Blazing New Trails - Connexions

CRITICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Increasing Student Success in Rigorous Courses: Promising Practices in
Reform Identified by a School-University Partnership
161
Betty J. Alford
Secondary school students make higher academic gains when enrolled in rigorous
courses (Toch, Jerald, & Dillon, 2007). As Toch, Jerald, and Dillon (2007) stated, "Reform, it
is increasingly clear, depends on improving both school climate and the quality and rigor of
classroom instruction” (p. 435). However, just increasing the rigor in secondary school classes
is insufficient in improving student performance. Instead, support systems must be in place to
ensure student success (College Board, 2006).
Many schools are in need of reform to increase student participation and success in
advanced level courses as part of strengthening preparation for postsecondary education
(Robinson, Stempel, & McCree, 2005). Although the last decade has been characterized by
school reform, failures of many large-scale reform efforts have also emerged (Cuban, 2010).
In one study of school reform, Cuban (2010) identified the cause of such failures as an
emphasis on structural rather than instructional changes. The good news is that some schools
have focused on instructional changes to better meet the needs of preparing students for
postsecondary education and to advocate for student success. The result has been school
improvement. In these schools, the school leaders understand the importance of meeting each
student’s needs and of communicating the value of preparation for postsecondary education to
parents, students, community members, and faculty. Furthermore, the educational leaders
serve as advocates for all students’ academic success (Chenoweth, 2009). As Chubb and
Lovelace (2002) reported, “Bridging the achievement gap is a national imperative. It can be
done” (p. i). For example, Robinson, Stemgel, and McCree (2005) reported that in high
impact schools, which were defined as schools with a high percentage of low income students
who were achieving exemplary results, students were enrolled in rigorous courses, such as,
Advanced Placement (AP) classes, much more frequently than students in comparison
schools. Open enrollment to the advanced classes, instead of requiring a specific grade-point
average or teacher recommendations, was the policy of these schools, and students were
encouraged to participate in the more rigorous classes (Robinson, Stemgel, & McCree, 2005).
Shaping the culture of the school into a culture of high expectations is important in
school reform. A culture of high expectations implies that the values, beliefs, norms, policies,
processes, and practices of the individuals in the school are aligned with a consistent vision
that is communicated clearly and receives broad-based acknowledgement that action is
needed (Deal & Peterson, 2009). Recognizing the need for reform wherein greater numbers of
students participate in rigorous courses (Adelman, 1999), the identification of successful
processes and practices in strengthening students’ participation and success in advanced level
courses, challenges to participation and success, and ways to overcome the challenges are
needed. This qualitative case study was designed to illuminate the successful practices and
processes, challenges, and ways to overcome the challenges of increasing student participation
Betty J. Alford, Stephen F. Austin State University