Push to college is a challenge for schools

On offering college-level courses: "We offer a great deal of advanced placement courses as well as dual-credit courses through a number of area universities and two-year schools. Our students can graduate with a number of college credits and, in many cases, enter their first year of college as a sophomore."

Effort needed in KC district

Anthony Amato, Kansas City School District superintendent.

His challenge: Raise academic achievement; put first-generation students on a path to college.

His focus: Introduce new math and science curriculums in high schools; ACT preparation for all students; open an "early college" school at Southwest High School.

On offering college-level courses: "We have expanded new, rigorous, advanced placement courses into every high school in the district. Taking just one such course, your chances of getting into college and succeeding in college go up about 35 percent. I think we have enough personnel to offer them. We just have to have the passion."

On pointing students toward college: "You have to be relentless about following and supporting students every step of the way, be it tutoring, or extra course work, or work force opportunities or college campus visits. All those things are important. But the overarching piece is a caring adult who will walk you through that very difficult journey called high school."

Thinking ahead to success

Tom Trigg, Blue Valley School District superintendent.

His challenge: In a high-performing district, help all students feel motivated and confident about doing college-level work.

His focus: Prepare all students to take college-level courses, discourage "slacking off" in the senior year.

On preparing students for life beyond high school: "We encourage them to take a rigorous, four-year curriculum. College entrance is one thing, but we’re really more about college success. We work really hard to make students, particularly seniors, see the correlation between college success and kids that take rigorous courses, especially in mathematics."

On helping with college applications: "Our counselors are very well trained to help kids know what they should be doing throughout the process. We have face-to-face meetings with every junior and their counselors to talk about college aspirations. We sponsor a college fair, and a financial aid night every year. Students have an advisory class every week. A number of those lessons deal with important topics to prepare them for college. We try to do as much as we can."

Breaking through barriers

Jill Shackelford, Kansas City, Kan., School District superintendent.

Her challenge: Prepare low-income students to be first in their families to enter college.

Her focus: Align high school curriculums with the ACT exam; offer courses that double as college credits.

On preparing students for education beyond high school: "The world that our students are inheriting is moving so quickly that change will be the only constant. The ability to learn, in formal and informal settings, will be what allows them to survive, and to compete. One of our goals is to have all students exit 12th grade ready for college."

On helping students with college admissions: "All of our high schools are broken into small learning communities. Each community has a college and career coordinator who works with students on making sure they have the academic preparation necessary to be successful in college, and that they take and score well on the ACT test. They also work with students on completing the college application process, submitting financial aid forms and applying for scholarships."