The Baltimore Freedom Academy exemplifies how a small, decentralized school can create an instructional framework that links not only education for democracy but
also education for empowerment and liberation.  It is truly a
student-centered institution which powerfully integrates historical and cultural relevancy into its instructional and civic mission.

When the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation identified Baltimore as one of the cities it would invest in as part of its small schools initiative, a group of educators came together under the leadership of Community Law in Action -- which has a long history of developing youth activism -- to determine what a school around youth activism might look like.  The Baltimore Freedom Academy was born in 2003, with youth leadership development and social activism providing the thematic perspectives.

CURRICULUM
Every year, students must take a series of courses that align with mission and vision of the school. 

Pre-Freshman: Before they start the ninth grade, students attend a summer institute, the Ninth Grade Academy. In the humanities class, they use the Facing History and Ourselves curriculum to analyze the Little Rock integration process.  How were young people really change agents in their community?  How did they change policy and influence the history of this country?

9th grade:  Students follow the Street Law curriculum Students and the Law to learn how the law impacts them, and how public policy is made.  How do public policy and the legal community work together to create a civilized community?  And, if there are inequities within those attemps, how does one become involved to redress them? 

10th grade: Students take a Criminal Law class taught by University of Maryland Law School students. Notes principal Tisha Edwards, "As many of the Academy's students are immersed in communities where there are high instances of crime and criminal activity, often there is an adversarial relationship between community and 'the system,' as the kids say.  We are empowering students how to interface with law enforcement, learn their rights, and understand the intentions of criminal policies and procedures."

11th grade:  To move from "me and my community" to the world, Edwards says, juniors can choose to take a course called Contemporary Affairs and Global Policy.  It discusses "everything from HIV in Africa, Darfur, what is happening in the Middle East.  What challenges are people facing and where are people trying to make change?  What’s happening domestically?  We are raising students' global awareness and asking them to be more global thinkers."

In the 11th grade, students also participate in a program called Learning by Serving.  The Academy has developed partnerships with local nonprofits and elementary schools across the city, and one day a week juniors serve in those organizations.  The purpose is to help the students accumulate service-learning hours for graduation, and also raise their awareness about what is happening in their communities.

"By the time students come to our school, they've been exposed to all the conversations about the challenges facing urban education," explains Edwards.  "They want to talk about these issues.  Why does their school system function the way it does?  Why do inequities exist?  Particularly because many have younger siblings and cousins, they are not so much interested in the crime and grime stuff as in fixing education." 

As a result, many take advantage of the Learn and Serve program to work as tutors or teacher's aides in elementary schools.  To ensure students are volunteers who can really help, the school gets feedback from partners on a weekly basis. 

12th Grade.  Seniors, after Learning by Serving, take a leadership class.  The first semester is theoretical, aimed at understanding leadership, power dynamics, and their own leadership styles.  Then, the course exposes students to leadership in their community: the school brings in politicians, religious leaders, youth leaders, and other elected and non-elected leaders. 

"We want them to study how they became leaders," says Edwards.  "By an elected process?  By waking up one day and saying I want to start something?  How is leadership is cultivated?  What are ways you can gain leadership roles, and how do you use that power once you’re in that position?"

The semester-long seminar partners with Carta and receives funding and staff support from a local foundation.  Once students successfully complete the seminar, those who show particular interest and aptitude are chosen for a senior practicum.  As a group, they identify issues that are meaningful to them -- past topics have included substance abuse, education reform, homelessness, mental health, literacy, HIV, and teen pregnancy. 

They then locate four agencies or organizations that deal with the topic, but which have different strategies for addressing the issue. 

Having already completed their graduation requirements, students work 25 hours a week with these agencies.  At the end of the semester, they present to a panel -- including staff and experts from the field -- and talk about what they learned and where they felt like they made a difference.

Seniors who are not participating in the leadership practicum are either engaged in an expanded education program at the local community college -- an experience that helps wean them from high school and prepare them for post-secondary education, Edwards notes -- and/or take part in extended academic programs after school for additional academic support to make transition into college.

"One of the things we balance in this process is how to integrate thematic civic learning principles with NCLB and the public's expectations for children," says Edwards.

"I think Phase II in our curriculum development will be more about how to integrate civic learning concepts into a math class, a science class.  For instance, could there be an environmental justice course?"

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development starts at recruitment with conversations about the values of the school.

"Can you take a kid who enters in 9th grade reading two years below grade level and transform that kid to be ready to go to college, to understand the value of education, to have a work ethic?" explains Edwards.  "As a teacher, do you believe in that transformative process?  If you don’t believe you end up being a mismatch in the values of our school.  We can teach you the next step about advocacy."

During staff orientation, the Academy goes through a similar process as they do with the students. 

"We talk to them about historical issues and present-day issues.  What is it that we need to do for our world to be better?  If you’re an English teacher, you come in every day to teach English so we can have positive kids in our community." 

A second step, which lasts throughout the year, is to have students educate the larger staff about the questions and topics they are grappling with.  "We found that students are the best trainers, coaches, and advocates for what we do in our school.  That’s how we get teachers excited and engaged in how to make connections in the classroom.  At the end of the day, what teachers want is for students to come to class and care about what they’re being taught."    
 
LEADERSHIP
The Academy's board of directors helps to continue to make civic learning a programmatic focus of the school.  The challenge, says Edwards, is getting the rest of the world to see civic engagement as a desirable outcome for students. 

"There's such an emphasis on SAT scores and high stakes testing; it’s very hard to quantify the investment of civic engagement.  How do you count that?  By the number of kids who vote?  They number of kids who become leaders in the community?  Because civic learning is hard to quantify, people don’t undertand it or don’t embrace it."

In addition to the work the school itself does, Edwards relies on philanthropies, corporate partners, and individuals to promote the importance of civic learning.

"Civic learning is a little bit like faith.  You might not be able to see it and touch it, but you know it’s important."