High School Redesign Initiative

State Boards of Education are an essential component in the efforts to redesign the nation's high schools and are the entity with the strongest probability of delivering sustained change and improvement. State Boards are uniquely positioned to improve high schools that prepare students for the 21st century and postsecondary pathways because they have broad oversight over a number of education reform efforts.

Thus, NASBE's High School Redesign Initiative, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was created to keep State Boards of Education informed of current research, policies, and strategies in the area of high school redesign. Additionally, because there are no "magic bullets" in turning around low- and under-performing high schools, NASBE is working with states to develop a systemic and coherent high school model with corresponding policies that supports and prepares all students for the 21st century and any postsecondary pathway - college, work, or the military.

Components states should consider when developing their model and policies to adequately address low- and under-performing schools include:

1)      Transparency and alignment of the state's high school redesign model with corresponding policies and strategies;

2)      Supports for all student needs;

3)      Engagement of stakeholders, including family, community leaders, legislators, state and local education agencies, and others;

4)      Leadership and governance of the state;

5)      Capacity and sustainability of the policies and strategies.

Although attending to all the components may seem like a daunting task, piecemeal attempts to turn around low- and under-performing high schools may have some positive effect, it will not have the widespread, sustainable impact to adequately engage and support students. Only a comprehensive model with aligned policies will have a chance to effectively prepare students for postsecondary success.