A whole-school modelthat harnesses the power of national service

to accelerate academic achievement and increase “college readiness”

in low-income high schoolsacross America

coll•ege rea•dy adj having the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to persist and

complete a college course of study successfully - without remediation – at the point of enrollment

adapted from the College Board, 2010

The most important gap in education today

college eligible

college ready

**

college eligible ≠ college ready

Of every 100 low-income students entering college each year

complete theirbachelor’s degrees 15

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2006

THERE’S SOMETHING HAPPENING HERE. (and what it is is exactly

clear)

Rigorous academic prep in high school coursework isthe single strongest predictor* of college completion

*Bridgespan analysis for the Gates Foundation (2006)

Academic Prep*

Translation: expectationsfinancial aidparent support counselingadvice on apps+

good stuff

but nothing matters more than rigor

√

To increase rigor, instruction and support must be tailored to the needs of individual students starting Day One of high school.

The national service movement should be channeled to address this pressing need.

BETA INTRODUCING THE

Class of 2010

A team of 12 Blue Engine Teaching Assistants (BETAs) chosen in the spring of 2010 from 185 applicants nationwide (8%) to join the inaugural class in NYC

Talented, service-minded college graduates dedicated to careers in social change leadership, willing to work for an annual stipend of $14,400 + benefits

Who we are

Work alongside classroom teachers to provide high-quality, small-group tutorials to entire grade levels of high school students (4-6 at a time) in mathematics, writing, literacy, and language arts (current pilot in Algebra only)

Collect and analyze “real time” data on student performance to help teacher / BETA teams differentiate instruction to the needs of all students

Lead the implementation of an evidence-based theory of change tied to the development of college-ready skills including: self-regulation, curricular planning, college visits, parent outreach, and after school programming

What we do

Expanding in the fall of 2011 to two/three additional high schools in New York City only, building out English/Language Arts and geometry supports in addition to our continuing work in algebra.

Recruiting a class of 32 BETAS for the fall of 2011, between 8 -12 of whom will be current BETAS returning for a second year of service (22K + benefits).

Launching social media and documentary initiatives to spread the word of Blue Engine beyond the NYC metro area and attract additional support.

Developing staffing structures to support operations in 2011 and beyond, securing commitments from AmeriCorps, schools, and foundations to grow from a 600K budget in FY11 (current) to a projected 1.2M and 2.5M+ over the next two fiscal years.

Establishing a results-driven culture that provides the basis for regional and national expansion in high-need high schools across the country.

Where we’re going

PROGRAM

We take a student - centered approach

Our personalized instructional model helps students go further, faster

by reimagining the way that classrooms work and students learn. 

One size does NOT fit all

A more personalized kind of classroom

Daily data collection and analysis

Web-enabled perform. management system

We believe that one size does NOT fit all

Each BETA accelerates the

learning cycle in small groups, every day

Learning is accelerated by unhinging curriculum and assessments from a one-size-fits all model

We create a more personalized classroom

BETAS help increase teacher leverage by

customizing instruction and

assessments each and every day

Our innovative human capital model reduces teacher-to-student ratios from 1:30 to 1:6.

The Engine runs on data collection and analysis

Students are constantly growing at different rates. BETAS

target resources to increase student

achievement at every level

Data collection and analysis happens DAILY and is made transparent to invest students in their own success

We are developing a web-enabled performance management system

BETAs have a constant pulse on

student performance to inform instruction

in real time.

Our performance management system helps us make smart decisions about how to allocate time and BETA resources in real time

Two programs. Two applicant profiles.

Classroom Teachers

LeadershipAchievementPerseverance

BRIDSI/M

2 years

ES / MS / HS

All majors

Teaching Assistants

TeamworkAchievement

FlexibilityService mindset

Interpersonal skill

1 year+

HS

All majors

What we look for in applicants

During a three-stage selection process (online, phone*, in-person), we screen for:

- Prior achievement - Presence - Teamwork - Coachability - Programmatic fit - Drive / grit - Career direction

KEYdatesD1: Feb 16 D2: April 6

Current BETANYU class of 2010, 3.95 GPAStraight into teaching? Hesitant.

Experience tutoring: 4 yearsPassion for education, results focus, humility, presence with kids, creative problem solver, instructional skill in small groups: Off the charts.

Keith Lau.

A different kind of rockstar.

KEITH LAU IS NOWPART OF THE MOVEMENT.

and we need your help to expand it

QUESTIONS ?

ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE TEAMAND THE FUTURE OF THIS MISSION

THANK YOU!(YOU SHOULD APPLY NOW)