Smaller, Safer, Saner Successful Schools. - National Clearinghouse ...

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH ON SMALL SCHOOLS AND SHARED FACILITIESstudents for full participation in theintellectual, economic and civic lifeof our society, by ensuring their fullpreparation and access to furthereducation, the skills and vision to undertakea rewarding career, and themotivation and character needed toengage deeply and productively incommunity life. We view parents andcommunity members as integral partnersin this endeavor.”Impact on Students: Boston Globeeditorial called the school’s graduationrate and statewide test scores“outstanding.” 100% of the 2005, 2006and 2007 students were accepted at4-year colleges and universities.Alumni current enrollment includesBates, Brandeis, Boston College,Bowdoin, Holy Cross, Kentucky State,Mount Holyoke, Marrieta, Regis, NorthCarolina A&T, Northeastern, Trinity,Wentworth, UMass-Amherst, andUtica. Documentary film, “Voices ofCodman Alumni” featuring interviewson college campuses produced bystudents at Harvard Graduate Schoolof Education is available from theschool.For further information, ContactCodman Academy Charter PublicSchool, 637 Washington Street,Dorchester, MA 02124.www.codmanacademy.org41a: 100% of the graduating seniorshave been accepted to four year colleges.42a: Students meet with MassachusettsGovernor Deval Patrick. 42b:Codman student at her internship.Frederick DouglassAcademyHarlem, New York CityFrederick Douglas Academy is locatedon the northern end ofHarlem in New York City.Approximately 90 percent of the studentsgraduate within four years ofentering, compared to a city-wideaverage of about 50 percent. Opento all students, Frederick DouglassAcademy and its founding principalhave been featured on “60 Minutes,”former Congressman John Kasich’stelevision, Heroes, ESPN: Between theLines, and Queer Eye for the StraightGuy.Key educational features.Frederick Douglass Academy enrolls1,450 students in grades 6 through 12.Unlike some “exam high schools” inNew York City, Douglass does not requirestudents to score well on a testto enroll. The school is a monument totough love—students wear uniformsand expectations are high. Theschool’s goal is to “provide a rich,vigorous, and challenging academiccurriculum that will enable our studentsto enter the college of theirchoice.” The school is not just namedfor Frederick Douglass; it embodieshis resolution. The school’s motto—“Without struggle, there is noprogress”—which appears at its frontentrance, comes from one of hisspeeches. Douglass’s picture is featuredthroughout the building.Beginning with the sixth grade, theschool is committed to preparing itsstudents for college. The collegecounseling office is open every dayuntil 4:00 p.m. and from noon to 4:00p.m. two Saturdays per month. Thecollege counselor meets with seniorsweekly to make sure they are followingthrough with the college admissionsprocess. The school’s attitude,as explained by the college counselor,is “We know our children can succeed.We work with them and theirfamilies to make sure it happens.”The school also has tutoring until6pm and is open 6 days a week. OnSaturday, Science labs, math and sciencetutorials, SAT prep classes andsports are offered. Every year atleast 98% of the graduating classgoes to college and this far exceedsthe city average. The key toFrederick Academy’s success is ateam of dedicated teachers who43