A “good life” for every student: High schools embrace many pathways to success

students and the adults in their lives, and how schools were making changes—including before The Covid-19 pandemic and recovery period is a the pandemic—to ensure every student had the unique opportunity to understand contemporary opportunity to learn and thrive. [...] Some of these have come to realize now that that’s not the purposes include: democratic equality (preparing ultimate measure of success.” A principal from youth to participate in democracy as citizens), a rural high school noted, “A lot of our students social efficiency (preparing youth to work and want to go right into the workforce, and there is contribute to economic life), and social mobility. [...] The predominant high school reforms of the last several decades have sought to ensure graduates are prepared to compete in a global and changing economy, and to improve access to higher education (and thereby higher earning potential and social status), especially for students who are historically marginalized.4 4. [...] for success, instead, “should look like students, One school allowed students to build credit- and people in general, being able to lead the life bearing “personalized learning experiences” by they want to lead.” A student from that school identifying a subject and recruiting a teacher confirmed that in her experience, her school advisor with whom they codesign a course of wants students to develo. [...] a teacher gets to a point where they … should be releasing the students to meet the high We also heard questions about the effect of expectation that they set forth, but then they changes to grading policies—including flexible sit down and begin to water it down almost assignment deadlines, the ability to retake right away for some students,” one principal tests, and prohibitions on awarding zeros.