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Home > CES Small Schools Project > Press Releases
For Immediate Release May 17, 2004
Contact: Laura Flaxman
Phone: 501.433.1840
Coalition of Essential Schools Begins Rolling Out
Nationwide Network of Small High Schools
Small Schools Project to open first group in 2005 and 2006
The national office of the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) announced today the first group of new small schools and large school conversions in the "CES Small Schools Project." This five-year initiative, made possible by an $18.7 million grant awarded in September of 2003 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will result in a nationwide network of more than 10 brand new small high schools and 5 large high schools that are undergoing a conversion process to break up into small autonomous schools.
The first new small schools are:
- Civitas (Los Angeles, CA),
- Humanities Preparatory Academy 2 (New York, NY),
- Lighthouse Community Charter School (Oakland, CA),
- Metro School (Columbus, OH), and
- High School for Student and Community Empowerment (Houston, TX).
The first large school conversions are:
- Leominster High School (Leominster, MA), and
- Tyee High School (SeaTac, WA).
In the next three years, CES will announce 3 more large school conversions and at least 6 more new schools. In addition, CES National will provide grants to two CES regional centers to support the conversion work. These centers are the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) in Boston and CES Northwest in Seattle. Some of the teams will be receiving additional support from two other organizations with whom CES is partnering: Houston A+ and Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound.
Letters of interest were submitted by 40 groups from across the nation, and CES chose the school teams based on several factors. The teams demonstrated tremendous capacity to create excellent, equitable, and autonomous small CES schools that feature highly personalized learning environments that nurture each student's intellectual passions. These schools will serve large percentages of students who, in other circumstances, would be considered "at risk."
"We are very excited about the new school teams we will be supporting and know that through this project, CES will continue to provide shining examples of schools that work for all kids," said Vanessa Coleman, Co-Executive Director of CES National. "There is no better way to honor our 20 year history of creating personalized, intellectually vibrant, and equitable educational experiences for students."
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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 seventeen 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 practice
- Close partnerships with the school's community
On the Internet: Coalition of Essential Schools, www.essentialschools.org
About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is building upon the unprecedented opportunities of the 21st century to improve equity in global health and learning. Led by Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates Sr., and Patty Stonesifer, the Seattle-based foundation has an endowment of approximately $24 billion.
On the Internet: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, www.gatesfoundation.org
About Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound
Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound is a nationally recognized K-12 model for transformation of existing schools and new school development that emphasizes real world learning, engaging instruction, rigorous curriculum, and character development. The design's strength is the provision of an intensive, multi-year sequence of professional development and technical assistance for teachers and school leaders. Expeditionary Learning is working with 125 schools and is partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation to create more than 20 small, new high schools over the next five years.
On the Internet:
Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound, www.elob.org
About Houston A+ Challenge
Houston A+ Challenge is an independent, public-private partnership directing the largest sum of money every dedicated to public school reform in the Greater Houston area. Houston A+ Challenge (formerly Houston Annenberg Challenge) has raised $100 million to develop and fund school programs, professional development and leadership institutes to promote higher academic achievement by all students.
On the Internet:
Houston A+ Challenge, www.houstonaplus.org
Page last updated: May 17, 2004
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