Matchbook Learning at Wendell Phillips

Why Matchbook Learning at Wendell Phillips was nominated

The model has taken the longest failing school and highest poverty school (98% F/R) in Indianapolis and in year 1 of restarting with the Matchbook model increased in letter grade based on the state assessment from an F to a D for the first time in the history of the school. The school serves 98% F/R Lunch, 36% English Language Learners, 46% Hispanic, 44% Black, 4% Multiracial, and 16% of our students are either homeless or foster. We serve an incredibly at risk population that was hit hard economically and with sickness from the beginning of the pandemic. Still because our students were used to our blended model and competency based model, 86% of the students regularly participated online while we were fully virtual made growth gains according to iReady and Performance Series diagnostics. Currently 75% of our students have returned for in person instruction 45% every week and 30% every other week in a hybrid model. The remaining 25% are fully virtual. . Prior to the pandemic we made great cultural gains with decreasing suspensions annually and 0 expulsions (which is also a first for the school) since Matchbook restarted the school. Our internal data from last year was the best it has been, unfortunately that was year 2 of the restart and the same year the pandemic shut us down mid-spring semester so there is only internal data and no state data for last year.