Innovative Trends in High School
Denver School Tries Reinvention as Reform()
June 20, 2008 Poor achievement and low attendance at Manual High School in Denver led the district to close its doors and open a year later. Closing Denver's oldest high school was not without controversy or protest. But administrators said starting fresh was the only fix.
School Devoted to Traditional Teaching, Values()
June 9, 2008 Sitting in the shadow of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colo., the Classical Academy, a public charter school, teaches traditional values and classical learning. The result may sometimes seem like Sunday school, but religion plays no active role.
Public Schools Expand Curriculum Online()
March 26, 2008 Students across the country are heading online for classes their public schools don't teach. In Virginia, a virtual program allows small schools to offer more advanced placement classes and compete with private schools, which use AP courses as a selling point.
Alternative 'Commie' High Mellows with Time()
February 14, 2008 Community High School has been an alternative to traditional high schools in Ann Arbor, Mich., since 1972. Early on, the school attracted a lot of slackers. Now, rebelliousness is carefully channeled into work. And the school is more popular than ever.
High School Teaches Thoreau in the Woods()
February 5, 2008 The Walden Project, an alternative high-school program in northern Vermont, focuses on environmental studies and the teachings of Henry David Thoreau, who did some of his best thinking outdoors at Walden Pond.
A District Where No Two Schools Are Alike()
December 18, 2007 School districts all across the country are breaking apart their traditional, large high schools. But once districts have thrown out the old, what becomes the new? The Mapleton School District near Denver offers just about everything.
Vail High School Teaches on the Slopes()
December 13, 2007 Students at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, a public ski high school in Colorado, are top athletes — many plan to go pro. They spend half the school day training on the mountain, the other half in the classroom.
Series Overview: Rethinking American High Schools()
October 19, 2007 For decades, educators have been trying to remake high schools into smaller, more manageable institutions. Now, a new effort to reinvent the American high school is sweeping the country.
Experimental School Gets Rid of Classes, Teachers()
October 19, 2007 Minnesota New Country School is not your typical high school. There are no classes, no teachers and no walls. Students work on projects at their own computers. The experiment seems to be working: The school sends 90 percent of its graduates to college.
Boston High School: No College Plans, No Diploma()
November 12, 2007 A Boston high school makes college acceptance a prerequisite to graduation. The school aims to offer inner-city students the same opportunities that their affluent counterparts get at private schools or in suburban districts.
