Citizen Schools Business Plan, 2011-2014 The case for expanded learning time, evidence of Citizen Schools' impact on closing the achievement gap, and the organization's goals and metrics for the next few years.

1. IMPACT SCALE SUSTAINABILITY
CITIZEN SCHOOLS BUSINESS PLAN 2011 -2014

2. CITIZEN SCHOOLS AT A GLANCE 2011-2012
7 states | 16 school districts | 31 school partners | 4,600 students | 4,200 Citizen Teachers
NEW YORK
Bronx
Brooklyn
Harlem MASSACHUSETTS
Boston
New Bedford
Revere
NEW JERSEY
Newark
NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte
Durham
Henderson
CALIFORNIA
Campbell Dallas
East Palo Alto NEW MEXICO
Oakland Albuquerque
Redwood City Mescalero
Santa Fe TEXAS
Houston
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3. LETTER FROM THE CO-FOUNDER
A teacher of mine at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education, Kay Merseth, used to tell
me and my fellow students to be clear on our
“keel”: our core beliefs about education.
The keel, her nautical metaphor suggested, would provide
balance and stability as we pursued greater student learning
amidst the shifting tides of education policy and public opinion.
Today, Kay’s advice feels more important than ever, as
education policy and practice change faster than ever before—
and as frustration levels rise among educators due to persistent
achievement gaps (we don’t feel successful) and declining
resources (we expect things will get harder before they get
better).
Sixteen years after founding Citizen Schools, I am clearer than
ever about my keel. I believe that children, particularly low-
income children, need three things to succeed in school and life.
Children need more time to learn, more talent and caring adults
in the classroom, and more relevance in their learning
experiences.
3

4. LETTER FROM THE CO-FOUNDER
More time to practice and learn More caring and talented adults in their
academic and life skills. lives—including but not limited to full-
time teachers.
As Malcolm Gladwell suggests in his best-selling book
Outliers, and Matthew Syed brilliantly chronicles in Human beings learn through relationships and
Bounce: How Champions Are Made, becoming excellent at experience. We always have and we always will. In
anything—from sports to violin to college-level strong communities (at all income levels), children get a
academics—is a matter of practice, not inherited talent. chance to learn with many talented adults—teachers,
Gladwell says 10,000 hours of practice are required to coaches, mentors, tutors, neighbors, and more.
excel.
In an upper-income community, children are more
Upper-income children likely have greater access to likely to meet (and may be related to) successful
out-of-school learning through tutoring, supervised professionals, including doctors, lawyers, engineers,
homework sessions, sports teams, art and music and scientists. This opens up options. When these
lessons, travel, museum and college visits, and dinner- diverse adults are inaccessible to students in their
table discussion and debate. We will have a chance to schools and extended-day experiences, as they are in
close the achievement gap only when we give low- many low-income neighborhoods, there is an
income children equal or greater learning time and opportunity gap—which we must work to close.
opportunities as upper-income children.
4

5. More real-world, relevant learning At Citizen Schools, we work every day to provide
opportunities that connect school to children with these key ingredients of more time, more
careers and teach problem-solving and caring adults, and more relevant learning.
creativity.
Together with visionary school and district leaders—
These are the skills individuals increasingly need to and with committed community and corporate
succeed in the workforce of the future. Most schools partners—we are inventing a new model and structure
serving upper-income children cover the academic for schooling: one that supports teachers and schools
basics and engage students in authentic projects, which instead of blaming them. Together we can not only
both require the application of basic skills and engender reduce opportunity and achievement gaps, but
excitement about learning. Too often, schools serving eliminate them.
low-income students focus on the basics but don’t
connect academics to the real world. As a result, too
many students are bored by school and don’t see the
connection between academic classes and the cool jobs
they could apply for in the future. Eric Schwarz
July 2011
Even if we equalize proficiency in reading and math
(and we’ve got a long way to go), we will not eliminate
the achievement gap in college and career readiness
until we provide all students with an equal chance to
build their creativity and problem-solving skills
through motivating, real-world projects.
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6. 6

7. VISION
Close the opportunity and achievement gap
by expanding the learning day and
engaging students in real-world learning,
ensuring that all children graduate high school
ready to succeed in college and careers.
By 2020, we envision that most U.S. schools serving low-income
children have re-imagined the length and structure of the school
day. Thousands of schools have moved from the six-hour day
led by a teacher talking to kids to a nine- or ten-hour day that
incorporates master teachers leading core instruction and a
second shift of skilled educators who bring learning to life
through hands-on, real world projects and academic practice.
The opportunity and achievement gaps with wealthier students
have closed. The high school drop-out rate is cut in half. College
graduation rates have doubled. The U.S. is first in the world in
education again, and the U.S. economy roars back to life,
fortified by a new generation of inventors and collaborators.
And our democracy is stronger.
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8. THE CASE FOR CITIZEN SCHOOLS
Education is the key to individual opportunity and prosperity.
College graduates now earn twice as much as those with high
school diplomas, and the gap continues to grow.
Middle school reform is a particularly urgent national
challenge. Hard-won gains from the elementary years are often
undermined during these years. Sixth grade performance is a
predictor of long-term success, including high school
graduation. Exposure to professional scientists and engineers is
an important factor in fostering interest in these careers.
A common feature of the few hundred schools that are
delivering great results for poor kids is dramatically more
learning time to provide relevant and targeted academic
support and coaching.
Offering an effective and sustainable longer learning day
requires a second shift of skilled educators and volunteer
citizen teachers, whose lessons are aligned with the traditional-
day teachers but offer new techniques to motivate and engage
students.
By mobilizing citizens to get directly involved in education,
Citizen Schools increases chances for broader school reform
while adding relevance to academic work.
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9. THE CONTEXT FOR REFORM
Policy changes such as Race to the Top have dramatically
increased the pace of change in education and openness to out-
of-the-box solutions to improve results for all children. States are
creating systems to link teacher performance to student
achievement. Several nationwide initiatives are encouraging
innovation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
education. Some new union contracts offer more flexibility in
working conditions and compensation. The increase in charters
is putting competitive pressure to improve on districts.
At the same time, districts face significant budget challenges.
School closings, layoffs and increases in class size are
increasingly common. As a result, districts are increasingly open
to scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective partnerships and
outsourcing to improve results.
Citizen Schools offers districts a proven, cost-effective solution
to increase student and parent engagement and improve
academic results.
9

10. THEORY OF STUDENT IMPACT
The Shooting Star
Citizen Schools drives student impact by shifting students’
educational trajectory in middle school toward a path to college
SUCCESS
and career success. in college
& career
LONG-TERM OUTCOMES
 Achievement
 Graduation
 College and career
readiness
MID-TERM OUTCOMES
 Engagement
 Achievement
 Selection of a college-track
SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES high school
 ACCESS to positive peers,
adults and experiences
CITIZEN SCHOOLS  SKILLS, academic and
PROGRAM 21st century
 BELIEF in the connection
 Apprenticeships
between hard work, education
 Academic coaching and future success
 College to career
connections
10

11. THEORY OF SYSTEMIC IMPACT
The Megaphone
Through data and stories of success,
we mobilize a movement.
Inspire Prove it Transform
kids. works. education.
INSPIRE KIDS PROVE IT WORKS TRANSFORM EDUCATION
 Engage high-need middle school  Use rigorous evaluations to show  Change laws or regulations at
students through highly effective that ELT increases engagement in local, state, and national level to
ELT school partnerships school and proficiency on state tests make it easier to use current
 Mobilize a second shift of  Persuade district decision-makers public investment on ELT
educators to make learning that ELT is a cost-effective way to  Create a demand for change
relevant, and train and support improve results and attract families through media, influence, and
them advocacy
11

12. CITIZEN SCHOOLS PROGRAM MODEL
The Bull’s Eye Since 1995, Citizen Schools has provided middle school students
with the opportunity to learn through hands-on projects and to
Skills, access, and belief drive student success in cognitive, receive targeted academic support and coaching during the
behavioral, and affective learning. afternoon hours.
This part of the school day is taught by a “second shift” of
educators, consisting of Citizen Schools’ program staff and
“Citizen Teachers,” volunteers with expertise in different fields,
including STEM.
Citizen Schools begins in the afternoon, and seamlessly
integrates its culture of achievement into the school. Our
curricula are designed to build students’ skills, provide access
to community resources, and instill belief in the connection
between hard work and success. Program elements foster three
competencies vital to students’ future success: 21st century
skills, academic skills, and college readiness skills.
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13. THE EXPANDED LEARNING DAY
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Homeroom Homeroom Homeroom Homeroom Homeroom
Literacy & ELA Literacy & ELA Literacy & ELA Literacy & ELA Literacy & ELA
Math Math Math Math Math
Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies
Science Science Science Science Science
Transition
around SNACK AND CIRCLE SNACK SNACK SNACK
3pm
ACADEMIC SUPPORT ACADEMIC SUPPORT JOINT
ACADEMIC SUPPORT ACADEMIC SUPPORT
PROFESSIONAL
APPRENTICESHIPS/ DEVELOPMENT
Dismissal
around COLLEGE TO CAREER 8TH GRADE APPRENTICESHIPS
ACADEMY EXPLORE!
6pm CONNECTIONS
SATURDAY
ACADEMIC SUPPORT COLLEGE TO CAREER APPRENTICESHIPS 8TH GRADE ACADEMY/
CONNECTIONS COLLEGE TO CAREER
 Homework time  Aligned to 21st Century Skills and
 Support for high school CONNECTIONS
common-core standards
 Time management and applications in districts
self-organization with high-school choice  Semester-long projects that
culminate in student presentations
 Standards-aligned,  Visits to colleges and
hands-on practice in introductions to careers  Co-taught by Citizen Schools staff
math or literacy and volunteer Citizen Teachers
 Analyzing grades to set who are experts in their fields, with
goals special focus on STEM professionals
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14. VALUE PROPOSITION FOR SCHOOLS
 15-20 highly talented staff join your school faculty
“SECOND SHIFT”  Low teacher to student ratios (1:15) for academic and social support
STAFFING  Opportunity to spread workload across more faculty and allow for more
planning time
 Targeted support of high leverage academic skills
ACADEMIC  Standards-aligned curricula in Math or English Language Arts
PRACTICE  Citizen Schools staff join grade level meetings and Instructional
Leadership teams
 Hands on activities that make learning relevant
 Diverse 10-week apprenticeships taught by community and corporate
REAL WORLD
volunteers
LEARNING  Curriculum focus on 21st Century Skills, including oral presentation,
leadership, data analysis, advanced literacy and technology
 Biweekly phone calls home, based on conversations with school faculty
 Regular events to help families connect to schools, including potlucks
FAMILY
and high school information sessions and selection coaching
ENGAGEMENT  Help families connect to schools by hiring staff who communicate in
home languages
 Students participate in 100+ hours of programming that helps prepare
COLLEGE TO them for high school and college
CAREER EXPOSURE  Visits to colleges, corporations and other cultural institutions
14

15. A TRACK RECORD OF IMPACT
Independent evaluations show that ENGAGEMENT Citizen Schools
students who participated in Citizen Schools Attendance is one of the best attendance is higher
are more engaged and successful in school predictors of whether a than matched peers,
than their peers—even years after the student will drop out of reducing absenteeism
program. school. As early as middle by 43%.
school, high absenteeism is a
powerful indicator of dropout
risk.
ACHIEVEMENT 9 out of 10 Citizen
Many students lack the Schools alumni passed
academic skills necessary for state exit exams in
college and career success. Only math and English,
one-quarter of high school closing the
graduates who took the ACT in achievement gap with
2010 met college readiness state averages.
benchmarks.
GRADUATION Citizen Schools
Nationwide, 2.2 million students participants
attend high schools that qualify had a 20% higher high
as “dropout factories.” Each school graduation rate
year, more than a million young than matched peers
people fail to graduate with (71% vs. 59%).
their class.
15

16. THE EDWARDS TURNAROUND
In 2006, Citizen Schools began exploring Expanded Learning
Time (ELT) partnerships in Boston, serving the entire sixth grade
as part of a mandatory longer school day.
Four low-achieving schools in Massachusetts that piloted ELT
partnerships with Citizen Schools saw average annual gains in
proficiency that are double to triple the gains for other ELT
schools, and state averages.
At the Edwards Middle School, for instance, 6th grade
proficiency rates increased from 15% to 37% in math and from
27% to 49% in English Language Arts (ELA). The 8th graders
who had participated in ELT for all three years of middle school
outscored the state average in math in 2009, reversing the
achievement gap.
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17. FROM OUT-OF-SCHOOL TO EXPANDED-LEARNING
These results suggest that our hands-on program model,
developed in out-of-school time (OST), can drive significant,
school-wide results when more students experience it in a
setting fully integrated into the full school day.
Today, Citizen Schools is shifting from an optional after-school
program to a whole-grade, whole-school, ELT model to help
traditional public schools serving the poorest communities
dramatically improve performance. We plan to shift the
majority of our school partnerships from OST to ELT by 2014, and
focus our strategy on proving that ELT is effective and
sustainable at scale.
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18. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, 2011-2014
Increase our Increase Increase organizational
IMPACT SCALE SUSTAINABILITY
on students and schools by ten times to serve more and create the conditions
using proven metrics students and schools for an ELT movement
We will validate ELT as a school We will grow the ELT model to serve In order to define and create the
improvement and turnaround model, more students and schools and prove conditions to scale ELT more broadly
demonstrating significant gains in effectiveness at 25 schools across urban beyond 2014, we will grow
proficiency (15 percentage points or and rural school districts. renewable/replaceable public and
greater) and school engagement (30% private funding streams to be
reduction in absenteeism and sustainable at $31+ million without
suspensions and improvement in special infusions of “growth capital.”
belief/locus of control measures).
18

19. BALANCED SCORECARD METRICS
OBJECTIVES MEASURES
 Average network-wide score on Program Scorecard
Increase  Percent of apprentices maintaining an A or B or improving a C, D, or F in English Language Arts
1
STUDENT SUCCESS  Percent of apprentices maintaining an A or B or improving a C, D, or F in Math
 Increased proficiency rate on Math & ELA state assessments
Engage
 Average campus retention rate
2 MORE APPRENTICES
 Average annual enrollment
for more time
 Percent of apprenticeships rated high-quality
Improve  Percent of Citizen Teachers who feel they made a significant impact on student learning
3
APPRENTICESHIP IMPACT  Percent of apprenticeships led by partners
 Percent of apprenticeships with science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) focus
 Number of ELT campuses secured
GROW
4  Number of Super STEMcampuses
the national network
 Public funds appropriated for Citizen Schools and programs like it since 2009
 Total revenue
Ensure
 Fully loaded cost per child
5 FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
 Total operating reserve
at scale
 Total revenue raised for the next fiscal year
Deliver effective
6 SITE SUPPORT  Percent of Campus Directors satisfied with support and services from the national organization
and services
 Pilot: Number of high-leverage actions taken on behalf of Citizen Schools by Citizen Teachers
7 Build our BRAND  Number of high-leverage online actions taken on behalf of Citizen Schools
 Number of e-mail addresses on our house list
 Number of campus staff (Program Directors, Campus Directors, Teaching Fellows, and Teaching Associates)
Effectively recruit, hired in time to attend relevant orientations
8 retain and develop  Percent of state, national and Campus Director roles where at least 33% of finalists are of color
STAFF  Scores of incoming campus staff on the characteristics most correlated with high performance
 Percent of staff satisfied with their supervision
Build and maintain a
9 CULTURE reflecting  Percent of staff satisfied with organizational culture and values
our core values
19

20. IMPACT METRICS
Program Scorecard, 2011-2012
OBJECTIVES MEASURES TARGETS
 Achieve student enrollment target  95%
Build ENGAGEMENT &
 Promote student attendance  91% (ELT: 92%; OST: 90%)
INVESTMENT
 Promote student retention  75% (ELT: 90%; OST: 70%)
in Citizen Schools
 Ensure constituent satisfaction  4.0
 Maintain an A/B grade in English Language Arts (ELA) course  85%
Literacy  Improve a C/D/ F grade in ELA course  50%
 Increase proficiency rate on ELA state assessment*  +5 percentage points
Build students’
ACADEMIC SKILLS
 Maintain an A/B grade in Math course  85%
Math  Improve a C/D/ F grade in Math course  50%
 Increase proficiency rate on Math state assessment*  +5 percentage points
Build students’  Improve oral communication skills  77%
21ST CENTURY SKILLS  Improve leadership skills  77%
 Promote students’ culture of support  50%
Build students’  Promote students’ access to high school, college & career connections  50%
ACCESS & BELIEFS  Promote students’ belief in the education-to-success connection  94%
 Promote students’ self-efficacy  78%
Build students’
 Set 8th graders on a college pathway**  N/A**
COLLEGE PATHWAYS
* Assessment results will be reported in fall 2012 when results are available. If possible, preliminary results will be reported in July on the end-of-year PSC.
** Each region is in the process of developing a college pathway measure that is a meaningful and appropriate measure given its local context.
Results will be reported in fall 2012.
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21. TACTICS FOR INCREASING IMPACT
CREATE EXCELLENT CREATE SCALABLE CREATE STRONG VALIDATE ELT
TRAINING AND TOOLS FOR SCHOOL RESULTS THROUGH
COACHING INSTRUCTION AND PARTNERSHIPS EVALUATION
SYSTEMS FOR MANAGEMENT FOR
SECOND SHIFT SECOND SHIFT
1. Strengthen national and 1. Develop a knowledge 1. Refine school 1. Engage Abt Associates
regional summer capture and sharing selection/cultivation to evaluate our ELT
trainings system for program best criteria that reflect model through a school
practices critical factors including level quasi-experimental
2. Strengthen Citizen
school leadership/ study consistent with
Teacher support: 2. Invest in an effective,
academic team What Works
curriculum, lesson easy-to-use curriculum
leadership, high-need Clearinghouse
planning, enhanced development/lesson
student population standards
guidance from program planning system
staff, and education 2. Integrate the first and
3. Document and share
reform context second shift, creating a
models of excellence
shared vision of student
3. Provide direct field across program
expectations, shared
support to Managing elements aligned with
instructional practices
Directors of Program rubrics and tools
and shared student level
around ELT planning and
4. Develop “Our Shared assessments
implementation, core
Culture” Plan including
program model
trainings/ standards/
execution, and
tools/resources for
instructional leadership
classroom
management, goal-
setting, character/
student success
21

22. TACTICS FOR INCREASING SCALE AND SUSTAINABILITY
CREATE RELIABLE TALENT CREATE STRONG INCREASE PRIVATE INCREASE SHARE OF
PIPELINES FOR SECOND DISTRICT PARTNERSHIPS FUNDING BY DIRECT CAMPUS
SHIFT FOCUSING ON 6-7 COSTS COVERED BY
FIGURE GIFTS PUBLIC FUNDS
PROGRAM STAFF EDUCATORS: 1. Refine district 1. Build strong national and 1. Generate research and
selection/cultivation criteria regional boards capable of case studies that
1. Invest in college partnerships
that reflect critical factors, generating large gifts demonstrate how school
2. Tighten the implementation of including district level support directly and through their leaders are freeing up
our candidate selection for ELT as a lever for reform and networks public funds to pay for ELT
model/criteria funding
2. Increase support from 2. Optimize current public
3. Use data comparing candidate 2. Convene ELT practitioners and foundations who are funding sources, including
hiring rubric scores and on- other partners to create a aligning with districts and Title I, SES, CLC, SIG, RTTT and
campus performance to drive community of practice, inspire interested in school state/local formula dollars
continuous improvements in excellence, and establish a transformation strategies
3. Create stronger
sourcing and selection network of ELT experts and
3. Drive large gifts through our relationships with
ambassadors
4. Source Campus Directors via corporate sponsorship district/school leaders,
Teaching Fellowship and TFA efforts with national players through an ELT Summit in
alumni partnership who have a presence in Boston and tailored
VOLUNTEER CITIZEN TEACHERS: multiple Citizen Schools cultivation led by state
states Executive Directors
1. Invest in corporate partnerships
to deliver excellent partner-led 4. Raise expectations for
apprenticeships financial commitment from
prospective ELT partners:
2. Invest in social media to most new partners/ELT sites
develop and mobilize for FY12 are committing
community of Citizen Teachers $1,000-$1,200 per student
to drive retention and
recruitment
22

23. TACTICS FOR BUILDING AN ELT MOVEMENT
CREATE A SUPPORTIVE INCREASE VISIBLITY FOR CREATE AN ELT
CLIMATE FOR ELT ELT AS A LEADING TOOLBOX FOR USE BY
THROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT CITIZEN SCHOOLS AND
POLICY STRATEGY THE FIELD
1. Continue direct federal 1. Pursue third-party validation 1. Create a shared library of
advocacy, primarily pursuing for ELT including books, reports, curriculum, training guides,
policy changes to 21st CCLC media coverage including op- and other materials pertaining
and maintaining funding for eds, endorsement by to high-quality ELT for use by
21st CCLC and AmeriCorps, influential bloggers, Citizen Schools staff, partners,
and ESEA reauthorization academics, and pundits and the field more broadly
2. Seek greater emphasis on ELT 2. Find compelling stories to
and better definition within prove ELT and generate new
School Improvement Grant leads, video, reports, case
program studies, and share through old
and new media
3. Pursue early-stage state policy
advocacy, including 3. Align external mass
engagement with state communication policies and
departments of education systems (constituent database,
and how we reach out to
constituents)
4. Ensure high-functioning
internal communications
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24. www.citizenschools.org
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