THE NEW ENGLAND SECONDARY SCHOOL CONSORTIUM is a regional partnership that promotes proven, forward-thinking innovations in the design and delivery of secondary education across New England. The five partner states—Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont—work together to close persistent achievement gaps and promote greater educational equity and opportunity for all students.
1. Increase five-year graduation rates across each of our five states.
2. Decrease annual dropout rates.
3. Increase the percentage of students enrolling in two- and four-year college degree programs or pursuing accredited, industry-certified postsecondary certificates.
4. Increase the percentage of students who graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college.
The Consortium brings state leaders and educators together to pursue three overarching strategies:
Policy: Advancing a state-led policy agenda focused on three critical, high-leverage areas of schooling in the 21st century: proficiency-based graduation decisions, personalized learning pathways, and more effective accountability systems.
Practice: Connecting and supporting practicing educators across our states through networking activities, best-practice exchange, and the League of Innovative Schools.
Public Will: Strengthening public understanding of innovative approaches to educating today’s students.
1. Schools that truly prepare students for life: Ensuring that every high school diploma awarded in our states certifies student readiness for college, careers, and civic responsibility.
2. Student-centered learning opportunities: Providing multiple learning pathways, both inside and outside of schools, that allow students to pursue their interests, passions, and career ambitions.
3. Measuring what matters most: Building practical, commonsense, and effective accountability systems that value educators, create stronger schools, and ensure student preparation.
1. High school graduation decisions that certify students have met state learning standards.
2. Personalized, proficiency-based learning options for all students.
3. Student-centered accountability systems that utilize multiple measures of student achievement.
Strong schools are the best job-creation program we have. Imagination, expertise, creativity, entrepreneurialism—these are the assets that drive innovation, create new industries, and produce the most sought-after workers. Preparing every student for success will strengthen our economy and empower our communities.
Strong schools are the foundation of our society. Democracy, opportunity, prosperity, equality—the values that have defined America—depend on an informed, engaged, well-educated citizenry. To prepare the next generation of citizens and leaders, we need great schools for every student.
Strong schools create strong communities. Schools are the cornerstones of our communities. We celebrate our students, cheer on our local teams, and welcome graduates into our workplaces, institutions, and families. To keep our communities vibrant, prosperous, and thriving, we need great schools.