Extraordinary Learning for All

Aylon Samouha (Chicago, IL) is Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Transcend Education. Prior to co-founding Transcend, Aylon was an independent designer providing strategy and design services to education organizations, schools, and foundations. Aylon also served as Chief Schools Officer at Rocketship Education; leading the highest performing network of low-income schools in the state of California, designing the academic model and blended learning approach, and growing the network from 3 to 7 schools.Jeff Wetzler (Hastings on Hudson, NY) is Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Transcend Education. Prior to Transcend, Jeff spent a decade in senior leadership roles at Teach For America. Jeff was a founding board member of Leadership Prep Charter Schools and has served on the boards of Uncommon Schools NYC and the National Academy of Advanced Teacher Education. He currently serves as board chair of New Classrooms Innovation Partners.Jenee Henry Wood (New Haven, CT) is Head of Learning at Transcend Education, an organization which helps schools across the country build & share innovative new models of learning. Transcend has served over 800,000 students through their work with nearly 400 districts & schools. Transcend directly supports schools and systems in their design work, democratizes design support through resources, tools, and professional learning, and catalyzes systemic change by engaging funders and system leaders to understand and advance innovation.

• About the Authors xvAcknowledgments xviiAuthors’ Note xxiForeword xxiiiIntroduction 1Two Schools, Two Districts, Two Possible Futures 1Our Case for Change 2School and Its Industrial-Era Design 4How to Read This Book 7Who Is This Book For? 8About Us 9Part I Extraordinary Learning for AllChapter 1 Extraordinary Experiences and Outcomes 13Extraordinary Outcomes for All 14Extraordinary Experiences for All 16Chapter 2 Community-Based Design 33The Basics of Community-Based Design 35Part II Stories from Four Community Design JourneysChapter 3 DC Public Schools’ Van Ness Elementary | Washington, DC 55Community and Leadership Context 59The Blueprint: Overview of the Whole Child Model Learning Environment Design 60The Blueprint: Goals and Guiding Concepts 62The Blueprint: Student Experience 69The Blueprint: School and System Elements 75Chapter 4 Northern Cass | Hunter, North Dakota 81Community and Leadership Context 84Early Innovations Toward Competency-Based Learning: Pursuing Greater Learner Customization 85How the Design Cycle Guided and Supported Northern Cass’s Design Journey 92Chapter 5 Brooklyn STEAM Center | Brooklyn, New York 103Community and Leadership Context 106The Blueprint: Overview of Brooklyn STEAM’s Learning Environment Design 108The Blueprint: Goals and Guiding Concepts 109The Blueprint: Student Experience 115Chapter 6 Intrinsic Public Schools | Chicago, Illinois 127Community and Leadership Context 129The Academic Model: How Community-Based Design Strengthened Learning 132Part III How to Embark on a Community-based Design JourneyChapter 7 Launching Your Design Journey 143“Gear Up”: Lay the Foundation for Your Community Design Journey 145“Map It”: Craft a High-Level Vision for the Entire School or System 150Chapter 8 Deepening Your Design Journey 167“Zoom In”: Craft a Detailed Vision for a Specific Aspect of the Student Experience 168“Test-Drive”: Test and Refine the Student Experience 177“Look Ahead”: Prepare to Continue the Journey 185Chapter 9 Advancing and Sustaining Your Design Journey 189Shift from “Test-Drive to Full Speed”: Advance a Component of the Student Experience from Testing to Multiple Cycles of Implementation 191“Zoom In Again”: Design Additional Components of the Student Experience 199“Map It Again”: Continue to Refine the High-Level Vision for the Entire School or System 202“Perform Routine Maintenance”: Maintain the Process and Leadership Over the Long Haul 207Part IV How to Turbocharge Your Community Design JourneyChapter 10 Your Leadership Matters 213A Special Kind of Leadership for a Special Kind of Challenge 215What Do Learner-Centered Leaders Do? 215How Do Learner-Centered Leaders Have Impact on Conditions? 220The Source of This Framework 223Be a Learner-Centered Leader 225Chapter 11 The Policy Environment Around You Matters 229Policy Impact 230Assessment and Accountability Systems 231Seat Time and Graduation Requirements 236Funding for Innovation 238Navigating Your Policy Environment 241Conclusion 245Conclusion: You Are Not Alone 247Explore New Models that Make the Leaps 247Find a Design Partner 248Where Do I Find Design Partners? 250Build Your Own Capacity 251Join a Growing Network 252Extraordinary Learning for All 252Endnotes 255Index 271