High Schools That Work

High Schools That Work is the largest and oldest of the Southern Regional Education Board’s school improvement initiatives for high school and middle grades leaders and teachers. More than 1,200 HSTW sites in 31 states are using the framework of HSTW Goals and Key Practices to raise student achievement.

The other SREB school improvement initiatives are

• Making Middle Grades Work
• High Schools That Work
• HSTW / CSR
• Project Lead The Way^®
• HSTW/Urban Initiative
• Learning-Centered  Leadership Program

All of these initiatives are joined in their goal to prepare students for careers and further education by improving curriculum and instruction in high schools and middle grades. SREB and an initial group of state partners launched High Schools That Work in 1987. Through the years, the work has taken on new dimensions as needs have arisen in the areas of middle grades education, transition from middle grades to high school, raising performance in low-performing and urban high schools, and raising standards in career/technical education. Recently, SREB received funding to work with states and institutions of higher education to improve the preparation of new and emerging school leaders.  

Click here to access a News Release for HSTW sites on Newsweek's top public high schools in 2007.

This section of the Web site contains information on High Schools That Work and provides links to the other initiatives. Click on Special Initiatives for more details.

At this site, you will be able to register for conferences and workshops (Professional Development), obtain copies of publications (Publications and Materials), read about exemplary school and classroom practices (Outstanding Practices), find a schedule for technical assistance visits to member schools (Technical Assistance) and learn how SREB collects data on students’ academic achievement (Assessment and Using Data).

States and schools that are interested in joining High Schools That Work will find information on how to become part of this nationally recognized initiative (Becoming a HSTW Site or State).

Contact people for each section of the Web site will be happy to answer questions and fill requests. Simply click on the person’s e-mail address at the end of each section.