Two important reports here from The Education Trust. The first report, “Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground: How Some High Schools Accelerate Learning for Struggling Students,” (pdf) is the result of a careful, on-the-ground study into the practices of public high schools that serve high concentrations of either low-income or minority children and have a strong track record accelerating learning for students who enter high school below grade level. This study compares and contrasts the practices of these high-impact schools with similar high schools that have only an average impact on student performance.
Education Trust researchers found powerful differences in the practices in the two sets of schools — ranging from the way they provide remedial support to faltering students to the way they make decisions about teaching assignments.
The second report, “The Power to Change: High Schools that Help All Students Achieve,” chronicles the stories of three very different high schools that are getting strong results for minority students and students from low-income families. The report demonstrates clearly that some high schools are succeeding, even under challenging circumstances. L.A. Times here.
More from Education Trust here. To find out more about major findings, read on.
Among the major findings:
• High-impact schools have “early warning” systems to help catch students before they fail. Counselors at these high schools, for instance, analyze seventh- and eighth-grade test scores to identify struggling students. Students who are identified are assigned to a variety of supports, including mandatory summer school or after-school tutoring. Average-impact schools tend to offer support only after students have failed.
• When making decisions about who teaches whom, high-impact schools consider factors such as past student performance and the teacher’s area of study in assigning teachers to specific courses. In average-impact schools, teaching assignments are more likely to be determined by staff seniority and teacher preference.
• High-impact schools provide students who arrive at school behind their peers with extra instructional time in English and math in a way that keeps students on track with college-preparatory requirements. Average-impact schools also provide extra instructional time but it is done in a way that delays entry into grade-level courses, therefore making it harder for students to gain the skills necessary for life after high school.
