Team XQ, Author at Rethink Together

High School & Society

How to Write a Letter to the School Board

If you want your voice to be heard and to show your concern for your child and others in the community, writing a letter to the school board is an important step.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Civic Engagement & Education

Student wearing headphones and taking notes in front of their computer with another student smiling in the background

High School Life

How School Counselors Help High School Students

Dr. Rebecca Carter Although there is no “average” day as a counselor at a high school, there are several beats high school counselors typically follow. I spend most of my…

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

School-wide Approaches

Beyond High School Graduation

Are High Schools Preparing Students for the Real World?

We polled our community of students, teachers, parents, and employers from across the country about whether high school is preparing students for success in the real world.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School & Society

Celebrating Women’s History Month: An Approach for Year-Round Learning

Even during a pandemic, we can still honor the women who've paved the way for gender equality. Here's how you can celebrate Women's history this month and every month.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Teaching & Learning

A Holistic Approach to Teaching Black History Year-Round

As educators, it is critical that we find long-lasting solutions for authentically teaching Black history year-round and elevating Black voices in our classrooms.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

XQ Xtra

Three female students sitting in a grassy park discussing their transition from high school to college

Beyond High School Graduation

How Going to High School in the Pandemic Affected Us When We Got to College

When I started my first year at Vanderbilt University in the fall of 2021, I was both nervous and excited. I had just spent 15 months doing virtual learning because…

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Planning & Preparing for College

Beyond High School Graduation

Do High Schools Prepare Students for Careers?

We know that today's learners and high school graduates need to be well-prepared to enter the workforce. But do they have the skills and knowledge to pursue their passions? What should career-preparedness look like in a rapidly-changing, 21st-century context?

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Beyond High School Graduation

Are High Schools Preparing Students for the Future?

High school is the last stop before students enter the real world of college, career, and adult life. It’s where adolescents are supposed to develop both academically and socially, so they’ll graduate prepared for all the future has to offer. But does it?

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

DC+XQ Announces First Cohort of High Schools to Be “Reimagined and Redesigned”

Today, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and XQ Institute (XQ) announced that after a seven-month, community-driven design journey, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and Francis L. Cardozo Education…

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

School-wide Approaches

High School Life

Announcing the 2022 Student Journalism Challenge: My Education, My Future

Do your students challenge you with tough questions? Are they looking for ways to explore the issues they care about most? Asking questions is a fundamental ingredient of education. It’s…

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Student Agency, Identity & Experiences

High School Life

Find Out What Recent High School Grads Wish all Teachers Knew

As the back-to-school season continues in full swing, we asked our XQ summer interns to reflect on their high school experiences and tell us three things they really want teachers…

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Young man at a demonstration wearing a t shirt that says "i love my history, i love my culture, i love my people, i love me"

High School & Society

What Is Juneteenth and Why Is It Important?

Juneteenth is an important milestone in American culture. It represents resistance, resilience, and Black Joy. Here's why it matters.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Anti-racism Education

High School & Society

So, What Does a School Board Do, Anyway?

School boards are one of the most important decision makers in public education. Here's what they do any why they matter.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Education Policy

High School & Society

The NASBE Interview: Russlynn Ali on High School Transformation

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the world. Entire systems adapted to a new normal, shifting their infrastructure and processes to a remote world. COVID-19 changed the way we work, how we spend our free time, and—most importantly—how we care for and educate young people.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

Is Your District Asking Students How ESSER Dollars Should Be Spent?

ARP ESSER Funds are coming into your school district. Learn how school leaders at this XQ school centered student voice and insights in their budgeting.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Life

#XQMISTYCHALLENGE: Featuring the student winners of the XQ Dance Challenge ft. Misty Copeland

High School Life

#ARTIVISM: These Students Won the XQ Art + Activism Challenge ft. BMike

High School & Society

Advice From a Student Activist on ARP Funding

Student activist Josh Stern on how Student Voice Should Drive ARP Spending

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

Recommendations to Support High School Transformation

Policymakers and education leaders are making critical decisions and providing important details on how ARP ESSER funding will be spent. Every dollar matters, and it’s not enough to spend more. We must spend smarter—more imaginatively, efficiently, and effectively.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Education Policy

High School Redesign

Federal COVID Relief Funds for K-12 Education by State

Find out about the ARP ESSER funding coming to your state—and how much XQ recommends should be dedicated to high schools.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Education Policy

High School Redesign

Federal COVID Relief Funds Are Available to States and Districts. Let’s Invest Them in High School Transformation.

ARP ESSER funding offers America a chance to examine what’s working in education, develop individualized pathways that accelerate student learning, and create coalitions to build a truly fair and effective education system.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Education Policy

Beyond High School Graduation

High School Graduates: Preparing for Your Next Step

Here are some resources to address your most burning post-grad questions.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Planning & Preparing for College

High School Life

#Artivism: The Power of Art in Raising Student Activists

Creativity and imagination are central to lifelong learning. Learn more about how cultivating imagination can empower students to create a better future.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Student Agency, Identity & Experiences

High School Redesign

How This STEM Teacher Keeps Her Students Engaged with Project and Place-Based Learning

Remote school has challenged how we create meaningful learning experiences for our students. XQ schools are using place-based and project-based learning to increase student engagement in meaningful ways.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

High School Transformation is Necessary and Possible

High schools can be the fulcrum for systemic change, but it will require transformation to emerge stronger and more equitable.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Life

Upbeat Academy: Music Education that Transforms Lives

All students have the potential to do amazing things. This school gives students the tools they need to unleash creativity through music education and lead them to success.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Teen Activism

High School & Society

Education Policy 101: What Is Education Policy?

Everyone is an education policymaker; some might just not know it. Dive into the basics with this summary and learn everything from how it works to how you can get involved.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Education Policy

Beyond High School Graduation

Off-White Founder Virgil Abloh Interview on Education, Art, Culture, and Design

High School Life

These High School Students are Learning Through Filmmaking

Amidst remote learning, these students are engaging in deep projects and learning filmmaking along the way. Here's how.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School & Society

5 Post-Election Resources To Keep Students Civically Engaged

While we hope that your students have been active in this year’s election, civic engagement is essential year-round.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

Building Equitable Practices in Schools in the Midst of COVID-19

Equity in a school building doesn’t just happen, it is purposefully cultivated. Here's how educators across the country are doing just that.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Life

Explore Your Identity with Ashanti Branch (Lesson 2: Who Are You Listening To?)

High School Life

Explore Your Identity with Ashanti Branch (Lesson 1: Who Are You?)

High School Redesign

School Reopening Resources, Tips, and Examples for Educators

Our collection of resources on high school reopenings with equity at the core.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Beyond High School Graduation

A Guide on How to Pay for College

If you’re thinking about your future in college, one of your biggest questions is probably: How will I finance my education? Here's how.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Planning & Preparing for College

High School Redesign

5 Resources for Creating the Future After COVID-19

High School after COVID-19 will never look the same. Here's how we can build back better for all students.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

This High School Is Sharing How to Make Remote Learning Work for Every Student

These school leaders created a model for students to adapt and thrive even during a pandemic. Here’s how.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School & Society

Voting and Election Resources for Educators and Students

There has never been a more important time for young people to be civically engaged. Here are resources for educators to get students involved.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Civic Engagement & Education

High School & Society

#BlackLivesMatter Murals in Downtown Oakland Bring Hope and Inspiration

After the #BlackLivesMatter protests in June, students and artists in Oakland came together to paint murals to bring hope and inspire the town.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Civic Engagement & Education

High School Redesign

Lessons from a Promising Denver High School That Will Not Open

Compass Academy, an innovative middle school in southwest Denver, specializes in providing students an engaging, learner-centered curriculum that is proudly Spanish and English bilingual and bi-literate.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

5 Resources To Navigate the Hybrid and Remote Learning School Year

This is a school year like no other with the introduction of hybrid and remote learning. Here are a few resources to help you navigate these uncharted waters.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School & Society

100 years later – the complicated legacy of the 19th Amendment

It's been over 100 years since the 19th amendment was passed, which gives women the right to vote. What's changed between now and then?

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Civic Engagement & Education

High School Redesign

5 Resources for Reopening A More Equitable Education System

As the country collectively wrestles with a “back to school season” like no other, we hope these resources will help you to stay focused on what matters most for students.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

High School Resources for Remote Learning During COVID-19 School Closures

There is no question: Each of us is facing difficult and unprecedented challenges in the wake of COVID-19 and its impacts. For far too many young people, school is not…

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

5 Resources to Put Your School Reopening Plans into Action

Schools around the country are preparing to reopen, go remote, or a combination of the two. Here's how we can put those plans into action.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Beyond High School Graduation

These 5 High School Grads Named Winners of #GraduateTogether Speaker Awards

Seniors from around the country submitted their speeches for the class of 2020. These 5 speeches moved us.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

School Year Cycle: Back to School Graduation

High School & Society

Actor and Activist Logan Browning Teaches High School Students to Advocate for Change This Election Season

We spoke with Logan Browning about how students can get involved this election, even if they're too young to vote. Here's her advice.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

5 Resources to Inform School Reopening Plans

How can we reopen schools to #ReThinkHighSchool more equitably? Here are 5 resources to get you started.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School & Society

5 Resources to Address Racial and Systemic Inequities in Education

Systemic racism exists in our education system. Here are resources for educators to abolish inequities to help every student succeed.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Life

Meet the Student Activists Leading the Country’s Protests for #BlackLivesMatter

The fight for racial equity is being led by teens across the country. These are their stories.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Teen Activism

High School & Society

5 Resources to Abolish Systemic Racism Through Education

Systemic racism exists in our education system. Here are resources for educators to abolish inequities to help every student succeed.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

Showing What Students Know in a Competency-Based Classroom

Competency-based education lets student progress through a curriculum at their own pace. Here are some tips from two CBE educators for you to get started.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Teaching & Learning

High School & Society

The Civil Right of Education, By the Numbers

We will know that we have achieved educational justice when the faces of our high school graduates look no different from those of entering kindergartners, and our college graduates no different from them.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Data: Equity, Access & Opportunity

High School Life

How to Host a Virtual High School Graduation Ceremony

Due to COVID-19, seniors are missing out on a huge tradition. Here's a step by step guide for you to host a virtual graduation to honor seniors in your community.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Life

5 Resources to Empower Youth Voice and Choice

Students are the most important stakeholder in high school. Here are 5 resources to amplify their voices.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Beyond High School Graduation

I Can Do That: What Does a Commercial Banker Do?

We spoke with a commercial banker to learn about their career path and what it takes to succeed in the field. Find out how you can follow in their footsteps.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

Career Exploration & Discovery