Empowering Adults with High School Diploma Test Preparation

Caitlin Franco is the founder and executive director of Equality Charter School in the Bronx, New York. In addition to serving middle school and high school students, Caitlin Franco and Equality Charter School offer an adult education program to help individuals in the Bronx community. The adult learning program provides high school diploma test preparation, computer literacy courses, and Microsoft Office lessons. 

Equality Charter School’s high school diploma preparation focuses on New York State’s Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC). This test has officially replaced the GED (General Educational Development) test in the state. The TASC evaluates students in five areas: reading, writing, social studies, science, and mathematics. 

Equality Charter School’s high school diploma test preparation lasts three months. Classes are held Monday through Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. Lessons are taught by qualified tutors. In addition to the tutoring sessions, adults receive career guidance and skills training.

Preparing High School Students for a College Fair

After a teaching career in New York City charter schools, Caitlin Franco established the Equality Charter School located in the Bronx. As the school’s executive director, Caitlin Franco implements initiatives that promote college readiness and academic excellence, including annual college fairs. 

College fairs give high school students a glimpse into the world of higher education and the types of programs that are available. If students are well-prepared, a college fair can be the first step to entering university.

Well before the fair takes place, students should talk to their guidance counselors about their academic and career goals. The counselor can work with the student to identify viable career paths and then schools that offer relevant majors. Counselors should also inform students about the differences between bachelor and associate degree programs and the benefits and disadvantages of each.

Once students have identified several schools that are a good fit for their future plans, they should do some research by visiting each school’s website and Facebook page and by reading news articles. By gaining general knowledge beforehand, students can discuss specific information with a college representative.

Measuring Student Growth Over Proficiency

A graduate of Harvard University, Caitlin Franco is the founder and executive director of Equality Charter School in the Bronx, New York. In this role, Caitlin Franco and her colleagues strive to create a learning environment that focuses on individual student growth rather than general student achievement.

In educational environments that emphasize student growth, children are assessed on their academic growth and progress over time rather than their performance on state-mandated standardized tests. This form of academic evaluation more accurately displays a school’s ability to help students from all backgrounds. 

According to a 2017 article in The New York Times, a focus on academic growth may also offer a more honest comparison between the effectiveness of school districts regardless of the level of funding. This may affect the schools that parents perceive to be prestigious, which may influence where they want to live.

Supporting Underserved Students with Career Planning

As the Executive Director of the Bronx-based Equality Charter School, Caitlin Franco ensures that the school’s staff meet their students’ educational needs by offering a rigorous curriculum responsive to their individual circumstances. Under Caitlin Franco’s leadership, Equality offers a range of career-focused education programs specifically designed to mitigate employment barriers stemming from poverty. 

People from low-income households are far more likely to be unemployed than their higher income peers. One factor driving this statistic is a lack of exposure to work opportunities and career counseling before leaving school. Schools can narrow this gap by prioritizing career-readiness programs and ensuring that their students have access to high-quality career counseling and practical work experiences.

Schools can also form strong partnerships with members of the business community to develop training programs based on industry standards and expectations. As a result, students will leave the program with the skills that employers are seeking, increasing their chances of finding work after graduation and developing successful careers.

Growth Prioritized over Achievement at Equality Charter School

Caitlin Franco oversees administration, programs, and strategic planning as the Founder and Executive Director for Equality Charter School, an educational academy that focuses on the academic and socio-emotional growth of its students. Under Caitlin Franco’s direction, the New York-based institution prioritizes student growth over student achievement.

Equality Charter School serves students in need, including students who are behind their peers in academic performance and test below their grade level. Upon enrolling in the school, 77 percent of students test below in math and 81 percent test below in English language arts. This presents a challenge for the teachers and administrators responsible for bringing them up to speed and the task will prove impossible in some circumstances. The school’s educators also acknowledge that some students will not graduate or attend college.

Regardless of their potential to graduate or seek higher education, Equality’s faculty maintains a commitment to showing all students the same level of care and attention. The school uses student growth as the primary measure of success in order to accomplish this goal. Curriculums focus on encouraging students to perform at their individual best and creating opportunities for students of all ages and abilities. Additionally, Equality does not place restrictions on enrollment based on grade level, a tactic some school utilize in order to boost student achievement numbers.

The Benefits of Video Coaching for Teachers

For the past several years, Caitlin Franco has overseen Equality Charter School as the Executive Director and Founder. Initially started as a middle school, she has expanded Equality Charter School to include a high school and adult education programming. Caitlin Franco has also ensured the institution remains competitive through its implementation of such technology as video coaching.

Video coaching refers to the practice of filming oneself while teaching in a classroom. Although this may be a strange concept to some, it can dramatically improve a teacher's abilities to keep students engaged throughout a lecture. 

Through video coaching, teachers will see how they present information to their students. They can see how often they use filler words, such as “okay” or “um,” and analyze how well they communicate with every student rather than just the ones communicating with them. Based on this information, teachers can make changes to their instruction so that they play to their strengths.

Teachers can also share their videos with colleagues to get varying opinions or suggestions. Each colleague may notice something different that a teacher can fix to ensure their students stay involved. This sharing can be done through a video coaching platform, thus eliminating the need to meet with colleagues and gather feedback in person.

Teachers can work on improving their lectures once they know where their instruction struggles. As teachers improve, they can continue filming their classroom practices to track their progress. These videos can also be used by the administration to ensure teachers are improving over time.

Educational Leadership Program Promotes Teacher Success

Equality Charter School Co-Founder and Executive Director Caitlin Franco leads the Bronx, New York, school in providing a rigorous and nurturing educational environment that supports academic, social, and personal growth. Earlier in her career, Caitlin Franco attended Stony Brook University and received an Advanced Graduate Certificate (AGC) through the school’s Educational Leadership Program. 

The AGC in Educational Leadership Program grants candidates the necessary knowledges, skills, and disposition to become effective leaders for K-12 schools. The program consists of three educational tracks that require 36 credit hours of graduate-level courses and a mentored experiential internship that meets certification requirements. 

Available tracks include the Educational Leadership (EDL) Traditional, the EDL Online, and the School District Business Leadership (SDBL). The EDL Traditional and Online tracks offer a dual certification on building and district levels, while the SDBL program targets students with advanced management degrees who do not possess a teaching license. 

The AGC in Educational Leadership is coordinated by the Professional Education Program (PEP), which focuses on themes of professional excellence and growth, community and diversity, and leadership and service. PEP also promotes the development of unified curriculums and educational visions that align with standards set by the New York State Education Department, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Educational Leadership Constituent Council, and the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium.

Events with the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston

Executive director and founder at Equality Charter School, Caitlin Franco is committed to helping children in the Bronx to thrive, both in and out of the classroom. Involved in numerous philanthropic organizations, Caitlin Franco was a big sister for the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, creating a network of positive mentors for young girls who need guidance and support.

The Big Sister Association offers a number of events throughout the year, embodying the values so deeply rooted in their mission, from community and communication to empowerment and education. The annual gala, Big in Boston, brings together many of supporters and empowered young girls to have a fancy night to look back on a year of successes and discuss what the future will bring. 

The annual Summer Soiree, held during the summer months, brings together young professionals and the next generation of philanthropists, to network with one another while raising money for local charities. 

Events can sometimes discuss tough topics, including diversity, racial equality and abuse, giving young girls a chance to speak their mind in a safe and nurturing environment.

Getting Involved with the National Council of Teachers of English

Caitlin Franco, executive director and founder at Equality Charter School in the Bronx, is always seeking new ways to improve academia and bridge parent and educator relations. In the past, Caitlin Franco was a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, devoted to improving language arts courses, the development of literacy, and the learning and teaching of English.

The National Council of Teachers of English has many ways to get involved, from social media campaigns and advocacy to classroom events and national read-ins. A well-loved annual event is the National African American Read-In, taking place during Black History month in February. Members of the community can host a read-in, bringing friends together to share a book, arranging public readings, and appreciating African American writers. 

Each October, the council sponsors the National Day on Writing, asking teachers and students around the nation to discuss why they write, and what inspires them. This often includes celebrities and athletes, who speak up for literacy. 

Advocacy with the NCTE brings teachers rights, school funding and the importance of literacy to the forefront, asking interested parties to write to their representatives or stakeholders to improve education in the United States.

Windward School - Basic Writing Skills Training Program

Caitlin Franco is the Founder and Executive Director of the Equality Charter School in the Bronx, New York. Beyond her work with the school, Caitlin Franco has completed several certifications and training programs, including Basic Writing Skills Training through the Windward School. 

Started in 1988, the Windward School features several programs and courses to help educators improve their skills, including the Basic Writing Skills Training program. The Basic Writing Skills program includes lectures and workshops that give participants a well-rounded learning environment. Focusing on expository writing, this program includes instruction in basic sentence structure along with revising, editing, and the proper composition of paragraphs to provide clarity in writing. 

The training provided in this program can be used by K-12 educators, including those working in both special education and general classroom settings. Completion of the program allows participants to receive national certification for the course and meets the requirements for several organizations, including the International Dyslexia Association’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.