Schools That Can Milwaukee | What is a High-Quality School?

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Defining Success
Schools That Can Milwaukee measures school quality using criteria that gauge whether a school truly provides students with the tools necessary to achieve their full potential.

Our organization measures specific attributes using an evaluation rubric we call the “Vital Behaviors.” The tool is based on practices common to the nation’s very best urban schools.

The Vital Behaviors fall into three main categories:
- People
  High-quality schools are led by a team of capable and committed professionals willing to do whatever it takes to help students succeed. That team is headed by a strong leader and guided by a clear vision, strategy, and values.
- Culture
  School should be a place that kids and adults can’t wait to get to every day. High-quality schools have a strong and intentional culture, rooted in mutual respect, that engages and empowers students and families in ways relevant to their culture. A high-quality school also has a safe, well-maintained, and joyful school environment.
- Academics
  High-quality schools hold students and adults to high expectations. They engage students in meaningful and rigorous academic instruction and activities carefully designed to drive learning and foster critical thinking.
When the Vital Behaviors are in place, the result is transformational student achievement.

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