A glimpse at what it's like to work in a collaboratively led school from the perspective of a teacher and what the

teacher-powered movement looks like in different schools across the country

Alex Vitrella & Carrie Bakken

a project of

• A school in which a team of teachers have secured the autonomy to collectively design and run their school.

• Teachers make the decisions that influence school success, such as curriculum, budget, selecting personnel, and more.

• Teachers can also run a department or program within a school as, for example, a "teacher-powered math department.“

What is a Teacher-Powered School?

The Public Believes in Teachers

The Public and Teachers Believe in Teacher-powered Schools

The Movement

A Few District Examples

Social Justice Humanitas Academy, LAUrban District Pilot School, 9-12, since 2011

A Few District Examples

Mission Hill K-8 School, BostonUrban District Pilot School, K-8, since 1997

A Few District Examples

Math and Science Leadership Academy, DenverUrban District School, K-3, since 2009

A Few District Examples

Hughes STEM School, CincinnatiUrban District School, 7-12, since 2009

Initiative Activities

1. Build awareness and interest

2. Support teachers as they implement

3. Advocate for the idea in general

a project of

Everything available at:www.teacherpowered.org

National Conference: November 6th and 7th, 2015

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Teacher Powered: Avalon School

The Avalon teachers…

• Collaborate to design and lead student and school success• Set school goals and accept increased accountability• Create strong partnerships with the community• Control the budget and allocate resources• Create the curriculum• Decide professional development• Hire, fire, mentor, and evaluate peers

Teacher Powered at Avalon

Avalon is a collaborative democratic community that places student empowerment at the center…

• Students are trusted to create self-directed projects and design their curriculum

• Students mediate conflicts, reinforce school culture, and create rules for Avalon

Avalon Core Values

Avalon School Governance...

• Avalon School Board• Avalon Learning Program• Avalon Staff • Program Coordinators• Committees • Students Governance • Families and Community Partners

Governance and Organization

Avalon School Contract Goals and Accountability…

• Governance • Finance• Stakeholder Surveys• Assessments• Hope Survey• Attendance• Graduation Rate

Accountability

Avalon retains 95%-100% of teachers annually…• Teachers build strong student and family relationships• Less resources are needed to hire, train, and mentor new

teachers• The continuity of teaching staff improves the learning

program and supports strategic planning

Avalon Outcomes: Teacher Retention

Students acquire positive learning skills and attitudes…• 99% of students surveyed agree that Avalon School is a positive learning

environment• 99% of students surveyed feel safe at Avalon• The Hope Study reveals a positive relationship between the numbers of

years at Avalon and a students’ Hope index• Avalon School outperforms St. Paul Public Schools on state math and

reading proficiency tests• 75-80% of Avalon graduates attend a Post-Secondary Institution

Avalon Outcomes: Students

“In schools where deeper learning is the focus for students, teachers enjoy an unusual degree of

authority in that leadership of the school is shared with them and expected of them”

Monica Martinez, Ph.D. and Dennis McGrath, Ph. D.

Innovative Public Schools

Will teachers make decisions regarding…• Resources, by department or school-wide?• Professional development? • Community connections?• Curriculum that aligns with the state standards?• Collaboration time with colleagues?• Hiring colleagues or their school leaders? • Goal setting?• Assessments?

Questions to Guide Planning

“The more power you give away, the more you have.”

-Francis Hesselbein,Girl Scouts of the United States

a project of

Teacher Powered Schools

www.teacherpowered.orgSteps to Creating a Teacher-Powered School

National Conference: November 6th and 7th, 2015www.avalonschool.org