Category: School to Work

Reinventing High Schools for the Future

If you’ve read my blog before, you probably already know that I’m a passionate fan of problem-based learning experiences and real-world, hands-on learning. These approaches help students learn to work collaboratively for a meaningful purpose, to think critically to justify their solutions, to build schools that focus on real-life skills integrated with academic content, and to prepare for a future ever more uncertain.

Recently I’ve collected an array of schools that do just that. Each has a different focus, but all of them value the life skills their approaches develop. For example, the Grand Rapids Public Museum School (GRPMS) has learners work in small and collaborative cohorts co-taught by teachers. The community is their classroom, and their mission is to “use place-based design thinking and the museum context to create learning experiences that develop confident, creative, and competent thinkers, doers, and leaders.” They have an impressive list of core competencies as goals: “Read Critically; Reason Quantitatively; Learn Independently; Lead Inquiry; Explore Social Phenomena; Communicate Effectively; Collaborate on Teams; Build Community; Design Solutions; Develop Self-Knowledge; Cultivate Well-Being; and Think and Act Globally.” (https://grps.org/schools/high-school/gr-museum-hs/) At this school, housed inside the Grand Rapids Public Museum itself, students “help museum staff collect, process, and curate new materials in a design lab where they play a role in designing and updating existing exhibits.” They’ve found artifacts like a spacesuit from an Apollo mission and a flapper dress from the 1920s, and they’ve recorded interviews about the artifacts and created podcasts. (https://xqsuperschool.org/where-we-work/grand-rapids-public-museum-school) At this school the content is integrated across subject areas, and classroom activities are blended with community-based experiential projects. How powerful that approach must be!

Another example, Elizabethtown High School is the only high school in its northeast Tennessee district, in a region hit hard by opioid epidemic and poverty. Teachers there invited a sociology class to design a school that could earn an XQ Super School grant.  As a result, they added two new classes the following school year, “Community Improvement” and “Entrepreneurship.” Students were able to work in the community; build relationships with government, non-profit, and business leaders; and start their own community project or business. One sociology class “investigated and helped solve a cold case from the 1980s, leading the authorities to identify the murder suspect.” They started in 2018, and subsequent students continued “investigating links between that crime and a series of murders. In 2024, their work became the subject of iHeart radio’s hit true-crime podcast series ‘Murder 101,’ now set to become a feature-length film.”

Other students there have found their own opportunities to make a difference. A student is now liaison to the local school board, and the at the prompting of students, the school has a Cyclone Student Center where students can find school resources and college information. (https://xqsuperschool.org/where-we-work/elizabethtown-high-school) Yet another student took on painting murals in the community during her senior year, even though she knew nothing about it prior to that effort. As an alumna, she still leads this ongoing project that’s transforming the downtown. Another student learned how to network and build relationships to make art “a viable business endeavor while providing a public service.” (https://ehs.ecschools.net)

These schools are not alone in their reinvention of high school. Crosstown High in downtown Memphis, a charter school with about 480 students, is sited within a one-million-square-foot landmark with over 40 business and agencies. It recruits students from all over Memphis who then learn “through projects, such as analyzing pollution in local soil and its correlation to cancer rates.” (https://xqsuperschool.org/where-we-work/crosstown-high) 

The learning framework at Crosstown High is action-based:

  • Center learning around authentic, real-world problems
  • Incorporate student voice and choice
  • Build in feedback, revision, and public exhibitions
  • Align projects with both academic content and transferable skills

(https://crosstownhigh.org/adult-learning)

In 2024, award-winning documentary filmmaker Lee Hirsch premiered “The First Class,” a documentary that goes inside Crosstown High to tell the story.

Check out Thomas A. Edison High School is an anchor school among the 100-plus city high schools participating in FutureReadyNYC, a consortium for career-connected learning. Their students choose from thirteen different career tracks that allow them to seek internships and earn industry certifications. They can also earn college credit. The school focuses on developing five essential skills—communication, collaboration, giving and receiving feedback, design thinking, and professionalism. That focus guides classroom work, with students and teachers collaborating to co-design curricula suited to the modern world and workplace. For example, an English class may include a student-run theater. (https://xqsuperschool.org/where-we-work/thomas-edison) They don’t focus on career skills in place of academics; they integrate the two. Their vision: “Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School envisions empowering every student to become a leader of tomorrow by excelling academically, technically, and civically through strong collaboration among faculty, students, parents, and community partners.” (https://www.taehs.org)

Take a look at Brooklyn STEAM Center, a school that “delivers innovative, industry-informed experiences that empower students—treated as young professionals—to shape their futures. (www.spacesmith.com) The Brooklyn Navy Yard behind the school hired Spacesmith, a design firm keyed to each client’s mission, to expand it. As a result, “school leaders and contractors, along with architects and interior designers from Spacesmith, put the entire high school body in the driver’s seat to design their future.” Already a bastion of student-centered learning, the school sought student input both pre-design and during design and construction. Students played a central role in designing quieter and more private spaces, adaptable classrooms, acoustic and health-grade materials, and glazed classroom entrances enhance transparency and connection. They learned a whole new level of advocacy and collaboration. (https://schoolconstructionnews.com)

My own students experienced this kind of learning in my problem-based learning classroom. Even as they worked for the school, public and private agencies, and a Chicago law firm to solve real-world problems, they met curriculum standards and developed academic skills. You can read all about it in Tales Told Out of School, my teaching memoir.

At a time when students are so disengaged and often not even present, offering learning opportunities that prepare them for the future is an invaluable approach. American public schools suffer from inertia, and change is somehow always harder than it should be. It’s up to all of us – students, parents, teachers, taxpayers, citizens – to demand that change occur now.

Maine Is onto Something

I stumbled onto a program in Maine that may become a national model. Now used in 84 high schools (about 2/3 of all Maine high schools), Jobs for Maine Graduates “teaches high school students 30 ‘soft’ or ‘durable’ skills — including communication, leadership, goal-setting, and adaptability — and awards badges to students who master them.” (https://www.the74million.org)

Created by the Maine state legislature in 1993, this program initially focused on at-risk students. Officials are now expanding this approach in a separate non-profit, GenUS. It starts in middle school with practice of simple skills like accountability, budgeting, and digital safety. High school students can earn “Micro-credentials” by submitting “Evidence of Learning” that is reviewed against clear rubrics; successful demonstrations are awarded as digital badges with embedded metadata, making skills visible, portable, and recognized by colleges and employers. “Aligned with learning standards, Maine’s Economic Strategic Development Plan, and national frameworks, Micro-credentials form the building blocks that stack into larger Credentials of Value within the GenUS Competency to Credential Model.” The goal is to expand this program nationally. (https://gen-us.org/)

Maine also has an Extended Learning Opportunity program [ELO] “to help Maine youth gain a better understanding of their career opportunities, acquire valuable foundational and 21st Century skills, as well as create meaningful connections to employers in our state.” These hands-on experiences, which emphasize community-based career exploration, take place outside of the traditional classroom, and students can earn elective or core credit. “These programs include paid work experiences, expanding educational opportunities in rural Maine, work skills development, and increasing engagement of otherwise disengaged youth. ELO Expansion Grants totaling $7.1 million have been awarded for 38 ELO programs across Maine covering 13 of Maine’s 16 counties since 2022.” (www.maine.gov/)

By 2025, Maine DOE grant-funded ELO programs have seen:

  • 3,000+ core and elective credits earned.
  • 6,000+ student participants.
  • 3,000+ new school-employer partnerships.
  • 8,000+ community and business engagements.

(https://mainedoenews.net)

Yet another program launched in 2022: the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is “a statewide effort to connect Maine’s young people to the outdoors through engaging, hands-on learning opportunities. In its first two years, more than 2,500 students have participated in programs ranging from hiking and kayaking to farming and forestry.” An expansion grant in 2024 increased its reach to about 4,000 students. (https://content.govdelivery.com)

Maine also has an apprenticeship program for learners 16 years of age and over that has grown dramatically. “In 2019, 757 registered apprentices, or 26% of the total, were ages 16–24. By 2025, that number had more than doubled to 1,591, representing 42% of all apprentices statewide.” It is a work in progress. While areas like construction, manufacturing, healthcare, education have thrived, the state lacks a consistent set of benchmarks applicable to all industries and a coherent statewide strategy for employer engagement and youth recruitment. (www.maine.gov) To address those concerns, Maine has been accepted as one of the ten states to participate in The Future Ready Apprenticeship Center as an “Apprenticeship America” center. (www.careerwiseusa.org)

More localized programs exist, too. Career Access through National service and Outdoor Education, or CANOE, “will offer classroom instruction, experience through service and in-person training modules with Maine-based outdoor businesses and professionals… to create pathways into and to expand year-round outdoor recreation jobs in central and western Maine, in fields such as fishing, whitewater guiding, trail building and maintenance, outdoor business, retail, manufacturing and hospitality.”  Because jobs in rural Maine are scarce and because the outdoor recreation industry is a major contributor to Maine’s economy, this program aims to equip participants with the skills they need “to access good jobs while advancing the region as a four-season outdoor recreation hub.” (https://mainebiz.biz)

We know that too many American youth suffer from anxiety and depression. Today’s youth have grown up during a pandemic, an epidemic of school shootings, and a breakdown of norms and institutions. They are battered by the threats of polarization, climate change, the impact of AI, misleading social media, etc. We know that too many aren’t hopeful about the future. Why don’t more states develop the kind of leadership that Maine is modeling. We may not be able to solve all the problems that bedevil them – and all of us – but we can show them a path that leads to a more hopeful future. We can offer them more agency. We know how. It’s time for us to make it happen.

Changing the World, One Student at a Time

Too much bleak news distorts our hope for the future. I’ve been collecting stories about youth who make a difference, and I’m ready for some good news – aren’t you?

Remarkable teens out there challenge the status quo, seek innovation, and work to ignite change. Some are famous already: Greta Thunberg’s quest to educate people about climate change, Malala Yousafzai‘s fight for education of girls in Pakistan, even Sal Kahn, who founded the  free online non-profit educational platform Khan Academy years ago.

But there are many others toiling in relative obscurity. Simmi Sen, a high school senior from Vancouver, WA, founded the clothing brand Tints Streetwear to help women in Bangladesh and India get vocational and educational training that could break the cycle of poverty. (https://tintsstreetwear.com/) When he was a freshman at Harvard, Sahil Sood founded HYPE, a health care non-profit that distributed money and led to his current role as the International Vice President of HOSA-Future Health Professionals, a nonprofit career technical organization that aims to help students pursue careers in healthcare. (https://www.arielfoundation.org/mr-sahil-sood/ – :~:text=Sahil Sood is a youth,prominent issues in the community.) A victim of Lyme disease as a child, Olivia Goodreau founded the LivLyme Foundation to provide financial support to families, fund research, and provide education and awareness. (https://livlymefoundation.org/)

There are many others. As a high school student, Radhika Goyal founded the nonprofit TechPower4All to break gender and socioeconomic barriers in technology. (https://techpower4all.org/) High school student Alex Chen Alex Chen launched Youth for Finance, the largest youth-led financial literacy nonprofit organization in the U.S., with over 75 registered school chapters, 3,000 members, and four finance events hosted with more than 400 attendees. (https://www.youthforfinance.org/) When she was only 18, Neha Shukla was a New York Times-featured young inventor, chair of the World Economic Forum’s Generation AI Youth Council, and the bestselling author of Innovation for Everyone: Solving Real-World Problems with STEM and A Kids Book About AI. (https://www.neha-shukla.com)

Still more: To deal with her own depression and an eating disorder, Emily Bhatnagar founded For Love & Buttercup, collecting tens of thousands of books for sick children and schools in economically disadvantaged communities. (https://www.forloveandbuttercup.com/) When she was only eight years old, Sammie Vance  launched the Buddy Bench project, collecting plastic bottle caps to turn into benches that promote kindness and inclusion at schools. Her eco-friendly project encourages kids to make friends while also helping the planet. (https://sammiesbuddybenchproject.com/) Two years ago, after taking a sixth-grade programming class at his San Francisco private school, Jacob Shaul wanted to share his passion with students at other schools.  Despite a lack of enthusiasm from most school administrators, he managed to launch Mode to Code to introduce computer programming to middle schoolers. Mode to Code now partners with 30 institutions, offers classes in other countries, and is teaching senior citizens in the Bay area. (https://www.modetocode.com/)

There are so many stories like these – an internet search offers profiles of youth making a difference. Many other stories go unnoticed, but they matter. There’s even an organization to support these efforts called “Do Something.” Founded 31 years ago, their mission is to fuel young people to change the world by making volunteerism as cool as sports for young. They have over 1 million active members ages 13-25 committed to leading the change they want to see. https://dosomething.org/)

These youth should inspire us. Their leadership shows us what’s possible. They may be extraordinary, but every teen has potential to innovate, to support their community, to make a difference. What can – and should – we do to motivate more young people to follow their lead?

For years I advocated for a senior service project. I saw first-hand how my problem-solving class, which exposed my students to service-learning projects of both my and their design, transformed their commitment to others. At a time when so many of our students seem disconnected if not downright alienated, why don’t we lead the way?

“The Future Is High School”

One of my favorite resources, XQ “exists to transform high school in America so every student graduates ready for the world they’re entering—prepared to thrive in college, career, and life.” Having spent most of my career working in and with high schools, I remain convinced that they are not only ripe but also overdue for systemic reform. So it was with bated breath that I read XQ’s new policy report, “The Future Is High School.” (policyactions.xqinstitute.org)

XQ proffers ten specific policy changes. For each they specify what the change does, why it matters, and what the criteria should be for its implementation.

Two of the policies have had my support for years. One involves identifying the Core Competencies necessary for high school graduates. XQ argues that academic knowledge and skills matter but that “today’s graduates need a more expansive toolkit that includes timeless, transferable skills like communication, problem solving, and critical thinking.”

I’ve written before about my belief in the “Essential Qualities of a Glenbard Graduate” that my district developed decades ago. After a hiatus, this revision appeared in 2019: “● Communicates – A graduate communicates effectively in a variety of ways and understands their audience. ● Thinks Critically – A graduate needs to identify problems and find multiple ways to solve them. They also examine and challenge assumptions and make decisions based on evidence.  ● Embraces Diversity – A graduate has empathy for others, respects diverse backgrounds and seeks varied points of view to deepen understanding. ● Creates – Our graduates create solutions to real world problems. They also generate original ideas, solutions and products and are open and responsive to new ideas and perspectives.  ● Collaborates – More than just working with others, they take responsibility to work together for a common goal. They also receive, provide and learn from constructive feedback. ● Is Self-Empowered – Graduates have a growth mindset and build strong relationships. They advocate for themselves and have realistic goals.” (www.glenbard87.org) I love this more proactive version and wish all high schools would develop similar profiles for their graduates. Focusing on what students can and should be able to do is far more powerful than measuring specific content knowledge, especially at a time of information glut and information growth. Competencies like this encourage lifelong learning skills and adaptability.

The second policy I’ve long supported is the use of Mastery-Based Credits. In this system, students earn credit for what they know and can do rather than just how many hours they’ve been in class. Although a surprising number of states [Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Rhode Island] allow this approach, and still others allow a capstone project or other demonstration of mastery, too many states still depend upon Carnegie Units. (https://reports.ecs.org) Introduced in 1906, these units simply measure 120 hours of “seat time” regardless of the amount of learning. (www.carnegiefoundation.org) The passage of time is not a meaningful measure, and I sincerely hope more states will adopt a mastery-based approach.

I’m also a fan of XQ’s policy on Internships and Apprenticeships. They argue that rigorous, real-world learning happens everywhere, not just in the classroom, and that these opportunities “enable students to explore potential career pathways, gain valuable workplace experience, and graduate with the knowledge and competencies necessary for success after high school.” I couldn’t agree more. Many of the students who joined my “Tech Squad” in high school, helping faculty navigate newer forms of technology, got internships in high school that led them to their careers. I’d also advocate for another program my district had for several years: rotating faculty members accompanied groups of students to workplaces to learn about employers’ expectations/needs and about opportunities for life after high school. So many students found that eye-opening and motivating. Hearing businesses extol virtues like teamwork, lifelong learning, and a good work ethic was far more powerful than anything we teachers could promote.

And I love that XQ recognizes the need for Professional Development [PD]for staff so they can implement these changes effectively. States should require better PD for pre-service teachers, fund ongoing PD for existing faculty, and publish resources that provide models of excellence and guidance. I would add teaching coaches and mentors within the school.

I also support Next-Generation Assessments that “that widen the lens on learning to reliably measure mastery of real-world skills like creative problem-solving, alongside academic content.” Multiple choice tests and short answer exams focus on one right answer. Meaningful assessments also evaluate process, like portfolios for writing. One of the reasons I loved my work in problem-based learning [see prior blogs] is that it invited a multitude of possible answers and it also valued and evaluated process. Life after high school is not a multiple-choice test!

Of course, all of these changes would require Redesigned Transcripts, adopting a “new student transcript, badging, or record system, such as learning and employment records (LERs), that awards students badges or other types of credentials for demonstrating the requisite knowledge, skills, and competencies. States need both the infrastructure to demonstrate student competencies and also the artifacts (e.g., badges) to be included.” It is often said that we pay attention to what we measure. Instead, let’s measure what we should be paying attention to.

There are four more recommended policies that you can explore in the published report. (policyactions.xqinstitute.org) These first six strike me, however, as the most compelling and effective way to ensure that the future is indeed high school.

Today’s high schools should prepare students for the world they’ll face after high school. They should develop a disciplined, motivated, and adaptable workforce to face the ever-changing realities of life in the future. Our old system doesn’t do that. Isn’t change overdue?

No More Backsliding!

I was sad but not surprised to read the results of the National Science Foundation’s meta-analysis of gender-stereotyping of children. They conclude that “at age 6, children already believe that boys and men are better at computing and engineering; girls increasingly endorse this belief in older ages. These stereotypes therefore have ample time to affect children’s motivations and behaviors as children engage with these subjects in formal schooling and select diverging pathways in later grades.” (psycnet.apa.org)

Nearly thirty years ago I first encountered articles and studies about why girls were avoiding math and science classes at ever earlier ages. Although I’m an English teacher and writer, the rest of my family is in STEM fields, and I see how important they are and the opportunities they offer. Even though I ran three other extracurricular activities, I started a group called WIMS [Women in Math and Science]. We met after school every month to look at the research and plan activities. I connected them with women scientists at Fermilab, and they reached out to girls at the middle school and grade schools. I was hopeful.

I wasn’t entirely wrong. We did make progress.

But we’re slipping again. According to Northwest Evaluation Association research, although the disparity between middle school math and science scores disappeared in 2019, the gap has returned. One author posited that teachers may be reinforcing old stereotypes and/or the renewed focus on boys’ learning after they fell behind may affect girls. Whatever the reason, we’re losing ground here. (www.the74million.org)

Indianapolis schools have tackled this issue by creating Girls IN STEM Academy. Its mission: “Helping elementary-age girls’ science hopes take flight.” They’ve enrolled 65 girls but plan to grow to 300. The Girl Scouts are a partner. Purdue Polytechnic High School students will mentor the girls, seeking to create a pipeline that eventually boosts the female attendance there, as well as at colleges.

“With women making up just a third of the STEM workforce and about the same majoring in STEM fields in college, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and American Association of University Women, experts see a need to start encouraging girls early in a STEM focus.” The article claims that  there are only three other girls elementary schools with a dedicated STEM focus — Innova Girls Academy in New York, Rise STEM Academy for Girls in Kentucky and Solar Preparatory School for Girls in Texas. (indianacapitalchronicle.com)

 

Girls make up nearly half the population of school-age children, and our country cannot afford to discard their talents. STEM careers are highly desirable, and girls should be encouraged to seek them along with boys. Early support of STEM makes a difference. “Researchers have found that high-quality academic preparation and exposure to STEM is a key influence in high schoolers’ chances of landing a STEM career.” (www.the74million.org2)

It’s time for change.

Preparing Learners for the Future

Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce produced a report, America’s Divided Recovery, proving that “Over 95 percent of jobs created during the recovery have gone to workers with at least some college education, while those with a high school diploma or less are being left behind” (https://cew.georgetown.edu). They warn that the recent job recovery focuses on high-skilled professional and managerial jobs, while the low-skill blue-collar jobs lost have not rebounded. Clearly education has a significant impact on lifetime earnings, and, according to a new report by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup, “the benefits of higher education go far beyond employment and earnings; a postsecondary degree can improve outcomes in everything from personal health and character to civic engagement and relationships” (insidehighered.com). How, then, do we re-engage students in their education and offer them a better life because of it? Student-centered classrooms are a potent start, but considering the options for our students after schooling has never been more important. Not all students can or should go to college. The job market has changed, and schools need to prepare students for the new realities they will face.

Ryan Craig, author of Apprentice Nation, points out that we’re last among developed countries for apprenticeships, with only half a million, which equates to only 0.3% of the workforce. He argues that apprenticeships, because they are real, paid jobs and allow students to check the fit of a potential career, are the best pathway, especially for underprivileged and first-generation students who tend to be bogged down with student debt (the74million.org). In the United Kingdom, apprenticeship providers go to big companies to set up and run apprentice programs where high school students work for a reduced apprentice wage and get experience (Ibid.).

Opportunities are few and far between in this country, but California has established “Apprenticeship Innovation Funding” that offers employers $3500 for every apprentice they hire and train (dir.ca.gov). The state of Indiana is transforming public high schools “by making career skills a major focus through more internships, apprenticeships and a drive to earn career credentials before graduating” (the74million.org2). Indiana will offer $5,000 Career Grant Scholarship Accounts for grades 10-12 to pursue career training.  State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, a sponsor of the bill that created the scholarships, said, “We want our students to graduate with not only a diploma, but also a credential, currency they can take with them” (the74million.org3). In Indianapolis, Victory College Prep High School “has placed every 11th and 12th grader in internships with companies or nonprofits for 10 school days a year the last five years, other than some pandemic adjustments” (the74million.org2). Staff acknowledge the need for more worksites to participate, and they are building the program.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis argues that, “A fragmented approach—where high schools, postsecondary institutions, and employers all work in their own silos— shortchanges everyone” (the74million.org4). Colorado has been a leader in preparing learners for the world of work: “roughly 53% of high school graduates in Colorado earn college credit or industry credentials through dual and concurrent enrollment while in high school, saving them an estimated $53 million annually on tuition costs. A growing number also participate in apprenticeship and “learn while you earn” models” (Ibid.). Although the state already has intermediaries pairing businesses and youth as well as Pathways in Technology Early College High School models, it has created a task force “to develop and recommend policies, laws, and rules to support the equitable and sustainable expansion and alignment of programs that integrate secondary, postsecondary, and work-based learning opportunities” (Ibid.).

Some individual schools around the country are beefing up their Career and Technical Education programs. John Handley High School in Winchester, Virginia, offers programs in Business, Information Technology, Health and Medical Sciences, Marketing, Technology Education, and Trade and Industrial Education (www.wps.k12.va.us). Elgin, Illinois, just received a YouthBuild grant for 16-24-year-old students who didn’t graduate high school; it provides mentoring and on-the-job training (haeelgin.org). In Georgia, the German-inspired Georgia Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (GA CATT) starts students in Coweta County south of Atlanta as apprentices sophomore year, likely the youngest members of any apprentice program in the U.S. For example, Walker Reese finished his three-year apprenticeship as a maintenance technician as he finished high school last spring and walked into a full-time job at Blickle Wheels and Casters in the city of Newnan. (the74million.org5). Such programs are common in Germany.

I am a big believer in a liberal arts education that empowers learners to think and to problem solve, but such an education on its own may not be enough for many students. The American “college for all” mentality does not serve all students well, as many fail to graduate or end up underemployed and in debt. It also does not serve the country well, as it fails to feed the pipeline for skilled workers in specific fields. We should learn from other developed countries and build apprenticeship programs and meaningful career and technical education. Then we will be serving both our students and our national interest.