High School Students in America

The United States public education system faces a major crisis. There is mounting evidence that too many high school students drop out and too many others graduate unprepared for either college or employment (Wise 8). Nationally, barely 30 percent of entering high school freshmen can read at grade level, more than 1.2 million American high school students drop out each year, and 42 percent of freshmen in community colleges and 20 percent of freshmen in public universities require remedial courses in reading, mathematics, and writing (Wise 8). These are the elements of a crisis that must be addressed by means of practical strategies to help students succeed in high school.

Many efforts at reforming the American high school system have been undertaken, but the problems delineated above serve as evidence that these efforts have not succeeded (Seltz 96). Secondary education seems largely immune "to the reforms and changes in content, context, and culture that many primary, elementary, and middle school educators have embraced in the past decades" (Seltz 96). Because this is the case, the thesis presented herein is that it will require leadership new commitment on the part of students, leadership in the classroom and the school district level, state support, and a presidential mandate to help students succeed in high school.

Students can do much to improve their learning and achievi

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ing their knowledge, skills and interest to the classroom, creating instructional strategies and content that will interest and motivate students. Administrators, like school district officials, may be less directly engaged in the delivery of courses, but they play vital roles in identifying student needs and developing programs meant to address those needs (Khandaroo 2). Administrators must, of course, work under state and national guidelines in developing programs; they are also responsible for ensuring that students' performance on standardized tests is as expected (Khandaroo 2). What these actors in the high school system can and should do is work with one another and educational authorities as well as parents to create learning communities (Rhee 1). Developing effective interventions that motivate students toward success is essential. Programs and instruction should be oriented toward meeting student needs and authentic assessments should be used to augment standardized tests. These strategies are vital in creating an environment in learning is emphasized. California State Initiatives In California, the Legislature and the Governor's Office have instituted a number of reforms designed to enhance the success of hi

Category: History - H