These are pivotal times for folks in the “high school space.” By calling for all Americans to commit to at least a year of postsecondary education or training, and for more people to finish college, the Obama administration has ratcheted up the stakes for high school improvement. And high school improvement--at scale--has shown itself to be one of the tougher nuts to crack. But it’s getting a lot of attention, especially as the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act draws near.
In just the last few weeks, I’ve attended a variety of gatherings where policymakers and educators are discussing how high school needs to change to serve adolescents better. What will it take to put college and career readiness at the heart of state accountability systems? What sorts of assessments do we need to make sure that students are learning all that they really need? In a fast-changing world, can we even agree on what teenagers really need to know?
That’s why I’ll be writing about the world of high school and beyond in this blog. What are folks doing that helps kids move into and through high school so that they really are ready for whatever comes next? What are policymakers thinking of doing to make high schools what they should be for all students?
I welcome you to read with a caring, critical eye, and to chime in heartily and often. I look forward to exploring the “high school space” with you.