Student Engagement

Building Capacity to Promote College- and Career-Readiness for Secondary-Level English Language Learners: Policy Brief Featuring Austin, Texas

This policy brief discusses the growing second-language learner population in schools. Through case studies of schools in Austin and the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, it provides state and federal policymakers recommendations for policy changes that can help schools increase student achievement among this population.

Grad Nation: A Guidebook to Help Communities Tackle The Dropout Crisis

This guidebook is a step-by-step guide for schools, families and the community on how to be involved in addressing the dropout crisis. The authors provide research-based information and tools with each section to be used in implementing programs specific to the community. Each section provides background information on topics relevant to the community as a whole such as the cost of high dropout rates, along with questions techniques, strategies, and additional resources to address the community needs.

Expanding Career Readiness through Career and Technical Student Organizations

This brief from ACTE's <i>Career Readiness Series </i>discusses the benefits of various career and technical student organizations to a student's academics and future success. The research indicates the benefits of involvement in student organizations include higher levels of academic engagement, increased grade point averages, increased ACT/SAT scores, higher graduation rates, among other benefits.

From GED to College Degree: Creating Pathways to Postsecondary Success for High School Dropouts

This report from Jobs for the Future examines the GED as a pathway to postsecondary success. Authors John Garvey and Terry Grobe note that although 60 percent of GED test takers express a desire to further their education beyond the GED and nearly half of all GED holders go on to postsecondary education, only 4 percent earn a degree. They argue that GED test takers are poorly prepared for college, partly because the GED narrowly focuses on passing the minimum standards of the exam, rather than building comprehensive literacy and numeracy skills.

Preparing Students for College and Career: California Multiple Pathways

This issue brief, sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education, discusses using multiple pathways to prepare students for college and career. The author examines the effects of California’s multiple pathways programs on high school students, concluding that multiple pathways can increase high school graduation rates, engagement, achievement, and college and career readiness. The author also provides recommendations that include addressing federal laws, funding stream structures, and policies that inhibit multiple pathway programs.

Rethinking High School: Preparing Students for Success in College, Career, and Life

This WestEd case study of five schools looks at successes in improving graduation and college acceptance rates. The schools were also profiled in a 2004 report, and each school has strengthened its courses in both rigor and number offered. The authors highlight five lessons from each of the schools including: helping students see college as an attainable goal; strengthening academic programs; ensuring a coherent curriculum from middle grades through high school; providing extra support during students’ critical freshmen year; and drawing out-of-school youth back into the classroom.

A High School Utilizes Authentic Learning Opportunities to Prepare Students for Postsecondary Success

“When students are actively involved in their education, they take ownership of their learning.” This concept is what Sheila Harrity, principal, and Mary O’Malley, assistant principal, of Worcester Technical High School (WTHS) in Worcester, Massachusetts, say is the key to ensuring its students achieve success in their postsecondary endeavors.

Recommendations to Keep ELLs Challenged and Graduating

In previous posts, we reviewed President Obama’s recent town hall remarks on Hispanic educational attainment and discussed the challenges faced by English language learners in accessing challenging coursework and fulfilling graduation requirements.  Getting students on track early in high school by ensuring access to college preparatory coursework in English and mathematics is critical to keeping them on track to fulfilling college entrance requirements.

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