Institute for Student Achievement
Encyclopedia
The Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) is a "high school turnaround partner" for public school districts attempting to improve high school
education, particularly for at-risk students. ISA offers both a comprehensive model and, for those schools and districts whose needs are less profound, ISA offers targeted services. Founded in 1990 by philanthropists Gerard and Lilo Leeds, at present ISA partners with 80 schools serving over 20,000 students in New York
, Michigan
, Louisiana
, Minnesota
,Texas
and Georgia
school districts.
Since 2000, the organization has been headed by Gerry House, formerly school superintendent of the Memphis, Tennessee
school system. House helped redesign ISA with a focus on 'whole school' reform that would greatly increase the number of high school graduates prepared for college-level academic work. Overall results for the whole school reform approach to high schools are mixed and/or disputed, one study urging greater attention be paid to the problems of implementation.
ISA's model for school improvement is framed by what its website describes as seven "research-based principles" leading to greater student achievement and improved high school graduation and "college-going" rates. The principles are as follows: a“college preparatory instructional program”; “distributed counseling” (a trademarked term referring to building a “safety net” of personalized student support services in which all adults at the school are involved); a “dedicated team of teachers & counselors”; continuous professional development provided to teachers and principals; an extension of the school day and year; parent involvement; and “continuous organizational improvement” (management for quality and accountability through continuous monitoring and teacher/principal team discussion on whether the seven principles are being achieved).
One high school affiliated with ISA is Bronx Laboratory High School in New York City
, which has been the focus of some media attention.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
education, particularly for at-risk students. ISA offers both a comprehensive model and, for those schools and districts whose needs are less profound, ISA offers targeted services. Founded in 1990 by philanthropists Gerard and Lilo Leeds, at present ISA partners with 80 schools serving over 20,000 students in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
,Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
school districts.
Since 2000, the organization has been headed by Gerry House, formerly school superintendent of the Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
school system. House helped redesign ISA with a focus on 'whole school' reform that would greatly increase the number of high school graduates prepared for college-level academic work. Overall results for the whole school reform approach to high schools are mixed and/or disputed, one study urging greater attention be paid to the problems of implementation.
ISA's model for school improvement is framed by what its website describes as seven "research-based principles" leading to greater student achievement and improved high school graduation and "college-going" rates. The principles are as follows: a“college preparatory instructional program”; “distributed counseling” (a trademarked term referring to building a “safety net” of personalized student support services in which all adults at the school are involved); a “dedicated team of teachers & counselors”; continuous professional development provided to teachers and principals; an extension of the school day and year; parent involvement; and “continuous organizational improvement” (management for quality and accountability through continuous monitoring and teacher/principal team discussion on whether the seven principles are being achieved).
One high school affiliated with ISA is Bronx Laboratory High School in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which has been the focus of some media attention.