Innovative Practice/Models

Briefs

01/25/08

Improving the Transition from Middle Grades to High Schools:  The Role of Early Warning Indicators with Robert Balfanz, Associate Research Scientist, Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University; Elaine Allensworth, Co-Director for Statistical Analysis, Consortium on Chicago School Research, University of Chicago; Craig Jerald, Independent Consultant, Break the Curve Consulting (Forum Brief)

09/21/2007

Exemplary CTE Districts and Programs with Gary Hoachlander, Executive Director, ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, Michael Hanlon, Founder, Health Careers Academy at Palmdale High School, California, Michael Owens, Associate Secretary, Adult Education and Workforce Development, Delaware Department of Education, Patrick Savini, Superintendent, Sussex Technical School District, Delaware (Forum Brief)

07/20/2007

The Role of Career and Technical Education in High School Reform: Linking Secondary and Postsecondary Education through CTE with Dr. Laurel Adler, Superintendent, East San Gabriel Regional Occupational Program, West Codiva, CA and Mark Whitlock, CEO, Central Education Center, Coweta County, GA (Forum Brief and webcast)

06/22/2007

The Role of Career and Technical Education in High School Reform: State Efforts to Integrate CTE with Rigorous Standards with Patrick Ainsworth, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary, Postsecondary & Adult Education, California Department of Education, Kathy Oliver, Assistant State Superintendent, Maryland Department of Education, and Alex Harris, Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association (Forum Brief and webcast)

05/10/2007

The Role of Career and Technical Education in High School Reform: Career and Technical Education Responding to Industry Needs with Phyllis Eisen, Vice President, The Manufacturing Institute and Executive Director, The Center for Workforce Success, Duane Crum, California State Director, Project Lead the Way (forum Brief and webcast)

08/8/2007

Philadelphia’s Project U-Turn, Citywide Efforts to Address the Dropout Problem with Paul Vallas, Chief Executive Officer, School District of Philadelphia, Ruth Curran Neild, Research Scientist, Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University,  Courtney Collins-Shapiro, Director, Multiple Pathways to Graduation, School District of Philadelphia, Laura Shubilla, President of the Philadelphia Youth Network. (forum Brief)

01/26/2007

Results from A National Study of Mathematics in Career and Technical Education with Jim Stone, Prinicpal Researcher, University of Minnesota, Joe Fullerton, Program Development Specialist, Lenape Technical School, Ford City, PA, and Jeff Linko, Teacher, Lenape Technical School, Ford City, PA. (forum)

10/27/2006

New Century High Schools Initiative with Bob Hughes, President, New Visions for Public Schools, Ronald Chaluisan, Vice President of Programs, New Visions for Public Schools, and Elizabeth Reisner, Principal, Policy Studies Associates (Forum brief)

09/29/2006

Secondary-Postsecondary Learning Options: Best Practices in the Field with Ron Kindell, Director, Miami Valley Tech Prep Consortium, Chery Wagonlander, Principal, Mott Middle College High School, and Jennifer Brown Lerner, Program Associate, American Youth Policy Forum (FORUM Brief)

09/22/2006

Citizen Schools: Putting Students on a Pathway to Academic and Social Success with Eric Schwarz, President and Co-Founder of Citizen Schools, Lara Fabiano, Senior Researcher, Policy Studies Associates, and Chris Harris, Campus Director, Citizen Schools, McKinley Middle School, New Brunswick, New Jersey (FORUM)

6/23/2006

Middle Grades Reform: Breaking Ranks in the Middle and Schools to Watch with John Nori, Director, School Leadership Services, National Association of Secondary Schools Principals, Irv Howard, Director, California Schools to Watch, Linda Hopping, Co-Chair, Georgia Lighthouse Schools to Watch (Forum brief)

5/19/2006

Career and Technical Education's Role in High School Reform with the Association for Career and Technical Education (Forum brief)

5/15/2006

Schools for a New Society Roundtable Discussion with Rochelle Nichols-Solomon, Director, Schools for a New Society Technical Assistance Program. Academy of Educational Development, Donnie Evans, Superintendent, Providence Public Schools, Mary Harrison, Executive Director, Rhode Island Children's Crusade, Jesse Register, Superintendent, Hamilton County Department of Education, Dan Challener, Public Education Foundation, Chattanooga, and Mindy Hernandez, Carneige Corporation of New York (Forum brief)

4/07/2006

How Do High School Students Get Academic, Leadership, Work Skills, and Still Manage to Serve the Community? With students and faculty from Howenstine High School, Tucson, Arizona (Forum brief)

3/10/2006

Rhode Island High School Diploma System: Lessons Learned from Implementation with Joe DiMartino, President, Center for Secondary School Redesign, Andrea Castaneda, Development Officer, Providence Public Schools, and Joe Maruszczak, Principal, Ponaganset High School (Forum brief)

1/13/2006  

Charter Schools Providing Academically-Based Workforce Development for Out-of-School Youth: with Ann Higdon, president and founder of Improved Solutions of Urban Systems ISUS and Phil Matero, Deputy Director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps. (Forum brief)

10/21/2005

Coordinated Efforts Focused on Workforce Development for Out of School Youth in Portland with Carole Smith, Director of Alternative Education, Portland Public Schools, Linda Huddle, Director, Alternative Programs/PCC Prep, Portland Community College, and Andrew Mason, Executive Director, Open Meadow Alternative Schools (forum Brief)

9/23/2005

First Things First: An Effective High School Reform Model with Jim Connell, Founder and President, Institute for Research and Reform in Education and Janet Quint, Senior Associate, MDRC. (Forum Brief)

7/22/2005

Employer-School Partnerships: The Role of Education in Workforce and Economic Development:  with Mark Whitlock and Don Moore, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board, Central Education Center in Coweta County, GA, Jeff Dole, Administrator, Lansing Area Manufacturing Program, Lansing, MI, and Connie Thompson, UAW-GM Human Resources Center. (Forum Brief)

6/17/2005

Talent Development High School Model: Findings from MDRC Evaluation, with James Kemple, Senior Research Associate and Corinne Herlihy, Research Associate, MDRC; Jim McPartland, Project Director, Talent Development, Johns Hopkins University; Lois Mondesire, Principal and Laura Schulz, Talent Development Organizational Facilitator, Strawberry Mansion High School, Philadelphia, PA. (Forum Brief)

6/10/2005

Early College High Schools: Lessons Learned in New School Creation with Joel Vargas, Senior Project Manager, Jobs for the Future; Tom Lasley, Dean, University of Dayton; and Judy Hennessey, Principal, Dayton Early College Academy. (Forum Brief)

11/13/2002

In Schools We Trust: Creating Communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and Standardization,Deborah Meier, Vice Chair Emeritus, Coalition of Essential Schools. (Forum Brief)

4/9/2002

Baldrige Education Award Winners, Harry Hertz, Director, Baldrige National Quality Program, NIST; Richard DeLorenzo, Superintendent, Chugach School District, Anchorage, Alaska; Frank Auriemma, Assistant Superintendent, Pearl River School District, Pearl River, NY; Charles Sorensen, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin. (Forum Brief)

4/5/2002

Can Policy Keep Pace with Changing Practice on Our High Schools? with Mike Cohen, Senior Fellow , The Aspen Institute Program on Education in a Changing Society; Adria Steinberg, Program Director, Jobs for the Future; and Tim Knowles, Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, Boston Public Schools (Forum Brief)

3/1/2002

Addressing the Causes and Consequences of High Student Mobility: The Role of School Systems and Communities, with Barbara Buell, educator and parent advocate, Chicago Panel for School Policy's Parent Connection; Carlos Azcoitia, Deputy Chief Education Officer, Chicago Public School System; and David Kerbow, Research Associate, Center for School Improvement, University of Chicago. (Forum Brief)

11/16/2001

Community-Based Organization Schools, with Richard Murphy and Jean Thomases, Academy for Educational Development; Daniel Grego, TransCenter for Youth, Milwaukee; Perry Price, Minneapolis Urban League Street Academy, Minneapolis; and Arnaldo Rivas, Former Student, Shalom High School, Milwaukee. (Forum Brief)

11/9/2001

First Things First a district wide school reform model, with Jim Connell, President, Institute for Research and Reform in Education, Philadelphia, PA, and Steve Gering, Executive Director for Instruction, Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. (Forum Brief)

5/11/2001

High Schools That Work: State Policies That Support Student Achievement, with Gene Bottoms, Senior Vice President, Southern Regional Education Board. (Forum Brief)

1/30/2001

DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund Release of New Rules, New Roles: Preparing All Young People for a Changing World, with Gene Bottoms, Senior Vice President, Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta, GA; Hilary Pennington, President, Jobs for the Future, Boston, MA; David Stern, University of California, Berkeley; Jim Kemple, Senior Research Associate, Manpower Research Demonstration Corporation, New York, NY; Ephraim Weisstein, Vice President, Center for Youth Development and Education, Corporation for Business, Work and Learning, Boston, MA; Dorothy Stoneman, President, YouthBuild, Somerville, MA; and Kathleen Selz, President, National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, Washington, DC. (Report Release)

10/18/2000

Every Student a Citizen: Creating the Democratic Self, with Terry Pickeral, Project Director, Compact for Learning and Citizenship, Education Commission of the States; Shelley Berman, Superintendent, Hudson Public Schools, MA; John Mingler, Teacher, National Council of Social Studies. (Roundtable Discussion)

7/28/2000

Service-Learning in State Legislation (Part II): South Carolina's Efforts to Integrate Service-Learning into Schools and Communities, with Kathy Gibson Carter (Executive Director, Commission on National & Community Service), Dr. Janet Mason (University of South Carolina), and Jamaal Young. (Forum Brief)

3/13/2000

Youth Engaged in Communities Through School: A Perspective From One National Service-Learning Leader School (Forum Brief)

3/10/2000

Deepening Partnerships Between School and Community, with Martin J. Blank, Staff Director of the Coalition for Community Schools, Mary Freeland, Executive Director of Jacksonville Children's Commission, Phil Gonring, Program Officer at the Rose Community Foundation, and Shirley Farnsworth, Director of Community Education for the Denver Public Schools. (Forum Brief)

10/22/1999

The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards" Alfie Kohn, author. (Forum Brief)

7/9/1999

Contextual Learning: What is it? with representatives of CORD. (Forum Brief)

Trip Reports

 

11/7/2007-
11/9/2007

State Policy Trip to Little Rock, AR, November 7-9, 2007: Expanding Advanced Placement Participation and Building Public Will. Highlights from this trip include meetings with T. Kenneth James, AR Commissioner of Education; Senator Jim Argue, Chair of the AR Senate Education Committee; Kathryn Hazelett, Governor Mike Beebe's Education Policy Advisor; Steve Floyd, Director of the AR Department of Higher Education; as well as other policy and education experts at the state level. In addition, we visited the historic Little Rock Central High School and the Wilbur Mills University Study School. (Trip Report)

10/18/2007-
10/19/2007

State Policy Trip to Miami, Florida, October 18-19, 2007: Career Pathways and K-12 Education. Highlights from this trip include meeting with Rudy Crew, Superintendent of Miami-Dade Country Public Schools, as well as other policy and education experts at the state and local levels. In addition, we visited Miami Edison Senior High School, MacArthur South Senior High School, and Robert Morgan Educational Center. (Trip Report)

2/14/2005

Exploring Service-Learning as a Way to Increase Student Academic Performance and Civic Involvement visit to Friendship Edison Public Carter School in Washington, DC. The field tip featured a tour and discussion on the adoption, implementation and sustainability of service-learning as a way to engage students in increasing academic and civic skills. (Trip Report)

5/13/2002

Comprehensive School Reform and Service Learning: A Potential Partnership? With Shelley H. Billig, Vice President, RMC Corporation, Hudi Podolsky, Executive Director, Coalition of Essential Schools; Greg Farrell, President, Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound; and Susan Kovalik, President, Integrated Thematic Instruction. (Forum Brief)

3/17/2000

National Guard — Free State Youth ChalleNGe Program, Aberdeen, MD. (Trip Report)

 

 

Publications

View PDF	The College Ladder: Linking Secondary and Postsecondary Education for Success for All Students This compendium identifies and describes schools, programs, and policies that link secondary and postsecondary education to help students earn college credit or take college-level courses while in high school. It raises issues for practitioners and policymakers to consider as these program grow and target a wider range of students.
View PDF	Whatever It Takes: How Twelve Communities Are Reconnecting Out-of-School Youth This report documents what committed educators, policymakers, and community leaders across the country are doing to reconnect out-of-school youth to the social and economic mainstream. It provides background on the serious high school dropout problem and describes in-depth what twelve communities are doing to reconnect dropouts to education and employment training. It also includes descriptions of major national program models serving out-of-school youth.
View PDF	Lessons Learned: What the WAY Program Can Teach Us About Program Replication This paper addresses the issue of program replication based on the experience of replicating the Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY) program in four urban community-based organizations, with support from the United States Department of Labor/Employment and Training Division. WAY was originally developed by The Children’s Village (CV) for youth in the child welfare system’s most restrictive level of care—residential treatment—to assist and motivate them to stay in school and to develop and practice work ethics after they had been discharged from care.
View PDF	RAISING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A Study of 20 Successful Programs 20 youth programs that succeeded in raising test scores, retention rates, graduation rates and other measures of academic performance. The report analyses the strategies used by the programs for their participants. Summaries of the programs are included.
View PDF	SOME THINGS THAT DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUTH: A Compendium of Evaluations of Youth Programs and Practices This guide summarizes 69 evaluations of youth interventions involving education, employment and training, mentoring, service-learning and youth development to craft strategies affecting services and support for our nation's youth, particularly disadvantaged young people.
View PDF	MORE THINGS THAT DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUTH, Vol. II A Compendium of more evaluations of youth programs. Summarizes 64 evaluations of career academies, school-to-work, Tech Prep, school reform, juvenile justice and related areas of youth policy.
View PDF Word document	Essentials of High School Reform This report speaks to a concern that much attention is being paid to greater academic achievement in core subjects, resulting in little focus on improved academic outcomes that include other valued skills, such as communication, teamwork, analytical, and interpersonal skills, that youth need to be successful. The report contends that high school students also need to learn about potential careers, have a familiarity with the world of work beyond the classroom walls, and develop some occupational competencies. Inside, the reader will find two papers and summaries of roundtables that provide policy recommendations and practical advice on how to structure contextual teaching and learning and alternative assessments activities at the high school level. Included are a multi-faceted approach to educational leadership, professional development, and federal education policy, and descriptions of effective policies, practices, and programs for improving student learning.

 

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