Is High School Tough Enough?

A new report attempts to define what "rigor" in high school means and focuses on fundamental strategies that have shown proven results. 

The report by the National School Boards Association’s Center for Public Education was highlighted in a recent teleconference by its director, Patte Barth. "Is High School Tough Enough?" looks at effective curricular strategies currently in use in the nation's high schools, and Barth indicated four areas where high school graduates get the most benefit in terms of post secondary education:

1. Advanced Placement (AP) courses where students are assessed for college level learning by the College Board.
2. Dual enrollment in college courses through distance learning or on college campuses.
3. Early College High School programs that offer students higher level classes in preparation for college sometimes earning associate degrees.
4. And higher-level math courses beyond Algebra II.

Each strategy has been implemented throughout the nation to varying degrees, but all have shown promise in producing students who are better prepared for college and job success.

The report concludes that school boards must focus on developing a high school experience that embraces higher level programs, with academic intensity. Not only do these curricular approaches produce college-ready students, they also produce students more prepared for the workplace.

While the report notes that access to programs has increased greatly over the last 20 years, this access is concentrated in large, urban districts:

"Many low-income schools lack access to a rigorous high school curriculum by any definition. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently reported that 3,000 high schools serving nearly 500,000 students offer no classes in Algebra II, a key subject included in the SAT and other indicators of college readiness (OCR, 2011).  In addition, more than 2 million students in 7,300 schools have no access to calculus classes, a component of many definitions of rigor."

All school boards should take note of the changing landscape of curriculum delivery that may necessarily include use of online, distance learning. In addition, Barth noted that larger class sizes at the high school level may be required to achieve the increased rigor. She also stated that more qualified teachers should be hired to teach the higher level subjects, prompting the question of how that can be done when many districts are laying teachers off regardless of qualifications.

Barth had no answer but stated this is one of the obstacles faced by districts. 

Though the report's findings are positive, overall, for school districts where more advanced curricula have been made available, they underscore the need for equity in educational access throughout the country in order to help students achieve success both in college and in future careers.

For the full report, go to: http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Instruction/Is-high-school-tough-enough-At-a-glance/Is-high-school-tough-enough-Full-report.html