Session 16. Closing the Opportunity Gap: Rigorous Coursework for All in High School

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Concern over the lack of rigor in the high school curriculum is gaining serious momentum. This momentum, combined with the demands of the marketplace, makes the new mandate for high schools abundantly clear: We must prepare our students by the end of high school to succeed in the workforce and in college. Research uniformly shows that preparing young people for work and for college in today’s high-level economy demands exactly the same preparation —the same skills and the same courses, taught with the same rigor. The Education Trust-West is on the ground in several districts in California developing practice tools that, as part of a comprehensive high school reform toolkit, can accelerate the progress of states and districts in transforming high schools into 21st century institutions that graduate all students college- and work-ready. This presentation will highlight not only the need for increased rigor in California’s high school curriculum, and some of the things learned about how to get there, but also some of the challenges facing administrators, teachers, parents, and students as they rise to the challenge of implementing equal access to high quality postsecondary options for all students.

Presenter:
Linda Murray, Superintendent in Residence, Education Trust-West, Oakland, CA