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| Learn more about the need and the design of the Challenge Network |
Aim higher! That was the theme for teachers, principals and district administrators from Aldine, Alief, Goose Creek, Humble and YES Prep who joined Houston A+ Challenge on July 12-13, 2010, to begin developing action plans for getting more middle school students on track for post-secondary success.
Recent research from UT-Austin's Ed Fuller shows that middle school students who test "proficient" on state tests in 8th grade may only have a 15 to 41 percent chance of being on track for success by the time they are in 11th grade. Strikingly, students who achieve at the higher "commended" level on state tests in 8th grade have at least a 76 percent chance of remaining on track for success through high school, and graduating prepared for college and a well-paying career.
The Challenge Network aims to help schools significantly increase the number of students who are not just "proficent", but who are on track to be truly ready for postsecondary success. In most schools, the goal is to double the number of targeted students who achieve "commended" performance.
Reginald FisherWhen Steve Siebenaler took over as principal of Waltrip High School in 2003, he was faced with a daunting, but familiar challenge: a low-performing, urban campus, plagued by racial tensions, apathy and frustration. click here to read more |