Great high schools hold students to high standards, offer challenging academic classes and pave the way for college and career success. But this doesn’t mean more homework or drill and kill memorization. These stories will offer an inside look at how the idea of academic rigor is evolving to encompass learning that requires creativity, relevance, and critical thinking.
• Explaining academic rigor — and why you want it for your child – Long misunderstood, rigor teaches children an invaluable, lifelong skill: how to think deeply. (Read, 10 minutes)
• Intensive college counseling – Support in all four years of high school that may include an individual college counselor, SAT tutoring, help with financial aid and scholarships, and guidance choosing where to apply and in completing college applications. Some schools even have classes dedicated to learning what’s needed for college acceptance and success. (Read, 13 minutes)
• Forget college prep. Start college now. – One small Texas early college high school manages to do what so many high schools try but fail to do: prepare all students for actual college success. (Listen, 18 minutes)
• A brilliant way to teach advanced English – This teacher has taken literary scaffolding to a new level. She teaches the most advanced English classes at her extremely academic high school, but she begins the year with children’s books. (Watch, 3 minutes)
• Strong curriculum – Every class should have a clear curriculum — which is basically a learning road map — using everything from textbooks to at-home projects. (Read, 6 minutes)
• Dual enrollment – These college-level classes allow high school students to earn both high school and college credit. Dual-enrollment classes are sometimes offered at the high school. Otherwise, students attend classes at a local college or online. (Read, 10 minutes)
• AP classes – Advanced placement courses are offered in a variety of subjects to give high school students experience taking college-level classes — and sometimes earn college credit. (Read, 11 minutes)
• What is early college high school? – These public high schools give students the opportunity to complete up to 2 years of college while still in high school. (Watch, 3 minutes)
• Early college high school – Students take multiple college classes while still in high school. Teens can earn up to two years of college credit all while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. (Read, 9 minutes)
• International Baccalaureate (IB) – The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is an academically challenging program practiced worldwide. Students learn college-level thinking, writing, research, collaboration, and presentation skills and may earn college credit for IB courses. (Read, 12 minutes)
