Four Renaissance School models detailed

by Erika Owens on Jan 27 2011 Posted in Latest news

The District this week has outlined the four models for Renaissance Schools turnaround as part of its announcement of 18 schools for year two of the initiative. The Renaissance Schools fact sheet says the schools "will serve students in a neighborhood catchment area but will differ from traditional District schools by having a greater degree of autonomy in school management in exchange for a high degree of accountability for performance."

The District describes the four turnaround models as follows:

• Promise Academy - Traditional
• Promise Academy - Innovation
• Promise Neighborhood Partnership
• Renaissance (Match) Charter

Promise Academy - Traditional
These Promise Academies will operate in the same way as current Promise Academies. Some key features include:

• Staff are District employees.
• Staff are forced transfers, and 50 percent or less of the staff can be rehired.
• If a principal has been at the school less than three years, the principal can remain.
• Teachers work an additional hour a day, two Saturdays a month, and a longer school year that includes a summer program.
• Teachers receive a bonus to work at the school in addition to the extra pay for extra time.
• Students have a required extra hour of school Monday through Thursday for "enrichment and academic intervention."
• Students and staff wear uniforms.
• The school receives additional support staff including a parent ombudsman, student advisor, social service liaison, nurse, and resource specialist.
• The school follows the Empowerment School curriculum.
• The school is governed by its School Advisory Council.
• The school offers college and career exploration opportunities.
• The school has an on-site Parent University.

Promise Academy - Innovation
This is a new model in 2011. These schools will be similar to traditional Promise Academies, but will differ in some ways:

• The principal remains.
• Staff must reapply for their positions, but there is no limit on the percentage of staff that can remain.
• Teachers will work an extra hour a day, three days a week. There will be opportunities to work two Saturdays a month.
• Students will be required to stay an extra hour for academic intervention Tuesday through Thursday and "additional structured enrichment programs" will be offered Monday through Wednesday.

Promise Neighborhood Partnership
This is also a new model in 2011. The School District and Universal Companies will collaborate "to address education and related needs in a coordinated manner for a targeted area of South Philadelphia--the Grays Ferry and Point Breeze neighborhoods." Universal Companies received a planning grant to investigate creating a Promise Neighborhood, inspired by the Harlem Children's Zone. Several details of this model are still being worked out, but the features described in the fact sheet include:

• Staffing will be handled by the charter management organization (Universal Companies).
• The school will be governed by a School Advisory Council and Charter Board as well as the SRC.
• Students will have a longer school day.
• Family activities will be provided.
• Students will wear uniforms.
• The school will offer college and career exploration opportunities.
• The school will offer parent workshop and educational opportunities.

Renaissance (Match) Charter model
This year this is the only model where the School Advisory Council will get to deliberate on and recommend a provider. These schools will be run by external providers as a charter or contract school. Key features include:

• Staff will be employees of that organization, not District employees.
• The schools will continue to serve the same students and community. 
• The turnaround provider will "determine the curriculum, and the length of the school day, week and year."
• The buildings remain District property and are leased to the turnaround organization.

The District fact sheet outlines these models in more detail and includes a chart comparing the Promise Academy models. A video on the District site also describes the models.