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Seeking external support
Design teams should make a plan for seeking external support throughout the Storming stage. External support is the means by which teams secure financial support for the design phase and political support for their autonomy and school proposal.
Often, teams designate one or two members to handle these highly important responsibilities. In many cases, teams’ autonomy and school proposals have secured approval swiftly because of the political support cultivated (and pitfalls avoided) during the Storming stage. Your team should expect to educate potential supporters about teacher-powered schools and the nature of your specific proposal, listen carefully to any concerns, determine your responses to those concerns, and then educate some more.
Financial support for the start-up process
One big question on teachers’ minds as they design their new school is whether they can receive compensation during the planning and start-up process. Some teams have secured start-up grants (very small to very large in size), while others have started schools without any financial support. We highlight organizations and philanthropies that work with both district models and/or charter models below to help provide the resources needed for new schools.
- Building Hope (https://buildinghope.org/). Website. “Non-profit facilities, financial, and operational services for charter schools. Building Hope’s decades of expertise in finance, real estate and charter school operations provides schools with the advantage of having a high-level professional partner with a shared mission of creating high-quality, innovative charter schools. Our impact shines in the students and families whose lives are forever transformed through the power of great education. We build community. We build schools. We build hope.”
- Charter School Capital (https://charterschoolcapital.com/). Website. “Charter School Capital provides money and resources to charter schools with the vision of giving every kid a nourishing school environment where they can flourish. “
Political support for your autonomy and school proposal
In addition to seeking financial support, your team should investigate who might politically support your school proposal and your team’s quest for autonomy, including state leaders, district leaders, union and association leaders, charter authorizers, business community members, foundations, parents, universities, nonprofits, and other community organizations.
Sharing your team’s plans with these parties will help you discover connections and ideas for your proposal’s success. You might also learn about potential obstacles facing your teacher-powered school, which would give your team time to determine how to overcome them.
Resources
Identifying start-up funding sources: National Foundations
The National Education Association: Great Public Schools Fund
Website. The NEA will award up to $250,000 to local affiliates, state affiliates, or partnerships between local and state affiliates.
Next Generation Learning Challenges Grants
Website. Check out the NGLC website to learn more about their planning and launch grants for new school models that align with Next Generation Learning principles.
NewSchools Venture Fund Innovative Schools Portfolio
Website. NSVF is providing grant funding and customized support to teams of educators across the U.S. who are designing schools that prepare and inspire each and every student to reach his or her most ambitious dreams.
The Walton Family Foundation Public Charter Startup Grant Program
Website. The Walton Family Foundation awards grants for school startups and charter management organizations.
Identifying start-up funding sources: Local Foundations
Philadelphia School Partnership Great Schools Fund
Website. Teachers in Philadelphia can apply for new school startup funding, including for teacher-powered schools, through the Philadelphia School Partnership.
Successful techniques for securing political support
The Relational Bank Account
Article. It’s okay to ask others to do things, and a pattern of reciprocation (I’ll do what you ask, and you’ll do what I ask) is a powerful foundation for a relationship. When your relational account balance is high, you can afford to make some withdrawals to secure support for your school's proposal.
A Toolkit for More and Better Learning Time
Website. If your state, district, or school has a More and Better Learning Time or Expanded Learning Time initiative, you might be able to use it as an entry point for transitioning to a teacher-powered school. This link contains tools for developing communications strategies and skills for influencing stakeholders.
Securing Autonomy: Discussion Starters for Creating a Teacher-Powered School
Discussion Starters. Teams starting or improving a teacher-powered school should use this resource to explore ideas and tips that are important for teams to know as they author proposals, including how to navigate politics, how to position the role of the board, and which areas of autonomy are "musts."
Tools and ideas to appeal to: state leaders
California Governor Jerry Brown’s State of the State Speech
Commentary. As Valerie Strauss reports, Governor Brown called for more local control of school issues, saying: “I would prefer to trust our teachers who are in the classroom each day, doing the real work—lighting fires in young minds.”
Colorado Innovation Schools Act of 2008
Statute and resources. Under this Act, the Colorado Department of Education provides additional flexibility to schools and districts to develop innovative practices, better meet the needs of individual students and allow more autonomy to make decisions at the school-level. Innovation plans can include teacher-powered schools.
Maine Statute: An Act To Develop a Grant Program To Establish a Teacher-Powered School Model
Bill. In 2013, the Maine Legislature passed the first bill to develop a grant program to establish a teacher-powered school model.
Minnesota HR2 Omnibus Education Bill: Minnesota Site-Governed Schools Legislation
Bill. In 2009, the Minnesota Legislature passed a statute authorizing creation of a new type of district public school that incorporates autonomy, flexibility, and accountability.
For States Creating Teacher Policies, a Suggestion: Talk to Teachers
Commentary. Jeff Austin, Coordinator at the teacher-powered Social Justice Humanitas Academy, argues that the "big ideas" for improving teaching quality can come from asking teachers (especially those who are designing and running innovative schools).
Realizing Deeper Learning: The Economics and Achievements of Teacher-Powered Schools
Report. This report examines the economics of two teacher-powered charter schools, finding both schools expand definitions of achievement and improve student outcomes without increased costs.
Pathways to Understanding, Supporting, and Increasing Educator Autonomy in Rhode Island, 2014
Report. The Rhode Island Educator Autonomy Working Group makes actionable recommendations to advance Governor Chafee's objective of promoting student success by allowing decisions about education to be made as close to the student level as is practical and effective.
Teach to Lead: Advancing Teacher Leadership
Website. Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, announced the 2014 launch of the Teach to Lead initiative and provided a rationale.
Teach to Lead: Leadership Labs
Website. Teach to Lead is an initiative jointly convened by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the U.S. Department of Education to advance student outcomes by expanding opportunities for teacher leadership. One means of advancing outcomes is through Leadership Labs. These are local or state-focused events focused on building stakeholder support and momentum for a specific teacher leadership idea. One such lab helped teachers at Playa del Rey Elementary School explore a teacher-powered, distributed leadership model after their principal, who had created a collaborative teacher leadership culture, departed. Leadership labs are selected from Teach to Lead Summit participants. Educators may submit their teacher-powered idea to Teach to Lead which could then be selected for a Leadership Lab.
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 163-167)
Book. What can state leaders do to support teacher-powered schools? This section offers some ideas, including meeting with teacher-powered school leaders to identify and determine how to remove barriers to cultivating high-performing cultures.
What Could State Governors Do in Order to Establish Legally Protected Zones of Professional Practice for Teachers?
Commentary and bill summary. In this EdSource piece, Charles Taylor Kerchner offers some answers to the question, “What could state governors do in order to establish legally protected zones of professional practice for teachers?”
Union Leader’s Testimony for Bill to Grant District Teachers Money to Help Start Teacher-Powered Schools
Testimony. Louise Sundin, who served 25 years as a national vice president of the American Federation of Teachers and 22 years as president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59, testifies that to improve the quality of teaching, Minnesota needs to improve the quality of the teaching job. And, if Minnesota really improves that job, it would attract and retain good people.
Wise Bill Gives District Teachers Money to Help Start New Teacher-Powered Schools
Commentary. Minnesota State Senator Greg Clausen and Representative Roz Peterson are authors of a bill that the Minnesota Legislature considered in the 2015 session, with bipartisan support as well as support from union and corporate leaders. The bill, likely to be reconsidered in 2016, would have provided startup funds, helping district public school teachers create teacher-powered schools. Joe Nathan and Deborah Meier discuss the bill's merits in this commentary.
Tools and ideas to appeal to: district leaders
Managing School Autonomy
Commentary. Kim Farris-Berg explores the question: As teacher-powered schools increase in number, will administrators set the right conditions for them to succeed?
Minnesota HR2 Omnibus Education Bill: Minnesota Site-Governed Schools Legislation
Bill. In 2009, the Minnesota Legislature passed a statute authorizing creation of a new type of district public school that incorporates autonomy, flexibility, and accountability.
The Path Forward: School Autonomy and Its Implications for the Future of Boston’s Public Schools
Report. Education Resource Strategies and Center for Collaborative Education explore the question of how Boston Public Schools can strengthen and support autonomy and accountability across its portfolio to promote innovation for equity and high performance.
Teach to Lead: Leadership Labs
Website. Teach to Lead is an initiative jointly convened by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the U.S. Department of Education to advance student outcomes by expanding opportunities for teacher leadership. One means of advancing outcomes is through Leadership Labs. These are local or state-focused events focused on building stakeholder support and momentum for a specific teacher leadership idea. One such lab helped teachers at Playa del Rey Elementary School explore a teacher-powered, distributed leadership model after their principal, who had created a collaborative teacher leadership culture, departed. Leadership labs are selected from Teach to Lead Summit participants. Educators may submit their teacher-powered idea to Teach to Lead which could then be selected for a Leadership Lab.
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 163-167)
Book. What can district leaders do to support teacher-powered schools? This section offers some ideas, including meeting with teacher-powered school leaders to identify and determine how to remove barriers to cultivating high-performing cultures.
Union Leader’s Testimony for Bill to Grant District Teachers Money to Help Start Teacher-Powered Schools
Testimony. Louise Sundin, who served 25 years as a national vice president of the American Federation of Teachers and 22 years as president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59, testifies that to improve the quality of teaching, Minnesota needs to improve the quality of the teaching job. And, if Minnesota really improves that job, it would attract and retain good people.
Wise Bill Gives District Teachers Money to Help Start New Teacher-Powered Schools
Commentary. Minnesota State Senator Greg Clausen and Representative Roz Peterson are authors of a bill that the Minnesota Legislature considered in the 2015 session, with bipartisan support as well as support from union and corporate leaders. The bill, likely to be reconsidered in 2016, would have provided startup funds, helping district public school teachers create teacher-powered schools. Joe Nathan and Deborah Meier discuss the bill's merits in this commentary.
Why Would a Principal Want to Work in a Teacher-Powered School?
Commentary. Kim Farris-Berg explains the role of principals and administrators at teacher-powered schools and why this is good for all educators.
Tools and ideas to appeal to: charter authorizers
What Could State Governors Do in order to Establish Legally Protected Zones of Professional Practice for Teachers?
Commentary. In this EdSource piece, Charles Taylor Kerchner offers some answers to the question, “What could state governors do in order to establish legally protected zones of professional practice for teachers?”
Minnesota Charter Authorizers Call for Teacher-Powered School Proposals
Websites. In Minnesota, two charter authorizers are seeking proposals from teachers who want to create teacher-powered schools.
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 163-167)
Book. What can charter authorizers do to support teacher-powered schools? This section offers some ideas, including meeting with teacher-powered school leaders to identify and determine how to remove barriers to cultivating high-performing cultures.
Tools and ideas to appeal to: teachers' union and association leaders
National Education Association Foundation: Grants to Educators
Website. The NEA Foundation awards small grants to teachers to improve teaching and learning, including investigating teacher-powered school models.
Minnesota Guild of Public Charter Schools
Website. The Minnesota Guild of Public Charter Schools is a single-purpose charter authorizer created with support from the American Federation of Teachers. The Guild has the capacity to authorize charter schools proposed, designed, and led by unionized teachers.
Hughes STEM High School
Collective bargaining agreement. In 2009, teachers at Hughes STEM High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, secured collective autonomy to run the school via the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) structure negotiated in the collective bargaining agreement between the Cincinnati School Board and Cincinnati Federation of Teachers.
Constructing “Progressive Unionism” Out of Three Frames
Chart. If you are a unionized school and are partnering with your local union to secure autonomy for a teacher-powered governance model, you might be able to use this as a discussion starter for using unionism to prioritize student-centered decision making.
National Education Association Commission on Effective Teachers and Teaching December 2011 Report
Report. In this December 2011 report, the NEA Commission concluded: “We envision a teaching profession that embraces collective accountability for student learning balanced with collaborative autonomy that allows educators to do what is best for students.”
The National Education Association: Great Public Schools Fund
Website. The NEA will award up to $250,000 to local affiliates, state affiliates, or partnerships between local and state affiliates to advance the goal of great public schools for every student.
Teacher Leadership Initiative (TLI)
Website. The TLI is a comprehensive effort—by the National Education Association (NEA), the Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ), and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)—to recruit, prepare, activate, and support the next generation of teachers to lead a transformed teaching profession. Teacher leaders apply to be part of the program, and some of those who are accepted have begun the process of creating a teacher-powered school. These teachers receive a small stipend for their work. NEA members can apply, and NEA state and local associations can encourage their members to apply.
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 168-172)
Book. What can union leaders do to support teacher-powered schools? These pages offer some ideas, including creating a separate, subsidiary support organization that reports directly to union leadership but is not obliged to conventional union culture and modes of operation.
Union Leader’s Testimony for Bill to Grant District Teachers Money to Help Start Teacher-Powered Schools
Testimony. Louise Sundin, who served 25 years as a national vice president of the American Federation of Teachers and 22 years as president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59, testifies that to improve the quality of teaching, Minnesota needs to improve the quality of the teaching job. And, if Minnesota really improves that job, it would attract and retain good people.
We Can’t Just Say ‘No’: Teachers’ Unions Must Lead Change
Commentary. Paul Toner writes that the Massachusetts Education Partnership is committed to supporting local school districts and unions that want to develop collaborative models of school-based reform to advance student success, including teacher-powered schools.
Wise Bill Gives District Teachers Money to Help Start New Schools
Commentary. Minnesota State Senator Greg Clausen and Representative Roz Peterson are authors of a bill that the Minnesota Legislature considered in the 2015 session, with bipartisan support as well as support from union and corporate leaders. The bill, likely to be reconsidered in 2016, would have provided startup funds, helping district public school teachers create teacher-powered schools. Joe Nathan and Deborah Meier discuss the bill's merits in this commentary.
Tools and ideas to appeal to: parents
Trusting Teachers is a Means to Authentic Parent Engagement
Commentary. Kim Farris-Berg writes, “If the educators in our schools don’t have the authority to make the decisions influencing school success, then how could they share any authority with parents and students?”
Tools and ideas to appeal to: teacher preparation institutions
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 172-173)
Book. Leaders of teacher preparation institutions can choose to support teachers’ migration to teacher-powered schools with collective autonomy and accountability.
Tools and ideas to appeal to: researchers and foundations
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 174-177)
Book. Researchers, foundations, and teachers could establish an infrastructure of information necessary for understanding and supporting innovation through teacher-powered schools.
Tools and ideas to appeal to: communities
Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots, Chapter 12 (pp. 168-172)
Book. What can community leaders do to support teacher-powered schools? This section offers some ideas for the business community, including a call to oppose top-down mandates because they are not conducive to high performance.
Zoned for Change: A Historical Case Study of the Belmont Zone of Choice (Los Angeles)
Case study. Ramón Antonio Martínez and Karen Hunter Quartz explore the potential of community organizing strategies for transforming public schools, documenting the crucial role of strategic alliances between community-based organizations and school district officials in bringing about greater equity and improved student outcomes.