© Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Volume 11, Number 3, p. 23, (2006) Advancing an Urban Mission: The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor Pamela Gray Arrington Abstract Coppin State University is committed to meeting the edu- cational needs of its urban population and improving the quality of life in its urban community. An institutional pioneer in urban education, Coppin State University is the first higher education institution in the state to assume responsibility for the restruc- turing and administration of a public elementary school. It is the only higher education institution in the state to locate on its campus a public high school, for which it also serves as operator. The university is actively engaged in preservice and in-service teacher education programs and, in response to the Board of Regents directive, envisions even more involvement in teacher preparation. The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor is one such initiative. In partnership with the Baltimore City Public School System, the university chose this particular academic focus because of its longstanding urban mission. Introduction This article discusses how Coppin State University has chosen to advance its urban mission by effecting systemic change through a pre-K to 16 initiative designed to increase the accessibility of higher education for low-income African American youth in West Baltimore. The article presents an overview of Coppin State University, its urban mission, and two project components of the West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor. Overview of Coppin State University As a historically black institution founded in 1900, Coppin State University is a comprehensive, urban institution offering programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional disciplines. Located on fifty-two acres in Baltimore City, the institution applies its resources to meet urban needs wherever those applica- tions mesh well with its academic programs. Named in honor of Fanny Jackson Coppin, an outstanding African American educator, and dedicated to teaching, Coppin fulfills a particularly important mission for the state of Maryland. It is a member institution of 24 Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement the University System of Maryland (USM), is governed by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, and has a six- member Board of Visitors. With a faculty of 259 and a staff of 373, Coppin State University offers excellence in academic programming with twenty-three majors and nine graduate degree programs. Historically, the student body has been characterized as pre- dominantly African American, female, nontraditional, and com- muter. The current student body reflects these characteristics. In fall 2005, 4,306 students (3,451 undergraduates and 855 gradu- ates) were enrolled. The average age of the student population is 29. Minorities make up 94 percent of the student population, of whom 99 percent are African American. The majority (89 percent) are in-state residents who reside in “The university is Baltimore City (52 percent) and sur- committed to meeting rounding counties (48 percent) of the educational needs Maryland. of its urban popu- The university is committed to lation and improving meeting the educational needs of its urban population and improving the quality of life in the quality of life in its urban com- its urban community.” munity. An institutional pioneer in urban education, Coppin State University is the first higher education institution in the state to assume responsibility for the restructuring and administration of a public elementary school. In addition, it is the only higher edu- cation institution in the state to locate a public high school on its campus; it also serves as the school’s operator. The university is actively engaged in preservice and in-service teacher educa- tion programs and, in response to the Board of Regents directive, envisions even more involvement in teacher preparation. The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor is one such initia- tive. In partnership with the Baltimore City Public School System, the university chose this particular academic focus because of its longstanding urban mission. Advancing an Urban Mission Since its founding, inextricable ties between access and public service roles and the effective integration of the two roles have characterized the institutional mission. The university mis- sion clearly defines the institution’s purpose within the context of higher education, indicates those whom the institution seeks to Advancing an Urban Mission: The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor 25 serve, and outlines what the institution seeks to accomplish. The mission statement reads: Coppin State University provides educational access and diverse opportunities for students with a high potential for success and for students whose promise may have been hindered by a lack of social, personal or financial opportunity. High quality academic programs offer innovative curricula and the latest advancements in technology prepare students for new workforce careers in a global economy. . . . By creating a common ground of intellectual commitment in a supportive learning community, Coppin educates and empowers a diverse student body to lead by the force of its ideas to become critical, creative and compassionate citizens of the community and leaders of the world, with a heart for lifelong learning and dedicated public service. Coppin State University applies its resources to meet urban needs, especially those of Baltimore City, wherever those applications mesh well with its academic pro- grams. (CSU Office of Planning and Accreditation 2005) Coppin seeks to fulfill and extend its access role of providing a wide range of high quality educational programs at the bacca- laureate and magistral levels as a means of economic, educational, intellectual, professional, and social mobility for its primary con- stituency, students whose promise may have been hindered by a lack of social, personal, or financial opportunity. For example, approximately 56 percent of Coppin students qualify for federal Pell Grants, a higher proportion than on any other campus in the University System of Maryland, where the average is around 22 percent. For some researchers the social mobility score, a school’s commitment to educating lower-income students, is defined as the percentage of its students on Pell Grants (Editors of The Washington Monthly 2006, 25). Throughout its 106-year history, Coppin’s commitment to its public service role has been reflected in its steady contribution to the city, state, and nation, which is a point of institutional pride. As Coppin has grown, its connections with the community have deepened and matured in a way that serves as a model for the operation of urban institutions in the twenty-first century. The uni- versity serves a community that is 99 percent African American, in which more than one-third of the households are headed by women 26 Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement and 27 percent of the residents earn less than $15,000 annually. The neighborhood suffers from a crime rate among the highest in Baltimore. Most residents are law-abiding and responsible, but drugs have had a pernicious and overwhelming impact on this part of the city (CSU 2001, 1–2). These factors only intensify the university’s urban-based mission. Coppin is an oasis within the West Baltimore urban environ- ment, serving as a center not only for education, but also for recre- ational activities and employment opportunities. The university is a stabilizing force within the neighborhood, and it is fully accessible and open to the neighborhood. Many urban institutions are almost like gated communities. Coppin’s campus is pedestrian-friendly and inviting, and its ongoing capital improvement plan offers grace from the blight that envelops much of the area. The campus traditionally hosts a variety of community-ori- ented events, from high school graduations to summer day camps. Coppin is ideal for these purposes because the campus has the size and feel of a close-knit “learning community” that encourages exploration and public service. Coppin’s location sends a twofold message: education is critical to this particular community’s future and viability, and higher education is within this community’s reach. No other campus in the University System of Maryland embraces such a difficult but essential institutional mission (CSU 2001, 2, 13). Thus, addressing accessibility for those historically underrepre- sented in higher education while valuing community outreach and service is the underlying theme of the institutional mission. Given the recent findings of the Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education, the need for such a timeless commitment is ever apparent (U.S. Department of Education 2006). Today, with 90 percent of the fastest growing jobs requiring post- secondary education, the commission found that (1) inadequate academic preparation has become a major barrier to college access, particularly for minority and low-income students like the typical Coppin State student, and (2) many college graduates do not pos- sess the level of reading, writing, and thinking skills expected of college graduates (p. 1). The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor In Baltimore, Maryland, and the United States at large, urban- area schoolchildren by the thousands are in disadvantaged educa- tional environments. From the U.S. Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Initiative to the Baltimore City School System’s Advancing an Urban Mission: The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor 27 small/innovative high schools project, efforts at all levels of edu- cation indicate one point: clear recognition of the need to reform and innovate now (Consortium for Policy Research in Education 2000; Darling-Hammond 2005; Hawkins 2005). As stated in Gathering Momentum, “it turns out that although everyone thinks of these two systems as separate, they are interdependent. It is impossible to create major changes on one side of the gap (the K-12 system) without significant changes on the other (higher education)” (Hechinger Institute et al. 2002, 1). Data demonstrate that, in general, “Coppin’s location many students lack the academic sends a twofold preparation needed to enroll at a college or university and thereby message: education miss the benefits of a college degree is critical to this (Mintrop 2003; U.S. Department of particular commu- Education 2006). nity’s future and Conditions affecting the delivery viability, and higher of education to youths in West education is within this Baltimore cry out for immediate community’s reach.” relief. From poverty and crime to broken homes and in-school failure, young adolescents in the area face a daunting array of challenges. West Baltimore’s school-aged youths share many of the characteristics of their peers throughout Baltimore and in large urban settings nationwide. The typical Corridor student is an African American child living in a female-headed single-parent household and most likely receiving free or reduced-price school meals, indicating a family living near, at, or below the national poverty level. It is unlikely that the student has met minimum state competency standards in functional tests. Similarly, the typical Corridor student missed one in five school days each year. As an inner-city Baltimore resident, the student faces crime and poverty (at levels among the highest in the state) on a daily basis. As a Baltimore City school student, the typical Corridor student faces a significant risk of not graduating at the same time as peers statewide and is three times as likely as students statewide to drop out of school. In this inner-city milieu, Coppin State University has resolved to create and develop the West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor to illustrate a university-supported commit- ment and expertise in reversing the effects of distressed city envi- ronments on educational experiences (Hawkins 2005; University System of Maryland K-16). The aim is to successfully change the 28 Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement educational outcomes of such students so they will show substan- tial improvement in state-mandated achievement tests and motiva- tion, yielding reduced absenteeism and increased retention rates (Arrington 2003). The problem is replicated across the nation in comparable urban areas (Kirst and Venezia 2006). Therefore, the Corridor concept has had a local, regional, and national scope from its inception. For nearly a decade at the university, this educational reform initiative has been a work in progress. The creation and continuing development of the West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor reflects Coppin State University’s determination to play a leadership role in the critical reform efforts that are taking place today—locally, regionally, and nationally (see table 1). As initial phases were implemented and the concept evolved, the institu- tion’s primary goal has not changed. From its early inception until now, the university’s resources have been utilized to improve the delivery of effective education to youths in urban settings. In part- nership with Baltimore City Public Schools, the university views the development of a thriving educational pipeline as a strategic way of ensuring academic excellence in schools in Coppin’s own neighborhood of West Baltimore. Rosemont Elementary/Middle School One component of the West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor is the Rosemont Elementary/Middle School. In 1998, Coppin took over nearby Rosemont Elementary School, becoming the first higher education institution in Maryland to manage a public school. Rosemont Elementary is located in the Greater Rosemont Community, an area adjacent to the university. In 1997, the Maryland Department of Education (MSDE) declared Rosemont “. . . below acceptable standards” (Battle 2003). It was the second-poorest-performing school in the state of Maryland. Its close proximity to Coppin made it an ideal candidate for inclusion in the university’s developing Urban Education Corridor model. Rosemont’s student body reflects the impact of conditions typical of West Baltimore and many Baltimore City schools: crime, pov- erty, drug activity in the neighborhood; low scores on state func- tional tests; and high absenteeism and dropout rates. As operator of Rosemont, Coppin hired staff and implemented a staff development program. During the first years of the part- nership, Coppin faculty first steps included the administration of a needs assessment to the staff. The results revealed the need Advancing an Urban Mission: The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor 29 Table 1. West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor Model for Change The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor Model for Change implements two interwoven priorities: a rigorous academic curriculum and an emphasis on the formation of character in a setting that allows teachers and students to learn from each other in ways that are truly unique. Moving students from level to level as a cohort ensures that the chain of effectiveness is not broken. Currently, the Corridor involves a pre-K program, an elementary/middle school, three high schools, including an academy on Coppin campus, and the university itself. The West Baltimore pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor is composed of the following program components: Rosemont Elementary/Middle School, the Coppin Academy (high school), the Mentoring Initiative, the SAT Camp Project, urban education teacher training, parental involvement, the Saturday Academy for Thinking, part- nerships, an enrichment program, rigorous academic instruction, health services, and evaluation. 1 Rosemont Elementary/Middle School 7 Saturday Academy for Thinking In 1998, Coppin made educational history when it This project exposes a cohort of middle and assumed the management and administrative supervision of high school students to critical thinking skills that the then-failing Rosemont School. Today, the 380-pupil school broaden their career aspirations. The effort satisfies a ranks among Baltimore’s top 10% of elementary schools. major goal of the Corridor to prepare students to think More than 79.6% of its students are performing at or above critically and to solve problems. Current participants class level. The school added a 6th grade in fall 2005 and will are from Lemmel Middle School and Douglas High become a full-fledged, Coppin-managed middle school by School. 2007. 8 Partnerships 2 The Coppin Academy An alliance of supporting partners provides A university-assisted Baltimore City public high school strength and outreach. Currently these include the located on campus, the Academy enrolled its first 119 ninth Baltimore City School System, Douglas High School, graders in fall 2005. It will add 100 more each year until the Lemmel Middle School, Rosemont Elementary/Middle school reaches a capacity of 400 by 2009. In partnership with School, the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, the the city school system and with the support of the Bill and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Opportunities for Melinda Gates Foundation/Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Industrialization Center (OIC), the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Fund, Coppin established the Academy as part of the national Service, and NASA. effort to “reform and redesign” high schools in the U.S. The 9 Enrichment Program Academy focuses on excellence, college attendance, and a Coppin facilities and other resources are utilized global perspective. The curriculum includes the fine arts, char- to provide Academy participants “a culture of profes- acter education, and critical thinking, among other areas. sionalism.” The setting includes (1) association with 3 Mentoring Initiative adults with a postsecondary education and strong The Talented Ten African American Male Mentoring moral convictions, successful college students, and Program provides weekly assistance to students from three of older peers with model behavior and global perspec- Coppin’s neighboring schools: Rosemont Elementary, Lemmel tives, and (2) opportunities for participation in college- Middle, and Douglas High. Some three dozen students are level study and involvement with business and reli- drawn from the schools’ “most socially/behaviorally challenged.” gious organizations and other internship experiences. The project is funded by the Abell Foundation and others. 10 Rigorous Academic Instruction 4 The SAT Camp Project A Coppin-created planning committee works The SAT Camp, an intensive, content-specific, three-week to ensure that instruction in participating schools and summer session, prepares students to take the SAT test. The related projects is relevant, rigorous, and focused. first camp was conducted by Coppin and the Baltimore City All curriculum is based on a committee-conducted School System in 2004. Over the academic year, students and instructional needs assessment of area schools. parents are invited back to campus for parent-student forums Coppin pilots instructional models for use by area where they can hear from Coppin State University and College schools, the region, and the nation. Board staff on the college application process, financial aid, 11 Health Services and other topics. In order to address the whole child and 5 Urban Education Teacher Training facilitate achievement, three partners of the Education Preservice and in-service professionals—teachers, staff, Corridor have instituted on-site social services that and others—are provided professional development opportuni- assist in promoting a holistic learning community. ties as they work with students involved in Corridor programs Such operations provide internships for Coppin and projects. Development relating to the human growth and nursing and social work students. The Coppin School development stages and academic and social needs of stu- of Nursing manages the Coppin Health Center, which dents is provided to faculty at Coppin and secondary schools provides needed health services for the Greater and to participating business and religious organizations. Rosemont Community. 6 Parental Involvement 12 Evaluation Through a variety of venues and activities, the parents To ensure that Academy goals are met, and families of participants are provided numerous opportuni- Coppin maintains a continuous system of evaluation ties to engage in cultural and critical thinking activities that focused on the effectiveness of instructional delivery, enhance their development of academic, racial, and creative curricular innovations, and management protocols skills, attitudes, and abilities. implemented in pilot projects and model programs. 30 Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement Table 2. 2006 Rosemont Average National Percentile Rank Compared with BCPSS Grade Subject BCPSS Rosemont Difference Reading 46 46 – 1 Math 43 60 17 Reading 53 39 –14 2 Math 48 54 6 Table 3. 2006 Rosemont Three-Year Comparison by Subject Difference, Grade Subject 2004 2005 2006 2005–2006 Reading 61 49 46 –3 1 Math 64 52 60 8 Reading 41 26 39 13 2 Math 66 52 54 2 for a comprehensive staff development program. At the time, the school had a high percentage of noncertified and inexperienced teachers, as well as poor classroom management, a lack of instruc- tional strategies, and low test scores. As a part of the professional development workshops and ongoing teacher support organized by Coppin faculty and student teachers, Rosemont teachers could take tuition-free courses at Coppin, such as the Praxis Math courses for noncertified teachers. Interventions focused on Rosemont students included implementing an extended-day supplemental academic support program, the Saturday School for Thinking program, a summer enrichment program, and invitations to students to attend Coppin’s cultural and athletic events. Interventions focused on the parents included GED and parenting classes taught by Coppin fac- ulty while Coppin students and faculty served as tutors and men- tors for these programs. Rosemont benefited from the university’s partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For example, Fish and Wildlife Service staff worked with Rosemont teachers and students to build and maintain an indoor habitat. University staff aided the school in seeking supplemental funding for its aca- demic and cocurricular programs. Most important, however, was the active recruitment of the school’s principal, who holds a joint appointment in the School of Education at the University. Advancing an Urban Mission: The West Baltimore Pre-K to 16 Urban Education Corridor 31 Table 4. 2006 Rosemont Results Compared by Grade to City and State Grade 3 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 46 50 4 54 Baltimore City 34.9 58.8 6.3 65.1 –11.1 –24.3 Maryland State 21.7 63.2 15.1 78.3 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Grade 3 Math Basic Proficient Advanced Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 18 64 18 82 Baltimore City 39.6 51.7 8.7 60.4 21.6 2.9 Maryland State 20.9 54.3 24.8 79.1 Grade 4 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 20 55.6 24.4 80 Baltimore City 34.6 58.4 7 65.4 14.6 -1.8 Maryland State 18.2 58.6 23.2 81.8 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Grade 4 Math Basic Proficient Advanced Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 15.6 60 24.4 84.4 Baltimore City 37.3 51.3 11.3 62.6 21.8 2.3 Maryland State 17.9 49.9 32.2 82.1 Grade 5 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 34.1 56.8 9.1 65.9 Baltimore City 41.3 44.7 14 58.7 7.2 –10.7 Maryland State 23.4 42.9 33.7 76.6 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Grade 5 Math Basic Proficient Advanced Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 43.2 47.7 9.1 56.8 Baltimore City 46.3 48.3 5.4 53.7 3.1 –16.6 Maryland State 26.6 54.2 19.2 73.4 Grade 6 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 20.9 62.8 16.3 79.1 Baltimore City 54.5 35.4 10.1 45.5 33.6 7.2 Maryland State 28.2 37.7 34.2 71.9 % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Grade 6 Math Basic Proficient Advanced Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 20.9 58.1 20.9 79 Baltimore City 68.6 27.9 3.5 31.4 47.6 13.4 Maryland State 34.3 46.9 18.7 65.6 32 Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement Table 5. 2006 Rosemont Results Compared by Grade to City and State on the Alt MSA Alt MSA Grade % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced 3 Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 0 33.3 67.7 100 Baltimore City 41.1 31.6 27.4 59 41 38.7 Maryland State 38.8 26 35.3 61.3 Alt MSA Grade % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced 3 Math Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 0 50 50 100 Baltimore City 35.8 31.6 32.6 64.2 35.8 37.6 Maryland State 37.5 27.5 34.9 62.4 Alt MSA Grade % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced 4 Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 0 20 80 100 Baltimore City 53.4 14.8 31.8 46.6 53.4 38.1 Maryland State 38.1 24.8 37.1 61.9 Alt MSA Grade % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced 4 Math Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 0 0 100 100 Baltimore City 51.1 12.5 36.4 48.9 51.1 37.1 Maryland State 37.1 24.4 38.5 62.9 Alt MSA Grade % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced 5 Reading Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 0 20 80 100 Baltimore City 41.2 30.6 28.2 58.8 41.2 36.7 Maryland State 36.7 23.8 39.5 63.3 Alt MSA Grade % REMS/BCPSS REMS/MSDE Basic Proficient Advanced 5 Math Passing (% passing) (% passing) Rosemont 0 20 80 100 Baltimore City 44.7 12.9 42.4 55.3 44.7 33.8 Maryland State 33.9 20.6 45.6 66.2 With these interventions in place, the progress of the students at Rosemont has been phenomenal. In 2000, Rosemont Elementary first graders showed the largest percentile gains in first grade reading in Baltimore City. In 2003, Rosemont was removed from MSDE’s “watch list,” as it had “. . . made enough progress to exit the school improve- ment program” (Barwick 2003). Today, the 380-pupil school ranks among Baltimore’s top 10 percent of elementary schools. More