Students in high-performing high schools often suffer from a constellation of stressors related to expectations such as good grades, number of Advanced Placement and honors classes, and successful admission to college. Critics have cast this method of educating students as outdated and more akin to a factory model. As a result, some educators have created progressive, student-centered learning environments where traditional measures such as homework, quizzes, and tests are replaced with more "authentic" learning experiences including experiential projects with outside partners and hands-on endeavors where execution of the project itself is the assessment. Because these ideas are considered alternative to traditional education, these educational practitioners are sometimes the subject of jealousies among other faculty and skepticism from other administrators, requiring resolve to move forward with their progressive ideas. Also, leaders have learned that they should recruit support by way of media campaigns and outside community and business partners to make sure their programs survive threats executed by detractors who do not agree with or understand the theory behind the programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]