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High School Reform
Why Municipal Leaders Make High School Reform a City Priority
Many of our nation’s large comprehensive high schools are ill-equipped to prepare today’s students for work, college, and citizenship. Only about one third of students receive a rigorous education that prepares them to be productive in today’s ever-changing, complex world. One third of students graduate from high school seriously under educated. And nearly one third of high school students nationwide don’t graduate from high school on time or at all. Among African American, Latino, and Native American students, approximately half graduate.
High school dropouts and graduates ill-prepared for college or work affect a community’s economic, social, and civic health and well-being. In fact, young people without a high school diploma have lower incomes, decreased spending power, higher rates of criminal activity, less work experience and on the job training than other segments of the labor force.
What Municipal Leaders Can Do to Improve Public Schools
With or without authority over schools, mayors and councilmembers can play key roles in high school reform. Strong partnerships between the city, school district, and other community leaders can help improve high schools and student academic achievement. Municipal leaders can:
- Convene community leaders to develop long-term strategic plans;
- Build public will and capacity to confront reform needs;
- Influence changes in policies that inhibit innovation and deviation from the comprehensive school model; and
- Help with financing and facilities.
Goals of the YEF Institute's Education Programs
The goal of the YEF Institute's education programs is to improve the quality of elementary and secondary (K–12) education by:
- Deepening and enhancing involvement of municipal leaders in broader K-12 school improvements and afterschool options;
- Broadening awareness of diverse roles municipal leaders can play to stimulate and support student achievement;
- Building civic capacity of municipal leaders to support and sustain innovations in high schools and afterschool; and
- Sharing effective strategies and best practices about broader school improvements and afterschool opportunities to municipal leaders.
High School Reform Staff Contacts
Audrey Hutchinson, Program Director: 202-626-3053 or hutchinson@nlc.org
Marjorie Cohen, Senior Program Associate: 202-626-3052 or cohen@nlc.org
Andrew Moore, Senior Fellow: 215-848-6910 or moore@nlc.org
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