BELL AND YOUR SCHOOL

BELL partners with school district leaders and principals who are looking for innovative approaches to support their most challenged students. Superintendents and principals in six states have accessed federal, state and local dollars to bring BELL’s program to help them turn around chronically underperforming schools. As one superintendent said, “BELL isn’t a program – it’s a proven process that allows us to increase instructional time for students who are facing the greatest challenges.”

How are schools and students selected?
Superintendents typically define a turnaround strategy. For example: using summer to prepare rising 6th and 9th graders who are behind grade level providing after school academic programs to increase learning time in underperforming schools focusing on grades where large numbers of students are underperforming on state level tests. Once the strategy is defined, principals are invited to adopt the BELL model and select the specific students who would benefit most.

How are students and parents engaged?
Once the students are identified, BELL works with the principals and teachers to design a recruiting process. BELL will reach out to parents individually, explain the program and encourage them to be an active supporter of their child’s progress.

How are staff selected? 
BELL works with school administration and principals to identify the most talented certified teachers to lead the small group instruction. BELL provides all professional development, curriculum, supplies and also brings highly trained college students to serve as teaching assistants and mentors to the scholars.

Where does the funding come from?
Budgets are always tight and school districts access Title I, School Improvement Grants, SES, and often city, county or state funding streams to fund BELL. In addition, BELL brings local and national philanthropy to augment these school district controlled funds. Thus school system contributions are leveraged and more program time can be delivered.

Why does this partnership work?
BELL hires the most competent (top 1-5%) of the teachers in the school system, allows them to work with students in clusters of no more than 10 scholars per teacher, uses curriculum linked to state standards, and tests scholars at the beginning, during and end of program to individualize instruction and measure results. BELL’s results have been independently verified by the Urban Institute – simply put, BELL delivers.

Where can I get more information?
Please complete the interest form if you would like to request more information about a potential partnership with your school or school district.