Impact Schools
High-quality, achievement-oriented schools dedicated to providing
disadvantaged learners across South Africa with affordable access to high-quality learning that prepares them
for success in higher education.
© 2008 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Company Confidential
Promise attributes & sector personality
ACHIEVEMENT-
ORIENTED•Committed to educational excellence that is goal-oriented and objectives- based
ACCESSIBLE
•Affordable to ensure access by high-potential learners from disadvantaged communities
CATALYTIC
•Focused on promoting sectorwide improvement of educational quality in all South African schools
INNOVATIVE
• Intended to break new ground by coming up with new ways to achieve disproportionate learning for disadvantaged students
COOPERATIVE
•Committed to sharing what works with one another and with government
ACCOUNTABLE
•Focused on measurement and transparent reporting of student results to ensure continuous improvement
SUSTAINABLE
•Supported by the government and funded through a combination of public, private and charitable resources
PROMISE
High-qualityPurposefulPerformance-oriented
Equal-opportunityAffordableCommunity-based
ImpactfulFar-reaching
PioneeringCreative
CollaborativeCoordinatedReplicable
DisciplinedTransparent
ScalableDependableResilient
PERSONALITY
What We Heard from You
Sector Impact
Impact schools seek to spark the development of a sustainable South
African ecosystem of affordable, high-quality, high-performing,
achievement-oriented schools for disadvantaged learners.
© 2008 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Company Confidential
Disadvantaged Learner impact
Impact schools provide disadvantaged learners with access to high-quality learning experiences
that prepare them for success in higher education.
© 2008 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Company Confidential
The Vision• Impact schools provide disadvantaged learners
with high-quality educations.• Impact schools are dedicated to ensuring
each disadvantaged learner’s ongoing academic growth.
• Impact schools work harder, often employing extended day/extended year format of instruction, in order to change the trajectory of their disadvantaged learners’ lives.
• Impact schools prepare disadvantaged learners for higher education.
• Impact schools are affordable to low income families.
© 2008 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Company Confidential
Are you ready to call yourself an impact school?
© 2008 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Company Confidential
If so, please amend your email signature as soon as you get back to the office:
Kristin O’SullivanExternal Relations ManagerLEAP Science and Maths SchoolProud member of the impact schools sector
And please start tweeting with:
#impactschools
Sector promise
• Impact schools are committed to the collaborative development of standards and best practices to ensure sectorwide improvement.
• Impact schools pioneer new funding models that combine public and charitable resources for sustainability.
• Impact schools advocate for policy change, seeking recognition as government schools that deliver extraordinary results in exchange additional resources and additional operating freedoms.
© 2008 Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Company Confidential
Naming Research
T3 and the Jupiter Drawing Room commissioned research company TNS to assist in gathering research on behalf of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) in their initiative to identify a unique name for what is currently referred to as “Third Sector Schools” in South Africa. TNS interviewed 24 government and private stakeholders in the education space during June and July of 2012.
Further research was undertaken by The Jupiter Drawing Room to gain an understanding among those who currently work in education reform, specifically those involved in the South African Extraordinary Schools Coalition (SAESC). Ten stakeholders were interviewed. While members of SAESC were familiar with the concept of Third Sector Schools, most interviewees in the Private and Government Sectors struggled to define or understand this concept — often questioning if the initiative was private public, a combination or neither.
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Research Summary
The term “Third Sector Schools” was tested to set a baseline for both groups.
Respondents within the Private and Government Sectors felt that the name had a bad connotation and did not say anything about the kind of schools that make up the sector. Alternatively, the term was perceived as neutral by SAESC respondents.
Based on feedback from the collective groups, there was no clear-cut “winner,” however a set of names did score higher than the baseline of “Third Sector Schools” and resonated more during the qualitative discussions with respondents. Names from this group should be considered.
Because the concept behind these schools is unfamiliar, a name alone will not be able to fully define the concept. However, selecting a name will put a stake in the ground and provide the first step toward truly defining this initiative.
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Research Summary
• Eleven names were tested across all stakeholder groups. The names are intended to define the category, currently termed “third sector schools.”
• Interviewees:– Private and Government stakeholders (24 total)– Education stakeholders (10 total)
• There is general consensus around certain names, with different preferences as to what the name conveys:
– Private/Government: Slightly prefer aspirational names– Educational: Slightly prefer functional names
• What one group likes in a name, the other group tends to criticize.
• Of these groups, weighting should favor Private/Government that represent funding sources over the perspectives of the Education community.
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Negative connotations
• Raises eyebrows
• Uncomfortable with the word “third sector”.
• Negative connotation, think 3rd class on the train, 3rd class
citizens. Bad name, 3rd rate something.
• Sounds like 1st and 2nd sector are better and 3rd sector at
the bottom.
• Discriminatory, in a country with a constitution that
advocates for equality.
• Suggests focus only on a specific group of people.
• Suggests that learners belonging to these schools are
more advantaged than others.
• Sounds inferior.
• Sounds like schools that are low in the ranks.
Understood only by those within the sector
• Impersonal name, suggests an alternative
sector, but doesn’t tell people anything.
• Not necessarily positive, but people in the sector
understand it.
• Says nothing to someone outside the sector.
• Technically accurate but open to
misinterpretation by people outside the sector.
• South Africans do not think sectors when talking
about schools. People speak of
government/private sectors and schools are not
associated with sectors.
Other sectors?
• Implies that the
there is a first and
second sector. If so
what are they?
• Sounds like 1st and
2nd sector are
better.
• Suggests that
these schools are
not part of the
schooling system,
only targets certain
learners.
Reactions Toward Third Sector Schools Key Concern: Has a bad connotation and it doesn’t say anything about the kind of schools that make
up the sector.
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Private Sector/Government
Positive, demonstrates change.
Accurately describes what the sector tries to achieve.
Shows that they are in a process of making a difference or changing.
Suggests that these schools are going to make an impact on something.
Private Sector/Government
Discriminatory, suggests that schools outside the sector are not impactful.
Too objectives-driven. Education not just about objectives.
Would have to define what impact is talked about. Impact on what/whom? Doesn’t say anything.
Not relevant to a public private partnership, could be anybody.
Doesn’t belong in education, says nothing about high-quality education. Maybe if we were trying to name sports, doesn’t apply here.
SAESC
Exactly what the schools are about.
Very descriptive — the logic behind the name is sound.
Making an impact on young minds.
Ties in nicely with the overall objective.
Clear, goal-oriented and objectives-based.
SAESC
Not sure if the schooling element is strong enough.
Sounds too everyday.
Prefacing it with “positive” since it doesn’t describe what kind of impact these schools are likely to have.
Doesn’t stand out.
Impact Schools
Key Concerns:Discriminatory —
suggests that schools outside the
sector are not impactful.
Is the name education-specific enough and will it achieve standout?
Reactions Toward Impact Schools
Private Sector/Government
Governing body called the alliance, might be associated with that in the government sector. Would have to define what is meant by an alliance school and build brand around that.
Confusing. Not always clear where the alliances are.
Alliance with whom?
Open to individual interpretation, not accurate enough.
Private Sector/Government
Most accurate as it speaks to a private/public partnership, which is essentially what the schools are comprised of.
SAESC
Speaks of co-operation and partnership of government and private sector. Like the relational aspect of the name.
There are some US schools with this name, but it is a positive thing.
Team spirit and sharing of skills and experience.
Sounds optimistic and will hopefully encourage governmental cooperation.
SAESC
Doesn’t capture key focus of the schools. Suggests a convergence of thought which isn’t necessarily healthy.
Confusing. Not always clear where the alliances are.
Alliance with whom?
Open to individual interpretation, not accurate enough.
Alliance Schools
Key Concerns:Does not
communicate what the category is about
(not education specific enough).
Reactions Toward Alliance Schools
SAESC
Talks to something new.
Aspirational, neutral word.
Like the link to sunrise and things coming closer.
It is clear, forward looking and optimistic.
Private/Government
No divisional / separational connotation.
Aspirational, neutral word.
Not exclusionary of anyone. Visionary, says we not where we need to be yet but we working on it.
Futuristic, not based on boxing people, history or ideologies.
Focuses on moving forward, schools of the future. Sets a good tone as where education in South Africa should be headed. Positive, signals that there is another phase for education on the horizon.
Private/Government
Already exists as a name for certain schools.
Suggests something that is unattainable.
Run of the mill, nothing exciting about it. Better than the others though.
Doesn’t describe the type of schools in terms of their target groups and what they are about. Says nothing about the schools’ philosophy.
It’s a non-action word that doesn’t mention quality or the partnership between the public and private sectors.
SAESC
Can’t see the conceptual link.
Doesn’t link to the education sector.
Nice name for a school, not for the sector/category as a whole.
Talks about people looking in the same direction and not looking in all directions.
Something that is far away and that one never quite catches.
Key Concerns: Vague, doesn’t capture the
essence of what the schools are.
Horizon Schools
Reactions Toward Horizon Schools
Third Sector schools
3 1 1 5 6 3 6 3 3 4 2 1 5 5 2 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 5 2 2.88
Horizon 4 1 1 8 7 4 5 5 4 4 3 7 9 8 7 3 4 6 5 8 3 2 5 5 4.92 6
Schools of Excellence
3 1 1 5 5 4 4 2 3 2 8 5 1 8 6 3 8 7 1 5 7 4 8 1 4.25 5
Academies of Excellence
2 2 1 7 5 4 4 2 8 5 5 7 9 9 4 6 7 7 4 5 7 4 9 8 5.46 3
Momentum 5 1 1 2 6 3 4 7 5 3 1 2 1 8 7 2 2 7 2 6 3 2 6 7 3.88 2
Alliance 2 1 1 7 4 6 4 4 4 6 3 5 1 6 2 2 3 6 3 4 6 7 4 1 3.83 2
Impact 3 1 1 6 6 5 2 8 3 3 1 6 7 6 7 2 7 8 1 7 5 4 7 1 4.46 1
Path 5 2 1 1 6 4 5 5 5 6 6 2 7 7 4 2 3 6 2 6 3 6 4 1 4.13 1
Spark 4 1 1 6 7 4 4 6 4 4 2 3 2 6 5 2 1 9 1 3 6 2 4 7 3.92 1
Collaboration 5 1 1 1 4 5 4 3 5 4 4 1 2 8 4 2 3 6 1 7 5 5 7 1 3.71
Progress 5 1 1 1 6 4 4 5 5 3 6 1 6 8 5 2 1 6 2 2 4 4 4 1 3.63
Unity 3 1 1 3 7 4 4 1 3 1 5 6 9 6 1 2 3 4 4 1 4 6 4 1 3.50
Quantitative View: Private/Government Sector Interviews
Avera
ge
Firs
t ch
oic
e
Government Ratings
Private Sector Ratings
NB: Three respondents could not choose any of the names as their first choice.
Ranked based on number of times chosen first.
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Top box (7 thru 10)
Bottom box (1and 2)