ownership of their own learning is so important. weekly assessments monitor how students are learning state standards and all data is tracked for each student in a data journal. at the heart of all of these successes are teachers and school leaders who are excited about the prospect for change. it's what motivates them, it's what gets them up every morning and keeps them working late into the night. this is absolutely a labor of love. these teachers recognize how demanding this work, but they also see the potential for fundamentally transforming the the life chances of their students. they know that school culture is a difficult, difficult thing to change, but they also believe that all children, all children must be given an opportunity to fulfill their academic and social potential. as one study of turnaround schools in philadelphia put it, teachers at successful turnaround schools feel like they're part of something big. and let me give you an example of being part of something big.

one of our panelists you will hear from in a few minutes, carol smith, a fantastic superintendent in portland, oregon, will talk in a moment about how the sig program has worked in her district at roosevelt high school. two years ago roosevelt was named one of the worst schools in the state. but in its first year in the sig program, roosevelt has had a 14% jump in its four-year graduation rate. attendance is up. test scores are up. and discipline issues are down. but just as telling, just as important, roosevelt's educators have fostered a new belief among students about what's possible for them. the arts, for example, are thriving, and so is the school's drama program. last summer the students performed a play at the international thesbian festival in nebraska. a first for a public school from

portland. and to make sure they could all make the trip, the drama director took out a second mortgage on her home. that's remarkable, remarkable commitment, but we have to give her some help and i'm going to figure out how to do that. in cities like st. louis and portland, maine, local unions are looking to improve and strength school turnaround efforts. they're looking for new professional development for staff. a final barrier to turning around schools is that parents are supposed to fight change in neighborhood schools. sometimes parents do cling to the familiar, but we're finding that parents and community organizations are in many cases actually helping to drive change and to enhance learning opportunities. community engagement is crucial to successful turnarounds. as dennis points out, you can't spell "partners" without "parents." that's one reason that our administration has announced a new initiative called together for tomorrow to foster and expand community engagement in low performing schools, schools shouldn't and can't do this by themselves. together for tomorrow is already under way at six demonstration

sites around the country working with the white house and the corporation for national and community service will be expanding this effort to foster more community partnerships to advance school improvement. in the end none of us can do this work alone. promoting the community culture where educational improvement is everyone's responsibility is our national mission. it does take a village. children only get one chance to get a quality education. as dr. martin luther king said, we cannot wait for reform to happen. we cannot wait for equal educational opportunities to be realized. this is the civil rights challenge of our generation. i want to thank everyone here and everyone in this field for their courage, their commitment, and their leadership in bringing new hope to schools, to communities, and most importantly to children where the light of hope had dimmed. this is at heart a movement and i believe it's about so much

more than education. it's a daily fight for social justice, and together it is a fight that we will win. thank you so much. [ applause ] and now i would like to bring out the real stars of the show who are doing the hard work and have a paneled conversation. carol smith, as i talked about, is the superintendent of the portland public schools. and then we have a fantastic turnaround school here in d.c., luke moore high school, which is an alternative high school with a charismatic and hard-driving principal. we have rose smith, the business and tech teacher there, and d diekwon buehrle, a senior there. if i could ask rose and diekwon to come out, please.

i want to start with the real star of the show, high school senior, diekwon buehrle. i could not have done this in high school. you're way ahead of me. you've been at this school for four years. you're a senior now. i would love to hear about what the school is like in the first couple years before the turn around and what the environment and culture is like now. >> well, the first couple of years, me there, so young. when i came, i was 14 years old. everybody else was older. so my first year there, i was young. so a lot of stuff was new to me. like a couple of dudes was in there -- not dudes, but kids. >> a couple of dudes, that's okay. >> yeah. so, they was, you know, like, they -- i didn't really the -- i wasn't really used to, like they were smoking, gambling, things like that. >> in the school? >> in the school. >> okay. >> so i was -- i tried and did my best to stay away from it, but it was all around, so it was kind of hard. but a couple of years after that, though, when the new staff came, there wasn't really none

of that. everything was shut down. >> and are students taking education more seriously now? >> yes, sir. >> and what changed? what that i thichanged their be? >> i think the teachers -- because my first couple of years, it was like most of the teachers didn't really care. it was like, we would do the work, but even if it was wrong, they would still pass us anyway. but now, they make sure we sit down in the chair, do what's right, or we can't leave. me being on the basketball team, they won't let me play in the game unless the work was right. >> that's not too tough? >> nah, it ain't like that at all. >> rose, how long have you been teaching at luke moore? >> for seven years. >> and it's not the easiest school to work at. it's an alternative school, often students have struggled. why did you choose to work there and not at some other school? >> well, i feel like it's my duty not only as the product of the d.c. public schools, but

also a former resident of the city to give back to the students what i received when i was in school. i had teachers that cared. i had teachers that motivated me. i had teachers that made me feel as if i mattered, and that i did have a stake in my own future. and i feel like it's my duty to give that back to my students. and that's why i continue to work at luke moore and be fulfilled every day by it. >> let's give her a round of applause. [ applause ] walk me through. you've been there seven years, before and after the sig program, what are things like now, what were things like before, as you try to make this an extraordinary school. >> before, we had a very, very low attendance rate. our graduation rate was very low as well. and we had students that would come to us every day who were disengaged, both academically and socially. and now that we've made changes, which have been difficult, because change is difficult, but change is also necessary. we now have students who come to school because they want to be

there. we have students who come to school because they can see the light at the end of the tunnel, per se, with regard to graduation, and being able to move on with their lives. those students now have an opportunity to not only come to school and feel a sense of pride and be encouraged in their academic and social standing, but they can also receive their graduation diploma much quicker with our accelerated program that allows them to earn more credits over the course of a school year than ever before. >> and walk me through, because, again, change is hard, and change, threatening. and you were there before. and how much were you scared of it? how much did you resist it? how much were you worried about the change that was going the wrong direction? walk me through, sort of mentally, your thought process moving into this? >> for me, personally, i had to feel empowered myself. i had to get up in the morning and tell myself, yes, i can do this. yes, i do make a difference at the end of the day. and although i'm not able to reach all of the students who were in my classes, i've been able to touch a few. and being able to touch those few, seeing them graduate,

seeing them go on to college, seeing them successfully go out into the world of work makes all the difference. >> what do you think about this young man? >> this is my teddy bear. and i say that very affectionately. diekwan, i have seen him grow into a fine young man. diekwan would come to school and he was one of those disengaged students, but now, he's been empowered. and he received instruction that was quality instruction. he wasn't just in class to just get a grade. he realizes that the skills that he's learning in his classes are going to make a better and a brighter future him. and i'm excited for him as he's prepared to graduate this june. >> and after so much -- [ applause ] and after a quick conversation with superintendent smith, i'm going to open it up to the audience. if you have questions for any of the panels, i'll be coming to you next. but you have roosevelt high school, a high school that wasn't just looking for the city of portland, one of lowest

performing schools in the state. walk me through what that school's like before, walk me through what you guys did and the results, again, just one year, a long way to go, but pretty remarkable progress in one year. walk me through that process of how you got to here from there. >> so roosevelt high school, as you said, was identified as one of the lowest performing in the state, and roosevelt had been a school that was organized as three small schools on a single campus. and we used the sig opportunity to mobilize the strategies to bring it back together as a unified campus, which actually built energy. and as you called out in your opening remarks, the school this year had a 14-point gain in graduation rate, double-digit gains in achievement both in reading and in math, a 28-point -- percentage point decrease in discipline referrals, and the big one i would call out is an increase in 5% of students who are choosing

to attend their neighborhood school, which is roosevelt. because one of the previous things was a downward spiral of students choosing to transfer out, and we have an energy going on there right now, where students are opting back in and choosing their neighborhood school, which is really exciting. what i would say, key factors, as you called out leadership, so we have a really dynamic principal who is an instructional leader. she understands partnership and how to engage partners in the school, and she is an inspirational and galvanizing leader. so charlene williams, i want to do a big callout to her. she has totally built an energy in that place that has been remarkable. secondly, there was local ownership in both what model was chosen, the transformational model that the school chose to undertake, and we had teacher participation in choosing the model and building the plan and identifying what strategies were going to be used and actually in writing the grant in ongoing

implementation. there is a deep, relentless focus on instruction, so part of the strategy is instructional coaching, a deep investment in finding time for teachers to collaborate. as part of this, roosevelt piloted a new teacher evaluation tool, which at this point we've now actually implemented across the district. that's a story unto itself, but it's transformed our relationship with our teacher's union and how we with work together with our teacher's union as well. that's been remarkable. the last thing i call out is partnership, and it's been huge. and this has been partnership with our faith community, with the business community, with universities who are helping to build a college-going culture at roosevelt, and students really believing that they're aspiring to go to college and this is what's going to happen. and nonprofit partners who are helping us work on how we use out of school time effectively

to support students' success in the classroom. so a combination of all those things, it's a different place than it was. and students, you feel a student energy there that is palpable and really exciting, and it's roosevelt on the rise. >> so two final questions. this change is really, really hard. it sounds fantastic, but it's not easy. how hard was it? how much resistance was there? just walk me through that piece. and secondly, looking back, a huge amount of progress. is this more than you anticipated? less than you anticipated? what was your expectation coming into this, if you can think back a year ago? >> it was not a foregone conclusion that we would even apply for the grant. so just even the fact of the school community deciding, yes, we were going to go forward and apply for the grant was a deep conversation with our union and our teachers, and the administration at the school of whether this was an opportunity or whether it was going to be jumping through hoops. and we did a pretty amazing process at the front end, where the union leadership and i went and sat with a small group of

teachers who had explored what it meant to apply for the grant and aeflted the different options they presented, but we had the entire roosevelt staff sitting while we sat in a fish bowl and figured out what was the opportunity and what were the challenges and what was the go forward strategy, and the union and i said, we will -- you figure out you want, we'll leave, and we'll remove the barriers. and that's what we did. but that's a huge success of what that has been, that school owning the strategies and feeling like they're driving what the work is that's going. it's not being subscribed from someplace else. >> and what were your expectations for going in and -- >> i didn't believe it was going to be the kind we've seen. it's been transformational change. and i hope we're on a path that we continue to see the same kind of change. >> open up the audience. we have about five minutes left. we have a couple of questions from any of our panelists. do we have mics? we have a mic here. so i guess we have a mic here and do we have another one? start right here and another mic

here. two up-front. >> hi, i'm brenda martin, i'm an education advocate in northeastern kentucky. i have a question for daykwan and perhaps miss smith. i'm curious to find out what stereotypes you were cob fronted with at your school and in the community, and how that affected expectations. and also, i would like you to look at your curriculum and tell me if you think it embraced your culture and how that affected your participation in school? >> stereotypes? >> we'll take it. >> well, me, stereotypes, i really -- i was -- i really didn't pay attention to things like that, because i'm just trying to get education, mainly. but the curriculum, it was pretty easy, but it could get tough at times, like things i didn't know, but the teachers made it kind of easy for me. they stayed by my side until i really understood what i was supposed to. >> okay. >> that stereotype, he says, is major for me. it can be emotionally debilitating. it really can.

especially when you're participating in systemwide meetings or just talking to colleagues across the system. knowing that you work at the school that's considered the bottom of the barrel, knowing that you're working at a school where people feel you're working with a bunch of rejects, it's not a good feeling. but we got to a point where we felt, okay, that's what you think of us, let us show you what we can do. and i feel like we've done that. with regard to our curriculum -- [ applause ] thank you. with regard to our curriculum, it is, indeed, rigorous. it is, indeed, challenging. but we found that with having the higher academic standards, our students feel that when they complete their courses of study or even individual courses, they feel that they have earned it. and that they've really taken new schools and strategies away that they can use in the future. so it has been embraced. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> hi. i'm kenzie mcadam ss and i'm th

stem director for public schools. twitter is bursting with pride. we are so proud to have you sitting up here with the secretary of education and the superintendent. so my question is about what next? so you're getting ready to graduate and you've, obviously, figured some things out that are working, so what next, so that we can take what you learned and really tell your story to other kids and make sure that other students, not just in d.c., but across the nation can, you know, lift themselves up and learn from what you've done. so what do you think you want to do next to help us do that? >> well, i know for sure i'm going off to school, and i -- um, i'm not sure. i mean, school first, college. hopefully i'll be going to north carolina central. [ applause ]

and then after that, i would like to come back and speak out about my stories and my rough trials through high school and things like that. i love to talk. >> my good friend? >> -- with america's promise alliance. i would like to ask a question to the portland representative. you referenced community supports. there are many people in the audience today who represent nonprofit organizations at the community level. what's the most effective way for the local nonprofits to reach out and be supportive of these students and these schools that really need our help? >> so, at roosevelt, specifically, it's taken a number of different forms. so we've got a nonprofit that does -- that is the step up program. where they're meeting -- providing like advocacy and

tutoring, but it's directly connected to the teachers and the students and the work that's going on in the classroom. so there's a deep relationship in how they're supporting students' success in the classroom. we have some community schools that are present at roosevelt campus that are wrapping family and wraparound and family engagement supports. we've got a family engagement coordinator who is organizing with community-based organizations -- culturally specific community-based organizations, family nights that are really engaging families with the school. we've got a church, south lake church that has wrapped its arms hugely around this school and is building an energy on the campus that is, you know, spans a lot of different kinds of activities. but they are a mechanism for individuals to support the school. and then the alumni association has been hugely engaged as businesses in supporting roosevelt. and the university has engaged individual students with our

students that those relationships carry on once the students go on to college. and actually, there's a bunch of really specific, but they've taken different shapes of just s of figuring out where does the community organization or individual have to offer with what the school needs really focused on what the school is trying to achieve. they are not random partnerships but focused on what roosevelt is trying to accomplish with the students. >> good morning. my question is to ms. smith. can you identify for us three or four of your specific and saliant changes that create a transformation in your school? >> i will draw you back to bob's presentation because we have done some things that we are also doing as a district. one of those is identifying what we call academic priority students as students are coming out of eighth grade and moving

to ninth grade and putting an emphasis on tracking kids in ninth grade. we have a ninth grade academy and we are tracking students being on track to graduate as they enter tenth grade. six credits with a c or better. that predicts their graduation that on time graduation at a five times greater rate. we are doing everything we can to make sure that occurs. that is very specific. and then the instructional coaching and collaborative work amongst teachers i would say is a huge piece of the collaborative problem solving that teachers are doing both about instructional practice and individual strategies to support individual students has been hugely powerful. >> my name is amandacusic from united way of tucson. my question is about parent involvement and if that was part of your strategies.

you mentioned family engagement night wondering what those look like as well as if you use community based organization? >> yes, we do. we have used culturally specific organizations that have relationships with families as a way of linking families with the school. we have a broad definition of what it means to be engaged as a parent to what you do at home as well as participating at school. we have had a wednesday morning parent volunteer morning where parents show up in force at the school and are a presence. we have an outstanding individual who organizes the parent engagement. she is hugely energetic but looks for the right match for how a parent can engage. >> my name is brian, serving with city air.

i want to ask what did you find that you held on to and you were able to come out and make these four years and if you saw peers that did not how were your parents involved in assisting you to get to where you are at? >> i held on to a couple of the staff. they was really behind me. they was pushing me along like a great amount. they was really behind me like. they helped me a lot. my parents, they also pushed me. they made me see beyond high school there is greater life. i don't have to just follow the crowd, be my own leader, things like that. i thank them a lot for that. [ applause ] >> good morning. my name is jim, the cofounder of creative concepts. and i just want to say give

inspiration and get inspired. i think inspiring the potential so students achieve greater life outcomes is what i'm hearing here. and my question is for dequan. martin luther king, one of life's greatest legends said intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education. what have you seen over the last several years at roosevelt school that -- how has it affected your character and the character of the school and what percentage of that has helped you thrive? >> 100%. like it matured a little bit since i have been before my two years. i really think because when i did my first couple of years i

really wasn't like in my mind i already knew school wasn't for me like after high school. when the new change has come i settled down and matured a little bit and started getting my head in the books and things like that. i say my encouragement has matured 100%. >> so you are realizing martin luther king's dream and i would like to encourage you to become one of the next presidents of the united states. [ applause ] thank you. >> you can have my job first. >> good morning. i'm valerie smith with bows organization for volunteers. i'm very proud of you. i look back at myself and i think back, i have a flashback of me being an intern from senator therman. small town but we had a lot to

offer. i would like to ask the audience, are you all proud of sasha obama? so am i. i am proud of our nation's childrens. i worked on a proposal that the objectives is to invite students to assist in organizing a wishing well to honor america's first children. i know the president and mrs. obama are very protective of their children, as well they should be. mr. dunkin, i would like for you to review this. can i give this to you? >> let's do three more questions. let's go one, two, three and finish up. >> good morning everyone. my name is andre stiff, affiliated with zone 126 out of long island city, new york. i don't really have a question because everybody pretty much already asked the questions i want. i just want to commend you,

young brother, because from where i come from i have seen the distractions. i had a little brother distracted like that. just for you to be able to focus and put your mind in the right place just know there is nothing you can't do if you want to do it, young brother. you can do anything you want. you are on the right track. you have the right people with you and i commend you, young brother. >> thank you. thank you. [ applause ] >> my name is aaron hackett. i'm coming from hampton roads, virginia working with alternative zinc as an amercore member. i have a question coming from the side of kind of like the partners that you mentioned. you said there were a lot of nonprofit organizations that were helping out. first of all, what are those nonprofit organizations? what are the best kinds and the best kind of activities?

after school programs that are most effective? and also for us trying to engage the high schools, what would you advise for us on how to get really involved? because it seemed like you guys were reaching out as schools to them. this is us reaching out on the other side. >> so i'm thinking that one is to me. i would offer one of our nonprofit partners self enhancement inc. is here at the conference and will present on scaling up. starts working with young people and their families in second grade. it's all about keeping kids in school. it is all about the relationships they build with those students. and they have a 98 graduation rate of the young people they have supported. they will be part of a

presentation here of this. a session that would be worth while to go to. the partnerring right now is a whole school model at one of our high schools, jefferson high school that is partnerring with a community college on middle college model and sei as the nonprofit partner is really insuring that we are going to be able to guarantee success for everyone of the students that are a part of the program. i suggest that is a great place to start. >> what was that again? >> it's self enhancement inc. and the session here is about scaling up successful practices. it is later this afternoon. it is a great example of one of our partners. >> final two questions here and here. >> good morning. my name is vuniecea green. i am a practicing school counselor from chicago public schools. we know that school counselors are an under utilized resource nationally. my question is how are schoo