The College Pathways series grew out of the findings in "Beating the Odds," a study of thirteen high-performing New York City high schools by Carol Ascher and Cindy Maguire for the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Each of the schools admitted ninth-graders with high poverty rates and far-below-average reading and math scores but produced…

This is a must-have resource for busy educators involved in creating, improving, or reevaluating their school mission statements. The authors provide numerous examples of mission statements from a diverse range of preK-12 schools, offering readers an extremely valuable resource for developing an understanding of various themes and ideas in…

High school improvement initiatives often focus on specific intervention strategies, programs, or priority topics (e.g., dropout intervention). However, research shows that systemic and sustainable improvement can only be achieved when initiatives are implemented with consideration for the broader education contexts in which they operate. The…

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University conducted a study as part of the Madison National Center on Effective Secondary Schools. Based on findings from their study and on other research, this publication provides the following 10 tips addressed directly to parents and administrators desiring to help teenagers meet the…

Proposes questions that can be raised by principals evaluating the character and effectiveness of their high schools. Suggests studying the nature of daily school operations, the school program, the school's structure and schedule, student activities, staff quality, guidance services, off-campus learning opportunities, administration, and school…

Two high school principals discuss why change in schools is necessary, what the ingredients of change are, who the enemies of change are, and how to begin the change process. (MT)

For most high school teachers, it appears that the work group they most closely identify with is the department (or the discipline). There are some common bonds: a common language, similar educational backgrounds, a common respect for the subject, and a shared world view shaped by the discipline itself which predisposes the members of the group to…

A seminar for high school principals (held in Portland, Oregon, June 28-29, 1982) sought to stimulate and record interaction among participants on five key topics related to school improvement: standards for excellence, elements of effectiveness, productivity, the high school of the future, and causing change in high schools. Following…

Productive partnerships between educators and business result in better educated students and a more productive work force. Although the training industry has increased over the last decade, funding for public schools continues to diminish. Partnerships benefit both education and industry. The current emphases upon quality in business and…

This document describes a supplemental survey of staff in approximately half of the original sample of 1,015 schools that participated in the base year survey of the High School and Beyond Survey (HSB). The survey was designed to obtain measures of school goals and processes that effective schools literature indicates are important in achieving…

This self-assessment guide pinpoints critical elements which a Los Angeles, California, senior high school principal must consider when evaluating how well his or her school is achieving a productive and positive educational environment. The guide is organized into the following parts: (1) a list of the elements critical to an effective senior…

Describes the efforts of the staff of one urban high school in Mississippi to develop and implement a school improvement program based on a school effectiveness model. (FL)

New provisions in Title I, the federal government's largest elementary and secondary school program, encourage greater use of funds in high-poverty secondary schools. This handbook is the second of a two-volume series designed to support the implementation of the new Title I legislation. The volume illustrates how 13 middle and high schools have…

Over a two-year period Hinsdale South High School (Chicago, Illinois) has successfully mainstreamed 59 hearing impaired students into such courses as English, mathematics, science, physical education, and business education. Program components include admission criteria, a Coordinator of Mainstreamed Support Services, counseling, interpreters,…

This document describes the High Schools That Work (HSTW) program. HSTW, created by the Southern Regional Education Board, presents a school-reform design that encompasses goals, key practices, and key conditions for setting higher standards and accelerating learning. The HSTW model integrates college-preparatory studies with quality…