The transition into high school is a critical point in the educational pipeline, and ninth-grade can be characterized as one of its leakiest junctures. This policy brief examines how some states and districts are currently easing the transition into high school for students. It focuses on five key challenges that states, districts and schools…

Holistic approaches can help counter the declining college enrollment and graduation of Hispanics. Two retention programs are described: Valued Youth Partnership, a remediation and dropout prevention program; and Step-to-College, which helps Hispanic students make the transition from high school to college. (IAH)

Personalized learning: Everyone knows it needs to happen, but how? It is one thing to believe in the importance of high school reform. It is quite another to embrace a system that helps every student leave high school with a diploma and plans for postsecondary education or training that lead to productive and self-sufficient adulthoods. This…