National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA)

High Quality High Schools Rutherford, Jean National Center for Educational Accountability Governors and state and local education officials assumed that raising student achievement in the elementary and middle grades would solve the problems with high schools--but it hasn't. Why? Good information is the basis for successful improvement, and high school reform lacks accurate information about what students are to learn and about how many students are actually learning it. In addition, "better K-8 student performance" may still fall woefully short of a true college-readiness standard. A rigorous methodology guides the consistently higher performing school identification process the National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA) uses across states. Researchers at NCEA study both average and higher performing schools to ensure its findings represent what distinguishes higher performers from others. Common protocols, reviewed externally, guide NCEA's site visits. The study of approximately 500 school systems over the past five years using this methodology is the foundation for the information shared in this document. The study of these school systems led to the development of the NCEA Best Practice Framework. The NCEA Best Practice Framework features three primary components: "Organizing Themes," "School System Levels," and "School System Practices". The Framework rests on the "State Standards" as a foundation for teaching and learning. Ensuring success for every child on the assessment of those standards ("Evidence of Student Learning") requires "High-Quality Instruction." And, achieving such instruction in every classroom requires a coherent system of district-, school-, and classroom-level practices. Appended are: (1) Emerging High School Best Practices by NCEA Organizing Theme; and (2) 2001-2005 High School Site Visits. (Contains 3 figures and 10 footnotes.) Descriptors: High Schools, Educational Quality, School Effectiveness, Best Practices, Models, Educational Change, Alignment (Education), Curriculum, Educational Objectives, Data Analysis, Data Collection, State Policy, Government Role, State Government, State Standards, Academic Standards National Center for Educational Accountability. Available from: National Center for Educational Achievement. 8701 North MoPac Expressway Suite 200, Austin, TX 78759. Tel: 800-762-4645; Tel: 512-320-1800; Fax: 512-320-1877; Web site: http://www.nc4ea.org/index.cfm Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive