The mission of Hardy Brown College Prep is to graduate high achieving students of good character prepared for college and citizenship in a democratic society. Students will be well-prepared for high school, higher education, employment and productive citizenship. Hardy Brown College Prep is a tuition-free K-12 charter school system which will open in the fall of 2010.

Hardy Brown College Prep is committed to providing students the skills and training necessary to become contributing members of their school, family and community. The school will be a learning environment where students, faculty and parents embrace a standard of excellence in academic achievement, ethics and citizenship. Students will participate in a college preparatory program with a focus on literacy, math, technology and an emphasis on service in the community.

Hardy Brown College Prep is a public charter school founded on 5 principles:

1. High Expectations- We have high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that are clearly designed, measurable and make no excuses based on the background of the students. Students, parents, teachers and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support.

2. Choice and Commitment- Students, their parents and staff choose to participate in the program. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required for success.

3. More Time- We know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. With an extended school day, week and year, students, teachers, school leaders, parents and staff dedicate more time. This ensures that students acquire the knowledge and skills that prepare them for competitive colleges, as well as opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular activities.

4. Focus on Results- We focus relentlessly on high student performance through standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no exceptions. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed in the nation’s best colleges and the world beyond.

5. Citizenship- We strongly believe that the measure of a person’s success is in what he or she gives to others. Through community service, students develop a strong sense of civic responsibility and establish the foundation for a lifetime of meaningful community involvement. Students also deepen and demonstrate their learning and are empowered to become productive citizens in the community in which they live.[1]

Students to be Served

Hardy Brown College Prep will be open to all students. In addition, recruitment will target students and families living within the boundaries of the San Bernardino City Unified School District. Hardy Brown College Prep students will be diverse in culture, language, ethnicity, and socio-economic background.

Our focus will be on students who come from economically disadvantaged families and may be significantly behind in reading and math. Based on the statistics of the County, 85% of the students will come from economically disadvantaged families. In addition, we anticipate that 75% of students enrolled will be below grade level in reading and math. Hardy Brown College Prep will be inclusive of students with a wide range of talents and abilities, including those with special needs and those who are English Learners.

All students who enroll in Hardy Brown College Prep will possess a strong desire to attend a school that emphasizes high academic achievement and promotes community involvement through service-learning projects that focus on the improvement of the surrounding neighborhood of the School.

In its initial year of operation, Hardy Brown College Prep will serve 235 students in kindergarten, first, second, third and sixth grades. The school will add grade levels each year until it is a K-12 school system.

Educational Program

Personalized Learning
Every student at Hardy Brown College Prep will have diagnostic assessments in the core subject areas prior to placement in the academic program. Students will have an Individualized Learning Plan based on the results of their assessments. This Plan will guide their educational experience. Each student will take benchmark assessments throughout the year to determine their progress towards meeting the California K-12 Academic Content standards. Adjustments will be made to the Academic Plan based on the results of the assessments.

More Time
At Hardy Brown College Prep, students will start early and stay late; allowing for extended time for learning and enrichment opportunities. Hardy Brown College Prep will also offer classes during intersession and summer break.

Academic Supports

The overall goal for Hardy Brown College Prep students is to graduate high school meeting A-G Requirements for the California State University and University of California systems and gain admittance into a four-year university. In order to meet this goal, we will expect students to be proficient in the academic content standards at every grade level. There are several milestones we will use to determine if students are on track, including all students reading proficiently by the end of third grade, all students proficient in algebra at the end of eighth grade, passage of the California High School Exit Exam in the 10^th grade and proficiency in Math and English on the Early Assessment Program (EAP) test in the 11^th grade. We will provide all academic support necessary to ensure all students meet these milestones. With a high priority focus on reading and math, Hardy Brown College Prep will have intensive intervention in reading, writing and mathematics, as well as after school homework assistance built into the educational program.

Enrollment

At Hardy Brown College Prep, students, faculty and parents embrace a standard of excellence in academic achievement, ethics and citizenship. Parents interested in having their child attend Hardy Brown College Prep and being a part of this unique learning environment, will complete a Student Application. There are no admission requirements. Parents need to be committed to the program including participating in parent hours and the extended academic day as well as the school expectations which will be described in the Parent/Student Handbook.

Family Involvement

There's no such thing as providing a quality education without including the parents in the learning process. We know that we cannot look at the school in isolation from the home. In order for genuine learning to take place, there must be a continuum of instruction that lasts much longer than the time the child is in school. By working together as partners, the parents and school can create a learning experience that lasts 24 hours a day for every child.

Families are partners in the learning process. Hardy Brown College Prep will equip parents and guardians with strategies and tools for becoming involved in their child's education through workshops, parent groups and family-oriented events. Hardy Brown College Prep believes that it is paramount to include parents in the learning process. Upon enrollment, parents will sign a contract committing to provide 40 hours of volunteer service a year.

Governance

Hardy Brown College Prep will be governed by a unique blending of local San Bernardino leaders and California educational experts.  The school will be operated by a non-profit governing board and school-based parent and community advisory councils to ensure a close nexus between the parents and students and the school’s decision-makers.  The program will be supervised by Fortune School of Education, a California educational organization with a mission to prepare teachers to address the complex needs of students in California public schools.  Project Pipeline was founded by former school district superintendent Dr. Rex Fortune and has been preparing teachers for 20 years in over 90 school districts throughout California. 

Hardy Brown College Prep proudly derives its name from one of San Bernardino’s most influential leaders and a pillar in the African American community.  The program will work in conjunction with the Black Voice Foundation, started by Hardy Brown, to focus on providing quality after school, mentoring, and support services for the charter school’s students. 

The program’s founding members include some of California’s most influential educational leaders and reformers.  A short biographical sketch of those individuals is attached. 

The founders of Hardy Brown College Prep believe that a clear and transparent governance infrastructure forms the foundation of a high-performing academic environment.  As such, the governing board will hold its meetings in open public session, and will ensure that the school’s decisions and key documents are readily accessible to parents, key stakeholders, and the public at large.

Finally, Hardy Brown College Prep is excited to work in collaboration with San Bernardino City School District to form high functioning public charter schools designed to serve the needs of students whose needs have proven challenging to meet.  The program plans to work closely with school district, city, and county officials focused on preparing San Bernardino students for college and career readiness. 

Financial Responsibility

The school’s finances will be the responsibility of Bonnie Bensen, Chief Financial Officer for Fortune School of Education.  Bonnie is a certified public accountant with extensive experience in school finance.  She served as the Accounting Manger for Center Unified School District and has spent 15 years providing accounting and consulting services to K-12 school districts.  She has been responsible for Fortune School of Education’s finances since 1992.  Her experience includes developing the business office procedures manual for the charter schools within the Twin Ridges Elementary School District.  In addition, she has served as the Interim Chief Financial Officer of St. HOPE Public Schools which includes both an elementary charter school and a charter high school.  The California Department of Education contracted with her to provide AB1200 oversight to a financially troubled joint district/ county office of education.  Her staff at Project Pipeline will perform the accounting functions for the school.

Founding Group

Margaret Fortune, President/CEO, Fortune School of Education

In March 2008, Margaret Fortune, of Sacramento, was named CEO of Fortune School of Education, a Sacramento-based nonprofit with a 20-year track record credentialing public school teachers. Fortune is a member of the Board of Trustees of The California State University (2008-2016).

Since 2006, Fortune served as a senior advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. From 2005 to 2006, Fortune served as an education advisor and director of public affairs for the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to that, she was superintendent of St. HOPE Public Schools, a Sacramento-based K-12 charter school district serving 1,800 students, where she started Sacramento Charter High School. Her experience also includes two years as assistant secretary in the Office of the Secretary for Education, chair of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and service on the California Children and Families Commission.

Fortune holds a baccalaureate degree in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. She earned her Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Gary Borden, Education Lawyer and Policy Consultant

Gary Borden is an education lawyer and policy consultant, working with charter schools and education reform organizations across California, including the California Charter Schools Association and several of California’s most prominent charter management organizations. He joined the staff of the California State Board of Education in 2006 and most recently served as interim Executive Director of the California State Board of Education. From 2003-2006, Borden was legal counsel and consultant for the Charter Schools Development Center. Since that time he has also handled government relations for CharterVoice, a non-profit public charter school policy and advocacy organization.

From 2001-2003, Borden was an associate at the San Francisco-based law firm of Cooley Godward LLP. He previously served from 1995-1998 as a consultant for Accenture Consulting in Philadelphia, PA.

Borden received his juris doctor degree in 2001 from Georgetown University Law Center, and earned his bachelor’s degree in Pennsylvania State University in 1995.

Paulette Brown-Hinds, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Black Voice Foundation

Paulette Brown-Hinds, Ph.D. is a second-generation publisher and adjunct professor. As managing partner of BPC MediaWorks she is responsible for managing all Brown Publishing Company’s entities including The Black Voice News, Black Voice Foundation for Media, History & the Arts, and Black Voice Footsteps to Freedom Study Tours.

She holds a doctorate degree in English from the University of California, Riverside and has written and taught extensively on memory and cultural continuity in contemporary African-American literature and culture. She has also lectured on the subject throughout the United States and Europe, including The Salzburg Seminar in American Studies in Austria and the American Studies Center Aarhus in Denmark.

As an expert in ethnic media Dr. Brown-Hinds is often asked to participate in forums on ethnic media for various trade and academic organizations including: New America Media, West Coast Black Publishers Association, National Newspaper Publishers Association, the Aspen Institute for Communications and Media, and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism Diversity Workshops.

Project Team

Joette Spencer-Campbell, Chair, Concerned African American Parents Alliance (CAAPA), San Bernardino

Dina Walker, President/CEO, BLU Educational Foundation, Inland Empire

Margaret Spencer, Learning and Developing Intellectually, Emotionally and Socially (LADIES), San Bernardino

Dr. Daniel Walker, Historian

Vicki Lee, Lily of the Valley Chapter #12, OES

Charlene Davis Long, Community Member, San Bernardino

Dr. Rex Fortune, Founder, Fortune School of Education

Susan Nisonger, Director of Program Development, Fortune School of Education (former reading teacher)

Bonnie Benson, Chief Financial Officer, Fortune School of Education

Mari Harris, Coordinator, New Teacher Dev. & Instruction, Fortune School of Educationject Pipeline (former principal)

Kiyomi Meeker, Coordinator of New Teacher Support and Supervision, Fortune School of Education (former elementary school teacher)