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By Gene R. Carter, Executive Director, ASCD

Four years ago, 30 students entered a high school classroom. This month, nine of those students won't walk across the stage to receive their diplomas because they've dropped out. Out of those nine, four will be unemployed, three will receive government assistance, two won't have health insurance, and each will be eight times more likely than their peers to go to jail.

Those nine kids are part of the 1.2 million U.S. students who fail to graduate every year, jeopardizing their futures and costing our economy billions of dollars in lost wages. As President Obama declared, "Dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself; it's quitting on your country."

Earlier this month, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Representative Dave Loebsack (D-IA) introduced legislation that would provide critical resources for innovative secondary school redesign to dramatically raise high school graduation rates and stem the flow of high school dropouts by implementing scalable innovation that benefits all students.

The Secondary School Innovation Fund Act would supply competitive grants for states, districts, schools, higher-education institutes, businesses, and community-based organizations to promote transformative models and programs in our nation's middle and high schools that improve student achievement and prepare students for success in postsecondary education and the workforce. Specifically, the legislation would

• Expand on the success of emerging models like multiple pathways to graduation, early college high schools and dual enrollment, and early warning intervention systems.
• Support a variety of secondary school redesign strategies such as personalization, improved transitions into and out of high school, expanded learning time, postsecondary and work-based learning opportunities, and a rigorous curriculum aligned across grades and with postsecondary education and the workforce.
• Provide resources for high-quality research and evaluation to ensure funding goes to programs with a proven track record in raising student achievement.

ASCD and its 175,000 members have long been leaders in advocating for high school redesign that provides the necessary academic supports and vital comprehensive services to meet the needs of the whole child and lead to successful high school graduates. The association helped craft the original version of the Secondary School Innovation Fund Act (known as the GRADUATES Act), first introduced in 2007. Moreover, ASCD members made innovative high school redesign a priority in this year's ASCD Legislative Agenda, calling for the 111th Congress to enact the Secondary School Innovation Fund Act.

ASCD supports high school redesign that includes a rich and rigorous curriculum, meaningful and relevant learning experiences, and relationships with caring adults who know students well. Its legislative agenda demands implementation of proven strategies, such as

• Mentoring programs where students are supported and encouraged by adults in the school building.
• More flexible use of time that enables students to fulfill graduation requirements not through seat time but by demonstrating their knowledge and skills.
• Incentives for businesses and community organizations to offer expanded student learning opportunities and innovative programs for earning credit.
• Incentives for school–university partnerships to align curriculum between secondary and postsecondary education to increase college readiness.
• Alternative opportunities for students who are not succeeding in traditional high school programs.

The Secondary School Innovation Fund Act will provide critical federal support for an expansion of innovative strategies like these. Without such expansion, too many kids will be unprepared to compete in the global economy. ASCD will diligently work to garner support for the legislation on Capitol Hill, solicit additional sponsors, and advocate for its enactment.

But just as schools cannot do the hard work of high school redesign in isolation, ASCD cannot advocate for high school redesign alone. We need you to contact your legislators, share what has worked, and explain the consequences of maintaining the status quo. We need you to help redraw the picture of the next high school freshman class so that by the time they reach their senior year, all will be called on stage to receive their diplomas.