This article presents an interview with Karen Cator, director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education. In the interview, Cator talks about the distinctions of a school that's more technologically progressive from one that might be a bit slower to adopt new technologies. She states that the role of technology in…

As the dropout problem has grown--and as increasing numbers of students have started to see dropping out as a viable option for expressing their disaffection with school--practitioners, policymakers, and researchers have looked more closely at the factors that lead students to disengage from school and have attempted to find ways to create…

Consensus-based decision making can turn faculty meetings into meaningful and productive work sessions in which faculty members know that their input is respected and valued and important decisions are made. Reaching consensus has different meanings in different contexts. Decisions are made "by consensus" when the decision affects the entire…

Concurrent enrollment programs provide academic challenges for high school students and also provide a strong foundation for career and technical education programs. The state of Utah is one of the leaders in concurrent enrollments, providing funding for high schools to adopt such programs across the state, and Weber State University in Ogden,…

Given its success as a high achieving, award-winning magnet school for academically oriented students in grades 9-12, Columbus Alternative High School has more than successfully fulfilled its ambitious mission in the 30 years since it was named. According to the school's mission statement, Columbus Alternative aims "to create a truly…

What happens in a school when, despite teachers' best efforts in the classroom, students do not learn? The administrators and faculty members at Papillion-La Vista South High School in Nebraska asked themselves this question when they realized that some of their students were struggling, were not turning in work, did not seem to care, and were…

The Challenge Index ranks high schools according to how many students take AP and IB exams, not on how well they do or how many pass. This index is published in Newsweek and the magazine calls it "America's Best High Schools." In this article, the author, also the creator of this index, answers some frequently asked questions about the index and…

Despite the wealth of information available, there is no consensus on best practices for grading. In this article, the author identifies four key philosophical questions that should guide the development of a teacher's grading system and provides tips that can help principals guide teachers in developing a grading system. (Contains 1 figure.)

An interesting educational phenomenon is occurring across the United States in relation to middle grades education. Many middle level educators and parents are asking, "What's wrong with our school?" Sometimes their concerns are supported by such comments as "We don't seem to be going anywhere" and "Our students do not…