The Challenge
Coronado High School had fallen in standings with a 65% graduation rate and 15% college attainment as compared to Brophy College Preparatory students with nearly a 100% graduation rate and college attainment.
Yet, despite the student disparity in the students’ current state there was equal potential in the students’ perceived future state. Excitedly, the CSI leadership team recognized … we had the conditions for success.
The Turnaround
Saddled with a 38% college and career readiness rate and a local economy that is forecasting a workforce requiring a 68%e post-secondary degree or certification, Coronado HS needed to quickly recalibrate to prepare its current students.
The 55 existing Coronado HS teachers were requested to re-interview for their existing positions with two new considerations.
First, the new expectations required a commitment to additional hours per work week including after school and weekend tutoring and additional professional development throughout the year. This extended commitment was compensated with an additional $6,000 stipend per teacher.
Second, teachers were required to demonstrate both “will and skill” in the interview process.
Thus, both the commitment to a growth mindset and the innovative skills and techniques to achieve this new level or academic rigor.
The Bigger Picture
Parallel to the turnaround and innovation process, the Scottsdale Unified School District was proactively updating its strategic plan.
The phrase was well intended but not well embraced by all.
As a result of a Governing Board led strategic planning process, a refreshed purpose, set of values and immediate goals were identified, articulated and communicated through all levels of the SUSD leadership, beginning with district administration to 30 site leaders, 1,500 teachers and 1,000 support staff.
The SUSD refreshed purpose is “To ensure all individuals learners reach their full potential” with value-based behaviors that include being: student-focused, responsive, humble and growth-minded and short-term goals that are singularly focused on closing the gaps that impede a culture of learning.
With this new vision and roadmap, the district was now running parallel with the Coronado Success Initiative.
The Community Partnerships
There is an insightful African proverb that says “If you want go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
This approach is not only practical, but necessary in today’s education environment.
The CSI turnaround and design innovation paths, both required important partnerships that included a combination of time, talent and treasure.
This cannot be achieved on the current per student state funding.
This requires the time, talent and treasure of many partners.
In the case of SUSD and CSI, this includes the Scottsdale Charros, Kolbe Corp, the Table Group, Be a Leader Foundation, Scottsdale Chamber, City of Scottsdale, Scottsdale Community College and Arizona State University. This is the short list.
A steering committee was created with the CSI core stakeholders and first-mover investors. In addition, a series of community stakeholder fact-finding workshops were hosted.
The input of every Coronado HS community stakeholder was collected including: teachers, students, parents, administration, alumni, elected officials, community leaders and philanthropic partners as part of the Innovation Design process.
The Innovation Design Process
Parallel to the turnaround effort, was the Innovation Design Process that was led by Arizona State University (ASU) Mary Lou Fulton Teacher College (MLFTC) and funded through the Scottsdale Charros.
The Coronado Success Initiative is ASU’s MLFTC first design under the new Education Innovation Engine, an incubator for the new ideas and systems in support of student success. The Innovative Design Process is a two-year effort that includes an assess, design and implement phase.
Although still a work-in-progress, important student-focused initiatives are already taking shape, including: a student-mentor program, expanded career experience and curriculum and school-wide ACT preparation and test taking.
The Future
We estimate the turnaround will take about two years.
Year one has begun with establishing new site leadership, administrator on assignment and teaching staff aligned with the Districts renewed purpose and values and supported by a strong superintendent and aligned governance board.
The students along with the parents are beginning to understand the college-bound expectations.
The ongoing measurement of progress is critical. Progress measurements will include both academic success and college and career readiness.
These metrics are AZMerit performance, graduation rate and college attainment, as well as, participation and performance in ACT, college-course dual enrollment, AP courses, certified technical education enrollment and number of workforce experiences.
Think Big, Act Small, Scale Fast
It is also recognized that this is NOT just a high school turnaround, it is a pre-K through 8th grade pipeline preparation challenge.
To this point, a pre-initiative had also begun which included a consolidation the learning communities elementary and middle schools into on K-8 school to address the elementary to middle school academic gaps, as well as, the of the pre-K program’s new academic-focused curriculum adjustments.
Can this be replicated?
The answer is YES, but there are preconditions for success as well as required investments.
The preconditions for success include strong leadership from the top down.
This high school turnaround is as much a school turnaround as it is a district-wide initiative supported by a strategic plan, administration and site leadership, as well as, educators.
It also requires an aligned governance board to legislate and support the necessary policy to enable this change.
There is also an investment requirement.
The current State allocation is approximately $5,500 per student. The district is also supported by a community-voted Management and Operations Override which contributes an additional $825 per student, in addition to a number of entrepreneurial and innovative revenue producing programs contributing an additional $200 per student. The Title 1 status of the school provides an additional $500 per student. Outside community-based strategic partnerships have contributed an additional $200 per student.
Thus, it is estimated that the full-turnaround investment will be approximately $1,725 per student per year over two years in addition to the state allocation of $5,500.
So, in answer to the question can this be replicated?
YES, with intentional will, skill and financial investment.