ASCEND is a small autonomous school in Oakland that was founded in 2001 and uses arts-integrated and expeditionary learning. Over time, budget cuts reduced their program. In 2012, they focused on deep differentiation and won a grant for blended learning. Today, ASCEND is shifting to a model of student agency through personalized instruction. This fall, they are piloting multi-age classrooms to maximize student engagement and ownership over learning through personalized goals and choice. The pilot is a shift to student-driven learning in a collaborative environment between students and teachers.

1. ASCEND
A School Cultivating Excellence, Nurturing Diversity

2. OURHISTORY
In 2001, ASCEND was 1
of 5 small autonomous
schools born in Oakland.
We were designed by
parents, community
members and leaders.
We use arts-integrated,
Expeditionary Learning to teach
students to think, ask questions
and find answers.
Over time, budget cuts
trimmed down our
program and left us
with challenging
choices to make in
order to maintain our
model and our work.
In 2012 we focused our energy on deep differentiation.
We won the Rogers Family Foundation, Blended
Learning Pilot Grant and rolled out a guided reading/
blended learning rotational model in K-5, and have been
working to create a greater level of differentiation in our
cored middle school.
Today, we are a school shifting
toward a model based on student
agency, facilitated through
personalized instruction. Through
the power of expeditionary
learning, we ensure that students
have rich opportunities to show
what they know, to think, ask
questions, and find answers.

3. Whyarewedoingthis?
This fall, the ASCEND community is piloting an exciting journey of learning in multi-age classrooms. We believe that our
students are worthy of the highest quality of education and deserve the learning environment to develop themselves as
individuals and as citizens of the world. In a multi-age classroom, we believe:
● Student-driven learning will maximize engagement, thereby fostering creativity, student agency and respect for all
learners.
● With personalized learning and choice, students will take ownership over their individual goals and make progress
given their unique needs and strengths.
● Students will deepen their academic growth and increase their socio-emotional skills by engaging in an authentic,
natural learning environment that mirrors that real world.
As ASCEND community members we have the shared responsibility to strive to offer the best learning opportunities for our
students. The pilot is a model of collaborative learning opportunities between students and teachers; we hope to nurture a
community of learners where teachers and students explore, discover and grow from each other.
What we are doing is complex. The pilot is a shift in paradigm of the traditional classroom setting and we are redefining
what success can look like and be for our students and teachers. We will make mistakes, struggle, and learn along the
way. But our vision is guided by love and the desire for our school to resemble the world we wish to create.

4. Instructional Model
Innovations
● multi-age classrooms
● people, place, pace, path
● student agency through goal-setting, reflection, and
conferencing
● Work plans driven by goals, data and needs
● Flexible learning environments, creation time, flex
time, community time= choice and ownership
Most Excited about…
● Students are able to speak more to their data, goals,
and learning trajectory
● Students are able to articulate their learning needs
and advocate for themselves and their choices
● We are cultivating a growth mindset and a culture of
risk-taking

5. Today’sagenda
I. Build your menu and goal set
II. Learning Rotations with
teachers, students and families
III.Reflection
IV.Closure and Feedback
““We are all teachers. We are all
learners.
We can all learn from each other and
teach everyone.”
~ 5th grade student

6. Buildyourmenuandgoalset
I. Choose 2 out of 3 stations
II. During this session, my goal is to…
III.Share with an accountabilibuddy. What!?

7. GoalReflectandcheckout
Did you meet your goal for today? What is your evidence?
Share 1-2 takeaways with your accountabilibuddy

8. CLOSURE
What happened behind the scenes?
- Residency Program
- Creative budgeting/ staffing solutions
- Site visits
- CICS West Belden partnership
- EL training/ resources
- Parent Workshops
Where do we go from here?
- Scale our model and successes
“Our vision is
guided by love
and the desire for
our school to
resemble the
world we wish to
create.”
- ASCEND Community 2015

9. ThankYou!