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Home > CES Small Schools Project > Press Releases
For Immediate Release June 16, 2005
Contact: Brett Bradshaw
Phone: 510-433-1926
Coalition of Essential Schools Selects New Cohort of “Mentor Schools” to Lead by Example
Initiative of Gates-funded National Small Schools Project
will create nationwide Mentor School Network
Now in practice for twenty years, Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) principles continue to guide innovative and effective school reform that transforms the lives of American students. CES National today announced, as part of its national Small Schools Project, that it has selected four outstanding schools to serve as national models for other schools with student populations typically considered "at risk."
The CES Small Schools Project, a five-year initiative made possible by an $18.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will eventually result in a nationwide network of 20 "CES Mentor Schools," all of which embody the CES ideal of small, personalized, intellectually vibrant and equitable learning environments. The schools named today, located in communities from Rhode Island to California, will mentor and provide resources to new and aspiring CES schools in their areas.
The CES mentor schools announced today were:
In addition, CES National has named an "Emerging Mentor School" that will have access to professional development through the mentor network this year. It is: Young Women's Leadership Charter School (YWLCS) (Chicago, IL).
CES National chose the mentor schools based on several factors. The schools are small (typically serving fewer than 400 students) and feature highly personalized learning environments that nurture each student's intellectual passions. These schools serve large percentages of students who, in other circumstances, would be considered "at risk," but who are graduating high school and entering college at extremely high rates.
"We have been able to identify some outstanding schools that will help us learn more about how to create schools that truly engage young people and develop their intellects - and then share what we learn," said Lewis Cohen, Executive Director of CES National. "Thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the CES Small Schools Project is building on our twenty year's of groundbreaking work by expanding the CES network and sharing the wisdom of some the nation's most innovative educators with a wider audience."
In addition to the Mentor School Network, the Gates-funded initiative also supports the creation of 10 new CES high schools, and the breaking down of five existing high schools into smaller and more personalized schools. Finally, the grant funds the creation of CES ChangeLab, a web-based resource for schools interested in adopting the CES principles.
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About CES
The Coalition of Essential Schools, founded in 1984 by Theodore Sizer, is an education reform organization dedicated to transforming American public education so that every child in every neighborhood, regardless of race or class, attends a small, intellectually challenging, personalized school. The CES National office is in Oakland, CA, and there are currently nineteen CES regional centers across the country.
CES schools share a common set of beliefs about the purpose and practice of schooling, known as the CES Common Principles. Based on decades of research and practice, the principles call for all schools to offer:
- Personalized instruction to address individual needs and interests
- Small schools and classrooms, where teachers and student know each other well and work in an atmosphere of trust and high expectations
- Multiple assessments based on performance of authentic tasks
- Democratic and equitable school policies and practices
- Close partnerships with the school's community
Page last updated: March 14, 2006
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