This side-by-side comparison reveals a massive amount of text contained in application of Pioneer Charter School of Science II which has been copied from a document previously produced by Harmony Public Schools in Texas. The presence of so much “borrowed” text indicates that PCSS II’s programs, mission, philosophy, educational plan, etc. are not its own!

Pioneer Charter School of Science IIapplication
Submitted to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, November 14, 2012
166-page document / Harmony Public Schools, Education Model 2012
Document created 2/10/2012; pages 17-35 are dated September 1, 2011

35-page document
[In “Executive Summary” section]
Our plans to support our curriculum include, but are not limited to:
(a) University Collaboration Program, (b) Field Trips, (c) Volunteer Work, (d) School Project Fairs, (e) Peer-tutoring and Mentorship Programs, (f) Athletic Program, (g) Role Model Initiative, (h) Character Education Program, (i) Student Clubs, (j) School Magazine, (k) After-School Program, (l) Awards and Prizes.
(pg. 12 of 166) / Unique Curricular Experiences
HPS plans to support our curriculum include, but are not limited to the following: (a) university collaboration program, (b) field trips, (c) volunteer work, (d) school project fair, (e) peer‐tutoring and mentorship programs, (f) athletic program, (g) role model initiative, (h) character education program, (i) student clubs, (j) school magazine, (k) after‐school program, (l) awards and prizes.
(p. 27 of 35)
[In “Executive Summary” section]
PCSS-II will combine the nationally proven instructional methodologies that have been successful. These include problem-based learning, project-based learning, direct instruction, and collaborative learning.
(pg. 12 of 166) / Unique Curricular Experiences
Harmony Public Schools combines nationally proven instructional methodologies that have been successful. These include problem‐based learning, project‐based learning, direct instruction, and collaborative learning.
(p. 27 of 35)
[SECTION II.A. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY]
The PCSS-II believes that each child has a natural curiosity and love of learning and that each child has a unique intelligence, level of capability, and learning style. The education that will be offered at PCSS-II will help students to develop their essential skills and ethical values that will help them to learn how to meet their potential.
(pg. 17 of 166) / Harmony Public Schools (HPS) Educational Plan
Harmony Public Schools (HPS) believes that each child has a natural curiosity and love of learning and that each child has a unique intelligence, level of capability, and learning style. Education in HPS helps students develop their essential skills and ethical values and learn how to meet their potential.
(p. 4 of 35)
[SECTION II.A. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY]
Guided with the school’s mission the philosophy of PCSS-II is based on following:
• Promoting science and mathematics education,
• Serving as a college preparatory school that ensures students who enter college will do so without remediation,
• Providing intense instruction in science, mathematics, and technology ,
• Engaging students through home visits, tutorials, peer study groups, and individualized instruction,
• Offering intensive one-on-one tutoring, after-school programs, including preparation for science competitions, study groups, and extra curricular activities with a focus on academics, social activities, and art,
• Teaching students stronger critical thinking and reasoning capabilities,
• Inviting scientists, who are vanguards in their own fields, from local universities and companies to give motivational speeches,
• Creating science initiative programs to provide opportunities for internships, projects, and participation in local, national, and international science fairs and competitions,
• Collaborating with local universities, community agencies, and educational institutions to share resources and build community assets,
• Empowering all stakeholders--students, teachers, families, and community members--to participate in the development of the school,
• Involving parents in the education of students through continuous communication, parent events and activities, after school programs and home visits,
• Implementing a campus-wide character education program that will help students build good character, personality, and leadership skills; improve academic performance, general behavior, and attitudes; and reduce discipline referrals, dropouts, expulsions, crime rates, and drug use,
• Encouraging students to take responsibility for their actions, seek positive role models, and to develop into good citizens with high moral values,
Exercising the “whole-child approach”: the development of self-reliance, independence, and respectfulness [sic, sentence unfinished]...
(pg. 17 of 166) / Education Philosophy
The education philosophy of Harmony Public Schools is to do the following:
1. Promote science and mathematics education.
2. Serve as a college preparatory school that ensures students who enter college will do so without remediation.
3. Provide intense instruction in science, mathematics, and technology.
4. Engage students through home visits, tutorials, peer study groups, and individualized instruction.
5. Offer intensive one‐on‐one tutoring; after‐school programs, including preparation for science competitions; study groups; and extracurricular activities with a focus on academics, social activities, and art.
6. Give students stronger critical thinking and reasoning capabilities.
7. Invite scientists, who are vanguards in their own fields, from local universities and companies to give motivational speeches.
8. Create science initiative programs to provide opportunities for internships, projects, and participation in local, national, and international science fairs and competitions.
9. Collaborate with local universities, community agencies, and educational institutions to share resources and build community assets.
10. Empower all stakeholders—students, teachers, families, and community members—to participate in the development of the school.
11. Include parents in the education of students via the Parents as Educators Program, contributions to after school programs, and participation in committee work.
12. Implement a campus‐wide character education program that helps students build good character, personality, and leadership skills; improve academic performance, general behavior, and attitudes; and reduce discipline referrals, dropouts, expulsions, crime rates, and drug use.
13. Encourage students to take responsibility for their actions, seek positive role models, and develop into good citizens with high moral values.
14. Exercise the whole‐child approach: the development of self‐reliance, independence, and respectfulness through academic work...
(p. 12 of 35)
Our core belief is that every individual has different ways of learning that must be supported to maximize that person’s own strengths and to help them to work effectively with others. Customized and individualized instruction for each student is central to the teaching approach at PCSS-II. The staff will assess each student upon enrolling in school to determine the individual’s particular learning styles, academic strengths, and weaknesses. The staff will also conduct a student and parent interview and review records from previous schools, along with any relevant evaluations such as Individualized Education Plan (IEP), speech, and so on.
(pg. 18 of 166) / HPS’s core belief is that every individual has different ways of learning that must be supported to maximize that person’s own strengths and to work effectively with others. Customized and individualized instruction for each student is central to the teaching approach at HPS. Each student has an education plan individualized according to that person’s needs. The staff assesses each student upon enrolling in school to determine the individual’s particular learning styles, academic strengths, and weaknesses. The staff also conducts a student and parent interview and reviews records from previous schools, along with any relevant evaluations such as Individualized Education Plan (IEP), speech, and so on.
(p. 13 of 35)
[II.B. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION]
Character Education Program
PCSS-II will implement a Character Education Program for building good character, bringing out the best in our students, and ensuring that they acquire the basic life skills that will guide them to life-long success. The objective of the Character Education Program at PCSS-II is to encourage students to take responsibility for their actions, to familiarize them with good character traits, to place role models before them, and to help develop good citizens with high ethical values.
The curriculum for the Character Education Program at PCSS-II will be built by using widely available and approved resource guides such as Character Counts, Good Character, Project Wisdom, and Character Education Partnership.
We will put into practice a well-structured character education plan by means of the following: Character Education Class, quotes displayed throughout the school, special events and activities, and curriculum integration. In addition, teachers will read announcements in their classesthat will reinforce the quotes and messages that will be displayed throughout the school. Each month a character trait will be announced. Because parents will play a vital role in this program, parents will regularly be informed about the trait of the month to ensure their involvement in their homes in our efforts to inspire good behavior. Other traits will be integrated throughout the entire year, so that students are frequently reminded of these values and given the opportunity to make connections between various concepts.
Research-based studies show that character education at schools improves academic performance, general behavior, and attitudes and reduces discipline referrals, dropouts and expulsions, and crime and drug use. One of the nation's most thorough and multi-faceted assessments of character education has been taking place in South Dakota. It is a five-year study of character education and uses an extensive questionnaire covering demographics, attitudes, and behavior. Each year, researchers based at South DakotaStateUniversity collect the evaluation forms from large numbers of students and teachers. The student sample comprises as many as 8,419 respondents. The results show that character education cut crime and drug use sharply from 1998 to 2000. The program has led to many other improvements. For example, students who said they had (a) cheated on an exam dropped 30%, (b) received a detention or suspension dropped 28%, (c) missed class without a legitimate excuse dropped 39%, (d) teased someone because of race or ethnicity dropped 45%, and (e) borrowed money without repaying it dropped 34%.
The main principles of the character education program are (a) your character is defined by what you do, not what you say or believe; (b) every choice you make helps define the kind of person you are choosing to be; (c) good character requires doing the right thing, even when it is costly or risky; (d) you don't have to take the worst behavior of others as a standard for yourself; (e) you can choose to be better than that; (f) what you do matters and one person can make a big difference; (g) the payoff for having good character is that it makes you a better person and it makes the world a better place.
The Character Education Program curriculum will include these topics: (a) trustworthiness, (b) respect, (c) responsibility, (d) fairness/justice, (e) caring, (f) citizenship, (g) honesty, (h) diligence, (i) integrity, (j) courage, and (k) work ethics (racism, teamwork, attitude, sexual harassment, misconduct). Each topic will be discussed in detail by sharing experiences and real world stories.
(pg. 23-24 of 166) / Character Education Program
Harmony Public Schools implement a Character Education Program for building good character, bringing out the best in students, and ensuring they acquire the basic life skills that will guide them to life‐long success. The objective of the Character Education Program at HPS is to encourage students to take responsibility for their actions, to familiarize them with good character traits, to place role models before them, and to help develop good citizens with high ethical values.
The curriculum for the Character Education Program at HPS has been built through four widely used and approved resource guides: Character Counts, Good Character, Project Wisdom, and Character Education Partnership.
HPA puts into practice a well‐structured character education plan by means of the following: Character Education Class is held two periods a week. Quotes displayed throughout the school, special events and activities, and curriculum integration emphasize the concepts. In addition, teachers read announcements in their classes that reinforce the quotes and messages displayed throughout the school. Each month a character trait is announced. Because parents play a vital role in this program, parents are regularly informed about the trait of the month to ensure their involvement in their homes to inspire good behavior. Other traits are integrated throughout the entire year, so that students are frequently reminded of these values and given the opportunity to make connections between various concepts.
Research‐based studies show that character education at schools improves academic performance, general behavior, and attitudes. It reduces discipline referrals, dropouts and expulsions, and crime and drug use. 2,3 One of the nation's most thorough and multi‐faceted assessments of character education has been taking place in South Dakota.4 It is a five‐year study of character education and uses an extensive questionnaire covering demographics, attitudes, and behavior. Each year, researchers from South DakotaStateUniversity collect the evaluation forms from large numbers of students and teachers. The student sample comprises as many as 8,419 respondents. The results show that character education cut crime and drug use sharply from 1998 to 2000. The program has led to many other improvements. For example, cheating on exams dropped 30 percent; detentions or suspensions dropped 28 percent; missed classes without a legitimate excuse dropped 39 percent; teasing because of race or ethnicity dropped 45 percent; and borrowing money without repaying it dropped 34 percent.
The Character Education Program focuses on these main principles:
1. Your character is defined by what you do, not what you say or believe.
2. Every choice you make helps define the kind of person you are choosing to be.
3. Good character requires doing the right thing, even when it is costly or risky.
4. You don't have to take the worst behavior of others as a standard for yourself.
5. You can choose to be better than that.
6. What you do matters and one person can make a big difference.
7. The payoff for having good character is that it makes you a better person and it makes the world a better place.
The Character Education Program curriculum include these topics: (a) trustworthiness, (b) respect, (c) responsibility, (d) fairness/justice, (e) caring, (f) citizenship, (g) honesty, (h) diligence, (i) integrity, (j) courage, and (k) work ethics (racism, teamwork, attitude, sexual harassment, misconduct). Each topic is discussed by sharing experiences and real world stories.
(p. 10-11 of 35)
[II.B. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION]
Curriculum Support and Non-Academic Programs
Our plans to support our curriculum include, but are not limited to:
University Collaboration Program: Trips for all students to the universities in the area will be organized so that students may interact with academicians, visit laboratories, and learn about student life in colleges.
Lectures by Professionals: Professors and PhD students from the area universities and professionals from companies will be organized to support our curriculum by giving lectures to students or to teachers on staff development days. A list of people who want to contribute to our school will be prepared with their areas of expertise and will be given to teachers. Teachers will arrange the schedule of these professionals according to their course schedule.
Field Trips: In addition to classroom instruction, regular field trips to academic resources in the Boston metropolitan area, in Massachusetts and other states will be widely used with relevant topics of study. Trips will be planned every year to support our curriculum in science, history, art, and technology.
Community Service: Forty (40) hours of community service is part of our high school graduation requirement. Students will learn to appreciate volunteerism and the importance of the community.
School Project Fair: Completed senior projects will be presented to the community and the school which is part of the high school graduation requirement. Parents, surrounding communities, and professionals from colleges and companies will be invited to this annual event. This will be a good opportunity for students to practice their public speaking and presentation skills.
Peer-tutoring and Mentorship Programs: Successful students will be encouraged to be peer-tutors for their friends and mentors for the younger students (with their parents’ consent). Students will contribute to the success of the school and their friends through these programs...
Athletic Program:A successful athletic program will help create a strong school spirit. Students will learn the importance of being a team member.
Role Model Initiative: PCSS-II will bring distinguished members of the community to school for speeches and will create a platform for them to interact with students.
Character Education Program: This program has been explained in detail previously.
Student Clubs: Student clubs (such as, drama, math club, science club, chess club, photo/film/art club, dance team, school newspaper and magazine, yearbook, and debate team) will be encouraged and supported by PCSS-II. Students will learn to work together and take responsibility in a team environment and compete with other schools as real-world experience.
After-School Program: PCSS-II believes that after-school programs are essential for students’ success. In addition, these types of programs (including club activities and the sports program) will keep students from getting bad habits, such as drug use, etc.
Awards and Prizes: Students who demonstrate good citizenship (good work skills and ethics, leadership, and good behavior [such as being respectful to others and others’ opinions]) through the mentorship program, community service, student clubs, athletic program, etc. will be recognized and given awards by the school administration.
Being successful in the real world requires working habits, such as meeting deadlines and sustaining a substantial workload; participating actively in teams; and good social behaviors, i.e., respecting others. Therefore, our non-academic standards will be a very important part of student learning at PCSS-II. PCSS-II will achieve these non-academic goals by teaching these behaviors through the programs mentioned previously. Our character education program will also help us to promote and teach the importance of these behaviors and habits to be successful in real life. We believe that achieving higher standards in non-academic goals will help our students to perform better in their academics as well.