Agency Report

Presented by:
Donna Tuohey
MI SSI ON
Innovative Schools supports student
improvement and accomplishes its
mission of delivering programs that
provide efficient schools, dynamic
leaders and exceptional education
through services offered in its three
divisions:
DELAWARE
LEADERSHIP
PROJECT
Charter Management

Project Based Learning
Administrative
Staffing
DEMOGRAPHI CS

Innovative Schools provides education
related services to schools serving students in
grades K-12 in both public and charter schools
in all three Delaware counties.
IS does not serve a specific demographic
or population.
Each of Innovative Schools three
divisions target specific areas of education and
seek to provide services in school leadership,
administrative support and as a charter
management organization.

DELAWARE LEADERSHI P PROJ ECT
Targets teachers and administrators who are
striving to become principles within public
and charter schools.
Masters degree in any field from an
accredited college or university
Current teaching certification
At least three years of teaching
experience
5 Week Summer Intensive training
Ten month paid residency experience on
a school leadership team
Successful graduates must be willing to
commit, in writing, to working in a high
need Delaware public school for three years
upon graduation from the program.

Founding Boards can contract
with I nnovative Schools to:
Complete the charter application
process.
Obtain funding
Staffing
Adaption of a deeper learning
model.
I S determines the recipients of
their services by vetting
applications from Founding
Boards based on:
Organization of the Founding
Board
Need of the community in which
the proposed school would be
placed
Strength of the school concept
SCHOOL DESI GN
School Solutions Division

Innovative Schools provides
staffing for administrative roles
allowing schools to save money
by not hiring full time staff and
directing more money into the
classrooms.
Accounting
Human Resources
Payroll
I T
POLI CI ES AND PROCEDURES
I nnovative Schools is currently in the process of
revising the agencys policies and procedures due to an
increase in staff and expansion of new programs in the
past several years.
Program administration is the responsibility of
the Chief Executive Office whom each of the three
divisions Chief report to regarding program
management and operations.
Each division appears to be administered
separate from the other divisions; however, each has a
shared mission of providing quality and innovative
solutions for Delawares public and charter schools.
I nnovative Schools Organizational Chart
Board of
Directors
Chief of Schools
Officer
School
Operations Staff
Chief Program
Officer
DLP Staff
Chief Operating
Officer
School Design
Staff
Administrative
Staff
Executive
Chairman
Chief Executive
Officer
GOVERNANCE
BEGINS WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO OVERSEES THE
FINANCES AND STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
Evaluate and help manage
risk.

Manage the resources of the
organization by reviewing
annual budgets, evaluating
operations and encouraging
foresight through several
budget cycles.

Provide networking
opportunities, resources,
advice and introductions to
help facilitate operations.

Formulating policies and
strategic goals, focusing both
on short-term and long-term
challenges and opportunities.

Authorize major transactions
or other actions.

Oversee matters critical to the
integrity of the organization
not decisions or approvals
about specific matters-
financial
Funding
Charter Boards
Public Schools
Project Based
Learning
School Solutions
RELATI ONSHI P TO OTHER AGENCI ES
I n addition to local schools, I S has partnered with out of state
organizations such as the New York City Leadership program to adapt
the Delaware Leadership Program.
I S also formed a partnership with the Buck I nstitute for
Education to adapt the Project Based Learning program that has been
instituted in over eleven DE schools.
I nnovative schools is partnered with four national
school design models:
Big Picture Learning Model
Early College High School Model
Expeditionary Learning Model
New Tech High School model.
STRENGTHS:
EDUCATION AND PROGRAMING FOR YOUTH ARE
HIGHLY SUPPORTED.

NOT LIMITED TO FOCUSING SERVICES ON A CORE
GROUP.

FUNDING RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE
ABUNDANT FOR EDUCATION RELATED
PROGRAMS.

CHALLENGES:
A NONPROFIT AND DEPENDENT ON GRANTS FOR
SURVIVAL.

PBL, DOES NOT HAVE AN ASSESSMENT TOOL TO
DETERMINE THE IMPACT WHEN IMPLEMENTED
IN A SCHOOL.

TRENDS:
INCREASE IN EDUCATION REFORM

ALTERNATIVE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION

MORE INDIVIDUALIZED, INNOVATIVE, HANDS ON
AND MODERN EDUCATION.




I NTERNSHI P ROLE
My role as an intern has been to provide
assistance to staff in areas of grant research,
planning for workshops and training, creating
data bases and assisting with the development
of a communications plan.
The role of an intern within the agency
is viewed by staff and administration as
supportive and beneficial for the agency.