Small Learning Communities

Renni's post got me thinking not just about "flavor of the month" educational programs, but about small learning communities in particular. This is another tough one for me, since my school district was one of the first in San Diego County to implement SLC's at our middle schools. Since the model has proven popular in recent years I was wondering if anyone is in a district that has either gone SLC or is thinking about it.

Of course I have my own views on the process (me with an opinion?!).

First, let me say that I find portions of the SLC model to be both intriguing and progressive. As someone who earned his credential when "Second to None" was big, I remember reading their "vision" for high schools in the 21st century and imagining schools within schools that had programs tailored to students' ultimate professional goals (bio/medicine, auto mechanics, etc.). Many of the schools that I have read about that have gone to this style of SLC appear to have captured the "essence" of what SLC's are supposed to be about.

With that said, for every district that has customized their SCL's to this degree, I have encountered 3 or 4 that have merely adopted the trappings... School within school names, their own pep rallies, shirts, etc. I guess I really don't get the difference between this and the "teaming" movement of the late 1980's and early 1990's. If a snazzy T-shirt with your academy's name on it is a small learning community's best accomplishment for the year, did they actually DO anything?

I know that the above appears pretty negative, but the way SLC's were implemented in my previous district was a disaster. More on that later.

Anyone out there who is "living the dream" of SLC's in a model that actually seems to promote achievement and safety? I would love to hear from you.