Combined Top 10 Criteria from Teachers and Frameworks Committee

Combined Top 10 Criteria for Evaluating Configuration Options
from the Teachers’ Forum ( with additional criteria from teachers and the
Conceptual Frameworks Committee.

The Community will be asked to add to the list of Criteria below and then to vote on their own top ten criteria for Evaluating Configuration Options:

A-J are the Top 10 Criteria from the Teachers. The rest of the criteria are a
random combination of those listed as important to teachers and the
Conceptual Frameworks Committee

A. Foster a strong sense of community and rich relationships over time, with
continuity for students, families, and teachers.
Continuity of family/teacher/student relationships
B. Foster opportunities for flexible grouping and individualized, student-based
learning.
Flexible academic groupings meet individual student differences
C. Small class sizes
D. Foster academic rigor and achievement, promote intellectual development
and the development of well-rounded, creative, expressive students.
Academic rigor/challenging
E. Foster opportunities for student leadership, mentoring, and role modeling.
Opportunities for older and younger students to interact
F. Maintain the philosophy and best practices of elementary and middle
school, as supported by current research.
G. Establish and maintain an atmosphere of respect and safety
Configuration supports safe and respectful behavior throughout the school
H. Considers the developmental (social, emotional) needs of every student age
group.
Opportunity to interact with others in their grade socially and academically
I. Fosters 21st century skills focus: project based, collaborative, with meaningful
use of technology.
J. Opportunities for common planning time for teaching teams
K. Opportunities for students to have a variety of more than four teachers in four
years
L. Transitions: The fewer the better but none is not good
M. Small team size <90
N. Impact of configuration on facilities (e.g. loss of program space)
O. Equity in grade population dispersion
P. Flexibility to meet differing population sizes
Q. Share student services, technology and other resources effectively.
R. Balances sense of team, sense of school, and sense of community
S. Teachers teach to their subject strengths
T. Encourages innovation in education
U. Are supported by a variety of assessments that measure student
achievement and well-being