High school students have had some difficulties in understanding chemistry due to traditional ways of teaching this specific science. It is important to improve teaching methods that increase student motivation, not only to enhance their capacity for understanding, but also to generate a greater level of interest in the study of chemistry for…

The Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB's) case study series highlights best practices High Schools That Work (HSTW) network schools and districts are implementing to better prepare students for further studies and careers. Lee's Summit West (LSW) High School near Kansas City, Missouri, boasts of a 99 percent graduation rate; 93 percent of…

Emerging in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the concept of individual student planning developed as a component of school guidance counseling programs. The underlying significance of these plans, such as the Individual Career Plan (ICP), is that "it gives [students] a chance to tell and develop their story" (N. Gysbers, personal communication,…

This paper outlines the major influences on the college choice process of Latino undocumented students with a specific focus on the "choice" stage of the broader college opportunity process (Hossler & Gallagher 1987; Hossler, Schmidt, & Vesper 1999). As theorized by Hossler et. al (1987; 1999), the choice stage is where students…

The statewide Utah Model for Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance: K-12 Programs (Utah State Office of Education, 2008) began implementation in 1988. Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, data collection has been required for all schools collecting program funds. This article reviews research data from three Utah schools--one elementary…

The CollegeKeys Compact[TM] is a national call to action to school districts, colleges and universities, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations to identify, share and expand programs and practices that address the needs and challenges of low-income students and help them get ready for, get into and get through college. The College…

The transition from the security of a middle level school to a high school isn't easy. The new independence, challenging workload, and high expectations are often enough to send freshmen into a whirlwind. To help offset these challenges, Louisburg (KS) High School developed a freshmen transition program that includes a preview of what high school…

Unfortunately, the development of many life skills sometimes gets pushed aside in high school. The focus is on doing well in school and on getting to college. What about the learning that takes place in other arenas? Things like learning how to balance a check book or create a budget? These skills are just as important as those learned in the…

Students in the United States have higher educational aspirations than ever before. One barrier for Latino high school students are the myths, misconceptions, and absence of accurate information about what it takes to get to college. This issue is particularly critical for students who are the first in their families who have the opportunity to go…

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program helps students, particularly those in the academic middle, prepare for the rigorous courses that can help them get into college. AVID students take an elective class in which they learn organizational and study skills, receive tutoring, and support one another. Teachers in AVID schools…

This article talks about Mission High School located in San Francisco, where majority of its students come from two of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. The entrance of the historic Mission High School is reminiscent of the grand entryways in elite colleges and universities. The irony of Mission's architecturally pleasing edifice is that for…

This report by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) outlines important concerns about documentation issues related to students with disabilities as they transition from high school to postsecondary settings. These issues center on the "disconnect" between the nature and extent of disability documentation generated during a…

A new online learning tool called the eCommSports Kit links a seven-step sports marketing curriculum with a school team to give students real-life experience in developing and executing a plan to boost game attendance. The kit, available through http://www.ecommsports.com, takes teens on a cross-curricular journey through conducting business…

In no other country in the world do so many boys and girls receive regular high-school education of a general cultural type as in the United States, and the number of such boys and girls in this country is rapidly increasing, having more than doubled since 1905, and increased more than 60 per cent since 1910. American democratic ideals demand not…

"Curriculum alignment projects, towards developing a need to know", presents an approach to curriculum design that could be considered truly constructive in its format. Successful completion of the project requires students to synthesize a number of concepts that make up the block's learning objectives.