Contact:     Mary Ann Burns, Director

                   School Improvement Initiatives

                   Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

                   Phone: 573-751-2332

                   E-mail: maryann.burns@dese.mo.gov

Description:

The Missouri Accelerated Schools Project began in 1987-1988 as a major school improvement initiative based on the work of Dr. Henry Levin, Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University (formerly Professor at Stanford University).  The purpose of the project is to transform elementary, middle/junior high, and high schools into accelerated ones where all children achieve at high levels regardless of their background, and parents and community members are actively involved in school decision-making.  The project emphasizes change in both school and classroom to bring about improved student performance.  At the heart of classroom change are powerful learning experiences for all children.  These experiences stress the development of higher order thinking skills, provide interdisciplinary links across common themes of inquiry, offer subject matter that is relevant to students' lives, and encourage students to be active participants in shaping their learning.