SOLUTIONS TO HIGH SCHOOL ACHEIVEMENT

Hoover Institute (2005) The blind men and high school, NEW REPUBLIC, 2/21, p.35

Hoover Institute is a conservative think tank and provides a list of 6 strategies that high schools are using. However, they maintain that none or some work, but what "works" is troubling. They want a consistent system that "works" every where in the USA.

Here are the 6. They are:
1. Hold high schools accountable for measured achievement and completion rate.
2. Have statewide graduation tests.
3. Make school more appealing and individualize each student's route to graduation.
4. Change comprehensive curriculum to various choices including early college, testing out of courses, make small schools within larger schools, virtual education.
5. Beef up curriculum and make it harder.
6. Emphasize tech prep and have partnerships with community colleges.

Many schools combine more than one of the above. However, states choose strategies. Only the feds can mandate that testing occur. The standards of the test, the content, and what is meant by "passing" vary from state to state.