High School Best Practices: Results from Cross-Case Comparisons

Identifying what commonalities exist in high schools where students consistently outperform other demographically similar students is of particular interest to administrators and practitioners looking to increase graduation rates among all students. Schools that particularly improve the performance of students with special needs and those from diverse backgrounds have become a top priority in recent years. For this study, a set of schools whose students consistently performed better than a demographically similar set of schools was identified and compared. The study employed a multiple case study methodology, with interview and document collection in each of the fifteen schools. Findings suggest that four interrelated practices distinguish higher-performing schools from their average performing counterparts. These practices are a well-defined and enacted focus on rigor, capacities to innovate, open and transparent communication within the school and with the broader community, and the willingness and capability to use a variety of evidence to make strategic decisions.