CCSSO's Secondary School Redesign Activities

CCSSO’s Secondary School Redesign activities include identifying and communicating research and best practices, facilitating professional learning communities of states to encourage sharing and collaboration around redesign policies and practices, and working with technical assistance providers and key national organizations to support state-level efforts in high school redesign.

In late 2006, CCSSO worked with select states and partners to define core entry points for statewide secondary school redesign initiatives around which the Council could organize its future support to states. Consensus was reached around four high-leverage entry points: Leadership for Facilitating Change; Postsecondary Education Options; Adolescent Literacy; and Transforming Instruction.

In 2007, CCSSO has worked with states and partner organizations to develop resources and tools to address the challenges related to each of those areas.

Adolescent Literacy Toolkit
The online adolescent literacy toolkit is a resource for states to use with high school teachers to support them in integrating literacy best practices with their content area instruction. The toolkit includes a number of resources for teachers as well as resources states or districts can use to introduce the toolkit to teachers.

Leadership for Facilitating Change Framework
This sef-assessment rubric is an organizational framework for SEA officials to use to determine their own readiness to lead and support redesign efforts statewide.

Postsecondary Education Options White Paper
The white paper will identify critical indicators and the kinds of data systems that are needed to calculate and track those indicators so states better understand which students are being served through postsecondary education options, how well they are being served, and the ultimate impact on student outcomes.

Transforming Instruction Web Portal
The Secondary School Redesign Web Portal features key resources developed and recommended by state education agencies to help states deepen their understanding of secondary school redesign and enhance redesign efforts to ensure success for all students.

CCSSO Resources

CCSSO Online Adolescent Literacy Toolkit
CCSSO, 2007
CCSSO’s online adolescent literacy toolkit, was designed for state officials to use with districts and schools to encourage and prepare high school teachers to integrate literacy best practices and instructional strategies into their discipline-specific instruction.
Conducting Research to Answer Your Questions about Dual Enrollment
Council of Chief State School Officers
Conducting Research to Answer Your Questions about Dual Enrollment provides a framework for states and district to think about and develop data systems that can be used to evaluate dual enrollment.
Secondary School Redesign SEA Capacity and Leadership Self Assessment Tool
Council of Chief State School Officers , 2008
This tool was created for CCSSO's secondary school redesign initiative. The purpose of the tool is to help State Education Agencies think about, plan and discuss their secondary school redesign initiatives from a number of perspectives. If these discussions take place, and are implemented thoughtfully, then the state will have a much greater chance of seeing success in their SSR efforts.
High School Redesign Simulation
Council of Chief State School Officers, 2007
The High School Redesign Simulation is designed to put users in the role of a state education agency senior staff member. The Simulation allows the user to learn by doing in a realistic, yet risk-free environment.
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Background and Context

Education leaders across the country are calling for secondary school redesign to transform schools into 21st century learning institutions that support college and workforce success for all students. To help states build the capacity to implement research-based practices and policies, CCSSO launched the Secondary School Redesign Project in early 2004 with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The project supports state education agencies with the planning and implementation of their high school redesign efforts by providing support in areas that states have defined as high priorities.