Coppell ISD is closing schools. We're trying to innovate our way out of this budget crisis. For New Tech, for our students, for their future.
Read Our StoryDoes project based learning (PBL) mean there are no assessments at New Tech?
No. PBL model includes quizzes, tests and final exams. In the PBL model, the final project submission will be a major portion of student grade and these projects are the culmination of each learning unit. In these projects, students will have to apply the knowledge they have learned to real world issues. These culminating projects are graded by community members as well as facilitators.
Does PBL result in some students doing all the work while others slack off?
No. While this could happen for short periods of time, there are regular benchmarks and feedback mechanisms where peers grade each other and it becomes clear when someone is not doing their work and the facilitator will step in when needed to help the team reach an achievable and acceptable compromise (including removing the student who is slacking off from the group).
How can subjects like Math be taught using PBL?
These are a few examples of projects done in Geometry and Algebra I courses:
How does grading work at New Tech?
All students at New Tech are graded on 5 pillars - agency, collaboration, knowledge and thinking, oral communication and written communication. Agency (A) grade is based on whether the students asked questions, were proactive and whether the work was completed in a timely manner. Collaboration (C) grade is based on the grade peers give a student based on how well that student worked in the group. Knowledge and Thinking (K&T) grade is based on whether the student knows and understands the content being taught and can they apply it in different scenarios. Oral communication (OC) grade is given when students present their work and it is based on how well they are able to communicate what the project was about and what they learned. Written communication (WC) grades are based on whether a student can fulfill the rubric requirements for a written task and whether the writing is grammatically correct. The percentage each of these pillars contribute to a student’s final grade in a class is subject dependent. In math classes, K&T is worth 50%, but in English class K&T is worth 30% and WC is also worth 30%.
Do New Tech students get lower scores on standardized assessments than CHS students?
No. New Tech received the AP honor roll platinum in the year 2024. This is the highest Advanced Placement honor a school can receive. CHS received AP honor roll gold in the same year. To qualify for platinum honor roll at least 15% of the graduating class should take 5 or more AP classes (31% of the New Tech graduating class took 5 or more APs), at least 80% of the graduating class should take at least one AP class (91% of the New Tech graduating class took at least one AP class) and at least 50% of the graduating class should score a 3 or above on their APs exams (67% of the New Tech graduating class scored a 3 or above on all their AP exams). Average SAT score was 1260 and the average ACT score was 28 in 2024 at New Tech. In terms of student achievement and student progress as ranked by the Texas Education Agency both CHS and New Tech are within 1 percentage point of each other.
Is it true that New Tech alumni do not get into competitive colleges?
No. New Tech students have been accepted to top Ivy League schools. New Tech alumni have gone to Texas A&M, UT Austin, UConn, Rice, Duke, Brown and more.
Is it true that New Tech students do not spend as much time on academics as CHS students?
New Tech students spend the same amount or sometimes even more time on academics than CHS students. They take challenging AP and honors courses. In fact, all core classes are honors or AP at New Tech. There are no on-level classes. Furthermore, New Tech students complete complex projects which often require more time, collaboration and creativity.
Does New Tech have many clubs that offer leadership opportunities to students?
Yes. All events at New Tech are student planned and student run; facilitators and admin provide support only when needed. New Tech’s Student Council (Stuco) members plan and lead school and community wide events such as Haunted House, Spring Fling and @cademy Awards. Some Stuco events raise money for local nonprofits. The trinity of clubs at New Tech which actually have dedicated class periods are Student Council, Hope Squad and Networking Team Captains (NTCs). Most students are in one of these three clubs. In addition, New Tech has an award winning Model United Nations delegation and DECA teams. In fact, 4 of officers in New Tech’s Model UN delegation are also leaders in the Texas State Model UN team. They are part of a 7 person team, who will be planning and designing the State Model UN conference this year. New Tech also has an active National Honors Society chapter as well various as other smaller clubs such as Gardening club.
Is it true that shuttling between New Tech and CHS is disruptive and will interrupt my learning?
While shuttling can make a student late to classes, teachers at both New Tech and CHS understand this and typically fill in shuttlers when they walk-in late. Students at New Tech have been shuttling since the campus opened in 2008 and it is not disruptive.
If I want to go into medicine, New Tech is not the ideal school for me, because not enough science courses are offered.
While students are unable to take some of the health science electives offered at CHS, all core science class are offered at New Tech - AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics I Algebra-based, AP Physics C - Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, AP Environmental Science, Honors Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Honors Forensic Science and Honors Astronomy are all offered at New Tech.
What are New Tech’s requirements to graduate?
In addition to the CISD graduation requirements, New Tech’s graduation requirements include 10 hours of community service each year of high school, 10 hours of job shadowing junior year along with an essay, 15 hours of job shadowing senior year along with an essay, and the completion of the Senior Capstone Project.
Do students at New Tech have free Fridays?
Flex Fridays are student designed learning days, which happen 2-3 times a month. They are not “free” days. Students have required sessions they need to attend usually for their core classes, but for other parts of the days they can participate in student taught classes or facilitator taught classes in unique areas like College in Europe or pasta making. In addition during these Flex days, students meet as a Networking Team, which are composed of students from all grade levels to participate in mentorship and leadership opportunities.
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