High Tech High charter schools
Encyclopedia
High Tech High is a San Diego, California
-based school-development organization that includes a network of charter schools, a teacher certification program, and a graduate school
of education.
In 2010 it had approximately 3,500 students in high, middle, and elementary schools. The HTH website states that in 2010, 100% of high school graduates were accepted to colleges, of which 80% were to four-year institutions. As of 2008, 99% percent of graduates had entered college. Admission is via random lottery and there is no tuition.
but the High Tech High organization is governed by three independent boards of directors:
The schools are publicly funded although they have received grants from private companies and organizations. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $17 million between 2000 and 2006.
In 2000 the San Diego Unified School District
approved the first charter and construction began in a former U.S. Navy training center in the Point Loma district, now known as Liberty Station, near the San Diego airport. The grouping of High Tech High schools in this area is known as High Tech High Village
. With a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, High Tech High opened with 200 students in the 9th and 10th grades in September. In 2003 the first graduating class of graduated 50 students. In 2006 the Statewide Benefit Charter was approved. In 2007 High Tech High Digital Commons launches. In 2009 the statewide Benefit Charter was expanded to K-12.
David Stephen. The facility received a 2001 Educational Design Excellence Award from the American School & University Architectural Portfolio. Stephen served as both the school's Curriculum Designer and Design Director in the school's first 6 years.
Teacher Credentialing
High Tech High is authorized by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to offer preliminary and professional credentials. It offers two programs: The Intern Program for preliminary teaching credentials and the two-year Induction Program for teachers with preliminary teaching credentials.
Leading Schools Program
This is a one-year program which blends on-line learning and face-to-face collaboration. It is designed to transform schools across the nation by serving as a "change incubator" for teams of educators engaged in school reform.
and colleagues in the New Urban High School Project, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education. The focus was on inner-city high schools using school-to-work strategies, including internships and other forms of field work, as a leverage for whole-school change. The findings of the NUHS were summarized in guides centered on six design principles. The school is virtually textbook-free. HTH is structured around four design principles, including three from NUHS and one developed by HTH:
These principles determined the small size of the schools, the openness of the facilities, personalization, emphasis on integrated and project-based learning, and display and exhibitions of student work. All students are required to complete internships in the community. HTH director Ben Daley described the school's approach: "We are teaching students to think deeply about content and then do something with their knowledge, not just race through a textbook.” According to Rosenstock, who became a CEO of HTH, a slogan at High Tech High is: “You can play video games at HTH, but only if you make them here.”
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
-based school-development organization that includes a network of charter schools, a teacher certification program, and a graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
of education.
In 2010 it had approximately 3,500 students in high, middle, and elementary schools. The HTH website states that in 2010, 100% of high school graduates were accepted to colleges, of which 80% were to four-year institutions. As of 2008, 99% percent of graduates had entered college. Admission is via random lottery and there is no tuition.
Governance and funding
The schools operate within the San Diego Unified School DistrictSan Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District is the school district of San Diego, California. It was founded in 1854...
but the High Tech High organization is governed by three independent boards of directors:
- The High Tech High Board operates as a public agency and has governance and fiduciary level control over all HTH schools.
- HTH Learning is a private nonprofit that oversees the facilities that house the schools of High Tech High. It is also responsible for the adult learning programs, including the teacher certification program, and the related residencies and institutes.
- The High Tech High Foundation is a private nonprofit responsible for securing the philanthropic support needed to develop High Tech High schools.
The schools are publicly funded although they have received grants from private companies and organizations. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $17 million between 2000 and 2006.
History
The original "High Tech High School" is now known as The Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High.In 2000 the San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District is the school district of San Diego, California. It was founded in 1854...
approved the first charter and construction began in a former U.S. Navy training center in the Point Loma district, now known as Liberty Station, near the San Diego airport. The grouping of High Tech High schools in this area is known as High Tech High Village
High Tech High Village
The High Tech High Village is a group of six High Tech High charter schools in San Diego, California. All of these schools together are called the "High Tech High Village". Most students that go to these schools simply call it "The Village" or "High Tech Village"...
. With a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, High Tech High opened with 200 students in the 9th and 10th grades in September. In 2003 the first graduating class of graduated 50 students. In 2006 the Statewide Benefit Charter was approved. In 2007 High Tech High Digital Commons launches. In 2009 the statewide Benefit Charter was expanded to K-12.
First Facilities
The high school and middle school were designed, and construction directed, by the school's in-house Design Director, architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
David Stephen. The facility received a 2001 Educational Design Excellence Award from the American School & University Architectural Portfolio. Stephen served as both the school's Curriculum Designer and Design Director in the school's first 6 years.
Schools
- Explorer Elementary Charter SchoolExplorer Elementary Charter SchoolExplorer Elementary Charter School is an independent public school, founded in 2000, which serves 340 children in grades K-5 who are enrolled by lottery from throughout the San Diego, California area...
- High Tech Elementary School
- High Tech Middle Chula Vista
- High Tech Middle
- High Tech Middle Media Arts
- High Tech Middle North County
- The Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High
- High Tech High InternationalHigh Tech High InternationalHigh Tech High International, often referred to as HTHI, is a public charter high school in San Diego, California. It is the third school in a program that attempts to change the way most students in the United States and countries with similar schools are taught...
- High Tech High Media ArtsHigh Tech High Media ArtsHigh Tech High Media Arts, often referred to as HTHMA, is a public charter high school in San Diego, California. It is the fourth school in the High Tech High charter schools coalition of schools that attempts to change the way most students in the United States and countries with similar schools...
- High Tech High Chula Vista
- High Tech High North County
- High Tech High flex
Graduate Program
HTH Graduate School of Education offers a Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) in Teacher Leadership and a Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) in School Leadership.Teacher Credentialing
High Tech High is authorized by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to offer preliminary and professional credentials. It offers two programs: The Intern Program for preliminary teaching credentials and the two-year Induction Program for teachers with preliminary teaching credentials.
Leading Schools Program
This is a one-year program which blends on-line learning and face-to-face collaboration. It is designed to transform schools across the nation by serving as a "change incubator" for teams of educators engaged in school reform.
Program Design Principles
The High Tech High program and curriculum evolved from the work of Larry RosenstockLarry Rosenstock
Larry Rosenstock was the director from 1996-1997 of the New Urban High School Project, an effort funded by the U.S. Department of Education to find and describe new models for urban high schools. Rosenstock and his team created three design principles that seemed to be common in the successful...
and colleagues in the New Urban High School Project, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education. The focus was on inner-city high schools using school-to-work strategies, including internships and other forms of field work, as a leverage for whole-school change. The findings of the NUHS were summarized in guides centered on six design principles. The school is virtually textbook-free. HTH is structured around four design principles, including three from NUHS and one developed by HTH:
- personalization
- adult world connection
- common intellectual mission
- teacher as designer
These principles determined the small size of the schools, the openness of the facilities, personalization, emphasis on integrated and project-based learning, and display and exhibitions of student work. All students are required to complete internships in the community. HTH director Ben Daley described the school's approach: "We are teaching students to think deeply about content and then do something with their knowledge, not just race through a textbook.” According to Rosenstock, who became a CEO of HTH, a slogan at High Tech High is: “You can play video games at HTH, but only if you make them here.”
External links
- High Tech High schools
- High Tech High graduate school website
- Grace Rubenstein: "Real World, San Diego: Hands-On Learning at High Tech High", Edutopia 2008-12-03
- School-ratings.com
- Marcia Manna: "Great Schools", San Diego Magazine
- Robert T. Matschulat, William S. DeJong, Michael S. Dorn and Paul Abramson: "2000 – 2010 – 2020", School Planning and Management, 2010-January
- "A 21st Century Education", documentary featuring Larry Rosenstock
- Bob Pearlman: "Designing, and Making, the New American High School", TECHNOS QUARTERLY Spring 2002 Vol. 11 No. 1
- Liberty Station, San Diego
- Edutopia videos on HTH
- Forbes article 2004 Victoria Murphy: "Where Everyone Can Achieve", Forbes Magazine, 2004-10-11
- High School photos
- Middle School photos