Academy Development

NAF Academy Development offers extensive opportunities to Academies committed to increasing their fidelity to the NAF Academy model and its three core components:

• small learning communities,
• community partnerships, and
• professional development.

Every Academy is unique in its application of the NAF Academy model—and all Academies – new, developing, and established – benefit from guided and independent practice with NAF as they improve adherence to this model.

NAF Academy Development activities ensure that all Academies access:

• systems of quality assurance and support;
• guidelines to set expectations; and
• benchmarks to assess progress and encourage innovation.

NAF’s approach to Academy Development includes two key professional development cohorts:

1. Year Of Planning (YOP) leads Academy Design Teams through a year-long process prior to starting an Academy, beginning with the assembling of local stakeholders and continuing through every stage of planning, implementation, launch, and sustainability. YOP assures fidelity to the NAF Academy model and promotes the success of Academy Design Teams as they work to build effective, small learning communities, engage Advisory Boards and community support, and implement NAF Curriculum with the greatest effectiveness.
2. NAF Academy Support for Programs in Search of Excellence (ASPIRE) provides direct support to a select group of schools and teams with the capacity to become high-performing lead sites within the NAF network.
    

All Academies are urged to draw on NAF Academy Development and a national network of combined expertise as they:

• engage schools, district leaders, and strategic business and civic partners;
• introduce and expand the NAF Academy model in the community;
• increase the number of students participating in internships and other meaningful work-based learning experiences yearround;
• cultivate an existing Advisory Board and attract additional members who can assure worthwhile, professional opportunities for students.

Click here to download Academy Development planning tools:
The NAF Academy Development Model