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CES Small Schools Project FAQs
General Project Inquiry
Q: What is the CES Small Schools Project?
A: The CES Small Schools Project is a five-year initiative started in 2003 and generously funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that includes four major strands: the identification of 20 exemplary CES high schools around the country to serve as "CES Mentor Schools" that collaboratively work to share their best practices and expertise in order to support the creation of new schools, the breakup of large high schools and the improvement of existing schools; the creation of 10 new small CES high schools around the country; the conversion of three large high schools into 13 small CES schools; and the development of CES ChangeLab, a website devoted to highlighting the best practices and expertise of the CES Mentor Schools.
Q: How long will the project run for?
A: Our current grant will fund the CES Small Schools Project through the 2007-8 school year, although if possible we are interested in continuing the project beyond this time.
Q: What are the expected outcomes?
A: By the end of the five years, we will have a robust network consisting of 20 CES Mentor Schools and 23 new CES Small Schools, 13 of which were created through the process of converting large high schools into small schools. These schools will embody CES's Common Principles and together will form a powerful learning community that supports and improves each school's individual practice. In addition to CES ChangeLab, a website devoted to highlighting the best practices and expertise of the CES Mentor Schools and spreading this wealth of experience, tools, and ideas to a broader audience, there will also be a book about school-to-school mentoring that tells some of the stories of the project.
Questions Relative to Grant Eligibility
Q: What's the difference between the new school and large school conversion grants?
A: The new school grants are for the creation of new, start-up schools while the conversion grants are for existing large high schools interested in breaking up into discrete small schools.
Q: Can existing high schools apply for the new school grant?
A: Existing high schools are not eligible for the new school grants.
Q: Can denominational and/or independent schools apply for the grants?
A: CES will only award grants to public schools. However, private schools can be considered for unfunded participation as Mentor Schools.
Q:How and when do I apply for the grants? If I missed a recent deadline, will there be other opportunities to apply?
A: We have no plans to put out any new calls for letters of intent at this time and we will not be awarding any new grants unless the project is extended.
Q: What are criteria for selection?
A: Selected new school teams, mentor schools and large high school teams demonstrate the greatest capacity for creating small schools that embody the Common Principles. CES National has also sought a diverse pool of schools located in different regions of the United States, serving different kinds of populations, and having different kinds of themes or foci. The majority of students served through the Small Schools Project are students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
Q: What is the definition of "small" in describing the new small high schools in the CES Small Schools Project?
A: The Mentor Schools, the new schools, and the schools created from large school conversions will all serve no more than 400 students.
School and Organizational Support Questions
Q: If my school is not a part of the Small Schools Project, can I still participate?
A: There are several ways to get involved in the Small Schools Project without being funded through a grant. The annual Summer Institute is open to everyone and convenes all of the schools in the network. This is a terrific opportunity to learn and interact with some of the leading small schools educators in the country. There are also professional development opportunities and workshops offered by individual CES Mentor Schools throughout the school year. Finally, we are beginning to explore ways in which schools can "buy in" to the network, for an annual fee, and participate in all four of our network meetings and other aspects of the professional learning community that the network provides. Any school may also become an affiliate of CES .
Q: What is the relationship between New and Mentor Schools?
A: Each new school has an individual relationship with one of the Mentor Schools. The Mentor will provide coaching and assistance to the new school. In addition, both new schools and Mentor Schools meet with each other and have the benefit of accessing each other's learning and expertise.
Q: What kind of support is available for grant recipients?
A: Grant recipients have the support of the other schools in the network (including the CES Mentor Schools), the regional CES center, where applicable, CES National staff, and CES ChangeLab.
Q: What is CES ChangeLab?
A: CES ChangeLab is a website with which users can access the best practices, tools, strategies, policies, and stories of the CES Mentor Schools. Along with the ability to download such resources, users take virtual tours of the Mentor Schools, ask questions of Mentor School staff regarding pertinent educational topics, and participate in discussions with colleagues across the country and around the world regarding how to create great small high schools in which all students learn to use their minds well.
Q: Where are the schools located?
A: The schools are located in a variety of regions across the country and in both urban and rural communities.
Q: What types of schools are these?
A: The schools in this project are all high schools and the new and conversion schools are all public. There is a wide variety of schools including those that focus on particular themes, those that serve particular geographic communities, and those that serve particular student needs.
Q: What kind of student population is being targeted by the project?
A: The majority of students the project serves are students who come from low-income backgrounds and students of color.
Q: What is a CES High School?
A: A CES High School strives to realize the Common Principles, more concretely detailed in the CES Benchmarks. Here are some additional links to areas of our website that help to answer this question:
About CES
No Two Schools Alike
Ten Common Principles
Page last updated: April 04, 2006
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