Springfield Ball Charter School

The Springfield Ball Charter School (SBCS) in Illinois was created by the Ball Foundation in partnership with Springfield Public School District 186 in 1998. Today, SBCS serves 328 pre-K-6 students and is projected to grow to 440 pre-K-8 students by 2003-2004. The mission of the Springfield Ball Charter School is the creation of a safe, nurturing environment that fosters learning through the development of high-quality, research-based academic programs, attention to the learning needs of individual children, and the involvement of parents in their children's education.

SBCS focuses on seven areas:

Literacy - The literacy goal of SBCS is to provide research-based instruction and appropriate intervention, which will result in every student being able to read and write. Teaching students to read and to communicate their thoughts in oral and written form is of primary concern. Core materials for reading and writing contain strong phonics and early literacy skills instruction, well-written literature selections, and strong support for comprehension strategies. A strong commitment to early literacy learning is evidenced through instruction that begins with the preschool program.

Numeracy - The numeracy goal of SBCS is to develop students' ability to use mathematics to solve problems and understand information in mathematical terms. Instruction incorporates the use of hands-on activities using math manipulatives as tools for the development of students' understanding of mathematical concepts.

Multiage Grouping - Multiage grouping is a mixed-age group of children who will stay with the same teacher until the student progresses to the next program level. Classroom groupings are multiage, spanning two or three grade levels.

Foreign Language Instruction - All students K-8 study Spanish. The goal for students is to be proficient in speaking, reading, and writing.

Technology - SBCS uses technology to support the work of all teachers and students. Technology includes hands-on interaction with computers, educational software programs, the Internet, keyboarding, and presentation software.

Extended, 200-Day School Year - Students attend 200 days of school versus the more traditional 180 days because it is believed that maximum exposure of students to organized, well-planned instruction is essential for learning to take place. Lengthening the attendance year should reduce information loss experienced by students over the course of a lengthy summer holiday.

Ongoing Staff Professional Development - To assist teachers in continually improving their instruction, professional development will include a daily 60-minute period designed to provide continuing teacher support, opportunities for teacher collaboration and joint planning, and assessment of the impact of innovations on student achievement. This period is scheduled during the student school day without decreasing students' instructional time.

There are many indications that SBCS is highly effective, meeting the needs and expectations of parents, students, and the founders.

• Illinois State Achievement Test and Stanford 9 scores for SBCS students are above state and national standards.
• SchoolWorks, a national company specializing in the evaluation of charter schools, emphasizes that the culture of the school encourages the growth of a love of learning on both the part of students and the faculty.
• A Harris Poll provides evidence that parents, students, and faculty are highly satisfied with key features of the school.
• Student teams have placed yearly in local academic teamwork competitions.
• Families return year after year, enrolling siblings when they are old enough for school.