ROOTED SCHOOL

Learning at Rooted is blended and self-directed in that students learn via playlists and projects which they complete at their own pace and where progress is easily tracked. Learning is mastery-based - they use a Badge system (about 5 within a course) to assess whether or not a student has mastered the content and competencies required. A portion of the day is spent in industry-focused project-based learning which prepares students for post-secondary success. Teaching and learning at Rooted is predicated on the idea that students need skills for in-demand job sectors. Therefore, the curriculum is designed in tandem with Rooted's local industry partners (many in the digital sector), who "share the entry-level roles that are growing quickly and have trouble staying filled, identify the knowledge and skills needed to be competitive for hire in these roles and within their company, and co-build a 4-year onramp that is backwards-mapped with the entry-level jobs in mind."

Rooted seeks to build character and promotes a culture which eliminates the disconnect between in-school and out-of-school behavior. The community is fully involved in all aspects of students' lives. When a disciplinary issue arises, Rooted lean's on its graduate discipline plan, which is restorative in nature and seeks to restore an environment of trust, safety, and productivity. It seeks to remove the top-down operations of most discipline policies and to place students and relationships at the center. The school operates more like a Google campus than a traditional school. Rooted is dedicated to helping students 'unlearn schooling' and provides a space no longer controlled by bells, adults, silence, and compliance. Instead, students are given autonomy, greater control, and a glimpse of the messiness that is the real world.

Students spend blocks of time in industry-focused project-based learning, which is rooted in technology and builds skills which are required for industry certification. Student are not beholden by bells and move freely throughout the day, accomplishing their tasks, engaging in learning experiences, and taking breaks as needed.

Rooted staff are committed to their personal and professional growth. They are kind, selfless, open-minded, humble, daring, and hardworking. Staff regard students as adults and do not talk down to them - though they still provide all the developmentally appropriate supports.

Rooted works "alongside companies to identify available entry-level jobs that pay a living wage, distilling the skills and competencies needed to be competitive for those roles, and backwards-designing our local curriculum with those skills in mind." In addition to a post-secondary schooling option, most students will also receive a full-time job offer (and before that, during high school, a paid internship) at one of Rooted's partner companies in the growing technology sector. Rooted also asks parents and/or guardians and their families to be partners in their student’s journey, and there are many opportunities for this. Just like students have required commitments when attending Rooted, so do families.

Optimistic banners, corporate logos, college crests are emblazoned all over the walls at Rooted, aligned with its mission to give underserved youth multiple pathways to financial freedom - via college or not. Also emblazoned on Rooted's walls is the number 228 - the number of years it will take black Americans to close the racial wealth gap with white Americans if present trends continue.

Rooted is a 1:1 school. They use a blended learning approach in classes and also require students to take two online courses to meet graduation requirements.

Rooted opened in 2017 with the support of New Schools for New Orleans, 4.0 Schools, and Camelback Ventures.

Rooted is regularly featured in news articles, getting their work and their message out into the world.

Rooted values the R&D process is looking to create a sustainable, community-centered model which always does the best to fulfill its promise to students in an ever-changing world. They've exemplified the 'go slow to go fast' model, which you can read about here.