Career academies, after more than four decades of development and three decades of evaluation, have been found by a conclusive random assignment study to be effective in improving outcomes for students during and after high school. Career academies have therefore become the most durable and best-tested component of a high school reform strategy to…

In recent years, criticism of high school graduates' lack of readiness for college and work has led a number of states to raise high school graduation requirements--particularly in terms of the number and rigor of courses students must pass. This issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" addresses end-of-course assessments at the high…

Founded in 1966 as the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Education Northwest works alongside educators, administrators, policymakers, and community members to transform teaching and learning. In the Northwest, educational priorities remain focused on closing the achievement gap. Through analysis of client requests, student assessment…

In 2002, Early College High Schools Initiative became a reality across the United States for students and educators looking for ways to improve student graduation rates, college attendance, and overall student achievement. This mixed method case study found that (a) the early college high school environment supported the academic success of…

This monograph focuses on the main populations and topics in the college readiness literature. The population of U.S. youth who are traditionally aged high school and college students dominates research; for the most part, the authors concentrate on literature about this population. Within this broad parameter, the review is centrally concerned…

Raising student achievement is at the heart of school improvement efforts at North Central High School in Spokane, Washington. Because of the diversity of the student body at North Central, students do not all receive the same message from their families about taking a rigorous course of study that will give them options after graduation. The…

To prepare students for success in life, the twenty-first-century American high school needs to shift its focus from preparing for college "or" career to achieving college "and" career readiness for every student. In some areas of the country, progress is being made on this front. One of the most comprehensive efforts is the…

"Education Matters" is the monthly newsletter of the Association of American Educators (AAE), an organization dedicated to advancing the American teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection. This issue of the newsletter includes: (1) Does Demography Dictate Destiny? The Radical…

Access to the baccalaureate and higher education in France has become more democratic. The introduction of the vocational baccalaureate has been part of this process, but remains a modest step forward given the very low take-up of vocational baccalaureate courses. If vocational education pathways in France are to become true gateways to higher…

Valerie Lee and Douglas Ready explore the influences of the high school curriculum on student learning and the equitable distribution of that learning by race and socioeconomic status. They begin by tracing the historical development of the U.S. comprehensive high school and then examine the curricular reforms of the past three decades. During the…

This study, as the first empirical test of P-16 policy antecedents, reports the findings from an event history analysis of the origins of state dual enrollment policies adopted between 1976 and 2005. First, what characteristics of states are associated with the adoption of these policies? Second, to what extent do conventional theories on policy…

At the 2005 National Education Summit on High Schools, governors from 45 states joined with business leaders and education officials to address a critical problem in American education: Too few students graduate from high school prepared for the demands of college and careers in an increasingly competitive global economy. To monitor state progress…

Districts and states that have begun to get traction in improving their graduation rates are pursuing a reform agenda that includes both the redesign of failing high schools and the development of multiple alternative pathways that help young people get back on track to graduation and to postsecondary education. Unlike traditional alternative…

With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CRESST conducted a multi-year evaluation of a major school reform project at Alain Leroy Locke High School, historically one of California's lowest performing secondary schools. Beginning in 2007, Locke High School transitioned into a set of smaller, Green Dot Charter High Schools,…

This evaluation study explores the reform role of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) school counselors in promoting students' academic achievement, college readiness, and transition from 8th grade into high school. In addition, this report identifies particular actions that CPS can undertake to better utilize and support school counselor professionals,…