How do some high schools produce graduates that consistently achieve at high levels? Would you believe there's a set of proven strategies that could help you deliver similar impressive results and better prepare students for the world after high school? High schools in the United States face a startling reality: many graduates are unprepared for…

While figures on Black women and girls' degree attainment suggest that as a group they are achieving in society, the reality is that their experiences are far from monolithic, that the educational system from early on and through college imposes barriers and inequities, pushing many out of school, criminalizing their behavior, and leading to a…

"Early Colleges as a Model for Schooling" advocates for early college high schools as an effective means of reducing academic, cultural, and financial obstacles to postsecondary education. This perceptive work evaluates, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impacts of early colleges--hybrids that blend elements of secondary and…

Every year, millions of students take Advanced Placement (AP) exams hoping to score enough points to earn college credit and save on their tuition bill. But are they getting a real college education? The College Board says that AP classes and exams make the AP program more accessible and represent a step forward for educational justice. But the…

To ask whether students are "college-ready" is to concentrate on factors beyond the control of higher education. With this publication, the authors flip the question to provide a new perspective on creating institutional value and facilitating student success. Rather than focusing on student preparedness (or lack thereof), the authors…

In "The Enduring Promise of America's Great City Schools," Michael Casserly presents a forthright assessment of the past performance and future potential of large urban PreK-12 school districts in the United States. From a vantage of nearly five decades of work within the Council of the Great City Schools, which now represents…

In the 1950s and 1960s, students practiced ducking under their desks in case of an atomic bomb attack. We know that this was silly and provided no protection and many school practices that are popular today are equally silly. This book explores a wide range of what the authors label "duck and cover" policies--ideas that may have started…

This book is your one-stop shop for the academic tools and habits needed to make your transition from high school to college a resounding success! The shift from high school to college can be a challenge, with many students finding the skills that had previously worked so well no longer seem to be enough. "How to Become a Successful College…

Built for More, The Role of OST in Preparing Youth for the Future of Work will highlight OST research and illustrative practices and bring forward multi-disciplinary perspectives about future trends, innovations, and the impact of OST on the future workforce. The focus is on OST programs as well as related activities that contribute to…

"Between the State and the Schoolhouse" examines the Common Core State Standards from the initiative's promising beginnings to its disappointing outcomes. Situating the standards in the long history of state and federal efforts to shape education, the book describes a series of critical lessons that highlight the political and structural…

Why does a public high school, despite having resources and educators with good intentions, end up graduating English learners (ELs) without preparing them for college and career? This book answers this question through a longitudinal ethnographic case study of a diverse high school in Pennsylvania. The author takes the reader on a journey with…

In "The Promise and Practice of Next Generation Assessment," David T. Conley presents the case for a new, comprehensive system of assessment using different measurements for different purposes. Changes in the purposes of education, he argues, demand forms of assessment that go beyond merely ranking students to supporting the ambitious…

"Continuous Improvement in High Schools" gives educators and policymakers an accessible, actionable framework to address one of the nation's most important educational priorities: improving high school graduation and postsecondary preparedness rates. Martha Abele Mac Iver and Robert Balfanz, national experts in dropout prevention, apply…

Foster confident, well-rounded, career-ready students. Written for teachers and administrators, this targeted guide introduces the Youth Employability Skills (YES!) framework, which has been adopted by schools across the United States. Learn how to use this powerful framework in a multitude of courses to ensure students develop the essential…

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become an important trend in education; however, it is frequently overlooked at the high school level. Arguably, SEL is even more important at this level than other grade levels for the purposes of effective college and career readiness preparation. The inclusion of SEL into school accountability systems and…