Saved Schools

Iowa BIG

Iowa BIG, nominated by Education Reimagined, is a high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban/rural/suburban area.

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Location Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Governance Public district school

Grades High

Students 80

Locale Suburban

Principal Dan DeVore

Demographics

Percentage of students*

—

English Learners

—

Free/Reduced Lunch

1%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black —

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian —

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino —

White —

2+ Races —

Why Iowa BIG was nominated

Learners at Iowa BIG generate new innovations, solve problems for their neighbors, and think critically about the challenges of their community. Started in 2013, this program coordinates with the area's high schools to have learners split their time between traditional classes and Iowa BIG projects. These projects originate from companies and organizations that have untapped ideas and challenges they can't resource. So, when an Iowa BIG learner takes up the challenge"it's a win-win. When working on their projects, learners come to a co-located space in downtown Cedar Rapids"putting them side by side with local entrepreneurs and million dollar companies. This co-working space has a profound effect on learners. When they're at Iowa BIG, they aren't just students"they're inventors, creators, designers. And they know no limits. Even when they return to their traditional high schools, their work and accomplishments follow them. Iowa BIG is a fully competency-based environment. Learners are tracked standard-by-standard as they move through their projects, ensuring the highest level of mastery. As learners explore the possibilities of their projects, highly qualified staff record experiences and products using proprietary software to ensure progress. Rather than build a pre-fabbed curriculum, at Iowa BIG their community is their curriculum.

Student experience design

Our vision is to unleash human potential and agency and efficacy is at the core. Our students experience themselves as whole people who are supported to live their truth and learn to own and manage their time, space, and purpose/plan.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Co-leadership
5+ years

Community And Business Partnerships
5+ years

Competency/mastery-based Education
5+ years

Project-based Learning
5+ years

Students Develop Projects
5+ years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

Student Advisories

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Deeper Learning

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Career Prep And Work-based Learning

Students As Co-leaders

Teachers As Co-leaders

Competency Framework

Culturally Responsive Practices

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Interdisciplinary

Individual Learner Profiles

1:1 Mentoring

No Tracked Classes

Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery

Peer To Peer Support

Performance Based Assessment

Place-based Learning

Restorative Practices

SEL Integration School-wide

Student-led Goal Setting

Self-paced Learning

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Desire to be on the cutting edge and demonstrate what’s possible

Models Implemented

Grades K-12

Big Picture Learning

Date Updated: 4/1/2024

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.