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'Schools in Schools' Draw Praise: Small Mesa Learning Communities Prove Successful in Inspiring Student Progress

Posted on: Monday, 16 January 2006, 15:02 CST

By Jennifer Pinner, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

Jan. 16--Before he started going to the Mesa Unified School District's Biotechnology Academy, Anthony Garcia thought he'd become an airline pilot or enlist in the military.

The 16-year-old junior didn't plan to go to college either, but he says attending the academy has changed his mind.

Now, he wants to go either to the University of Arizona or Arizona State University to become a nuclear engineer.

Garcia is an example of what experts say happens with students who attend "schools within schools," a national trend in high school reform that focuses on creating small learning communities with rigorous curriculums in larger traditional high schools.

The Mesa Biotechnology Academy, housed in a singlestory red brick building on Mesa High School's campus, started last fall and is into its second semester.

Students say the relationships they build in the small community is closer and they feel more comfortable going to each other with questions about their classes. There are about 20 10th-grade students enrolled in the program and a handful of seniors.

Teachers say students are challenged more and have an accountability system because all of their teachers are in the same building and have lunch together frequently.

If a student is slipping in a math class, for instance, it's likely his English teacher or biotechnology teacher knows about it.

Rosa Roa, 17, says she didn't do so well in math this year. But now, "my math teacher is pushing me to get my work done and pay attention in class," she said.

Xan Simonson, program coordinator, says student achievement has risen since the academy began, especially when it comes to AIMS test scores.

"With our students, most of them were either far below one or more of the AIMS" tests, Simonson said.

Now, "all but two have passed AIMS and that gives a lot of credibility to the program," she said.

When she recruited students for the academy last year, Simonson said she purposely looked for "middle-of-the-road" students, many of whom earned Cs and Ds last year.

She says she's seen attitudes change toward learning and the students who wouldn't have otherwise thought of college now really want to go.

A national study released by the U.S. Department of Education in 2001 touts careers academies similar to the Biotechnology Academy as "especially beneficial for students.""The programs also foster a sense of community, reduce the feeling of alienation some students feel in larger, traditional high schools and promotes peer group support," the study says.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne says he won't support a move toward smaller learning communities statewide until he sees scientific evidence that the smaller schools increase student achievement.

But, he does think it's a good local initiative and he especially supports biotechnology in schools.

The Mesa district already has a number of small learning communities and plans are continuing for more.

Right now, the district offers programs ranging from early childhood care to travel and tourism. In the fall, a preengineering program is planned at Red Mountain High School and Shepherd and Fremont junior high schools.

By next January, a small performing arts school should be housed in the old Mesa Arts Center in downtown Mesa.

Michael Cowan, associate superintendent of the Mesa district, says creation of smaller learning communities is all about providing students with options.

"There are efforts nationally to reform high school education and districts like Mesa are looking at different approaches at delivering different education to kids," Cowan said.

"We're not in a one-sizefits-all world, so we look at a variety of programs . . . to meet the needs of students," he said.

The Mesa Biotechnology Academy will host an open house for those interested in enrolling in the program for the 2006-2007 school year When: Jan. 18, 4-6 p.m.

Where: Agriscience Biotechnology Complex on Mesa High School's campus, 1630 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

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Source: The Tribune

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