Adjust expectations for a light senior year
Root Cause: Curriculum is leading to inadequate student preparation
Area of Opportunity: Curriculum
Lever of Change: Advanced Coursework
Jump to: Overview | When to Implement | Implementation Considerations
Strategy Overview
Scenario
A college-bound student on a block schedule has successfully completed all required coursework in 9th-11th grade. When registering for 12th grade, she realizes she only needs to take one English class to meet state requirements. As a result, she signs up for unrelated introductory electives and opts for a reduced schedule each semester, alongside her one core course.
In many communities, there’s a common belief that students have “earned” the right to take it easy during their senior year before pursuing post-secondary plans. This often results in students opting for a minimal course load and filling their schedules with low-rigor classes. However, this choice can shortchange a student’s preparation for post-secondary success and misses the opportunity to earn college credit, often at little to no cost, while still in high school.
School or district scheduling practices may contribute to this trend, especially when students have access to seven or eight courses at a time without corresponding changes to graduation requirements. This setup can lead to increased requests for reduced academic loads in the last two years of high school. When course registration focuses mainly on meeting graduation requirements, students who have completed these requirements may choose a schedule full of low intensity electives, lacking clear purpose or intention.
In many communities, there’s a common belief that students have “earned” the right to take it easy during their senior year before pursuing post-secondary plans. This often results in students opting for a minimal course load and filling their schedules with low-rigor classes. However, this choice can shortchange a student’s preparation for post-secondary success and misses the opportunity to earn college credit, often at little to no cost, while still in high school.
When To Implement
Changing a long-held practice in a school community can be challenging, and adopting a “go slow to go fast” approach may be more effective. Consider the following timing strategies:
- Educate Families: Spend a year before implementing the change, educating families on the importance of maintaining a rigorous senior year course schedule. During this period, you can also work on revising or drafting Board policies to support this new mindset.
- Start with Freshmen: Introduce the new approach with an incoming class of freshmen. This sets the expectation from the beginning of their high school career, avoiding the difficulties of implementing a change for students who have been accustomed to the old practice since 9th grade.
By taking these steps, you can lay a solid foundation for a cultural shift that values a challenging and purposeful senior year.
Implementation Considerations
Enhance Graduation Policy
- Modify Graduation Requirements: Consider revising the graduation policy to include additional preparatory courses if most students complete their requirements early. This ensures that all students continue to engage in meaningful coursework throughout their senior year.
- Limit Reduced Schedules: Implement a local policy that only allows students to take a reduced schedule with administrative approval, encouraging them to maintain a full and rigorous course load.
Change Mindset Through Education
- Address Historical Culture: Some parents may remember having a light senior year and might push for their children to have the same experience. To counter this, host parent nights and informational sessions highlighting the opportunities students could miss out on, such as earning college credits, strengthening college applications, and participating in paid internships. Show the benefits of a full senior year to shift the mindset.
Promote Dual Enrollment/Early College
- Encourage Dual Enrollment: Urge seniors and their families to consider dual enrollment during free periods in their schedule. This option not only saves money on future college expenses but also strengthens college applications and familiarizes students with college-level work in a supportive environment.
- Maximize Senior Year: Highlight that, particularly on a block schedule, some students can complete their first year of college during 12th grade at little to no cost through dual enrollment. Help families understand that seniors are only months away from college, and with support, they can succeed in college-level courses early.
Internships and Work-Based Learning
- Promote Internships: Similar to dual enrollment, encourage students to pursue paid internships or work-based learning in their senior year. Instead of taking a minimum day and working part-time after school, students can earn high school credits and gain relevant work experience in their field of interest. This approach not only helps students earn money but also enhances their college applications with relevant experience.
Redesign Advisement and Course Request Processes
- Early Advisement: Begin developing the mindset of using the senior year for goal attainment as early as middle school. Advise students to take additional core coursework to meet their goals, especially in areas where graduation requirements may not require four years of core subjects or a sufficient amount of world language or career pathway courses.
- Proactive Course Requests: Redesign the course request process to emphasize the importance of a full senior year. Regularly audit transcripts to identify patterns, such as students taking minimal core courses or a scattershot approach to CTE courses, and intervene where necessary.
Focus on Student Goals: Shift the scheduling process from simply tracking high school graduation requirements to aligning course selections with students’ goals and aspirations. This encourages seniors to continue taking challenging courses that support their future plans.