Teachers’ commitment to improving curricula and standards is the most important factor in boosting academic achievement in struggling high schools, says a report.
“Inside High School Reform: Making the Changes That Matter” is available for purchase from WestEd.
Produced by WestEd, a San Francisco-based educational research organization, the report suggests that high school teaching should be a community, rather than a solitary, effort. The authors’ recommendations for high school improvement include coordinating lesson plans and tests within departments and across grades and schools; helping students understand how their high school performance affects their college and career opportunities; and collaborating with local colleges, businesses, and parent groups.
The report’s findings are based on data gathered from students, teachers, and administrators at schools that are part of the California Academic Partnership Program, a partnership between higher education institutions and public schools in California.
