##### Revised #2 March 17, 2006

##### *2005-2006 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*

*U.S. Department of Education*

**Cover Sheet** Type of School: (Check all that apply) \_\_ Elementary
\_\_ Middle \_[X]{.underline}\_ High \_[\_]{.underline} K-12
[X]{.underline} Charter

Name of Principal [Mrs. Charla Cotton]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Okaloosa Walton College Collegiate High
School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address\_[100 College
Boulevard\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

[Niceville]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[Florida\_]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[32578-1295]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County \_\_\_\_[Okaloosa]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ State
School Code
Number\*\_[9805]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Telephone [( 850) 729-4949]{.underline} Fax [( 850 )
729-4250\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

Website/URL
[www.owcollegiatehigh.org\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}
E-mail contact <cottonc@owc.edu____>

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge all information is accurate.

[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Principal's Signature)

Name of Superintendent\* [Mr. Don Gaetz]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name [Okaloosa \_\_]{.underline}Tel. [( 850 )
833-3100]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(Superintendent's Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson Mrs. Cathy Thigpen

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(School Board President's/Chairperson's Signature)

*\*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable,
write N/A in the space.*

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

**\[Include this page in the school's application as page 2.\]**

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each
of the statements below concerning the school\'s eligibility and
compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) requirements is true and correct.

1.  The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12.
    (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an
    entire school.)

2.  The school has not been in school improvement status or been
    identified by the state as \"persistently dangerous\" within the
    last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the
    state's adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2005-2006 school
    year.

3.  If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language
    as a part of its core curriculum.

4.  The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from
    at least September 2000 and has not received the 2003, 2004, or 2005
    *No Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools Award.*

5.  The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to
    information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to
    conduct a district‑wide compliance review.

6.  The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school
    district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a
    whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
    violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if
    the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to
    remedy the violation.

7.  The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging
    that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has
    violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
    Constitution\'s equal protection clause.

8.  There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with
    Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education
    monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
    question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has
    corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

**PART II ‑ DEMOGRAPHIC DATA**

**All data are the most recent year available.**

**DISTRICT** (Questions 1‑2 not applicable to private schools)

1\. Number of schools in the district: \_\_[22]{.underline}\_ Elementary
schools

\_\_\_[8]{.underline}\_ Middle schools

\_\_\_[0]{.underline} \_\_Junior high schools

\_\_\_[5\_]{.underline}\_High schools

\_\_[11]{.underline}\_\_ Other

\_\_[46]{.underline}\_\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: [\$4734]{.underline}

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: [\$4769]{.underline}

**Note:** *Expenditures are from the Florida School Indicator's Reports
for Districts and State*

*"Regular"Per Pupil Expenditures.*

**SCHOOL** (To be completed by all schools)

3\. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

> \[ \] Urban or large central city
>
> \[ \] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
>
> \[ \] Suburban
>
> \[ x \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [5 ½\_\_\_\_]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in
her/his position at this school.

If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this
school?

5\. Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or
its equivalent in applying school only:

**2005-06 School Y**ear

  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
  **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of                **Grade      **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of     **Grade
              Males**   Females**              Total**                  Males**   Females**   Total**

  **PreK**                                                  **7**                             

  **K**                                                     **8**                             

  **1**                                                     **9**                             

  **2**                                                     **10**      29        39          68

  **3**                                                     **11**      38        51          89

  **4**                                                     **12**      38        44          82

  **5**                                                     **Other**                         

  **6**                                                                                       

                                    **TOTAL                                                   **239**
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL →**                                                
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

***\[Throughout the document, round numbers to avoid decimals.\]***

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [\_\_\_\_83]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [\_\_\_\_\_5]{.underline} % Black or African
American

[\_\_\_\_\_4]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[\_\_\_\_\_7]{.underline} % Asian/Pacific Islander

[\_\_\_\_\_1]{.underline} % American Indian/Alaskan Native

**100% Total**

Use only the five standard categories in reporting the racial/ethnic
composition of the school.

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
\_\_\_[6]{.underline}\_\_\_\_%

> \[This rate should be calculated using the grid below. The answer to
> (6) is the mobility rate.\]

  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**                   Number of students who      7
                            transferred ***to*** the    
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      8
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(3)**                   Total of all transferred    15
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 246
                            the school as of October 1  

  **(5)**                   Total transferred students  .06
                            in row (3) divided by total 
                            students in row (4)         

  **(6)**                   Amount in row (5)           6
                            multiplied by 100           
  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school:
\_\_\_[0\_]{.underline}\_%

\_\_\_[0\_]{.underline}\_Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: \_\_\_[0\_]{.underline}\_\_\_

Specify languages:

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals:
\_\_\_[12]{.underline}\_\_%

Total number students who qualify: \_\_\_[28]{.underline}\_\_\_

> If this method does not produce an accurate estimate of the percentage
> of students from low‑income families or the school does not
> participate in the federally‑supported lunch program, specify a more
> accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it
> arrived at this estimate.

10\. Students receiving special education services:
\_\_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_%

\_\_\_\_[8]{.underline}\_\_Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act. Do not add additional categories.

\_\_\_\_Autism \_\_\_\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_Deafness \_\_\_\_Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_\_[8\_]{.underline}Specific Learning Disability

\_\_\_\_Emotional Disturbance \_\_\_\_Speech or Language Impairment

\_\_\_\_Hearing Impairment \_\_\_\_Traumatic Brain Injury

> \_\_\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_Visual Impairment Including
> Blindness
>
> \_\_\_\_Multiple Disabilities

11. Indicate number of full‑time and part‑time staff members in each of
    the categories below:

    **Number of Staff**

**[Full-time]{.underline}** **[Part-Time]{.underline}**

Administrator(s) \_\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers \_\_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_[24]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_\_
> \_\_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_\_[10]{.underline}\_\_\_ \_\_[33]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

12. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio, that is, the
    number of

students in the school divided by the FTE of classroom teachers:
\_\_[24:1\_]{.underline}\_

**Note:** *The "classroom teacher" ratio includes the full and part-time
teachers specifically assigned*

*to CHS and the appropriate proportion of college instructor's teaching
load allocated to CHS*

*during the normal 180 day school year.*

13\. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a
percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The
student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering
students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From
the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number
of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering
students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly
explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout
rate and the drop-off rate. Only middle and high schools need to supply
dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.

  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                            2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001

  Daily student attendance  99%         99%         98 %        98 %        99 %

  Daily teacher attendance  98%         98%         94%         98%         98%

  Teacher turnover rate     0%          1%          .5%         0%          0%

  Student dropout rate      0%          1%          .5%         0%          0%
  (middle/high)                                                             

  Student drop-off rate     1%          2%          1%          4%          3%
  (high school)                                                             
  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

14\. **(*High Schools Only*)** Show what the students who graduated in
Spring 2004 are doing as of September 2004.

+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Graduating class size                                   | > [\_\_    |
|                                                         | > 60\_]{.  |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Enrolled in a 4-year college or university              | > \_\      |
|                                                         | _\_[80%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Enrolled in a community college                         | > \_\      |
|                                                         | _\_[13%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Enrolled in vocational training                         | > \_\_     |
|                                                         | \_\_[0%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Found employment                                        | > \_\_     |
|                                                         | \_\_[5%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Military service                                        | > \_\_     |
|                                                         | \_\_[0%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Other (travel, staying home, etc.)                      | > \_\_     |
|                                                         | \_\_[0%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Unknown                                                 | > \_\_     |
|                                                         | \_\_[2%]{. |
|                                                         | underline} |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| **Total**                                               | > 100 %    |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+

**[Part III-Summary]{.underline}**

The OWC Collegiate High School (CHS) is a public charter school of the
Okaloosa County School District located at and operated by
Okaloosa-Walton College (OWC). The school was conceived as an innovative
choice for students from the broad pool of 10^th^, 11^th^, and 12^th^
grade students in Okaloosa County. As applicants far exceed vacancies,
the CHS student body is selected through a random lottery process. And,
although an integral part of the college, CHS is neither a gifted nor
magnate school; indeed, its student demographics are directly reflective
of the local high school population. The school was designed upon best
practices research such as that regarding the advantages of the small
school atmosphere, the infusion of technology and reading skills across
the curriculum, and the late starting day for optimal high school level
learning (the CHS day begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM). The
Collegiate High was the first of its kind in Florida and continues to
serve as a model for other schools in Florida and adjacent states.

The purpose of the school is to provide academic and technical education
for serious high school students who seek the environment of a
high-performing school and desire to undertake advanced and
college-level study. The three-year curriculum enables students to
complete a high school diploma and an associate degree simultaneously,
in either academic transfer or technical education options. The
curriculum includes two programs of study: the collegiate program and
the pre-collegiate. Students who qualify for the collegiate program
provide quantitative evidence (GPA and test scores) indicating they are
ready, upon admission, for college level work. The pre-collegiate
program includes students who do not yet meet the requisite grade point
average and standardized test scores indicating college readiness.
Students attending the school enjoy full access to all college
facilities, activities, and services. Academic support services
available to students include a state-of-the-art learning resource
center, academic success center and mathematics laboratory, both
offering tutoring during and after school hours, and an art complex that
encompasses a full repertoire of fine and performing arts, including
music, dance, visual arts, and theater.

The proverbial bar is raised high for all CHS students whether
collegiate or pre-collegiate. Tenth grade students take a combination of
honors level high school credit classes and selected introductory
college courses. With targeted support services, a significant emphasis
on reading skills, and the encouraging small school atmosphere;
collegiate and pre-collegiate students are able to assume a
college-level course schedule by the junior year. All 11^th^ and 12^th^
graders enroll in college classes, where they earn dual credit posted to
both a high school and college transcript. This dual curriculum affords
students access to more than 250 courses of a variety and rigor
unavailable in the traditional high school.

The high school is distinguished by application of varied instructional
delivery and learning styles, including a
technology-across-the-curriculum approach and an integrated academic
seminar series at each grade level. Overall the school is dedicated to
the joy and value of reading. To that end, the Collegiate High School
has created an ongoing "culture of reading" which includes a variety of
reading initiatives involving traditional coursework, an open-access
lending library, online student book reviews, student writers and
readers groups, a summer reading program, and a guest author and guest
reader program. During 2004-05, the school received a federal grant
through the Florida Department of Education to disseminate best
practices regarding reading and to disseminate effective start-up
strategies for new charter schools.

Since opening in the fall of 2000 with 129 students, the school has
received the highest rating available in the Florida School
Accountability Program in every year of eligibility, consistently
ranking in the top 1% of Florida public schools. Each year the school
has met or exceeded the previous year's performance in Florida's A+
School Program. In 2003 the school was the highest scoring school among
approximately 2900 schools in Florida. In addition, the school's
composite ACT, SAT and FCAT scores have exceeded the district, state,
and national composite scores.

Student success during and after the CHS experience provides testimony
to the strength of the CHS guiding principles: (1) Students should
develop the capacity to think critically, solve problems, and
communicate effectively through mastery of academic courses with
emphasis on language and mathematics, and (2) students should prepare
for further education and work through elective academic and technical
courses.

**PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS**

**1. Assessment Results:**

The Collegiate High School uses a variety of methods to evaluate
individual student progress and to assess overall academic progress over
time. Activities are designed to assess: a) progress made over the
school year; b) performance in relation to grade level expectations; c)
performance in comparison to other students taking a similar course of
study; d) performance in comparison to CHS peers; and e) attainment of
individual educational goals.

In addition to end-of-course grades, where dually-enrolled CHS students
exceed the state-level success rate in selected college credit core
courses by fifteen to eighteen percentage points, the Collegiate High
uses the Florida College Placement Test (FCPT) in a modified pre- and
post-test application format to gauge progress. The Florida
Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in 10^th^ grade (writing,
mathematics, and reading) and 11^th^ grade (science) is used to assess
all students. PSAT, SAT, and ACT performance is also tracked for
students who elect to participate in those tests. Composite course
performance of CHS students in college credit dual enrollment classes is
compared to the performance of dual enrollment students at the state and
local levels. An academic seminar and a capstone project help to assess
critical thinking and problem solving skills.

A passing FCAT score is required to receive a standard Florida high
school diploma. Students scoring at achievement levels 3, 4, or 5 in
reading or mathematics are considered to be at grade level, proficient,
or advanced. CHS students have consistently scored higher than district
and state averages on all sections of the FCAT. A review of FCAT scores
over the past five years indicates the percentages of students scoring
at level 3, 4 or 5 in reading ranged from 46% to 72% at the district
level and from 37% to 59% at the state level. In sharp contrast, CHS
reading scores for the same period ranged from 82% to 100%. During the
same period, district-wide percentages of student FCAT math scores at
level 3 or higher ranged from 67% to 89%, and the statewide range was
59% to 77%. Once again, in sharp contrast, the Collegiate High School
range for the period was 94% to 100%. CHS students demonstrate
comparable achievement in FCAT science, where they out-perform the state
mean scale scores by twenty-six to sixty three points each year.

The Collegiate High has earned an "A" grade in the Florida School
Accountability Program each year since entering the program in 2001-02.
The school grade is based upon three criteria: 1) the percentage of
students meeting high standards in reading, mathematics, and writing;
2), the percentage of students making learning gains in reading and
mathematics; and 3) the proportion of the lowest 25 percent of students
making learning gains in reading. While CHS is the only high school in
the district that received an A grade in each of these years, perhaps
more important to note is the "value added" progress indicated by all
students, and especially by the number of lowest quartile students who
improved over the previous year. These figures represent gains made
while students are enrolled at CHS and have consistently been nine to
twenty percentage points higher than other district schools and above
the state average in both mathematics and reading. Further, CHS students
regularly score above the state and district averages in FCAT persuasive
and expository writing, in some years posting the highest scores in the
state. CHS students consistently exceed national, state, and district
norms in both math and reading on nationally normed tests. Detailed
information about test performance can be found at
http://firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcinfopg.htm.

The College Board FCPT is used to place students in collegiate or
pre-collegiate programs. 100% of pre-collegiate students without
college-ready scores on the FCPT raise their scores to the college-ready
standard by the end of the junior year. Further, the Florida Department
of Education school report for the 2004-05 school year indicates that
the Collegiate High School is one of only a handful of high schools
statewide whose graduates test 100% college ready. In contrast, the
Okaloosa district and state percentages are 58.1% and 44.8%
respectively. Detailed report card information can be found at
<http://data.fldoe.org/readiness/default.cfm>. While standardized test
scores are powerful evidence of achievement, CHS students post an 89%
high school graduation rate, an 86% associate degree graduation rate,
and 88 % of students receive one or more university-level scholarships.
All are accomplishments that attest to the level at which CHS students
achieve their overall educational goals.

**2. Using Assessment Results:**

Use of assessment results to enhance both student and school success is
an ongoing process. Each student has an individual Student Education
Plan (STEP) which includes a Comprehensive Graduation Plan that plots
the student's progress toward high school graduation and toward
associate degree requirements. In developing the STEP for each student,
Faculty and staff monitor assessment results from FCAT, FCPT, SAT, ACT
and other norm referenced tests, as well as individual grades from
courses, overall grade point averages, course retention rates and course
success rates. Test performance patterns, changes in grade point
averages, and other assessment are used to create a comprehensive
picture of a student's progress. This information is used to determine
intervention/support strategies a student may need, as well as to prompt
further evaluation of a student's academic potential and progress. In
addition to the formal assessments, other strategies, such as midterm
advisory grades, instructor referrals, and student conferences help to
refine understanding of the student's progress. This continuous tracking
of assessment results is combined with anecdotal classroom observations
by faculty and staff, as well as parent input, to assemble a holistic
picture of the student's progress and a "living profile" of each CHS
student.

CHS staff members are then able to initiate appropriate student
intervention strategies when needed. Individual tutors, study groups,
computer-assisted-instruction, skill workshops, video reviews and other
similar activities are available for learning support. Students may also
be referred to other resources such as the OWC Math Lab, Academic
Success Center, or on-line tutoring services available twenty-four hours
a day. The CHS Student Academic Resource Center (STAR Lab) is the
primary vehicle for helping students to evaluate progress, choose
resources compatible with their learning styles and locate appropriate
support materials. The CHS staff works closely with individual students
to promote understanding of assessment results and to encourage student
"ownership" and use of results for self assessment and understanding.

In addition to the use of assessment results to improve individual
student success, aggregate student performance data and student and
parent surveys are tracked by grade level, subject area and class for
trends and anomalies that indicate the need for modification in
curriculum in teaching-learning strategies. Recent enhancements
resulting from this aggregate performance tracking include
implementation of a revised tenth-grade science curriculum shifting
focus to an interdisciplinary, environmental science approach,
restructuring Spanish language classes to include one day of
individualized skill building and conversation, and an integrated
academic seminar that culminates in a senior capstone project pairing a
student with an advisor and mentor in an area of interest that provides
an opportunity to apply academic knowledge to real-world skills.

**3. Communicating Assessment Results:**

Student progress is communicated to parents at regular intervals
throughout the term. In addition to traditional grade reports mailed at
the conclusion of a term, monthly and mid-term advisory reports are
mailed to each parent. Parents and students may access various on-line
sources to review grades daily, at mid-term, or after the final grading
period. An online "grade book" software program allows parents to see
grades, assignments due and completed, and to communicate directly with
instructors concerning a student's progress. Students may view current
grades and grades posted to the transcript through the Florida's on-line
student advising system at www.FACTS.org. Copies of standardized test
results are mailed to parents along with a guide to interpreting the
results.

School accountability results, school grades in the Florida School
Accountability Program, and compiled mean scores of CHS student
assessments are communicated to parents, students and the community
through press releases, the CHS web page, public service announcements,
newsletters, banners, parent conferences, open houses and annual parent
meetings, as well as via the CHS electronic message boards located
throughout the school site. The school publishes an annual report which
contains detailed information regarding all of the school's assessment
activities, as well as the results of student and parent satisfaction
surveys. Once approved by the CHS Governing Board, the full report is
available on the CHS website and executive summaries are mailed to all
current parents. In addition, all state, district, and school-level
accountability measures are available through the FLDOE website at
[www.FLDOE.org](http://www.FLDOE.org/).

**4. Sharing Success**

From its inception the school has welcomed visitors who are interested
in either duplicating the school concept or implementing selected
practices and programs. The effectiveness of the CHS program is evident
in the extent to which CHS has been called upon to describe its
operations and to assist in the contemplation and development of other
similar charter high schools. More than ten other postsecondary
institutions have visited the Collegiate High School to observe the
school's operations and speak with CHS staff and students. In addition,
the CHS story has been presented to Florida Legislators and staff, the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Florida Community College Council
of Instructional Affairs, Association of Community College Trustees, and
numerous other agencies and organizations, as well as showcased at
various educational conferences. Collegiate High School honors have been
highlighted in the *Advocate*, a Florida educational publication and in
*Florida Trend Magazine.*

In the fall of 2004-05 CHS was awarded a Federal dissemination grant
from the Florida Department of Education designed to disseminate best
practices in the area of reading. CHS sponsored a statewide reading
conference "The Culture of Reading" for middle and high school teachers
to demonstrate strategies and share practices that the school uses
specifically in promoting and improving reading skills and attitudes. As
a part of the grant, a "Forum for Success" website was created and
continues to offer resources for educators. The website includes an
on-line newsletter, an e-Library of project resources, and an e-Catalog
of best practices in high school reading and charter high school
operations. The "Culture of Reading" workshop has also been presented to
the Okaloosa Americorps Program and two different years at the Annual
Florida Charter School Conference. A CD with all workshop materials has
been made available to schools across the Southeast and is currently
available upon request.

Six years ago the Collegiate High School blazed new trails as a pioneer
in school choice by developing the first Florida community college
charter school. CHS faced a number of start-up challenges, not the least
of which was a lack of model schools. The leadership team welcomes
inquiries about CHS operations, curriculum, and teaching strategies and
continues to offer assistance through many methods to existing and
proposed schools.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

**1. Curriculum**

The curriculum at CHS offers greater depth, breadth, and rigor than the
traditional public high school. The school provides an honors curriculum
exclusively to sophomore students and dual credit college classes to
juniors and seniors. The curriculum affords students the opportunity to
enroll in a variety of advanced courses ranging from organic chemistry,
music theory, and cost accounting to technical writing, abnormal
psychology and differential equations, as well as access to expanded
experiences in music, dance, visual arts and theater. Students may
select from a menu of over 250 college level academic and technical
courses to satisfy the high school diploma and associate degree
requirements simultaneously.

The curriculum is distinguished by an [academic seminar]{.underline}
requirement that is part of the schools' innovative mission and provides
students with an additional perspective on general education, current
world issues, the interdisciplinary nature of subjects, and connections
to careers and education beyond high school. Participation is designed
not only to add knowledge but also to strengthen the student's ability
to participate in structured discussions, Socratic exchanges,
problem-solving, critical thinking and informal debate. The pinnacle of
the seminar is the completion of a Capstone Project during the final
semester of the senior year.

The [language arts]{.underline} curriculum offers both structure and
choice. Sophomore students take English II Honors with an emphasis on
shared inquiry into American Literature, writing and grammar, and
vocabulary development. The pace and depth of the study is accelerated
because CHS students will matriculate immediately into college level
classes as juniors and seniors skipping the last two years of
traditional high school courses. In addition, there is a school wide
focus on reading whose genesis is a "Read This" program designed to
promote a school-wide "Culture of Reading", as well as to remediate and
encourage reluctant or non-readers.

The CHS [social studies]{.underline} sequence begins with sophomores
taking American History Honors, with cross-curricular connections to
American Literature taught in English II Honors. Juniors and seniors
complete the social studies requirements with dual credit college
American Government, Economics, and World History. The American History
class is distinguished by real time research, examination of primary
sources, and team projects on historical and contemporary issues. In
alternate years, this experience is enhanced through a school-wide mock
"Constitutional Convention."

The CHS [mathematics]{.underline} curriculum is guided by placement test
scores and pre-requisite completion. Students may enroll in a curriculum
that includes Geometry Honors and Algebra II Honors at the high school
level and a sequence of mathematics courses beginning with college
credit Intermediate Algebra through Differential Equations and Calculus
III. As "one size does not fit all," the mathematics sequence may be
tailored to individual needs if competency is demonstrated and when a
student wishes to pursue a degree in engineering, science, computer
science or any other program requiring advanced mathematics.

After completing an Integrated Science III Honors course as a
foundation, sophomore students take a college credit General Biology
class as the bridge to more challenging [science classes]{.underline} in
the junior and senior years. Juniors and seniors may choose from
twenty-four college science classes that are challenging and appropriate
for their chosen college major. Courses include many usually unavailable
in high school curriculum such as physical geology, organic chemistry,
astronomy (taught in an on-site observatory), and modern physics. All
courses include a laboratory component.

Students may take a variety of courses in fine and performing
[arts,]{.underline} including pottery, painting, photography, dance,
music, and theater. In addition to humanities classes and studio work,
students study music theory, set and costume design, and participate in
theatrical productions in a \$20 million theater and arts educational
complex.

A two-year [foreign language]{.underline} requirement can be met through
Spanish, French, or American Sign Language offered in the college
curriculum. Students who have begun another language at their previous
school may continue that language through independent study or studying
at the previous school through a partnership agreement with CHS.
Students may also enroll in the third and fourth year of the same
language.

**2b. English**

The English Language curriculum is designed to increase rigor, depth,
and breadth of English Language skills while establishing a secure
foundation in basic skills. A typical sequence for a CHS student is to
take English II Honors for high school credit at 10^th^ grade and to
take college classes, typically Writing and Grammar, and English
Communications I and II, for dual college and high school credit in the
junior and senior years. English II Honors focuses on the study of
American Literature including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, novels, and
plays with emphasis on writing processes. Students do formal and
informal writing including literary critical analysis as well as
completing a research paper. They are introduced to MLA documentation as
a precursor to the writing requirements for the skills expected to be
demonstrated in the college classes. Research skills, including using
the library, Internet and electronic databases provide the foundation
for public presentations with and without technology. The ultimate
demonstration of English Language skills culminates in a Senior Capstone
project where the student demonstrates the skills mastered in high
school and college classes.

CHS has a school-wide emphasis on reading where, in addition to the
reading required in the English class, sophomores take an additional
"Reading Across the Genres" course. Other strategies to reinforce both
the joy of reading and reading skills include a summer reading program,
a book club approach in reading workshops, reading activities such as a
weekly "reader's puzzler contest," and promoting reading as a reward
rather than rewarding reading. Students in need of remediation in
reading receive research-based support and one-on-one strategies with
frequent feedback through both self assessment strategies and
standardized pre-and post-tests to evaluate reading level and progress
in reading. Students make cognitive connections across the curriculum
through reading specifically in English, American History, and Reading
Across the Genres. The school-wide reading immersion has produced
impressive results in test scores, expository and recreational reading.

**3. Science**

The science curriculum is characterized by the same high standards
demonstrated by all classes at CHS. Students begin the study of science
through a broad-view integrated science course and proceed to an
incredible diversity of college biological and physical science courses
generally unavailable in traditional high schools including advanced
physics, organic chemistry, astronomy and advanced biology. The rigorous
science curriculum offers high school students the use of state-of the
art facilities, including an observatory in astronomy, and the
opportunity to use instruments and techniques such as chromatography in
organic chemistry, electrophoresis in advanced biology, and a sonic
range finder in advance physics. CHS uses a variety of technology tools
in the science curriculum to enhance student access to a wide range of
knowledge beyond the confines of the classroom. Computer aided lecture
presentations are used daily in science instruction. The presentations
are text-based; hence, students internalize the relevancy of the text to
the curriculum and laboratory experiences in science. Images from some
of the leading institutions in the world are accessible on the World
Wide Web directly to the classroom through wireless internet to
students' individual laptop computers. Students use digital cameras to
interject images from field trips and classroom activities into
presentations. For example, histology images (microscope slides) from
Stanford can be compared to images made through the microscopes in the
science classroom. Students make video files of microscope slides,
specimen collections and dissections.

The instructional staff for the Collegiate High School students are
specialists in their field all having advanced degrees. The quality of
instructors in the science department is further evidence of the quality
of science education available to students at CHS. Ninety-one percent of
the science faculty holds doctorate degrees in their teaching
discipline. Additional support in science is provided for CHS students
by the employment of a part-time instructor who supports the science
curriculum and student success by individual tutoring and guided group
study sessions.

**4 Instructional Methods**

Key to the success of the Collegiate High School is the theory that
application of a variety of instructional methods increases the
likelihood of accommodating the variety of learning styles students
bring to their education, as well as helps to prepare them for the
variety of interactions they will encounter in adult life. In addition
to the traditional classroom approach, the range of instructional
options at the Collegiate High is characterized by implementation of
technology-across-the curriculum, incorporation of an integrated,
academic seminar, varied course lengths (year-long, semester-long and
"mini-mester" formats), self-paced, performance-based options, and
school-wide enhancement activities to compliment the traditional
curriculum.

The Collegiate High School provides a laptop computer to every student.
Personal wireless laptops put the World Wide Web at a student's
fingertips and capitalize on the appeal of easy online access to the
technologically savvy students of the 21^st^ century. Use of this
technology expands the traditional textbook by enabling connectivity to
universities, museums, historical documents, real-time interviews and
other resources delivered directly to the student's desk.

An innovative and flexible calendar allows CHS students to participate
twice a year in mini-mester courses delivered in the form of seminars,
field trips, and hands-on activities in topics such as practical
chemistry, oceanography, herpetology, foreign language, and political
science. These concentrated interest sessions jump start curiosity at
the start of the fall term and revitalize interest and attention at the
end of the spring term. In one reading seminar, participants use a
student-led "book-club approach" to read and discuss a common novel. In
an anthropology seminar, students conduct an actual on-site
archeological "dig". Students also enroll each semester in an academic
seminar research class that connects concepts learned in each individual
subject to the full academic curriculum, and encourages the development
of problem solving, critical thinking, and research skills, as well as
oral presentation, and real-life application of the academic
disciplines.

In addition to irreplaceable direct instruction, students are involved
in small group projects, shared inquiry into literature, cross
curricular alignment of topics in literature and history, and an
approach to mathematics which prompts students to go beyond facts to a
more thoughtful analysis of the people, times, and events. Complementary
enhancement activities such as weekly reading puzzlers, a school-wide
mock "constitutional convention", and a stock market simulation game
reinforce classroom concepts and build problem solving and analysis
skills. Independent learning activities -- in the form of an entire
self-paced course or a quick review in a given topic -- are available in
the Student Academic Resource (STAR) Lab, which is staffed with master's
degree level professionals and open throughout the school day.

**5. Professional Development**

Professional development opportunities abound for Collegiate High School
faculty and staff. All CHS instructors hold master's or doctoral degrees
in their field of instruction, an academic quality rarely found in the
traditional high school. A collegial atmosphere promotes formal and
informal exchange of professional information, from the sharing of best
practices and educational research on such topics as "Motivating the
Reluctant Learner" and "Communicating with Parents" to specific in-house
training sessions. A segment of each CHS weekly staff meeting is devoted
to a brief professional development activity, many of which are drawn
from educational newsletters, pedagogical updates or current research.

CHS staff members participate regularly in OWC workshops. Recent
workshops include: "Web Page Design" and "Serving Struggling Students".
New faculty members participate in a two-day orientation program which
includes an overview of OWC/CHS policies, creative testing and
assessment strategies, curriculum development, and related topics.
Faculty and staff also have access to the OWC Staff and Program
Development fund to pursue postsecondary coursework. Each full-time CHS
employee may be reimbursed for up to four postsecondary or graduate
classes each year and faculty members may be eligible for "release time"
for educational research or special projects. The fund also supports
attendance at national conferences, and CHS instructors have recently
attended Vermont College Post Graduate Writer's Conference and The
Senior Project Institute in Asheville, North Carolina.

**PART VI - PRIVATE SCHOOL ADDENDUM**

**OWC Collegiate High School**

**Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Summary**

*Note: NA indicates that the number of students in the subgroup tested
was fewer than 10.*

**OWC Collegiate High School**

**Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Summary**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
  **10^th^ Grade Mathematics**                                                          

  **Year Tested**               **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-01**   **2000-01**

  **Testing Month**             **March**     **March**     **March**     **March**     **March**

                                                                                        

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                     

  \% At or Above Meets State    100%          99%           100%          100%          96%
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards 93%           81%           76%           67%           72%

  Number of Students Tested     69            84            58            54            46

  Percent of total students     100%          100%          100%          100%          100%
  Tested                                                                                

  Number of Students            0             0             0             0             0
  alternatively assessed                                                                

  Percent of students           0%            0%            0%            0%            0%
  alternatively assessed                                                                

                                                                                         

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                                    

  ** **                                                                                  

  **Socioeconomic Status**                                                               

  **Free and reduced-priced                                                              
  meals**                                                                               

  \% At or Above Meets State    NA            100%          NA            NA            NA
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards NA            69%           NA            NA            NA

  Number of students tested     NA            13            NA            NA            NA

                                                                                         

  **Ethnicity**                                                                          

  **White**                                                                              

  \% At or Above Meets State    100%          100%          100%          100%          95%
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards 94%           82%           75%           74%           73%

  Number of Students Tested     65            74            57            46            41

  **Black**                                                                              

  \% At or Above Meets State    NA            NA            NA            NA            NA
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards NA            NA            NA            NA            NA

  Number of Students Tested     NA            NA            NA            NA            NA

  **Hispanic**                                                                          

  \% At or Above Meets State    NA            NA            NA            NA            NA
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards NA            NA            NA            NA            NA

  Number of Students Tested     NA            NA            NA            NA            NA

  **Asian**                                                                             

  \% At or Above Meets State    NA            NA                                        
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards NA            NA                                        

  Number of Students Tested     NA            NA             0            0             0

  **American Indian**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Meets State                  NA                                        
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards               NA                                        

  Number of Students Tested      0            NA            0             0             0

  **Multiracial**                                                                       

  \% At or Above Meets State                  NA                                        
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards               NA                                        

  Number of Students Tested      0            NA            0             0             0

                                                                                        

  **Disabilities**                                                                      

  \% At or Above Meets State    NA            NA            NA            NA            NA
  Standards                                                                             

  \% At Exceeds State Standards NA            NA            NA            NA            NA

  Number of Students Tested     NA            NA            NA            NA            NA

                                                                                        

  **SCHOOL MEAN SCORE**         ** 366**      **367 **      **369 **      **369 **      **368**

  **DISTRICT MEAN SCORE**       339           337           334           316           328

  **STATE MEAN SCORE**          322           323           320           303           323
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

**OWC Collegiate High School**

  -------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  **FCPT Mathematics 12^th^                                                    
  Grade**                                                                      

  **Year Tested**                  **2006**   **2005**   **2004**   **2003**   **2002**

  **Testing Month**                **May**    **May**    **May**    **May**    **May**

                                                                               

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                            

  \% At or Above Meets College     100%       93%        97%        93%        98%
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  89%        74%        82%        72%        88%
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        81         87         68         58         43

  Percent of total students Tested 100%       100%       100%       100%       100%

  Number of Students alternatively 0          0          0          0          0
  assessed                                                                     

  Percent of students              0%         0%         0%         0%         0%
  alternatively assessed                                                       

  School Mean Score                104        96         100        97         104

                                                                               

  **SUBGROUP SCORES**                                                          

  ** **                                                                        

  **Socioeconomic Status**                                                     

  **Free and reduced-priced                                                    
  meals**                                                                      

  \% At or Above Meets College     100%       NA         NA         NA         NA
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  82%        NA         NA         NA         NA
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of students tested        11         NA         NA         NA         NA

                                                                               

  **Ethnicity**                                                                

  **White**                                                                    

  \% At or Above Meets College     98%        96%        98%        92%        97%
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  93%        65%        88%        69%        86%
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        67         81         60         49         37

  **Black**                                                                    

  \% At or Above Meets College     NA         NA         NA         NA         NA
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  NA         NA         NA         NA         NA
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        NA         NA         NA         NA         NA

  **Hispanic**                                                                 

  \% At or Above Meets College     NA         NA         NA         NA         NA
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  NA         NA         NA         NA         NA
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        NA         NA         NA         NA         NA

  **Asian**                                                                    

  \% At or Above Meets College     NA         NA         NA         NA         NA
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  NA         NA         NA         NA         NA
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        NA         NA         NA         NA         NA

  **American Indian**                                                          

  \% At or Above Meets College     NA                    NA         NA         
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  NA                    NA         NA         
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        NA         0          NA         NA         0

  **Multiracial**                                                              

  \% At or Above Meets College     NA         NA         NA                    
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  NA         NA         NA                    
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        NA         NA         NA         0          0

                                                                               

  **ESE**                                                                      

  \% At or Above Meets College     NA         NA         NA                    
  Standards (72)                                                               

  \% At Exceeds College Standards  NA         NA         NA                    
  (90)                                                                         

  Number of Students Tested        NA         NA         NA         0          0

                                                                               

  **% [At or Above College Level                                               
  Cut-off Scores]{.smallcaps}**                                                

  **SCHOOL**                       **100%**   **93%**    **98%**    **93%**    **98%**

  **DISTRICT**                     NA         NA         41%        69%        68%

  **STATE**                        NA         NA         40%        66%        65%
  -------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

**Florida College Placement Test Summary**

**OWC Collegiate High School**

**Florida College Placement Test Summary**

*Note: NA indicates that the number of students in the cohort tested was
fewer than 10.*

**OWC Collegiate High School**

**Florida College Placement Test Summary**

*Note: NA indicates that the number of students in the subgroup tested
was fewer than 10.*

**OWC Collegiate High School**

**Florida College Placement Test Summary**