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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CommPACT School?Are CommPACT Schools charter schools?Are CommPACT Schools magnet schools?How are children selected to attend a CommPACT School... will CommPACT Schools just attract the best students?What do CommPACT Schools cost?What is the role of the school district in a CommPACT School?How are the teacher unions involved?How are CommPACT Schools compatible with collective bargaining agreements?What are the benefits of reorganizing as a CommPACT School?How is this reform different from other past school reforms?What conditions are necessary to become a CommPACT School?How does a CommPACT School become established?What does the term “evidence based practice” mean when used in the context of CommPACT Schools?What is the role of the University of Connecticut in CommPACT Schools?
What is a CommPACT School?A CommPACT School is an existing public school reorganized by teachers and administrators to maximize shared decision making and collaboration. CommPACT Schools gain autonomy in governance, budgeting, and curriculum in exchange for accountability to the district. They are managed by a partnership of school district administrators, school representatives, teachers, community leaders, and parents. Through a partnership with Institute for Urban School Improvement (IUSI) and UConn's Neag School of Education, CommPACT Schools will work collaboratively with experts in education to enhance student learning.
Are CommPACT Schools charter schools?No. Like local charter schools, CommPACT Schools are still accountable to the school district, but unlike local and statewide charters, they are operated cooperatively and inclusively: all stakeholders agree to be partners in the operation of the school – teacher union, administration, parents, and students.
Are CommPACT Schools magnet schools?No. CommPACT Schools take existing schools and convert them to schools that employ evidence based practice in all aspects of school operation – governance, decision making, instruction, parent involvement, and curriculum. The school retains its attendance boundaries and the district attendance policies.
How are children selected to attend a CommPACT School... will CommPACT Schools just attract the best students?As noted above, CommPACT Schools operate under existing local school attendance policies; no lotteries and no creaming of top students.
What do CommPACT Schools cost?CommPACT Schools are reorganized public schools and therefore do not duplicate existing services. Apart from the initial reorganization cost of releasing teachers for planning and start-up, a school that reorganizes as a CommPACT School does not cost the district any additional funds. CommPACT Schools are given the same budget they would have received as a traditional public school. The difference is that those who are closer to the students are empowered to make decisions about how best to tailor the budget with the goal of improving student learning.
What is the role of the school district in a CommPACT School?The school district is an active partner in the CommPACT School. It agrees to support the autonomy of the school site, participate as a resource to the school, and support transparent accountability measures.
How are the teacher unions involved?The teacher union is an active partner in the life of the CommPACT School. AFT and CEA are key founders of the CommPACT initiative. At both the local school level and the state level the unions are part of the decision making and governance process. Our current educational environment requires out-of-the box thinking. The expertise and professionalism of the unions are key resources to build upon.
How are CommPACT Schools compatible with collective bargaining agreements?Teachers working in CommPACT Schools are covered under collective bargaining agreements, particularly as such agreements pertain to salary. However, teachers in a CommPACT School may agree to alter parts of their collective bargaining agreement relating to hours or other requirements affecting day-to-day working conditions if they believe it will improve student learning. Such flexibility has proven to increase efficiency and most importantly, collaboration in schools by better utilizing the distribution of time.
What are the benefits of reorganizing as a CommPACT School?CommPACT Schools create an empowering and more trusting work environment for teachers and administrators. This accomplishes two things that together create better student learning conditions.
How is this reform different from other past school reforms?Generally speaking, public school reform efforts in the past have been neither “systemic” nor “organic”. The CommPACT School model is organic because for a school to reorganize as a CommPACT School, interest must be developed from the teachers and administrators – together. Without expressed mutual interest, no reorganization can occur. This model is also "systemic" because it fundamentally changes the governance and decision-making structures that affect student learning most directly.
What conditions are necessary to become a CommPACT School?Research has shown that top down and bottom up support are necessary to sustain improvement. At the system level the local teachers union and school district must agree to support the transformation of a school into a CommPACT School. At the local school level, at least 90% of the teachers and the principal must support an application to become a CommPACT School .
How is a CommPACT School established?First, as mentioned above, 90% of a school's staff must agree to become a CommPACT School. Second, the school administrator, superintendent, and local union representative must agree to support the school if it is reorganized as a CommPACT. Third, to participate as a CommPACT School eligible for UCONN assistance, the local union and district office representatives must complete a joint application to the IUSI Office at the Neag School of Education and be selected.
What does the term "evidence based practice" mean when used in the context of CommPACT Schools?Evidence based practice is simply school practices that research has shown are effective addressing a particular challenge in a particular context. Much educational practice has no research to support its use. Additionally, many research based practices do not examine the specific context in which the intervention is effective or the conditions necessary for successful implementation. In CommPACT Schools, practices are research based and have in place all conditions for success.
What is the role of the University of Connecticut (UConn) in CommPACT Schools?Richard Schwab, dean of UConn's Neag School of Education, added to the concept of CommPACT Schools a partnership with higher education that has the potential of better connecting research based practices directly to schools – ensuring that evidence based practice is daily practice. Dean Schwab envisioned using UConn's satellite branches to provide field-based assistance to CommPACT Schools. To facilitate the relationship between the Neag School of Education and the districts, an IUSI Office has been established within the Neag School of Education. The IUSI office serves as a first point of contact to interested staff, developers and facilitators of CommPACT Schools, and a connection to services and resources provided by the Neag School of Education.
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