Curriculum Projects

During the five academic years 1996-97 through 2000-01, CAPP funded the establishment of four academic partnerships between secondary schools (grades 7-12), postsecondary institutions and businesses for the purpose of improving college-preparatory learning in high schools with low college attendance rates. Projects selected for funding involved significant participation by secondary and postsecondary faculty and persons from business and industry in revising and improving mathematics and/or language arts curriculum in ways that address the educational challenge.

1. Mar Vista High School (Sweetwater Unified School District, Imperial Beach, CA)
   "Mathematics and Academic Language Link" (MALL)

   The Mathematics and Academic Language Link (MALL) project at Mar Visa High School and Mar Vista Middle School addressed the relationship between academic language and mathematics. Two of it's primary goals were more successful transition of students between levels in the educational system and the greater retention of students in college preparatory courses. The MALL project targeted ethnically diverse, low socioeconomic status students denied successful experiences in college-preparatory mathematics courses in secondary education and who were underrepresented in postsecondary educational institutions. Enhancing the ongoing articulation between Mar Vista Middle School and Mar Vista High School, as well as with the K-6 system and institutions of higher education, were ongoing concerns of this project. The MALL program was also interested in enhancing ongoing articulation between high school sand institutions of higher education. The program joined with other outreach and achievement efforts already inexistence at the schools in order to reach a greater number of students.

2. Reedley High School (Kings County Joint Unified School District, Reedley, CA)
   "Project CONNECT"

   CONNECT is an acronym used to describe the efforts of this collaboration, improving Curriculum through Objectives which meet the Needs of our students, Nurturing their academic success, Evaluating our efforts, Collaborating with our partners, and promoting the use of Technology and skills for the 21st century. Project CONNECT was the result of a collaborative effort among Reedley High School, Kings Canyon Unified School District, five middle schools in the district, Fresno County Office of Education, Reedley College, CSU Fresno and the US Department of Agriculture - Forest Service. The three major efforts of this project were to: 1) adopt and implement a new mathematics curriculum at Reedley High School; 2) Establish the Central California Consortium representing schools, community organizations, higher education and business entities in the area; 3) Increase collaboration with Reedley College, to which Reedley High School sends over 50% of it's graduates.

3. San Benito High School (San Benito High School district, Hollister, CA)
   "The California Academic Partnership Program - Communications" (CAPPCOM)

   CAPPCOM was a four=year integrated program at San Benito High School. English and Spanish speaking students entered the program as freshman and were immersed in language and computer-based courses. Originally tied into the school's Communications/Liberal Arts career path, CAPPCOM students were expected to form a telecommunications/marketing company by the eleventh grade. The CAPPCOM program was designed to assist students to develop the competencies and personal motivation needed to complete high school and go on to be successful in college. This program was designed to provide a rigorous academic program that prepared participating students to attend and excel in four-year colleges and develop careers in an increasingly technological society.

4. Tennyson High School (Hayward Unified School District, Hayward, CA)
   "Seamless Transition Program" (Tennyson CAPP)

   The Seamless Transition Project was designed to improve the academic performance, motivation, and college readiness of the school's students. The project was composed of both curricular and student support components, both of which were implemented by a collaborative partnership among Tennyson High School, the Hayward Unified School District, CSU Hayward, Chabot College, and Rohm & Haas, a locally-based international company. The program's curricular component focused on two areas: problem solving in mathematics and essay writing in language arts. The goal was to achieve college-level proficiency among 80% of the program's participants by the end of their junior year. Program staff developed, implemented and articulated ninth to eleventh grade curriculum, in collaboration with their higher education and business partners. Together, they developed associated standards and assessment procedures.

   Summary of CAPP Curriculum Projects
   · Final Evaluation of the CAPP Curriculum Projects (176K PDF)