Personalized
Learning in a Small School Setting
Much of our educational program is
based on the research and philosophical approach of The
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “High Schools for
a New Millennium” (2004) and Dennis Littky, “The
Big Picture: Education Is Everyone’s Business”
(2004) who have researched and written widely on the merits
of a rigorous, high expectation, program coupled with a
highly personalized approach to meeting the students’
additional support needs. To implement this philosophy,
the UPA approach will be designed to meet the specific needs
of the individual student. Personalized Learning Plans and
additional instructional time in small-group and individualized
instruction are key to our program.
In addition to a rigorous academic curriculum, students
must be offered the additional time that it might take to
ensure academic success for each student. Accordingly, UPA
will offer an intensive schedule with increased instructional
time to ensure that there is enough time to provide students
with the support necessary to meet their individual learning
needs. UPA anticipates a school calendar that begins the
school day at 8:00 am and ends at 4:50 pm - which includes
a core academic day from 8:00 am to 3:45 pm, and customized
academic support from 3:50 pm to 4:50 pm, with additional
tutoring and supplemental instruction provided afterward
if needed. Further, resources allowing, UPA plans for all
students to attend school for 190 school days, with summer
school required for all students who do not test at grade
level in English/language arts and math. After school tutoring
will be available on a daily basis for all students needing
assistance.
Personal
Learning Plans: The school
design will be based on the needs of the individual student
to ensure that regardless of the student’s academic
needs, the school design will be given the necessary support to master our
content requirements. Learning will be personalized for
each student, beginning with diagnostic testing and academic
assessment at matriculation and the development of a Personal
Learning Plan (PLP) Students will be tested quarterly in
order to monitor their progress and update their PLP’s.
The PLP is based on an assessment of the student’s
strengths and weaknesses and will be designed by the parent,
student and advisor. The PLP states the student’s
mission, goals and specific strategies and activities that
will be used to reach his/her academic, personal, and social
goals. A minimum of twice a year, the student, parent and
advisory teacher will meet to review the Personalized Learning
Plan and assess student progress toward their short and
long term goals. Where possible, students will have the
same advisory teacher throughout their high school years
at UPA to ensure they are continuously improving based on
the goals identified in the PLP. The advisory teacher will
serve as an advocate, mentor and coach for the student.
Leadership/Advisory: All students will participate
in a leadership/advisory class that will focus on college
and personal success strategies. UPA will help each student
develop his/her personal vision, set goals, research what
it takes to achieve those goals, and work toward realizing
them. The Leadership/Advisory class, which will include
models and strategies taken from the AVID curriculum, will
focus on teaching the skills needed to be successful at
gaining admission to leading colleges and being prepared
to meet the challenges that each student will face in pursuing
that education. Students who do not have parents who are
skilled in navigating the educational system fall through
the cracks and are not prepared to attend four year colleges
and universities because they do not have necessary information
or an advocate to assist them in achieving their goals.
A one-to-one personal relationship with a teacher/mentor
in high school increases student success. The Leadership/Advisory
class is designed to fulfill this role. Character development,
college success strategies, leadership skills, and service
learning will all be a part of the curriculum for this class.
The advisor/teacher of this advisory class will follow her/his
group of students throughout their four years in high school,
serving as a mentor and advocate for each of their advisory
students. UPA plans to bring a college-going culture to
the public high school campus, open to any student willing
to exert the effort to complete the UPA program, and prepare
each student for the competitive world of the 21st Century.
Small School Setting: UPA plans to support the academic needs of students in grades
seven through twelve, with approximately 384 students by
Year 4, and we do not plan to grow substantially beyond
that size. UPA is designed on the premise that the students
we seek to serve thrive best in a small school setting.
Research shows that small schools allow students and teachers
to develop supportive, long-term relationships that allow
for better conditions for teaching and learning. The Three R’s, which are fundamental
to the UPA program, are most often found in smaller schools.
All else being equal, students in small high schools score
higher on tests, pass more courses, and go on to college
more frequently than those in large ones. Moreover, these
results appear to be greatest for low-income students and
students of color. Small schools have
been shown to increase graduation and college-going rates,
improve attendance, and bolster teacher morale and effectiveness.
UPA’s small size will offer many advantages that can
help promote teacher professionalism and student learning.
Our small size will facilitate collaboration, allowing teachers
to share ideas about teaching to serve as friendly critics
by offering suggestions about how to improve lessons and
classroom management.
