This is one of five case studies from the National Association of Independent Schools about schools that are making nontraditional funding models work for the benefit of low-income students. See the full set of case studies.
Profile: Eagle Rock, a high school for 15- to 18-year-olds, serves 72 students at risk for dropping out of school. Most come from families who cannot afford any other options.
History: Eagle Rock was the brainchild of executives from the American Honda Motor Company, whose corporate vision is “to become a company that society wants to exist.” After great success in the U.S. market, Honda’s leaders wanted to give back. Two senior executives traveled across the country for a year, looking for a need Honda could help meet. They decided to focus on engaging disengaged high school students.
Eagle Rock opened in 1993 as a year-round, coed boarding school and professional development center on 640 acres at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. The goal was to serve some of the country’s most underserved students while learning from the process and allowing other teachers to come and study their methods.
The school provides full scholarships for all students and accepts only students who have not succeeded in traditional settings and want to attend the school. Its programs are nontraditional. Students progress at their own rate in project-based and experiential learning activities. There are no grade levels (e.g., 9, 10, 11, and 12) or grading (e.g., A, B, C, D, and F). Rather, students earn credit by demonstrating proficiency. All students have duties and chores, from cleaning and landscaping to cooking and running the cafeteria.
Financial Model: All funding comes from the American Honda Education Corporation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit subsidiary of American Honda Motor Company. Full scholarships cover each student’s tuition, room, and board.
Professional Development Center: This center houses organizational school change consultants, who work with schools and youth organizations nationwide to create learning environments that promote student engagement. It hosts visiting educators; administers an Eagle Rock/Public Allies Teaching Fellowship program; and publishes articles and books, such as The Other Side of Curriculum: Lessons from Learners and Engaging the Disengaged: How Schools Can Help Struggling Students Succeed. The Center is also funded by Honda.
Strengths:
• A committed benefactor that supports the school but gives it complete operational independence.
• Funding for a well-trained staff, plus access to the Professional Development Center. Teachers are free to try new methods and teach for mastery instead of test scores.
• A beautiful location and the ability to host unique wilderness experiences.
Challenge:
• Dependence on a single benefactor.
Comment: “There are a lot of young people around the country who have tremendous potential but who are starting so far behind that they don’t have a fighting chance. We have to think differently about school and how we fund schools because if we aren’t attending to the underserved, everyone loses,” said Jeff Liddle, head of Eagle Rock School.
More information: http://eaglerockschool.org/