About Modoc: A Celebration of the Diversity of Learning
The staff of Modoc Charter School thanks you for this opportunity to tell you about our program. This is an important time in the development of our school and in the charter school movement across the nation. We want to share our educational philosophy and discuss key elements of our program. The goal is to “personalize” learning for our students and help others understand the possibilities available in charter schools.
Our philosophy centers around two intertwined concepts: quality, standards-based learning, combined with flexibility in the methods, materials, and scheduling of that learning. Parent and student choice, in the context of accountability to meet or exceed state curriculum standards, is respected. Instructors become personal and professional guides in the educational journey of each child, partnering with parents to grow together in that process. An ongoing dialogue is established that focuses on the elements and flow of learning itself, exploring ways to improve each child’s skills and knowledge, discussing what works for each individual, monitoring and adjusting for the success of the pupil. The goal is to help each child become a self-motivated, independent learner, able to use different sources of information, problem-solve, organize time and effort, complete tasks set by themselves or others, and view the community and world as their learning space.
Modoc Charter School began officially in February of 2000, authorized by the Modoc Joint Unified School District. The school was chartered to provide education to students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. The charter was renewed by our sponsoring district on December 14, 2004 and will go through the renewal process again before June 30, 2009.
We enroll students from varied backgrounds. Some come from highly motivated homes where education is valued and parents dedicate much of their time and energy for direct instruction. Those students are outstanding readers, love projects and take extra time to explore different topics of interest beyond the core skills. Another group of students comes to us from other school programs with a range of talents and stills. Many of those are bright children who are searching for a different way to “do school,” for either social or academic reasons. They are attracted by the flexibility and sense of responsibility that are important for this type of education to work well. About one third of the students who enroll with us are often identified as “high-risk.” They struggle to succeed in one or more essential skill areas and may have personal issues that have hindered their progress in other programs. As a public school, we are open to their needs. We strive to assess and address their educational needs, realizing the challenge that confronts them and all who work with them. We provide remedial instruction, as well as special education and Title I programming for these students.
Because we are a non-classroom-based charter school we can serve students in the counties contiguous to Modoc County, including Shasta, Lassen, and Siskiyou Counties.
Over the last five years the school enrollment has grown from around 50 students to over 450. The staff now includes 28 credentialed teachers, a Director and two Instructional Coordinators, and a 6-person office staff. Special Education services are provided by the Modoc County SELPA, which contracts with qualified personnel to work with students in Shasta County.
In 2006, Modoc Charter School received a full accreditation, for a period of Six years, with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
We are extremely proud to affiliate with 40+ other schools of similar philosophy and program choice through the APLUS+ Learning Association, which is providing an effective voice for the unique niche our schools occupy in the options for students and parents across the state. We are not just “independent study” programs, but are developing a range of resources and methods that allow us to personalize learning for our students and their families. We support the additional internal assessment of student learning promoted by the APLUS+ Association, which seeks to document the individual annual student progress not measured well by the STAR testing program.
The solutions to quality education for America’s children will not be found in a single, monolithic educational system, where all students use the same materials, are taught by the same methods and are evaluated by the same instruments. The answer is found in providing more choices, diverse methods, different materials and activities, more varied assessment tools, and more creativity from educational professionals to enhance the individual learning strengths and styles of students.
Charter schools do not ask for the license to do whatever we want or to allow our students to thrash about in a sea of unstructured educational spontaneity. We know the state standards and are committed to helping young people meet or exceed them. We are also committed to educating parents about the importance of their role in the learning process. What we value is the freedom and flexibility to apply educationally sound practices in a multi-faceted approach that can be adapted to each student for increased success. In a democratic society, with personal choice as a cornerstone of our freedoms, providing more excellent educational options for students and parents only makes sense.
