High Schools That Work
Goals and Key Conditions  

HSTW Goals for Continuous Improvement

The mission of High Schools That Work ( HSTW ) is to create a culture of high expectations that motivates students to make the effort to succeed in school. To achieve this mission, HSTW has set several goals for continuous improvement:

  • Increase the percentage of high school students who meet college- and career-readiness goals to at least 85 percent.
  • Increase the percentage of students completing the HSTW-recommended curriculum to 85 percent.
  • Increase the percentage of high school students who complete high school in four years to 90 percent.
  • Advance state and local policies and leadership initiatives that sustain a continuous school improvement effort.
  • Help all students leave high school with an employer certification, postsecondary credit, or the knowledge and skills needed to avoid remedial postsecondary studies.


HSTW Conditions for Accelerating Student Achievement

  • A clear, functional mission statement : Each school has a clear, functional mission statement to prepare high school students for success in postsecondary education and the workplace.
  • Strong leadership : Each district and school has strong and committed leaders to improve, align and benchmark curricula to high standards, to improve the quality of instruction, and to raise student achievement and graduation rates.
  • Plan for continuous improvement : District and school leaders create an organizational structure and process that ensures continuous involvement with faculty on what to teach; how to teach it; what students are expected to learn; how to assess what they have learned; and how they relate to each other, to the students and to the home and community.
  • Qualified teachers : Teachers have in-depth knowledge of their subject areas and of teaching strategies appropriate to students' grade levels. The school and district employ teachers who have depth in their teaching fields and support them in learning how to teach well.
  • Commitment to goals : School leaders and teachers are committed to achieving the HSTW Goals and implementing the Key Practices. School boards are committed to having all students complete a demanding academic core and an academic or career/technical concentration, or both.
  • Flexible scheduling : School superintendents and school boards permit high schools to adopt flexible schedules enabling students to earn more credits and redo work until it meets at least grade-level standards.
  • Support for professional development : District and school leaders provide teachers with instructional materials, planning time and professional development for implementing new curriculums and research-based instructional methods.
 

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