A Vision for Reform: Join Academic and Career Studies to Promote Powerful Learning

SouthernRegionalEducationBoard

HSTWA Vision for School Reform

A Vision for Reform:Join Academic and Career Studies to

Promote Powerful Learning

Skills for Success in the 21st Century

Crafting a New Vision 2



Goals of State Standards, Assessment and Accountability:

Raise the level of education for all students.

Increase all students’ achievement. Prepare students for college and careers. Prepare students to compete in a global

economy – flat world.




Why craft a vision for high school that goes beyond standards,

assessment and accountability?

Students learn differently and at different rates.

Holding students back fails to raise achievement and graduation rates.

Students must see meaning and purpose in their studies.




Make fundamental changes in how students are taught.

Create optional programs of study that join challenging academic and technical studies.

What can middle schools and high schools do to graduate more students and graduate

them college- and career-ready?




career academies career majors magnet schools small learning communities with a

career focus dual credit with postsecondary

institutions technical high schools shared-time technology centers

Offer multiple programs of study through a variety of school structures:




Should optional programs of study require most students to

complete a solid academic core?

Yes!How many CT students at HSTW schools completed the HSTW-recommended academic core in 2008?

48%




HSTW-Recommended Curriculum Four college-prep English credits Four mathematics credits,

including Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II and above

Three college-prep science credits




How many CT students meet college and career

readiness when they complete the HSTW-

recommended curriculum?




Percentages of CT Students Completing the HSTW-Recommended Curriculum

and Meeting Readiness Goals

Career Cluster Reading MathAgriculture 70% 75%Business 60 70STEM 70 83Health Sciences 66 73Hospitality 54 59Manufacturing and Transportation 48 62

Source: HSTW Assessment




How many students in CT courses meet college- and

career-readiness goals without completing HSTW-recommended curriculum?




Percentages of CT Graduates Meeting Readiness Goals without Completing the HSTW-Recommended Curriculum

Career Cluster Reading MathAgriculture 38% 44%

Business 39 45

STEM 45 55Health Sciences 40 39Hospitality 36 35Manufacturing and Transportation 35 44





Yes, when we:

Infuse academic content into CT courses and incorporate authentic assignments into academic courses.

Make greater use of internships, projects and problem-based learning.

Connect abstract academic content to authentic work in a particular career to foster greater effort from unmotivated students.

Are we giving students experiencesthat connect literacy and mathematics to careers?




Percentages of CT Students Experiencing an Intensive Instructional Emphasis on Literacy and Mathematics


15%

14%

20%

24%

20%

12%

Manufacturing/Transport.

Hospitality

Health Sciences

STEM

Business

Agriculture




Percentages of CT Students Meeting Readiness Goals When Experiencing HSTW-

Recommended Academic Core and CT Studies with Embedded Academics


85%

80%

89%

78%

62%

70%55%

56%

65%

76%

69%

72%

15%

6%

13%

13%

11%

13%


Hospitality

Business

STEM

Health Sciences

Agriculture




Students need to gain a depth of understanding,

not just cover the material.




critical thinking and problem-solving skills

oral and written communication skills teamwork and collaboration doing quality work timely and redoing

it until it meets standards using technology to complete

assignments

Deeper understanding occurs when high schools and middle grades schools provide learning and assignments that emphasize:




Good CT Instruction Can Foster 21st Century Skills

trouble-shooting and problem-solving skills use of research skills to collect and organize

information into a work plan use of mathematics to support decision-

making and planning use of writing to aid learning and to complete

tasks communication and interaction with adults

outside the school a setting where students experiment, invent,

design and construct




Are CT students receiving 21st century assignments,

and does it matter?




Gains in Number of CT Students Per 100 Meeting Readiness Goals Who Experienced

21st Century Assignments


8

9

10

13

10

15


Hospitality

Health Sciences

STEM

Business

Agriculture




Yes, when:

Adults believe that, given the right environment, most students can master complex academic and technical skills.

Schools do not differentiate programs of study as “heads-on” work for some and “hands-on” for others.

Schools provide additional time and support.

Are students receiving the extra help they need to meet college- and

career-readiness standards?




Gains in Number of CT Students Per 100 Meeting Readiness Goals Who Received Extra Help and Support


6

3

5

7

5

8


Hospitality

Health Sciences

STEM

Business

Agriculture




Help students set tentative educational and career goals.

Have students choose a program of study based on interest and not on past achievement.

View initial student choices as exploratory and accommodate revised decisions.

Provide students the assistance and support to succeed.

How can advisers or mentors help students?




Average Gain in Number of CT Students Per 100 Meeting Readiness Goals Who Were Connected to an Adviser/Mentor


5

3

3

5

4

8


Hospitality

Health Sciences

STEM

Business

Agriculture




What action can schools take to help more students graduate from high school and graduate college- and

career-ready?




1. Create optional programs of study that lead to employer certification, an

associate’s degree or a bachelor degree.

Solid academic core Sequence of CT courses

aligned college- and career-readiness standards

Project-based learning Mentors and extra support




Apprenticeships and work-based learning

Web-based instruction Redesigned CT courses that

blend academic and technical content

Employer certification exams

2. Recognize that academic learning happens in different ways and settings.




3. Align CT curricula to essential college- and career-readiness

standards. Identify most essential standards.Orient academic and CT faculty to

standards. Invest in planning time to develop

embedded assignments.Create classroom assessments.Train all teachers on research-

based literacy strategies.




4. Schools can improve quality of instruction in academic and

CT classrooms. Train teachers on project- and problem-

based learning. Create organizational structures and

schedules that enable cross-discipline planning.

Develop a strong induction and coaching system for new teachers.

Create a school leadership team that focuses on continuous improvement.




5. Schools can improve transition and can give support to assist students to

meet college- and career-readiness standards.

Have more students leave grade eight ready for high school.

Redesign the ninth grade. Provide a system of extra help. Make success the option, not

failure. Connect students to an adult and

to a goal.




A copy of this PowerPoint can be downloaded from the SREB

Web sitewww.sreb.org

High Schools That WorkPublications and Materials

Special PowerPoint Presentations

http://www.sreb.org/

Documents

A Vision for Reform: Join Academic and Career Studies to Promote Powerful Learning