A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

RILEY PRESENTS 1999 NEW AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS

Thirteen schools were honored today for their innovative, leading-edge reform efforts by U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, as he announced the 1999 New American High Schools award winners.

"We recognize these New American High Schools for setting a standard for excellence for all students," Riley said. "Their extraordinary reform efforts are grounded in classroom innovation, breakthrough instructional methods, imaginative use of technology, and their ability to develop partnerships with the community, parents and colleges."

Since 1996, the Education Department has encouraged reform efforts nationwide through the New American High Schools initiative. The goals of the initiative are to identify high schools across the nation that have dramatically improved the quality of education for all students, and to assist high schools nationwide in that same endeavor. These schools ensure that all students meet challenging academic standards and are prepared to succeed in college and careers. They help students acquire the communications, problem-solving, computer and technical skills needed in today's rapidly changing, global economy. Challenging all students to achieve high academic standards and providing skills needed to succeed in college and careers are key to the success of New American High Schools.

These high schools represent a broad range of institutions and instructional strategies. Included are comprehensive high schools, academic magnets, charter schools, and redesigned vocational-technical schools. Reform efforts at each school are driven by local need and resources. However, research on the current New American High Schools indicates that the sites use a common set of strategies, including innovative instructional techniques, creative integrated technology, tailored professional development for teachers and principals as well as community service and work-based learning experiences and strong partnerships with parents and community.

"There exists a special set of challenges specific to high schools," said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), who joined Riley at today's event. "Inventive principals and teachers are jump-starting education reform across America. These New American High Schools are examples of high schools all students deserve--rigorous and challenging, supportive and flexible."

The 1999 NAHS competition, co-sponsored by the department and the NASSP, featured 39 applicants representing more than 20 states. Education reform experts, including representatives of previously selected school and department staff, screened the applications. Sixteen schools were selected to proceed to the site visit stage of the competition. Review panels then recommended the 1999 NAHS award winners.

The 1999 applicants were asked to demonstrate significant achievement across a variety of measures, as well as the quality for their systematic standards-based reform. Indicators of academic rigor, student success, school improvement, and school climate were used. Graduation requirements, national standardized test scores, state and/or district assessment scores, as well as post-secondary enrollment rates were also considered.

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