/small-schools Small Schools en-US 2021 (c) °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:08:58 GMT /leadership/video-how-to-support-early-career-teachers-advice-from-native-educators/2023/12 They were new teachers fresh out of a graduate program to create a Native teacher pipeline. Today, neither is still in that position. Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:08:58 GMT /leadership/video-how-to-support-early-career-teachers-advice-from-native-educators/2023/12 /policy-politics/opinion-can-a-network-of-tiny-teacher-led-montessoris-spread-like-wildflowers/2023/11 Do the strengths of this school network hold lessons for traditional public schools? Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:00:00 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-can-a-network-of-tiny-teacher-led-montessoris-spread-like-wildflowers/2023/11 /policy-politics/opinion-what-the-heck-are-microschools/2023/05 Microschooling aims to create a more active learning environment for students than what's found in traditional school systems. Wed, 31 May 2023 10:00:00 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-what-the-heck-are-microschools/2023/05 /teaching-learning/resilience-faith-and-support-how-twin-brothers-forged-diverging-paths-to-college/2021/09 Twin brothers from rural Arkansas reflect on their path to college in the midst of the pandemic. Tue, 21 Sep 2021 18:30:59 GMT /teaching-learning/resilience-faith-and-support-how-twin-brothers-forged-diverging-paths-to-college/2021/09 /education/opinion-how-school-districts-cities-and-cbos-use-microschools-to-innovate/2018/08 Tom Vander Ark & Hassan Hassan share a guide to microschools as a source of innovation for school districts, community-based organizations, companies, and civic organization. Sun, 19 Aug 2018 10:00:00 GMT /education/opinion-how-school-districts-cities-and-cbos-use-microschools-to-innovate/2018/08 /leadership/opinion-whats-the-next-big-idea-microschool-networks/2017/04 Microschools have been popping up around the country for the last decade with great success, so let's make it easier to launch these schools by creating supportive networks. Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:00:00 GMT /leadership/opinion-whats-the-next-big-idea-microschool-networks/2017/04 /leadership/opinion-4-lessons-small-school-communities-can-teach-us/2016/04 School communities need a balance of "formal" democracy and civic agency. Thu, 28 Apr 2016 13:12:00 GMT /leadership/opinion-4-lessons-small-school-communities-can-teach-us/2016/04 /leadership/opinion-the-roles-of-direct-versus-indirect-power-in-school-communities/2016/04 Who has the right to change the rules of the game to initiate public work? Who chooses its so-called leaders who speak for the whole? Thu, 21 Apr 2016 13:11:00 GMT /leadership/opinion-the-roles-of-direct-versus-indirect-power-in-school-communities/2016/04 /leadership/opinion-small-schools-the-edu-reform-failure-that-wasnt/2016/02 Were small schools just another failed school improvement effort, or do they actually work? Jack Schneider's answer is both. Wed, 10 Feb 2016 02:51:01 GMT /leadership/opinion-small-schools-the-edu-reform-failure-that-wasnt/2016/02 /policy-politics/what-is-a-micro-school-and-where-can-you-find-one/2016/01 Some experts predict micro schools have the potential to shake up the private school sector. But what, exactly, is a micro school? Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:43:51 GMT /policy-politics/what-is-a-micro-school-and-where-can-you-find-one/2016/01 /policy-politics/micro-schools-could-be-new-competition-for-private-k-12/2016/01 The growth in the number of small, personalized, and more affordable "micro schools" is seen as the first innovation in the private school sector in decades. Wed, 27 Jan 2016 02:27:46 GMT /policy-politics/micro-schools-could-be-new-competition-for-private-k-12/2016/01 /policy-politics/micro-schools-network-that-fuses-technology-and-instruction-expands-to-chicago/2015/11 Founded by Google's former head of personalization, AltSchools focuses on personalized instruction driven heavily by technology. Wed, 25 Nov 2015 15:10:43 GMT /policy-politics/micro-schools-network-that-fuses-technology-and-instruction-expands-to-chicago/2015/11 /teaching-learning/alaska-educators-fight-to-keep-small-schools-open/2015/10 Nearly 60 small, rural Alaska schools could close if lawmakers increase the minimum student enrollment number needed to get full state funding. Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:50:15 GMT /teaching-learning/alaska-educators-fight-to-keep-small-schools-open/2015/10 /policy-politics/opinion-priorities-for-a-progressive-education-agenda/2015/05 Today Deborah Meier and Joe Nathan describe what their priorities for a progressive education agenda. Thu, 21 May 2015 11:30:40 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-priorities-for-a-progressive-education-agenda/2015/05 /teaching-learning/opinion-why-public-school-choice-should-be-part-of-school-improvement-efforts/2015/05 isn't one of the central principles in a democracy, the power of citizens to make choices and decisions, within some limits? Also, don't we know that there's no single design/curriculum/organization for a school in which all students succeed? I think the answer is "yes." So public school choice, including chartering, with schools open to all - no admissions tests - should be part of what we work for. Thu, 14 May 2015 13:02:59 GMT /teaching-learning/opinion-why-public-school-choice-should-be-part-of-school-improvement-efforts/2015/05 /education/opinion-the-micro-school-opportunity/2015/05 New learning tools and strategies have created the opportunity to quickly open "micro-schools" as a school-within-a-school or as low cost private schools. Varying in size, cost, philosophies, and operating models, they share a focus in personalization. Micro-schools have the potential to scale rapidly as school-within-a-school models and new schools. Tue, 05 May 2015 21:30:00 GMT /education/opinion-the-micro-school-opportunity/2015/05 /education/opinion-what-are-small-learning-communities-how-do-they-work/2015/04 The new "question-of-the-week" is: What are 'Small Learning Communities' (dividing large campuses into special interest small schools) and how do they work? Thu, 30 Apr 2015 00:36:22 GMT /education/opinion-what-are-small-learning-communities-how-do-they-work/2015/04 /policy-politics/opinion-wise-bill-gives-district-teachers-money-to-help-start-new-schools/2015/04 Jim Bartholomew and Louise Sundin often do not agree on education issues. Bartholomew lobbies for the Minnesota Business Partnership, the state's largest corporations. Sundin is former president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, and former American Federation of Teachers vice-president. Last week they agreed. They both supported a bill with bi-partisan support that Minnesota legislators are considering. The bill would provide startup funds, helping district public school teachers create "teacher led schools." Tue, 14 Apr 2015 12:04:50 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-wise-bill-gives-district-teachers-money-to-help-start-new-schools/2015/04 /leadership/report-vermonts-smallest-schools-a-financial-drain/2015/04 The report found that there is an enrollment threshold at which small schools are no longer financially and academically viable. Fri, 03 Apr 2015 16:58:27 GMT /leadership/report-vermonts-smallest-schools-a-financial-drain/2015/04 /leadership/opinion-what-are-school-leaders-most-important-qualities/2015/03 We agree that if you want a distinctive school to last, you need to develop other professional staff who can lead. Sun, 08 Mar 2015 23:57:47 GMT /leadership/opinion-what-are-school-leaders-most-important-qualities/2015/03 /policy-politics/opinion-sharing-facilities-can-help-students-and-schools/2015/02 Two or more schools can share space in a building, or share space with other organizations. Or they can do both. Sharing space can be done badly. But skillful sharing has many benefits for students, families and educators. Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:46:46 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-sharing-facilities-can-help-students-and-schools/2015/02 /policy-politics/opinion-what-assessment-system-would-serve-students-society/2015/02 "From my perspective, using a variety of measures, including some selected at the local school level by educators, families and students,is the best way to capture the broad array of things each school is trying to do." Tue, 17 Feb 2015 15:45:00 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-what-assessment-system-would-serve-students-society/2015/02 /policy-politics/opinion-can-we-bring-the-charter-school-movement-under-one-umbrella/2015/02 I'd love to figure out a way we could join together to create a charter movement that brings us together under one umbrella to fight for better charter or pilot legislation that will preserve the best of 'public-ness' and the best of 'private-ness.' Tue, 10 Feb 2015 15:22:14 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-can-we-bring-the-charter-school-movement-under-one-umbrella/2015/02 /teaching-learning/opinion-a-new-better-deal-for-teachers-and-families/2015/02 Many public school educators are frustrated. Fortunately, there's a growing movement to give teachers, along with families, a new, better deal. This empowers teachers to create, as options, new schools that reflect their views about how schools should be organized. Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:40:00 GMT /teaching-learning/opinion-a-new-better-deal-for-teachers-and-families/2015/02 /policy-politics/opinion-moving-ahead-on-3-dreams/2015/01 Nathan: Let's begin with Antonia, Jennifer, Khalique and your encouragement to dream. Thu, 29 Jan 2015 11:30:00 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-moving-ahead-on-3-dreams/2015/01 /leadership/proposed-changes-in-vermont-a-threat-to-rural-schools-report-says/2015/01 The report found that consolidation and removal of grants would not improve rural schools and communities. Thu, 15 Jan 2015 20:07:45 GMT /leadership/proposed-changes-in-vermont-a-threat-to-rural-schools-report-says/2015/01 /policy-politics/opinion-wise-woeful-school-choice-plans/2015/01 Nathan: School choice is a powerful tool that needs to be used carefully. I think you and I agree on this. Thu, 15 Jan 2015 11:54:10 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-wise-woeful-school-choice-plans/2015/01 /policy-politics/opinion-my-love-hate-relationship-with-choice/2015/01 Meier: Maybe if teachers had time to know each other, their students, and families personally, they'd grow to trust each other as partners. Tue, 13 Jan 2015 07:13:00 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-my-love-hate-relationship-with-choice/2015/01 /policy-politics/opinion-when-charters-are-more-like-chain-stores-than-small-schools/2015/01 Meier: When looking at charter schools what I mostly see are chains operating more like Wal-Marts than mom-and-pop stores, with authority more distant from the children and families. Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:26:00 GMT /policy-politics/opinion-when-charters-are-more-like-chain-stores-than-small-schools/2015/01 /teaching-learning/opinion-can-schools-act-as-a-force-against-racism/2014/12 Meier: What are the lessons in equality that young people absorb through the structuring of schools, and how do they match the "civics" lessons they may be receiving formally? Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:25:00 GMT /teaching-learning/opinion-can-schools-act-as-a-force-against-racism/2014/12