Equity |
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Q: What is School Works? A: School Works is a community action research program sponsored by A+ Schools that uses teams of volunteers to interview Pittsburgh’s city school staff and collect data on staffing, training, coursework, support services, resources and learning opportunities for students. School Works is modeled after the successful Ready Schools Project conducted by D.C. Voice in Washington, D.C. A: Equity and the achievement gap are central concerns for all who care about Pittsburgh Public Schools’ students. School Works allows members of the community to conduct confidential interviews with school staff throughout the school district and learn first-hand about the resources and opportunities that exist — or don’t exist — for students. Q: How does School Works tie into the goals and mission of A+ Schools? A: Our goal is to be a community force advancing the highest educational achievement for every public school student. Through School Works, we collect reliable data about our schools that can be used to take action. This ties directly to our mission to inform and mobilize the public to hold both the schools and community accountable for providing high quality teaching and learning for all. Q: Who are the volunteers? A: Volunteers are independent and neutral citizens who are recruited, trained and sent in teams to interview school staff. A+ Schools invites participation by all citizens who share our commitment to student achievement. Q: How many volunteers have been involved in School Works? A: In 2009 — the year School Works was launched — A+ Schools mobilized over 85 volunteers to interview the district’s middle and high school principals. In 2010, the program was expanded with 138 volunteers trained to interview principals and guidance counselors. This fall, we plan to recruit and train 150 volunteers to interview the district’s middle and high school teachers. Q: What kind of preparation or training is involved? A: All School Works volunteers must participate in a training session led by A+ Schools. The training session covers volunteer responsibilities, instruction on how to use the survey, and an overview of what the collected data reveals about opportunities and resources for students. More Q& A on School Works (PDF) [ top ]
A+ Schools |
Pittsburgh's Community Alliance for Public Education |
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