You Can Learn Anything
Niswonger Symposium 2015
Establish Your Identity
• Words Matter• Identity Sticks• What identities to our students come to us
with?• What identities do we impose on them?
Dream Big
• Be Specific• Enable the Dreams of Others• Dreaming to Scale
Dream Big
6
Dream Big
• Be Specific• Enable the Dreams of Others• Dreaming to Scale
Tennessee students are struggling in the early years after high school.
72,865 Students2007 Cohort of High School Freshmen
10,545 students did not graduate
from high school
22,334 students graduated from high
school and entered the workforce and earn an
average salary of $9,030 annually
40,235 students enrolledin postsecondary.
58 percent were still enrolled in one year (or
20,418 of the 35,055 who enrolled immediately
after graduation).
3,514 had completed a certificate or degree within
three years.
To ensure our students are ready for postsecondary
success, we must meet the following goals.
SUCCESS AFTER GRADUATION
GOAL #1 GOAL #2 GOAL #3
Tennessee will continue its rapid improvement
and rank in the top half of states by 2019.
MEASUREMENT
We will rank in the top half of states on 4th and 8th grade NAEP in 2019.
The average ACT score in Tennessee will be a
21, allowing more students to earn HOPE
scholarships.
MEASUREMENT
Tennessee will have an average public ACT composite
score of 21 by 2020.
A majority of high school graduates will go on to earn a certificate,
diploma, or degree.
MEASUREMENT
The class of 2020 will be on track to achieve 55% post secondary
completion within six years.
To achieve success after graduation, we will organize
our work around the following strategic priorities.
SUCCESS AFTER
GRADUATION
Support Educators
Early Foundations High School and Bridge to Postsecondary
Empower Districts
All Means All
High School & Bridge to Postsecondary
• High schools haven’t changed since high school became an entity about 100 years ago
• Our current structure fails us – and it’s not necessary• Let’s imagine a new way – a way that allows students
to dream and develop an identity of accomplishment• Technology is not the solution – creating a student-
centered culture is the solution; technology is a means to the solution.
Confidence
• Repetition• Feedback• Challenge• Success
Confidence
CHALLENGE + SUCCESS = CONFIDENCE
Charlie Marsh
Blended
• Students’ goals at the center• Self-paced• Quality time with teachers
To ensure our students are ready for postsecondary
success, we must meet the following goals.
SUCCESS AFTER GRADUATION
GOAL #1 GOAL #2 GOAL #3
Tennessee will continue its rapid improvement
and rank in the top half of states by 2019.
MEASUREMENT
We will rank in the top half of states on 4th and 8th grade NAEP in 2019.
The average ACT score in Tennessee will be a
21, allowing more students to earn HOPE
scholarships.
MEASUREMENT
Tennessee will have an average public ACT composite
score of 21 by 2020.
A majority of high school graduates will go on to earn a certificate,
diploma, or degree.
MEASUREMENT
The class of 2020 will be on track to achieve 55% post secondary
completion within six years.
We need more
• Early postsecondary opportunities• Accessibility to advanced coursework• Project-based learning• Authentic work-based experiences• Connections to career aspirations for all
students
You Can Learn Anything
18
They Can Learn Anything
What would you do for students if there were no barriers?
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