High schools should establish more orderly environments and do a better job preparing students for life after high school, particularly for youths from low-income families, according to a research brief by the National High School Center.
“Emerging Evidence on Improving High School Student Achievement and Graduation Rates: The Effects of Four Popular Improvement Programs” is posted by the National High School Center.
The brief outlines five challenges faced by high schools and ways to keep students engaged and on the path to graduation. Some suggestions include making structural and instructional changes in schools. Specialized catch-up courses for lagging students and more defined curricula, for instance, are ways in which schools can make improvements, the brief says.
The National High School Center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and housed at the American Institutes for Research, based in Washington.