Small NYC High Schools Deliver Big Graduation Rates

This is crucial, I mean stand-on-the-mountain-top-and scream crucial. New York City 'small high schools' significantly beat the graduation rates of its regular school cohorts.

How about a graduation rate difference of 18 points? The small high schools, often embedded in failing larger high schools, had an average graduation rate of 73 percenter comparied to 55 percent. I think of that difference as thousands of children who now have the potential to go to college, lead more meaningful and economically advantaged lives.

What are they doing right? Schools Chancellor Joel Klein remarked, "We've got to tell everyone in the country to throw away excuses and throw away low expectations."

Many of the small schools focus on a particular vocational area such as aerospace, computers and health careers. It is this specialization, I believe, along with the subtle messages that kids are expected to succeed that makes these programs winners.

Who would want a product that works only 55% of the time? It's time for school districts across the country to closely examine the success of New York's small high schools. Every year that youth drop out of school without a diploma is another year of pushing more lives with limited potential onto our streets and our governmental support systems.

Another example of a high school - college program

I'm noticing a trend that's got me very excited. I wrote in a previous blog about high schools that are offering combined diploma and associates of arts degrees. The program seems to be particularly effective with struggling students.

Evanston Township High School, just north of Chicago, is going to be launching a similar program in conjunction with Oakton Community College. This is a nationally ranked college that offers a rich program in technology and the arts.

The Evanston Roundtable reports that the ETHS board has just approved an arrangement to combine its Adult and Continuing Education program with other area high school districts which have formed an Alliance with Oakton.

This trend should be watched closely. Is it the magic elixir to keep students engaged yet guided on a path toward a meaningful future?

I'll keep you posted.

Completing College in High School - A Magnet for Struggling Generation Z'ers

An interesting article from the Chicago Tribune by Dahleen Glanton highlights a new approach for engaging struggling high schoolers - send them to college!

Actually, the way the program works is students who are targeted for improvement are enrolled in dual programs; their normal high school program and a college track focusing upon their career interests.

Take Mathew Basden for example. He is now avoiding gangs and other distractions to focus on his his career goal - opening a restaurant. He thinks he would have dropped out without the program.

Jequetta Williams was getting straight F's before enrolling in such a program. "I wasn't focused on school," she said. Now she is earning A's and B's.

The Chicago Public School district has developed a program in coordination with DeVry University call DeVry University Advantage Academy High School. Students in this program graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate's computer degree from DeVry. Perhaps, best of all 90% went on to four year colleges and the other 10% entered the workforce in the area they had specialized in. Talk about job ready!

Did you notice how many times the word Focus was used above?

I think this type of program is helping kids focus on their goals. When the realization of their goals is within reach, they seem able to focus on the important thing - building their future.