These resources can help schools, districts and states set clear and high standards for high schools that are clearly aligned with elementary and postsecondary requirements. These programs, reports, and research studies are offered to aid high schools ease student transition from secondary to postsecondary education.

National High School Summit issue papers

• Dual Enrollment: Accelerating the Transition to College
  Students can take rigorous courses and earn college credit while still in high school under dual enrollment programs.
  MS WORD (259K) | PDF(47K)

• College Transition Programs: Promoting Success Beyond High School
  Many students lack the knowledge or skills to move easily from high school to college, but transition programs can fill that gap. MS WORD (280K) | PDF (54K)

OVAE's Resources: Easing Transitions to Postsecondary Education

• The Role of State Policies in Shaping Dual Enrollment Programs
• Tech Prep
• Career Guidance and Counseling
• Accelerating Transitions

External Resources: Setting Expectations and Aligning Systems

Advancement Via Individual Determination - AVID.

American Youth Policy Forum, featuring the following report:

• Essentials of High School Reform: New Forms of Assessment and Contextual Teaching and Learning.

The Bridge Project from Stanford University

Center on Education Policy, featuring the following reports

• State High School Exit Exams: A Baseline Report. Find it on this page.
• State High School Exit Exams: Put to the Test. Find it on this page.
• Measuring the Cost of State High School Exit Exams: An Initial Report. Find it on this page.

Forum for Youth Investment, featuring the following reports:

• A Sample Matrix for Analyzing Reform Proposals. .
• High School Pupil Success Act Technical Assistance
• Alliances for High School Reform Self-Assessment Tool. .
• Designing and Implementing Student-Centered High Schools.

Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), featuring the following reports:

• Perspectives in Public Policy: Connecting Higher Education and the Public Schools (Order from IEL)
• Doing Comparatively Well: Why the Public Loves Higher Education and Criticizes K-12 (Order from IEL)

Jobs for the Future, featuring the following reports:

• Early College High School Initiative

Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)

National Center for School Counseling Outcome Research featuring the report:

• What Are the Expected Benefits Associated with Implementing a Comprehensive Guidance Program? Find it on this page.

National Center on Education and the Economy, featuring the following reports:

• High School and Beyond: The System is the Problem – And the Solution
• Standards for Our Schools: How to Set Them, Measure Them and Reach Them
• The New American High School
• Thinking for a Living: Education and the Wealth of Nations

National College Access Network

The National High School Alliance, featuring the following report:

• All Over the Map

Graduation Really Achieves Dreams – Project GRAD

The Puente Project

CONTACT US

Please email HighSchools@ed.gov with your questions or comments regarding the Department's High School Initiative.