Policy: District

Listening to Latinas: Barriers to High School Graduation

This report discusses barriers to high school graduation rates and college readiness for Latinas. The author examines the challenges facing Latinos to achieve a high school degree and continuing on to higher education. The resource provides recommendations for federal, state, and local policy makers including additional funding, providing mentors, and ensuring that the school environment is culturally inclusive.

The Condition of College & Career Readiness, 2012

This report provides information on student levels of college and career readiness across the United States based on their performance on the ACT. In addition to showing performance on ACT-related college and career readiness metrics and trends in performance over time, the report provides recommendations to states, districts, and schools to help increase college and career readiness.

High Schools that Work follow-up study of 2004 high school graduates: Transitioning to college and careers from a High Schools that Work high school (Research Brief)

This study assesses how the High Schools that Work initiative prepares students for college and careers. The report also presents strategies that district and school leaders can use to help students become more prepared for transitioning from high school to college and careers.

Improving Academic Preparation for College

This paper reviews research and makes the case for a definition of academic preparation that includes academic rigor, grades, and specific academic skills that students will need to be successful in a college level course. The authors assert that though it may be difficult to measure, it is important to consider all of these aspects in defining readiness and in helping students meet a threshold of it.

High Leverage Policy Framework

This guide from the New England Secondary School Consortium provides policymakers and educators with a framework for analyzing and developing education policy at the state, district, and local levels. The framework includes three factors - leverage points, design features, and implementation contingencies - and provides definitions and examples of how these factors can lead to systems change and positive student outcomes through a theory of action.

Peer Networks in School Reform: Lessons from England and Implications from the United States

This policy brief from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform examines policies and activities related to establishing peer networks and external collaborations in England and in New York City. It identifies differences in English policy and practice that allow English schools to facilitate more effective and more prolific external peer networks, including local support for privately-operated external networks, a focus on principal networking, and ample time for both teachers and principals to participate in peer networks.

Incentives for Early Graduation: How Can State Policies Encourage Students to Complete High School in Less than Four Years?

This policy brief sponsored by Jobs For The Future discusses early high school graduation policies. The author examines the effects of early high school graduation policies including brief discussions on the purpose of early graduation policies, the costs and benefits of early graduation policies and designs of state policies.

Framework for Developing A System of Linked Learning Pathways

This framework, sponsored by ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, discusses critical elements needed to build district infrastructure for Linked Learning, California’s system of preparing students for college and careers. The author identifies 17 critical elements that district leaders must consider to properly support Linked Learning. These critical elements are organized into three categories: (1) Leadership and Systems Alignment, (2) Pathway Design and Quality, and (3) Operations.

Helping Students Get Back On Track: What Federal Policymakers Can Learn from New York City’s Multiple Pathways to Graduation Initiative

This report from the Alliance for Excellent Education discusses possible reforms to ESEA using New York City’s Multiple Pathways to Graduation initiative as an example of how to create flexible policy to help high school students graduate college and career ready. The author examines the effects of federal policy on off-track students and provides recommendations that include increased focus on policies that address the needs of off track students and new metrics for school performance that take into account improvements among at risk students.

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