Graduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln played a role in helping a local high school earn national recognition.

During the spring 2017 semester, graduate students in Ted Hamann’s “Effecting High School Improvement” helped Lincoln High School write first draft reports for the National Education Policy Center’s Schools of Opportunity recognition. The collaboration provided a base that led to Lincoln High being named one of eight gold level Schools of Opportunity and the first Nebraska school to earn the honor.

“We know we have a lot to be proud of at Lincoln High,” said Mark Larson, principal of the school. “A lot of hardworking teachers, counselors, coaches, parents, volunteers, partners and students do a lot to make sure we’re a welcoming and successful school, both socially and academically. But we didn’t have time to pull someone from their existing work to assemble an application to the Schools of Opportunity. So it was great when Ted suggested he and his students could do that.”

The Schools of Opportunity program, which is based at the University of Colorado in Boulder, celebrates public high schools that narrow opportunity gaps and succeed with diverse student bodies. Acknowledging that standardized test scores are often a better measure of students’ affluence, parent education level and the stability of enrollment, the School of Opportunity program instead uses 10 other criteria that more closely capture what the school does than who it enrolls. But to demonstrate that a school excels at these criteria requires documentation.

Ted Hamann

“It was important to me that we leave Lincoln High in control of this process,” Hamann said. “They were kind enough to let us visit their building and use their real challenges and complications, as well as their successes, to think about what a 21st century high school does and should do. So we wanted to offer something in exchange for that contribution to our class and our learning. We sent them about 20 pages of their words, their descriptions and their data, assembled in response to what NEPC was looking for.”

From that extensive start, Lincoln High was able to add a few more pieces, and then Larson submitted the application. After five months of review, Lincoln High received a call from NEPC in October telling them they were finalists, and then in November they hosted a two-person review team that made a day-long visit.

“It’s rare to get an opportunity to see class concepts being put into practice in real time,” said Tony Fucci, a graduate student in Nebraska’s teaching, learning and teacher education program. “Visiting Lincoln High helped us to frame our discussions around affecting high school improvement in terms of real people, at a real school, trying to make things better for their students.

“I was impressed by Lincoln High’s knowledge of current research in education, as well as their sincere effort to put what they learned into practice. Most importantly, LHS saw improvement as an endless process and continues to work toward becoming a better, more equitable place for all their students.”

Doctoral student Jillian Harpster, an English teacher at Lincoln’s North Star High School, said the project was a valuable experience.

“Working with Dr. Hamann and Lincoln High’s faculty throughout the writing process made our coursework more tangible, more real,” Harpster said. “Not only did we get hands-on experience writing a proposal like this, but we were able to go into a school, see the changes they have implemented for the betterment of their student body and consider how programs like CU’s could further resource them to continue their diligent work for students. Holistically, it was a really worthwhile, meaningful and edifying experience.”

Now that it is recognized as a School of Opportunity, Lincoln High will participate in a national network of schools celebrated for their concurrent embrace of diversity and excellence.

“I’m sure we’ll do more with Lincoln High. But, this well-deserved recognition has me thinking, maybe it’s time to look at some of the other schools in Lincoln, Omaha, or maybe even Crete or Schuyler - other places with diverse enrollments and strong programs,” Hamann said. “Maybe we can play a small role in helping their work and successes be recognized.”