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Alternative Choices in Education at Brookline High School
Alternative Choices in Education at Brookline High School, nominated by Aurora Institute, is a high school in Brookline, Massachusetts that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban/suburban area.
Location Brookline, Massachusetts
Governance Public district school
Grades High
Students 55
Locale suburban
ACE Program Coordinator Amy Bayer
Demographics
Percentage of students*
48%
Students with Disabilities
46%
Free/Reduced Lunch
1%
English Learners
White —
Hispanic/Latino —
Black/African American —
2+ Races —
American Indian —
Asian —
Hawaiian National —
Why Alternative Choices in Education at Brookline High School was nominated
At ACE, the learning experience design starts with a culture that develops the whole child and their agency as learners and humans. Relationships and community are the foundation of a learning culture that centers the needs of learners. The innovative, competency-based program features a thematic curriculum organized by six-week classes, which offers opportunities for fresh starts on a regular basis. Exhibitions and a senior capstone project anchor the learning and assessment system.
Student experience design
ACE is an innovative, competency-based program at Brookline High School for 55 students who choose to be in a smaller educational setting where they can move at their own pace and engage in project- based and experiential learning. ACE provides a rigorous college-preparation pathway in which students are placed in multi-age, honors-levelled classes based on their skill levels and graduate with a Brookline High School diploma when they complete their content and skill competencies. Because the students are in small classes, they benefit from personalized instruction and a tight-knit community of staff and students. Students in ACE are expected to frequently reflect on their personal growth in developing habits of success and actively engage in the ACE community through their participation in their advisory and in community building activities. ACE students take all of their core academic subjects including English, Math, History and Science in the program while still taking their electives, world language, and health and fitness classes in mainstream. They take two six-week academic classes at a time, averaging three courses in each content area in a given school year. When it is time to assess the student, ACE teachers offer a choice of performance-based assessments that, as much as possible, allow students real-world application of the skills. If a student does not meet a minimum level of competency, “basic competency,” in a class, they do not fail. Instead, they repeat it when it is offered next or take an on-line version of the course, if available. A limited number of ACE online classes are also available for students who want to move at a quicker pace. Even though many ACE students would otherwise take an AP class, they choose not to because they are seeking a more innovative and experiential classroom experience. If an ACE student is seeking a college class experience, ACE places students in actual college classes through dual-enrollment programs at Roxbury Community College and Ben Franklin Institute of Technology where they can earn college credit. In ACE, students also have the option of pursuing internships during school hours for academic credit. This gives students the chance to work with a mentor at a workplace of interest where they do a comprehensive project that is needed by that internship site. In addition to their academic experiences, ACE students participate in community building trips and community service projects which allow students to build a supportive, trusting environment. ACE also works closely with families to be an active partner in their child’s success. Parents or guardians are expected to come in three times a year to participate in a student-run exhibition on their child’s academic progress.
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Competency/mastery-based Education |
5+ years
|
|
Culturally Responsive Practices |
5+ years
|
|
All Courses Designed For Inclusion |
5+ years
|
|
Multi-age Classrooms |
5+ years
|
|
Student-led Conferences |
5+ years
|
All Practices
Advancement On Mastery
Student Advisories
Anti-racist Practices
Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning
Assessments For Deeper Learning
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Career Prep And Work-based Learning
Families As Co-leaders
Students As Co-leaders
Teachers As Co-leaders
Co-leadership
Community And Business Partnerships
Competency Framework
Early College High School
Extended Learning Opportunities
Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
Hiring For Equity And Inclusion Values
Interdisciplinary
Individual Learning Paths
Individual Learner Profiles
Mental Health Services
1:1 Mentoring
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics
No Tracked Classes
Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery
Project-based Learning
Peer To Peer Support
Performance Based Assessment
Place-based Learning
Restorative Practices
SEL Integration School-wide
Social Justice Focus
Students Access Their Own Data
Student-led Goal Setting
Self-paced Learning
Students Develop Projects
Trauma-informed Practices
Universal Design For Learning
key reasons for innovating
Systemic inequities
Date Updated: April 2024
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.