betterhighschools.org Linking Research and Resources for Better High Schools

Linking Research and Resources for Better High Schools

The National High School Center is a central source of information and expertise on high school improvement issues for the Regional Comprehensive Centers. In helping the Regional Comprehensive Centers build capacity of states across the nation to effectively implement the goals of No Child Left Behind relating to high schools, the National High School Center identifies effective programs and tools, offers user-friendly products and provides high-quality technical assistance to support the use of research-based approaches within high school learning communities.

Spotlight

Career Academies: Long-Term Impacts on Labor Market Outcomes, Educational Attainment, and Transitions to Adulthood
This report, authored by the MDRC, describes how participating Career Academies were able to implement and sustain the core features of the approach as they served a cross-section of the student populations in their host schools. Furthermore, the report discusses how Career Academies influenced students’ labor market prospects and postsecondary educational attainment in the eight years following their expected graduation. The results are based on the experiences of more than 1,400 young people, approximately 85 percent of whom are Hispanic or African-American. (July 2008)

Diplomas Count 2008: School to College
As the nation struggles to close its graduation gap, Diplomas Count 2008 examines states' efforts to forge stronger connections between precollegiate and postsecondary education. This year's report from Education Week draws heavily on a new Education Commission of the States database that examines states' efforts to use P-16 or P-20 councils to create seamless pre-kindergarten-through-college systems and better prepare students for postsecondary education and the workforce. (June 2008)

On Ramp to College: A State Policymaker’s Guide to Dual Enrollment
This guide from Jobs for the Future reviews trends in a growing number of states that see dual enrollment as a way to expand college opportunity—particularly for students who might not be considered college-bound. The guide shows how dual enrollment can serve as an “on ramp” to postsecondary education for students who are otherwise unlikely to attend college. The guide also highlights successful state-wide dual enrollment efforts, provides a step-by-step plan for policymakers to create successful programs and assess current approaches, and guides state officials in how to provide a wide range of students with equal access to dual enrollment and make it part of a continuous system for grades 9-16. (May 2008)

 

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