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The following evaluation questions are to be addressed in this study: Implementation: What process was used to develop and implement these schools? What factors influenced the effectiveness of their development and implementation? How are these schools similar to or different from other public schools? Student learning: What impact are the community schools having on student learning? What conditions improve (or do not improve) student learning? To what extent are the schools identifying and addressing students’ educational needs? Public education reform: How do these community schools affect other Cleveland public schools and the district as a whole? Similarly, what are the effects in the first-ring districts? How have these schools served as models for other public schools? How have they provided an incentive for other public schools to reform? In addition to the specified questions, we intend to add the following question to the study: To what extent are community schools using program and personnel evaluation? Given the mission of The Evaluation Center and given that we intend to develop an appreciation and capacity for evaluation in the participating schools, we think this particular question needs to be included in the study. Two additional key issues regarding the charter schools will be examined. First, the governance of charter schools is usually quite different from that in noncharter public schools and can either strengthen or undermine their viability. Thus, we will examine the issue of governance in Cleveland’s community schools. Second, the ability of charter schools to attract and retain teachers has also been found to be a critical issue. Accordingly, we will examine teacher retention largely within the context of the first set of evaluation questions dealing with implementation and to a lesser extent within the context of the second and third groups of evaluation questions. Finally, we will address (though to a lesser extent) the Cleveland Foundation’s role in the development, quality, and sustainability of Cleveland’s community schools. |