Key Conditions For Accelerating Student Achievement
High Schools That Work believes everyone – teachers, schools, divisions, local and state leaders—must work together to align policies, resources, initiatives, and accountability efforts to support high schools and middle schools as they adopt and implement comprehensive school improvement designs. The HSTW Key Conditions include the following:
A clear, functional mission statement: Schools need a clear, functional mission statement to prepare middle grades students for challenging secondary studies and high school students for success in postsecondary education and the workplace.
Strong leadership: Each division and school needs strong and committed leaders to improve, align, and benchmark curriculums to high standards, to improve the quality of instruction, and to raise student achievement in grades six through 12. At each high school and middle school, create a leadership team consisting of the principal, assistant principal and teacher leaders. School and district teams participate annually in a series of leadership development workshops aimed at more fully implementing the HSTW design.
Plan for continuous improvement: Division and school leaders create an organizational structure and process that ensures continuous involvement with faculty on what to teach, how to teach it, what students are expected to learn, how to assess what they have learned, and how they relate to each other, to the students and to the home and community.
Qualified teachers: Middle grades and high school teachers have in-depth knowledge of their subject areas and of teaching strategies appropriate to students’ grade levels. Middle grades teachers lacking majors in their subject areas are supported by the division to acquire them. The school and division employ teachers who have depth in their teaching fields and support them in learning how to teach well.
Commitment to goals: School leaders and teachers are committed to achieving the HSTW Goals and implementing the Key Practices. School boards are committed to having all students complete a demanding academic core and either an academic or career/technical concentration. Continuous review of local policies and practices ensures that a strong message of high expectations is sent to both the high schools and the middle schools.
Flexible scheduling: School superintendents and school boards permit high schools to adopt flexible schedules enabling students to earn more credits.
Support for professional development: Division and school leaders provide teachers with instructional materials, planning time, and professional development for implementing new curriculums and research-based instructional methods.