Forum on High School Reform

DR. STEPHEN WEBER, President, San Diego State University

Compact for Success = Vision + Opportunity + Transformation + Community Support

The blueprint for preparing students to succeed in today's challenging professional and academic environments is clear. Students need better preparation for college, marketable skills for quality employment, and an environment that supports this achievement. The Compact for Success and the partnership it inspired between Sweetwater Union High School District and San Diego State University provide a model for this blueprint in action.

OLIVIA IFILL-LYNCH, Director of Practice, The Education Trust West, CA

The Small Learning Community: An Opportunity for College and Work Readiness for All

Framed by EdTrust West’s seven practices of high-performing high schools, this keynote address will present compelling data to highlight the urgency of what is at stake for our students.We will respond to the data conclusions with a review of district and school practices that close gaps and ensure academic success for all. Providing an education that prepares all students for college and work is no longer an option, it is a necessity. Our 21st-century knowledge-based economy demands it. This presentation will outline current high school outcomes and the need for reform, and will look deeply into the opportunity that SLCs offer for student achievement.

Victor La Cerva, M.D., Consultant, Speaker and Writer, NM

Revisioning Success

What does it mean to be successful in the modern world, both personally and professionally? This keynote will explore seven principles for nurturing success in young people. From strategies for coping with life’s difficulties to the joys of “wondering around” and creating a lifelong passion for learning, attendees will find out how to help students create a meaningful life for themselves. Victor La Cerva has been actively working in violence prevention for more than 16 years. He recently retired from his position as medical director of the Family Health Bureau, New Mexico Department of Health, and holds a clinical faculty appointment with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of New Mexico Medical School.