American Indian Public Charter School facts for kids

The American Indian Public Charter School (AIPCS) is a charter middle school in Oakland, California. It mainly serves students from low-income and minority backgrounds. The school first opened in 1996. For a few years, it faced challenges. However, after 2000, things changed. The school saw more students enroll and their test scores improved a lot.

By 2005, students at AIPCS were getting better test scores than most public schools in California. The principal, Ben Chavis, who is Lumbee (a Native American group), believed in setting high expectations. He focused on good attendance, strong discipline, regular homework, and summer school. In 2007, AIPCS became the first public school in Oakland to win the National Blue Ribbon Award.

As the school grew, it welcomed more students from different backgrounds. This included more African American, Asian, and Latino students. By 2015, most of its students were Asian. The American Indian Model Schools (AIMS) system grew from AIPCS. It now runs three schools in Oakland: two middle schools and a high school.

In 2012, there were concerns about how money was managed at the AIMS schools. The Oakland School District voted to close them. However, the school system was allowed to stay open by a court order. With new leaders, the schools received permission to continue operating for another five years in 2013. In 2017, former principal Ben Chavis faced charges related to money matters at the AIMS schools. However, all these charges were dropped in 2019.

School History and Growth

AIPCS started in 1996. The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) approved its creation. The main goal was to help Native American students in Oakland do better in school. As a charter public school, AIPCS was free to attend and had a lot of freedom in how it operated. The school moved locations over time. It is now at 171 12th Street, and the high school is at 746 Grand Avenue.

Since 2007, the group of charter schools is known as AIMS, or American Indian Model Schools. When AIPCS first started, most students were Native American. The school also included Native American culture in its classes, like bead-making and drumming. However, one of the founders, Martin Waukazoo, left the school board. He felt the school needed to focus more on basic skills like reading and writing.

By 2001, the school was struggling. Only 34 students were enrolled, and test scores were very low. That year, Ben Chavis, an educator from North Carolina, became the principal. He had experience as a principal and had worked as a superintendent at the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

Chavis made many changes. He hired new staff and removed cultural content and bilingual education from the lessons. He also gave away the school's technology equipment. Chavis focused on the California Content Standards. He also put in place strict rules for student behavior.

In 2005, AIPCS had seven teachers. There was one teacher for every 25 students. Most teachers were in their twenties. Chavis said that any teachers who did not have their teaching license were working to get it. First-year teachers at AIPCS earned $42,000 a year in 2005. They could also get a $1,500 bonus. This was more than the starting salary for teachers in the Oakland Unified School District.

In the following years, more students joined the school. Test scores also got much better. AIPCS became one of the top-performing schools in California. During this time, the number of students who identified as American Indian at the school became less than 5%. This was similar to a trend in other Oakland public schools. More African American, Latino, and Asian American students joined. By 2012, about 90% of students in the AIMS system were Asian American.

In 2007, the AIPCS board decided to expand. They started the American Indian Model Schools system. They opened a second middle school, AIPCS II, and a high school, the American Indian Public High School (AIPHS). Ben Chavis stepped down as head of school in 2007. However, he continued to work for the board in an executive role until January 2012.

In March 2013, the Oakland School Board voted to take away the charters for the three AIMS schools. This meant the schools might have to close. However, in July 2013, a judge allowed all three schools to stay open.

How Students Learn at AIPCS

AIPCS uses a "back-to-basics" approach to teaching. Students spend their school day in one classroom with one teacher. In theory, this teacher stays with the students for all three years at AIPCS. However, teachers sometimes leave, so this doesn't always happen.

The school focuses on excellent student attendance. AIPCS used to give cash awards to students who attended every school day for a year. The school reported very high attendance rates, sometimes as high as 99.6%.

The school day at AIPCS starts with three hours of Language Arts and Math. This is followed by a short lunch break of twenty minutes. The time between classes is kept very short. The school believes this adds an extra week of learning time each year.

Students are given at least two hours of homework every night. If students do not finish their work, they might have to stay for detention after school. Students who are struggling and not improving much might have to repeat a grade. All students must attend summer school.

The student dress code requires khaki or navy pants and white, collared shirts. Students are not allowed to wear makeup or jewelry.

In 2012, the school had very little lab equipment. Science was mostly taught using textbooks. When Chavis was principal, the school did not have televisions. He believed they could lead to trouble. After school, students can join music, performance art, study hall, and club activities.

Andrew J. Coulson, an expert in education, says that AIPCS helps minority students achieve a lot. He believes the school creates an environment that helps students succeed academically.

Physical Activity

Physical education at AIPCS was offered for forty minutes each school day. It mostly involved calisthenics (exercises using your own body weight) and running. Students did not play traditional games like basketball, football, or baseball. According to the AIPCS website, its students performed much better than the Oakland Unified School District average in physical fitness tests in 2007-2008. This included tests for how well their heart and lungs worked, flexibility, and strength.

School Rules and Discipline

AIPCS follows the rules for discipline set by the California Education Code. Students who cause disruptions, don't finish their work, or misbehave might get an hour of detention after school. If a student misbehaves a second time in the same week, they get another hour of detention and four hours of Saturday School.

Some of the discipline methods used by former principal Chavis were unusual. For example, with a parent's permission, he once shaved a student's head in front of the whole school for stealing. In other cases, he made a girl clean the boys' bathroom. He also made some students wear signs that might have been embarrassing.

Not all staff at AIPCS agreed with Chavis's methods. After he left in 2012, the school leaders stopped or changed some of the more unusual discipline practices.

Ben Chavis's Ideas on Education

Ben Chavis believed that setting high standards was important for minority students. He felt that some ideas about education did not challenge students enough. He believed that a lack of clear rules and plans could harm students' learning.

Student Test Scores

From 2000 to 2006, the school's Academic Performance Index (API) more than doubled. API scores range from 200 to 1000 points.

• In 2001, AIPCS had an API of 440. This was one of the lowest among Oakland middle schools.
• In 2006, AIPCS had an API of 967. This was the eighth-highest in California. The average API in the state is around 750. For schools serving mostly low-income children, the average is usually around 650. In the same year, the U.S. government named AIPCS one of the top 250 schools in the country.
• In 2010, AIPCS had an API of 988. This made it the highest-performing middle school in California.

In 2009, the school's 41 eighth-grade students had very high scores:

• English: 100%
• Math: 100%
• Science: 98%
• History: 93%

It's important to know that all AIPCS eighth-grade students take Algebra I. Many other California students do not take Algebra I until high school.

For comparison, here are test scores from nearby schools:

• Edna Brewer Middle School: API of 782. English 51%, Math 53%, Science 67%, History 50% proficient.
• Westlake Middle School: API of 680. English 30%, Math 34%, Science 46%, History 23% proficient.
• Piedmont Middle School: API of 918. English 83%, Math 88%, Science 81%, History 80% proficient. This school has very few low-income students.

High School Test Results

As of 2009, students at AIPHS (the high school) also performed very well on tests. About 90% of AIPHS students scored at proficient or advanced levels in most subjects. Scores were a bit lower in Chemistry and Earth Science. In 2009, AIPHS had its first graduating class. All 18 seniors were accepted into good four-year colleges.

Questions About Scores

Charles Murray, a scholar, praised AIPCS for its success. However, he wondered if the very high test scores were truly accurate. He suggested asking questions like whether the scores were influenced by students practicing the tests many times. He thought the improvements might seem less impressive after looking closely at these factors.

In 2009, reports from the Los Angeles Times and Mother Jones mentioned concerns. The teachers' union president said that AIPCS was known for "cherry-picking" students. This means they might recruit students who were already likely to do well. They might also encourage students who were not doing well to leave. AIPCS denied these claims.

The LA Times noted that half of the sixth-grade students who were struggling in 2007 had left the school before finishing eighth grade. Out of 51 students who started in 2006, 39 finished middle school at AIPCS. All students who started below grade level and stayed through eighth grade did improve. Charles Murray had pointed out that if struggling students leave a school, it can make the school's overall test scores look better than they truly are.

Student Population Changes

AIPCS ethnic breakdown by year

By 2007–2008, the types of students at AIPCS had changed. The school had about 180 students, with these ethnic groups:

• 46% Asian
• 23% African-American
• 22% Latino
• 3% American Indian/Alaskan Native
• Less than 2% Caucasian, Pacific Islander, Filipino

About 97% of AIPCS students in 2007-2008 were considered "socioeconomically disadvantaged."

In its early years, the school had more American Indian students and fewer Asian students.

In 2007, the American Indian Model Schools system opened AIPCS II in Oakland's Chinatown neighborhood. About 67% of its students were Asian. In 2005-2006, students entering this middle school mostly came from the nearby public Lincoln Elementary School. These students also had high test scores and were mainly Asian.

Some critics have suggested that AIPCS's continued success is largely because of this change in student population. They believe the success is due to its Asian student population. However, the LA Times reported in 2009 that Asian, African-American, and Latino students at the school performed similarly on standardized tests.

AIPCS staff say the school attracts a mix of students from local elementary schools. But California's Office of Charter Schools noted that AIPCS's student population was different from the overall Oakland Unified School District. In the district, Asian students made up 14% of students, while African American and Latino students each made up 36%. The differences at the AIMS schools might be due to how they recruit students.

School Funding

From 2001 to 2008, AIPCS spent less than $8,000 per student each year. This was less than half of what the Oakland Unified School District spent per student. However, the school received over $200,000 in 2006 from the Walton family foundation. This meant it had more money than what was in the public budget. By June 2009, when public schools faced funding cuts, AIPCS had received additional grants of over $100,000 from the Koret Foundation.

Review of School Finances

In August 2011, California's Fiscal and Crisis Management Team decided to conduct a special review of AIPCS's finances. This review looked at how the school managed a federal grant for an after-school program. It also checked spending on facilities, rent, and whether there were any conflicts of interest.

In June 2012, the results of this review were published. The report found issues with how former principal Ben Chavis handled rental agreements and funds for summer programs. It also noted problems with the school board's financial oversight.

Michael Stember resigned from the school board during this time. Jean Martinez became the new president of the AIPCS governing board. Reports mentioned that over four years, about $3.7 million in payments went to businesses owned by Ben Chavis and his wife. These payments were for rent, storage, construction, and running summer school programs.

In 2012, Chavis moved back to North Carolina. His records in California were taken in 2013 as part of an ongoing investigation. In March 2017, he faced charges in federal court related to his management of federal grant money. However, all financial mismanagement charges against Chavis were dropped in 2019.

Charter Renewal Challenges

In March 2013, the OUSD Board voted to take away the AIMS schools' charters. This meant the schools might have to close. The Alameda County Board of Education had the option to change this decision. The California Board of Education was the final place for an appeal. If the appeal was not successful, the schools' charters would have ended on June 30, 2013. However, a judge allowed the schools to stay open.