Ready for Success Blog

Working as Allies with American Indians: Naming

As renewed concern over the educational experiences and outcomes of American Indian students becomes a focal point of education policy, we are pleased to be writing a series of blogs for the National High School Center focused on working in alliance with American Indian students, tribes, and leaders in both tribal schools and public schools that serve American Indians.

New High School Graduation Statistics and Legislation

Last week, the National Center for Education Statistics released new statistics about graduation rates and dropouts in public high schools.  The report, Public School Graduates and Dropouts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2008–09, showed a slight growth in the national Average Freshman Graduation Rate (AFGR) from 74.9% in 2007-08 to 75.5% in 2008-09.[1] The AFGR varied widely by state and ethnicity.  States reported rates as low as 56.3% in Nevada and as high as 90.7% in Wisconsin.  Between the 2007-08 school y

New Model Core Teaching Standards Released

On Thursday, April 28, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced the release of the new InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for State Dialogue. The standards represent clear expectations about what all teachers should know and be able to do if they are to improve achievement of the next generation of s

New High School Statistics: Size, Quantity and Pupil/Teacher Ratios

Last week the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences released a report that provides data about public elementary and secondary schools during the 2009-2010 school year, including information specifically about high schools.[1] The report, “Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009–10,” provides data for each state and the country as a whole.

High School Rigor: Not Just About Taking Advanced Courses

We have some good news and some bad news.

The good news: The recently released U.S. Department of Education NAEP high school transcript study noted that the number of advanced courses (Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate, etc.) students take in high school has tripled over the past two decades.

Impact of Arts Education on College and Career Readiness: Briefing Overview

A recent April 8, 2011, Capitol Hill panel briefing on the impact of arts education on career and college readiness, hosted by the College Board and following Washington, DC’s Arts Advocacy Day 2011, highlighted the importance of the arts in developing the critical 21st century skills students need to become well-rounded, productive individuals who can succeed in college and the workplace.

Validating the Early Warning System Tool Indicators in Rural Contexts

Could high school dropout indicators tested in urban areas also predict high school dropouts in my rural state of Idaho? We all realize schools large and small, rural and urban, need student data tracking systems. The Early Warning System (EWS) Tool v2.0, available from the National High School Center, is a free, downloadable Excel-based tool that uses readily available student-level data to identify students who exhibit early warning signs that they are at risk for dropping out of high school.

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