How do some high schools produce graduates that consistently achieve at high levels? Would you believe there's a set of proven strategies that could help you deliver similar impressive results and better prepare students for the world after high school? High schools in the United States face a startling reality: many graduates are unprepared for…

To engage all learners, schools must offer career-pathway courses that combine academics and deeper learning. Gene Bottoms, until recently head of the Southern Regional Education Board, describes a transformation he believes must happen in US high schools--adopting curriculums that include intellectual rigor in career and technical education (CTE)…

Literacy is the foundation for success in school and society. An essential goal of every school is to help every student read, write and think critically. Dedicated teachers are the catalyst for reaching this goal. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) developed a literacy professional learning model to better support these dedicated…

Recent studies make one reality clear: While multiple factors can cause a low-performing high school to be in a turnaround situation, every high school that makes dramatic academic improvement has strong, effective school leadership. Turning a school around is no work for novices. It takes a skilled, visionary and proactive principal to pull apart…

In 2005 and 2006, the "High Schools That Work" ("HSTW") program of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the College and Career Transitions Initiative of the League for Innovation in the Community College (League) facilitated a series of 15 state-level forums aimed at identifying ways to foster collaboration between secondary and…

Students who successfully complete grade nine are substantially more likely to graduate from high school than are students who fail the freshman year. However, many middle grades students are not academically prepared for ninth grade. This report addresses five questions that can help school leaders ensure that middle grades students know the…

This document is an important companion to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) report "Getting Serious About High School Graduation." Together, they make powerful statements to policymakers and education leaders about the problems in high schools and what can be done to fix them. Teachers, policymakers, and parents have long agreed that…

In 2000 and again in 2001, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) conducted an audit of course-taking patterns by a total of 4,244 graduating seniors from 51 rural high schools in 12 states. Each school provided data on a random sample of 100 seniors, including special needs students unless they required accommodation for participation in…

One in four American students does not graduate from high school on time, if at all. Many of these young people blame schoolwork that failed to challenge them and assignments that meant nothing in their lives. More surprising are the large numbers of students who graduate from high school and enter college but do not receive a degree. They drop…

The new vision for the 21st century is reflected in ACTE's recent position paper on strengthening the American high school through career and technical education. Teachers and administrators are encouraged to continue raising students' academic achievements and their high school completion rates. However, the way the American high school is…

Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB's) "High Schools That Work" ("HSTW") initiative works with more than 1,100 schools in 30 states and the District of Columbia to improve school and classroom practices and prepare more students for success in postsecondary studies, advanced training and careers. Forty-nine Arkansas…

In 1987, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and 13 Southern states formed the SREB-State Career/Technical Education Consortium and established two goals. One goal is to increase the percentages of career-oriented students who complete a planned sequence of career/technical (CT) courses and a challenging academic core in English/language…

This booklet focuses on strategies for providing curriculum content that is connected to real-life applications of knowledge and skills. It claims that authenticity exists on a continuum and content should not be seen as either completely authentic or as divorced from reality. It outlines the importance of authentic learning experiences, such as…

Principals can profoundly influence student achievement by leading school change, but they cannot turn schools around by themselves. District leaders need to create working conditions that support and encourage change for improved achievement, rather than hindering principals' abilities to lead change. This report includes principals' perceptions…

The primary objective of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) "High Schools That Work" ("HSTW") is to help schools improve so more students can reach their full potential. The "HSTW" Follow-up Study of 2004 Graduates is one measure that gauges how well schools have prepared their students for college and careers. Students' reflections on…