Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform A Vision for Reform: Join Academic and Career Studies to Promote Powerful Learning Skills for Success in the 21st Century

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision2 Goals of State Standards, Assessment and Accountability: Raise the level of education for all students. Increase all students’ achievement. Prepare students for college and careers. Prepare students to compete in a global economy – flat world.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision3 Why craft a vision for high school that goes beyond standards, assessment and accountability? Students learn differently and at different rates. Holding students back fails to raise achievement and graduation rates. Students must see meaning and purpose in their studies.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision4 Make fundamental changes in how students are taught. Create optional programs of study that join challenging academic and technical studies. What can middle schools and high schools do to graduate more students and graduate them college- and career-ready?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision5 career academies career majors magnet schools small learning communities with a career focus dual credit with postsecondary institutions technical high schools shared-time technology centers Offer multiple programs of study through a variety of school structures:

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision6 Should optional programs of study require most students to complete a solid academic core? Yes! How many CT students at HSTW schools completed the HSTW- recommended academic core in 2008? 48%

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision7 HSTW-Recommended Curriculum Four college-prep English credits Four mathematics credits, including Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II and above Three college-prep science credits

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision8 How many CT students meet college and career readiness when they complete the HSTW- recommended curriculum?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision9 Percentages of CT Students Completing the HSTW-Recommended Curriculum and Meeting Readiness Goals Career ClusterReadingMath Agriculture 70% 75% Business6070 STEM7083 Health Sciences6673 Hospitality5459 Manufacturing and Transportation 4862 Source: HSTW Assessment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision10 How many students in CT courses meet college- and career-readiness goals without completing HSTW- recommended curriculum?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision11 Percentages of CT Graduates Meeting Readiness Goals without Completing the HSTW-Recommended Curriculum Career ClusterReadingMath Agriculture 38% 44% Business3945 STEM4555 Health Sciences4039 Hospitality3635 Manufacturing and Transportation 3544 Source: HSTW Assessment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision12 Yes, when we: Infuse academic content into CT courses and incorporate authentic assignments into academic courses. Make greater use of internships, projects and problem-based learning. Connect abstract academic content to authentic work in a particular career to foster greater effort from unmotivated students. Are we giving students experiences that connect literacy and mathematics to careers?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision13 Percentages of CT Students Experiencing an Intensive Instructional Emphasis on Literacy and Mathematics Source: HSTW Assessment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision14 Percentages of CT Students Meeting Readiness Goals When Experiencing HSTW- Recommended Academic Core and CT Studies with Embedded Academics Source: HSTW Assessment 85% 80% 89% 78% 62% 70%

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision15 Students need to gain a depth of understanding, not just cover the material.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision16 critical thinking and problem-solving skills oral and written communication skills teamwork and collaboration doing quality work timely and redoing it until it meets standards using technology to complete assignments Deeper understanding occurs when high schools and middle grades schools provide learning and assignments that emphasize:

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision17 Good CT Instruction Can Foster 21 st Century Skills trouble-shooting and problem-solving skills use of research skills to collect and organize information into a work plan use of mathematics to support decision- making and planning use of writing to aid learning and to complete tasks communication and interaction with adults outside the school a setting where students experiment, invent, design and construct

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision18 Are CT students receiving 21st century assignments, and does it matter?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision19 Gains in Number of CT Students Per 100 Meeting Readiness Goals Who Experienced 21st Century Assignments Source: HSTW Assessment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision20 Yes, when : Adults believe that, given the right environment, most students can master complex academic and technical skills. Schools do not differentiate programs of study as “heads-on” work for some and “hands-on” for others. Schools provide additional time and support. Are students receiving the extra help they need to meet college- and career-readiness standards?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision21 Gains in Number of CT Students Per 100 Meeting Readiness Goals Who Received Extra Help and Support Source: HSTW Assessment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision22 Help students set tentative educational and career goals. Have students choose a program of study based on interest and not on past achievement. View initial student choices as exploratory and accommodate revised decisions. Provide students the assistance and support to succeed. How can advisers or mentors help students?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision23 Average Gain in Number of CT Students Per 100 Meeting Readiness Goals Who Were Connected to an Adviser/Mentor Source: HSTW Assessment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision24 What action can schools take to help more students graduate from high school and graduate college- and career-ready?

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision25 1. Create optional programs of study that lead to employer certification, an associate’s degree or a bachelor degree. Solid academic core Sequence of CT courses aligned college- and career- readiness standards Project-based learning Mentors and extra support

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision26 Apprenticeships and work-based learning Web-based instruction Redesigned CT courses that blend academic and technical content Employer certification exams 2. Recognize that academic learning happens in different ways and settings.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision27 3. Align CT curricula to essential college- and career-readiness standards. Identify most essential standards. Orient academic and CT faculty to standards. Invest in planning time to develop embedded assignments. Create classroom assessments. Train all teachers on research- based literacy strategies.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision28 4. Schools can improve quality of instruction in academic and CT classrooms. Train teachers on project- and problem-based learning. Create organizational structures and schedules that enable cross-discipline planning. Develop a strong induction and coaching system for new teachers. Create a school leadership team that focuses on continuous improvement.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision29 5. Schools can improve transition and can give support to assist students to meet college- and career-readiness standards. Have more students leave grade eight ready for high school. Redesign the ninth grade. Provide a system of extra help. Make success the option, not failure. Connect students to an adult and to a goal.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW A Vision for School Reform Crafting a New Vision30 A copy of this PowerPoint can be downloaded from the SREB Web site High Schools That Work Publications and Materials Special PowerPoint Presentations