reconnecting schools and...

Reconnecting schools and neighboRhoods

Made possible by the generoussupport of Capital One

an introduction to school-centered community revitalization

by Jill Khadduri, heather schwartz, and Jennifer turnham of abt associates, inc.

Copyright © 2007, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.All rights reserved.ISBN:

The views presented in this paper are those of the author and Enterprise and should not be attributed to its trustees, related organizations or funders. No portion of this report may be reproduced without permission from Enterprise.

Please send questions regarding usage of this information to:

Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.Communications DepartmentAmerican City Building10227 Wincopin CircleColumbia, MD [email protected]

www.enterprisecommunity.orgwww.greencommunitiesonline.org

Introduction......................................................................................................................... i1. Why School-Centered Community Revitalization? .....................................................1 Whattheresearchtellsus.................................................................................................. 1 Earlyresultsfromschool-centeredrevitalizationinitiativesacrossthecountry…........... 22. Core Elements of School-Centered Community Revitalization ...................................4 Coreelement1:Schoolimprovement.............................................................................. 4 Coreelement2:Housing................................................................................................... 6 Coreelement3:Earlychildhoodeducation..................................................................... 7 Coreelement4:Children’shealth..................................................................................... 7 Coreelement5:Workforceandeconomicdevelopment................................................. 83. School and Neighborhood Strategies in Action ............................................................84. Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 10 Notes................................................................................................................................. 115. Appendix .................................................................................................................... 13 Profilesofeightschool-centeredcommunitydevelopmentinitiatives................................ 14

Reconnecting schools and neighboRhoodsan introduction to school-centered community revitalization

table of contents

EnterpriseCommunityPartnersisgratefultoCapitalOneforitsfinancialsupportontheCommunityDevelopmentandSchoolsCollaborative.TogetherwithAbtAssociates,Inc.,oneofthenation’spremierresearchandconsultingfirms,Enterprisehasbroughttogetherthebestcommunitydeveloperscurrentlyworkingonprojectslinkingneighborhoodimprovement.Thiswillprovideanopportunityforleadersoftheseeffortstolearnfromeachotherandseethelessonsoftheirworkusedtocreateanationalagenda.

Thisisthefirstofthreereports.

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introductionCommonsensetellsusthereisastrongconnectionbetweenschoolqualityandneighborhoodquality.Goodschoolscanattractfamiliestoaneighborhoodandboostpropertyvalues,whilepoorlyperformingschoolscanexacerbatethecycleofdisinvestmentandpopulationloss.Butdespitetheobvioussynergiesbetweenschoolsandneighborhoods,educatorsandcommunitydevelopmentpractitionersoftenworkinisolationfromoneanother.Organizationsandindividualsinvolvedinneighborhoodrevitalizationeffortstendtoseeschoolsasthepurviewoftheschooldistrictandbeyondtheircontrol,whilemanyeducatorsareskepticalofinvolvingcommunity-basedorganizationsandneighborhoodresidentsintheoperationsoftheschool.Theresultisneighborhoodstrategiesthatfailtoaddresswhatisacentralconcerntoallfamilies:theeducationandwellbeingoftheirchildren.

School-centeredcommunityrevitalizationseekstoredressthisimbalancebymakingschoolimprovementacorecomponentofneighborhoodrevitalizationinlow-incomecommunities.School-centeredcommunityrevitalizationcombinestheimprovementofatleastoneelementaryschoolintheneighborhoodwithhousing,health,andeconomicdevelopmentstrategiesthathelpchildrensucceedinschool.Theconceptdoesnotreplacethebestpracticesincommunitydevelopmentthathaveemergedoverthepasttwodecades;rather,itsimplysuggeststhatneighborhoodstrategiesmustbecoordinatedwithschoolimprovementactivitiesinordertobemosteffective.

Thispaperprovidesanintroductiontoschool-centeredcommunityrevitalization.Part1presentsthecaseforintegratingschoolimprovementintocommunitydevelopment,drawingontheacademicresearchlinkingschoolandneighborhoodqualityaswellasearlyresultsfromschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationprojectsacrossthecountry.Part2presentsthecorecomponentsofschool-centeredcommunityrevitalization,includingbothschool-basedactivitiesandneighborhood-basedactivities.Thefinalpartofthepaperillustratesthediverseapproachescurrentlybeingtakentoimproveschoolsandneighborhoods,drawingontheexperiencesofeightschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationinitiativesinfivecities:Atlanta,Baltimore,Chicago,Philadelphia,andSt.Paul.

ii Reconnecting schools and neighboRhoods

1. Why school-centered community Revitalization?Publicschoolsinlow-incomeneighborhoodsfacenumerouschallenges,including:erosionofthetaxbasesupportingschoolbudgets;highratesofstudentmobilityandabsenteeism;abuildingsthatlacktheinfrastructuretosupportmodernteachingmethods;aparentpopulationstrugglingwithemployment,housing,andhealthissues;decliningenrollments;andahighproportionofstudentswithspecialneeds.Atthesametimeastheyarechallengedbyneighborhoodconditions,poorlyperformingpublicschoolsmayaccelerateneighborhooddeclinebyhinderingthepreservationorcreationofstableresidentialcommunities.Mostimportantly,poorqualityschoolsdonotoffertheeducationalopportunitiesneededtohelpchildrenovercomeintergenerationalpoverty. Coordinatedinvestmentinneighborhoodrevitalizationandschoolreformhasthepotentialtoreversethisdownwardtrend.Inparticular,aneighborhoodrevitalizationstrategythatincludesaschoolimprovementcomponentwillbemoresuccessfulandmoresustainablethanastrategythatfocusesonlyontheneighborhood.Researchshowsaclearlinkbetweenschoolandneighborhoodquality,andearlyindicationsfromthefieldsuggestthatcombiningschoolimprovementwithcommunitydevelopmentcanyieldimpressiveresults.

What the research tells us…

Sincethe1960s,ithasbeenunderstoodthatfamilybackgroundcharacteristicsareaprimarydeterminantofstudentachievement,accountingforasmuchas93percentofthevarianceinstudentachievement,accordingtoonestudy.bHowever,recentresearchhasreclaimedthecentralityoftheschoolandneighborhoodwithnewresultsderivedfrombetterqualitydataaboutstudents’classroomsandcommunities.

Althoughthereisnoconsensusontheexactcontributionoffamily,school,andneighborhoodtostudentperformance,thisresearchshowsthatschoolandfamilyfactorscontributeequallytoaveragetestscores,withneighborhoodconditionsexplainingasmaller,butthird-largestportionofstudentperformance.cFamilymembersinfluencechildrenthroughtheirattitudestowardseducationandwork,aswellasthroughtheresourcestheyprovidefortheirchildren’ssafety,security,andwell-being.dAtschool,teachingmethods,howchildrenaregroupedtogetherinclasses,andcurricularcontentallaffectwhatchildrenlearn.Finally,neighborhoodscanaffectchildrenbyinfluencingtheextenttowhichchildrenhaveaccesstoadultswhoserveasrolemodelsorwhomonitortheneighborhoodandtheextenttowhichtheyareexposedtoviolenceandenvironmentalconditionsthatcanaffecthealthandlearning.Neighborhoodsalsoinfluencechildren’speergroups.e

Families,schools,andneighborhoodsalsoinfluenceeachother.Familiescanreinforceordetractfromschoolactivities,andschoolscaninfluencefamilybehaviorbyencouragingcertaineducationalpracticeswithinthehome.Neighborhoodscaninfluencefamiliesbyprovidingaccesstojobs,asenseofphysicalsafety,andsocialnetworks.Inaddition,advantagedfamiliestendtoselectprosperousneighborhoodswhereotheraffluentfamiliessendtheirchildrentoschool.Theinfluenceoffamilies,schools,andneighborhoodsaredecisionsareinterconnected,makingitexceptionallydifficulttoquantifytheindependenteffectofeachonchildren’sacademicperformance.Nevertheless,allthreeforcesclearlyplayaroleinshapingchildren’soutcomes.

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Studiesofparentalpreferencesforindividualschoolswithinadistrictorindividualteacherswithinaschoolshow:thatparentstendtovaluedocumentedacademicachievement.f,gStudiesofschoolperformanceandneighborhoodqualityhavetendedtofocusonpropertyvalues–peoplearewillingtopaymoreforhousinginneighborhoodswhereschoolshavehighertestscores.Moreresearchisneededtoestablishadefinitivelinkbetweenschoolperformanceandotherimportantindicatorsofneighborhoodhealth,suchas:residentialstability,housingquality,levelsofcrimeandjuveniledelinquency,andresidentswillingnessandabilitytoorganizeonbehalfofthecommunity.

Themulti-directionalinfluencesofhome,school,andfamilyunderscoretheneedforacoordinatedapproachthatdrawsontheresourcesofeach.Fromaneconomicperspective,schoolqualitycapitalizesintohomevalues,whichcanalsodeterminethepotentialforcommercialandbusinessdevelopmentwithintheneighborhood.Fromasociologicalperspective,neighborhoodpopulationdelimitsschoolpopulation,whichheavilyinfluences—butdoesnotnecessarilydetermine—theschool’sperformance.Severaloftheinitiativesstudiedforthispaperstartedfromthepremisethatrevitalizationeffortsthatdonotincludeaschoolimprovementcomponenthavetroubleretainingfamilieswhohaveschool-agedchildrenandchoicesaboutwheretolive.Thedevelopers,housingauthorities,andeducatorsleadingtheseinitiativeshaveobservedthatfamilieswithchoicestendtomoveoutoncetheirchildrenreachschoolageunlessthereisagoodpublicschool.

Early results from school-centered revitalization initiatives across the country…

Thefollowingexamplesofcurrentschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationinitiativesillustratetheimpactthattheseinitiativesarehavingonlocalschoolsandcommunities:

• InEast Lake(Atlanta,GA),theEastLakeFoundationhelpedspearheadthedevelopmentofanewcharterschooltoserveneighborhoodresidentsandtosupportanewlybuiltmixed-incomecommunityofapproximately550homes.Foraninnovativeperformance-basedcontractfortheeducationalmanagementorganizationthatrunstheschool,three-fourthsofstudentspassedGeorgiastandardizedtestslastyearcomparedtotheone-thirdwhodidsointhefirstyearoftheschool’soperation.Meanwhile,areahomepricesaresixtimeswhattheywerewhentheinitiativestartedin1996.

• InSandtown-Winchester (Baltimore,MD),EnterpriseCommunityPartnersleadsaneighborhoodtransformationinitiativethatincludesawiderangeofsocialsupportsforchildrenandtheirfamilies.Inadditiontosponsoringcurricularreformandprofessionaldevelopmentwithintwoelementaryschools,theinitiativeprovidesahome-basedearlychildhoodeducationprogram,summerschool,healthandmentalhealthclinicsatthetwoschools,andmentoring.Scoresattheschoolshaveimproveddramaticallysincethestartoftheinitiative:thepercentageoffirstgradersmeetingstatestandardsforreadingjumpedfrom15percentin1998to64percentin2003atoneschool,andfrom19percentin1998to78percentin2003attheotherschool.

• InRevere(Chicago,IL),theComerScienceandEducationFoundationbeganbyinvestinginasingleelementaryschoolandexpandeditsfocustoincludetheentireneighborhood.TheFoundationprovidesfundingandstaffforawiderangeofschoolimprovementsaswellasextendedsupportssuchastherevivalofresident-ledneighborhoodassociations,aschoolalumniassociation

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coordinator,homeimprovementassistancematchedbycityfunds,andtheconstructionof90newfor-saleaffordablehomes.Thepercentageofstudentswhoscoreproficientorhigheronstatetestshasmorethandoubledoverthelastfouryears,eventhoughtheschoolstillstruggleswithhighratesofmobilityandpoverty.

• InMurphy Park(St.Louis,MO),thedeveloperMcCormackBaronbuiltanew400mixed-incomedevelopmentinahigh-povertyneighborhoodandledanefforttoreconstitutetheexistingfailingelementaryschool.Theschoolwasrenovatedanditadoptedaresearch-basedreadingcurriculum,after-schoolartsprogramming,andsummerschool.Anonprofitwasformedtoprovideongoingorganizationalsupporttoneighborhoodinstitutions,includingtheschool.Testscoreshaveincreasedsomewhat,andenrollmentisstronginanotherwiseshrinkingcity.However,sustainingthegainsmadeinstudentachievementhasbeenchallenging.In2006,only11percentofstudentsscoredproficientorhigheronthestatetestincommunicationarts,despitereachingahighof56percentin2004.

• InUniversity City(Philadelphia,PA),theUniversityofPennsylvaniaundertookamajorrevitalizationstrategytoimprovetheconditionsinitsimmediateneighborhood.Thecornerstoneofthisinitiativewasanewpublicelementaryschool,supportedbyaneighborhoodstrategythatincludedhousingloans,anti-crime,andbusinessandeconomicdevelopmentprograms.Theschoolopenedin2001andquicklybecameoneofthebestperformingpublicschoolsinPhiladelphia,with75to80percentofstudentsscoringproficientorhigheronstatereadingandmathtestsin2006.Propertyvaluesintheneighborhoodhaveincreasedsignificantlyandtheneighborhoodisamuchmoredesirableplacetolive.Theschoolremainseconomicallyandraciallydiverse.

• InCentennial Place(Atlanta,GA),theconstructionofanewpublicelementaryschooltogetherwithover800newunitsofhousinghasrevivedaformerlyisolatedareadominatedbypublichousingintoavibrantmixed-incomecommunity.Today,theschoolranksamongthebestinAtlanta.In2004,thelatestyearforwhichtestscoredataareavailable,94percentofCentennialPlaceSchoolstudentsmetorexceededstatestandardsforreadingand89percentmetorexceededstatestandardsformath.Givenitsperformance,theschoolhasbecomeastrongmarketingtoolforboththesubsidizedandthemarket-ratehomesintheneighborhood.

• InPayne-Phalen(St.Paul,MN),anabandonedformerhighschoolwasredevelopedinapublic-privatepartnershipbetweenanareafoundationandtheschooldistrictintoanelementaryschoolandanadjacentYMCA.Together,theschoolandtheYMCAprovideafullrangeofsupportiveservices,includinghousingcounselingandsupporttofamilieswhosechildrenattendtheschool.Neighborhoodinvestmentsincludea72-unitseniorrentalfacilitytwoblocksfromtheschool,theplannedconstructionof26for-salehomesintheneighborhood,andthereconstructionofthemajorroadwayconnectingtheneighborhoodtodowntown.Althoughcrimeandaweakhousingmarkethaveslowedtheneighborhood’srecovery,testscoreshaveimprovedattheschool.In2005,between54and69percentofthirdandfifthgraderstestedatgradeleveloraboveinreadingandmath,comparedto20to22percentin2002.

• InMechanicsville(Atlanta,GA),anon-profitworkswiththelocalelementaryschooltohelpimproveitsstatusfromoneoftheworstinthedistrict.Besidesschoolimprovementssuchasanewcomputerlabandcurricularreforms,theschoolalsohostsresidentleadershiptrainingand


workforcedevelopmentactivities.A$20millionfederalgrantwillhelptofundtheredevelopmentofthreepublichousingsitesintheneighborhoodintomixed-incomerentalandhomeownershipcommunities.Theschool’stestscoreshaveimproveddramatically:in2004,58percentof4thgradersmetthestatestandardsinmath,comparedto17percentin2000,theyearbeforetheinitiativebegan.Theneighborhoodisalsostartingtochange,butexperiencefromothercitiessuggestthatfullimpactwillnotberealizeduntilseveralyearsafterthenewhousingiscompleted.

2. core elements of school-centered community RevitalizationInthesimplestterms,school-centeredcommunityrevitalizationmeansaschoolreformstrategythatisintegratedwithandsupportedbyaneighborhoodimprovementstrategy.Thisisnota“onesizefitsall”approach;instead,boththeschoolstrategyandtheneighborhoodstrategymustbetailoredtofitthespecificgoalsofthecommunityandthescaleoftheinitiative.Part3ofthispaperhighlightsthediversityinapproachesusedacrosstheeightschool-centeredrevitalizationinitiativesstudied.

School-centeredcommunityrevitalizationdoesnotreplacewhatwealreadyknowaboutwhatworkstoimprovepoorneighborhoods.Instead,itencouragescommunitydevelopmentpractitionerstothinkofschoolimprovementasacoreneighborhoodrevitalizationstrategyandtomakesurethattheotherneighborhoodstrategies(housingdevelopment,economicdevelopment,workforceinvestment,anti-crime)reinforcetheschoolimprovementeffort.Withinthatframework,whatmakesacommunityrevitalizationeffort“school-centered”isitsfocusonfivecoreelements:

1. Improvement of one or more schools in the neighborhood –toincreasetheacademicachievementofneighborhoodchildren,toretainfamilieswithchildrenintheneighborhood,andtoattractnewfamiliestotheneighborhood.

2. Housing that is safe, affordable, and attractive to families with children –tokeepthesefamiliesintheneighborhoodandattendingtheschoolandtoattractnewfamiliestotheneighborhood.

3. High-quality child care and early childhood education programs–tohelpensurethatchildrenstartschoolwiththeknowledgeandskillstheyneedtosucceedacademically.

4. Affordable health services for children –sothathealthproblemsarenotabarriertoacademicachievement.h

5. Workforce and economic development programs –tokeepfamiliesintheneighborhoodandtohelpfamiliesoutofpoverty.

Eachofthecoreelementsisdescribedbrieflybelow.

Core element 1: School improvement

Improvingoneormoreschoolsintheneighborhoodisthelinchpinofschool-centeredcommunityrevitalization.Whilemanyrevitalizationeffortswillfocusonasingleneighborhoodschool,somecommunitiesmayopttoworkwithclustersofschools–forexample,alloftheelementaryandmiddleschoolsfeedingintoaparticularhighschool.

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Whateverthescaleoftheschoolimprovementeffort,itshouldincludeat least one neighborhood-based elementary or elementary/middle school.Sinceattendanceatpublichighschoolsisoftennotspecifictoneighborhoods(i.e.,assignmentischoice-basedorfromlargeenrollmentzones),theyareexcludedfromthisdiscussion.Iftheschoolimprovementistocontributetotherevitalizationofaparticularneighborhood,familiesmustberequiredtoliveintheneighborhoodinordertobeabletosendtheirchildrentotheschool.i

Theschoolimprovementeffortshouldalsohaveclear goals that relate to the goals for the neighborhood.Thestartingpointforalleffortswilllikelybethedesiretoimproveacademicoutcomesforchildrenattendingtheschoolandlivingintheneighborhood.Othercoregoalsincludereducingstudentmobilitybyincreasingresidentialstabilityandmakingtheschoolanassetforthecommunityandasourceofneighborhoodpride.Beyondthesegoals,schoolreforminitiativesmayemphasizedifferentdimensionsofschoolquality.Forexample,someschoolsareinterestedincreatingareplicablereformmodelforhowtoimproveacademicperformanceoflow-incomechildren.Wherecreatingamixed-incomecommunityisanexplicitgoalfortheneighborhood,theschoolvisionwilllikelyincludemakingtheschoolaplacewheremiddle-incomefamilieswithchoicessendtheirchildren.

School-centeredcommunityrevitalizationrecognizesthattherearemanypathstoimprovinglowperformingschoolsinpoorneighborhoods.Dependingonthegoalsfortheschoolandneighborhoodandtheopportunitiespresentedbythelocalschoolreformenvironment,theschoolimprovementmighttakeplacethroughcreatingacharterschool,jreconstitutinganexistingpublicschool,creatinganewpublicschool,orworkingwithinanexistingschoolstructure.School-centeredcommunityrevitalizationeffortsaroundthecountryhaveusedeachofthesemethodsforchangingtheschool.Accordingtotheexperiencededucatorsandcommunitydevelopmentpractitionerswhohaveimplementedschool-centeredcommunityrevitalization,themostimportantingredienttoimprovingschoolsistheabilitytobring in new school leadership and staff as neededwhosharethevisionfortheschool’simprovements.

Toobtaincontroloverstaffingdecisions,site-basedschoolmanagementmaybeanoptionfortraditionalpublicschoolsinsomeschooldistrictsandisalmostalwaysexercisedbycharterschools.Othercommunitiesmaynothaveaccesstosite-basedmanagementbutmaynegotiatewiththeschooldistricttoprovideinputintopersonneldecisionsattheschool.

Giventhataholisticapproachtoschoolimprovementattendsnotonlytostudents’academicperformance,butalsotochildren’sandtheirfamilies’physical,social,andeconomicwell-being,itiseasytoburdentheschoolprincipalwithnotonlythemanagementofclassroomactivitiesbutalsothesocialserviceshappeningintandem.Theeightinitiativesstudiedunanimouslysoughttopreserve the school principal’s time for instructional leadershipbyhiringotherstaffordevelopingpartnershipstomanagethesocialservicescomponent.

Oncethevisionfortheschoolissetandamechanismhasbeencreatedforcreatingreform,thespecificschoolimprovementstrategieswilllargelydependonthegoalsfortheschoolandneighborhoodandthecharacteristicsofthestudentbody.However,educatorsandcommunitydevelopmentpractitionersinvolvedintheeightprofiledschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationeffortssuggestthatallschoolimprovementeffortsshouldinclude:

• Aresearch-based curriculum(orcurricula)designedtomeettheneedsofneighborhoodchildrenandsupportanybroadergoalstheschoolmighthave(e.g.,attractingfamiliesfromoutsidetheneighborhood);

• Training and professional developmentactivitiesforteacherstoensurethesuccessfulimplementationofthecurriculaandbetterclassroommanagementtechniques;

• Aphysical environmentthatishealthy,safe,andsupportsmodernteachingandlearningmethods;

• Formal after-school and summer programmingforallstudents;

• Astrategyforextended support of children’s academic progress beyond matriculationfromtheelementaryorelementary/middleschool.Thismaytaketheformofanalumniclub,targetedtutoring,orcounselingforhighschoolplacement;

• Astrategyforencouragingparental involvementintheirchildren’seducationthataddressescommonbarrierstoparentparticipationinschoolactivitiessuchaslackofchildcareforyoungersiblings,languageandliteracyissues,andparents’pastnegativepastexperienceswithschooling;and

• Astrategyforensuringregular communication and coordination between the school and key neighborhood institutionsthatworkwiththefamiliesofschoolchildren,suchasrentalhousingpropertymanagers,healthcenterstaff,supportiveserviceproviders,andchurches.

Core element 2: Housing

Thepurposeofschool-centeredhousinginvestmentistohelpfamilieswithchildrenremainintheneighborhoodandtoattractnewfamiliestotheneighborhood.Thestartingpointforthehousingstrategiesoftheeightschool-basedcommunityrevitalizationinitiativesstudiedforthispaperwasthedesiretoimproveconditionsforpeoplelivingintheneighborhoodandtoincreaseresidentialstability,whichwouldinturncontributetolowerratesofmobilityattheschoolandimprovedacademicachievement.Inaddition,someinitiativessoughttocreateawiderrangeofincomesintheneighborhoodandattheschoolbyattractingmiddle-incomefamilies.

School-centeredhousingstrategiesmayincludethedevelopmentofnewhomeownershiporrentalunits,cashtransferstofamiliesinordertosubsidizethecostoftheircurrenthousing,ortrainingtohelpfamiliespurchaseorimprovethevalueoftheirexistinghome.Acrosstheeightinitiativesstudied,investmentsinnewhousingrangedfromlarge-scaleredevelopmentofdistressedpublichousingfundedbyfederalgrantstosmallerformsofnewconstructionoracquisitionandrehabilitationofrentalhousingorhomeownershipunits(bothmarket-rateandsubsidized).Anotherapproachwastoprovideincentivestomaketheexistinghousingstockmoreaffordableorattractivetofamilieswhomightchoosetomoveintotheneighborhoodandsendtheirchildrentotheschool.Forexample,theUniversityofPennsylvaniaoffereditsemployeeslow-interestmortgagesanddownpaymentassistancetopurchasehomesintheUniversityCityneighborhoodofPhiladelphia.InSt.Paul,Minnesota,alocalfoundationoperatesafundtoprovidehousingassistancetofamilieswhosechildrenattendaspecificelementaryschool.InChicago,alocalfoundationmatchesCityfundstoprovidehomeimprovementgrantstohomeownersinatargetedneighborhood.


Core element 3: Early childhood education

High-qualityearlychildhoodeducationhasaprovenimpactontheIQandacademicachievementoflow-incomechildren.Forexample,threeseparatestudiesfoundthatlow-incomechildrenwhoparticipateinhigh-qualityearlychildhoodprogramsaremorelikelytocompletehighschool,attendcollege,andbeemployedintheirtwentiesthansimilarchildrenwhodonotparticipateinearlychildhoodprograms.Commonfeaturesofthethreeprogramsstudiedincluded:anearlystart(nolaterthanagethree);well-educated,well-trained,andwell-compensatedteachers;smallclasssizesandhighteachertochildratios;andinterventionbeyondthepre-schoolyears.kAssuch,earlychildhoodeducationcancontributetoclosingtheachievementgapthatexistsevenbeforechildren’sentryintokindergarten.

Notonlydohigh-qualityearlychildhoodprogramsleadtobetteracademicoutcomesforneighborhoodchildren,theymayalsohelpparentsobtainandretainjobsbyprovidingaffordabledaycare.Engagingparentsinpreschoolactivities—astagewhenparentsaremostlikelytobeinvolvedintheirchildren’seducation—alsomakesitmorelikelythattheywillbeinvolvedintheirchildren’slaterschooling.

Educatorsandcommunitydevelopmentpractitionersengagedinschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationviewearlychildhoodprogrammingasacriticalcomponentofimprovingschoolsandneighborhoodsinlow-incomecommunities.Thetypesofearlychildhoodprogramsofferedacrosstheeightcommunityrevitalizationinitiativesstudiedforthispaperincludetraditionalpre-kindergartenclassesattheschool,subsidizedchildcarelocatedneartheschool(forexample,inanadjoiningYMCA),andanationallyrecognizedhome-basedpreschoolinstructionandparentingprogram.

Core element 4: Children’s health

Childrenneedtohavetheirhealthandmentalhealthneedsaddressedinordertosucceedinschool.Tothatend,leadersofschool-basedcommunityrevitalizationeffortsstresstheneedtoprovidebasichealthandmentalhealthservicestostudentsoftheschooltargetedforimprovement.Theseservicescanbeprovidedattheschoolitself,throughschool-basedhealthcenters,orthroughpartnershipswithcommunity-basedorganizations.Ifhealthservicesareprovidedontheschoolsite,itisimportantthattheschoolprincipalnotbechargedwithmanagingtheservices.Principalswhoarerequiredtomanagetheschoolspaceandworkdirectlywithserviceprovidersmay“burnout”morequicklyandmaynotbeaseffectiveasinstructionalleaders.

Inadditiontotheprovisionofhealthservicesforchildrenortheirfamilies,parentaltrainingaboutpromotionoftheirchildren’shealthcanprovideanimportantpreventativemeasure.Parenttrainingcanincludebroadrangeofsubjectsincludingbraindevelopment,discipline,immunization,safety,asthma,leadpoisoning,parentalstress,andparent-childbonding.

Core element 5: Workforce and economic development

Aschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationinitiativeshouldincludeacombinationofworkforcedevelopmentandeconomicdevelopmentactivitiesaimedathelpingfamiliesoutofpovertyandstabilizingtheneighborhood.Mostoftheeightinitiativesprovidesomejobtrainingprogramsandlocaljobdevelopmentactivitiestoincreaseemploymentamongneighborhoodresidents.Othershave

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soughttoattractnewbusinessestotheneighborhoodtoprovideneededgoodsandservicestoexistingresidentsandtodrawinnewfamilies.

Thediversityoflocalmarketsprecludestherecommendationofanysingleworkforceoreconomicdevelopmentstrategy.Insomeneighborhoods,anelementofthestrategymaybetoorganizetransportationtoamajoremployerlocatedinanotherneighborhood.Inothercommunities,theoptimaleconomicdevelopmentactivitymaybetoinvestinfaçadeandroadwayimprovementsalongamajorthoroughfareasameanstoattractmorebusinessestolocatewithintheneighborhood.Althoughthespecificactivitieswilldependuponthelocalcontext,workforceandeconomicdevelopmentactivities(likehousingandhealth)shouldbealignedaroundthecentralmissionofcreatingmeaningfulandsustainableschoolimprovement.Thisgenerallyincludessupportingtheparentsofchildrenwhoattendtheschoolinwaysthatwillimprovetheeconomicstabilityofthosefamilies.

3. school and neighborhood strategies in action

Thevarietyoflocalcircumstancesprecludesauniformapproachtoschool-centeredrevitalization.Themethodsforbothschoolandneighborhoodimprovementwillvaryaccordingtolocalcommunityneedsandthesourcesoffundsavailabletoaddressthem.Ascanofschool-centeredcommunityrevitalizationinitiativesunderwayinAtlanta,Baltimore,Chicago,Philadelphia,andSt.Paulrevealsawiderangeofschoolandneighborhoodstrategies,summarizedinthetablebelow.


School-based activities:

new charter school

new or reconstituted non-charter public school

Reform of existing public school

Pre-kindergarten offered on school site

health clinic for children on school site

adult programming or supportive services on school site

School-centered community strategies:

construction/rehab of affordable/mixed-income rental housing near school

construction/rehab of affordable/mixed-income homeownership near school

housing subsidy programs (down payment assistance, rental vouchers, home improvement assistance) for school and neighborhood families

organization created to support/coordinate school and neighborhood activities

Parenting and early childhood education program

high-quality child care available

Programs to increase employment opportunities

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conclusion Foundations,schools,developers,andcommunity-basedorganizationsareincreasinglybreakingdownthetraditionaldivisionsbetweenschoolreformandcommunitydevelopmenttocoordinatetheireffortstorevitalizeneighborhoods.Scholarlyresearchandearlyresultsfromschool-centeredcommunityinitiativesacrossthecountrysuggestthatinvestmentsinschoolsreinforceinvestmentsinneighborhoodsandviceversa.Overtime,weexpectthelocalinitiativestoshowthatinvestmentintheintersectionbetweenschoolsandneighborhoodswillrealizegreatersocialandeconomicreturnsthaninvestmentinschoolsandneighborhoodsalone.

Thehandfulofschool-basedcommunityrevitalizationeffortscurrentlyunderwayprovideastartingpointforidentifyingthecorecomponentsofthistypeofcoordinatedinvestmentstrategy—investmentintheimprovementofoneormorelocalschools,togetherwithinvestmentinhousing,earlychildhoodeducation,children’shealth,andeconomicandworkforcedevelopment.Theselocaleffortsalsosuggestthatschool-centeredneighborhoodrevitalizationcanbeaccomplishedusingarangeofschoolreformstrategiesandcommunitydevelopmentapproaches.

Thereisreasontobelievethattheeightlocalinitiativesprofiledinthispaperareforerunnersofabroadertrend.Forexample,thenewproposaltoincludeschoolplanningin2008HOPEVIgrants,amajorfundingvehicleforthecreationofmixed-incomehousing,suggeststhatpairingschoolreformwithneighborhoodrevitalizationwillbecomemorecommonplace.Thismovementtowardthegreatercoordinationofneighborhoodandschoolinvestmentsandthepromisingresultsidentifiedthusfarshouldmotivatelocalcommunitydevelopmentpractitionersandeducatorstoengageinmeaningfuldialogueabouthowbesttoaddresstheproblemsoftheirschoolsandneighborhoodsandtotranslatethatdialogueintoaction.

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notesa Student mobility refers to changes in school enrollment between the first and last day of the school year. A high student mobility rate means that a large percentage of students are transferring in or out of the school during the school year.

b Determining the relative contribution of the home, school, and neighborhood on student outcomes is controversial. Hoxby examines the performance of more than 16,000 twelve graders in 1992 and finds that family variables account for 93% of the variance in the sampled students’ achievement. See Caroline Hoxby, If families matter most, where do schools fit in?, in A Primer on America’s Schools 89, 96-98 (Terry M. Moe ed., 2001).

c For data on within-school factors’ association with student outcomes, see Wenglinsky, H. (2002, February 13). How schools matter: The link between teacher classroom practices and student academic performance. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 10(12). Retrieved March 20, 2007 from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n12/. For a review of the mixed evidence about neighborhood impact on student performance, see Sonbonmatsu, L., Kling, J., Duncan, G., and Brooks-Gunn, J. (2006). Neighborhoods and Academic Achievement: The evidence from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment. Working paper 11909, National Bureau of Economic Research. Accessed March 20, 2007 at http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/11909.html.

d See for example, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, DHHS. (2006). The NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD): Findings for Children up to Age 4 1/2 Years (05-4318). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

eSampson,R.,Morenoff,J.,Gannon-Rowley,T.(2002).AssessingNeighborhoodEffects:SocialProcessesandNewDirectionsinResearch.Annual Review of Sociology 28:443-78.

f Examples of recent studies that have found this include Black, S.E. (1999). Do better schools matter? Parental valuation of elementary education. Quarterly Journal of Economics 114(2), 577-600; Downes, T.A., & Zabel, J.E. (2002). The impact of school characteristics on house prices: Chicago 1987-1991. Journal of Urban Economics 52(1), 1-25; and Bayer, P., Ferreira, F. & McMillan, R. (2004). Tiebout sorting, social multipliers and the demand for school quality. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 10871.

g Hastings, J.S., Kane, T.J., & Staiger, D.O. (2005). Parental preferences and school competition: Evidence from a public school choice program.” National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 11805; and Jacob, B.A. & Lefgren, L. (2005). What do parents value in education: An empirical investigation of parents’ revealed preferences for teachers. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 11494.

h Affordable healthcare for adults is clearly also important, but is not a focus of school-centered community revitalization. It is expected that a well-funded neighborhood revitalization effort will include a health component for all neighborhood residents, but in order to be “school-centered” the initiative must provide health services to children of the school targeted for improvement.

i In some communities, it may be possible to have a school-led neighborhood revitalization effort in which enrollment in the school is only partially neighborhood-based. In the Centennial Place community of Atlanta for example, about half the children that attend Centennial Place School live in the neighborhood, while the others are accepted to the school based on a citywide lottery. For more on the Centennial Place initiative, see eight profiles of local school-centered community revitalization initiatives, available on Enterprise’s Schools and Communities web page.

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j A charter school is a publicly funded school that enjoys greater freedom from state rules and regulations than traditional public schools. Charter schools are typically free to hire or fire personnel, design curriculum, and promote specific values. A charter school must negotiate a contract (charter) that must be renewed periodically, usually with a local school district or charter authorizer designated by the state. Typically states limit the number of charter schools that may be authorized to operate within a given area.

k Ellen Galinsky (2005) The Economic Benefits of High-Quality Early Childhood Programs: What Makes the Difference.

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Appendix AProfiles


Centennial Place School in Centennial Place - atlanta

TheCentennialPlaceneighborhoodislocatedindowntownAtlanta,acrosstheinterstatefromthecentralbusinessdistrict.Priortotherevitalizationeffortthatbeganinthe1990s,twosprawlingpublichousingprojects,TechwoodHomesandClarkHowellHomes,werealmosttheonlyhousinginwhatwasapredominatelyindustrialandinstitutionalarea.Otherthanthepublichousing,theneighborhoodconsistedoftheacademicandstudenthousingfacilitiesoftheGeorgiaInstituteofTechnology(GeorgiaTech),Coca-Cola’scorporateheadquarters,andalow-performingelementaryschoolwithdecliningenrollment.In1990,theneighborhoodwasextremelydistressed,with66percentofthepopulationlivingbelowthepovertyline,and85percentoffamilieswithchildrenheadedbysinglemothers.

TheAtlantaHousingAuthority(AHA)beganplanningfortheredevelopmentofTechwoodandClarkHowellin1991.TheplanningwentthroughseveralstagesandwasheavilyinfluencedbythedecisiontolocatetheOlympicVillageforthe1996SummerOlympicsonthecampusofGeorgiaTech.Ultimately,theredevelopmentplancalledforcreatingamixed-incomecommunity,with738rentalunits(40percentpublichousingeligible,20percentaffordable,and40percentmarketrate)andapproximately85homeownershipunits.TheplanalsoincludedthecreationofanewMath,Science&TechnologyThemedElementarySchool–withanewbuilding,anewname,andanewlocation–toreplacetheexistingfailingschool.ThenewschoolwasseenasacriticalcomponentinattractingfamilieswithchoicetoCentennialPlace.

AlthoughtheoriginalproposalsubmittedbytheDeveloperincludedtheschoolasanessentialpartoftheRedevelopmentVision,Dr.NormanJohnson,ExecutiveAssistanttothePresidentofGeorgiaTech,wasinstrumentalinbringingthevisiontolife.Dr.Johnson,anexperiencededucator,broughtpracticalknowledgeandexperiencetothedevelopmentteamandhelpeditunderstandwhatkindofschoolwasneeded,whatwaspossible,andhowtogoaboutit.AsamemberoftheAtlantaBoardofEducation,Dr.Johnsonalsobroughthisstandingwiththeschooldistricttotheproject.

Dr.Johnson’svisionwastocreateastateoftheartschoolthatwouldmakeitpossibleforachildfromtheneighborhoodtoattendaninstitutionsuchasGeorgiaTech–somethingthathadneverhappened.Severalfactorsmadethisvisionrealistic:first,thepublicmiddleandhighschoolsintowhichtheneighborhoodschoolfedwerethebestinthecity.Second,redevelopingTechwoodandClarkHowellwouldmakemiddleclassfamiliesmorewillingtosendtheirchildrentoaschoollocatedintheneighborhood.Third,the$153millioninvestmentintheneighborhood,leveragedbya$42millionHOPEVIGrant,aswellasresourcesthatGeorgiaTechbroughttothetable,helpedtomitigateschooldistrictconcernsaboutspendingcapitalfundsonaschoolbeforethehousingwascomplete.Intheend,$10millionforthenewschoolbuildingwasraisedaspartofa“pennysalestax”fortheconstructionofnewschools.

CentennialPlaceSchool(CPS)openedin1998andcurrentlyhasabout580childreninkindergartenthroughfifthgrade.CPSisaMath,Science&TechnologyThemedSchoolthatusestheresearch-basedCO-NECTcurriculum,withalanguageandartsoverlay.Theschoolbuildingisdesignedwithanopenfloorplan,withflexiblespaceforcombiningandseparatinggroupsofstudents.Inadditiontoacomputerlab,therearefivecomputersineachclassroom.Theschoolisprogrammaticallyconnected

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toanadjacentYMCA(builtatthesametime),whichisusedforgymclassesandafterschoolprogramsandhasanearlychildhooddevelopmentcenter.

CPSdoesnotprovidehealthorsupportiveservicesonsite,butoffersweeklyhealthclinicsanddentalservicesbyappointmentthroughsatelliteorganizations.TheschoolalsohasstrongpartnershipswithGeorgiaTech(forcurriculumandtechnologysupport),Coca-Cola(formentoring),andwithseveralotherinstitutionsandcorporationsintheneighborhood.CPS’sfoundingprincipal,whorecentlyretired,wasinstrumentalinbuildingpartnershipsbetweentheschoolandthebroadercommunity.

AbouthalfofthechildrenthatattendCPSliveintheneighborhood;theothersareacceptedtotheschoolbasedonacitywidelottery.Sixty-twopercentofCPSstudentsqualifyforfreeorreducedlunches.ThemanagementagentofCentennialPlaceestimatesthatmostofthefamiliesinthedevelopmentsendtheirchildrentoCPS,whichhasbecomeoneofthetopschoolsinAtlanta.In2006,withfewexceptions,CPSmetorexceededstatewideaveragesonGeorgia’sCriterion-ReferencedCompetencyTest(CRTC).

ThemanagementagentstaffatCentennialPlaceworkcloselywiththeschooltoensurethatstudentsareattendingschoolandtoaddressproblems.TheprincipalofCentennialPlaceSchoolmeetsregularlywithhousingmanagersandrepresentativesfromtheYMCAandGeorgiaTech.

TheCentennialPlaceneighborhoodhaschangeddramaticallysincethedemolitionofTechwoodandClarkHowellHomes.TherentalportionoftheCentennialPlacedevelopmentiscompleteandfullyoccupied.AsofDecember2006,45for-saleunitshadbeenbuiltandallbuteighthadbeensold.Nineofthe45for-saleunitsweredesignatedaffordableandsoldtolower-incomefamilieswithsecondmortgagesfromtheAtlantaHousingAuthority.WithinacoupleofblocksoftheCentennialPlacedevelopmentandCPSarenewofficebuildingsand100percentmarket-ratehousing.Inaddition,a$300millionAquariumwasrecentlyopenedanda$200million“WorldofCoke”museumisunderconstruction.Giventherapidchangesintheneighborhoodandtheconsistentlyhighperformanceoftheschool,thechallengesforthisinitiativearemakingsurethatthemostdisadvantagedchildrenintheschoolachievethesameresultsaschildrenfromhigherincomefamiliesandthattheinitialvisionofcreatingatop-qualityschoolinamixedincomecommunityisnotdilutedovertime.


Drew Charter School in East Lake - atlanta

EastLakeisanAtlantaneighborhoodsixmilesfromdowntownandontheborderwithunincorporatedDeKalbCounty.OriginallydevelopedassummercottagesforwealthyAtlantaresidents,theneighborhoodincludestheEastLakegolfcourse,aprivate,historicgolfcoursethatgainedaninternationalreputationasthehomecourseofgolflegendBobbyJones.Bythemid20thcentury,theneighborhoodandgolfcoursewereindecline.TheAtlantaHousingAuthority(AHA)acquiredpartofthegolfcoursefromtheEastLakeCountryCluband,in1970,builtasprawlingbarracks-style650-unitpublichousingdevelopmentcalledEastLakeMeadowsontheland.Twentyyearslater,thedevelopmentwasindecline,withablightingeffectbelievedtostretchamileintotherestoftheneighborhood.

In1993,theAHAreceiveda$33.5milliongrantfromtheU.S.DepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelopmenttorehabilitateEastLakeMeadowsunderaprogramcalledMajorReconstructionofObsoleteProjects.Meanwhile,anAtlantarealestatedeveloper,TomCousins,decidedthathisfoundationshouldfocusitsgivingontheEastLakecommunity.In1993,CousinsboughttheEastLakeCountryClubandturneditintoagolfclubforcorporatemembers,withfeesthatwouldsupporttherevitalizationofthebroaderneighborhood.1In1995,hecreatedtheEastLakeFoundation(ELF).

ELFwaspartoftheplanningcommitteefortheredevelopmentofEastLakeMeadows,alongsidetheAHAandneighborhoodresidents.Ultimately,thedevelopmentwasdemolishedtomakewayfora542-unitmixed-incomedevelopmentcalledtheVillagesofEastLake,whichis50percentpublichousingand50percentmarketratehousing.AllunitswereoccupiedbyFebruary2001.AworkrequirementforAtlantapublichousingresidentsmeansthatalmostallfamiliesintheVillages’publichousingtierhaveworkingadults.Thedevelopmentisagatedcommunityandacrossthestreetisalargesupermarketthatopenedin2001.

TheplanningcommitteefortheVillagesofEastLakerecognizedearlyonthatthemixedincomehousingmodelwouldonlyworkiftheneighborhoodalsohadaschoolthat(1)servedchildrenfromtheneighborhoodwhohadbeenunderservedforsolongand(2)wasgoodenoughtoattractfamilieswithchoicetotheneighborhood.Asaresult,startinginthelate1990s,ELFbeganfocusingoncreatingatop-flightelementaryschoolintheneighborhood.TheFoundationwrotethecharterschoolapplication,whichledtothefirstcharterschoolinAtlanta,andTomCousinsraisedthe$17.5millionincapitalfundsneededtobuildthenewschool.DrewCharterSchoolopenedin2000andnowservesapproximately800studentsinkindergartenthrougheighthgrade,85percentofwhomqualifyforafreeorreduced-pricemeal.

ELFchosetocontractwiththeEdisonCompany,aprivatefor-profiteducationmanagementorganization,toruntheschool.WithEdison,theFoundationconductedanationwidesearchforthefoundingprincipal.TheEdisoncurriculumusestheresearch-basedSuccess for AllreadingprogramandEveryday Math,aNationalScienceFoundationcurriculumdevelopedbytheUniversityofChicagoSchoolMathematicsProject.TeachersatDrewCharterSchoolaregroupedintomulti-grade-level

1 Themembershipfeewas$275,000,ofwhich$200,000wasatax-deductiblecontribution.

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“houses”(K-2,3-5,and6-7),withaleadteacherforeachhousewhohasextraresponsibilitiesandpay.Theteachershavetwoplanningperiodsaday,oneofwhichiswiththeir“house”andfocusesonaspecifictopic,suchascurriculum,studentconcerns,teamwork,ortechnology.Edisonprovidescomputer-basedbenchmarktests,whichthestudentstakemonthly.Teachershavelaptopcomputers,andtheschoolhasthreecomputerlabs,plustwoorthreecomputersineachclassroom.

WhenEdison’scontractwasupforrenewalin2005,theDrewschoolboard(whichincludestheexecutivedirectoroftheEastLakeFoundation)negotiatedanewcontractwithEdisontomovefroma“B”toan“A+”school.Thecontractincludes12specificmetrics(beyondthebasemetricofmeetingtheGeorgiaAdequateYearlyProgressgoalsrequiredunderthefederalNoChildLeftBehindlaw)towhichabonusfeeistied.ThesemetricsincludevariousformsofimprovementsinDrewstudents’testscoreperformance(e.g.,studentsscoresonparwithstatewideaveragesinmathandreading),reductionsinstudentabsenteeismandlateness,increasedplacementofstudentsinahighschooloftheirchoice,andincreasedsatisfactionratingsbystudentsandteachersonschoolsurveys.Inthe2005-06schoolyear,three-fourthsofstudentsscoredproficientofhigherontheGeorgiastandardizedmathandreadingtests,comparedtoone-thirdinthefirstyearsoftheschool’soperation.

AsstudentperformanceatDrewhasimproved,anincreasingproportionofmarketratefamilieslivingattheVillageshaveenrolledtheirchildrenattheschool.ELFnolongerprovidesanoperatingsubsidytotheschoolbutcontinuestofundthemajorityofbeforeandafterschoolprogramming.ELFalsofundsaprogramcalledCREWteens,whichsupportsDrewalumniandotherareateensthroughhighschoolwithmentoring,tutoring,SAT/ACTtestpreparation,volunteeropportunities,andservicelearning.ELFalsorunsFirstTeeofEastLake,agolfinstructionandmentoringprogramforlocalyouth,andseveralscholarshipprograms.

Thepresenceofmiddle-incomefamiliesintheneighborhoodhasattractedcommercialinvestmentsuchasagrocerystore,abank,andWal-Mart.Whereashomepricesintheneighborhoodwereapproximately$45,000in1996,todayhomessellfor$280,000.Toretainaffordability,theFoundationislookingtodevelopmixed-incomehomeownershipunitsacrossfromtheVillages.


Dunbar Elementary School in Mechanicsville - atlanta

TheMechanicsvilleneighborhoodliesonemilesouthofdowntownAtlanta,adjacenttoTurnerFieldandseveralcolleges.Itisahigh-povertyneighborhoodchallengedbyhighratesofunemployment,lowlevelsofeducationalattainment,anddeterioratinghousing.In2001,EnterpriseCommunityPartnerscreatedtheMechanicsvilleCommunityLearningCollaborative(MCLC)toimproveperformanceatthelocalelementaryschoolandmakeschoolreformthecatalystforbroadercommunityinvestmentandneighborhoodchangeinthearea.MCLCwasfundedbyafive-year,$12.5milliongrantfromtheAnnenbergFoundation.

MCLCbeganwiththreegoals:(1)toimprovestudents’academicachievement;(2)tobuildcommunitycapacity;and(3)tosupporttherevitalizationofthecommunity’sinfrastructure.TheinitiativestartedbyimplementingreformsatDunbarElementarySchool.Whentheinitiativestarted,Dunbarhadabout260studentsandwasoneoftheAtlantaPublicSchool’s(APS)lowestperformingschools.ThereforminitiativereceivedthesupportofAPSbecauseitcoincidedwithadistrict-widereformstrategythatinvolvedallowingtheschool,teachers,andparentstohelpselectprincipals.ThefirstprincipalofthenewDunbarSchoolwaschosenbyMCLCinpartnershipwithAPS.Theschoolwasnotformallyreconstituted,butmostoftheoriginalteachershaveturnedoversincethestartoftheinitiative.

FollowingthemodeloftheEnterpriseEducationInitiativeinBaltimore,thereformsatDunbarincluded:implementingtwonewresearch-basedcurricula,DirectInstructionandCO-NECT;providingleadershiptrainingfortheprincipalandprofessionaldevelopmentforteachers;fillingschoolpersonnelpositionsnotfundedoronlypartiallyfundedbythedistrict(includinganassistantprincipalandarts,foreignlanguage,nurse,socialworkerandtechnologypositions);creatingafter-schoolandsummerenrichmentprograms;buyingbooksfortheschoollibrary;creatingatechnologycenterforparentsandstudents;andsupplyingcomputersforteachersandstudents.Physicalimprovementsweremadetotheschoolbuilding,includingputtinginaglasswalltoincreasetheamountofnaturallightintheschool.MCLCalsorunsanearlychildhooddevelopmentprogram(frombirthtothreeyears)designedtohelpneighborhoodchildrenstartschoolbetterprepared.

Intheneighborhood,MCLC’seffortshavefocusedonleadershiptrainingandworkforcedevelopmentforresidentsandcapacitybuildingforcommunity-basedorganizations.Theleadershiptrainingandworkforcedevelopmentactivitiesarecloselylinkedtotheschool,makinguseoftheschool’snewcomputerlab.Partoftheleadershiptrainingprograminvolvesincreasingresidentinvolvementincommunityplanningactivities,allofwhichtakeplaceattheschool.Inaddition,intheearlyyearsoftheinitiative,neighborhoodassociations,schoolstaff,andteacherswereencouragedtoplayanactiveroleintheschoolPTA.MCLChasengagedinanumberofeffortstoincreaseparentalinvolvementintheschoolwhilealsobuildingparents’skills,includingsponsoringfamilygamenightsandcreatingasummerparentacademyinconjunctionwiththesummerschoolprogram.

Alongsideschoolreformandcommunitycapacity-building,theMCLCinitiativeincludeshousingredevelopment.In2003,theAtlantaHousingAuthorityreceiveda$20millionHOPEVIgranttorevitalizethesprawlingMcDanielGlennpublichousingdevelopment,locatedinMechanicsville.Theredevelopmentplancallsfordemolishingonesiteandrenovatingtwootherstocreateamixed-incomerentalandhomeownershipcommunity.MCLChasparticipatedintheredevelopmenteffortby

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workingwithalongstandinglocalCDCtodevelophomeownershipunits.Thusfar,theCDChasbuilt11single-familytownhomesanditrecentlyreceivedaloanfromEnterprisetodevelopanadditional64homesonasiteadjacenttoDunbarSchool.ThissitebecamepartoftherevitalizationplanafterDunbarstudentsidentifieditasablightonthecommunity,aplacewhere“ghosts”and“badmen”lived.

Thefive-yearAnnenberggrantendedin2006.NowfundedbyEnterprise,MCLCcontinuestobeactiveintheneighborhood,butonamorelimitedbasis.DunbarElementarySchool’stestscoreshaveimprovedsignificantly,butitisnotyetamongthebestschoolsinthecity.TheneighborhoodisstartingtochangebuttheexperienceofotherHOPEVIsitessuggeststhatthefullimpactoftheHOPEVIredevelopmentwillnotbefeltuntilseveralyearsafterthenewhousingiscompleted.ThechallengeforDunbarandMechanicsvillewillbesustainingboththeeducationalgainsmadethusfarandthetiesmadebetweenschoolandneighborhoodactivitieswithoutanewsourceoffunding.

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Jefferson Elementary School in Murphy Park - st. loUis

TheMurphyParkneighborhoodispartofalargerareanorthofdowntownSt.Louisthatforthepast50yearshasbeendominatedbypublichousing.In1996,thedeveloperMcCormackBaronSalazarconstructedTheResidencesatMurphyParkonthesiteoftheformerVaughnpublichousingdevelopment.Thedevelopmentconsistsofnew,low-risetownhousesfrontingatraditionalurbanstreetgrid,withgatedinteriorsofthesquareblocksservingassecureparkingandrecreationalspaceforsmallclustersofhousingunits.Halfofthe413unitsatMurphyParkarepublichousing,10percenthaveTaxCreditincomelimitsof60percentofareamedian,and40percentoftheunitshavemarket-determinedrents.

ThevisionfortheMurphyParkneighborhoodwasoneofahealthycommunitywithstronginstitutionsthroughnewhousingformoderate-tomiddle-incomefamilies.Arevitalizedelementaryschoolwasanessentialpartofthisvision,toserveasaplatformforimprovingthelivesofthepublichousingresidentsandtoattractfamiliestothetaxcreditandmarket-rateunitsinthedevelopment.Inthelate1990s,thedeveloperofMurphyPark,withthesupportofseverallocalbusinessesandfoundations,ledanefforttoreconstitutetheexistingfailingschool,JeffersonElementarySchool.

Anewprincipalassumedleadershipatthebeginningofthe1998-99schoolyearandimplementedanewinstructionalprogram,includingaresearch-basedreadingcurriculum(SuccessforAll),after-schoolartsprogramming,summerschool,andtrainingforteachersintheuseoftechnologyintheclassroom.Theschoolbuildingwasalsorenovated,fundedinlargepartbycorporatedonations.Therenovationsincludednewwiring,fiberopticcableforInternetaccess,andtwocomputerlabs(oneforchildrenandoneforadults).

SupportingtheparentsofJeffersonSchoolstudentsandencouragingtheirinvolvementintheschoolhasbeenanimportantcomponentofthereformeffort.Theschoolhasthreeparentliaisonsonstaffwhoconducthomevisitstoschoolfamiliesandworkwithparentstoaddressthemyriadofissuesaffectingtheirchildren’sacademicperformance.Oncetheyhavegainedtheirtrust,theparentliaisonsalsoencourageparentstoparticipateinreportcardconferences,PTAmeetings,andvolunteeringattheschool.

Anon-profitcalledCOVAM,whichwascreatedduringtheplanningphaseforMurphyPark,providesongoingorganizationalsupporttoneighborhoodinstitutions,includingJeffersonSchool.COVAM’sBoardofDirectorsismadeupofneighborhoodresidents,churchleaders,investorsinMurphyPark,managersoftheotherhousingdevelopmentsintheneighborhood,andtheprincipalofJeffersonSchool.ThroughtheMurphyParkoperatingbudget,COVAMfundsaresidentliaisonspecialist,locatedintheMurphyParkleasingoffice,whoadvocatesforresidentsandhelpsconnectthemwithresourcesneededforfamilyproblems.Theresidentliaisonspecialistformspartofthebridgebetweenthehousingdevelopmentandtheschool.ShespendsasubstantialamountoftimeatJeffersonSchool,servingasthe“eyesandears”ofthecommunitythereandsupportingactivitiesthatlinkthecommunitytotheschool,includingtheafter-schoolprogramsandcomputerandjobtrainingforadults.Inaddition,theresidentliaisonmeetsmonthlywithstafffromtheschoolandfromthehealthcliniclocatedacrossthestreetfromtheschooltodiscussindividualfamiliesandaddressproblems.

ThereformprogramatJeffersonSchoolhasnotchangedsignificantlyoverthepasteightyears,despite

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severalchangesinschoolleadership.Testscoreshaveincreased,enrollmentisstrong,andtheartsprogrammingandadultcomputertraininghavebeensuccessful.TheschoolwasusedinmarketingofthethirdphaseoftheMurphyParkdevelopmentin2003.However,theinitiativecontinuestowrestlewiththechallengespresentedbyatroubledschooldistrictandthelackofgoodeducationaloptionsforstudentsoncetheycompleteelementaryschool.TheMurphyParkdeveloperwouldliketomakeJeffersonSchoolaK-8schoolandhasbeenpushingfortheabolitionofmiddleschoolsinSt.Louis,buthisprogresstowardthoseendshasbeenstalledbyturnoverintheschooldistrictleadership.

Thecurrentfocusoftheinitiativeisonhealthservicesandearlychildhoodeducation.ThedeveloperofMurphyParkrecentlyhelpednegotiateatakeoverofthehealthclinicacrossthestreetfromJeffersonSchool,andserviceshavemuchimprovedunderthenewmanagement.ThedeveloperisalsoplanningtocreateanearlychildhoodcenteratJeffersonSchool,withlinkstotheseniorhousingintheMurphyParkdevelopment,tostrengthenfurtherthetiesbetweentheschoolandcommunity.


John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary in Payne-Phalen - st. PaUl

Inthe1990s,whentheSt.Paulschooldistrictwaslookingtoopenanewschooltoaccommodatetheinfluxofimmigrantchildrenintothecity,astatesenatorandacitycouncilmemberadvocatedfortherenovationofanabandonedhighschoolinthePayne-PhalenneighborhoodinEastSt.Paul.Sincethe1970s,thisformerblue-collarneighborhoodhadbecomeincreasinglyraciallyandethnicallydiversebutalsoincreasinglypoor.TheEastSideNeighborhoodDevelopmentCompany(ESNDC)hadinvestedineconomicdevelopmentandhousinginPayne-Phalen,butitseffortswereunequaltothearea-wideeconomicdecline.Sittingontopofahillandunusedsince1963,thehighschoolhadbecomeablight.Thestatesenatorandcitycouncilmemberthoughtthatrenovatingthebuildingandcreatinganewschoolhadthepotentialtocatalyzebroaderchangeintheneighborhood.

In1997,theWilderFoundationformedapartnershipwithSaintPaulPublicSchools,theStateofMinnesota,RamseyCountyandtheCityofSt.Paultooperatethe“AchievementPlus”modelinthreeSt.Paulpublicschools.AchievementPlusisawholeschoolreformmodelwhosegoalis“toestablishhigh-quality,comprehensive,family-supportivecommunityschools”thatclosetheachievementgapbetweenlow-andmiddle-incomestudents.1TheabandonedhighschoolinPayne-PhalenwasselectedasthesiteforWilder’sthirdAchievementPlusSchoolandayearlongcommunityplanningprocessensued,whichresultedinrecommendationstorenovatetheschoolbuildingintoaK-6elementaryschool,plusideasforthecurriculumandfortheselectionofaprincipal.TheSaintPaulYMCAjoinedtheplanningprocess,resultinginanewbuildingoperatedbytheYMCAthatisattachedtotheelementaryschool.Thetotalcosttobuildthecomplexwas$29.5million,including$6.8millionfortheYMCA.

TheJohnA.JohnsonAchievementPlusElementarySchoolopenedin2000.JohnJohnsonisaK-6schoolwithapproximately300students,92percentofwhomqualifyforfreeorreducedpricelunch.WorkingfromthemodelofChildren’sAidSociety’spartnershipwiththeNewYorkCityBoardofEducation,theschoolhasawingforofficesandmeetingroomstohousesupportiveservices.Theschoolhasatherapist,afull-timefamilyoutreachworker,apart-timeearlyinterventionprogramstaffperson,andapart-timenursepractitioner.Inaddition,theESNDCoperatestheEastsideFamilyCenterattheschool,whichprovideshousingassistance,referrals,English-languageclasses,andschoolconferences.Asevidenceofitscommunityorientation,174communityeventsandactivitieswereheldattheschoolwithinthefirstthreemonthsof2004.Theschoolisopenfrom7:30amto8p.m.MondaythroughFriday,whiletheYMCAopensat5:30a.m.andclosesat8p.m.everydayoftheweek.

AroundthattimethatJohnJohnsonelementaryschoolwastoopen,theWilderFoundationwasconcernedaboutalackofimprovementinchildren’sperformanceatthefirsttwoAchievementPlusschools,promptingtheFoundationtoobtainanewexecutivedirectorforAchievementPluswhowouldstrengthenthecurricularaspectsofthereformmodelandbemoreselectiveaboutwhich

1 AchievementPluswasadaptedbytheWilderFoundationfromtheAdelman/Taylorframework,whichwascreatedatUniversityofCaliforniaLosAngeles.

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supportservicesweremosteffective.TheexecutivedirectorcalledforthefullimplementationofAmerica’sChoice,astandards-basedinstructionalmodel,choseninpartbecausethepackageincludedthreeyearsofteachertrainingonthecurriculum.AsthethirdAchievementPlusSchoolintheSt.Pauldistrict,theJohnJohnsonElementarySchoolhasoperatedwithAmerica’sChoicecurriculumfromthestart.Children’sperformanceontestshasnotbeenconsistentfromyeartoyear,buttherearepromisingsignsofimprovementinreading.

Toreducethehighrateofstudentmobilitywithintheschool,theEastSideNeighborhoodDevelopmentCompanyinpartnershipwiththeWilderFoundationandtheSaintPaulFoundationcreatedtheOpportunityHousingInvestmentFund,a$610,000revolvingloanfundcomprisedof$5,000donationsfromindividuals,torenovateordevelophousingforJohnA.Johnsonfamilies.ESNDCalsocreatedtheEastSideHousingOpportunityProgramtoprovidesocialservices,housingadvocacy,andHousingTrustFundvouchers(rentalassistance)toJohnsonfamilies.Directinvestmentfromthefundhasresultedin17unitsbeingrehabbedorbuiltandthestabilityindex(percentageofkidsthatstartatandstayattheschoolallyear)hasincreasedto87percent.Ithadpreviouslyfluctuatedbetween78percentand83percent.

OtherwealthcreationprogramsdevelopedbyESNDCtosupportneighborhoodandJohnsonfamiliesincludetheProsperityCampaign(grassrootsorganizingandmarketingcampaigntoinspirefamiliestoownhomes,startabusiness,getabetterjob,openanIndividualDevelopmentAccount)theCommunitySavingCenter(apartnershipwithUSFederalCreditUnion,LutheranSocialServices(LSS)ThriventforLutheranstoprovidemainstreamfinancialservicescreditunionandfinancialliteracytraining),andtheCenterforWorkingFamilies(apartnershipwithESNDC,LISC,andLSStohelppeoplegetbetterjobs).

Neighborhoodinvestmentsintheredevelopmentareaaroundtheschoolincludethecompletionofa72-unitseniorrentalfacilitytwoblocksfromtheschoolandcommercialredevelopmentalongPayneAvenue.PhaseIIoftheredevelopmentistheconstructionof26for-salehomesintheneighborhood.

Justbelowtheschool,anewroadway–ThePhalenBoulevard–wasbuiltalonganabandonedrailcorridor.Theprojecttook12yearsandwasapartnershipof65public,business,non-profit,andneighborhoodentities.ESNDCwastheprogramsponsorandfiscalagentfortheInitiative.Newmanufacturingandanewhospitalfacilityhavesincelocatedalongtheroadway.1,000jobshavealreadybeencreated.The2.5milelongroadhasspurredover$600millioninprivateandpublicinfrastructure,housing,andcommercialinvestment.

Despitetheseinvestments,crimeandaweakhousingmarkethaveslowedtherecoveryofthePayne-Phalenneighborhoodandtheimmediateareaaroundtheschool.ESNDC,theWilderFoundation,andtheirmanypartnersremaincommittedtocreatingaprosperousmulti-culturalneighborhood,andtheJohnA.JohnsonSchoolremainsatthecenteroftheneighborhoodseffortstocreatewealthandwellbeingforneighborhoodbusinessesandfamilies.


Penn Alexander School in University City - PhiladelPhia

ThePennAlexanderSchoolislocatedintheUniversityCity,adiverseneighborhoodinWestPhiladelphiathatisclosetodowntown.TheUniversityofPennsylvaniaisamajorpresenceintheneighborhood,althoughitdidnotbecomeactivelyinvolvedinneighborhoodrevitalizationeffortsuntilthemid1990s.Parents’growingconcernabouttheirchildren’ssafetyculminatedin1996whenagraduatestudentwasmurderedintheneighborhood,promptingtheUniversitytoinvestaggressivelyinthearea.

Undergraduatestudentsdominatetheareasoftheneighborhoodnearesttothecampus,butotherwisetheneighborhoodiseconomicallyandraciallymixed.Someareasaresolidlymiddle-class,withlongtimehomeowners,whileotherareashavehighpovertyratesandamoretransientpopulation.In2000,thecensustractinwhichthePennAlexanderSchoolislocatedhadapovertyrateof37percent.Thetractwas46percentwhite,30percentAfricanAmerican,and18percentAsian.Overall,thehousingstockisquiteattractive,dominatedbywell-built,early20thcenturyrowhouses.In2000,themedianvalueofowner-occupiedunitsinthecensustractinwhichthePennAlexanderSchoolislocatedwas$105,600.

TheUniversityhiredTheCommunityBuilderstoleadaplanningprocessthatresultedin1996inacomprehensiverevitalizationplannamedtheWestPhiladelphiaInitiatives.WithdirectsupportfromthePresident’sOfficeandtheTrustees,theUniversityundertookthefollowingneighborhoodinitiatives:

• TheUniversityspearheadedthedevelopmentofaspecialservicedistrictthatisrunbyanewlyformednon-profit(fundedbyvolunteerdonationsfromPenn,otherlocaluniversities,businesses,landlords,andcommunityresidents)thatprovidesstreetcleaning,securitypatrols,sidewalklightinginstallation,andretaildevelopment.Anon-profitcommunitygreeningorganizationprovidestreeplantingsandothercommunitygreeningsupports.

• TheUniversityoffersamortgageguaranteeanddownpaymentassistancetoUniversityfacultyandstaffwhopurchaseahomewithinthedesignatedUniversityCityzone;over400familiesreceivedthisassistancebetween1998and2004.TheUniversityalsooffersaforgivableloanofupto$7,500toexistingownersforhomeimprovements.

• TheUniversityacquired20vacanthomesthatitrehabilitatedandsoldtohomeowners,andthroughapartnershipwithFannieMae,acquiredapproximately200dilapidatedrentalunitsforrehabilitationandnewmanagement.

• TheUniversityinvestedinretaildevelopment,bymovingitsbookstoreoffcampustoalocationmoreaccessibletothecommunity,andenteringintopartnershipswithprivatedevelopersandoperatorstodevelopotherneighborhoodretail,suchasamulti-screencinemaanda24-hourgrocerystore.

• TheUniversitysponsoredeconomicinclusionandeconomicdevelopmentprogramstoincreasejobopportunitiesforneighborhoodresidents,includingalocal/minority/women-ownedbusiness

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purchasingprogram,aneconomicinclusionprogramforconstructionhiring,andskillsdevelopmentefforts.

Sinceoneofthegoalsfortheneighborhoodwastoattractandretainmiddle-incomehomeowners,theUniversityalsodecidedthatagoodneighborhoodschoolwasessential.In1998,theUniversityenteredintoanagreementwiththeSchoolDistrictofPhiladelphiaandthePhiladelphiaFederationofTeacherstocreateanewpublicschoolforupto700neighborhoodchildren,frompre-kindergartenthroughthe8thgrade.ThePennAlexanderSchoolopenedinfall2001.Theschooldistrictprovidedthecapitalfunding,theteacher’sunionagreedtomaketheschoolademonstrationwithsite-basedstaffselectionbytheprincipal,andtheUniversityagreedtoprovideanannualsubsidyof$1,000perchildfor10yearsandtoprovideprogrammaticandplanningsupportcoordinatedbyitsGraduateSchoolofEducation(GSE).

ThePennAlexanderSchoolhasflexibilityinitscurriculumbutisaccountableforthesameoutcomesasotherpublicschools.TeachingstrategiesdrawheavilyontheresearchexpertiseoftheGSE.Anationalsearchforaprincipalledtothechoiceofaninstructionalleaderwhoseprimaryfocusisonstudents’academics(ratherthan,forexample,fundraisingfortheschool).OneofthekeyfeaturesofthePennAlexanderSchoolissmallerclasssizesthanistypicalforelementaryschoolsinPhiladelphia—agoalof17to1inkindergartenand23to1ingradesonethrougheight.Theclassroomsarebuiltinclustersthatopenontosharedstudyspaces,withconferenceroomsthatcanbeusedforparent-teachermeetings,individualtutoring,orasgeneralmeetingspace.Theschoolhasaliberalartsfocus,withmoremusicandartincorporatedintotheacademicprogramthanotherPhiladelphiapublicschools.Theschoolalsohascomputersineveryclassroomaswellasacomputerlabandbroadcaststudiostaffedbyafull-timetechnologyspecialist.

Between75and80percentofPennAlexanderstudentsscoredproficientorhigheronthePennsylvaniareadingandmathtestsin2005-06,makingitoneofthebestperformingpublicschoolsinPhiladelphia.Theschoolremainsbothraciallyandeconomicallydiverse.In2006-07,theschoolis50percentlowincomeand72percentminority,with48percentAfricanAmerican,28percentWhite,13percentAsian,6percentHispanic,and5percentotherethnicities.

UniversityCityhasimprovedconsiderablyinthedecadesincetheUniversitylaunchedtheWestPhiladelphiaInitiatives.Housepricesinthetargetzonehaveappreciatedgreatly,promptingtheUniversitytoexpandthegeographicareaforwhichitoffersemployer-assistancetohomepurchasers.ThechallengeUniversityCitynowfacesistomanageitsgrowthsoastoretainaneconomicallyandraciallydiversepopulation.


Revere Elementary School - chicago

In1999,GaryComer,thefounderofLands’End,visitedhischildhoodelementaryschool.Onhistour,hewasdistressedtoseenewcomputersintheschoolwithnonetworkconnectionsorsufficientelectricalpower.ThisconcernspurredapartnershipbetweenRevereSchoolandtheComerScienceandEducationFoundationthatbeganwithnetworkingtheschoolandgrewtoencompasscommunityredevelopmentactivitiesintheschool’sattendancezone.

TheFoundation’sinvestmentsintheschoolareguidedbythreeprimarygoals:(1)decreasestudentmobility1withinRevere;(2)increaseReverestudents’academicperformancetomeetorexceedstatewideaverages;and(3)supportRevere’seighthgradegraduatestocompletehighschool.RevereisatraditionalPK-8publicschoolwithapproximately560students,almostallofwhomareAfrican-Americanandqualifyforfreeorreducedpricelunch.TheneighborhoodinwhichtheRevereSchoolislocatedisextremelychallenged.In1999,basedonCensusdata,aboutathirdofhouseholdsintheRevereCommunitylivedbelowthepovertyline,athirdoftheadultpopulationhadnotgraduatedfromhighschool,andthemedianhouseholdincomewasapproximately$25,500.

Inthefirstthreeyearsofitsinvolvement,theFoundationfocusedexclusivelyonschool-basedimprovementssuchasestablishingnewcomputerlabs,equippingeachclassroomwithcomputers,purchasingreadingandmathsoftware,andprovidingteachertrainingonthenewlyacquiredsoftware.Withrestricted“buyin”fromteachers,theinvestmentshadlimitedsuccessinitially.However,thissupportwascombinedwiththestrongefforttobringonnewstaff,overallstudentperformanceimproved.MorethanhalfofthestudentsscoredproficientorhigheronIllinoisstatetestsin2006,whereasonly20percentdidsoin2002.

Atthesametime,withstudentmobilityrateshoveringaroundone-third,theFoundationfeltfromthestartthatitsinvestmentsinschoolimprovementswouldbeinsufficienttomeetthechallengesstudentsfaced.Thelogicwasthatincreasingparentalandcommunityinvolvementintheschoolandincreasingparentalincome(throughjobtraining,GEDcourses,andsocialservices)woulddiscouragethetransferofstudentsoutoftheschool.

Comer’sneighborhoodinvestmentbeganin2002withstrategicplanningfortheschoolandcommunitybyFoundationofficialsandtheschool’sprincipal.ThisresultedinmonthlymeetingswiththeRevereschoolprincipalandcommunityresidentsandchangesattheschoolsuchaskeepingtheschoolopenlatetoofferGEDandcomputercoursesforadults.Themonthlymeetingsalsoledtotherevivalofresident-ledblockclubs—neighborhoodassociationsforresidentstostrategizehowtoimprovetheblockonwhichtheylive—withtheFoundationhiringafull-timecommunityorganizertoprovidetechnicalassistanceandleadershiptothe10blockclubsthatemerged.

Meanwhile,theFoundationhiredanumberofotherstafftoaugmenttheschool’sprogrammingandtocoordinatetheinterfacebetweenneighborhoodandschoolservices.Thesehiresincludeafull-

1 StudentmobilityisdefinedhereasanyenrollmentchangebetweenthefirstschooldayinOctoberandthelastdayoftheschoolyear.

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timesocialworkerplacedatRevere,acommunityschoolresourcecoordinator,andaRevereAlumniAssociationcoordinatorwhotracksgraduatesofReveretooffercontinuedsupportsuchastutoringandmentoringsothatReverestudentsfinishhighschool.TheFoundation’sinvestmentinafterschoolprogrammingledtoitsconstructionofa$30millionyouthcenterthatopeneditsdoorsinJune2006.

TheFoundationhasalsocontributedtophysicalimprovementstotheneighborhood.Asof2002,theFoundationpartneredwiththeCity’sNeighborhoodHousingServicestooffercommunityhomeownershomeimprovementassistancethroughtheRevereNeighborhoodHousingImprovementProgram.In2003,theFoundationformedaLimitedLiabilityCorporation(LLC),RevereCommunityHousingDevelopment,todevelopRevereRun,adevelopmentprojectof90for-salehomes,whicharemadeaffordableviaFoundation-fundedsubordinatemortgagesprovidedtopurchasers.Thesubsidyistieredoverthethreephasesofconstructionsuchthatthelargestamount($80,000mortgages)wasofferedinphaseoneand$50,000mortgagesareofferedinphasetwo.Thefirst30homeswereconstructedin2004-05,andtheLLCiscurrentlycompletingthesecondphase.Since2004-05,theFoundationhassentover25communityresidentsthroughpre-apprenticeshipconstructiontraining.Sincegraduatingfromthetrainingprogram,communityresidentshavebeenpartofmultipleneighborhoodconstructionprojects,includingtheGaryComerYouthCenter,RevereRunhomes,andnewgaragesforcommunityhomeowners.

TheFoundationaugmentsitsowninvestmentswithpartnershipsfromotherChicagoinstitutions.Forexample,theSchoolofSocialServiceAdministrationattheUniversityofChicagoannuallyplacesuptosevensocialworkinternsamongthevariouscomponentsoftheinitiative.CityYearprovidesvolunteersfordailyone-on-onetutoringforstudentsandassistswithafter-schoolprogramming.TheUniversityofChicagoHospitalsprovidesfreeimmunizationsforReverestudentsthroughitsMobileHealthVanProgram.

AlthoughthepercentageofReverestudentswhoscoreproficientorhigheronstatetestshasmorethandoubledoverthelastfouryears,increasingstudentachievementatRevereisstilltheprimaryfocusoftheFoundation.Inaddition,evenwithitsinvestmentintheyouthcenterandRevereAlumniAssociation,theFoundationisexploringthepossibilityofestablishingorpartneringwithanewpublichighschool.TheFoundationisalsoworkingwithcommunityresidents,citydepartments,andcityofficialstocontinuesupportingfuturerevitalizationeffortsforthecommunitysuchasTaxIncrementFinancing(TIF)designationandbeautificationprojects.


William Pinderhughes Elementary School and George G. Kelson Elementary/Middle School in Sandtown-Winchester - baltiMoRe

Sandtown-Winchesterisalarge,predominantlyAfrican-AmericanneighborhoodlocatedaboutthreemilesnorthwestofdowntownBaltimore.Itisastrugglingneighborhood,withapovertyratein2000of34percent,highratesofsingle-parenthouseholds,andlowlevelsofeducationalattainment.Sandtown-Winchesterhasbeenthefocusofacomprehensiveneighborhoodrevitalizationeffortsince1990.EnterpriseCommunityPartners,inpartnershipwiththeCityandneighborhoodresidents,leadsthateffort.Thevisionfortheneighborhoodincludesimprovingopportunitiesforexistingresidentsandattractingnewstable,low-moderateincomehouseholdstothecommunity.

Alongsidethedevelopmentofaffordablehousingthatincludesmorethan600homeownershipunits,capacitybuildingforcommunity-basedorganizations,andjobtrainingforneighborhoodresidents,amajorcomponentoftheNeighborhoodTransformationInitiativeisschoolimprovement.In1995,EnterpriseenteredintoanagreementwiththeBaltimoreCityPublicSchoolSystemtointroducecurriculumreform,academicenrichmentprograms,professionaldevelopment,andsocialservicesatthreeoftheelementaryschoolsservingSandtown-Winchester.TheEnterpriseBaltimoreEducationInitiativebeganwitha$1milliongrantfromtheAnnenbergFoundationandhassincereceivednumeroussmallergrantsfromfoundationsandcorporatedonors.In1999,theInitiativereceivedanadditionalunsolicited$1milliongrantfromtheAnnenbergChallengetocontinueitswork.

Ateachoftheschools,newprincipalswerehiredandnewcurriculaintroducedin1997.Theschoolswerenotformallyreconstitutedbutsometeacherswereencouragedtoretireortransfertomakeroomforteacherswhosupportedtheschool’svision.Oneoftheschoolsfailedtoimplementthereformsand,in2000,wasplacedunderstatereconstitutionandprivatemanagement.Attheothertwoschools,WilliamH.PinderhughesandGeorgeG.KelsonElementary,thereformswerefullyimplemented.

BothschoolsusetheDirectInstructionandCoreKnowledgecurricula.DirectInstructionishighlyscriptedandinvolvescontinuousassessment.TheEducationInitiativechoseDirectInstructiontoachievebasicskillsimprovementsinashortperiodoftimeandtomitigatetheeffectsofthehighratesofstudentmobilityandteacherturnover,whichhavebeenmajorproblemsinthiscommunity.CoreKnowledgeisaresearch-basedcurriculumthatfocusesonteachingacommoncoreofconcepts,skills,andknowledgetypicallypossessedbyeducated,“culturallyliterate”peopleintheUnitedStates.ItislessscriptedthanDirectInstructionandcoversabroaderrangeofsubjectmatter.TheEducationInitiativeprovidedteacherswithtraininginbothDirectInstructionandCoreKnowledge.

In2003,theBaltimoreEducationInitiativereceivedpermissionfromtheschoolboardtoexpandKelsonSchoolthroughtheeighthgrade,inordertoprotecttheacademicgainsmadebychildrengraduatingfromelementaryschool.Theexpansionwascompletedin2005andelementaryschoolstudentsfrombothKelsonandPinderhughesnowattendmiddleschoolatKelson.ResultshavebeengoodforthosechildrenwhohavecompletedbothelementaryschoolandmiddleschoolundertheEducationInitiative–includingadmittancetosomeofthemostprestigiouspublichighschoolsinthecity.TheInitiativerecentlyestablishedarelationshipwithoneofthecity’salternativehighschools

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toprovideanacademicallyenrichedandsupportivehighschooloptionforPinderhughesandKelsongraduates.

TestscoresatthetwoschoolshavealsoimproveddramaticallysincethestartoftheInitiative.In1998,just15percentoffirstgradersatKelsonmetnationalstandardsforreading.By2003,thispercentagehadincreasedto64percent.Similarly,thepercentageofPinderhughesfirstgradersmeetingreadingstandardswentfrom19percentin1998to78percentin2003,reachingahighof88percentin2001.However,theacademicachievementandschoolculturethattheInitiativehasachievedintheelementaryschoolshasbeenchallengedinrecentyearsatthemiddleschoolbylargenumbersofstudentstransferringinfromfailingschoolselsewhereinthecity.WhilePinderhugheshasmetAdequateYearlyProgress(AYP)requirementsontheMarylandStateAssessmenteveryyearsince2003,KelsonfailedtomeetAYPrequirementsin2005and2006.

ThegoaloftheBaltimoreEducationInitiativeistoprovideacontinuumofsupportforstudentsandtheirfamiliesfromearlychildhoodtohighschool.Inadditiontothecurriculumandteachingreformsdescribedabove,theInitiativefeaturesanearlychildhoodeducationprogram(HIPPY,HomeInstructionforParentsofPre-SchoolYoungsters);additionalacademicsupports(summerschool,musicenrichment,libraryrenovations,computerlabs);healthandmentalhealthclinicsatthetwoschools;andmentoring.Also,acommunityresourcecenter(CRC)hasopenedatKelsonSchoolandisplannedforPinderhughesnextyear.TheCRCconnectstheschoolstothecommunitybyprovidingtechnologyandliteracytrainingforadultsandreferralstosupportiveservices.TheCRCcoordinatorisanemployeeofacommunity-basedorganization,nottheschool.Thisallowstheschoolprincipaltofocusoninstructionalleadership,whiletheCRCcoordinatorfocusesonaddressingthenon-academicneedsofparentsandstudentsandbuildingrelationshipswithlocalserviceorganizations.ThegoalisfortheCRCtoserveasavehicleforcommunitypartnershipsthatwillhelpsustaintheschoolimprovementeffort.Tothisend,Enterpriseisalsosupportingacommunityschoolsinitiativecitywide.

EnterpriseAmericanCityBuilding10227WincopinCircleColumbia,MD21044410.964.1230|800.624.4298410.964.1918faxwww.enterprisecommunity.org

reconnecting schools and...

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