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From Large to Small: Strategies for Personalizing the High School

In communities across the United States, the conversion of large high schools into small, focused learning communities is gaining currency as an education reform strategy. This joint publication of The Education Alliance at Brown University and Jobs for the Future (with design and production courtesy of the Carnegie Corporation), provides specific guidelines to high school leaders and change agents who seek to implement the small schools strategy. The authors examine preliminary lessons emerging in small schools and districts that have begun to explore the structural, organizational, and political challenges involved in converting a large high school into smaller, more focused and personalized learning communities. Once a school reorganizes into small units, new challenges emerge. How do these new units stay focused on the effective learning practices and principles that "small" makes possible? To explore this challenge, the authors turn to effective small schools, alternative schools, and youth development programs--often on the margins of a school system--that blend cognitive challenge with the caring and connections associated with positive youth development. Such environments are a source of concrete practices and routines that can help teachers and school leaders to provide young people with the range of supports and opportunities needed to succeed in school and beyond. Once a school reorganizes into small units, new challenges emerge. How do these new units stay focused on the effective learning practices and principles that "small" makes possible? To explore this challenge, the authors turn to effective small schools, alternative schools, and youth development programs--often on the margins of a school system--that blend cognitive challenge with the caring and connections associated with positive youth development. Such environments are a source of concrete practices and routines that can help teachers and school leaders to provide young people with the range of supports and opportunities needed to succeed in school and beyond.

Jobs for the Future (JFF) 2002 Print version no longer available

No. d10371 Download publication

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