Case Study
VOISE Academy, Chicago
An Education Case Study
By James Sloan
Visiting Research Fellow
(December, 2009)
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New Leaders for New Schools
Chicago
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Program Details
Maggie Blinn, Executive Director
Allison Wagner, Managing Director
General Inquiries: chicagoinfo@nlns.org
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Contact Information
New Leaders for New Schools Chicago
850 West Jackson, Suite 625
Chicago, IL 60607
312-829-6567
312-829-6568 fax
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Our Schools
The partnership that New Leaders for New Schools Chicago cultivated with Chicago Public Schools has been essential in our efforts to raise student achievement in Chicago. In 2008-2009 the 666 schools in Chicago Public Schools served 407,955 children. Nearly 85% of these students come from low-income homes, and about 13% are limited-English-proficient
The need for transformative leadership in Chicago is great. Forty percent of Chicago's elementary students fall below the state standards set for the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT), while sixty-nine percent of our high school students are below the standards set for the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE). Even more distressing, these testing standards lack academic rigor.
Within one year after graduation, only 34% of Chicago Public Schools high school graduates go on to four-year colleges, and only 22% go on to a two-year colleges. Only 6% of those CPS alumni who get to college are able to graduate: these self-selecting college-bound students are still not prepared for higher education or life beyond.
New Leaders for New Schools Chicago offers applicants an amazing opportunity to rectify these imbalances. We envision a day when every student in Chicago Public Schools will graduate ready for college, career, and beyond.
*Compiled from 2006 - 2009 statistics, CPS website, and the Chicago Consortium Report "From High School to the Future"
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Impact & Results
Chicago Program Satisfaction Data
- Among Chicago New Leaders principals, 98% feel New Leaders effectively prepared them to be successful urban school principals.
- Among Chicago New Leaders Residents, 94% report that they feel part of a national movement to transform urban education by demonstrating that all students can achieve at high levels.
- 94% of Chicago New Leaders Residents feel their experience with New Leaders has been positive overall and that their Residency has been a high quality learning experience.
Preliminary Chicago Achievement Results1
One indicator of New Leaders' effectiveness is comparing our schools' results to other schools in CPS. New Leaders in Chicago consistently serve schools with students whose initial achievement scores are lower than district averages, but New Leaders principals consistently raise scores in their schools at a quicker rate than the district, as these preliminary outcomes indicate:
- On average, schools led by New Leaders with 3+ years of experience in Chicago's K-8 schools outperformed the district in math and reading:
- In math, the city posted a gain of 1.2 percentage points in the proportion of students scoring proficient/advanced, compared to gains in New Leaders-led schools of 5 points.
- In reading, the city posted a gain of 5.3 percentage points in the proportion of students scoring proficient/advanced, compared to gains in New Leaders-led schools of 6.8 points.
- The 2008 4-year graduation rate for students in New Leaders-led high schools was 80.6%, compared to the district rate of 68.7%.2
Highlights from Chicago New Leaders-led Dramatically Gaining Schools
Many New Leaders-led schools are demonstrating how to create the kinds of dramatic gains needed to prepare all students for graduation and college, achieving yearly growth of 20+ combined points in the percent of students reaching standards in math and reading. Here are a few examples:
- Barton Elementary, led by a 3rd year New Leader, was previously one of the lowest performing schools in Chicago and once again made 20+ gains across reading and math. The school moved from 19% proficiency to 59% in math and from 34% to 62% in reading during the New Leader's tenure.
- Dodge Renaissance Academy, led by a 4th year New Leader, also previously one of the lowest performing schools in Chicago, continued strong in 2008, making double digit gains across reading and math. Between 2004 and 2008, gains in the proportion of students scoring proficient or advanced moved from 34% to 79% in math and from 34% to 70% in reading.
- Dunne Elementary, led by a 2nd year New Leader, has made gains of just over 20 percentage points across reading and math between 2007 and 2008. Between 2006 and 2008, gains in the proportion of students scoring proficient or advanced moved from 54% to 67% in math and from 52% to 68% in reading.
1 Note that occasionally districts make slight adjustments to data to reflect improved precision and accuracy.
2 The city reports on a 5-year cohort rate. This, however, is a 4-year graduation rate from state report card numbers as of December 2008, and may not reflect some unreported schools.
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Recruitment & Admissions
New Leaders for New Schools Chicago requires applicants to have:
- A minimum of two years of full-time experience teaching in a K-12 classroom, by the deadline for which candidate is applying.
- A bachelor's degree.
- Valid certification (an exception is made for candidates with Charter experience who are looking to do their residency in Charter schools).
Information Sessions
We encourage you to sign up for an information session to learn more about our program. CLICK HERE to view a schedule of sessions in Chicago.
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Supporters
New Leaders for New Schools gratefully acknowledges our supporters and partners:
AMCORE Bank Foundation
Ariel Mutual Funds
Best Family Fund
The Boeing Company
The Boeing Company Charitable Trust
Peter S. Bresler
Chicago Public Schools
The Chicago Public Education Fund
Anonymous Foundation
Michael Collins
Comer Science & Education Foundation
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Crown Family Philanthropies
Rod and Diane Dammeyer
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
DLA Piper US LLP
Rahm Emanuel Trusts
Ford Motor Company
Franczek Radelet PC
Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Jewel-Osco
The Joyce Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation
The Louis R. Lurie Foundation
Madigan Family Foundation
Mesirow Financial
MetLife
Brad J. Muth
National-Louis University
Northern Trust Corporation
Oprah's Angel Network
Peoples Gas
Polk Bros. Foundation
Prince Charitable Trusts
The Prudential Foundation
Public Building Commission of Chicago
Relations Foundation
Sacks Family Foundation
Seabury Foundation
Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust
D. Gideon Searle
Steans Family Foundation
W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation
Towers Perrin
US Department of Education
Walton Family Foundation
David Weinberg & Jerry Newton
New Leaders for New Schools Chicago Program would like to recognize our
Local Advisory Board for their support and guidance:
Dr. Sonya Anderson, National Director, The First Five Years Fund
Mr. Peter Bresler, Principal, Towers Perrin
Mr. Rusty Burnette (New Leader Cohort 6), Principal, Vaughn Occupational High School
Mr. Will Conniff, General Manager, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois
Ms. Teresa A. Faidley, Regional President, Northwestern Illinois, AMCORE Bank
Ms. Dana Fattore Crumley, Partner, Franczek Radelet PC
Ms. Althea Hammond (New Leader Cohort 5), Principal, Piccolo Specialty School
Ms. Zipporah Hightower (New Leader Cohort 6), Principal, Bethune School of Excellence
Ms. Gwen Lee (Ex-Officio), School Achievement Coach, New Leaders for New Schools
Ms. Phyllis Lockett, President and CEO, The Renaissance Schools Fund
Ms. Maria Esther López, Director of Institutional Advancement, El Valor
Ms. Alicia Mohr, Director, Central & South Regions, DonorsChoose.org
Mr. Bradley Muth, Managing Partner, Concert Realty Partners
Mr. Erin Roche (New Leader Cohort 2), Principal, William H. Prescott Elementary School
Mr. Thomas Shakeshaft, Attorney at Law
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Regional Information
"New Leaders for New Schools is bringing in great, great talent to us here in Chicago and helping prepare that talent to step up and take these critically important leadership roles...and help take our system to the next level."
Arne Duncan
U.S. Secretary of Education
(then CEO, Chicago Public Schools)
In the News
Press Release 05.21.2009
Oprah's Angel Network Pledges $110,000 to Premiere School Leadership Program (New Leaders for New Schools) for the Benefit of Chicago's Children
Articles
Tough Challenges Face a Reshaper of Schools
By Sam Dillon
New York Times
(June, 2009)
Featuring: Jammie Poole, Cohort 7, Principal, Orr Academy High School
South Side 'turnaround' school championed by Arne Duncan demonstrates 'cutting edge' education
The Chicago Tribune
(December, 2008)
Featuring: Andre Cowling, Cohort 6, Principal, Harvard Elementary School
Chicago School Reform Could Be a U.S. Model
The Washington Post
(December, 2008)
Featuring: David Kovach, Cohort 5, Principal, Cameron Elementary School
South Side Story
By Michelle Obama
Michigan Ave Magazine
(Holiday Issue, 2008)
Featuring: Jose Rico, Cohort 3, Principal, Multicultural Arts High School at Little Village Campus
Top principal credits training
The Chicago Sun-Times
(April, 2007)
Principal Programs Unique
Catalyst Chicago
(September, 2006)
'Speed dating' for new principals breaks down hiring barriers
Catalyst Chicago
(September, 2006)
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