Aspect/Level

Beginning:

Glimmer of a New Approach

Progressing

Maturing

Advanced:

Transforming and Sustainable

Impacts curriculum

Includes one or two subjects (e.g. 9 th grade U.S. History, 5th grade science) or a school club (e.g., or Future Business Leaders of America).

Includes one or two segments of the student population (e.g., advanced classes, official student leaders).

Includes several subjects, as well as grade/age levels (e.g., students in grades 6-8 contribute to an oral history project).

Includes projects that involve, separately or together, several segments of the student body (e.g., advanced students, English language learners).

Includes many classes, subjects, and grade/age levels. Also includes an increasing number of projects that cross subject areas, bring together students of different ages, and allow older students to mentor younger ones.

The work is close to engaging the majority of the student body, with students of diverse abilities and interests included fully.

The structures for making projects an integral part of the curriculum have taken root. Place-based learning is explicitly linked to state standards. There are numerous ways place-based learning impacts the curriculum: e.g., students are able to participate in at least one community-connected project each year; some projects have become an institutionalized part of the curriculum; senior projects that draw upon or contribute to the community are now required for graduation.

Impacts teaching and teachers

Modest changes in how teachers teach, their expectations for what students should know and be able to do, and the opportunities they provide students are starting to emerge among the handful of teachers involved.

A small but dedicated core of teachers has taken the work to heart, leading to substantial changes in how they approach teaching and learning and in the opportunities they provide students.

Another group of teachers is showing more interest in trying out such “community-connected” learning, aware of its likely impact on their teaching.

The majority of teachers are familiar with place-based work and appreciate its impact on teaching and on expectations for students. Most welcome the challenges of connecting classroom and community and pushing and supporting students in new ways. They talk of how their teaching style is changing and of their enlarged sense of what students can do.

A professional community has developed that actively supports teachers in this work. Among involved teachers, informal sharing—of ideas and resources—is commonplace. A willingness and capacity to engage in project-based learning now enters into evaluation of teachers. The sustainability of the work no longer depends on a handful of committed faculty.

Helps students stretch themselves as learners, problem solvers, and leaders

To date, the work mostly involves small doses of local content within traditional classes (e.g., students write about a series of field trips to local “sites”) or projects of modest scope (e.g., once a week students collect water samples in assigned teams and put the results on a chart in the classroom).

The opportunities and demands for students are increasing. In small but real ways, students are being asked to raise and apply new knowledge and to develop and practice new skills. Their ideas and input are being solicited more, and the responsibilities they're taking on are gaining heft.

There's an ever growing number of examples of students raising and applying new knowledge in their project work; acting as researchers, historians, advocates, resource persons; contributing to the design and conduct of projects. Their potential as leaders on community issues is being tapped. Students who never thought of themselves as leaders are stepping forward.

Systems are in place to ensure students have the opportunities and supports for sustained project work—including the time, adult mentoring, and resources required. There are formal and informal mechanisms for students to define problems of interest and then pursue them with others. Assessments of student learning honor and reflect their growth as problem solvers, citizens, and leaders.

Aspect/Level

Beginning:

Glimmer of a New Approach

Progressing

Maturing

Advanced:

Transforming and Sustainable

Involves a wide variety of individuals and organizations

Community participation in the work involves a few organizations and individuals, representing a small subset of community perspectives and interests.

Community members' roles are largely “traditional” (e.g., guest speaker, classroom volunteer).

Community participation is beginning to spread, with several new groups and individuals joining and new interests appearing.

Some community partners are starting to see themselves as real collaborators. A few have stepped forward to serve as teachers and mentors, partners in shaping projects, critical sources of time and expertise.

Community participation has grown to the point that one can't quickly list all the community partners. The list is increasingly diverse and also includes unexpected partners (e.g., the local grain co-op).

More and more community colleagues are emerging as active collaborators, assuming diverse roles from making resources available to mentoring and teaching to being learners themselves.

Community partners in the work reflect the full diversity of the community.

The depth and breadth of their commitment is palpable, showing up in the work itself, but also in written reflections, newspaper commentaries, pronouncements at public forums, compelling support letters to funders. It's not unusual to hear a community member talk about how much they, themselves, are learning from the work.

Leads to increasing impact in the community

The main priorities are getting students out of the classroom (e.g., visits to a nursing home) and drawing the community in (e.g., through a heritage fair). Providing a learning experience for students, while not divorced from community benefits, is the major goal.

One or two projects are now underway with potential to address a community issue of shared importance or to add to the community's sense of itself. Both the school and community are prepared to give the time, resources, and sustained effort required to impact the issue(s) of concern.

There are now several strong examples of students' work having a real impact on the community (e.g., an established wellness center). If asked, community members or agencies would describe themselves as beneficiaries of significant service or deeds.

It has become standard operating procedure to design projects with community needs and interests in mind. There are formal and informal mechanisms for gathering and prioritizing community concerns, paired with discussions on how students can play a large role in addressing these concerns. Community partners, students, and teachers periodically celebrate what they've accomplished together.

Aspect/Level

Beginning:

Glimmer of a New Approach

Progressing

Maturing

Advanced:

Transforming and Sustainable

Is supported by teacher development and planning

Opportunities for teachers to develop skills in connecting student learning with the community are few, infrequent, and of short duration. Teacher schedules provide little or no time for planning—including jointly with others—during the school day.

Opportunities for teachers to gain skills in project work are growing in number, although so far they are reaching only a small core of teachers. Time for on-the-job planning has increased but remains insufficient.

Both the quantity and the quality of relevant professional development opportunities have increased. Roughly half the faculty has benefited from such training. Giving teachers time to plan, individually and/or in teams, has become a priority.

Relevant, good professional development is available to all faculty, backed up by institutional incentives to participate. Teachers often partner in developing these trainings, which include “just-in-time” skill building, informal coaching, and intensive institutes. The school schedule includes time for teachers to plan regularly as individuals and/or teams.

Is supported by school policies and practices

School policies and practices regarding scheduling, budgeting, and personnel, among others, present ongoing obstacles to the work. No adjustments to teaching schedules or personnel have been made to support community-connected learning.

Some of the barriers to the work are beginning to recede: e.g., a teacher won release time during the day to organize project work; the school is moving to block scheduling. Still, the institutional obstacles outnumber the supports, and the institutional commitment is cautious.

New policies and practices are emerging that actively support the work: e.g., a school schedule that designates an afternoon per week for community projects; a half-time program coordinator; a requirement that seniors perform community work.

School policies and practices consistently promote the work. Institutional commitment is reflected in matters big— mission statements, budgets, schedules, course requirements, recruitment and hiring, evaluation—and in matters small—the greetings community members receive when they enter the school.

Influences community policies and structures

While local community organizations/agencies are becoming more aware of how they can participate in work, none has taken formal steps to orient their activities to include the school and students.

There are now several instances of community groups or agencies accommodating students into their work or structure: e.g., the highway department has agreed to allow students access to accident data for a project on highway safety.

There are a half dozen examples of community agencies adopting policies and structures to better include the school and students; e.g., the town's strategic planning commission has set aside two seats for students; the local facility for the elderly has created a special course to help students deal with dementia.

Including young people in the work of adults has become part of the community consciousness. It's not unusual for community organizations and agencies to adjust their policies or develop new structures to include the school and students in their work. There are a dozen good examples of this.

Broadens school's role within the community

The school does not yet see itself playing a role in the wider community beyond the education of young people—nor does the community expect it: e.g., there are few mechanisms in place for the school to contribute to continued learning by adult citizens.

The school is beginning to see itself as a resource to the wider community—and to be looked upon as such: e.g., the school's computer lab is open at night and local residents can use it plus get onsite help from tech-savvy student volunteers; community groups are invited to call the school when they need a n extra (student) hand and occasionally do.

The schools' role as a resource in the community is gathering steam: e.g., there are several continuing education opportunities now available. Instances of community groups turning to the school for help (e.g., with a specific project or event) are increasing.

The school has assumed a valued position in the community as a resource for continuing (adult) learning and for practical assistance: e.g., the school not only offers a number of evening computer courses, but also lends out its tech-savviest students as a community resource. There is a formal program whereby community groups can request and receive student help. A few community offices/programs now work out of the school.

Aspect/Level

Beginning:

Glimmer of a New Approach

Progressing

Maturing

Advanced:

Transforming and Sustainable

Attracts and creates new resources

The work has prompted neither the reallocation of existing local/district resources nor attracted new outside revenue. Sustainability is a serious and, to date, unaddressed question.

The work has prompted a small reallocation of existing local resources and/or attracted small sums of outside revenue. The need to develop resources to sustain the work is gaining attention.

The work is netting increased support from existing local resources, as well as attracting outside funds. Together, these are supplanting the funds originally granted by the Rural Trust. In-kind resources are growing, too.

Local and outside resources are sufficient to sustain and grow the work. In some instances, it's become a budget line item. In-kind resources are ample.

Spreads to new places

Students, teachers, or community members have few mechanisms or opportunities to share their efforts with others from different places. The work hasn't yet gained much attention elsewhere.

Mechanisms for sharing the work are starting to emerge: e.g. teachers have presented their work at regional meetings for teachers and principals; students have attended conferences hosted by the Rural Trust.

The number of presentations about the work by faculty, community members, and students—at local, regional, and national meetings—is growing (e.g., half a dozen the past year). Folks elsewhere are starting to inquire about the work, and efforts to share the work on the web and/or in print are underway.

There's a serious effort—and supporting resources—to spread the work. Students, teachers, and community members regularly share their experiences at regional or national meetings. There are print and online presentations of the work broadly available. Site visits from interested parties are welcomed. Evidence that the work is having an impact beyond our local borders is accumulating.