This chapter describes a model for continuous improvement that guides the work of the National Center on Scaling Up Effective Schools, or NCSU. NCSU is a research and development center funded by the Institute for Education Sciences, the research arm of the United States Department of Education. At the core of the Center's work is an innovative…

This chapter recounts the first 3 years of the Student Voice Collaborative (SVC) in New York City, a district supported student leadership initiative that engages high school aged youth in school reform work at school and district levels. Based on his experiences developing and running the SVC, the author identifies nine design and implementation…

Principals are being encouraged to distribute leadership to increase schools' organizational capacities, and enhance student growth and learning. Extant research on distributed leadership practices provides an emerging basis for adopting such approaches. Yet, relatively less attention has been paid to examining the principal's role in fostering…

By enhancing its mission statement and guiding principles and developing a new ad campaign, DECA is responding to the changing educational environment and demands of the economy. However, one thing remains the same--the organization's firm commitment to help teachers prepare students for college and careers. Founded as the Distributive Education…

A key objective of the Pathways to College Network is to disseminate effective, research-based practices and policies that address access and managing college costs. As part of its effort to inform parents, families, students, and policymakers, it has compiled here a few of the key principles and strategies that underlay a well-focused financial…

This paper identifies six core principles and recommends strategies that will foster high academic achievement, close the achievement gap, and promote civic and personal growth among all high-school-age youth in the high schools and communities. At the center of the framework is the Alliance's belief that the purpose of high school is to ensure…