PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM

Submitted By: Lateefah A. Durant

ABSTRACT

All are alarmed by this nation’s high dropout rates and low academic achievement of many of our

high school students. Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is engaged in Secondary School

Reform (SSR) to transform the educational experience of all PGCPS middle and high school students to

ensure they are provided with the skills and competencies to compete in the 21st century. My capstone

paper will discuss PGCPS’ model for Secondary School Reform, approach for stakeholder engagement,

and plan for implementation.

INTRODUCTION

PGCPS is located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and has approximately 128,000

students located in 200 schools. About 70,000 of these students are in grades 6-12. PGCPS is the 2nd

largest district in the State of Maryland and the 18th largest in the nation. The District has about 18,000

employees, which includes 9,000 teachers.

To achieve our goal to graduate 100% of students college and career ready, PGCPS is

undertaking Secondary School Reform (SSR).

SITUATION

Most secondary schools in the United States are not meeting their goal to educate all students. For every

100 students in the US who begin ninth grade, only 67 will finish high school. 1 This number is even

lower for African-American and Hispanic students. Low-income students, African American and Latino

students under-perform on most standardized academic achievement tests and are at a higher risk of

failing to graduate from high school (Balfanz and Legters, 2004). Unless there are substantial reforms in

the educational process for middle and high school students, many students will not achieve their

academic potential and are at risk of leaving before graduating.

1
College Ed, Creating a College-Going Culture Guide, p. 2.
PGCPS TRANSITION FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL

Findings from a District conducted study of PGCPS ninth-graders indicate that the majority of the

district’s ninth grade students experience serious adjustment problems. Before beginning high school,

only about one-half of ninth graders were proficient in reading and approximately 35% were proficient in

mathematics as measured by the Maryland State Assessment (MSA) for eighth graders (PGCPS, Ninth-

Grade Performance—SY2007-2008, August 2008, page 1).

Too many PGCPS students begin high school without adequate academic preparation, and thus

struggle academically throughout their freshman year. By the end of SY2007-2008, only 75% of ninth

graders fulfilled requirements for promotion to tenth grade. Approximately 47% of the district’s ninth

grade students received at least one failing grade. Only 45% of ninth graders fulfilled the Algebra 1

requirement for graduation.

PGCPS HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT

State High School Assessments (HSA)

PGCPS’ performance on the Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) demonstrates that our

high school students are experiencing difficulties in passing required academic achievement exams. The

2009 HSA passing rates for all twelfth grade students in the State of Maryland were: Biology (85.5%),

Algebra/Data Analysis (88.8%), Government (93.2%) and English (86.6%). The 2009 HSA passing rates

for all PGCPS twelfth grade students were lower for each subject area: Biology (67.8%), Algebra/Data

Analysis (74.7%), Government (84.8%) and English (80.5%).

SAT Performance

Similarly, PGCPS’ student performance on the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) significantly

lags behind state and national levels. In 2009, PGCPS’ mean scholastic achievement test (SAT) scores

were: 432 (critical reading), 425 (math); 433 (writing) and 1,296 (total score) in comparison to the State

3
of Maryland mean scores of: 500 (critical reading), 502 (math); 495 (writing) and 1,495 (combined) and

national mean scores of: 501 (critical reading), 515 (math), 493 (writing) and 1,509 (combined).

Advanced Placement (AP) Performance

The district has seen a steady increase in the number of students taking one or more AP exams

since SY2006. In SY2006, 2,456 PGCPS students took one or more AP exams. In SY2009, 4,840 PGCPS

students took one or more AP exams. This represents a 97.1% increase from SY2006 to SY2009.

Similarly, there has been a marked increase in the number of AP exams taken by PGCPS students.

Unfortunately, performance on AP exams has not been as pronounced. In SY2006, 41.l9% of the

students passed AP exams with a score of three or greater. In SY2009, only 25.1% of PGCPS students

passed their AP exams with a score of three or greater. The mean AP score also declined from 2.34 in

SY2006 to 1.89 in SY2009. The district remains challenged to increase: AP course enrollment, the

number of students taking one or more AP exams, and the number of students scoring three or higher on

AP exams.

NATIONAL WORK ON SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM

In order for our students to be college ready they must be prepared to gain admission and

succeed, without remediation, in credit-bearing courses at a two-year or four-year postsecondary

institution, trade school, or technical school. 2 Furthermore, research tells us, a rigorous high school

curriculum is the greatest predictor of college completion regardless of socioeconomic status or race. 3 At

PGCPS, our Secondary School Reform focus is on increasing student participation in rigorous

coursework as evidenced by participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate

2
ACT, Rigor at Risk: Reaffirming Quality in the High School Core Curriculum, 2007, p. 5.
3
SLC E-News, February, 2008, p.2.

4
(IB) courses. When we prepare our students to be college ready, we are also preparing them to be

workforce ready. 4

While several districts have taken on the work of reforming their secondary schools, three

districts in particular have informed the work at PGCPS – District of Columbia Public Schools, Miami-

Dade Public Schools, and Chicago Public Schools. District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) began

working on secondary school reform about the same time as PGCPS. Our districts are now acting as

thought partners on this work and have regularly scheduled opportunities to discuss implementation,

lessons learned, and provide feedback. Miami-Dade adopted the Advocacy Framework Model developed

by the National High School Alliance (2005) that identifies six core principles to foster high academic

achievement. These principles are: Personalized Learning Environments, Academic Engagement for All

Students, Empowered Educators, Accountable Leaders, Engaged Community and Youth, and an

Integrated System of High Standards, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment and Support. (See Appendix

A for the Miami-Dade Secondary School Reform 5-Year Plan and Appendix B for A Call to Action

Transforming High School For All Youth) Similarly, Chicago Public Schools identified six levers of

change for secondary school reform. 5 At PGCPS, our framework for secondary school reform is to: 1)

Raise Expectations, 2) Expand Options and Opportunities, 3) Increase Student Transition Success, and; 4)

Empower our Teachers, Leaders, and Schools.

The SSR work impacts all of the District’s 128,000 students. While the work focuses on our

secondary grades (6-12), we recognize the importance of backward mapping this work to our elementary

schools. For instance, expanding enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) and International

Baccalaureate (IB) courses is a key component of SSR. However, in order for students to successfully

participate in these courses that require a significant amount of writing in their assessments, we must

address the deficiency of writing in our elementary school curriculum. Moreover, PGCPS is currently

4
The Conference Board, et.al., Are They Really Ready to Work?, p. 41.
5
Chicago’s six levers of change for secondary school reform are: 1) Increase what is expected of students by
everyone; 2) Hire, develop, and support great principals; 3) Hire, develop, and support great teachers; 4) Empower
schools as the center of change; 5) Ensure every student finds a great fit in a great school; and, 6) Prepare students to
succeed in the 9th grade.

5
revising its performance targets and Secondary School Reform is the driving factor in the development of

the student achievement metrics.

OUTCOMES AND IMPLEMENTATION

All PGCPS students will graduate from high school college or career ready. The metric for this

goal is for 100% of all students to graduate college or career ready as evidenced by all high school seniors

taking an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course and/or completing a career

certification track by SY2017. Supporting this ambitious goal are student indicators around advanced

math in middle and high schools, at least two credits of foreign language, and the completion of a long

term planning guide known as an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP). This goal assumes proficiency and

advanced performance on state exams at all grade levels.

PGCPS offers several different types of programs that include: traditional curricula, Montessori,

French Immersion, Creative and Performing Arts, and Talented and Gifted. In the future, the district

would like to continue to encourage creative programming and grade structures. This view is consistent

with the current national education agenda of innovation and experimentation. Through SSR, it is the

District’s intent to expand specialty programs and balance access across the district. The Secondary

School Reform Plan contemplates two ways to divide the district in terms of access, five (5) geographic

clusters and North/South geographic clusters. By balancing programs across five clusters, we reduce

transportation costs but increase costs as specialty programs demand higher operating, and in some cases,

facility costs. By balancing programs across the North and South, transportation costs increase, but

program costs are reduced. Under SSR, the joint goals of access and a wide range of programming must

coexist.

Middle Schools

Middle schools in Prince George’s County are configured for either grades 6-8 or grades 7 and 8.

Some middle schools contain specialty programs like creative and performing arts, the Middle Years

6
Program (MYP), and Talented and Gifted. Middle schools follow a five period block schedule allowing

for daily instruction in the content areas of language arts, math, science, and social studies. The fifth

period allows for elective courses such as physical education, music and foreign language. The five

period day limits the prescribed number of opportunities for middle school students. The SSR/system

goals call for 75% of all students leaving 8th grade with a credit in algebra and a credit in foreign

language. To achieve this goal, the current schedule will need to be adjusted to accommodate more

electives. The SSR Team plans on convening a task force during SY2010-11 to make recommendations

for a new schedule for the middle schools. Increasing the schedule from a 5 period to a 6 or 7 period day

would allow for more elective courses. This would mean more students enrolled in instrumental and

vocal music, foreign language, college readiness courses (e.g., AVID), and remediation courses. Through

SSR, expansion of the International Baccalaureate - Middle Years Program is planned for many middle

schools. While not present in every middle school, the District anticipates an expansion so that MYP

programs are balanced across the five clusters.

High Schools

Again, the Secondary School Reform initiative is driven by the goal that all students will be

college or career ready. To accomplish this, all high schools will need to offer courses and programs that

have proven track records to college and career success. Specifically, this means the expansion of

Advanced Placement (AP) courses in all high schools, the inclusion of thriving International

Baccalaureate (IB) program balanced across the 5 clusters, increased dual enrollment courses, increased

partnerships with colleges and universities, and strong Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics (STEM) programs balanced across the five clusters. Next school year (SY 2010-2011) each

high school will develop a signature program that reflects the community and school capacity and wishes.

As a result, schools will propose signature programs that are more career-oriented and lend themselves to

either a STEM or Humanities focus. The goal again would be to balance course offerings across the five

(5) clusters and to allow student choice within a cluster. Potential expansion of programs include AVID,

7
Project Lead the Way (biomed and engineering), human development, environmental sciences,

hospitality, Homeland Security, and more traditional CTE course offerings. The district plans to structure

student schedules to allow them to be both career and college ready by the end of high school.

To implement this rigorous plan, there are staffing and facility cost implications. The costs of

these changes are currently being assessed and will continue to be determined during SY2010-2011. For

instance, with expanded AP offerings, high schools will need additional classrooms and differentiated

staffing to accommodate classes with smaller class ratios. In addition, facilities will need to respond to

the signature programs developed at each school. For example, STEM themed high schools will require

additional lab space.

Avant-garde Schools

Complementing the traditional structures of elementary, middle and high schools, SSR includes

the expansion of non-traditional programs and schools. These schools would serve to fill in the gaps that

currently exist in the traditional delivery of instruction. Avant-garde programs would include schools

serving students with mental health and behavioral issues, career related programs with intense internship

opportunities, early college experiences, distance learning sites, private/public partnerships and charter

schools. In some cases, the opportunities will be provided in non-traditional settings like a college

campus or a work site such as a hospital. At this point, it is not the District’s intent to “balance” avant-

garde schools across the five clusters, as they are more entrepreneurial in nature. Rather than scale up

successful programs, the goal for avant-garde schools would be to seek new and creative programs.

CONTRIBUTION

I serve as the Program Manager for Secondary School Reform. Two key decisions I have made

to enable the outcomes of Secondary School Reform were to: 1) Focus on internal and external

communications; and, 2) Establish multiple project teams comprised of diverse participants.

8
 Communication, communication, communication has been a driving factor in this work. In

January – March 2010, we held community forums on Secondary School Reform in various parts of the

County. In March 2010, we held Secondary School Reform sessions for teachers after-school in various

high schools. In addition to receiving a SSR presentation delivered by the program manager, the

Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and/or Board Member(s) attended these meetings to

communicate the importance of the work and address stakeholder concerns. Furthermore, I have learned

that having senior district leadership participate in stakeholder meetings serves as a draw for participation.

Also during this timeframe, students, parents and community members were asked to complete an

online survey about SSR. Over 2,000 students completed this online survey. Student input will be the

next focus of our stakeholder engagement process. I have begun working with our Student Board

Member to provide more information to our students and solicit student feedback on SSR. To date, the

Student Board Member has been equipped with talking points on SSR to deliver during meetings that he

holds with students. In addition, the Student Board Member made “robo-calls” to students to encourage

them to complete the survey. Next year, we are looking at creating student focused SSR advertisements

through social networking sites and other online media.

This summer (2010), we will complete our Communications Plan for Secondary School Reform.

Also, I have hired a summer graduate school intern whose sole focus will be developing the collateral

items to the Communications Plan.

Determining the appropriate operational structure is also important for managing district

initiatives (Appendix C – SSR Organizational Chart). To implement this district initiative, a Strategy

Team was created that is comprised of key district leaders – Chief Academic Officer, Executive Director

of High Schools, an Assistant Superintendent, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Director of

Strategic Planning and Grants, Director of Special Education, and so on. While this team sets the

direction and identifies student outcomes, they have been most valuable in their ability to make executive

level decisions to move the work forward.

9
 As previously mentioned, our SSR framework is based upon 4 levers of change. Within each

lever are projects related to that particular lever. Each of these projects has a team led by a project

manager. In order to facilitate principal support and buy-in, each team has at least one principal serving

on the team.

A Parent Advisory Team has also been created to provide feedback on proposals, documents and

materials developed by the Strategy Team and serve as ambassadors for Secondary School Reform with

the parents in their buildings and in their social circles. The team is comprised of middle school and high

school Parent/Teacher Association presidents or their representatives; representatives from certain student

advocacy groups (e.g., Special Education and Talented and Gifted); and, certain parents that have

expressed concern about the SSR work.

LESSONS LEARNED

At PGCPS, during this period of reform, we are also engaged in Reductions-in-Force/layoffs,

furloughs, and diminishing departmental budgets. Nonetheless, because of the commitment of senior

leadership, the Secondary School Reform work has been able to secure planning funding for next year. In

addition, we are in the process of applying for a federal grant to support our efforts. Fortunately, due to

the support of the members of the Strategy Team, I have been able to leverage resources to move the

work forward. However, I believe greater strides could be made with a team of dedicated staff to work on

the program. For instance, DCPS has created an Office of Secondary School Transformation with

designated staff to assist with this work.

Before engaging in the work of secondary school reform, one must determine whether there is the

political will and capital to make unpopular, difficult decisions. Secondary School Reform will require a

significant shift in structures, policies, staffing and priorities. As evidenced by our framework, the key

components of secondary school reform are very similar across districts. Given limited resources, what

differs is what each district chooses to emphasize. In Miami-Dade the focus was on creating an 8 period

school day. In Chicago, the emphasis was on creating Instructional Development Systems (IDS), a

10
unified system of curricular strategies, classroom materials, assessments, professional development and

coaching. At PGCPS, the focus is on increasing student access to rigorous coursework. No matter what

the focus, without the support of the superintendent and other key district leaders, it will be difficult to

enable true reform.

As the program manager for Secondary School Reform, I have learned several lessons that I can

employ in my future work: build relationships with and garner the support of leadership, build

stakeholder support and buy-in, and have a clearly defined vision at the outset.

CONCLUSION

PGCPS is still in the early implementation stage of Secondary School Reform; therefore, there

are not quantifiable outcomes to report at this time. Nonetheless, PGCPS has defined the outcome for this

work – graduating 100% of students college and career ready as evidenced by all high school seniors

taking an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course and/or completing a career

certification track by SY2017. In addition, we have begun to put in place the policies, processes and

structures to achieve this goal and garnered the support of key stakeholders. I am hopeful that PGCPS

has a model for Secondary School Reform that will be able to inform other districts that embark on this

work.

11
 APPENDIX A:

Miami-Dade Secondary School Reform 5-Year Plan

 MI
AMI
-DADECOUNTYP UBL
ICSCHOOLS
S
ECONDARYSCHOOLREFORM 5YEARP
LAN
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary Pages 3-4

Rationale Pages 5-7

Why reform secondary schools in Miami-Dade County?

Chronological Review of Implementation Pages 8-11

Phase I - 2004-2005
Foundation Year

Phase II - 2005-2006
Design Career Academies

Phase III - 2006-2007

Implement Cohort I Schools

Phase IV - 2007-2008
Support for Cohort I Schools/Implement Cohort II Schools

Five Year Plan Pages 12-15

Phase V - 2008-2013

1
“It’s dangerous to assume too little when it comes to what our
children can accomplish. The peril comes not from the fact
that they undoubtedly will prove us wrong. The real danger is
in selling short the potential of even a single student, as that
would be an unforgivable injustice.”
Dr. Rudolph F. Crew
Superintendent of Schools
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Making the Right Assumptions about Students, 2005

2
 Executive Summary

The Secondary School Reform (SSR) Implementation Plan (approved by the Miami-Dade County
School Board on May, 10, 2006,) details the Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ roadmap for
substantively altering the educational experience of all middle and senior high school students in this
district. The compelling evidence in our examination of the latest research in secondary reform,
juxtaposed on the examination of a current course of study in our district high schools lead the
Secondary School Reform Committee to understand and support the following agreements: to ensure
rigorous preparation based on international standards and career preparation, to create personalized
instructional environments designed to engage learners for longer periods of time in real world
applications of academic concepts, and to develop and support opportunities to expand learning
through partnerships with local businesses, colleges and universities. The Plan builds on the
Secondary School Reform Framework which provided the theoretical foundation and rationale for
change.

The SSR Five Year Plan provides a review of activities conducted during Phase I and II, a report on
implementation of Phase III and IV, and a detailed plan of implementation for 2008-2013.

• Phase I - 2004-2005: Activities in this Phase focused primarily on evaluating district capacity,
researching nationally relevant literature, identifying supplementary funding sources, and
establishing systemic collaboration among stakeholders.
• Sixteen schools were awarded the United States Department of Education’s Smaller
Learning Communities Grant which provides the seed money to jumpstart the SSR
initiative at each school.
• A transition freshman course, “Tools for Success,” was developed and implemented in all
secondary schools in the Superintendent’s School Improvement Zone.
• The Secondary School Leadership Summit with over 1,000 school site educators was held
on May 23rd and 24th, 2005, spotlighting a broad range of national and state experts on
school reform.

• Phase II - 2005-2006: Activities in this Phase focused on determining the readiness and capacity
of each school site and establishing business/community support for the SSR.
• School Readiness surveys were completed by all secondary schools.
• A curriculum matrix was developed.
• A career academy framework was distributed to all high schools as a guide to the
development of academies at individual sites.
• Secondary School Reform conferences were held by regions.
• Potential community partnerships were identified.
• A District level Secondary School Reform Committee was established.
• An Individual Electronic Educational Portfolio was created.
• A plan for district-wide implementation of internships was drafted.

• Phase III - 2006-2007: A cohort of eleven high schools (Cohort I) voted to implement an eight-
period class schedule which allows for common planning for core teachers in teams/career
academies. An estimated budget of $977,851 per school funded additional teachers, ten days of
professional development, requisite materials and other pertinent costs as each school designed
and implemented career academies. Each cohort of senior high schools included middle schools
within their feeder pattern in the reform effort, although an expanded day is not implemented at the
middle school level. The reform practices for grades six through eight included: improved focus
on literacy for all students, broadened emphasis on career-path skills aligned to the feeder senior
high school, and expanded essentials of learning.

3
• Phase IV - 2007-2008: An additional nineteen high schools (Cohort II) voted to implement an
eight class schedule during this Phase bringing the total to thirty high schools in the District.
Funding per school continued at the same level as outlined in Phase III. Cohort I schools
deepened, expanded, and strengthened the implementation of their Secondary School Reform
plans. Cohort II schools began the design and implementation of their career academies. Each
cohort of senior high schools included middle schools within their feeder pattern in the reform
effort.

An evaluation study of the SSR Plan was designed in consultation with the Office of Program
Evaluation. This evaluation has been developed in order to measure the effectiveness of the SSR
Plan in the following areas: attendance, drop-out rates, FCAT scores, Honors and AP course
enrollment, ACT and SAT participation, and graduation rates.

4
 Rationale for Secondary School Reform Plan

Why reform secondary schools in Miami-Dade County?

Few institutions have a greater impact on the quality of American life than the public high school, the
foundation for adult participation in society and the workplace. Technological advances and lowered
trade barriers have paved the way for an unprecedented globalization of markets, creating intense
competition for the US economy and increasing demands for an internationally competent workforce.
As a result, it has become increasingly evident
that traditional high schools provide limited
° In the 35 largest cities, fewer than 50% of 9th graders complete
high school.
preparation for success in this new economy.
° 69% of all high school students graduate. Of those who
graduate, 53% are Hispanic; 55% are African American, 57% To address the need for better preparation and
are Native American; 76% are white; and 79% are Asian.
° More than 70% of high school students go to schools with more
to ensure America’s competitive edge in the
than 1,000 students. future, significant secondary school reform is
° An African American male born today is twice as likely to go to needed. Twenty-first century high schools must
prison than college.
° 30% of college freshmen don't make it to sophomore year, and
restructure to provide a rigorous curriculum
less than 50% receive college degrees. based on international standards and career
° 29.4% of 16-24 year old Latinos dropped out of high school in preparation, a more personalized instructional
1996, as compared to 13% of African Americans and 7.3% of
whites. environment designed to engage learners in
° 56% of young Hispanics who have not completed high school real world applications of academic concepts,
have not progressed past the ninth grade. This compares to and opportunities to expand learning through
31% of white and 27% of African-American dropouts.
° Only 35% of Hispanic high school seniors are enrolled in
partnerships with local businesses, colleges
college-preparatory programs, compared with 50% of non- and universities.
Hispanic white students.
° Fewer than 5% (4.67%) of the bachelor's degrees awarded
The National Association of Secondary School
nationwide in 1995 went to Latino/Mexican-American students,
Principals urges reform efforts that focus on
as compared to 7.5% for African Americans, and 78.7% for
European Americans. “what we must do to allow our secondary
National High School Alliance 2002
schools to graduate young people with the
skills, habits, and convictions that are
required in the rapidly changing American culture and the global workplace.” In the March 14,
2005, article “Our High School Diploma is no Bargain for Graduates,” Dr. Rudolph F. Crew,
Superintendent of Schools, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), stated:

As educators, we strike a bargain of sorts with students when they start school: Learn what your
teachers have to offer you, master the skills on the tests we measure your progress with and, when you
have, you will be ready for the rest of your lives. We’ll give you a high school diploma to signify that.
Unfortunately, as a society, we increasingly have failed to live up to our end of the deal. Students, who
do everything we ask of them, pass the exams we give them, still leave high school unprepared for
college or careers. The fact is we ask too little of our students both in terms of the academic rigor and
of the breadth of our expectations.

There are unmistakable signs that our secondary schools are falling short. When Miami-Dade County
eighth graders took part in an international comparison of math achievement five years ago, they
scored well below the international average and were sandwiched between their counterparts in
developing countries such as Iran and Indonesia. When our graduates enter Miami Dade College,
nearly three-quarters of them are placed into at least one remedial class before starting credit-bearing
courses, and more than a quarter of them need three or more remedial classes.

In a recent speech to governors and leading CEO’s, Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates, had a word to
describe schools that deliver these kinds of results – obsolete. He went on to explain he did not mean
flawed, broken or under-funded; he meant inadequately designed for the task of educating students in
this century.

5
Thus began a comprehensive plan for reforming secondary public schools in Miami-Dade County. A
number of District secondary school principals were invited to participate in a forum designed to foster
collegial interaction and introspection regarding educational environments of schools. Beyond the
existing programs within their schools, the principals involved in this think tank researched an array of
national reform models. Each of the models reviewed has significant national research to validate its
successful implementation in urban secondary schools. Additionally, several principals participated in
national conferences including the National Academy Foundation Leadership Summit in November
2004, and the USDOE Second Annual School Summit in December 2004. The principals began
discussions around the following questions:

• What initiatives or programs have been implemented in their schools which significantly
and positively impacted student learning and achievement?
• What key factors or challenges needed to be addressed?
• What resources were required to maximize their school’s attainment of high academic
achievement?

After lengthy discussions based on the principals’ individual success and intrinsic understanding of
what was required for successful implementation of school reform, the consensus was that certain
non-negotiable indicators of success should exist regardless of the reform model the District selects.
These non-negotiable indicators are: commitment to a long-term process, standardized curriculum in
core courses, collaboration/training time, effective articulation between levels, varied elective offerings
for all, flexibility in the implementation for each school, small learning communities, required freshman
transition course, and career-path academies.

Following these initial discussions, the Secondary School Reform Committee was comprised to create
a detailed conceptual framework. This expanded committee included school, Regional Center, and
District administrators. After extensive review of the literature on secondary school reform, committee
members adopted the Advocacy Framework Model developed by the National High School Alliance
(2005) because it uses high standards as the foundation for beginning the reform process. The model
identifies six core principles to foster high academic achievement which were adopted in the
Secondary School Reform Framework document approved by the Miami-Dade County School Board
on March 16, 2005. These principles are:

1. Personalized Learning Environments - Personalized learning environments support all

students’ achievement in meeting high academic standards and successful quality post-
secondary transitions by designing curriculum, support, structures, and a learning climate
focused on student needs and development.

2. Academic Engagement of All Students - Academic engagement is strengthened when

educators and students co-develop learning experiences that are relevant to political,
economic, and social dynamics at local, national, and global levels. It is crucial that curriculum
and instruction connect learning to students’ cultural and linguistics contexts, especially for
students who are most at risk for disengagement and dropping out. All students should have
access to academically rigorous and relevant curriculum and instruction. This rigorous and
relevant curriculum and instruction should engage students in disciplined inquiry, which
requires problem-solving, higher order thinking, and the capacity to construct, rather than
reproduce knowledge.

3. Empowered Educators - Communities of practice are critical mechanisms for empowering

educators and for transforming the culture of traditional, comprehensive high schools into a
personalized learning environment for all students. They are characterized by the
collaborative work of educators who continuously seek, share, and act on their learning in
order to improve their practice for the purpose of improved student outcomes. Communities of
practice help transform school culture by providing ongoing professional development and
support so that teachers can learn and apply new practices, and foster a sense of collective
responsibility for student achievement.
6
 4. Accountable Leaders - Leaders at all levels of the education system must be accountable to
the communities they serve. To foster ownership in the difficult process of transforming high
schools, stakeholders must work together to articulate a shared vision for all high school
students and to define accountability measures. Through the development of a strategic plan
designed around this common vision, leaders are held accountable for allocating resources;
establishing equitable practices and policies for all students; and for using data to monitor and
communicate student progress. Accountable leaders engage not in quick fixes, but in
transforming schools and districts into systems that are responsive to and accountable for the
success of all students.

5. Engaged Community and Youth - School leaders cannot do the hard work of high school
reform alone. All community stakeholders—parents, business, government agencies, post-
secondary institutions, and youth—are needed to articulate a shared vision for all high school
students and to establish a network of accountability that ensures progress towards achieving
the shared vision. A network of accountability functions across several dimensions.
Educators are accountable to one another as professionals and accountable to students and
their families. Students are accountable to their schools and communities. School leaders are
accountable to the community. Community stakeholders are accountable to schools. And
finally, school leaders and community stakeholders are accountable to government (National
High School Alliance, 2005).

6. Integrated System of High Standards, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and

Support - An integrated system of standards, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and
supports provides a critical foundation for high school reform. This integrated system
mandates common expectations for all students; clearly communicates parameters for
success in each successive year of school; clearly delineates parameters for successful
transition into post-secondary education and careers; and outlines how and what students will
learn, how they will be assessed, and the supports they will receive.

In an effort to transform our large, impersonal high schools, M-DCPS partnered with the National
Academy Foundation (NAF) because its research-based, career academy frameworks have proven
track records both locally and at the national level. NAF describes its academies as a place where
"students take classes around a career theme - Finance, Travel & Tourism, or Information Technology
- with the same team of teachers for two to four years. Partnerships with employers, the community,
and local colleges bring resources from outside the high school to improve student motivation and
achievement." NAF focuses its energy on curriculum and staff development, local advisory boards
that link with businesses, paid student internships, and quality assurance. NAF program sites operate
in 42 states.

7
 Chronological Review of Implementation

Phase I 2004-2005 – Foundation Year:

The first year of implementation for SSR included the work of the Principals’ Think-Tank and the
Secondary School Reform Committee and was officially launched with the Miami-Dade County School
Board approval of the SSR Framework on March 16th, 2005. Staff from Curriculum and Instruction
initiated the alignment of curriculum and assessment. Staff retreats, workshops, and meetings took
place throughout this year and a timeline for three major projects that are at the heart of school reform
was developed: a three year Literacy Plan, the redesign of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC),
and the development of District Progress Monitoring Assessments aligned to the CBC are three major
pieces that must be in place in order to facilitate the reform process for all our secondary schools.

In August 2005, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) was awarded the United States
Department of Education’s, Smaller Learning Communities Grant, Cohort 4 (2004) for $3 million over
three years (2005-2007) for six comprehensive senior high schools. The Centers for Excellence
Career Academies include the following senior high schools: American, Miami Beach, North Miami
Beach, B. T. Washington, Miami Jackson, and G. H. Braddock. In October 2005, M-DCPS was
awarded a second round of the Smaller Learning Communities Grant, Cohort 5 (2005) for $11 million
over five years (2005-2010) for ten comprehensive senior high schools: Barbara Goleman, Hialeah,
Miami Central, Miami Coral Park, Miami Springs, Miami Senior; Felix Varela, Homestead, Miami
Southridge, and Miami Sunset. These grants provided the seed money to jumpstart the SSR initiative
in each school, approximately $800,000 per school over a five-year period.

Another crucial element of the reform effort is the smooth transition of youngsters along the K-12
spectrum with particular emphasis at two critical junctures: grade 6 and grade 9. Freshman transition
activities helped to ease the difficulties students often encountered as they move from middle to high
school. Some schools placed all first-year students in their own academy or house setting,
sometimes in a separate wing or even a separate building, with extra supports from adults. In other
cases, freshman transition included mentoring from older students or special career exploration
classes designed to set the context for high school as a pathway to college and careers. To that end,
members of the Student Services Department developed a curriculum geared at empowering
youngsters with the skills necessary to make the transition into either middle or senior high school
smoother and more successful. A transition freshman course, “Tools for Success,” was implemented
by all secondary schools in the Superintendent’s School Improvement Zone.

Equipping teachers with the necessary skills to successfully implement a curriculum that is rigorous
and relevant was a critical action step in the academic engagement of all students and it is one of the
six principles in the SSR. To that end and in order to continue to align the reform effort with other
District offices, all secondary schools were asked to develop a professional development plan
addressing staff needs in this area. The professional development plans became a key element of
each school’s School Improvement Plan (SIP).

The Secondary School Leadership Summit held on May 23rd and 24th, 2005, at the Hyatt in Downtown
Miami, was the official kickoff event for the SSRI. The summit brought together a host of national and
state experts on school reform. Every middle and senior high school in the District was represented
by a Leadership Team composed of administrators, parents, and key staff members including
secondary school union stewards. Schools began the “conversation” for reform by reflecting on the
national perspective and aligning the SSR principles to their own school culture.

8
Phase II 2005-2006 – Design Career Academies:
The purpose of the first year of implementation of the Secondary School Reform Plan was to lay the
foundation for the restructuring efforts. The purpose of the second year of implementation (Phase II)
was two-pronged. First, there was a need to determine the readiness and capacity of each school
site for reform. Second, community support for the SSR had to be sought.

In order to maximize resources and ensure successful implementation of the reform effort, the Plan is
designed to include high schools in cohorts, beginning with the first set in the fall of 2006. While all
schools will initiate the majority of the reform goals such as the implementation of smaller learning
communities, increased academic rigor, and the identification of career path themes, only the schools
selected to be in Cohort I will be implementing an eight-class schedule.

All secondary schools completed a Secondary School Reform Readiness Profile, a self-assessment
tool which was used to gauge their initial readiness and capacity. The information gleaned from this
survey as well as the Secondary School Reform Roadmap, completed by all senior high schools
enabled a rank-ordered list to be developed. Potential schools for the first cohort were reviewed in
the following areas:

Organizational Structures: Recognition of graduates’ skill needs/knowledge for careers and/or

pursuit of higher education, secondary schools organized around following dimensions:
• Small Learning Communities;
• Eight period class schedule;
• Transition and articulation;
• Professional development;
• Academic engagement; and
• Academic teams.

Small Learning Communities: Specialized career-focused themes in grades ten through twelve
provided context to enrich a rigorous academic curriculum. Teachers had time to coordinate course
content and instructional strategies. Work-based learning opportunities connected classroom activities
to job shadowing, internships, and mentoring by employer-partners. College and career counseling
informed students about options for planning for work and further education. Staff had clear direction
to collect data, evaluate results, and use information to guide future planning and improve student
performance via the Continuous Improvement Model.

Eight Period Class Schedule: The additional periods allowed for:

• Collegial interaction/planning and professional development training;
• Course/credit recovery;
• Inclusion of elective programs (i.e., physical education, sixth or seventh grade essentials of
learning program, ninth grade freshman transition course, and career/technology exploration
wheels);
• Student internships and other community experiences; and
• Grade level scheduling requirements (i.e., an eight-course class schedule for freshmen and
sophomores, a six-course schedule for juniors, and a four-course class schedule for seniors).

Transition and Articulation: A standardized articulation plan in the areas of academic, personal-
social and career readiness at every level of transition (elementary/middle/senior/postsecondary) was
developed and implemented for each feeder pattern. Transition sessions implemented between
elementary and middle schools and middle and senior high schools for parents, students, and
teachers. The sessions covered the areas of academic, personal/social and career awareness and
scheduled and conducted for grade five or six students transitioning to grade six or seven, and those
students in grade eight transitioning to grade nine. Preliminary articulation experiences targeted
students a year earlier (in grade four or five and grade seven). These preliminary experiences helped
students focus their last year in elementary and middle school towards the expectations of the next
level. The current articulation process was primarily conducted in the last semester of their final year.

9
Standards-based Student Career Development Program: Benchmarks for educational,
personal/social, and citizenship skills were addressed. Activities included career planning, career
portfolios, job applications, a career fair targeting grade eight and nine students and a college fair for
grade ten and eleven students. Partnership agreements were developed with colleges, universities,
and vocational centers to offer courses, advisement, and dual enrollment opportunities.

Community Support: High School reform cannot be fully realized without broad-based buy-in from
all facets of the community. The definition of community in the M-DCPS SSR plan includes: parents,
teachers, union representatives, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA)/Parent Teacher Student
Association (PTSA), Educational Excellence School Advisory Committee (EESAC), industry leaders,
post-secondary education providers, government agencies, and intermediary organizations, including
low-income, minority populations that have been traditionally marginalized in civic and school affairs,
and the students themselves. Phase II of the SSR plan included the creation of advisory groups to
connect SSR with the various stakeholder groups.

Middle School Implementation: While the primary impetus of SSR in Phase II centered on the
senior high schools, the middle schools continued to receive information regarding the reform efforts
and their potential role within it. Along with their senior high counterparts, all middle schools were
invited to complete a readiness profile at the beginning of the school year. Using the regularly
scheduled Middle School Principals’ Liaison Committee as a vehicle for communication, all middle
schools were encouraged to:
• Institute a sixth grade foundation experience emphasizing work place literacy and academic
achievement;
• Increase availability of advanced course offerings for all students including classical literature,
foreign languages, economics, and ethics;
• Examine current implementation of the middle concept of teams for academic rigor and
effectiveness; and
• Collaborate with the feeder high school to align team-based themes with the implementation of
the career academies to strengthen articulation between levels.

Phase III 2006-2007 – Implement Cohort I Schools:

During Phase III, a cohort of eleven schools voted to implement an eight-period schedule which
allowed for common planning for core teachers on teams/career academies. This schedule provided
access to electives offered within a career academy for students who were performing below grade
level expectations, hence affording them the equity that is missing within the present scheduling
structure. This schedule provided opportunities for more students to access honors and Advanced
Placement (AP) courses, participate in dual enrollment classes, and engage in
apprenticeship/internship activities.

2006-2007 Accomplishments:
• All ninth grade students were assigned to teams. These teams were composed of four core
academic teachers who worked cooperatively in the development and delivery of a relevant,
rigorous curriculum. Team teachers met during common planning time to coordinate
assignment/project timelines in order to avoid conflicts, discuss student work, develop and
implement progress monitoring, develop thematic units which integrated curricula, and share
best practices.
• All ninth grade students enrolled in a transition course during the freshman year. The purpose
of this class was to familiarize students with their new setting. Course objectives addressed,
among numerous other topics, study and organizational skills, career exploration of academy
strands offered at the school, goal setting, time management, conflict resolution techniques,
financial planning, and expectations for appropriate behavior.
• Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students were assigned to a career pathway/academy.
These career academies/pathways were scheduled as Small Learning Communities (SLC)
within the school and included core teachers who shared common planning in order to
facilitate collaboration in the development of thematic units that integrate curricula career
themes. The schools partnered with a cohort of local businesses worked cooperatively with
10
 staff in building the capacity at each site to create apprenticeship/internship opportunities for
students.
• Staff was actively engaged in professional development activities in the areas of: time
utilization, explicit instruction, curriculum mapping, literacy integration, how to build-up
academic vocabulary, development of rigorous and relevant curriculum, development of
thematic units, writing across the curriculum, content based inquiry skills, career academies,
how to teach in a block, and infusion of high order thinking skills.
• A detailed plan was developed cooperatively by key personnel in the Office of Curriculum and
Instruction; School Improvement; and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Grants,
Marketing, and Community Services to implement and monitor a district-wide internship
program that began in the 2006-2007 school year. In the first year of implementation, eligible
seniors in Cohort 1 schools were provided with the opportunity to access an eighteen week
internship experience. A total of 311 seniors participated in the Career Experience
Opportunity (CEO) internship.
• In order to establish collaboration among the various district offices and support SSR
implementation, an Implementation Task Force was created. Representatives from all
Curriculum and Instruction offices, as well as School Operations, Professional Development,
and Intergovernmental Affairs, Grants, Marketing, and Community Service were asked to
select staff to attend the monthly SSR Task Force meetings.

Phase IV – 2007-2008: Support Cohort I Schools and Implement Cohort II Schools:

During Phase IV, an additional cohort of 19 schools voted to implement an eight period schedule bringing
the total to 30 high schools. This schedule provided access to electives offered within a career
academy for students who were performing below grade level expectations, hence affording them the
equity that is missing within the present scheduling structure. This schedule provided opportunities
for more students to access honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, participate in dual
enrollment classes, and engage in apprenticeship/internship activities.

2007-2008 Accomplishments:
• In collaboration with staff from the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Grants, Marketing, and
Community Service and the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), an on-line tool
was created to facilitate the matching of students to available internship opportunities provided
by certified businesses.
• In order to provide sustained support to selected SSR principals, several retired M-DCPS
administrators were trained to be SSR Professional Partners. These Professional Partners
meet often throughout the school year with principals and their SSR design teams.
• Articulation meetings with local post-secondary institutions have been conducted. The
purpose of these meetings is to establish a smooth transition for students from their academy
courses to their post-secondary education.
• An SSR website was unveiled that includes pertinent and relevant information about all
aspects of school reform. All stakeholders can access this website at
http://ssr.dadeschools.net.
• Professional development activities during this year focused on the development of
professional learning communities, project based learning, and academy development.
• An evaluation plan has been designed to measure the effectiveness of the SSR Initiative. The
following data elements will be collected and analyzed: attendance rates; drop-out rates;
percentage of students meeting high levels of performance standards in the reading, writing,
mathematics and science portions of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT);
student participation in honors and AP courses; student participation in SAT and ACT testing
programs; parent perception; student participation in internship, dual enrollment, and
apprenticeship experiences; and the documented growth by every school on the implementation of
the six core principles.

11
 Phase V – 2008-2013: Five Year Plan

Integrated Curriculum
Defined: An integrated system of high standards, cross-curricula planning, and innovative and effective instructional practices provide the critical foundation for
high school reform.
2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013
Ninth Grade Continue to monitor that schools implement the following:
Transition Academy ƒ All ninth students placed on teams with a cohort of common core teachers;
ƒ Freshmen Transition course/curriculum is implemented;
ƒ Teachers plan collaboratively, interdisciplinary units;
ƒ Common planning time provided for teachers during or after school;
ƒ Teachers imbed agreed upon competencies and skills;
ƒ Counselor(s) and an administrator assigned to Ninth Grade Transition Academy;
ƒ Teachers and support staff work collaboratively to personalize learning environment; and
ƒ Ninth grade students complete a personalized four year plan.

Tenth through Year of Academy Planning
Twelfth Grade ƒ Finalize Academies and strands and
programs within each Academy.
Career Academies ƒ Clarify Role of Academy Lead
Teachers.
ƒ Provide suggested Essential
Competencies and Skills to
incorporate in all Academies.
ƒ In collaboration with the Office of
Career Technical Education, provide
support with regard to implementing
industry certification opportunities.
Project-Based Year of Preparation and Planning
Learning and ƒ Provide schools with common criteria
and recommended guidelines.
Service Learning
Capstone Projects Year of Preparation and Planning
ƒ Provide schools with common criteria
and recommended guidelines.
Monitor that schools implement the Continue to monitor that schools are
following: implementing Wall-to-Wall Career
ƒ Teacher developed Academies.
interdisciplinary units aligned to
Academy themes.
ƒ Students are scheduled, where
possible, around common core
teachers and/or Academy
teachers.
ƒ Common planning time is
provided during or after school
day.
ƒ
Schools begin implementation of project- Monitor that schools implement
based learning and service learning. project-based learning and service
learning within their Academies.
Schools begin Implementation with tenth Monitor that schools continue
grade students. implementation of Capstone Projects
through senior year presentations.

Professional Continue to support CFG/PLC coaches’ work Continue to train additional CFG/PLC coaches at each school site and continue to
Learning at school sites within design and academy provide support as they implement the use of PLC/CFG protocols throughout their
teams. schools.
Communities/Critical
Friends Groups

12
Professional Development
Defined: Providing extensive professional development aligned to the Six Core Principles of Secondary School Reform is essential in order for administrators,
design teams, academy lead teachers, and classroom teachers to be able to plan, implement, assess, and improve their school’s reform plan.
2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013
Professional In collaboration with the Office of Schools of Choice/SLC Grants and the National Academy Foundation, provide on-going
Development Professional Development in the following areas:
ƒ Philosophy of Small Learning Communities
Provided ƒ Implementation of the Six Core Principles of Secondary School Reform
ƒ Academy Development
ƒ Capstone Projects
ƒ Project-Based Learning
ƒ Service Learning
ƒ Professional Learning Communities/Critical Friends Groups

Cadre of School Site In order to build capacity and Continue district provided professional development to the Cadres of School Site Trainers in
Trainers academic leadership at school order to strengthen and deepen the ability of schools to build capacity within their school sites as
sites, schools will form cadres of well as provide professional development at each school site.
school site trainers who will
attend district provided
professional development related
to the area(s) that they oversee
or are involved in. They will then
provide appropriate PD and
support for their staff.

Secondary School Each year complete the following:

Reform Professional ƒ Train additional SSR Professional Partners
ƒ Meet quarterly with SSR Professional Partners.
Partners ƒ Include SSR Professional Partners in school site visitations.

13
Community/Business Partnership
Defined: The purpose of the internship program is to offer opportunities for extended learning in real world applications.
2008-2009
Internship Create strategic plan for
Career Academy internship
implementation.
Create and implement plan to
train 30 SSR schools on how
to use and maximize
Clearinghouse online tool.
Advisory Boards Create district-wide Career
Academy Advisory Board
Strategic Plan to strengthen
existing Advisory Boards and
create new Advisory Boards.
Post Secondary Coordinate meetings with all
Articulation MDC and FIU campuses to
articulate Diploma Options
and SSR Plan.
2009-2010
Implement strategic plan for Career
Academy internships.
Revise with best practices.
Continue to assist schools to
maximize use of the Clearinghouse
online tool.
Implement district-wide Career
Academy Advisory Board Strategic
Plan.
Revise with best practices.
Coordinate meetings with central
Florida colleges and universities
campuses to articulate Diploma
Options and SSR Plan.
14
2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013
Implement strategic plan for Career Academy internships.
Continue to assist schools to maximize the use of the
Clearinghouse online tool.
Implement district-wide Career Academy Advisory Board
Strategic Plan to add one Advisory Board aligned to a high
demand career cluster.
Coordinate meetings Continue to collaborate with Florida
with north Florida colleges and universities to support
campuses to the transition of MDCPS students to
articulate Diploma post secondary educational
Options and SSR institutions.
Plan.
Evaluation and Assessment
Defined: In order to assess the effectiveness of Secondary School Reform and the implementation of an eight class schedule as well as provide SSR
administrators and design teams with effective and useful feedback, on going school site visits and an evaluation study will be conducted.
2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013
Rubric for Six Core Provide appropriate Continue to use the rubric for implementation of the Six Core Principles with school design teams in order that
Principles school staff with they deepen and improve the implementation of their school’s reform plan. Continue to provide appropriate
rubric for and cogent feedback to the SSR design teams based on the information gathered from the rubric.
implementation of
the Six Core
Principles.

Instruct selected
school staff how to
use rubric as a self-
evaluation tool.

School Site Set up school site visits with staff from District and Regional offices, SSR Professional Partners, and staff from the National Academy
Visitations Foundation.

Use rubric for Six Core Principles as assessment tool.

Provide schools with feedback and suggestions for improving and deepening implementation activities and practices.

Four Year Study of Implement evaluation study developed by the Office or Program Evaluation on the impact of Secondary Provide written
Secondary School School Reform on high schools implementing an eight period schedule. report of findings to
all stakeholder
Reform groups.

15
 APPENDIX B:

A Call to Action Transforming High School For All Youth

NATIONALHIGHSCHOOL

A CALL TO
ACTION
Transforming High
School for All Youth

WASHINGTON, DC

A L L I A N C E
A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 1
 A CALL TO
ACTION
Transforming High
School for All Youth

This report is made possible with primary support from the

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Carnegie Corporation of New York

WASHINGTON, DC
 The Vision of the National High School Alliance
A nationwide commitment to fostering high academic achievement, closing the
achievement gap, and promoting civic and personal growth among all youth in the
nation’s high schools and communities.

The Mission of the National High School Alliance

To work collectively in shaping policy, practice, and research by mobilizing the
resources, knowledge, and capacity of individuals and organizations and by promot-
ing public engagement that fosters high academic achievement, closes the achieve-
ment gap, and promotes civic and personal growth.

Contact and Ordering Information

For further information, contact Naomi G. Housman, Director of the National
High School Alliance.

Copies of this report are available for free and may also be downloaded from
the HS Alliance Web site. To order copies, write, fax, e-mail, or mail requests to:

The National High School Alliance

c/o The Institute for Educational Leadership
4455 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 822-8405
Fax: (202) 872-4050
E-mail: hsalliance@iel.org

Please visit our Web site at http://www.hsalliance.org to learn more about the
National High School Alliance.

© April 2005 by the Institute of Educational Leadership, Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced in any way without the express
written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 0-937846-03-1

2 A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH

 Introduction

T
he National High School Alliance is a partnership of
leading national organizations, working both individually
and collectively, to realize a nationwide commitment to
their shared vision of fostering high academic achievement, closing
the achievement gap, and promoting civic and personal growth
among all high-school-age youth in our high schools and commu-
nities. The National High School Alliance helps the partners real-
ize their commitment by serving as a vehicle for mobilizing re-
sources, networks, knowledge and capacity. As a forum for profes-
sional discourse and collaborative effort, the National High School
Alliance creates new space in which strategies for promoting
change can emerge and be mobilized through partner networks.

The National High School Alliance has produced this

document, A Call to Action: Transforming High School for All
Youth, to provide leaders at the national, state, district, school, and
community levels with a common framework around which to
engage a diverse cross-section of stakeholders in the hard work of
transforming high schools for all youth.

A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 1

 CORE PRINCIPLES

Personalized Learning Environments

Academic Engagement of All Students
Empowered Educators
Accountable Leaders
Engaged Community and Youth
Integrated System of High Standards, Curriculum
Instruction, Assessments, and Supports

To create deep and lasting change, all six core principles

must be addressed. The principles are interdependent
and must function as part of a comprehensive plan
focused on ensuring that all students are ready for
college, careers, and active civic participation.

2 A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH

 A Call To Action

I
n A Call to Action: Transforming High School for All Youth, the
National High School Alliance identifies six core principles
and recommended strategies that will foster high academic
achievement, close the achievement gap, and promote civic and per-
sonal growth among all high-school-age youth in our high schools
and communities. At the center of the framework is the Alliance’s
belief that the purpose of high school is to ensure that all high-school-
age students are ready for college, careers, and active civic participation.

A Call To Action represents the collective knowledge of the National High School
Alliance partners. It is designed to provide policymakers, practitioners, researchers,
and the general public with a framework for guiding the complex process of trans-
forming the traditional, comprehensive high school. A central premise of A Call to
Action is that deep and lasting change requires a systemic approach. High schools
and districts cannot do this work alone: they need engaged and invested families,
business communities, and policymakers who are committed to ensuring that all
students have access to the resources and supports they need. A Call to Action
provides a common framework around which leaders and stake-holders at all levels
can jointly plan, implement, assess, and continually improve policy systems and
practices that incorporate, connect, and align the best of both bottom-up (school
and community-based) and top-down (state and federal policy-based) solutions.

Core Principles
The National High School Alliance believes that there is no one-size-fits-all model
that will be effective and sustainable in all contexts. Thus, A Call To Action provides a set of
core principles around which a broad range of context-specific designs and strategies
can be interpreted to meet local needs. These principles, however, are non-negotiable.
To create deep and lasting change, all six core principles must be addressed. The prin-
ciples are interdependent and must function as part of a comprehensive plan focused on
ensuring that all students are ready for college, careers, and active civic participation.

Recommended Strategies
For each core principle in A Call To Action, specific strategies are recommended. The
strategies represent the partners’ research- and implementation-based knowledge of
the effective policies and practices that drive the transformation of high schools.

A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 3

 Principles and S trategies
To Transform High Schools for A ll Youth

A
comprehensive plan to transform high school for all
youth addresses each of the six, interdependent Core
Principles in ways that meet the context-specific needs of
each state, district, school and community in their efforts to ensure
that all students are ready for college, careers, and active civic
participation. The central ideas of each principle are described below,
followed by a set of Recommended Strategies for developing effective
policies and practices that drive the transformation of high schools.

Personalized Learning Environments

Personalized learning environments support all students’ achievement

in meeting high academic standards and successful quality post-
secondary transitions by designing curriculum, supports, structures, and a learning
climate focused on student needs and development. A personalized environment is
characterized by the following: an academically rigorous curriculum; instruction
that is relevant to real-world contexts and that builds upon student and community
assets; a network of adults who work together and with students to access the
necessary academic and social resources; interactions among and between adults and
students defined by trust, respect, open communication, and clear, shared expecta-
tions; and a safe and welcoming climate.

Though research indicates that positive and supportive relationships with

adults are highly motivating for high-school-age youth, and are necessary features of
a successful learning environment, the structures and norms of the traditional high
school mitigate against such supportive relationships. The large size of high schools
has been identified as one of the key obstacles to personalization. While restructur-
ing for “smallness” is not a panacea, doing so creates conditions in which key
attributes of a personalized learning environment can operate. Creating a personal-
ized learning environment for each student—one that recognizes the link between
supportive relationships and high academic achievement—presents a significant
challenge to existing school structures and ingrained habits of interaction. Thus,

4 A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH

personalization for all students in all high schools requires that supports, policies,
and investments be coordinated at a systemic level.

Recommended Strategies:
♦ Structure school size and schedules so that all students and all teachers are
in small learning environments—ideally, 400 students or less in a
9-12 high school
♦ Develop academically rigorous curricula that meet or exceed standards, are
relevant to real-world contexts, and build on student and community assets
♦ Build capacity of teachers to identify the needs of—and provide appropri-
ate supports and accommodations for—multiple student populations
♦ Establish teacher teaming and looping structures
♦ Develop a personal learning plan for each student
♦ Work across the school system to address student needs at critical transi-
tions, in particular the transition from the middle grades to high school and
from high school to post-secondary education
♦ Identify an advocate/advisor for each student and their family
♦ Involve students in decision-making about their academic development
♦ Build student capacity and provide opportunities for students to exercise
leadership and civic engagement

Academic Engagement of All Students

Academic engagement is strengthened when educators and students

co-construct learning experiences that are relevant to economic,
social, and political dynamics at local, national, and global levels. It is also vital,
particularly for students who are most at risk for disengagement and dropping out,
that curriculum and instruction value and connect learning to students’ cultural and
linguistic contexts. Academic engagement is also fostered through networks of
adults who actively connect students with resources, guidance, and information
needed to make decisions about course-taking, post-secondary education, and career
pathways. Low-level courses and general or non-academic tracks—which are
common in traditional, comprehensive high schools—foster and deepen student
disengagement. To reverse this trend, low-level courses and non-academic tracks
should be eliminated so that all students have access to academically rigorous and
relevant curriculum and instruction. Students should be engaged in disciplined
inquiry, which requires problem-solving, higher-order thinking, and the capacity to
construct, rather than merely reproducing knowledge.

A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 5

 Recommended Strategies:
♦ Engage all students in a rigorous, standards-based core academic curriculum
♦ Emphasize project-based learning and other engaging, inquiry-based
teaching methods that provide opportunities for students to master aca-
demic content, learn workforce skills, and develop personal strengths
♦ Eliminate non-academically rigorous courses and tracks
♦ Differentiate instruction and provide supports that meet the varied learning
needs of multiple student populations
♦ Connect curriculum to real-world contexts that build upon student and
community resources
♦ Provide individualized guidance, information, and resources on career
pathways and opportunities for participating in workplace-based learning
♦ Structure schedules for extended/flexible instructional time blocks
♦ Use multiple measures to assess student outcomes, including performance-
based assessments

Empowered Educators

Communities of practice are critical mechanisms for empowering

educators and for transforming the culture of traditional, comprehen-
sive high schools into a personalized learning environment for all students. They are
characterized by the collaborative work of educators who continuously seek, share,
and act on their learning in order to improve their practice for the purpose of
improved student outcomes. Communities of practice help transform school culture
by providing ongoing, job-embedded professional development and support, which
teachers need to learn and apply new practices, and by fostering a sense of collective
responsibility for all students’ achievement. Communities of practice are most likely
to emerge in smaller schools, which are typically designed with a communal, rather
than bureaucratic, decision-making structure.

Recommended Strategies:
♦ Schedule common planning time for collaborative development of curricu-
lum and instruction, assessment of student work, and analysis of student
performance data
♦ Build educators’ capacity to use data and research to inform instructional
practice and to guide professional learning priorities and needs
♦ Empower instructional staff with authority to define professional develop-
ment needs and to make decisions about curriculum, teaching methods,
and classroom environment
♦ Differentiate instruction and provide supports to meet the learning needs
of multiple student populations

6 A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH

 ♦ Utilize communities of practice as a mechanism for transforming the way
educators are prepared, inducted, and retained

Accountable Leaders

Leaders at all levels of the education system must be accountable to,

and work in partnership with, the communities and youth they serve.
To foster ownership in the difficult process of transforming high schools, state,
district, school, community, youth, and municipal leaders must work together to
articulate a shared vision for all high-school-age youth, and to define accountability
at each level. A strategic plan designed around this shared vision holds leaders at all
levels of the education system accountable for allocating necessary resources;
establishing equitable practices and policies that ensure all youth, schools, and
communities have access to quality resources; and for using data to monitor and
communicate progress to all stakeholders. Accountable leaders resist the temptation
of quick-fix solutions, choosing instead to engage stakeholders around the chal-
lenges of transforming schools and districts into systems that are responsive to and
accountable for the success of all youth, including the most vulnerable populations.

Recommended Strategies:
♦ Engage state, district, school, community, youth, and municipal leaders in
articulating a shared vision for all high-school-age youth and in defining
accountability at each level
♦ Allocate resources necessary to support both short- and long-term imple-
mentation of policies and practice
♦ Use data to monitor and communicate progress to all stakeholders
♦ Assess the impact of any reform policy or practice on equitable distribution
of resources, particularly the allocation of high-quality teachers
♦ Assess the impact of any reform or policy practice on all populations of
students, particularly those traditionally marginalized such as English-
language learners and students with disabilities
♦ Develop strategic, systemic approaches for addressing both dropout preven-
tion and dropout recovery for vulnerable student populations
♦ Enact policy to support the retention of school and district leaders and
teachers who will sustain the shared reform strategy and vision for all high-
school-age youth
♦ Provide structures and supports to foster distributed leadership and com-
munities of practice among educators, which leads toward continual
improvement of instruction
♦ Enact policies for the recruitment, preparation, and development of leaders
in education to ensure accountability in the preparation of all youth for
college, careers, and active civic participation

A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 7

 Engaged Community and Youth

School and system leaders cannot do the hard work of high school
transformation alone. All facets of the community—parents, industry,
post-secondary education, government agencies, and intermediary organizations,
including low-income, minority populations that have been traditionally
marginalized in civic and school affairs, and youth—are needed to articulate a
shared vision for all high-school-age youth and to establish a network of account-
ability that ensures progress towards achieving that shared vision. A network of
accountability functions across several dimensions. Educators are accountable to one
another as professionals—for continually improving practice—and accountable to
students and their families—for supporting and challenging them to achieve and
develop at high levels. Students are accountable to their schools and communities—
for articulating their vision of a transformed high school and for committing to
their own academic success and achievement at high levels. School leaders are
accountable to the community—for engaging all facets of community in the process
of articulating a shared vision for all high-school-age youth, for equitably distribut-
ing resources, and for communicating progress towards this vision. Community
stakeholders are accountable to schools—for participating in the articulation of a
shared vision for all high-school-age youth, for committing resources to realize this
vision, and for ensuring that the school system is held accountable for its progress
and equitable distribution of resources. Finally, school leaders and community stake-
holders are jointly accountable to government—for meeting requirements of state
and federal accountability systems.

Recommended Strategies:
♦ Engage with education leaders to articulate a shared vision for all high-
school-age youth
♦ Commit community resources and establish partnerships with the school
and district to support this vision
♦ Hold education leaders accountable for allocating resources and establish-
ing equitable policies that ensure all youth, schools, and communities have
access to quality resources
♦ Hold education leaders accountable for communicating data on youth
outcomes
♦ Communicate data on community needs and concerns to education leaders
♦ Organize and build community capacity—particularly within low-income,
minority populations that have been traditionally marginalized in civic and
school affairs—to assume a more formal role as active and knowledgeable par-
ticipants in the process of improving outcomes for all high-school-age youth
♦ Organize and build youth capacity to exercise leadership and participate in
decision-making that affects their schools and communities

8 A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH

 Integrated System of High Standards, Curriculum,
Instruction, Assessments, and Supports

An integrated system of standards, curriculum, instruction, assess-

ment, and supports provides a critical foundation for high school transformation. It
mandates common expectations for all students; clearly communicates parameters
for success in each successive year of school and for successful transition into post-
secondary education and careers; and outlines how students will learn, be assessed,
and receive support. A key challenge in creating an integrated system is to ensure
that state-level policies for standards and accountability do not constrain, but rather
support, school and community efforts to transform high schools into personalized
and engaging learning environments for all students. One important way that states
can do this is by mandating the use of multiple measures in determining student
promotion and graduation, with an emphasis on performance-based assessments
such as capstone projects, portfolios, and public exhibitions. Performance-based
measures are by their very nature personalized, and can be used to assess skills that
standardized assessment cannot, such as leadership and written and oral communi-
cation. Further, performance-based assessments help to drive the continuous
improvement of curriculum and instruction by necessitating a community of
practice among educators and by involving the community in the school.

Recommended Strategies:
♦ Establish clear and rigorous standards aligned with curricula and entrance
requirements for post-secondary education and careers
♦ Develop and utilize multiple assessments, including performance-based
measures (e.g., portfolios, public exhibitions, capstone projects), that align
with standards
♦ Plan intended outcomes and assessment strategies before initiating a
learning activity or project
♦ Build students’ capacity to critique their own work and learning process
♦ Provide accelerated learning opportunities to help all students meet or
exceed standards
♦ Integrate literacy instruction throughout the curriculum in a way that is
tailored to the needs of adolescent learners
♦ Eliminate academic tracking

A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 9

 Taking Action

T
he National High School Alliance urges policymakers,
practitioners, and researchers at the national, state, dis-
trict, school, and community levels to work together,
using this document as a framework for guiding the complex
process of transforming our nation’s traditional, comprehensive
high schools. Its structure of core principles and recommended
strategies is intended to keep the focus on the nation’s, and the
world’s, most valuable resource—youth. It is also designed to
remind those engaged in crafting solutions that no single policy or
program will be sufficient. In order to create deep and lasting
change, all six of the core principles must be addressed.

The National High School Alliance recognizes that a truly comprehensive plan
for transforming all high schools will require significant financial investments. Such
an endeavor will also require an investment of our best thinking, creativity, and
commitment over time. It will be no small feat to transform a century-old institu-
tion—and the assumptions underlying its design. What we must create is a system
of learning designed to nurture the academic and social development of every young
person. We cannot afford to do otherwise.

A Call to Action is intended to be a living document, one that can be deepened

and informed over time by those who use it. Uniquely positioned as a nonpartisan,
“network of networks,” the National High School Alliance partners will build
capacity for change by engaging their respective networks in the application of this
framework. Through these implementation efforts, the partners expect to learn
more about the change process at each policy level. This information will be used to
deepen the original document and/or to develop additional tools.

10 A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH

A CALL TO ACTION: TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL YOUTH 1
Partners of the N ational High School A lliance
Academy for Educational Development
Alliance for Excellent Education
American Federation of Teachers
American Youth Policy Forum
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Buck Institute for Education
Career Academy Support Network,
University of California—Berkeley
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Center for the Social Organization of Schools,
Talent Development High School
Program, Johns Hopkins University
Center on Education Policy
Chicago Community Trust
Coalition of Essential Schools
College Board
Commonwealth Corporation, Center for
Youth Development and Education
Consortium on Chicago School Research
Cristo Rey Network
Cross City Campaign for
Urban School Reform
Education Alliance at Brown University
Education Trust
Forum for Youth Investment
Institute for Educational Leadership
Institute for Research and Reform
in Education, First Things First
Jobs for the Future
Laboratory for Student Success at
Temple University
MDRC
National Academy Foundation
National Association of
Secondary School Principals
National Association of
State Boards of Education
National Association of State Directors of
Career Technical Education Consortium
National Center on Education and the
Economy, America’s Choice High School
National Center on Secondary Education
and Transition, University of Minnesota
National Council of La Raza
National Forum to Accelerate
Middle-Grades Reform
National League of Cities
National Staff Development Council
National Youth Employment Coalition
New England Association of
Schools and Colleges, Commission on
Public Secondary Schools
Pathways to College Network
Public Education Network
Rural School and Community Trust
Southern Regional Education Board,
High Schools That Work
What Kids Can Do

The National High School Alliance is housed at

The Institute for Educational Leadership
4455 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 822-8405 Fax: (202) 872-4050
E-Mail: iel@iel.org or hsalliance@iel.org
Web site: www.iel.org or www.hsalliance.org
 APPENDIX C:

Secondary School Reform Organization Chart

 Secondary School Reform
Organizational Chart
Superintendent

Sponsor

Program Manager Strategic Advisory Team

Profile of A Graduate Avant-garde Schools

Middle College ILP Redesign, Training &

Accountability

Dual Enrollment Advisories

Credit Recovery Student Transition

College-going Culture Student Articulation

High School Redesign Summer School

(Middle School)

Facilities Review Program Alignment

Middle School Redesign World Languages

Freshman on Track Dropout Prevention

Master Scheduling Assessments

Professional Development Communications/Public

Relations

Program Management Parent Advisory Team

• Budget management
• Program design
• Quality assurance Student Advisory Team
• Resource management
• Ensure deliverables are completed on-time
• Program reporting
Teacher Advisory Team