What We're Doing

Focused on urban communities where public schools have struggled to meet the needs of a majority of students, HFLI is developing a network of small high schools located in America's premier cultural institutions and community organizations based on the model developed by the acclaimed small high school, Henry Ford Academy.

We are excited to further develop and improve our model, share what we have learned with communities around the country, and establish the Henry Ford Academy Network of Schools to support the implementation of our model in host communities across the United States.

We are currently dedicated to the formation of strong partner relationships that will create community-centered Henry Ford Academies in a number of urban centers. Our partners range from nationally significant museums to award-winning community centers to internationally known institutes of higher education. Our work within these communities is awe-inspiring, thrilling and made even more meaningful by the addition of other exemplary institutions. If you would like to join us in our endeavors, please contact us here.

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Site Engagement Criteria

Primary Criteria	Max Score Possible	Weight Factor	Weighted Score
1. Interest and Capacity of Local Cultural Institution or Community Organization		5x	Maximum possible: 25 points
Level 1: Opportunity Is there a significant pool of potential host candidates in the site city?	2 pts
Level 2: Interest Has a local cultural institution or community organization showed interest in participating in Academy replication efforts? Has a local cultural institution or community organization showed interest in starting a school?	2.5 pts
Level 3: Committment Has a local cultural institution or community organization stepped forward to participate in Academy replication efforts? efforts? Is senior leadership committed to pursuing Academy replication on site?	3 pts
Level 4: Basic Capacity Can the site accommodate an entire school, and if not have additional partner sites been identified and secured?	3.5 pts
Level 5 Specific Capacity Does it have a national reputation for excellence in its specific area and access to extensive primary source material Are there other physical resources available at the institution such as auditoriums, common areas, parking, transportation, etc? Is the organization capable of implementing a project of this scope?	5 pts
2. Local Financial Potential		5x	Maximum possible: 25 points
Level 1: Opportunity Are their local sources of start-up financing (foundations, economic development projects, community development initiatives, local corporations or businesses, state facility construction grants, bond financing?) available for an Academy replication?	2.5 pts
Level 2: Interest Is there a history of giving to small school start-up or education reform?	3 pts
Level 3: Commitment Have any sources of funding expressed interest in supporting HFA replication?	3.5 pts
Level 4: Capacity Is the available per pupil funding sufficient to ensure the HFA model can be successfully implemented? Is there enough capacity among potential local funders to meet the Ford Fund match?	4-5 pts
Total Primary Criteria			Maximum Possible: 50 points

Secondary Criteria	Max Score Possible	Weight Factor	Weighted Score
3. Curriculum Adaptation Partner		3x	Maximum Possible: 15 points
Level 1: Opportunity Is there a large pool of potential local partners?	2.5 pts
Level 2: Interest Has a local education partner been identified (e.g. college or university, community-based educational organization, school district)? If so, has this organization shown interest in Academy replication?	3 pts
Level 3: Commitment Has the organization agreed to partner with HFLI?	3.5 pts
Level 4: Capacity Does the organization have a record of positive involvement in education reform? Does the organization have a history of innovative and effective curriculum development?	4-5 pts
4. Business or Community-Based Partnership Possibilities		2x	Maximum Possible: 10 points
Level 1: Opportunity Is there a large pool of potential local partners?	2.5 pts
Level 2: Interest Has a specific local business or CBO partner (or group of partners) been identified? If so, has this organization shown interest in Academy replication?	3 pts
Level 3: Commitment Has the organization agreed to partner with HFLI?	3.5 pts
Level 4: Capacity Does the organization have a record of positive involvement in education reform? Does the organization have a record of involvement in innovative education reform or whole-school reform effort? Is this partnership likely to produce meaningful, innovative, or otherwise unique resources for a school?	4-5 pts
5. Prevailing Educational and Political Climate		3x	Maximum Possible: 15 points
Level 1: Opportunity Are there significant populations of under-served students in the community? Are local educational outcomes significantly below state averages? How good is the states charter legislation?	2.5 pts
Level 2: Interest Is there a specific high school reform effort underway in the community? Is the local school district willing to implement Ford PAS in a significant way? What level of political and community influence over charter schools does the local public education system have? Is there gubernatorial/mayoral support for charter schools?	3 pts
Level 3: Commitment Has the community/district shown an interest in the HFA model?	3.5 pts
Level 4: Capacity Can a charter be acquired that promises sufficient autonomy? Is the local public education system (district, teacher union) at least neutral to the possibility of a Henry Ford Academy in the local community?	4-5 pts
6. Higher Education Partner
Level 1: Opportunity Is there a large pool of potential local partners?	2.5 pts
Level 2: Interest Has a specific local higher education partner been identified (e.g. college or university, community-based educational organization, school district)? If so, has this organization shown interest in Academy replication?	3 pts
Level 3: Commitment Has the organization agreed to partner with HFLI? Does Ford have an existing relationship with the organization?	3.5 pts
Level 4: Capacity Does the organization have a record of positive involvement in education reform? How willing is the organization to leverage its existing resources (students, education college, faculty, community relationships, facility construction and development efforts, etc.) to support the Academy replication effort?	4-5 pts
Total Secondary Criteria			Maximum Possible: 50 points

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School Timeline

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Henry Ford Academy Planning Teams

The Academy Planning Teams will be anchored by core staff members from the host institution and Henry Ford Learning Institute. Staff from HFLI will share leadership or play advisory roles on teams as necessary. Other team members may include staff from Henry Ford Academy, The Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company and other community partners and members as requested by core staff members or recommended by HFLI.

Teams and team members may evolve and change based on where the Planning Teams are in the process (e.g. at the start of the planning process versus just before the school opens). HFLI expects that each host institution will add or change the teams based on each its requirements and resources. HFLI intends to invest significant resources by providing developmental assistance to each site during the planning process.

The purpose of the Academy Planning Teams is to develop components of the Henry Ford Academy:

• According to its emerging value and beliefs
• In collaboration with related teams
• So that the component can be implemented in a way that makes it part of a whole

Academy Planning Teams will have a chairperson responsible for:

• Developing shared meaning about team goals
• Internal and external communication
• Budget
• Reporting
• Timeline
• Workplan

Academy Planning Teams will have members from CCS, HFLI, HFA and others as necessary to:

• Create innovative ideas and practice based on members' expertise
• Refining idea to implementation readiness
• Facilitating additional expertise when needed
• Working collaboratively with other teams to ensure compatibility of ideas and practices

Major Areas of Work

Community Engagement

• Partner development
• Public relations/press releases
• Development of communications plan
• Information materials
• Event planning
• Presentations
• Community development
• Focus groups for input
• HFA relationship to other organizations

Fundraising and Development

• Needs assessment
• Master plan
• Leverage existing relationships

Facilities

• Current facility assessment
• Apply HFLI school framework
• Determine site needs
• Budget
• Hire consultants, architect

Curriculum

• Whole school curriculum framework
• Initial grade(s) specific curriculum
• Enrichment/remediation
• Assessment
• Materials/software/technology
• Materials for student recruitment
• Student orientation
• Ongoing review and revision process
• Accreditation

Charter Application

• Relationship with potential authorizers
• Decide to whom to apply
• Complete application
• Negotiate relationship

Organizational Charge for Host Institution

• Welcoming public school students onto your site
• Public school staff/teachers as colleagues
• Orientation for HI staff

Board of Directors

• Make up and appointment/terms
• Meeting process
• Policy development
• Professional development
• Relationship to HFLI and chartering agency

Student Recruiting and Transportation

• Development of recruitment theme and plan
• County-wide recruitment plan
• Materials
• Lottery process
• State laws regarding transportation
• Relationship with MDOT/DDOT
• Transportation system w/ CCS

Professional Development

• Workshops on general/specific topics
• Study groups/peer mentoring
• Distance learning
• Ford PAS
• Evaluation

Technology

• Hardware/software needs
• Integration into curriculum
• Web site
• Relationship to other partners

Student Activities

• Co-curricular activities
• Mentoring program w/CCS

Documentation

• Academy development process
• Publications
• Background for grant proposals

Principal and Teacher Hiring

• Job descriptions
• Advertising/solicitation
• Interview process
• Contract development and negotiation
• Network relationships

Budget

• Master Plan
• Budget process
• Resource allocation

Policy

• Internal with CCS
• Employment
• Working with partners
• Working with HFLI
• Board of Directors' approval process

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Models For Curriculum and Instruction

Introduction

The model for curriculum and instruction at Henry Ford Academy (HFA) centers on teaching and learning for authentic achievement, namely that meaningful learning occurs when students engage in constructing knowledge through disciplined inquiry that has value beyond the classroom (A Guide to Authentic Instruction and Assessment, Newmann et al, 1995).

Additionally, key educational principles are incorporated into the overall design for each course: high expectations for all students, differentiated instruction to ensure success for all students, alignment to state and national standards, and research-based strategies for effective teaching and learning, particularly project-based learning. This framework is critical to the design and implementation of the curriculum, and promotes students' mastery of the Five Developmental Areas, which organize the overall scope and sequence of knowledge and skills: Academic Content, Technology, Communication, Personal Development, and Thinking & Learning.

The Academy's curriculum starts with the expectation that students can and should experience learning surrounded by a content-rich environment that incorporates human and material resources from each of its partners: the hosting institution, cultural institutions, local businesses, content experts such as curators, other community members, the HFA instructional staff and HFLI staff. The unique physical location of HFA Dearborn (the model Academy that opened in 1997) helps inspire formal and informal learning, which is enhanced by the collections of provocative objects and exhibits, and the on-staff experts with knowledge and related skills. This location can also serve to draw in additional and alternative resources normally excluded from traditional school-based settings as partners find the doors open for greater involvement. Each network school will also be expected to model this relationship and nurture its unique content-rich environment and the necessary relationships to sustain it. A primary role of HFLI will be to mentor each Academy in this ongoing process.

Curriculum Framework - Overall Structure and Design

Each core course at HFA is structured to incorporate elements of the school's unique environment and contains the following essential components:

• organization of the central content by essential questions or compelling problems,
• structured development of academic and work-related skill,
• opportunities for reflective thinking,
• clear and natural connections to the world outside of school, and
• assessments that require students to demonstrate significant mastery and apply their new learning in creative and authentic ways.

Each unit is organized through a series of guiding questions that serve to focus students' inquiry and exploration of a particular aspect of a discipline and lead to their development of a personal answer to the essential question or response to the compelling problem. Teachers are guided through the implementation of each unit with specific instructional strategies, clear plans and processes, and detailed formative and culminating assessments to ensure that students gain a deep understanding of the enduring concepts and essential content in each unit. Recognizing the wide range of academic preparation among students, the primary authors have also provided differentiated opportunities for enrichment and remediation where appropriate. This helps ensure that all students will be supported in meeting the high expectations inherent in the curriculum.

Through its unique curriculum and approach to instruction, Henry Ford Academy provides students with learning experiences that will enable them to thrive as members of the 21st century global community. HFA blends best practices in authentic instruction with the innovative use of resources, new technology and hands-on inquiry projects which propel our students to meet high standards of personal and academic achievement.

Curriculum Writing Process

Team Approach

Written in a uniquely collaborative process, the HFA curriculum reflects the contributions of the primary author(s), practicing HFA teachers, and resource experts from each of the significant partners (which included Henry Ford Museum and Ford Motor Company for the model curriculum). Beginning with an initial draft of a unit, the primary author shares his/her work at each critical stage of the development to gain input from the other members of the curriculum design team. HFA teachers provide feedback on the content focus, skills requirements, its effectiveness in addressing wide ranging student needs, overall pacing, and its appeal to a diverse adolescent audience. The partner resource experts offer suggestions for using specific sites, personnel, artifacts or programs that could enhance the educational experience for students. The primary authors also meet regularly to share their progress and develop opportunities for inter- disciplinary projects or lessons. This process results in a curriculum that challenges a wide range of HFA students, promotes effective and strategic use of partner resources and takes advantage of the experience and expertise of all to promote quality learning experiences for students.

Site Adaptation

Incorporating Local Resources Into the General Framework

While the original curriculum was written for HFA Dearborn, the primary authors took into consideration the plans to open future Academies in other locations around the nation. Many of the units specifically reference and integrate the unique resources of Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, and the Ford Motor Company for a richer student learning experience, but they are not exclusively tied to these sites, personnel or artifacts. In fact, guided by HFLI staff, each new HFA will undergo its own curriculum development process in which design teams work to leverage local cultural and community resources for their local teachers and students. The end result will be a curriculum that has the advantages of the original but is tailored to resonate with the staff, students, and community of each individual Academy.

Balanced Assessment

Demonstrating Personal and Academic Achievement

Finally, HFA students demonstrate mastery through a wide range of traditional and non- traditional assessment tasks. Formal tasks such as tests, presentations, projects and research papers are paired with informal yet authentic measures of competence through personal interactions, effective task accomplishment, and active participation in the learning community to provide a comprehensive picture of a students' formative growth and ultimate personal and academic achievement. This approach of using balanced assessment helps prepare students to meet the performance demands in both college and the world of work, as well as provide them with multiple opportunities to share what they have learned in ways that are individually meaningful and relevant to the world beyond the classroom.

Senior Mastery Process

Students conclude their four years at the Academy phases — Junior Workshop, Senior Practicum and Senior Workshop — this capstone experience demands that students pull together four years of learning and demonstrate competence in all Five Developmental Areas. Through the SMP, students prepare for and complete an extended exploration of their career interests; design and conduct a substantial action research project; engage in an internship connected to an area of personal interest, associated with that research; and, present their findings in the formal Senior Defense presentation to a diverse evaluation committee. It is essential that students in network schools also have the opportunity to participate in the SMP, drawing on the specific needs and strengths of their local communities to support their exploration in their particular concentrations.

A Prescriptive Curriculum

Tools for Effective Teaching and Learning

The rationale for writing a prescriptive curriculum is to ensure that HFA teachers have the necessary resources and guidance to provide students with learning opportunities that are based on current research and best practices. Beginning teachers do not have to master the complex art and skill of authentic instruction without support; master teachers can increase their repertoire of effective strategies and delivery.

While the curriculum is intended to be taught as closely as possible to the written guides, it is important to note that all teachers must take into account the needs of their particular students, take advantage of their experience and expertise, utilize their local resources, and be flexible in their implementation of the lessonsÑno two situations are alike, and each classroom must be a responsive learning environment for its members. In each case, any changes should be communicated to teaching partners and other staff members as they may impact later teaching and learning decisions. Additionally, these changes should reflect the principles of authentic instruction and those elements identified above.

In addition to school-level changes that will be documented, HFLI will build a process through which school-level changes will be evaluated and integrated back into the model curriculum and communicated to each network school. We expect this process to be managed by HFLI and to be available to all network schools through summer teacher institutes and in digital format via the web.

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