Invest in something that will always be relevant: Leadership

HOPE implements learning community concepts in a concerted and sustained manner in schools throughout North America. These outcomes have led to new opportunities to work with leading practitioners and researchers to further explore each other's ideas and push forward the frontiers of our shared understanding and sustained, courageous actions.

We have a proven track record of creating school and district-wide leadership teams that consistently close learning gaps among students while enhancing overall school, teacher and student achievement.

 

 

Stories of HOPE across North America

 

 

Fort Wayne, IN

In 2008-2009, Ft. Wayne Community Schools selected 6 elementary schools to pilot HOPE’s Courageous Leadership Academy. Early reporting SMART Goal results are showing great progress. One school, Shambaugh Elementary, achieved dramatic gains in reading in Kindergarten, up 54.5% from its beginning benchmark assessment of 42.5%. Grades 1-5 increased reading scores by an average of 15 percent. The School Board was so impressed with the schools' outcomes that they expanded the program to all 52 schools in the district for the 2009-2010 school year.

Mattoon, IL

Mattoon, a district in central Illinois with six schools, fully participated in a CLA during the 2007-09 school years. As a result, at least 62.5% of students in every subgroup demonstrated proficiency as measured by the ISAT in 07-08, and their rate exceeded that of the state in closing achievement gaps. In Mattoon High School, one of the first faculty-driven efforts was to successfully create a schedule to provide time for collaboration; this occurred in a non-negotiation year and was neither union-driven nor negotiation-leveraged.

Wichita, KS

In 2006-07, Wichita Public Schools participated in their first cohort of a Courageous Leadership Academy in 44 of their 88 schools, and continued their training in the rest of the district in 2007-08. In 2006-07, Wichita met 36 of 42 AYP subgroup targets, narrowed the achievement gap between Caucasian and African-American students, and exceeded the state's graduation target.

New York, NY

Under the guidance of principal Harriet Diaz, who partnered with HOPE and our Intensive School Reform Model in 2007, Renaissance Middle School I.S.192 The Linden in New York City moved from a “D” rating to an “A” rating in 2009.

Philadelphia, PA

Pottstown School District, near Philadelphia, PA, implemented processes learned in a 2-year participation in HOPE’s Courageous Leadership Academy. As a result, all district schools (7) made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2009 for the first time in district history, graduation rates have consistently improved and time outs of classroom for disruptive behavior have been reduced by 78%.