Full Application Narrative

  1. Our Vision

The Decatur Discovery Academy (DDA) will provide all high school students who choose to attend with the necessary academic background and set of experiences which result in an education that provides the knowledge, motivation, and technical know-how to prepare them to make and follow an intentional choice of career path.

  1. Mission

The mission of the DDA is to create a small high school with a non-traditional, personal learning environment in which students are challenged to learn and excel at their own pace through a rigorous inquiry approach to learning. Students will make a personal commitment fostered by an adult mentoring relationship to become goal-oriented, independent learners with a desire for knowledge. This environment will be characterized by rigor, relevance, and relationships and will serve to motivate students to achieve at their highest level. The cumulative effect of these experiences will be graduation from high school and entry into a post-secondary education environment and will result in a successful career path for each student.

  1. Need

The DDA is designed to meet the needs of students who are not experiencing success in the traditional comprehensive high school. The DDA is particularly suited to those students who seem to be lost in a large high school and are not able to find success in that environment. Currently, one large high school is the only secondary school option available in the community. The personal, innovative approach of the DDA will provide an excellent choice for students offering a support system that connects individual styles and needs with relevant learning experiences.

This kind of personal relationship with relevant learning experiences is necessary because young people often enter school with a variety of isolated experiences, many of them negative. They also lack the perseverance, motivation, and discipline to achieve academic success in a traditional secondary school setting. Schools, in turn, often provide limited opportunities for those students who do not see the relevance of school or the need for the traditional academic track. Unfortunately, too many students become disillusioned with school and schooling because the activities and requirements of school do not relate to their world or even meet their needs for skill development. Many schools continue offering the same program in the same style as was developed and imposed during the industrial age when the ‘one size fits all’ philosophy existed, placing students in a lock-step environment. Students were not expected to question or seek understanding or ownership of learning; compliance and complacency were the expected and accepted behaviors. This industrial age model does not and cannot meet the needs of many young people in today’s ever changing and highly complex technical information age.

The Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township is a public school district that is investigating ways of providing schooling in a different approach to students in its community. Located on the southwest side of MarionCounty in metropolitan Indianapolis, MSD of Decatur Township has one of the largest percentages of low socio-economic levels of the eleven MarionCounty school districts. Evidence of the at-risk population is represented by the free/reduced lunch percentage for the district of approximately 44%, with two elementary school areas well over 60%. Of added significance, according to the latest census data, DecaturTownship has one of the highest percentages of adult populations in MarionCounty without post-secondary education. With such a large number of students considered at-risk of school failure and coming from homes where many parents have no post-secondary experience, the need is imperative for additional resources to encourage students to be goal-oriented, graduate from high school, and aspire to some form of higher education.

Another sobering statistic for the Decatur community is the number of students that currently leave the high school setting between grade nine and graduation. Entering freshman classes at DecaturCentralHigh School have approximately 400 students. Graduating classes are averaging fewer than 300. In excess of 100 children are leaving formal education within the four years of high school. Although there are several reasons for students’ exiting the high school setting, the truth remains that too many are simply not engaged in the traditional setting and view school as neither an inviting nor valuable experience. Since many families in DecaturTownship do not perceive post-secondary education as a priority, let alone a necessity, many young people are allowed to leave high school prior to graduation. Another factor that adds to the strong case for the necessity of another secondary school option is that the GQE passing rate is consistently in the 55 to 60 percent range.

These statistical examples of the Decatur community provide compelling evidence that a non-traditional environment is imperative to the future success of individuals and families on the southwest side of Indianapolis. As part of this non-traditional environment, a variety of rich, relevant experiences need to be provided to young people to prepare them for post-secondary learning experiences. Below is a chart that reflects statistics from the 2000 Census supporting the narrative statements above.

Statistics based on U.S. 2000 Census

Educational Attainment over age 25 in Decatur Township / Percent
Less than 9th grade / 5.1
9th –12th, no diploma / 16.3
High school graduate / 43.3
Some college, no degree / 19.4
Associate degree / 5.9
Bachelor’s degree / 7.1
Graduate or professional degree / 2.9
Educational Attainment ages 18 to 24
Less than high school graduate / 28.8
High school graduate / 39.8
Some college or associate degree / 25.7
Bachelor’s degree or higher / 5.4
Average Family Household Income
Below $25,000 / 14.7
$25,000-50,000 / 32.8
Above $50,000 / 52.5

It is clear from this data that the industrial model of education still used widely today is not adequately preparing many young people in this community for a choice of career paths in today’s high-technology, high-stakes marketplace.

Decatur Discovery Academy – Where Young Minds Explore will be a school that meets the unique needs of students in a personal, non-traditional learning environment. The DDA will focus on students who are not typically successful in a traditional high school environment and who may not be considering a post-secondary experience but possess the potential to do so. The DDA will be established with the philosophy that all students will be prepared for and guided to post-secondary learning experiences. The DDA students in grades 9-12 will include a diverse population comprised of students who would be unlikely to succeed in the typical high school setting. This targeted group may include students who are identified as not reaching their potential and therefore are in danger of dropping out and include ESL, gifted/talented, special education, and minority students. Staff will be specifically selected for their background experience in supporting non-traditional educational settings and an orientation toward providing students a ‘safety net’ of support while also recognizing the importance of fostering independence.

DDA will provide a rigorous, individual learning environment for students who need a different high school setting in order to experience educational success. Educational practices will be grounded in an inquiry-based, experiential approach to learning that fosters student interest and ownership with consideration given to individual learning styles as the primary focus for curriculum planning. The individualized instructional program will be based on current research and best practices shown to meet the needs of non-traditional students and prepare them to enter a post-secondary learning environment.

Selecting and attending a post-secondary institution can be a daunting and overwhelming task even for young people with a great deal of support and experience. Students who lack background knowledge about post-secondary education often do not possess the self-confidence to investigate, let alone enroll in, higher education. The DDA will work collaboratively with higher education institutions, specifically Ivy Tech State College, to provide a range of rich experiences in a supportive environment. The goal of this collaboration will be to facilitate the students’ transition to post-secondary experiences.

With the creation and opening of the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy, students and families will have an option of two different learning environments from which to choose. One, DecaturCentralHigh School, will offer the traditional, comprehensive, urban high school setting. The other, DecaturDiscoveryAcademy, will offer a non-traditional approach to earning a high school diploma and progressing toward a post-secondary education. The student’s family will decide which setting is the most advantageous and beneficial to meet the needs of their child.

Through extensive investigation and exploration by the DDA Advisory Committee that is made up of various stakeholders in the community, MSD of Decatur Township has determined that the Expeditionary Learning (EL) School Reform Model provides the most appropriate framework and support system necessary to fulfill the vision and mission of the DDA. The research based EL model emphasizes learning by doing, with a particular focus on character growth, teamwork, literacy, and inquiry-based instructional practices all in a rigorous academic environment. Teachers develop learning expeditions grounded by curriculum units that connect high-quality academic learning to adventure experiences and service/character development through a series of linked, in-depth investigations.

EL is a proven school reform model, operating in 29 states since 1993. DDA will be the first ExpeditionaryLearningSchool to operate in the state of Indiana. The kind of experiences offered by the EL model seem a perfect match for Decatur Township students who do not see the relevance of the traditional high school and do not have extensive background experiences. EL is organized to provide flexibility, thus meeting the unique needs of students in the DecaturTownship area. Expeditionary Learning also supports the creation of a strong relationship with Ivy Tech State College in offering post-secondary opportunities before graduation from the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy.

Another important consideration is that DDA will serve as a professional development center for the larger high school. Ideas and programs developed and implemented at the DDA will be shared and possibly replicated at DecaturCentralHigh School. The viable and successful strategies, services, and processes will be made available to the staff and students of DCHS where appropriate. However, certain traits will remain unique to the DDA including the relationship of the small school environment afforded through the “crew” experience, and the relevance, availability, depth, variety, and intensity of enrichment experiences provided through EL learning expeditions and portfolio presentations.

  1. Goals

Academic performance

One major focus of the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy is to prepare students for success in a post-secondary setting upon graduation from high school. Another focus is that all students will be provided a caring adult throughout his/her high school career through EL’s crew concept. With the support of the caring adult, high-quality learning expeditions, an environment of respect and responsibility, a connection to the community, and the strong association with a post-secondary institution, students will graduate well prepared and highly motivated to enter post-secondary education. The two goals for the DDA are

  1. All students attending the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy will earn a high school diploma.
  • 90% of all sophomore students will meet standards on the ISTEP+ GQE in fall 2006 and the percent of passing will increase each year until reaching 100%.
  • 95% of students will show adequate growth each year as measured by the Northwest Evaluation Achievement Level Test and other local measures.
  • All students graduating from the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy will enroll in a post-secondary institution.
  • 85% of students will pass the Ivy Tech assessment to test out of remediation reading and math classes in the spring of 2008 with a 2% increase each subsequent year.
  • By year four, all graduating seniors will have accumulated college credits equating to one year of college.
  • 90% of students will enroll in a post-secondary institution immediately upon graduation and this percent will increase yearly.

Organizational Viability

The entire staff of the MSD of Decatur Township is committed to success for all students and creating an environment in which failure is not an option. A strong tradition and true commitment to professional development is highly regarded and accounts for the success of current initiatives that include Professional Learning Communities, curriculum mapping, a systemic change process, a new certified staff professional growth and evaluation plan, and a comprehensive literacy program. Along with involvement in the current initiatives, the Curriculum and Instruction Department provides additional support for schools in achieving their individual improvement plans and in closing achievement gaps. In addition, the district technology department has a comprehensive plan for professional development of staff and for students’ utilization of technology.

The district is led by a concerned and conscientious school board that has received recognition for participation in training in board efficacy. The superintendent provides leadership through a belief in collaboration and through making decisions based on placing the needs of students first. There exists mutual respect and trust between the School Board, administration, and the teachers’ association. All of this results in a stable, forward-thinking learning organization willing to do what it takes for all students to succeed.

The staff of MSD of Decatur Township continually and consistently investigates and finds additional means to provide the best educational opportunities possible for students in the community. Through the Public Law 221 process of creating school improvement plans and the federal mandate of “No Child Left Behind”, MSD of Decatur Township entered into an in-depth investigation of how to better meet the needs of its students. After much study, discussion, and consensus building, the staff and administration proposed establishing a pyramid of interventions modeling a professional learning community as presented by Richard DuFour in Professional Learning Communities at Work. Utilizing a professional learning community process, educators create an environment that fosters mutual cooperation, emotional support, and personal growth as they work together to achieve what they cannot accomplish alone (DuFour & Eaker, 1998). The concept of the DDA as a non-traditional school has evolved as an important component to the MSD of Decatur Township as one of the district interventions to provide support for at-risk students in achieving post-secondary enrollment.

This same collaborative decision-making concept of a professional learning community is integral to the success of the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy and will be the process used to ensure ongoing improvement. Staff and students who choose to be a part of this small high school will work together to create an environment of truth, trust, respect, and acceptance. Based on extensive research over time, the shared beliefs of a professional learning community include the following characteristics (DuFour & Eaker, 1998)

  • Shared mission, vision, and values;
  • Collective inquiry;
  • Collaborative teams;
  • Action orientation and experimentation;
  • Continuous improvement; and
  • Results orientation.

The DecaturDiscoveryAcademy has evolved and been created through the Professional Learning Community process as used by the DDA Planning Committee. The Planning Committee is comprised of teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and students. Through a year of in-depth investigation, brainstorming, and discussion, the EL model was selected because it best mirrored the vision and mission established by the Planning Committee. With the expertise of MSD of Decatur Township staff in school curriculum, instruction, assessment, and management, along with the guidance and support from the EL staff, the DecaturDiscoveryAcademy will evolve to be a significant educational choice for students in their community.

Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound

Expeditionary Learning is a New American Schools-approved model for comprehensive school reform for elementary, middle, and high schools that has its origins in the Outward Bound program begun in 1933. The model has now been implemented in 130 urban, rural, and suburban schools throughout the country. As originally conceived, it uses outdoor adventure and service as a component to help participants learn teamwork, courage, craftsmanship, perseverance, and compassion. Transformative learning occurs because skills and understandings are immediately needed and applied, and participants discover that they can accomplish more than they thought possible. The Expeditionary Learning design uses these kinds of instructional practices in classrooms to create powerful learning experiences that engage students in learning and foster academic rigor and character growth.

The strength of the model comes from an emphasis on high expectations of achievement combined with extensive professional development that develops a strong culture among adults that is a model for students. Expeditionary Learning is built on ten design principles that reflect educational values connected to related thinking about teaching, learning, and the culture of schools. Teachers are taught powerful instructional strategies and proven practices to use with various academic subjects through a challenging set of connected real-world projects called learning expeditions. The integration of literacy into these learning expeditions is a special emphasis of the design.

Expeditionary Learning (EL) provides schools over a multi-year period with an integrated set of on-site, regional and national professional development and technical assistance services to facilitate full implementation of the design and a high level of student learning. The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) rated Expeditionary Learning’s staff development as exemplary. In three separate studies, the NSDC found that EL professional development was of the highest quality at all three levels (elementary, middle, and high school) and had a significant impact on student achievement at all three levels.

Expeditionary Learning emphasizes five Core Practices within its schools:

  1. Learning Expeditions: These challenging, interdisciplinary, real-world projects and in-depth studies are the primary curriculum units in Expeditionary Learning schools. Learning Expeditions support critical literacy and address central academic standards of content, while promoting character development and fostering a service ethic.
  2. Active Pedagogy: In EL schools, teachers use active pedagogy to help students become engaged and collaborative learners: to make connections, to find patterns, to see events from different perspectives, to experiment, to go beyond the information given, and to develop empathy and compassion for events, people, and subjects.
  3. School Culture and Character: EL builds shared beliefs, traditions, and rituals in order to create a school culture which is characterized by a climate of physical and emotional safety, a sense of adventure, an ethic of service and responsibility, and a commitment to high-quality work.
  4. Leadership and School Improvement: Leaders in EL schools create a professional community that focuses on curriculum and instruction as the primary vehicles for improving student achievement and school culture.
  5. School Structures: EL schools use longer and more flexible schedule blocks, common planning time, heterogeneous groupings, and/or looping to ensure student success.

Expeditionary Learning achieves success in these Core Practice areas by providing schools with an extensive professional development program. Over a three-year period, the staff of the DDA will be provided a coherent, demanding, and highly regarded program of professional development to implement the model that will result in significant improvement in student learning and character development.