CSBGL Boys' Audit

Like you, The Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives (CSBGL) is devoted to understanding and improving the lives of young people. We know that it takes more than a strong academic curriculum to produce fulfilled, enriched and happy young men. We can help to optimize your students’ experiences to make your school a more attractive option for both boys and parents.

Request a Boys’ Audit for an objective, outside inquiry to help you identify the elements in your school and curriculum that are working well ­ and turn them into best practices ­ as well as the opportunities for improvement.

Contact CSBGL For More Information:
Michael Reichert, Executive Director (610) 667-9503, 3 Pelham Road, Wilmington, DE 19803 e-mail: mreichert@csbgl.org

What is a Boys' Audit?
Benefiting from the experience of our founding schools, CSBGL has created a consultative process for other schools wishing to gain more control over their programming for boys and girls.

The Boys' Audit consists of a menu of services designed to mobilize a school's self-awareness and enhance its self-control. Each school designs a particular protocol which serves to guide an examination of practices which, altogether, constitute a barometer of its impact on the lives of its boys.

The goal of the Audit is to observe where in a school's life boys flourish, learn and grow, finding freedom, challenge, inspiration and relationship. Long-time observers of boys in schools, Audit Staff will also help schools notice where boys find themselves constrained or subjected to distorting pressures. Upon completion of the Audit, it is hoped that many schools will choose to join with other CSBGL schools for an ongoing conversation about best practices in boys' and girls’ education.

What Does the Boys' Audit Include?

• Student surveys to gauge boys' attitudes and well-being on standardized scales
• Faculty Surveys to elicit shared perceptions and beliefs
• Presentations and Workshops to orient and motivate staff, as well as other constituencies
• A Self-Study Protocol to guide an internal team in their articulation of current boys' curriculum
• Interviews with individual students to deepen understanding of particular boys' experiences
• Focus Groups and Observations to offer an independent opportunity for feedback from students, faculty or parents
• Outcome Audit to create a statistical portrait of educational and behavioral outcomes
• Summary Report to provide overall commendations and recommendations
 
• Follow-Up Opportunities include participation in the CSBGL network of schools, which are offered ongoing services such as website resources, workshops and conferences

Audit Staff
Richard Hawley, Ph.D., taught at University School in Ohio for 37 years, where he served in a wide variety of leadership roles including 17 as Headmaster. He is the author of 15 books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, many about schooling and boys' development. He was the founding president of the International Coalition of Boy's Schools.

Michael Reichert, Ph.D. has been a practicing psychologist for 25 years and consults to a wide variety of schools, including The Haverford School in Pennsylvania where he is on staff. He has helped different kinds of schools explore their practices with boys and has published research on this work. He helped to create CSBGL in partnership with the Graduate School of Education of University of Pennsylvania and presently serves as its Executive Director.

What Schools Have Said About the Audit
"Without question, this year-long exercise has had a positive impact on the ways we reach and teach the boys in our care."
Christopher Brueningsen, Headmaster, The Kiski School, Saltzburg, PA

"Our work with CSBGL has prompted us to ask the questions and do the things necessary to better understand our boys and our girls and the context of their impact on each other. As a result, more of our students are thriving."
Steven S. Piltch, Ed.D., Head, The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, PA

Audit Costs and Time
Recognizing that each school has its own particular balance of needs, resources and priorities, the Audit is tailored at the start in negotiation with the school. Generally, schools should expect to commit to a year-long process, support of an internal leadership team and at least several visits by Audit staff. Costs include data collection, analysis, consultation visits and report writing, and will range $10,000 - $20,000 (plus expenses), depending upon the comprehensiveness of the particular protocol selected.

Return to Top