Seeking to Expand Middle Level Success to All Students: A Not-So-Secret Recipe

Abstract

The author shares how a charter school in Denver, Colorado, utilizes the middle school philosophy and middle level practices as responsive practice to promote academic, emotional, and social growth.The recipe for success of Strive Preparatory Charter School (formerly West Denver Preparatory Charter School) is not a secret. This summer program, turned four-campus, middle level phenomenon, is proving to satisfy the appetite of parents hungry for a change in their children's educational opportunities. The intent of this article is to share a set of simple, effective, and replicable practices used to defy the traditionally low odds of success for often-underserved student populations. Strive Prep teachers and administrators are successfully motivating, educating, and preparing students for present and future challenges through school culture building and implementation of specific structures for both people and time. In addition, practices that prevent discipline problems, as well as interventions when prevention is not enough, are integral to Strive Prep's effectiveness.Colorado measures annual academic growth based on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) data as part of the Colorado Growth Model. The Harvey Park Campus of Strive Prep (SP) was determined to have made the most academic growth among all public secondary schools in the state in 2010. The Federal Campus came in second, giving Strive Prep the top two public schools statewide for academic growth. Denver Public Schools review schools annually through a comprehensive school performance framework based on CSAP scores, community satisfaction, parent involvement, and other indicators. The performance of the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders at the two SP middle schools speaks for itself. Based on the school performance framework, in 2010 the Harvey Park Campus was ranked first among the 132 schools evaluated across grade levels, with the Federal Campus second among secondary schools and fourth overall. These are remarkable achievements in any light but particularly so, given the comparison of student population poverty rates shown in Figure 1.When asked what factors contribute to Strive Prep's success, CEO and founder Chris Gibbons stated:Three factors, when working in concert, bring about success for our students: culture, structure, and talent. A culture of achievement and engagement throughout the organization, a structured learning environment that lets teachers teach and kids learn, and a strong pathway to attract and develop teacher talent as we professionalize the teaching craft... these interdependent factors equal success.To truly appreciate how far these students have come, you must be aware of who they are. Students enrolled in the Strive Prep system hardly fit the stereotypical idea of prep students. About 90% receive free or reduced-price lunches and the majority of students begin their experience at SP one to three grade levels behind in reading or math or both. The student population is 96% minority, with 40% of those English language learners. SP has a free, open-enrollment policy that accepts students without review of previous grades, test scores, academic progress, or behavior history. Freely accepting all students is part of Gibbons' mission. I'm a Denver native and have worked in or around Southwest Denver for most of the past 15 years. It's a community with great passion around education and a real need for high-performing options that are serious about preparing students for a four-year university.How Strive Prep beganIn 2001, Gibbons became the director of Denver Summerbridge, the program now known as Breakthrough Kent Denver, a teaching and tutoring program to help close the educational gap that often occurs among all students during the summer months but is more pronounced among student populations similar to those who now attend SP (David, 2010). While more privileged students may receive private tutoring, go on family vacations, or attend camps in June, July, and August, many SP students spend their summers watching siblings, taking care of the home, or even working to help support the family. …