A whole new high school experience is taking shape
Three in four high school students feel unprepared for life after graduation. The gap is driving an overhaul of graduation requirements, accountability systems and learning pathways.
Policies connecting academics with college and career readiness are gaining momentum in a handful of states and districts, according to a report from the National Association of State Boards of Education.
Indiana has taken one of the more comprehensive approaches. The state revised diploma requirements and streamlined standards so students can demonstrate learning on skills-based assessments, alongside traditional tests.
State leaders recently approved a new accountability system that measures schools on more than test scores and academics, including student participation in work-based learning, development of durable skills and achievements that demonstrate college and career readiness.
Detroit Public Schools Community District moved beyond the one-size-fits-all degree. It offers specialized diplomas on a student’s academic and career track, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told District Administration in a recent interview.
Graduates can receive:
Career diplomas: For passing industry-certified exams to accelerate employability after graduation.
College-ready diplomas: For passing Advanced Placement or dual-enrollment classes.
Arts diplomas: For completing fine or performing arts classes on a path toward national arts colleges.
Basic diplomas: Meeting basic credit requirements.
Detroit also shrank ninth-grade class sizes to give students individualized instruction and career-focused seminars. Juniors and seniors dual-enroll in community college and university courses tied to their job interests, which lets graduates “go to college, work after high school, [or] get their associate’s degree faster,” Vitti says.
Indiana and Detroit reflect a broader policy shift away from instruction time and test scores, toward systems that emphasize relevance, durable skills and preparation for life after school.
In Dallas ISD, durable skills are a central component of career and technical education. Technical skills alone are no longer enough for a student to land a job, said former CTE director Janel Humphries. Employers want applicants who can communicate, collaborate, solve unfamiliar problems and show a strong desire to learn.
“Our responsibility is to give students access to current tools while building the confidence and flexibility to navigate technologies and careers that may continue to change after they graduate,” said Humphries, senior director of workforce at the Economic Mobility Center.
The strongest pathways are built collaboratively, she added. Leaders must work closely with colleges, local employers and community organizations to establish partnerships that “extend beyond one-time events or guest speakers.”
Dallas ISD teaches CTE in four phases: awareness, exploration, preparation and placement. Local partners can be involved at any stage, from introducing younger students to careers, to mentoring high schoolers, to letting them visit job sites and earn credentials.
“The goal is to create clear, intentional connections so that students understand not only what opportunities exist, but also the education, skills, experiences and relationships that help them reach those opportunities,” Humphries said.
