Cross Case Features: Context

South Lake District High School: Community Context

The district operates on the belief that city leaders, community colleges, universities, and others should be integrally involved in the education process. Ten years ago, the district engaged these various partners to develop rigorous academic standards. In this large urban district, the results have been impressive: higher achievement, record attendance, safer schools, higher enrollment in college preparatory courses, and lower student failure and suspension rates.

The South Lake School District has a long-standing partnership with a local university. As part of the NCTA seminar they are planning together, the director of Social Studies Curriculum and the NCTA seminar leader have invited presenters from this local university to lead various sessions. One professor especially demonstrates the partnership concept supported by the school district. She teaches a required Asian Studies program for education majors at the university and, as part of the course, will require her students to attend at least one of the NCTA seminar sessions. The university students then collaborate with an NCTA middle school teacher to develop a lesson on Asia for middle school students.