Creating good problems: Redesigning high school for college success 

“This year, our schoolwide focus is to transform our school into a college prep school,” my principal stated to open our first faculty meeting of the 2008-09 school year. I was entering my fourth year of teaching, my second year at this small urban charter high school. She continued: “Our expectation will continue to be that every student attends college after graduation, and we must do more to prepare them.” She discussed her belief in the ability of our students to achieve and the skill of our faculty to enhance our culture of learning. Her tone was not to admonish us for our past efforts but instead to provide a clearer beacon for our future work. I was inspired by her message.  

But as details unfolded about her plans, my optimism quickly faded. The administration’s first move was to implement a schoolwide uniform policy that required students to wear collared shirts. How, I asked, would this further the school’s mission to prepare these young people for college? The policy would ensure that they “dress like college students,” I was told.  

“Some of the students at my college wore pajama pants every day,” I replied. The administration did not appreciate my input.