Charter iSchool High offers options for students
HOUSTON (AP) — Cameron York will be a high school sophomore this fall, but based on the coursework he's completed, the 15-year-old student is on track to possibly graduate next spring and begin taking college courses — tuition-free.
He couldn't have made such a leap at his former public school, so last school year Cameron enrolled at iSchool High, a public charter and early college high school at Lone Star College-University Park. At iSchool, Cameron has completed much of his core curriculum because he's able to work at his own pace.
"I can go a lot faster than in regular school, and I feel like I'm learning more," said Cameron, who wants to graduate early to enlist in the Army at 17 with some college credits on his record.
The Houston Chronicle (http://bit.ly/15WBlhj ) reports the charter, which opened in 2011, is a partnership between Lone Star College and Responsive Education Solutions, a Lewisville-based nonprofit that oversees 64 public charter schools across the state.
The "i'' stands for innovation, but not in the sense of technology. The concept is to find the best uses of old practices to help students succeed in high school and college, said Chuck Cook, the organization's CEO.
At iSchool, students work independently instead of being pushed to stay on a designated pace. Teachers don't spend time lecturing or jotting lessons on a whiteboard. They serve as facilitators, working with individuals or small groups of students when they need help.
Students also have the opportunity to earn their associate's degree while finishing high school. They can take dual credit courses and college electives taught by Lone Star College professors, and tuition is waived.
"It's the best college prep school there is," said iSchool campus director Michael Laird.
About 200 students attend the school, which is open to any student in the Houston area. By next fall, the school will see its first wave of students earn associate's degrees, Laird said.
Another iSchool High will open this fall at Lone Star College-Montgomery near The Woodlands. Officials expect to enroll about 140 students.
Most iSchool students want to graduate early. They're typically the students who want their peers in public school to be quiet so the teacher can teach the lesson, Laird said. They come to campus focused and ready to learn, he said.
Cameron's mother, Rusty York, said she enrolled her son at iSchool because she felt he needed a more challenging environment. In public school, he always finished his work ahead of his classmates and would sometimes play around, disrupting class.
"My son was very bored," she said. "He's very smart and does his work very fast. Academic-wise, this was a perfect for him. The opportunity for college credit and to get an associate's degree before he graduates is what we were interested in as well."
There are no school bells at iSchool, because students are assigned to one classroom. They work at cubicles around the perimeter of the room and on computers in the center. Each credit hour is divided into multiple modules, and students work on the modules at their own pace.
When they complete each module, they must pass a mastery-based test before moving on. Teachers spend most of their time developing content, while students work on their individualized plans.
"If students don't need help, they stay out of the way," Laird said of the teachers. "It's about learning, not teaching."
Gaby Sarzosa, who enrolled in iSchool last year, said she enjoys the flexibility. The 16-year-old student said she likes working under her desk with her laptop or at a table with a group of friends. And when her teacher can't help her with a certain subject, she's free to go to another classroom to seek help from a teacher trained in the subject.
An honors and AP student at her former public school, Gaby said she often felt overwhelmed by all the projects and homework assignments. She now feels less stressed because she can work at her own pace, and without all the homework assignments, she has more time to do things outside of school, such as volunteer and work a part-time job, she said.
"I was surprised that I like it," said Gaby, who wants to get her associate's degree, then earn a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering. "It's an amazing program."
Her father, Jeff Hume, said the school is not for everyone, but it has been a good experience for his daughter.
"She is very disciplined in getting her work done without a lot of supervision," Hume said. "For a student like Gaby, she has done great things there."
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Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com
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