In the late 1980s, in response to a number of problems including consistently low academic performance by students and graduates lacking the skills needed by employers, Swansea High School in Swansea, South Carolina, launched a major reform effort designed to transform Swansea into a high-performance high school. During the multi-year reform process, school leaders eliminated the general track by requiring all students to complete a college-preparatory or a vocational-technical program of study. All students were required to identify a major in one of four broad career clusters. The school's guidance, advisement, and tutorial services were strengthened. Swansea's vocational curriculum and equipment were updated, and district and school leaders worked to develop curriculum guides that reflected national standards. In an effort to improve the quality of instruction, school and district leaders implemented a variety of staff development activities and expanded the use of instructional technology in mathematics and science classes. A shared vision was created among academic and vocational teachers, community partnerships were built, and applied instructional were strategies used to motivate students to learn challenging content. Swansea's reform efforts resulted in overall improvements in students' academic performance, as documented by the High Schools That Work assessments of reading, mathematics, and science performance in 1993 and 1996. (MN)