High School Redesign Archives

High School Redesign

"When Will I Ever Use This?" "How About Today?" Opportunities and Challenges of Modeling with Mathematics in Algebra 1

“Economic access and full citizenship depend crucially on math and science literacy.” Those words were written by Bob Moses more than 20 years ago in describing his evolution from a…

Beth Fertig

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

At This Innovative High School, Students Graduate With the Skills (and Network) to Take Them Wherever They Want to Go

Launched with XQ in Oakland, California, in 2018 with 45 ninth graders, Latitude now has about 300 students. Through an academically rigorous, hands-on approach to learning, the charter school…

Andrew Bauld

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

Designing for Students, With Students

This year, XQ launched our first ever districtwide collaboration. DC+XQ is a multi-year, community-driven partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) to rethink what high schools can…

Jeanie Lee

Family & Community Engagement

High School Redesign

To Prepare for the Future, This Michigan High School Turns to the Past

Students at the Grand Rapids Public Museum School are heading back to class for the 2022-23 academic year at a high school that sounds like the plot of a…

Andrew Bauld

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

Redefining Student Success with the XQ Competencies

High schools shape the daily lives—and create the foundation for the future success—of more than 15 million U.S. students, their families, and communities every day. But do our high schools…

Dr. Lauren J Bierbaum Managing Director of Data, Research, & Policy, XQ Institute

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

Fostering Stronger Teacher-Student Collaboration

Enter a classroom at Purdue Polytechnic High School—an XQ school in Indianapolis, IN—at the start of the school day, and you might initially have trouble locating the teacher. Instead…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

“Diverse-by-Design” Crosstown High in Memphis Graduates Its First Class

Since it opened its doors in 2018, Crosstown High pushed the boundaries of rethinking high school. Its founders envisioned a space that was diverse by design, where project-based learning…

Andrew Bauld

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

High School Redesign: How to Apply the XQ School Design Principles

Want to change high school? Use XQ's suite of materials to explore what high schools can be—and should be—for American students.

Mary Ryerse Managing Director for School Success, XQ Institute

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

Six Characteristics of Highly Effective School Leadership

Rethinking high school means rethinking leadership. Preparing students with the skills they’ll need to succeed after graduating—like collaboration, original thinking, and lifelong learning—takes creativity and commitment to bold change.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

Five Resources on the XQ Learner Outcomes

Back to school is just around the corner, so we now you’re asking big questions like: What do students really need this year to make sure they’re fully prepared for…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

Much More Than a Road Trip: 5 Groundbreaking Schools Inspire DC+XQ Teams

Many schools looking to transform high school do not know what community-focused, student-centered high school looks like in action. As part of XQ’s design process—a process that helps schools identify…

Jeanie Lee

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

How Schools Use SEL to Prepare Students for an Uncertain Future

As educators, our primary goal is to prepare students for their futures and all that these entail. We want to know that students leave their years in school with the…

Patrick Cook-Deegan Chief Executive Officer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

Six Characteristics of a Highly Effective High School

What makes an effective high school? It’s not just the most obvious markers, like graduation rates and test scores. While these metrics matter, the best high schools go further, preparing…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

High School Leader Reflects on Their Founding Class as They Graduate

Overcoming adversity is nothing new for the students and staff of New Harmony High, an XQ school in New Orleans. In fact, meeting challenges head-on is a key component…

Andrew Bauld

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

6 Ideas You Can Steal From the Most Innovative High Schools in America

A Los Angeles high school that operates all year round. A high school located inside a Memphis community hub. A curriculum where students choose what they learn…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

From Super Schools to Super Districts: Introducing DC+XQ in the District of Columbia

In 2015, XQ invited communities across the nation to dream big about rethinking high schools and then selected an initial group of grant recipients. We’ve since partnered with Tulsa Public…

Jeanie Lee

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

How Student Stories Advanced 100k in 10's Goal to Prepare More STEM Teachers

What happens when you meet an incredibly ambitious goal? Do you celebrate and declare “mission accomplished”? Or do you move ahead and set your sights on something new? That was…

Beth Fertig

Data: Equity Access Opportunity

High School Redesign

5 Smart Ways to Use Time, Space, and Technology

Teachers, congratulations on finishing out the school year! As you take time to relax and recharge, we hope you also have the space to reflect on the last year. What…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principle: Smart Use of Space, Time, and Tech

Learning isn’t confined to a certain place, nor does it have to occur on a set schedule. Transformational high schools understand that the elements of time and space can be…

Mary Ryerse Managing Director for School Success, XQ Institute

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

Announcing a New Tool to Strengthen Remote and Hybrid Learning

A tool to help educators and leaders get a pulse on your reopening plan, identify resources you need, and how to equitably reach your students.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

5 Deep Dives into Youth Voice and Choice

We’re back this week with more resources on Youth Voice and Choice, one of our six XQ Design Principles. Our last issue offered five strategies to bring…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

How Do Students Really Feel About High School? And What Can Educators Do About It?

Between class, homework, and extracurriculars, high school students spend much of their lives at school. As Anna, a student at Crosstown High, an XQ school in Memphis, TN, explained,…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Student Agency, Identity & Experiences

High School Redesign

5 Resources for Youth Voice and Choice

High school is a time of self-discovery. As your students explore who they are and what issues matter to them, you can empower them as leaders and thinkers by…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principle: Youth Voice and Choice

Transformational schools do what might seem courageous to some: they give students an active voice in their learning and the power to shape it. This commitment to youth voice and…

Alfred Solis XQ's Head of Educator Excellence

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

Five Deep Dives Into Caring, Trusting Relationships

This week, we’re back with more on how to build caring, trusting relationships with your students. We’ve covered tips on how to spark connection in your classroom and…

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

Give Me Five

High School Redesign

Caring, Trusting Relationships in High School Matter Now More Than Ever

Building relationships with students is critical—especially during remote learning. Here’s how schools across the country are doing just that.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

How to Build Strong Relationships with Students Using Culturally Responsive Teaching

Educators across the country are building relationships and empathy with their students, and meeting them where they are. Here’s how.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Family & Community Engagement

High School Redesign

The Relationship Between Parental and Family Involvement and Student Success

Research shows when families take a role in a students education, it sets them up for success. Learn how you can play your part.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

5 Tips to Build Caring and Trusting Relationships

Teaching is all about relationships. Before students can succeed academically, they need to feel seen, supported, and cared for by the adults at school. That’s why this week, we’re…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

How Schools Can Engage Community Partners

Local businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies can play a valuable role in your school culture and student success. Here's how to attract and engage community partners.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Family & Community Engagement

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principle: Caring, Trusting Relationships

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced a pivot to remote learning, the team at Latitude High School, an XQ school in Oakland, California, made an intentional effort to meet student…

Mary Ryerse Managing Director for School Success, XQ Institute

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

6 Ways Schools Can Involve Communities Better

“Our community is the epicenter of a big urban city facing a number of environmental and social justice issues, like food deserts, gentrification, polluted air and water, flooding, and climate…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principles Rubric

The XQ Design Principles can guide any school community that’s ready to rethink high school so all students achieve the XQ Learner Outcomes. These research-backed principles are foundational…

Sean McClung

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

5 Community Partnerships in Action

This week, we’re continuing our deep dive into the power of community partnerships! We’ve discussed some guiding principles for how to create and sustain partnerships with your community.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

How Arts Educators Can Play a Role in High School Redesign

Video by NAEA. XQ was proud to kick off the National Art Education Association’s 2022 National Convention in New York City on March 3rd, 2022. Founded in 1947,…

Beth Fertig

High School Redesign

Challenges and Opportunities in Project-Based Mathematics

The looks on the math teachers’ faces told me they were puzzled, and a little concerned. I was a teacher at a new, alternative high school in Pacifica, California in…

John Larmer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

High School Needs an Improvement Framework—So We Made One

Improving & transforming high school doesn’t just happen by accident. It takes a lot of hard work for communities to reimagine schools as vibrant spaces where students can grow to…

Andrew Bauld

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

5 Ways to Engage Community Partners

Imagine if your students could learn about ecology by gardening alongside local experts. Or what if they could study architecture with an internship at a professional design firm?…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

How to Promote Equity in High School Education

When student Arianne showed up each day at Purdue Polytechnic High School (PPHS), an XQ school in Indianapolis, IN, she was certain about one thing: no matter what challenges…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principle: Community Partnerships

If learning can happen anytime and in any location, then we need to expand the definition of what ‘school’ is to transform the high school experience. By engaging the full…

Sean McClung

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

How to Engage High School Students in Learning

It’s no secret that students who are engaged in their learning do better in school. So why is meaningful, engaged learning that captures student attention the exception rather than…

Andrew Bauld

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

5 Resources for Project Based Learning

“Why should I care about this?” As a teacher, you’ve probably heard some version of this from a student. While potentially frustrating, this question is a reasonable response to traditional…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

High School Redesign

A Guide to Competency-Based Learning in High School

At Iowa BIG, an XQ high school program in Cedar Rapids, IA, students learn by doing. For example, when Cedar Rapids was hit with a derecho—a severe windstorm—that left…

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning? (IBL)

Inquiry-based Learning combines student curiosity and the scientific method to increase engagement and critical thinking. Here's how you can get started in your classroom.

Andrew Bauld

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

5 Ways to Build Strong Mission and Culture

What values motivate you as an educator? How would you describe your ideal school culture? These questions are important, because when schools have a clear sense of purpose and community,…

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

Six High School Transformation Tips for District Leaders

The deep work of educational change often takes place at the individual school level. While the school itself is a powerful unit for change, the systems that support them must…

Ursulina Ramirez

Family & Community Engagement

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principle: Strong Mission and Culture

Pablo Resendiz couldn’t help himself. The proud principal had to post a tweet, as the students he taught, advocated for, and collaborated with accepted their diplomas as graduates of…

Sean McClung

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

How Schools Can Meet the Moment With Programs to Teach the Whole Child

The emergence of COVID-19 variants is impacting schools working through exactly how to spend the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) stimulus funds. On the one hand, these…

Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School XQ School, Brooklyn, NY

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

5 Resources for Meaningful and Engaged Learning

Great classrooms all have one thing in common: they involve students in meaningful and engaged learning. You probably recognize meaningful and engaged learning when you see it: students are…

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

What Is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based learning allows students to learn by doing. Here's everything you need to know and how to get started in your classroom.

John Larmer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

A Guide for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning

Interdisciplinary learning empowers students to explore different perspectives and views. Here's how you can get started.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

What is STEAM Education?

STEAM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math as pathways to guide student inquiry, discussions, and critical thinking.

Andrew Bauld

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

What Is Student Centered Learning and Why Is It Important?

Too many students describe high school as boring—but it doesn’t have to be. Here's how we can put students at the center of their education.

Anna Sudderth Contributing Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

XQ Design Principle: Meaningful, Engaged Learning

Transforming high school is hard work. The task can feel overwhelming and it can be hard to figure out exactly where or how to start. For XQ schools, the journey…

Mary Ryerse Managing Director for School Success, XQ Institute

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

5 Resources to Reflect on 2021

Teachers, congratulations on getting to the end of another long year. We all know that 2021 was challenging, especially for educators. From the continued losses of the pandemic,…

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

What the Pandemic Taught Us About Staying Connected

When schools closed for remote learning, some of the most important work teachers did had nothing to do with academics. It was about building community—maintaining the strong school mission…

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

School Sustainability Is About More Than Just Keeping the Doors Open

You’re reading this because you want to transform high school. You might already know first-hand just how challenging it is to rethink, redesign, and collaboratively build a student-driven high school…

Sean McClung

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

5 Strategies for Competency-Based Education

What would it look like for student learning to drive high school? That’s the idea behind competency-based education (CBE), a way of teaching that prioritizes mastery of material over…

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

Listen to Students to Navigate Change

As educators, students, families, and communities continue to reckon with the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the national conversation about its impact on high school students has centered…

Victoria crispin Senior Director

High School Redesign

Why You Should Prioritize Supporting Students With Disabilities With Your Federal COVID Relief Dollars

As school leaders welcomed students back to the classroom for the 2021-22 school year, they began to determine how to spend the more than $190 billion in federal COVID…

Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School XQ School, Brooklyn, NY

High School Redesign

Leading the Redesign of the American High School Model: ESSER Funding makes this a perfect opportunity to meet the needs of this moment

It’s an early fall afternoon in 2020, and I am meeting (over Zoom, of course) with the leadership team of Círculos High School, an XQ school in Santa Ana,…

Antonia Rudenstine

Teaching & Learning

High School Redesign

How LAB Internships Are Setting Up Scholars for Success Inside and Outside the Classroom

Brooklyn LAB piloted its co-curricular internship program this past summer, allowing scholars to join seven organizations for six weeks of hands-on, experiential learning in an animation studio, digital marketing agency, and more.

Kelly king Director of Partnerships, Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools

High School Redesign

Would There Be More “Math Kids” with a Project-Based Approach?

I have a confession to make: When I was in ninth grade I got straight C’s in algebra. I was generally a good student, so this was a real aberration.

John Larmer

Teaching & Learning

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 Redesign

The Future of Education Requires Students and Teachers to Lead the Way

Nationwide, schools weren’t prepared to withstand the shock that COVID-19 pandemic sent through the system. Now, as we plan for a return to the physical classroom, school leaders and educators have an opportunity to push for educational equity.

Washington Leadership Academy Leadership Academy XQ School

High School Redesign

This Indiana High School is Closing the College Access Gap

Years ago, leaders from across Indiana came together to solve a big college access gap. The solution? Purdue Polytechnic High School, an XQ school in Indianapolis, that just graduated its first class.

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

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

High School Redesign

5 Ways Dance and Movement Empower Students

Bringing movement to the classroom is powerful. Here are 5 places to start!

Ashley Wen Content Marketing Manager, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

A 5-Point Approach for Schools to Promote Equitable COVID-19 Vaccination

As schools begin to explore plans for in-person classes, they’re also considering vaccination plans. Here is a 5-Point Guide for Schools to Promote Equitable COVID-19 Vaccination

Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School XQ School, Brooklyn, NY

High School Redesign

An XQ Toolkit That Makes High School Transformation Possible in Every Community

We believe high school transformation is necessary and possible. And, we know, there’s no one way to do it.

Anne Mackinnon Managing Director of Education Content & Tools, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

5 Ways to Support Student Healing

In light of traumatic events, how can we help our students? Here are 5 resources to support student healing.

Ashley Wen Content Marketing Manager, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

5 Ways to Bring Art + Activism to the Classroom

Since art is so important—how can we empower students through art? Here are 5 resources for you to use to empower your students.

Ashley Wen Content Marketing Manager, XQ Institute

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

5 Ways to Teach Black History Year-Round

How do we include Black history in our curriculum year-round? Here are 5 resources for you to use in your classroom.

Ashley Wen Content Marketing Manager, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

5 Ways to Build Equity at School

America’s classrooms are more diverse than ever. Here's 5 resources for you to ensure you're building culturally sustaining school communities.

Ashley Wen Content Marketing Manager, XQ Institute

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 Redesign

5 Ways to Inclusively Teach Black History

Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the impact Black history has had in shaping the world we live in. Here are 5 resources for you to bring it to life in your classroom.

Ashley Wen Content Marketing Manager, XQ Institute

High School Redesign

How to Center Student Voice and Equity Amidst Learning Shifts

Need help meeting student needs as you adapt to remote learning and beyond? Here's a place to start.

Hana Beach Editorial Associate, XQ Institute

Design Tools & Resources

High School Redesign

Educational Equity Mindset in Practice

High School Redesign

Making Connections With Students Through Community-Based Projects

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High School Redesign

The Power of This Project-Based Learning and Place-Based Learning School

At Círculos, project-based, place-based learning isn’t just a catchphrase. It’s reshaped the way students experience school.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool

High School Redesign

What Are Restorative Justice Circles, and When Can They be Utilized?

Restorative justice circles are a great tool for building relationships and achieving goals. Here's how you can use them in your classroom and beyond.

Nicole Smith Restorative Justice Trainer-Consultant & Writer

School-wide Approaches

High School Redesign

5 Resources To Rethink High School

We've been creating new resources to help educators, students, and communities #ReThinkHighSchool. Here are 5 of our favorites to jumpstart your week of teaching.

Team XQ #ReThinkHighSchool