Schools and districts eager to reap the benefits of smaller learning communities can turn to the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) for resources, training, and technical assistance, as well as for help with planning for long-term change.
NWREL is collaborating with the California Institute on Human Services at Sonoma State University to provide training and technical assistance for schools that received Smaller Learning Communities grants from the U.S. Department of Education this fall.
The Northwest region was well-represented in the national awards, with grants going to
Anchorage and Fairbanks North Star Borough school districts in Alaska; Helena School District in Montana; Beaverton, David Douglas, Eugene, Hermiston, North Clackamas, and Portland school districts in Oregon; and Edmonds School District in Washington.
In addition, NWREL can guide schools that want to use the
research-based strategies of
the New American High Schools (NAHS) as a springboard to reform. "The Lab is creating a bridge for schools that are low-performing, and that want to develop reforms based on the 12 strategies of the New American High Schools program," explains Francie Lindner, a research associate with NWREL's Education, Career, and Community Program. Although New American High Schools include many large comprehensive schools, they have found ways to restructure to tap the benefits of smaller learning communities. (See related stories on New American High Schools.)
By spring, the Lab expects to have available a CD-ROM tool to help schools assess "where they are and where they hope to go with reforms" related to the NAHS strategies, Lindner said. She also can provide schools with copies of an 81-page
planning guide developed by Sonoma State University that suggests "guiding questions" for schools wanting to connect reform with the concepts of smaller learning communities.
The Northwest is emerging as a hot spot of the good practices identified by the U.S. Department of Education's New American High Schools initiative. In November, the Department named Reynolds High School in Troutdale, Oregon, and Chugach High School in rural Alaska as two of the newest New American High Schools. They join about 60 others across the country, including David Douglas in southeast Portland and Rex Putnam in Milwaukie, Oregon, bringing the total to three schools honored in the greater Portland area. "The only other city with multiple sites is New York City," says Lindner. Each New American High School is open for site
visits so that others can see research-based practices in action.
NWREL is taking a lead role to identify future sites to be designated as New American High Schools. The Northwest Lab is working with three other regional educational laboratories—West Ed, the LAB at Brown, and SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education—on identifying possible NAHS sites. "Schools that are interested in being considered can contact us for more information," Lindner said.
High schools located within Empowerment or Enterprise Zones may also tap NWREL for training and technical assistance to help develop one or more strategies of New American High Schools. Currently, NWREL is working with three such sites: Compass High School in Grandview, Washington; Poplar High School in Montana; and Pine Ridge High School from the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
in South Dakota.
For more information or to request assistance, contact Francie Lindner at NWREL's Education, Career, and Community Program, (503) 275-9602. She also suggests checking online for more information about the U.S. Department of Education's Smaller Learning Communities program and New American High Schools program.
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