​The 2017 Alternative Accountability Policy Forum is the only California professional development conference which focuses on alternative accountability. Enjoy two hosted receptions with delicious carving stations as well as two breakfasts. Celebrate success at an awards luncheon honoring the students and leaders who overcome major hurdles to succeed in school.

​This year you will hear from Dr. Jorge Ruiz de Velasco, Stanford University, Project Staff  Director, Alternative Schools Task Force, along with other experts from across the country about accountability measures that reflect the needs of students and schools who focus on opportunity youth and other critically at-risk students.
 
On Wednesday, November 15th, the Department of Education will discuss the strategy for incorporating alternative accountability metrics into the California Accountability Model & School Dashboard. On Thursday and Friday, November 16th and 17th, continue the exploration of accountability for alternative schools by discussing what's been successful in states including Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, and others. Leading national experts will discuss what ESSA-compliant means for schools serving opportunity youth and other over-age and under-credited students. Join with colleagues to share best practices and explore what can be done to advocate for your students.

The Policy Forum concludes with a DC Perspective panel to discuss what the 115th Congress is doing to address the challenges of opportunity youth and the leaders who serve them.
 
RAPSA is a non-profit professional development association that serves education leaders providing a hand up to students who are at-promise of success. RAPSA serves school districts, county offices of education and charter schools that focus on reengaging students and providing pathways to career and college. If you want a place where your challenges are understood and meaningful options are presented, you need to be at the 2017 Alternative Accountability Policy Forum this November.
 
Praise from prior attendees -
 
 "Very specific, concrete examples of accountability measures used for alternative education schools."
 
 "For me, the session really represented the essence of the forum - learning from best practices in alternative accountability. This presentation needs to be in front of policy makers at state agencies."

Does your school transform at-risk students to students at-promise of success?  Celebrate the Courage, Vision and Heart of at-promise students, policy makers, and staff. Learn more about nominating a student for one of five $1,000 scholarships. 
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Rebecca F. (Becky) Phillpott along with Andy Hall will be giving the attendees insight to what happens when you Flip the Script. Their session is:
San Diego's Partnerships Reengage Out of School Youth

With approximately 43,000 opportunity youth in San Diego County the panelist during this session will share with their attendees the story of opportunity youth and address their disconnection from education and employment. Systems and community partner panelists will present findings from a reengagement pilot and a research study on Opportunity Youth which led to a regional summit and action plan. Panelists will also share details of efforts to address the region's disconnection crisis, data gleaned from the 2017 study commissioned by the San Diego Workforce Partnership, and present the vision of how San Diego's efforts led to a regional goal and commitment to cut the rate of disconnection and half the gap between areas with highest and lowest disconnection.
See report here

Dr. Elisha S. Arrillaga alongside Dr. Linda Dawson, Breeanna Decker, Laurie Pianka, and Joe Herrity make a great team. They will focus in on... 
Building Bridges for Opportunity Youth:  CBOs and Pathways in Community College Relationships.  ​

​This session allows you to take a data walk and leave questions along the way about how these partnerships were started and the bridges that are being built to make successful programs for Opportunity Youth. Getting up-to-date information on the great education bridging tools that these collaborative partners have been building in the Bay Area. Information on the work between the Oakland- Alameda County Opportunity Youth Initiative and Santa Clara County Opportunity Youth Partnership as well as how SIATech a nonprofit charter high school that has made it their mission to focus on dropout recovery came together. Blending these programs have made life changing pathways for students that may have not pictured themselves as a "college student" after taking the steps to obtain a high school diploma. While working with community based organizations that have partnered with local community colleges it has been a beneficial move to a large number of the Bay Area's Opportunity Youth population.  

​As states begin submitting their ESSA plans, the issue of relevant metrics for alternative schools is critical. Learn what metrics and approaches states are using and what an ESSA compliant alternative accountability system means. Here's two of the 22 sessions at the Policy Forum focused on meaningful accountability for schools serving at promise students.

Learn what's being done in Arizona, Colorado and across the Country from a panel of experts lead by Jorge Ruiz de Velasco, Director of the Gardner Center at Stanford University.  Dr. de Velasco serves as the Project Director for the California State Board of Education's Advisory Task Force on Alternative Schools.  The panel members include Dr. Jody Ernst, Momentum Strategies, who was directly involved in developing the Colorado Alternative Education Campus law and researches alternative metrics for schools across the country; Jennifer Lerner, American Youth Policy Forum, whose research compares state ESSA plans: and Dr. Amy Schlessman, Rose Operating System for Education, who is has actively engaged in developing the alternative education metrics for Arizona including an alternative graduation rate which is expected to be adopted by the Arizona State Board in late fall.
 
Continuous Improvement of Alternative Education in Kentucky: Support, Recognition and Accountability 
 
This presentation will provide a holistic picture of the Kentucky Alternative Educational System and the state level efforts to ensure a meaningful accountability process that promotes reflection, student voice, strengths and continuous improvements. Data visuals, protocols and example reports will be shared. Interaction with attendees will be infused throughout including and the use of plickers (i.e., paper clickers) that allows live polling and immediate display of audience input as well as intermittent discussions.  Presenters include
Christina Weeter and Judi Vanderhaar, Kentucky Department of Education Division of Student Success.

Today opens the call for nominations for the RAPSA Courage, Vision and Heart awards.  The awards will be conferred at the November 16th awards luncheon at the Alternative Accountability Policy Forum.  These awards are intended to recognize the extraordinary promise of our students and the amazing work being done to support them across the country - A celebration not a competition. 
 
Between August 4th and September 30th we will be accepting nominations for awards that focus on the courage, vision and heart of reengaged students and the adults who serve them.  We are encouraging nominations of at promise students and committed educators, policy makers and other program administrators who are making a difference across the country. There will be five Courage Awards conferred with a $1,000 scholarship for each of the five students!

Please use the forms on the AAPF website: RAPSA Courage Award, RAPSA Vision Award, and RAPSA Heart Award. Submit them by September 30th. Nominations may be supported by letters from community organizations, businesses, elected officials and others with knowledge of the nominee's qualities and experiences.
 
Nominations will be reviewed by the Alternative Accountability Policy Forum advisory committee for recommendations to the Reaching At Promise Student Association Board of Directors. The RAPSA Board will make the award selections. All decisions of the RAPSA Board are final.
 
Our intent is to bring the community serving at promise students together to recognize the courageous work that is being done by each of you to serve our remarkably resilient student population.  We hope that all nominees and nominators will be encouraged and inspired by their inclusion.
 

• RAPSA Courage Award for a student who demonstrates courage in overcoming obstacles and pursuing academic excellence and dreams. This year, five scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded through the generosity of Learn4Life schools.
• RAPSA Vision Award for a legislator or policy maker who demonstrates vision in pursuing creative policies that lead to the reengagement of at promise youth. 
• RAPSA Heart Award for educators or community program administrators who demonstrate a heart for at promise students and the challenges that they face in overcoming them.        

​RAPSA is excited to announce that Dr. Howard Fuller will provide the Keynote address at the 2017 Alternative Accountability Policy Forum. Fuller is nationally known for his unending support for fundamental educational policy reform. Dr. Howard Fuller's career includes many years in both public service positions and the field of education. Dr. Fuller is a Distinguished Professor of Education, and Founder/Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The mission of the Institute is to support exemplary education options that transform learning strategies for children, while empowering low-income families to choose the best options for their children.  

​Fuller's most recent book, "No Struggle No Progress" is based on the truth he found in the words of African-American statesman and abolitionist Frederick Douglass: 'Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will.' An Education Week review of Fuller's recent book concludes, "Howard has always worried a helluva lot more about fighting for his principles than about placating his friends."
 
Dr. Fuller is recognized for his work as a civil rights activist, education policy reform advocate, as well as a respected academic. He was a community organizer in Durham, North Carolina and co-founder of the Malcolm X Liberation University in 1969. He served as the superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools from 1991-1995. In addition to his current leadership at Marquette University, Dr. Fuller is the Chair Emeritus of the Board of The Black Alliance for Educational Options and Milwaukee Collegiate Academy. He also serves on the Board of Milwaukee Region Board of Teach for America, Milwaukee Charter School Advocates; is a member of the Board of Trustees of his Alma Mater, Carroll University; and is an Advisory Board member of the Big Picture Company and the National Association for Charter School Authorizers.

Dr. Fuller received his B.S. degree in Sociology from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1962; M.S.A. degree in Social Administration from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1964, and his Ph.D. in Sociological Foundations of Education from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1986.  

​The RAPSA Board is proud to offer you a chance to hear articles about education from Dr. Fuller about the importance of your work in the struggle for education equity.



November 15 - 17, 2017
Alternative Accountability Policy Forum 2017
This year's AAPF17 will expand sessions on education policy, teaching strategies, learning strategies, alternative schools, dropout prevention, school accountability, articles on education and more opportunities to network and ideas for how to advocate for your students at the State and Federal levels.  

​Using materials from the 2014 and 2016 Alternative Accountability Policy Forums, the California State Board has begun development of an alternative accountability system.  This effort is intended to align California’s system with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.   The State Board appointed a Task Force including several of the presenters from the 2016 AAPF and is reviewing materials prepared by Drs. Jorge Ruiz de Velasco and Daisy Gonsalez from Stanford’s PACE institute.  This article from EdSource describes these efforts.  Please share information about how your state is using the AAPF materials with Ernie Silva, RAPSA Executive Director, at ernie.silva@siatech.org .

At the 2016 Alternative Accountability Policy Forum, Isabel Chavez became the 2016 RAPSA Courage Award winner. She has now received the $1,000 scholarship and provided this heart warming thank you note for RAPSA –

I just want to give you and RAPSA the biggest thank you ever. I was so discouraged to even apply for college because I didn’t think it was a possibility for me to attend because of financial issues. When Mr. Barke came to me with the nomination for the Courage Award, I wasn’t going to do it because I didn’t think someone like me mattered. When he played me the voicemail that I was the recipient I cried. Just to know there is an organization dedicated to helping students like me. When I gave my speech is a day I’ll never forget. Like to see the room full of people, and they were proud of me. The whole experience was amazing, and I’m so grateful. I really cannot thank all of you enough, you guys helped make my dreams come true. I hope this isn’t the end of communication between RAPSA and I. I know I’ll definitely be checking to see the winner of next year.
Isabel Chavez


We will again invite nominations for awards this year.  If you or your organization would like to contribute to the RAPSA scholarship fund to support more at promise students earn an award, please contact Ernie Silva (916)449-8919 or at ernie.silva@siatech.org

The 2016 Policy Forum Proceedings from the 5th Annual Alternative Accountability Policy Forum are now available.  The Proceedings were developed by researchers from Stanford’s Policy Analysis for California Education team who participated in the Policy Forum and did a wonderful job of capturing the energy and expertise of the participants at the October 2016 event.


The informative report summarizes each of the 27 sessions at the Policy Forum as well as makes 10 recommendations for Federal and State policies as well as local promising practices.  The 5th annual Alternative Accountability Policy Forum was attended by 225 education, workforce and research leaders from 18 states and Washington D.C.  Presenters included school leaders, career development professionals, university researchers, opportunity youth advocates and others who care about supporting at promise students.

The RAPSA Board appreciates the work and vision of the researchers that covered our event – Daisy Gonzales and Jorge Ruiz de Velasco.

Both Drs. Gonzales and de Velasco brought their expertise on serving disadvantaged communities and their ability to gracefully interact with our participants and to elegantly summarize the sessions and policy recommendations that came from the panelists.

If you are interested in purchasing hard copies of the report for advocacy efforts in your state, please contact RAPSA Executive Director, Ernie Silva at:  ernie.silva@siatech.org

​Register for the November 15-17, 2017 Alternative Accountability Policy Forum in San Diego here:

Researchers from Stanford’s Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) have developed a summary of proceedings from the 2016 Alternative Accountability Policy Forum.  Drs. Jorge Ruiz de Velasco and Daisy Gonzalez attended the event and captured the energy and expertise of the participants at the October 2016 event in San Diego.   Both Drs. Gonzales and Ruiz de Velasco brought their expertise on serving disadvantaged communities and their ability to gracefully interact with our participants and to elegantly summarize the sessions and policy recommendations that came from the panelists.

The 2016 AAPF was the 5th annual meeting of leaders from across the country who focus on practices and policies for supporting “at promise” youth.
The report describes the event, provides summaries of each of the 26 sessions and 47 presenters, and includes 10 recommendations for policy and practice to serve opportunity youth and other critically at risk students.


Among the policy recommendations:

• Allow The Use Of Multiple Metrics To Measure Individual Student Progress
• Allow An Alternative Cohort For Dropout Recovery
• Adopt Reengagement Rates Without Penalties
• Equitably Fund Alternative Schools And The Teachers That Serve At-Risk Students
• Invest In Information, Data Systems And Technology