"World's Best" Educational Management Center

We must act now to bring the American high school into the 21st century. It is no longer acceptable for high schools to prepare only some students for college and work. That must be the goal for all students. This will require more rigorous coursework and tests that measure college and work readiness. It also will require restructuring high schools that may be too impersonal, inflexible and alienating for some young people, particularly those who need extra academic and social supports to catch up and succeed.

American high schools typically track some students into a rigorous college-preparatory program, others into vocational programs with a less-rigorous curriculum and still others into a general track. Today, all students need to learn the rigorous content traditionally reserved for college-bound students, particularly in math Science, and English. High schools can still provide different programs, including vocational programs and specialized programs in areas such as finance, health sciences and the arts. These programs can appeal to students' varied interests and learning styles while teaching them the same core content.

There is no one-size-fits-all model for the high schools we need. In some communities, large comprehensive high schools already offer rigorous college- and work-ready courses. In other locations, large high schools need to be broken up into small learning communities. These "schools-within-schools" can organize the instructional program around different themes, such as arts, law enforcement and international studies, and provide students with internships or other opportunities to apply what they learn in school. In still other cases, local communities need to create new small high schools, each with a particular theme and instructional philosophy.

States should support different high school design approaches, but all high schools must share a common goal to prepare all students for successful transitions to careers, college and citizenship. Although state leaders can promote the development and replication of new and innovative high school models, local education officials, principals and teachers will be the ones to bring these redesigned schools to life. Business leaders can help by recognizing schools that are succeeding and by convening educators to learn from those schools. They also can share their expertise and experience in improving the performance of complex organizations.