Rewards project to educational institutions
Schools of Opportunity |
---|
Location | Boulder, Colorado |
---|
Founder | Carol Corbett Burris[1] |
---|
Country | United States |
---|
Launched | 2014; 10 years ago (2014) |
---|
Website | https://www.schoolsofopportunity.org/ |
---|
Schools of Opportunity is a project that aims to recognize public high schools that minimize opportunity gaps with outstanding education.[2] The National Education Policy Center, a non-profit education policy research center, created Schools of Opportunity as a project in 2014.[3]
Mission
The Schools of Opportunity project gives annual "gold" and "silver" recognition to schools in the United States.[4] The project seeks to recognize those high schools that follow practices such as supporting students' physical and psychological health, having outreach to the community, and having a broad, enriched curriculum.[5] It is built on criteria set forth in the 2013 book, Closing the Opportunity Gap.[6]
The Schools of Opportunity project believes that high quality schools are those that use research-based practices, and that standardized testing mainly reflects the student's learning opportunities outside of school; therefore, the project does not focus on how effective the school is.[7][8] That is, the project illustrates an alternative to ranking systems based on test score, which overwhelmingly reward schools that serve wealthy or cherry-picked student bodies.[9] Schools submit initial applications explaining and documenting why they should be recognized with a reward. Then, after two online reviews and one school visit, the gold and silver recognitions are announced. In order to qualify for recognition, the school must be a public or charter school; it must enroll high school students; at least 10% of the school must qualify for free or reduced priced lunch; the percentage of students with Individualized Education Programs must not fall 2 or more points below the district where the school is located; the school must commit to ensuring all students have access to rich, challenging but supported learning opportunities; and it must be committed to non-exclusionary discipline practices.[10] While designated Schools of Opportunity do not receive extra funding, the directors of the project hope for them to serve as role models for other peers.[11]
Origins
Schools of Opportunity was founded in 2014 in New York and Colorado by the National Education Policy Center and expanded across the United States in 2015.[12] The project has been funded by, among others, the Ford Foundation, the NEA Foundation, and Voqal.[13]
List of Recipients
References
- ^ "Project Leadership | Schools of Opportunity". www.schoolsofopportunity.org. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "Salt Lake Center for Science Education receives national recognition". ABC4 Utah. 2019-05-31. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
- ^ "Schools of Opportunity". National Education Policy Center. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
- ^ Strauss, Valerie (November 1, 2016). "This school was on the brink of closure. Here's how it saved itself". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ Strauss, Valerie (2016-09-12). "A new way to honor high schools, without looking at test scores". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "Closing the Opportunity Gap". National Education Policy Center. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
- ^ LaCour, Sarah E.; York, Adam; Welner, Kevin; Valladares, Michelle Renée; Kelley, Linda Molner (2017-09-01). "Learning from schools that close opportunity gaps". Phi Delta Kappan. 99 (1): 8–14. doi:10.1177/0031721717728271. ISSN 0031-7217.
- ^ Meltzer, Erica (2018-01-22). "What other schools can learn from two Colorado Schools of Opportunity". Chalkbeat Colorado. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
- ^ Welner, Kevin. "The business of rankings: did the US News & World Report make substantial mistakes?". The Conversation. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
- ^ "2018 Schools of Opportunity Application" (PDF). Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "7 innovative schools that beat the odds". CU Boulder Today. 2019-05-31. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
- ^ a b Strauss, Valerie (2018-01-22). "Analysis | Here are eight 'Schools of Opportunity' that do extraordinary things for students". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
- ^ "Ll schools receive 'School of Opportunity' honor". Newsday. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "2015 Recipients | Schools of Opportunity". www.schoolsofopportunity.org. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ Strauss, Valerie (2016-09-12). "The 20 schools that won 2016 Schools of Opportunity awards — and why they were selected". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ Strauss, Valerie (2019-05-21). "Here are 7 'Schools of Opportunity' that 'show us a way forward'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ "2018-2019 Recipients | Schools of Opportunity". www.schoolsofopportunity.org. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
External links
- The Schools of Opportunity website