WEBVTT

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[Music] Welcome to the
overview on Engaging Students

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and Providing Skills Needed
to Graduate through Rigorous

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and Relevant Instruction.

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Ms. Murphy, the superintendent
of Elm View District,

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reviews data on students
who are dropping out

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and notices a range of issues.

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She wonders how the district
can better meet the needs

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of its diverse student body,
engage students more effectively

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in learning, and provide
recovery options for students

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who fall off-track
to graduation.

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One promising strategy to
help students connect school

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to the rest of their lives
is the integration of career

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and workforce skills with a
rigorous academic curriculum.

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Blending academic rigor

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and "real world" relevance
is not a small task,

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but it can result in stronger
schools and curricula.

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By redesigning high schools and
adjusting teaching strategies,

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districts can provide students
with relevant workforce skills

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without sacrificing
academic excellence

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or the preparation needed
for college admission.

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With a greater connection to
the world around the school,

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students can gain a stronger
sense of civic involvement

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that can, in turn, increase
their motivation and result

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in improved achievement.

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Students can also develop
stronger problem-solving

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and analytical reasoning skills

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by exploring practical
applications

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of academic subjects.

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When they are thinking in terms of 
long-term life choices, students are able

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to take advantage of enhanced
career and academic counseling.

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These are only a few of the
possible outcomes created

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by schools that use
complementary academic

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and career relevance to
create stronger curricula.

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Districts can incorporate
college preparatory academic core

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classes, professional
or technical classes,

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and field-based learning
opportunities

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within a portfolio
of high schools.

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In this way, students then
have a choice in the type

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of high school they attend

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and the programs
they participate in.

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Districts need to ensure
that rigorous academics

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and relevant career
development are available

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in all high schools, regardless
of each individual schools' programs.

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Smaller schools such
as magnet schools

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and career academies can choose
a single area of focus,

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offering specialized
courses in that field

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and stressing applicability
in core academic subjects

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when appropriate.

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A district with several such
schools is able to offer students

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a choice of which high school to 
enroll in based on their interests.

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For large comprehensive high
schools, districts can create

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"schools within a school."

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Combining this approach with
strategies such as advisories

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and small learning communities
creates a personalized

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learning environment.

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In some schools, each small
learning community takes

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on a career focus, such
as health, business,

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the environment,
science, medicine, or art.

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In core academic courses,
teachers use examples based

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on real-world problems
experienced in the chosen field.

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Students are continually
reminded

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of how their coursework applies
to their area of interest.

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This focus on the
interconnection

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between what happens inside and 
beyond the classroom allows

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for expanded interactions with
local colleges and businesses.

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Districts and schools
can offer career days,

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visits to local college
campuses, and summer institutes

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or bridge programs,
introducing students

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to both college and 
workforce environments.

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Visits to local businesses
allow students to gain knowledge

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about their field
and get a sense

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of the world they are
entering after graduation,

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regardless of whether
they enter it

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after high school
or after college.

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Schools can help students
prepare for the next phase

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of their lives through
courses or workshops

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on admissions processes,
college course requirements,

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financial aid, SAT preparation,
and employability skills.

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Local businesses can
also partner with schools

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to offer internships,
simulated job interviews,

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and even long- term
employment opportunities.

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Professional development
opportunities for teachers

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and staff are necessary in order 
to implement such organizational

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and instructional changes.

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The district can offer workshops
covering instructional practices

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that relate curricular
material content

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and cooperative-learning
strategies.

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Instructional coaches or mentors
can be brought in to work

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with teachers, and faculty can
form collaborative learning

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communities where they can work
together on instructional design

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and provide feedback
to each other.

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In addition to refocusing
schools on career skills

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and rigorous academics

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and providing professional
development

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to help teachers effectively
utilize this approach,

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the district also needs to ensure 
that there are options for students

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who are unlikely to graduate 
following a traditional path.

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These options might
include transfer schools,

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diploma-granting schools
designed to serve students

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who are significantly
off-track to graduation,

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or transitional schools
designed to provide education

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and services to a specialized
segment of students,

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such as pregnant or parenting
teens, for a set period of time.

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Some districts are also
turning to online learning

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to meet individual
student needs.

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By designing a multiple
pathways approach,

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schools can couple career
and technical courses

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with an existing rigorous
academic curriculum

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to improve instruction
in all courses.

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Districts can also offer
high schools of choice

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to further meet the needs of
a diverse student population.

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In this way, the district's
schools can better prepare all

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students for what
lies after graduation.

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Elm View plans to
develop a range of options

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to accelerate learning

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and credit accumulation while
still providing rigorous

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and relevant instruction.

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After looking at other district
models, Ms. Murphy wants

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to design a portfolio
of high schools,

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which would allow students
to choose a high school based

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on their individual
needs and interests.

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She knows that this
may require redesigning

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or replacing ineffective schools

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that have especially
high dropout rates,

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but she is convinced that
the changes will result

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in a stronger education for
her district's students.

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To learn more about
Engaging Students

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and Providing Skills Needed
to Graduate through Rigorous

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and Relevant Instruction, please
explore the additional materials

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on the Doing What Works Website.

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[Music]