Uncommon Schools

Evan Rudall. Prior to becoming CEO in July 2008, Evan Rudall served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer for nearly three years. Mr. Rudall is the Founder and former Co-Director of Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, a nationally recognized urban college preparatory public school that was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of eight of the highest-performing charter schools in… See full bio.

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Story: Read about how two teachers helped students make a connection between President Obama's inauguration and the Civil Rights movement in a creative and engaging way? After watching the speech that the late Senator Robert Kennedy gave the night that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, Monica Bintz and Audrey Harris, a science teacher and a history teacher at Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School in Brooklyn, New York, began thinking about ways in which they could talk with their students about race. In light of President Obama’s Inauguration, they felt compelled to do something to help their students make a connection between this historic event and the Civil Rights Movement. Bintz and Harris spoke excitedly about the possibility of forming an enrichment class that delved into the ideas of race, social justice, and youth empowerment. Out of this conversation, the Pass It On Project was born. The Pass It On Project is a semester-long study of the American Civil Rights Movement, followed by a two-week long trip through the American South, during which students visit places of historical significance self-selected based upon their coursework. Further, as stated on the Project’s website, it is “an experiment in creating a younger generation of honest witnesses, who, when faced with injustice will feel compelled to act, and whose actions are strengthened by their own understanding of history.” When asked by one of the 8th grade students about what he thought Martin Luther King, Jr. would have thought of Barack Obama’s inauguration, Reverend Kyles responded, “He would have been pleased, but not satisfied,” hinting at the fact that there is still work to be done, and that it was up to the young leaders around the table with him to continue this work. He told the students, “You guys are going to be in charge of everything we do much sooner than you think.” Among the myriad ways in which the students can and will do this, one opportunity will present itself in the spring of 2010 when, as 9th grade students, they will lead discussion groups for this year’s Pass It On 8th graders. Before the Pass It On trip, “a lot of the students would say that, given President Obama’s election, Dr. King’s dream has been realized,” shares Bintz, thinking about the project’s significance for her students. “They would say ‘racism is done, it’s fixed.’ I don’t think any of them would say the same at this point.” But, that is not to say that the students’ hopes and happiness around the election have been dashed. The Project has also led students to internalize how far the country and their communities have come. Students now understand that there are still challenges in their communities that they will have to work on, while at the same time, recognizing their role, responsibility, and power in carrying the mantle of the Civil Rights Movement. Reflecting on the trip, Keith Apollon, now a 9th grader at Uncommon Charter High School, says that participating in the Project, “changed my attitude because I saw a lot of the struggles that African Americans have encountered. The opportunities I have had wouldn’t have been opportunities if it wasn’t for the Little Rock Nine or Martin Luther King, Jr. … if it wasn’t for them, I don’t think we could be in this room together.” (Read more about the project at: http://www.uncommonschools.org/usi/newsAndEvents/Sept09JumpPage.html#article02)

Evidence of Impact Summary:

Experts praise the impact Uncommon Schools have had in the Atlantic region in terms of student performance and data-driven instruction methods.
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Organization Strengths Summary:

Uncommon Schools is credited for its data-driven strategies and methods as well is its leadership and willingness to share knowledge.
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Areas for Improvement Summary:

Areas for improvement vary across experts. Enhancing brand awareness, advocacy efforts, and independence were mentioned.
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Prior to becoming CEO in July 2008, Evan Rudall served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer for nearly three years. Mr. Rudall is the Founder and former Co-Director of Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, a nationally recognized urban college preparatory public school that was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of eight of the highest-performing charter schools in the country. After founding Roxbury Prep, Mr. Rudall served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning of the New York City Department of Education. Prior to founding Roxbury Prep, Mr. Rudall directed Summerbridge Louisville, a non-profit academic enrichment program. He also taught, coached, and served as Assistant Middle School Director at Kentucky Country Day School. Mr. Rudall received his B.A. from Wesleyan University, his Ed.M. from Harvard University, and his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was a senior editor of the Columbia Law Review.

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