Dalton designation
Dalton International is the only institution with the authority to give schools the designation “International Dalton School”. Dalton International is an official foundation with members all over the world. The most important and international oriented Dalton schools in the world, work together in Dalton International, to protect the high standard of Dalton education.
It is not allowed to use the name ‘Dalton School’ without the permission of Dalton International or the official local Dalton Association.
Official local Dalton Associations are present in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia.
ACCREDITATION STANDARDS AND CRITERIA “INTERNATIONAL DALTON SCHOOL”
Effective January 1, 2019
The quality Dalton school provides the appropriate environment for the development of students and the effectiveness of the school. The school’s vision is consistent with Helen Parkhurst philosophy of efficiency, enterprising living and working, responsibility, interaction of a group life, learning by experience.
Dalton International is aimed at continuous development of the schools. The training by International Dalton Consultants and regular contact with the Executive Director of Dalton International is a quality assurance process that is designed to help schools to continuously develop and improve their Dalton Plan in practice. It consists of an ongoing program of support, guidance and improvement for the school and all its staff members worldwide. This ensures that schools accredited by Dalton International continue to embody the highest Dalton education standards.
CRITERIA
Standard 1 Mission and vision:
a. The school creates a mission statement for the school in collaboration with administrators, governing board members, faculty, staff, parents, students, and community.
b. The school establishes a vision, educational goals, and philosophy in accordance with the school’s vision statement and appropriate to the needs of the school population that corresponds to Dalton Plan organizational reform of education.
c. Each school applying to be an “International Dalton School” is obliged to prepare a plan for at least four years, in which all the goals will be listed, all the International activities will be mentioned.
d. The Executive Director of Dalton International is the regular contact for the school between and after the training sessions by the International Dalton Consultants.
e. The school communicates the mission and vision to build cooperation between the staff.
f. The school identifies, documents, and monitors goals to advance the vision.
g. The school develops and continuously maintains a profile of the international activities of the school, its students, and the community.
Standard 2 Certifying the teachers:
a. All teachers must follow a training program in order to obtain a certificate “International Dalton Teacher”.
b. All the activities are exclusively run by International Dalton Consultants and/or board members of Dalton International.
c. The Executive Director of Dalton International is in permanent contact with the management team about the progress and is available for the teachers by frequent ‘on-line conferences’.
Standard 3 General rules
For a school to apply for participation in the accreditation process, the following initial requirements are necessary:
a. The school must take an active part in International activities.
b. The school must be committed to continuous school improvement.
c. The school must have been in operation for at least two full academic years.
d. The whole school community must be ready to be included within the process of becoming an “International Dalton School”. e. Dalton International can withdraw the license to use the name “International Dalton School” at any time by writing an official letter/Email to the school in which the arguments for the withdrawing are mentioned.
Standard 4 Procedures for “International Dalton Schools”.
a. All “International Dalton Schools” certified by Dalton International before 2019, must follow an audit.
b. Audit is conducted by Board members of Dalton International and International Dalton Consultants every three years for all “International Dalton Schools”.
c. All teachers in current “International Dalton Schools” must follow a complementary course to actualize the certificate “International Dalton Teacher”.
d. All “International Dalton Schools” must hand in the list of goals and actions for minimum two years. The actions must concern the Dalton development on local and on International field.
These include projects with other Dalton schools, hosting International guests, guiding study visits from different countries, take part in Dalton International research, support the innovations conducted by Dalton International, take part in International Dalton Conferences.
The process of becoming an “International Dalton school” is an affirming one, and the length of time it takes to attain varies according to the different needs of each school. Therefore, we differentiate our activities and adjust the program and expertise to the particular needs of every school. It involves self-appraising your current practice, with the support of our Executive Director of Dalton International and International Dalton Consultants. It is a process which highlights areas to focus on and develop in preparation for the visit by the Dalton International Committee.
Standard 5 Dalton Designation
Dalton International is the only institution with the authority to give schools the designation “International Dalton School”. These schools are representing Dalton International with the highest standards in the field of education, ethical and social norms and values. Dalton International is an official foundation with members all over the world. The most important and internationally oriented Dalton schools in the world cooperate, to protect the high standard of Dalton education. In order to obtain the permission to use the name “International Dalton School”, the school must follow a two years process with a maximum of three years. In the first year schools has to submit development plan, stating in what way school would like to incorporate Dalton methods in their teaching, including the training program.
After an intake with the staff of school, Dalton International will draft a training program out of the available course offer. In the first year at least five different modules has to be followed by the teachers. Coaching of teachers in the classroom is an important aspect of the training process. Next to the Dalton training at own location, it is possible to follow a teaching practice period in one of the International Dalton Schools. The International Dalton Coordinator is permanently available for the team of teachers and the management.
Extra modules can be followed during the teaching practice. At the end of the first year, the school must submit a “Dalton Development Plan” as a guideline for the second year, including the assessment of the teaching, class management and curriculum, providing advice on how to improve.
The second year is a year of self-activity. The second part of the training (five modules) is obligatory and will be based on the coaching and support of self-activity. At the end of the school year, the committee of Dalton International will execute an audit. After a positive advice of the committee, the school will get official designation “International Dalton School”. An official certificate will be distinguishing mark of the new status of the school.
Every “International Dalton School” must follow an audit every three years. An audit is executed by board members of Dalton International and/or International Dalton Consultants.
An “International Dalton School” is obliged to follow a training guided by International Dalton Consultants every year. The Executive Director of Dalton International is in direct contact with the school in order to prepare the program for the yearly training. The process is aimed to provide the institutions with all innovations in Dalton education as well as organize additional training for the new teachers. The training is aimed at maintaining the highest level of Dalton education in the school.
‘Dalton Sternschule’ Deutschlandsberg – Austria
Certification of a new group of International Dalton Teachers in ‘Shenzhen Dalton Xinhua School’
16 . MARCH 2019
Procedure for a local Dalton Association
Article 1.
Only Dalton International can nominate schools for the designation of ‘International Dalton School’.
Article 2.
A national Dalton association can be founded by a group of International Dalton schools or at least three national or international Dalton experts from different institutes in cooperation with Dalton International.
The first three years the national Dalton association has to be supported by an international committee of Dalton experts, nominated by Dalton International.
Article 3.
The national Dalton association has to draw up the by-laws.
Article 4.
The national Dalton association can nominate schools for the designation of ‘Dalton school’.
Article 5.
The first five national designations ‘Dalton school’ can be granted after an audit by a committee of national Dalton experts and one or more representatives of Dalton International. Later the national Dalton Association is responsible for the procedure.
Article 6.
Audits can only be executed if schools have followed the procedure as written under ‘’Nominating Dalton schools’.
Article 7.
The designation ‘Dalton school’ is valid for three years.After this period the national Dalton Association has to visitate the school again. When there is no national Dalton Association, Dalton International organizes this re-visitation
Article 8.
This procedure has to be supported by the national school inspection and must be integrated in the national inspection procedure.
Article 9.
In case no official Dalton Association is initiated in a country within Europe or in one other country, the local initiative/institution has to make a mutual contract with Dalton International.
The following points has to be written in the contract and has to be signed from both sides.
- An annual financial contribution for structural cooperation between the institute and Dalton International will have to be laid down in an agreement of cooperation. Using the, international highly recognizable brand “Dalton International”, has to be rewarded by subsidizing our foundation.
- On-site process support through work consultations and advice, workshops and training, providing specific Dalton material etc., takes place based on a fixed contract for each activity.
- The Dalton expertise will be provided by International Dalton Consultants. Dalton International is responsible for the training of local Dalton Consultants.
- A study program, based on local educational requirements and demands, will be established in joint consultations.
- Initiators/institutes starting with a Dalton implementation process will organize an annual International Dalton Conference in cooperation with Dalton International, like it is happening in several countries in Europe once a year. International Dalton Consultants are invited to provide seminars and workshops during such a yearly Dalton Conference.
- Representatives from institutions who initiated a new Dalton development will be invited to participate in the yearly International Dalton Conference in Europe.