Secondary School Age

Each of the commission’s recommendations is the focus of a chapter in the State Policy Guide. The ten recommendations are:
 

Ask Great Questions
     

• How many adults in the state have a postsecondary credential or degree?
• How many students are placed into remedial courses and how do they perform in those courses? How many remedial students complete a degree?
• How successful are students in first-year, introductory courses (also known as gateway courses)?
• Do institutions in the state administer exit surveys to track the reasons students drop out? If so, what are the main reasons?

School districts and municipalities throughout the U.S. are under intense pressure to reform schools, raise graduation rates, and better prepare American youth for a workforce that must compete globally. Improving America’s educational system so that all students have access to a quality education is important but focusing on that system alone will not ensure the educational success of our nation’s young people.

Community events and summits are generally intended to build a sense of urgency around the crisis facing America's young people, secure a commitment to action from leaders in all sectors and most importantly, to result in follow-up action plans to strengthen current efforts and initiate new strategic activity to help more young people graduate from high school ready for college, work and life.

Grad Nation contains research-based guidance for addressing the dropout crisis, along with ready-to-print tools and links to additional online resources.

One size does not fit all, so you will not find step-by-step instructions for a standardized program. Instead, Grad Nation provides information and tools for developing and implementing a customized program that’s right for your community.

By Sharon D. Kruse

Kruse is the author of the AASA book Building Strong School Cultures: A Leader’s Guide to Change, published by Corwin Press.

The following tips can help you build a culture of collaboration in your school.

By Ellen Goldring and Mark Berends

Goldring and Berends are authors of the AASA book Leading with Data: A Path to School Improvement, published by Corwin Press.

The anchor for school improvement efforts is a schoolwide focus on teaching and learning. Toward that end, successful school leaders attend to school effectiveness indicators that are rooted in leading with data, including:

Through the Educating the Total Child advocacy campaign, AASA members are committed to creating the conditions necessary for all students to become successful, lifelong learners. The campaign addresses three key factors that determine children’s academic achievement:

If excellence is necessary for America to continue to effectively compete in the global economy, then there is much work to be done in preparing the next generation of professionals to enter the workplace.