High Performance Schools

Combining universal access to school with excellence has been a historic dilemma in U.S. schools. This dynamic tension is appearing in other nations as well as information age occupations demand highly literate workforces.

Schools have adopted multilevel reform efforts to meet the challenges of educating today's children. These include: changes in teacher preparation; high expectations for teacher behaviors in the classroom; curriculum standards; state accountability measures; development of alternative public school models; pilot tests of alternative funding mechanisms for private schools; differential staffing in schools, and the use of high technology to individualize learning.

The goal of providing all children with successful learning experiences is critical from both political and economic necessities. This paper explores the vital ingredients of high performance schools that are, in fact, inclusive. The final argument is that student welfare must be considered holistically with special attention to happiness, relatedness, and self-efficacy.