Evidence: Part of our decision to create a cadre of young adult Corps workers comes from seeing first-hand on two

site visits to Harlem Childrens Zone the importance of similar workers in the HCZ programs run in NYC district schools. Harlem Peacemakers, funded in part by AmeriCorps, trains young people who are committed to making their neighborhoods safe for children and families. The agency has 86 Peacemakers working as teaching assistants in seven public schools, serving 2,500 students, as well as staffing HCZ afterschool programs. In a more specific way, our BPN Corps is modeled on the City Year element of the Diplomas Now dropout prevention school transformation model. City Year is an AmeriCorps program that unites diverse young leaders for a year of full-time service. City Year corps members are trained to work in under-served schools to provide targeted academic and school-wide interventions to help students get on track and stay on track to graduate. As tutors, mentors and role models, City Year corps members have an impact on the lives of children and transform neighborhoods across the United States and in South Africa. Multiple evaluation studies demonstrating positive outcomes on student achievement, some across 19 City Year schools, have been conducted by third-party evaluators RMC Research and Research For Action. For details of this evidence (page 24) and more information on how City Year operates as part of the Diplomas Now model, see TD/DNs i3 application at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/2010/narratives/u396b100257.pdf

545.aspx A Narrower Focus Helps City Year Win Grants and Increase Its Impact
A researcher at the University of Pennsylvania helped the charity identify the reasons City Year was already making a difference in the schools. Chief among them: The students see the youthful corps members as role models rather than authority figures.

Today, across the country, 2,000 City Year corps members ages 17 to 24 serve full time in 187 struggling public schools in poor neighborhoods. They tutor students, call their homes to check on them when theyre absent from school, help teachers with classroom activities, and lead projects to improve school buildings and grounds. In return, the volunteers get living stipends and an educational award of $5,550 when they complete their year of service. So far, their efforts appear to be paying off: Last year, schools with City Year volunteers saw a 55-percent decrease in the number of students with a high number of absences. Ninety percent of students tutored by corps members improved their literacy scores. The charitys new focus has spurred the creation of a school-turnaround program, Diplomas Now, to aid the lowest-performing schools. In August, Diplomas Now won a $30-million award from the Department of Educations Investing in Innovation Funds, known as an i3 grant. And the PepsiCo Foundation, a City Year supporter since 2003, has committed an additional $11-million for Diplomas Now. In the program, City Year volunteers work with Talent Development Schools, a charity at Johns Hopkins that helps school-district leaders reorganize schools to jump-start learning, and Communities in Schools, in Arlington, Va., which provides social workers to connect students facing significant problems, such as homelessness or abuse, with assistance. Diplomas Now brings a combination of skills and personnel to the schools that have the largest number of dropouts, says Gary Chapman, an executive vice president at Communities in Schools. When youre working in very high-poverty schools, the number of students who need support is tremendous, he says. By having the people power in place, were able to serve all the kids at that school who need service. 'Nagging and Nurturing The Johns Hopkins studies and the partnership with the university on Diplomas Now hit close to home for City Years president. His brother, Robert Balfanz, led the research. The Johns Hopkins scholar is clearly amused when asked about the family connection. People have created these great origin stories that involve Thanksgiving dinner, he says about the conception of Diplomas Now. But it didnt happen that way. It was more organization-to-organization than brother-to-brother. Robert Balfanz says that as he was talking to people at City Year about his research, Talent Development was struggling to help Philadelphia school officials figure out where the district could find the additional people it needed to assist students who were at risk of dropping out. It all sort of clicked in my mind, he says. They can give us a team of 10 to 15 corps members who are trained and focused and are in the building 7 to 7. If each volunteer works with 15 students who show warning signs that they might drop out, he says, we can now reach 150 to 200 kids a day with that constant nagging and nurturing.

The math and English tutoring and the volunteers work to encourage good attendance are important, says Rashida Tyler, principal of Browne Education Campus. But their ability to do that is based on the relationships they build with students. Ms. Tyler says that when she thinks about the impact City Year has made in her school, she thinks of the improved confidence of a student who has developed a good relationship with her tutor. The two have worked out a system: When the student meets one of her goals, she gets to wear the corps members City Year pin or jacket for the day. It reaffirms her self-esteem, says Ms. Tyler. Little things like that really go a long way.

http://www.cityyear.org/impact.aspx Impact "City Year has delivered for us. It is one of the brightest and most worthwhile programs and one of the most effective programs we have. And it is effective because it is young people reaching out to young people. City Year corps members are literally living and walking role models for our students, and they show our students what the possibilities are. Paul Vallas, Superintendent, Recovery School District of New Orleans

ON STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS

Across America in 2010

of all students tutored by City Year improved raw literacy scores. reduction in the number of students with less than 90% attendance as a result of City Years attendance support activities. of teachers in a nationwide survey agree or strongly agree: City Year corps members helped students feel more motivated to learn. of teachers in a nationwide survey agree or strongly agree: City Year corps members helped foster a positive environment for learning. of principals in a nationwide survey agree or strongly agree: City Year corps members are positive role models.

Spotlight on City Year's 20 U.S. Locations in 2010

of students City Year tutored at an elementary school in East New York, who were underperforming in the beginning of the year, were back on track at the end of the year. of students in grades 1-5 tutored by City Year San Jos/Silicon Valley demonstrated an improvement in raw literacy scores.

of all students tutored by City Year Chicago improved on the standard literacy assessment from start to mid-year.

ON COMMUNITIES
Since 1988, City Years 15,100 corps members have:

Served more than 1,225,000 children and Completed more than 26 million hours of service.

"Nothing means more to me than providing New Yorks children with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and in life, and no organization has done a better job of helping me achieve this goal than City Year." Michael Bloomberg, Mayor, New York City

ON YOUNG LEADERS
Research undertaken by City Year establishes that as corps members help the students they serve, they are also becoming "leaders for life." Regular surveys, studies and assessments are conducted to analyze and improve City Year service. Click here to read highlights and studies. http://www.cityyear.org/researchstudies.aspx

RESEARCH SHOWS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS LED BY CORPS MEMBERS MAKE GAINS
A survey of middle school students who are Young Heroes a middle school service initiative led by City Year corps members provided some insight into how youth feel about the Young Heroes program and the impact that it has upon them.

Survey results include:

INCLUSIVITY: 95% of Young Heroes said they made friends with people from different backgrounds. POSITIVE ASSESSMENT: 95% of Young Heroes said they had fun learning and serving. SENSE OF EFFICACY: 95% of Young Heroes felt like they made a difference. LEARNING: More than 90% of Young Heroes said they do things differently outside of Young Heroes because of what they learned in the program. COMMITMENT: 85% of Young Heroes said they were somewhat or very likely to participate in community service on a regular basis in the next few years.

We are pleased to provide:

Young Heroes Comparison Study Overview Becoming Citizens and Transformative Civic Leaders: The Impact of City Year, Inc.s Young Heroes Program on the Middle School Youth Who Participate

http://www.cityyear.org/corpsexperience.aspx Corps Experience

Academic Support:

Provide one-on-one or small group tutoring before, during and after school
Attendance and Positive Behavior Encouragement:

Lead energetic morning greetings, make attendance and positive phone calls home and lead mentor groups
Community and School Improvements:

Organize and lead activities, celebrations and projects to improve the community and school environment

Team Based Service

Teamwork is at the heart of City Years approach to service and social change. As a City Year corps member, you will be assigned to a team of 8-15 people at the beginning of the year and will serve with that team for the duration of the year. You will serve with a highly diverse group of young people from different racial, ethnic, educational and socio-economic backgrounds that are determined to make a difference.

Interacting with and working alongside individuals with different perspectives and life experiences breaks down social barriers and helps us see what we have in common Witnessing diverse teams of people working together successfully can be an invaluable learning experience for you as well as the communities and children you serve

In School Service
During the school day, corps members meet the needs of teachers and students by:

Providing 1:1 or small group tutoring in English or math Facilitating morning greeting activities and games to excite students for the school day Making phone calls home to students who are chronically absent Assisting teachers in classrooms Meeting with behavior groups Organizing and leading student councils

After School Program

Studies have shown that students are more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors during after school hours, which is why City Year corps members serve in after school programs to provide students with a safe, structured and engaging alternative. Here are examples of what corps members lead during after school program:

Homework centers Social enrichment lessons on a variety of social issues including poverty, environmental awareness and health and safety Clubs to adhere to different learning styles including art, creative writing, music and physical education Service projects to beautify the school and local community

http://www.cityyear.org/milwaukee_ektid16563.aspx

What is the unique value of City Year corps members in schools?

Diverse teams of City Year corps members, ages 17 to 24, serve full-time as tutors, mentors and role models to help students and schools succeed. Corps members are "near peers," older than fellow students and younger than teachers and parents, and are uniquely able to connect and work with students.

Full-Time Presence: From the first bell until the last student leaves an afterschool program, corps members are a constant adult presence in the lives of students.

Team-Based Approach: Corps members serve on highly visible, uniformed teams and provide a powerful, dynamic presence in a school and an example of teamwork and inclusivity. Diverse Members: City Year corps members are diverse: racially, socioeconomically, educationally, geographically and in age (between 17 and 24). This diversity helps students learn to connect with people different from themselves and find role models from a variety of backgrounds. Near Peer Relationships: Young adult corps members forge meaningful relationships with students. Idealistic Culture: The culture and values of a City Year team infuse energy, spirit, and contribute to a climate of achievement.

rocketship
The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Change Agent

John Danner shoots for the stars with Rocketship charter schools
Rocketship schools employ computers and coaches to help teach low-income kids, and see student performance rise dramatically.

Sixth graders work with their iPads on an assignment in their English class at John Muir Middle School in Corcoran, Calif., this spring. Rocketship, a group of northern California charter schools, also employes computers as well as human coaches to teach some basic subjects, freeing teachers to concentrate on more

complex topics. (ZUMA Press/Newscom)

By Jina Moore, Correspondent posted September 1, 2011 at 8:19 am EDT Fifteen years ago, John Danner started the internet company that eventually made him rich. At 31, he retired. But a nagging question kicked in: Now what? With a nudge from the Jesuits, whose schools hed attended as a child, and after earning his stripes as a classroom teacher, Mr. Danner co-founded the charter school network Rocketship. Rocketship has 2,500 students in five elementary schools in San Jose, Calif. Roughly 90 percent of Rocketships students are from low-income households, and 70 percent or more dont speak English at home. And theyre outperforming everyones expectations. In the interview below, which has been condensed and edited, Danner shares some of his teams best ideas. Charter schools arent the oddity they once were in American education, but Rocketship has been lauded for its unusual approach to education. Whats your innovation? Danner: The key idea with Rocketship is that there is a place for classroom instruction and for individualized instruction exactly at the developmental level of a child. We created a school model that incorporates both we have six hours of classroom time and two hours of Learning Lab time, which is where we do our individualized instruction, with tutoring and computers. Learning Lab is not staffed by teachers; its staffed by instructional coaches, who generally have high school or college degrees but are not certified teachers. Theywork at an hourly wage, of around $14 an hour, as opposed to much more highly paid teachers. We hand them a scripted curriculum; they oversee the work children are doing on computers, and theyre perfectly capable of providing instruction as long as we know exactly what each child needs to learn. The net effect is that we save, with schools of about 500 kids, about half a million dollars a year, and we reinvest that then into the things we matter most for the school training our teachers very, very well; empowering our parents; developing our leaders; paying our teachers a 20 percent higher salary than surrounding school districts. We always say if you are an educator and somebody wrote you a half-million dollar check every year and said do better things with your school, you could probably figure out how to do that.

What were really doing is changing the way that schools work economically. The model has been that however many kids you have at a school, you need a number of teachers equivalent to teach every one of those children. RELATED: Back to school: Are we leaving gifted students behind? What results are you seeing in terms of childrens learning? It catches kids up. About 90 percent of our lowest-performing children move up, from the bottom quartile [or 25 percent in test results] up to the top or to the second quartile. The key is, you have enormous potential to increase the amount a child can learn at a time. We get a 100 percent increase and were not very good at it yet. We think we can get better. Are there things a computer teaches better than a teacher or things it cant teach at all? There are some very difficult things for computers to teach. Anything in the areas of critical thinking or social-emotional learning or written expression, those are really difficult, and at Rocketship we dont spend a lot of time trying to get them to do that. What we think is that theyre generally almost always better at the core basic skills, like addition. The reason that theyre better is a nonintuitive thing. When a child is on a program [practicing] two-digit addition, a program can do something a teacher doesnt have time to do: It can say, Hmm, youve done these three addition problems wrong, so Im not going to have you keep doing that. Thats a waste of your time. Im going to move to a test that tests you on the pre-skills for this addition do you know how to add single digits? Do you know how to carry? Once youre good at that, Ill take you to two-digit addition. The level of attention that precision would take from a teacher managing a classroom of 32 you cant do it. So its not possible that computers would one day replace teachers? No. Actually, we say teachers really didnt become teachers to teach these basic skill. Kindergarten teachers didnt sign up to be kindergarten teachers because they wanted to teach short a and long a sounds for 80 hours. They signed up because they like working with children. They like to teach social emotional skills, to stretch their thinking. The things that adults like to do to help children is different than the things we seem to do all day long in low-income schools. I think thats an overlooked part of burnout with teachers. If you can take those rote skills and automate them, you can free up classroom time for teachers to focus on the things they can uniquely do. Parental engagement is an oft-cited challenge in low-income schools. But at one point, Rocketship parents started a political action committee. How did that happen?

My co-founder Preston Smith really was a strong believer from his previous experience as a principal that getting parents involved in a school had really good characteristics. Once I saw it working, we started to think [that] if we have parents who are so engaged and so fervently believe we are doing the right thing for their children, why dont we start to educate them about whats going on outside Rocketship that affects them? [After a local school funding debate], we created parent leaders, 20 at each school, who became involved in educating other parents about the political and systemic issues that they face. What changes when you engage parents at that level? A few things. One is that our parents start to act like upper-middle-class parents when they leave Rocketship and go to secondary schools. By and large, low-income Latino parents in San Jose are not very well served. Theyll go [to high school] and say, I know what it looks like for my child to go to college; he needs this, this and this. If they continue to be ignored, they go to superintendent. If the superintendent ignores them, theres several hundred parents at a school board meeting [talking] about the how district needs to change to serve their children. Theyve done that several times now, and they are kind of terrifying when they do that. Tell me about the political action committee (PAC). They formed a PAC called Parents for Great Schools. It grew to 100 parents, and they interviewed about a dozen candidates for school board races and picked four they thought really represented their views. They did about 1000 hours of campaign work for those four candidates and ended up getting 3 out of 4 folks elected. Is this level of political engagement controversial? I dont know what people think privately. What we hear publicly is that generally its got to be a good thing for parents to be more knowledgeable about the system and have more voice. Whats fascinating is that as we get better and better at [parental] engagement we tend to annoy people more. You take a group that largely has been overlooked and now when they walk in a room everybody knows they were the people able to mobilize do a huge amount of work and get people elected. That completely changes the calculus for most elected officials. Is Rocketship replicable in other communities? There is important local context every time you go to new district or city, but if you perfect things, like way we develop teachers and individualized learning, that should be pretty applicable in a lot of places. Next year, well have eight schools in San Jose, and were moving up to San Francisco, Oakland, and East Palo Alto as well. We hope to greenlight our first out-of-California school in February 2012. We feel a kind of moral obligation to go to places that arent happy about being disrupted and say, were

getting these results, theyre very, very good, and it would be to the childrens benefit to give this a try. John Danner is the co-founder and CEO of Rocketship, a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, and winner of the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) 2010 John P. McNulty Prize. Jina Moore met Danner at ACT II, a conference of AGLN alumni, on a trip to Aspen whose airfare and accommodations were financed by the AGLN.