The Concept

One of the most important components of college preparation is the provision of an academically rigorous curriculum and support for all students to succeed in it. Research shows that students, who take high-level courses in high school, including advanced mathematics, are more likely to enroll in and complete bachelor’s programs than those who do not.  However, low-income, underrepresented minority, and first generation students are often unprepared for, and discouraged from taking, such courses. Therefore, it is necessary for high schools to implement structures and activities that provide consistent academic help to support students in taking and successfully completing academically rigorous work to ensure that they are prepared for postsecondary education.

Strategies

• Require all students to take an academically rigorous core curriculum.
• Instill the expectation of college readiness in students as early as the middle grades to ensure that they begin to develop college and career aspirations, as well as to create an appropriate academic plan.
• Incorporate students’ cultural, linguistic and historical knowledge into the curricula and activities of the school.
• Teach higher order skills to all students as opposed to developing memorization and skills.
• Develop personalized learning environments where teachers know their students well.
• Align curricula within the school. Teachers from each grade level, including postsecondary faculty, should work together to align the content and skills presented in each course to provide academic continuity from year to year within subject areas.
• Develop partnerships with higher education to provide timely academic interventions.
• Improve the school-community-connection to bring relevance to students’ learning experience, thus engaging students in school, while building ties to the community.
• Provide additional resources to students who are challenged by academically rigorous work.
• Give school staff, including counselors, the time to help each students develop an academic program that meets their needs and adequately prepares them to meet their postsecondary goals.

Tools

• Academic Rigor and Support Self-Assessment
• Assessing Student Planning
• Developing a Challenging, Engaging Curriculum
• Self-Assessment: Academic Rigor and Support
• Student-Level Planning – A Needs/Gap Analysis

Resources

• Academic Rigor and Programs

Short Examples

• Schools change their curriculum offerings to align with college entrance requirements. For example requiring students to take double math courses in order to complete a math regimen that will meet college entrance requirements.
• Schools increase the number of honors, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes and lift the prerequisite requirements allowing more students to enroll in these classes.
• Schools develop small school settings such as 9th grade or freshmen academies to meet the needs of incoming students.
• Students are offered academic tracks with specialized interests leading directly to postsecondary opportunities.
• The schools bear the cost of testing providing such tests as the PSAT free to all students.
• Schools become testing sites and offer testing preparation courses.
• There are extensive collaborative efforts established to provide college counseling for students. Adults are available to all students to monitor career and college progress providing oversight to college information including applications and financial packages.

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