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National High School Center Product Guide

Publication Title:

Preparing High School Students for Successful Transitions to Postsecondary Education and Employment

Publication
Author(s):

Michael Bangser, MDRC
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[PDF File, 560 Kb]

Alignment with ARRA:

ARRA areas aligning with this product:

  • Data Use
  • Standards/Assessment
  • Teacher Effectiveness
  • Turnaround Schools

A major priority for the use of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds is to use, design and implement rigorous standards and high-quality assessments that promote college- and career-readiness for all high school students. It is imperative that today's high school graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in postsecondary study and the workplace, and schools can support students by ensuring smooth transitions into and out of high school.

For more details on how ARRA funds can apply to ninth grade transitional support, please view our ARRA resources on our ARRA Web page.

Publication Key Points:

Students' high school experiences too often fail to prepare them for postsecondary education or for the rigors of work in an information-based economy. This issue brief includes a discussion of the unique challenges to preparing all students for postsecondary success, including students who are at risk for dropping out, and/or have disabilities. It emphasizes the need for rigor and relevance across the curriculum, especially for students who have traditionally faced barriers to postsecondary transitions.

Publication Key Challenges:

A major focus for improving high schools is to ensure that students graduate with the college- and career-ready knowledge and skills that will enable them to compete in a global economy. However, with nearly 30% of the nation's students not graduating, educators and policymakers face many challenges to ensuring preparedness for college and work. This issue brief reviews lessons from studies of selected policies and programs designed to improve students' preparation for postsecondary pathways.

How Audience(s) Can Use This Product to Address Challenges:

This resource is designed to provide educators and policymakers with information on choosing interventions that promote college- and career-readiness, as well as successful transitions out of high school. Some suggested uses for this product are:

  • Distribute to state- and local-level educators and policymakers charged with transition planning and dropout prevention;
  • Distribute to state and local level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) personnel charged with redesigning and aligning STEM standards and curricula;
  • Share with a local chapter of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA);
  • Present at meetings of personnel who are responsible for implementing TRIO, AVID, or other programs;
  • Share with local educators and policymakers who are implementing or considering implementing a Career Academy model;
  • Suggest that state personnel encourage districts to share in newsletters and other correspondences; and
  • Link in e-blast to districts from the state.

Production Citation:

Bangser, M. (2008, August). Preparing high school students for successful transitions to postsecondary education and employment. Washington, DC: National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research.

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