A school for everyone

The cluster of schools, object of this case study, was identified as an educational territories of priority intervention, which came to be beneficiary from the Educational Territory of Priority Intervention (TEIP) Program, launched in 1996 and nowadays in its third version, a government initiative, currently implemented in 137 clusters of schools and ungrouped schools located in economically and socially disadvantaged territories, marked by poverty and social exclusion, where violence, indiscipline, dropout and school failure are the most common features. A “compensatory education” policy implemented in other countries, guided by the idea that more time (classes, materials) was needed for students who had cultural capital (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1970) removed from traditional school culture. Examples of such policies are ZEP - 'Priority Education Zones' - in France, 'Head Start' and 'Follow-Through' in the United States and 'Educational Action Zones' in England.

Central objectives of the TEIP program are the prevention and reduction of early school leaving and absenteeism, the reduction of indiscipline and the promotion of educational success for all students. All of those 137 educational institutions have been working under special contracted conditions, being autonomy the best resource. Careful planning, self-evaluation, frequent reporting, training and peer learning, together with frequent monitoring were in use as a means to gain self-awareness of the issues involved in the improvement of teaching and learning processes and to report to local and regional authorities.

One of those educational institutions is Santo António´s cluster of schools assigned as TEIP since 2010. This cluster comprises seven schools: Vila Chã kindergarten and primary school; Fonte do Feto kindergarten; Santo António da Charneca primary school; Cidade do Sol kindergarten and primary school; Penalva kindergarten and primary school; Coina primary school and Santo António secondary school (2nd and 3rd cycle of basic education: from 5th to 9th grade plus high school: from 10th to 12th grade). The constituent schools of the cluster are scattered throughout the territory, with the furthest located 6.5 km from the cluster headquarters, which is the high school, where all services are located including the board, administration, social support office, etc. Each school has a coordinator responsible for applying all the decisions centrally made, who is a member of the pedagogical council. Note that all the Portuguese regular pre-university public school are organized in a total of 812 clusters, mainly aiming at to implementing vertical curriculum articulation to foster better learning conditions and prevent early drop out, meeting the demand of keeping students in school along 12 years of compulsory schooling, as well as to rationalise resources in a neo-liberal logic.

Located in the parish of Santo António da Charneca comprising 11500 inhabitants, which is a dormitory of many families working in Lisbon and where live many PALOP (Portuguese speaking African countries) immigrants. About 421 inhabitants comprise 36.5% of Roma families and 24.5% of “tents”. Unemployment appears to be one of the greatest vulnerabilities of people living in the parish, most of which are covered by the Social Insertion Income. In the neighbourhoods also live middle-class people. The average level of education of the population living in the parish is quite low, and there is illiteracy in families.

About 1760 students were enrolled in the school year of 2018-2019:

• 330 following non-formal paths;     
• 141 children and young people with special educational needs;
• 293 students have at least one foreign-born parent, from 22 nationalities;
• more than 100 Roma students;
• about 50% of the school population benefits from School Social Action;
• the number of students flagged at the Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk is also very high and growing.

The challenge is at some sort self-evident, considering the diverse characteristics of 50% of the students who need support from the School Social Action, plus 141 children and young people with special educational needs; 293 students have at least one foreign-born parent, from 22 nationalities; more than 100 Roma students; students flagged at the Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk is also very high and growing. 

Addressing such diversity led to systemic actions under the moto A school for everyone, following four action axes: 

1. Support for improved learning; 
2. Prevention of abandonment, absenteeism and indiscipline; 
3. Management and organization; 
4. School family community relationship and partnerships, 

which are mandatory within the TEIP program, and in the case of Santo António´s cluster of school very complex and detailed. For that reason won’t be presented herein. 

A detailed idea about TEIP projects action plans can be obtained from the José Saramago cluster of school’s case study. This case study will focus on the actions that led to two awards: 1 – National Public Administration Innovation Award (INA),which address action axe number 3 – Management and organization, and 2 – School Network Program for Intercultural Education (REEI),which in a way addresses all the other three action axes: 

1. Support for improved learning; 

2. Prevention of abandonment, absenteeism and indiscipline; 

4. School family community relationship and partnerships as will be beneath described.

I. National Public Administration Innovation Award (INA)

Step-by-step description of main activities from beginning to end, and conclusions:

1. Preparation: identifying the problem and outlining resolution (necessary tools, etc.) 

In Portugal, the evaluation of schools was officially presented to promote the improvement of the quality of the education system (Law No. 31/2002). Since 2006, an External School Evaluation (ESE) program has been instituted. Since then, all Portuguese public elementary and high schools have been subject to a justified assessment process with the aim of 'promoting the progress of learning and student achievement'. 

ESE and the TEIP program - although they are two distinct policies - interlink through the evaluation and monitoring processes inherent in each (both presuppose the existence of self-assessment processes). In the case of the TEIP program, self-assessment and monitoring ensure that the goals of each school are met and, in the case of ESE, external evaluation and self-assessment seek to improve school outcomes, educational provision and leaderships action. 

The main problems addressed were: school failure, early school leaving and indiscipline, and objectives envisaged: promote a tolerant and fair school climate; promote intercultural practices and promote equity as a quality and inclusion factor. The outlined resolution was to change “Work Environments”, throughout 2 years, “Intervening to Improve” following the principles: a school for every one; appreciation of the difference; and inclusion as a success factor.

2. Description of main activities; the approach used (necessary tools, timeframe, etc.)

The main tool was the TEIP Improvement Plan, within which were designed action plans for the axes: Organization, Curriculum and Community. The plans were drawn and started to be implemented in the school year 2015-2016, having been then implemented the following actions: prioritizing issues; improving commitments by all community members; cementing the sense of belonging to the school cluster; improving Organization Quality and Effectiveness and Continuous Process Monitoring by the Creation of self-assessment mechanisms. 

In 2017-2018, the Project become strengthened with the integrating of the Autonomy and Curricular Flexibility and Inclusion Project documents, regulating the priorities defined in the 21st Constitutional Government Program for Education (2015-2019),namely the National Strategy for Citizenship Education (Order No. 6173/2016, of May 10),Students Profile Out of Compulsory Education (Order No. 6478/2017, July 26),the new law for Inclusion/Inclusive School (Decree-Law No. 54/2018, of July 6) and another for the implementation of a people-centred educational policy that guarantees equal access to public schools, promoting educational success and thereby equal opportunities (Decree-Law No. 55/2018, of July 6),based on which was drawn the implementation of strategies aimed at respecting everyone and their individuality as well as the promotion of Intercultural Education.

The big lines followed were:

• Curricular project work combined with the cultural roots of each one allowed the staff to value the difference;
• Improvement Project associated with student and the school cluster success criteria;
• Macro and Micro Collaborative Work;
• Close relationship with and for families based on mutual trust;
• Strengthening and expanding the Partnership Network.

3. Useful competencies of a problem-solving team to reach main aim (necessary tools, etc.)

It was put a great investment in Training by implementing the Project Dynamics Power Supply, which included Training actions for teaching staff such as in topics like Intercultural Communication, promoting awareness-raising actions for non-teaching staff such as “Learning in Family” and the Opening of Adult Education and Training courses, mostly attended by families from the school cluster. Another investment was in Meaningful learning through the change in the way the educational community sees the world and relate to others such as the acceptance of the Difference as an opportunity to give each other what each one needs. At the organization level, leaders and all the staff reflect and learn that Diversity is a factor of cultural richness and personal and professional development.

4. What is the estimated timeframe of implementation? Is this a quick solution or a long-term investment? When is it recommended to be carried out?

It started within a timeframe of two years, getting amazing results in the end of that period, and as written above it became strengthed by the educational reform of the previous Government (2015-2019),whose policy is being continued by the recently elected Government, whose Ministry of Education is the same as before. However, under the rules of the system, namely the system of external school evaluation, it turns to be a long-term investment. It is proved that for solving big educational problems a whole school approach is needed as well as sustainability conditions.

5. How is this a systems change? 

It is a system change in two ways: 

1. by being a whole school approach;
2. within the context of an external school evaluation system for improvement, the project/plans are permanently monitored, regularly evaluated, periodically reformulated envisaging educational success, equity and social justice.

II. School Network Program for Intercultural Education Award (REEI)

Step-by-step description of main activities from beginning to end, and conclusions:

1. Preparation: identifying the problem and outlining resolution (necessary tools, etc.) 

As mentioned before, Santo António’s cluster of schools provides school education to a large number of students with diverse specific needs, namely 141 children and young people with special educational needs; 293 students having at least one foreign-born parent, from 22 nationalities; more than 100 Roma students; about 50% of the school population benefits from School Social Action; a considerable number of them flagged at the Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk. Faced with the demands of these students' schooling, the School Network for Intercultural Education Program (REEI) seemed to its leaders to be a great opportunity to improve the educational service of the school cluster. REEI is a joint initiative of the High Commissioner for Migration, I.P. (ACM, I.P.),the Ministry of Education, through the Directorate-General for Education (DGE) and the Aga Khan Portugal Foundation (AFK). This program aims to promote the reception, integration and educational success of all children and young people from preschool to secondary education, as well as to develop respect for differences and the establishment of positive relationships of interaction and closeness between students and other members of the educational community from different cultures. It is also intended to create a network for sharing practices between education and teaching establishments, aiming at intercultural education. Therefore, the school board submitted an application for the years 2017-2019 of the REEI Program which was awarded the respective funds. 

2. Description of main activities; the approach used (necessary tools, timeframe, etc.)

The designed main activities were inscribed within the scope „Heritage education” in partnership with the UNESCO’s Chair for World Heritage at the Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (Lusofona University, Lisbon). On the other hand, it was decided to develop curriculum through the project, i.e. in a way more relevant for students, through an integrated action into the history of the institution and taking advantage of all the opportunities for developing the curriculum: structure and paths, which meant to take advantage of the work within the disciplines as well as other structures of the curriculum such as Citizenship Education, Interdisciplinary Activities, Complementary Arts and Sciences Curriculum and so on… The questions orienting the process were: How can we start from the identity of each one to work the curriculum, because “the heritage is all of us”? So, the timeframe was that allowing getting answers to the following questions: Who am I? What do I want for my future? Who are we? The Project was coherently entitled “Santo António goes around the World.”

In that way, people involved developed cultural aspects respecting the right that everyone has to education, fostering an inclusive environment and valuing diversity, by using mediation structures and monitoring of the processes, carrying out articulation with communities outside the school. They took their rich trip, because everyone fitted in it, and everyone has the right to feel belonging to the community, by accepting the students and their families and valuing their roots. The project worked as a laboratory for citizens who make a difference. They made a commitment and did it differently: they promoted a more effective organizational culture; developed learning that made more sense for students. They fostered the motto “by training we will…”, and they involved the community.

3. Useful competencies of a problem-solving team to reach main aim (necessary tools, etc.)

 The teachers mastering of the project methodology was of a paramount importance as well as interdisciplinary work team skills and life story methodology, which was applied both to the contribution of the families giving inputs to the development of the project and the students reflection upon what they want for their future as well as „who they are”. In the end, all the work done was integrated into a play performance for which all teachers and students involved contributed to the script and the families and other members of the educational community contributed to the scenarios, props and costumes used by the players.

The students and teachers involved in the project had the opportunity to present their work at the University, a partner of the project within the scope of World Heritage, which the involved ones enjoy and felt their work acknowledge and valued.

Part of that was possible because of the funds awarded by REEI. TEIP schools don’t have enough resources to carry out such projects.

4. What is the estimated timeframe of implementation? Is this a quick solution or a long-term investment? When is it recommended to be carried out?

The described project „Saint Anthony goes around the World” was conceived and implemented during the school year 2018-2019, only over a year, but it can be extended for a year more, considering the funds available. However, every year the curriculum development framework not only allows to carry on designing and implementing similar projects but also demand to do so. Therefore, it may continue to be carried out and obtain sustainability. The question is always to have extra resources available, such as money, which is REEI provides.

5. How is this a systems change? 

It can be a system change in two ways: 

1. by being a whole school approach, based on the curriculum development that is established regarding both the curriculum structure and paths to be followed;
2. by obtaining momentum as a result of the educational community's culture change.

The “National Public Administration Innovation Award” was awarded based on the following results:

• Retention rate and Dropout decreased 21% between 2015-2016 and 2017-2018;
• Early interruption rate of the School Course decreased 67% in the 2nd cycle, 69% in the 3rd cycle and 70% Secondary Education;
• The conviction they have become a More Effective, Inclusive, Democratic, and Innovative Process School;
• They proved to be a Learning Organization, which “took good care of the heart of the School”;
• They have realized that “only by thinking the school with the intervention and valorisation of the whole community can the school change”.

The “School Network Program for Intercultural Education Award (REEI)” highlighted as its main results the following:

• they worked the curriculum through the project methodology;
• they valued everyone in his/her identity;
• they develop more effective training processes in student learning;
• they found diverse ways for each one to feel valued and learn better;
• they trained teachers to build up new learning communities;
• they fulfilled their MISSION the best they could;
• they thanked to/expressed their gratitude to
• their teachers and technicians;
• the General Inspectorate of Education in the person of Mrs. Inspector Luísa Janeirinho;
• the Lusofona University Heritage Chair;
• all who believes, like they, that in education there are no impossible missions.

Changes have to be done WITH people!

Santo António’s school cluster by being a TEIP with an autonomy contract and a designed improvement project benefits from extra resources provided by the Ministry of Education such as a fulltime Social worker, a Psychologist, a Social mediator (someone from the community that mediates the relationships between school and some students families, in this case, a Roma mother that stays at the headquarters of the cluster, working all day long close together with the Social workers, the Psychologist and the board),a critical friend who is usually an academic or some kind of expert, among other resources. Besides those resources provided within the scope of the TEIP program, more proactive leaders apply for other resources such as the REEI program as above described.

The case study herein presented is very inspiring one for many reasons, being one of utmost importance the period needed to see the impact, i.e. one to two years, which within the scope of STAIRS is notable once that one of its aims is to work on quick change management.