Successful schools at all levels provide extra-help strategies to assist students in meeting high standards in both academic and career/technical courses. Some schools design a flexible schedule and offer virtual learning opportunities to enable at-risk students to complete high school. Middle grades schools can provide an accelerated curriculum…

When students fail courses or drop out of school, it isn't good for them or their districts, which are under federal and state mandates to improve test scores and graduation rates. With those mandates and about 1.2 million students dropping out each year--or one every 26 seconds--there is more pressure today than ever to help students stay in…