The CRPE/Mathematica studies of non-profit charter management organizations (CMOs) (see here and here) highlighted some of the common educational strategies used by CMOs. A new project, Students at the Center, aims to provide educators with resources on key components of student-centered approaches in the era of Common Core Standards. The project’s newest reportlooks at whether high performing school districts and CMOs are utilizing student-centered strategies in ways that fundamentally change schooling for students.
The project defines student-centered approaches as “those that engage each student in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and expertise needed for college and career success.” Specifically, student-centered approaches are those that:
Embrace the learner’s experience and learning theory as the starting point of education;
Harness the full range of learning experiences at all times of the day, week, and year;
Expand and reshape the role of the educator; and
Determine progression based upon mastery.
The study finds that nearly all of the school districts and CMOs examined use at least some student-centered strategies. The CMOs appear to use student-centered approaches with a greater percentage of their students than the traditional school districts. Moreover, the study indicates that it will be more difficult for school districts to make changes to embrace student-centered approaches since they lack the flexibility built into the public charter school model. The table below shows some of the strategies used by the 25 CMOs examined in the report. Source: Levin, B., A. Datnow, & N. Carrier. (2012). Changing school district practices. Washington, DC: Students at the Center.
Menu
