The Next Generation:

Recommendation and Executive Summary

Recommendation

It is the consensus of the Advisory Committee to Develop the High School Education Plan that there be three 9-12 high schools in Juneau: two comprehensive “reformed” high schools of similar size—which will each offer at least three theme-based academies, and an alternative high school of about 200 students which will offer a single theme-based academy. All entering students and their families will receive information and guidance in choosing a school based on a student’s potential interest in an academy or based on other factors, such as size or proximity of the school. Beginning in August 2008, all freshmen in all three high schools will belong to a ninth grade small learning community ranging from 50 to 150 students. Students will be connected to a small group of peers and to an adult advocate through an ongoing advisory program which will help them transition into the academy of their choice beginning in tenth grade. All students in grades ten through twelve will participate in an academy, but may transition among them. All academies will be expected to provide relevant and rigorous instruction which targets post-high school preparation while delivering core classes meeting state standards, including those addressing cultural responsiveness. Comprehensive athletic and activities programs, including intramurals, will be implemented at JDHS and TMHS with Yaakoosge Daakahidi offering its own extracurricular activities and sports program.  The school district will lead a community effort to work for stable and adequate funding to improve equitable and affordable access and expansion of extra curricular activities and sports.   A first-year phase-in will include ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders. This allows current sophomores (the graduating class of 2009) to complete their studies in a generalized comprehensive program at JDHS.  A team of secondary education administrators will be charged with ensuring the implementation of this proposal.

Executive Summary

In December of 2006, a 35-member group comprised of students, parents, coaches, university officials, cultural representatives, business owners, school district administrators, and other school staff was invited to form in preparation for the opening of Thunder Mountain High School in August, 2008. This diverse group was named the “Advisory Committee to Develop the High School Educational Plan” and its months-long effort was dubbed, “The Next Generation: Our Kids, Our Community.”

Between December and May the Advisory Committee met ten times, totaling more than 38 hours, to discuss the future of secondary education in Juneau.  From January through March, a series of ten school-based public forums, five community-based public forums, and student forums at the middle schools, JDHS, and Yaakoosge Daakahidi were held. In addition to disseminating research and model programs under consideration at three all-day open house presentations, meetings were held with specific interest groups, such as sports coaches and members of the Alaska Native Community. A forum was also held for high school staff to examine the various models and get their feedback.  A website was developed to document the process and inform the community of the decisions made by the Advisory Committee.  This website logged over 3,000 visits during this time period.  Meetings were facilitated and documented by Colorado educators David Schmid and Linda Fiorella.

Advisory Committee members:

• analyzed data related to local high-school-age students;
• studied research about best education practices;
• studied public comments collected the public forums and open houses;
• used the data and public comments to establish descriptors of what high school success should look like and what every graduate should be able to do;
• agreed upon four priorities which emerged from the data, research, and community feedback: unity, equity, personalization, and choice;
• established a set of seven key beliefs to guide decision making;
• came to consensus on ten key components which must be the foundation of any configuration of high school students in this community;
• developed five proposals for public review;
• participated in the hire of a principal for Thunder Mountain High School;
• following public comment, narrowed the proposals to two (9-10/11-12 and comprehensive 9-12 high schools with academies);
• following discussions with current high schools using these two models, came to consensus on a single recommendation.

• A single school with two campuses split by grades 9-10/11-12
• Two comprehensive 9-12 high schools, each with "small learning communities"
• Three schools of varying sizes (1,000; 400; 150) with varying curricula and structures
• A series of five small schools (some sharing the same building) each with a special focus
• Career academies with connections to the business community

All of the proposals envisioned incorporation of some sort of "small learning communities" from which students and families could choose, rather than dividing the town by geographic boundaries, features which are consistent with the four priorities of unity, equity, personalization, and choice. Feedback from the three all day open houses held in March indicated community interest in either a 9/10-11/12 split or two 9-12 high schools.

Additional research however revealed negative impacts of the 9-10/11-12 split configuration. For example, up to $1.4 million in state funding would be jeopardized by having one school on two campuses. Having two separate schools overcomes the financial challenges but loses some of the benefits of one school on two campuses, such as sports. Among the thousands of school districts across the country, the facilitators could find only a handful which split their high schools in such a way. Interviews with officials in Minot, ND, where grade-split campuses are just a mile apart, indicated that students were more likely to drop out after leaving the 9-10 school and before entering the 11-12 school, and neither school "owned" the problem. This model did not appear to have the capacity to address one of the most pressing challenges evidenced by local data: that one-third of Juneau's high school students do not graduate on time in four years with their peers.. Thus, 9-12 reformed comprehensive high schools of choice which focus on ninth graders through interdisciplinary teams, which align grades 10-12 along theme-based academies of special interests, which connect each student with an advisor, and which offer expanded, affordable accessible activities and sports became the consensus of the team.