Our Strategy

School Selection Criteria
Recognizing that its resources are scarce, SVP will target schools in which it can demonstrate the greatest impact. SVP will target schools based on the following three criteria:

  • Low-Income, Underachieving Schools
  • Administrative Support and Readiness
  • Teacher Commitment

By the end of the 2014-2015 academic year, SVP’s intention is to enter 28 schools, demonstrating significant improvement among the students participating in its program. SVP’s success in achieving this goal will be determined by its ability to enter schools that match its school selection criteria, the effectiveness of its replication model, and the improvement of student achievement

Low-Income, Underachieving Schools
This graph plots all high schools in Los Angeles County. The percentage of students participating in free or reduced lunch programs is a proxy for need – the higher the percentage, the lower the income. API score is a proxy for performance – the lower the score, the lower the performance.

The analysis revealed the following 4 clusters:

  • High-Performing Low-Income Schools: The schools in this segment tended to be inner-city charter schools
  • Low-Income Underachieving Schools: Many of the schools in this segment are located in inner-city Los Angeles
  • Well-To-Do Schools: The schools in this segment are high-performing and low-need and tended to be located in well-to-do suburbs
  • Adult Continuation Schools: The schools in this segment are low-performing and low-need

Based on this analysis, SVP believes that the Low-Income, Underachieving schools are the ideal target because they fit SVP’s desired demographic of low-income, African-American, and Hispanic students and because these schools offer the greatest opportunity for improvement indicated by their low API scores.

Administrative Support and Readiness
One of SVP’s goals at the school level is to leave the school with a sustainable journalism program. This will require that administrators continue to provide resources to the program after SVP exits. SVP will determine whether this continuing support is likely, prior to entering the school, through extensive interviews with the top administrators.

Teacher Commitment
SVP must identify a teacher on staff at the target school who will be committed to leading the journalism program after SVP exits. SVP will leverage its partnership with Teach for America to identify teachers who have the qualifications and the passion to lead a journalism program.

Journalism Adviser Replication Model
Based on its experience with current SVP-trained journalism advisors, SVP expects that 50% of its teachers will take on a mentorship role after completion of SVP’s program. By matching experienced journalism advisors with novice ones, SVP will create a network of trained teachers with journalism knowledge and experience.