Small Learning Communities

A PORTFOLIO OF SCHOOLS

In addition to continuing to support middle and high schools that are functioning well in New York City, the Department of Education’s secondary school reform strategy includes redesigning a number of large secondary schools into smaller learning communities (SLCs) and replacing the lowest performing large high schools with new, small schools. These reform efforts share a common set of principles and characteristics aligned with the DOE’s Children First mission of creating a school of effective schools that culminates in the “awarding of a high school diploma to all students that represents the rigorous preparation and mastery of skills and knowledge essential for leading productive adult lives in the 21st century world of education, the workplace, and as citizens of a diverse democracy.”

THE OFFICE OF SCHOOL REDESIGN

• Standardizes the Framework for Small Learning Communities and creates clear interim benchmarks to measure school progress for both high schools and middle schools.
• Provides leadership and instructional professional development to current and potential SLC schools, as well as technical assistance in areas such as programming, space planning, and branding.
• Develops a SLC pipeline of schools interested and willing to do the difficult work necessary for transformative change – assesses readiness and provides support to school teams.
• Serves as a liaison to intermediaries – both for securing additional funding to support schools, as well as to ensure that support is ongoing, consistent, effective, and aligned to the elements of the Framework.
• Works with DOE offices to drive policy change that supports SLC work.