Utica Community Schools Rank among Washington Post's Most Challenging

Superintendent of schools for the Utica Community Schools (UCS) district in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Dr. Christine Johns maintains a commitment to implementing new initiatives to foster student success. A recipient of a 2014 Tech-Savvy Superintendent of the Year Award by eSchool News, Dr. Christine Johns also leads her schools in receiving national attention as a forerunner for positive educational changes. For instance, the Washington Post has recognized all four UCS high schools through the America’s Most Challenging High Schools list in multiple years.

The America’s Most Challenging High Schools consists of a listing of the nation’s most academically challenging high school institutions based on the ratio results of an internal index formula. Known as the Challenge Index, the formula examines students’ participation in advanced placement programs and divides the number of tests taken by the number of graduating seniors for each year. Particular program tests the Challenge Index looks for include International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), and the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE). In order to rank among the listing, schools must obtain an index ratio of 1.00, which indicates that the number of tests taken that year match the number of graduating seniors.

Organizers for the America’s Most Challenging High Schools list choose not to include student test results as a factor due to the actions undertaken by some schools to boost their test score rates. According to research conducted by organizers, some schools establish artificial test score rates by only allowing top students to participate in IB, AP, and AICE courses. Furthermore, the listing also excludes well-known magnet and charter schools whose concentration of top-preforming students exceeds the highest average for open enrollment schools.

League of Innovative Schools Drives Public Education Reform

Dr. Christine Johns serves as superintendent of Utica Community Schools in Michigan. As superintendent, Dr. Christine Johns has championed new ideas in public education through her participation in Digital Promise.

President Obama launched Digital Promise in 2011, after its authorization by Congress. It was created as a nonprofit, bipartisan organization devoted to developing new educational technologies.

One of its chief components is the League of Innovative Schools, which promotes solutions to challenges facing K-12 schools. It unites the efforts of school leaders using information technologies to benefit student achievement, and tests new ideas for teaching and learning in 73 member districts. These schools educate a total of over 3.2 million students from diverse backgrounds.

Digital Promise also sponsors collaborative activities on topics suggested by league members. Included in these working groups are such subjects as connectivity, funding, evaluation, and communication.

In another Digital Promise initiative, policy thought leaders, superintendents, and teachers convened to share their views and experiences with competency-based education. This concept emphasizes personal growth for students and tailors learning to their individual needs.

Communities That Care Enhance Student Achievement

The superintendent of Utica Community Schools in Michigan, Dr. Christine Johns believes strongly in public involvement in the activities of K-12 education. In a recent blog post, Dr. Christine Johns expressed her beliefs in the importance of civic support for teaching and learning.

The superintendent listed three necessities for a strong community: quality schools, secure neighborhoods, and thriving businesses. The care of the community for its children makes these three goals possible.

School-related endeavors help in a number of ways. Experienced students mentor younger ones, elder citizens help with tutoring, parents confer with teachers, and business leaders encourage career plans.

Students themselves appreciate these examples of voluntary action. Utica pupils were asked to identify supports that help them in their education. Possible choices included their interest in school (engagement), ideas and plans for the future (hope), and their beliefs about upcoming success (well-being).

Respondents gave more positive responses to these factors than the national average for school children. To Dr. Johns, these results indicate optimistic beliefs about their prospects; one source for this hopeful outlook was the knowledge that their community cared for and believed in them.