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High School Innovation and Improvement
Work toward raising student achievement and improving the educational experience for high school students has led to the development and implementation of a variety of reform strategies and innovations across the nation. Although these innovations, by their nature, are diverse, they share the goals of improving and personalizing high school instruction, supporting a rigorous high school program of study, and increasing student achievement.
Recent improvement efforts have included reforms or innovations in school structures, staffing, academic calendars, use of technology, vocational training, and school governance.
The following are examples of prominent high school innovations receiving recent attention:
Distance learning options now allow many high school students to take some or all their classes online. This innovation offers students access to advanced or specialized coursework that would not otherwise be available at their school, more flexibility in structuring their school day or a more challenging home-schooling experience.
Charter schools are independently-run public schools that operate under a performance contract with an authorized supervisory agency, and are free from some of the regulations of the traditional school system. Many charter schools have been established with the specific goal of educating an underserved population or community. Although some charter schools offer non-traditional class structures or course work, others have adopted very "traditional" instructional philosophies emphasizing core academic knowledge and high standards.
The National High School Center makes it a priority to inform, guide, and support stakeholders on the existence and benefits of innovations in education.
High School Innovation and Improvement Resources
State-Level High School Improvement Systems Checklist
This checklist is designed to help states at various stages develop their system of support to reach struggling high schools. The checklist can be used to assess where your state is in terms of the elements of using existing support and guidance mechanisms, and reconfiguring and/or creating new structures to leverage system change for high school improvement. The elements listed in the checklist may be helpful in establishing or refining your state’s education planning and implementation process. (June 2007)
States' Progress Toward High School Restructuring
As many Title I high schools approach their fifth year of failing to meet adequate yearly progress (AYP), many states and districts are struggling to navigate the new waters of school restructuring as required in such cases as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. The following brief outlines the provisions of the law related to restructuring and includes strategies that states and districts are undertaking to meet their obligations under the law, particularly at the high school level. (January 2007)
2007 National High School Center Summer Institute Panel Discussion on Systems of Support for High School Improvement
This session outlines the national, research, and state perspectives on implementing best practices in building systems of support for high school improvement.
The District Leadership Challenge: Empowering Principals to Improve Teaching and Learning
Based on interviews with principals implementing the High Schools That Work school improvement model, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) identifies seven key strategies present in districts that effectively support school reform.
An Early Look at the Economic Stimulus Package and the Public Schools: Perspectives from State Leaders
This report, produced by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), examines the early efforts of states to implement the elementary and secondary education provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Evaluation of New Century High Schools: Profile of an Initiative to Create and Sustain Small, Successful High Schools
This report finds that students enrolled in new small high schools as part of the New Century High School Initiative in New York City were more likely than comparison students to graduate on time. The report, produced by the Policy Studies Associates working with New Visions, shows that the initiative faces challenges in increasing the proportion of graduates who earn Regents diplomas, however, rather than local diplomas.
ECS StateNotes: Virtual High Schools State Database
This database, available from the Education Commission of the States, compiles and organizes information regarding each state’s virtual high school program. It contains a range of state-specific resources for virtual high schools including information on curriculum and access, finance, and accountability among other topics.
Finding a Way: Practical Examples of How an Effective Principal-Counselor Relationship Can Lead to Success for All Students
This report includes snapshots from seven schools (five of which are high schools) to highlight effective collaborations among school counselors and principals. It outlines and provides examples of the characteristics of a strong principal-counselor relationship and concludes with a self-assessment tool that counselors and principals can use as a starting point for developing more partnerships.
Improving Low-Performing Schools: Lessons from Five Years of Studying School Restructuring under No Child Left Behind
This report from the Center on Education Policy (CEP) provides recommendations for school improvement and restructuring strategies based on research from a five-year study of state and local cases.
Maximum P-20 Class-Size Policies
This policy brief highlights trends in statutes regarding the maximum number of students allowed in general education classrooms from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Thirty-six states regulate class size, and the average cap for 9 - 12 classrooms is 31 students.
Measuring Skills for the 21st Century
Leaders in government, business, and higher education are calling for today's students to show a mastery of broader and more sophisticated skills like evaluating and analyzing information and thinking creatively about how to solve real-world problems. But standing in the way of incorporating such skills into teaching and learning are widespread concerns about whether or not they can be measured.
New CSRQ Center Report on Middle and High School CSR Models
The Comprehensive School Reform Quality Center has released a new report on middle and high school comprehensive school reform and schoolwide improvement models. This report offers a scientifically based, consumer-friendly review of the effectiveness and quality of 18 widely implemented middle and high school comprehensive school reform or schoolwide improvement models. To read this report, visit the CSRQ Center Web site at http://www.csrq.org/reports.
State Profiles in Policy
These profiles, put together by the The Hunt Institute, contain various facts about each state, including information about student achievement and college preparation, standards, P-16 alignment, teacher quality, integrated student services, and data systems implementation and use. The search feature also allows for easy comparison between states within a region.
State Support to Schools in Need of Improvement
This policy brief from the Council of Chief State School Officers includes individual case studies of eightstates, focusing on how these states have developed and implemented a statewide system of support to assist LEAs and schools in meeting the requirements of No Child Left Behind. Each profile examines how each state planned its and implemented its statewide system of support, while including information on evaluation, funding, and outside resources related to that state and its system of support.
Strategic Designs: Lessons From Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools
A new report from Education Resource Strategies concludes that focusing on teacher quality while increasing students’ academic time and providing them with individual attention are important strategies high-performing small urban high schools use to achieve their outcomes.
Structuring Out-of-School Time to Improve Academic Achievement
The five recommendations in this guide are intended to help district and school administrators, out-of-school program providers, and educators design out-of-school time programs that will increase learning for students. The guide also describes the research supporting each recommendation, how to carry out each recommendation, and how to address roadblocks that might arise in implementing them.
Turning Around Chronically Low-Performing Schools
This guide by the Education Department’s Institute of Education Sciences recommends four strategies to turn around the more than 2,300 schools nationwide that are in restructuring. The guide includes specific recommendations, and describes how each recommendation can be carried out by school and district level administrators.
