April 10, 2022
Dear Community Members,
In November 2019, the Wisconsin Partnership Program, located within the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health, awarded One City Schools a five-year, $1 million grant to support the implementation of our education programs, and the design and launch of a long-term longitudinal evaluation of our organization and schools. We are pleased to share highlights from the first report of the longitudinal study, published by Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative and the Center for Research on early Childhood Education (CRECE).
Over the next several years, evaluators will assess the implementation process, outcomes and impact of One City’s organization and schools on children, parents/caregivers, teachers, community partners and systems. The evaluation began in January 2020 and is currently funded through 2024.
The evaluation is designed to (1) inform One City Schools about its areas of strength and need for change and/or improvement, (2) inform the growth and expansion of its schools and educational strategies, and (3) inform the fields of early childhood and K-12 education, nationally and internationally, about the impact and efficacy of One City’s education models and strategies.
About One City Schools
One City Schools, Incorporated is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization that operates high quality independent and public preschools and grade schools in Wisconsin. One City’s mission is to seed a new model of public education that ensures children are on track to succeed in a college or career preparatory program from birth through high school graduation. It currently operates an accredited, 5-star early childhood education center and an elementary school. In September 2022, One City will open its third school: One City Preparatory Academy, a grades 6-12 public charter school that will serve as Wisconsin’s only early college and career preparatory program where career learning will begin in sixth grade and students will begin taking courses towards earning their associates and bachelor’s degrees, and professional certifications, in ninth grade. One City’s overall objectives are twofold:
- Breaking the cycle of longstanding achievement and opportunity gaps for children of color and under-resourced children in Wisconsin and across the United States; and
- Creating a new system of public education that effectively prepares all children to tackle today’s challenges and solve tomorrow’s greatest problems, and to lead successful, happy and enriching lives.
To achieve its mission, One City collaborates with parents and the broader community, including local, state and national partners who share a common agenda, goals and objectives.
About the Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative
The Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative (WEC) is housed at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. WEC’s team of evaluators supports youth-serving organizations and initiatives through culturally responsive and rigorous program evaluation. Learn more at http://www.wec.wceruw.org.
About CRECE
The Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (CRECE) is located within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at UW-Madison. CRECE’s researchers and students are engaged in diverse research and education to ensure that all young children are provided with equitable opportunities to learn. More information can be found at https://crece.wceruw.org.
For more information on One City Schools, visit www.onecityschools.org or contact Gail Wiseman, One City’s Vice President of External Relations, at gwiseman@onecityschools.org. For information about the longitudinal evaluation, contact Dr. Tenah Hunt, lead evaluator with the Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative, at acquaye@wisc.edu.
Thank you. Onward.
Kaleem Caire
Founder and CEO
One City Schools
