How Schools Can Change

A few examples:

	The Puente Project operates both in high schools and community colleges throughout California. Puente-trained teachers instruct accelerated English writing classes that focus on Mexican-American and Latino literature and experience. Students are matched with mentors from similar cultural and social backgrounds who are successful professionals. The students also meet regularly with Puente counselors who guide them through the college application and transfer processes. Puente (which means “bridge” in Spanish) high school graduates enroll in four-year colleges at twice the rate of students with comparable backgrounds.
	In the Texas Scholars program, volunteers from local employers visit eighth-grade classes to talk about the global economy, the academic foundation needed to qualify for well-paying, meaningful jobs, and the high school courses recommended for college and workforce success. They also organize parent workshops and reward students who complete recommended courses. The percentage of students completing the Scholars course of study statewide rose from 15 percent in 1999 to 59 percent in 2002. Twelve other states have created similar programs.
	Middle College High School, on the LaGuardia Community College campus in Queens, New York, targets students at risk of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade. The school combines grades 9 through 12 with the first two years of college. Classes are small; students receive intensive guidance; and writing is emphasized in every subject, including math and science. All students who graduate are guaranteed admission to LaGuardia Community College. A recent study found that 88 percent of Middle College students graduated from high school, compared with 50 percent of students in New York City. For more information, visit www.lagcc.cuny.edu/stuinfo/info6c.asp or www.earlycolleges.org.

Other schools, such as those featured in The College Track, are trimming class sizes, so teachers can work more closely with students, or are creating classes with students of mixed abilities, so students can learn from one another. That way they all receive the additional resources that are sometimes reserved for students who get good grades.

	That schools require a college-preparatory curriculum for all students; provide academic and social support for underserved students; and ensure that teachers are well-prepared to address different learning styles and cultural backgrounds.
	That school systems align preschool-through-college curricula to support progress through successive levels. Efforts to match high school curricula with higher-education entrance criteria can improve academic preparation for college and raise college-enrollment rates.
	That school systems provide college-outreach programs and strong social support through school and community. Early college counseling, including easy-to-understand information about financial aid and admission requirements, is imperative for families with limited literacy skills and knowledge of college planning[1].
	That college and university leaders be clear about the skills and knowledge they expect incoming freshmen to have. They should build partnerships with schools; provide teacher training that focuses on the needs of underserved students, and target robust need-based aid and support programs to underserved students.
	That community leaders and family support groups work with students and families to instill and reinforce beliefs that all students must prepare for postsecondary education. In turn, communities and families must push schools and government to adopt a goal of universal college-readiness and achievement.