The only organization dedicated solely to helping state boards advance equity and excellence in public education.


For students who would like to go to college, the separation of secondary from postsecondary systems presents many financial, logistical, and cultural barriers. Early college high schools were designed to bridge the disparate systems and address the full range of obstacles students face in attaining college degrees. While setting these schools up requires a lot of collaborative work, it is worth the effort to expand these efforts and make early college high school available to more students.

Policymakers’ solutions to the problem of inequitable access to postsecondary institutions often focus on the financial barriers students face. However, other barriers are just as significant.  Students may face barriers in the logistical aspects of applying to college. They may not have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college coursework, which sets up academic barriers. They may not understand or be prepared for the college culture.


Merging High School and College: The Early College High School Model





Also In this Issue

A New Architecture for High School Learning

By Russlynn Ali and Timothy F.C. Knowles

State leaders should retire the Carnegie unit and open the door for high school designs that ensure learning is engaging, relevant, experiential, and competency based.





Telltale Signs of Rigor and Career Readiness in High School

By Gene Bottoms

State boards can take a lesson from schools that already dish up rigorous assignments in college- and career-ready courses alike and ensure more schools do it.





How Rhode Island Increased the Value of a High School Diploma

By Angélica Infante-Green

New graduation requirements aim to align with college admission standards and address inequities in college and career readiness.





Access to Data Is Key to Navigating High School and Beyond

By Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger

Surveyed students report being at sea on postsecondary options and the progress they are making toward their goals.






Merging High School and College: The Early College High School Model

By Julie A. Edmunds

Six elements in statewide law and policy pave the way for effective programs that help more students thrive in college courses while they are still in high school.







Featured Items

Image of Tired Little Boy. Image Credit: iStock i

Georgia and Massachusetts Advance Dyslexia Screening and Intervention

State boards can advocate for more young children to be screened for dyslexia and ensure that identified students receive effective interventions, as those in Massachusetts and Georgia have done.

High Schools That Matter

This issue of The Standard reimagines the high school experience, illuminating the data, policy reforms, and engagement with students, families, and educators that must align to make redesign possible.
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Teachers Need Multifaceted Support to Improve Literacy

To improve literacy, states should invest in comprehensive supports for teachers to equip them to deliver high-quality, evidence-based instruction.

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