New American Schools’ Concept of Break the Mold Designs: How Designs Evolved and Why

Book Description:

Business leaders created New American Schools, a private nonprofit corporation,in 1991 to develop "break-the-mold" designs for schools serving grades K-12. This reportdocuments the significant changes in the designs that have taken place over the initiative’slife span and the reasons for those changes. NAS drove some of the changes in itsdecisions to fund or not to fund specific designs. The designs themselves changed in termsof their educational components and theories. Finally, the design teams developedimplementation strategies and assistance packages over time that resulted in theexpansion of the design concept to the concept of "design-based assistance." Some of thechanges made to designs were beneficial in promoting the concept of a design-basedschool, especially the development of stronger curriculum packages, clearer descriptions ofthe designs, and significant work toward assistance for schools to adopt designs. However,concessions to district and state policies led design teams to redefine some designelements, allowing significant local variation and possible incoherence and fragmentationwithin schools using designs. If this reform is to succeed, policymakers must revitalize it bytaking the current environment into account and helping to make it more supportive.