470259078
• ISBN10: 0470259078
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-11-02
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

This guide shows how the principle-based and equity-focused model from the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) can be used to redesign existing schools and create new schools that prepare students for this century's challenges and opportunities.

Author Biography

Mara Benitez is senior director of school development for the Coalition of Essential Schools. Jill Davidson is director of publications at CES and also edits its journal, Horace. Laura Flaxman is co-founder and co-principal of ARISE High School, a model school in the CES network. The Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) has been at the forefront of creating and sustaining personalized, equitable, and intellectually challenging schools for over twenty-five years.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
The Coalition of Essential Schools and the CES Small Schools Project	p. xvii
The Authors	p. xxiii
Introduction: An Academically Challenging Education for All	p. xxv
Setting the Stage for Transformation
A Commitment to Equity	p. 3
Facing the Challenges	p. 21
Creating the Climate and Conditions for Change	p. 43
Essential Principles for School Design
Starting with Vision, Mission, and Goals	p. 83
Transformational Leadership	p. 117
Cultivating Professional Learning Communities	p. 151
Essential Principles for Learning
Student-Centered Teaching and Learning	p. 175
Demonstration of Mastery	p. 211
Access, Opportunity, and Preparation for Postsecondary Success	p. 243
Embedding Successful Change
School Culture, Practices, and Community	p. 271
Strategies for Sustainability	p. 293
Coalition of Essential Schools Common Principles	p. 319
Coalition of Essential Schools Benchmarks: Principles in Practice	p. 323
Profiled Schools and Organizations	p. 333
The Benefits of the CES Model: A Look at Recent Research	p. 345
Glossary of Useful Assessment Terms	p. 349
References	p. 355
Index	p. 365
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