Urban Collaborative Accelerated
Program FAQs
“At UCAP the teachers are
different. They actually ask you if you need help. If you do
something wrong, there’s a consequence. My first year here I
only accelerated in Algebra, but now I know how to take
notes and get my work done. I have a goal to accelerate in
all my subjects.” z gabriel r.
Mission
The Urban Collaborative seeks to intervene
in the lives of at-risk adolescents, to help them attain the
academic and social skills necessary for success in high school
and in life. We strive to create a challenging curriculum and
supportive community that motivate students with meaningful
opportunities for achievement. We stress the importance of
taking responsibility, working hard, setting goals, taking
risks, and having fun.
Goal
Our goal is to keep children from dropping
out of school by providing them with the incentive of
accelerated promotion-in-grade, to make up for previous grades
that they have repeated, and to help students go on to high
school with the academic and social skills that will enable them
to be successful.
Who is eligible?
We only accept students who have repeated at
least one grade before entering UCAP, and who have demonstrated
other characteristics that cause them to be at risk of dropping
out of school, such as absenteeism, low self-esteem, or poor
social skills.
Grade level
We serve students in grades 7, 8 and 9, but
our students are typically 13 to 16 instead of the usual 12 to
14 in those grades. Since students may make up two years in one
or three years in two, they attend UCAP for a maximum of two
years. We divide the student body in half regardless of “grade”
and students stay in the same team with the same team of
teachers for the two years they attend UCAP. School counselors
work with every student to find the best high school for them to
attend.
Capacity
We enroll 140 to 145 students per year. The
number fluctuates as students enter, and sometimes leave,
throughout the year. By staying small, we can keep our class
size small, and get to know every student as an individual: no
one gets lost in the system.
Geographic area served
UCAP is a collaborative serving three
participating districts with large urban cores: Providence,
Central Falls and Cranston.
Ethnic breakdown
At any given time the breakdown is
approximately 60% Hispanic, 23% African American, 12% Caucasian,
3% Asian or Southeast Asian and 1% Native American.
Percent eligible to receive free or reduced lunch
Between 71% and 90% of our students
are eligible for free or reduced lunch.
“It didn’t take a long time
teaching in an urban setting before I realized that the main
difference between my students and me was the accident of
birth. I was lucky to grow up with many advantages. I
started UCAP so that some really great kids could have the
kind of second chances that I had taken for granted. It’s a
good feeling to know that this school actually does make a
difference in their lives.” Rob Deblois, Director
How UCAP works
We employ an accelerated program that allows
students to move ahead during the school year based on
acquisition of skills and knowledge rather than “time-in-seat.”
Almost 20% complete two years in one, while 30% complete three
years in two. Some do not accelerate a full grade, but may
accelerate in one or more subjects.
About the staff
All UCAP teachers are rated as highly
effective (as defined by No Child Left Behind and mandated for
teachers of CORE content). There are two teams of four teachers
each, one for each core subject: English, Math, Science and
Social Studies. We have two full-time school counselors, a
librarian, computer teacher, and floating teacher’s aide, as
well as several part-time staff who offer a range of electives,
from art and music to cooking. The student to full-time-teacher
ratio is 16:1, while the ratio of total staff with direct
student involvement is 10:1.
Funding sources
UCAP is a public school with 501 (c) (3)
status as a nonprofit organization. UCAP does receive tuition
for our students, paid by their school districts. However, the
costs of Beyond School enrichment programs, which are essential
to our success with these at-risk students, are not covered by
public sources. Beyond School programs are offered year round in
conjunction with numerous community-based organizations and
include field trips, learning opportunities, recreational
activities and counseling. Each year we spend approximately
$3,000 per student in order to provide our students with these
enrichment Beyond School programs. In March of 2007 we
established the Fund for UCAP to facilitate raising these funds
from private sources, including individuals, foundations,
corporations and state and federal grants.
Other facts
UCAP was founded in 1989. Since then, more
than 1,100 students have attended UCAP and gone on to high
school. A comprehensive evaluation, available on our website,
was completed in June 2007. The evaluation confirmed that UCAP
students are 25% more likely to graduate from high school than
their Providence peers.
The trailer of a compelling documentary
about UCAP, Accelerating America, by filmmaker Timothy Hotchner,
may be viewed on our website or at
www.acceleratingamerica.com.
Thanks for giving kids a real second
chance!
