1 A Framework for Mapping the System Joseph R. Harris Director, National High School Center National High School Center 2008 Summer Institute Washington, DC June 2008

2 “The trouble with high schools today…..”  “don’t work as well as they used to”  “too large and impersonal - “kids fall through the cracks”  “too many dropouts and low graduation rates”  “teachers are ill-equipped”  “buildings are unsafe and/or rundown”  “don’t meet the needs of diverse student populations”  “root cause of America’s loss of competitive edge”  “don’t prepare students for living in the 21st Century”  “nothing wrong with ‘our’ school - it’s NCLB’s fault”

3 A Growing List of “Fixes”…..  elimination of tracking and low-level courses  standards-based curriculum and instruction  competency / exit exams  more rigor / increased graduation requirements  “algebra for all”  college preparatory pathways for all students  personalization / small schools / small learning communities  teacher quality / alternative certification  increased security / metal detectors / mandatory IDs  integrating technology

4 HS Improvement Focus Areas  Dropout Prevention  Transitions In  Transitions Out / Post-secondary Pathways  School Restructuring  High School Literacy  Tiered Intervention  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)  21st Century Skills  Career / Technical Education (CTE)

5 HS Improvement Focus Areas Dropout Prevention  Transitions In Transitions Out / Post-secondary Pathways  School Restructuring High School Literacy Tiered Intervention Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)  21st Century Skills  Career / Technical Education (CTE)

6 HS Improvement Strategies / Interventions  National initiatives to increase rigor and “raise the bar”  Small schools / Small learning communities  Dropout prevention initiatives and early warning systems  School-to-work / Career and technical education  Common assessments  Model high schools / Replicating “turnaround” schools  State / local priority initiatives  “Packaged interventions”

7 Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape…..

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9 Dropout Prevention Transitions In Tiered Intervention Dual Enrollment Small Schools Career Academies Transitions Out HS Literacy Model High Schools Freshman Academies Advisories HS Equity & Access HS Restructuring SLCs Post- secondary Pathways HS STEM HS Assessment Credit Recovery Virtual Learning Positive Behavior Rigorous Content CTE

10 Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape….. Dropout Prevention Transitions In Tiered Intervention Dual Enrollment Small Schools Career Academies Transitions Out HS Literacy Model High Schools Freshman Academies Advisories HS Equity & Access SLCs Post- secondary Pathways HS STEM HS Assessment Credit Recovery Virtual Learning Rigorous Content CTE HS Restructuring

11 Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape…..

12 Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape….. Alignment Alignment Coherence Coherence Connectedness Connectedness

13 Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape….. “Building Better High Schools”

14 A Call for Alignment, Coherence and Connectedness  Collaborative projects with RCCs and SEAs  National High School Center Advisory Board  Friends of the National High School Center and other high school improvement organizations  National High School Center staff, senior advisors, and expert consultants  Independent researchers and high school improvement experts

15 Institute Organized to:  provide a view of the “high school improvement system” and why thinking systemically can help  offer tools that you can use to map the systems you are working with / within  provide a glimpse of how RCCs and SEAs can work together to plan next steps  help high school reformers create more effective learning experiences for ALL students

16 Benefits of Mapping the HS Improvement Landscape  Promoting a common language  Building consensus  Facilitating alignment and coherence  Analyzing and enhancing strengths  Leveraging resources  Enabling gap analyses  Supporting scale-up and sustainability

17 NHSC Mapping Framework Elements 1. Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction 2. Assessment and Accountability 3. Teacher Quality and Professional Development 4. Student and Family Supports 5. Stakeholder Engagement 6. Leadership and Governance 7. Organization and Structure 8. Resources for Sustainability

18 1. Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction  Align with rigorous state and local standards and vertically interfaced with local school curriculum  Organize around individual student instructional needs through  formative assessments and continuous progress monitoring  academic supports and extended learning opportunities for content recovery  literacy and cognitive skills development  Incorporate multiple research-based instructional strategies, technologies and new modalities for learning  Adapt to a variety of school and classroom organizational structures Mapping Framework Elements

19 2. Assessment and Accountability  include variety of classroom, school-based, and district level assessments as well as state standards-based competency and exit exams  encourage and support continuous progress monitoring and formative assessments embedded in instruction  provide timely and effective feedback and access to data that support the early identification of students at risk or with special needs  collect and report longitudinal data to measure short- and long- term student growth for instructional planning and accountability Mapping Framework Elements

20 3. Teacher Quality and Professional Development  span broad range of preservice, certification and licensure, induction and inservice, compensation, and leadership development  promote knowledge of content and academic literacy skills, varied and effective pedagogy, effective classroom management skills and positive behavior  embed at the school and classroom levels throughout the school year with increased opportunities for teachers to work together  provide teachers with skills in assessing students and adjusting instruction Mapping Framework Elements

21 4. Student and Family Supports  support students as they transition into/through/out of high school with  formal and informal guidance programs  attendance and behavior monitoring and support systems  wrap-around and English-language services  foster a positive and personalized school climate that cultivates student voice and leadership  promote health and physical education and co-curricular activities  provide family-focused services and outreach that respect and honor the student’s family and community Mapping Framework Elements

22 5. Stakeholder Engagement  engage the interests, needs, skills, resources and strengths of multiple stakeholders  foster relationships among P-16 schools, the workforce, families, and communities  ensure that all appropriate stakeholders are at the table from the start  incorporate multiple culturally and linguistically appropriate communications strategies and technologies Mapping Framework Elements

23 6. Leadership and Governance  distribute decision-making authority at all levels with alternative structures to address multiple functions of running high schools  provide principals and other instructional leaders with adequate knowledge, time, and interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with teachers  shift the focus of state and local policymakers and education agency staffs to support comprehensive high school improvement  develop strategies and skills to support required organizational change Mapping Framework Elements

24 7. Organization and Structure  support effective teaching and learning and personalization through physical and operational changes and alternative time and scheduling approaches  provide increased opportunities to learn, such as virtual courses, dual enrollment opportunities, and work-based internships  include students with special needs in the general curriculum  support teacher organizational changes and difficult process of culture changes Mapping Framework Elements

25 8. Resources for Sustainability  adequately staff the initiatives and provide appropriate time and necessary fiscal support to take hold and scale-up  grow both the physical and human capital within the system and continuously develop teacher knowledge and skills  continuously upgrade facilities, tools, and materials  define priorities and allocate needed resources over time Mapping Framework Elements

26 NHSC Mapping Framework Elements 1. Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction 2. Assessment and Accountability 3. Teacher Quality and Professional Development 4. Student and Family Supports 5. Stakeholder Engagement 6. Leadership and Governance 7. Organization and Structure 8. Resources for Sustainability

27 Discussion Thinking about a specific high school improvement focus area or initiative…  What are examples of policies and practices in different elements that are connected to one another?  What policies and practices in different elements may be in tension?  Are any policies or practices hard to characterize> Under which element(s) could it fall or does it cut across all eight?

28 Task 1: Mapping HS Improvement Focus Areas  Goes both broader and deeper into thinking about individual focus areas and the connections across focus areas  Helps to break down “big ideas” into research-based strategies and initiatives that can be implemented systemically  Ultimately leads to identification of specific initiatives for addressing the focus area(s)

29 Task 2: Mapping HS Strategies and Interventions  Inventories existing initiatives and identifies the elements each initiative addresses  Highlights areas of strength and possible gaps among strategies  Suggests collaborative opportunities, including connections to other SEA priorities  Identifies connections among initiatives and builds “holistic” approaches (reducing reliance on “silver bullet” and “stovepipe” solutions)

30 Task 3:Planning for Implementation  Identifies potential “entry points” and “levers” for incremental implementation strategies  Points out individuals to engage in the work  Prioritizes alignment between high school improvement focus areas and targeted interventions  Looks both broader and deeper at contextual factors and potential challenges  Lays the groundwork for ongoing collaborations between the SEAs, RCCs, and NHSC