With a Hefty Education Grant Come Equally Great Expectations

The Gates model is more common in business than philanthropy. Experts say Gates officials seek to hold grant recipients accountable and find formulas for success. The foundation "doesn't give all that much money to a school just because it's good and they want to make it better," said Paul T. Hill of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington, which also has received Gates funding. "They give money to the school because it's an exemplar and they want to have it reproduced."

So far, the Chavez schools have received $370,000 in two installments and have met the foundation's conditions. Salcido and her administrators hired a dropout prevention specialist, recruited a curriculum expert for their board of directors and hired a principal to open a third campus next fall. But tough questions remain. Will the dropout rate decline? Will teacher training help raise test scores? Will the new school have a strong academic plan?

One key element of the Chavez expansion has been delayed. Two new campuses, not one, were supposed to open next fall. Salcido still aims for that fourth campus. Her enrollment target is 3,000 students.

"They've learned a lot of tough lessons over time," Shelton said of Salcido's team.

Smiles stays in constant contact by phone and in person, taking on an oversight role typical for a central office in a large school system. In July, he met with Chavez administrators to review progress on such matters as the new school calendar and dropout prevention. With pressed khaki pants and a thatch of unruly brown hair, Smiles looked like a cross between a Microsoft engineer and a prep-school English teacher as he took notes on a legal pad.

"It'd be great to get some perspective on the deliverables," he told them. "I'm also hoping that this meeting can serve as reflecting time to say, 'Here we are, getting prepared for two more schools.' "

Salcido gave a mock groan. "Do you have to remind us?" she said, as laughter rippled across the room.

Smiles grinned. "I know," he said. "Exactly."