High Schools That Work
An evidence-based design for improving the nation's schools and raising student achievement

High Schools That Work (HSTW) is the nation's first large-scale effort to engage state, district and school leaders and teachers in partnerships with students, parenet and the community to improve the way high school students are prepared for work and further education.

HSTW provides a framework of goals, key practices and key conditions for accelerting learning and setting higher standards. It recommends actions that provide direction to schools as they work to improve academic and career/technical instruction at schools and at work sites. These recommendations meet the criteria for comprehensive school reform.

Major Goals

The major goals of HSTW are to:

• raise the mathematics, science, communication, problem-solving and technical achievement of more students to the national average and above;
• blend the essential content of traditional colleg-preparatory studies -- mathematics, science and language arts -- with quality career/technical studies by creating conditions that support school leaders, teachers and counselors in carrying out key practices; and
• advance state and local policies and leadership initiatives necessary to sustanin a continuous school-improvement effort for both academic and career/technical studies.

Introduction to MAP: Making Achievement Possible
This advisory program was created in conjunction with the seventh HSTW Key Practice.

Career Academies and Pathways
The Career Academies are designed to provide the students of Henry E. Lackey High School with more direction, focus and preparation for the future.  Students should enroll in a pathway of interest at the end of their freshman year and use the High School Program of Studies to select courses which are aligned with the pathway.

Maryland HSA link