Da Vinci Connect, Hawthorne, CA
Early college programs, hybrid learning, student-centered teaching, social-emotional learning, and real world learning are the tenets of Da Vinci Connect High School. Students attending Connect have the opportunity to earn their two- or four-year college degree while in high school, completely free. As a K-12 model, students connect learning through pathways from an early age and find unique ways to make learning personal for them. The culture of engagement and student voice and choice guide the complexity of the meaningful projects that motivate students. The leaders and teachers are ruthlessly committed to innovation, deeper learning, and preparing students for postsecondary experiences.
School Type
Charter/Magnet
School Context
Early College
Dimensions
- Outcomes: Bachelor's degree along with high school diploma (alternatively, some students will earn two years of transferable credit to local universities if desired)
- Learner Experience: 3 x 3 schedule; Synchronous and asynchronous coursework; Real world learning; Hybrid options
- Competency & Credentialing: 9th grade college coursework; Transferable credits to community college; University high school extension program; Narrative-based report card/transcript
- Wellness: Relationship first culture; Counselors focused on SEL and college/career readiness; Advisory curriculum
- Equity: Culturally responsive pedagogy and professional development; Multi-tiered systems of support; Competency-based college access
- Professional Learning: Focus on culture and individual accountability; Promotion of agency and distributive leadership for staff; Teacher-driven curriculum
- Strategy: Adding 125 students per year for another 3 years
- Partnerships: Southern New Hampshire University; El Camino College; UCLA Extension; New Schools Venture Fund; Da Vinci Schools
- Technology: Google Classroom and Google Suite for Education; NWEA MAP assessments