A Challenging High School Education for All

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"Getting every child to graduate high school with a meaningful diploma ... is one of the biggest challenges our country faces."
—Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings  

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 helps to ensure that all children receive a high-quality education and holds schools responsible for making sure that all children are learning. The information below is consistent with this important law.

Making Sure Your Child Is Ready

High school is the training ground for college and work. Today, most good jobs require a college education. The way for your child to get ready for college is to take challenging courses. A strong schedule of classes—such as English, math (algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, calculus), foreign language, science (biology, chemistry, physics), and history or social studies—should help your child do well on college entrance exams and will prepare him for the even tougher college courses. The level of math, science and foreign language education students receive will be important for our country's global competitiveness and national security.

In addition, high school activities, for example internships, community service and sports, can build skills needed on the job, such as responsibility, time management and leadership.

Continue to stay involved as your child progresses through high school. While it is likely that your child will want some independence, stay aware of your child's studies and after-school activities.

What Your High School Child Needs to Succeed

College is a critical goal for success in high school and in life. College graduates earn about 43 percent more than high school graduates. At the end of 2005, those with at least a bachelor's degree had a median weekly income of $1,029, while those with a high school diploma earned about $585 a week.*

There are all kinds of academic choices for high school students. Charter schools or magnet schools, which focus on themes, may help to encourage your child's talents and interests. Some high schools offer Advanced Placement courses that might allow your child to skip some of the beginning-level classes in college and, perhaps, graduate early. Another approach to challenging courses is offering high school students college courses so they earn college credits while they are still in high school.

You may also want to look for programs designed to help students succeed in college by teaching study skills and providing tutoring, and programs that help students apply to college (see Resources).

"And so for the students ... it's up to you to decide to continue to soar and seek new heights."
—President George W. Bush

Partnering With Teachers and Counselors

It is important for you to know your child's teachers and counselors. The counselor usually handles class registration and schedules, and should be told of problems at home, such as divorce or illness, that could affect your child's schoolwork.

Be sure to attend school "open houses" or parent nights to meet your child's teachers, and request parent-teacher conferences when needed. Teachers will often give you their e-mail addresses so you may contact them easily. Teachers may have their own Web sites where they post class notes and homework assignments. Teachers and counselors can also give you names of tutors if your child needs extra help, and such tutoring may be free.