The Shifting Purpose of a High School Education

By K.C. Wilcox

NYKids’ research was recently highlighted in the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Educational Change Special Interest Group “Lead the Change Series”. In this blog we share some of the highlights from this publication and provide a sneak peek at some of our findings. 

“It’s not always about college… I’m just encouraging them to be the best they can be and be successful in their own ways.” 

The traditional view of high school as a stepping-stone to college is being re-evaluated. As the cost of college rises and the guarantee of a high-paying job diminishes, educators are questioning the ultimate goal of secondary education. This shift is particularly significant for students from low-income families, who often face barriers to accessing and succeeding in postsecondary institutions. Research shows that less than a third of working-class students graduate with a four-year degree, compared to two-thirds of middle-class youth. Despite this, high-paying jobs still predominantly go to college-educated workers, raising concerns about equity of opportunity for marginalized and vulnerable youth. 

NYKids Research Methods 

The NYKids team conducted a multiple case study in 2024 to identify promising practices, policies, and processes that lead to consistently better student outcomes over time, considering school demographics. The sample included schools previously studied by the NYKids research team, focusing on positive outlier schools that achieved above-predicted student outcomes. The study involved site visits, interviews, focus groups, and document collection to explore classroom, school, and district practices.  

Aaron Leo (NYKids Assistant Director), Maria I. Khan (NYKids Research Collaborator) and Kristen C. Wilcox (NYKids Director) teamed up on the analysis for this paper, which was guided by the concept of sensemaking. The reviewed literature describes sensemaking as ongoing, social, and retrospective and both influencing and being influenced by individuals’ identities. Sensemaking provides the basis for individuals’ behavioral choices—including those of teachers. Our overarching research question was: How do secondary school educators make sense of their role in preparing students for life after high school? 

Findings 

• Broadening the Purpose of High School Education: Educators are increasingly recognizing that their role is to prepare students for various postsecondary pathways, not just college. They emphasize the importance of helping students make informed choices about their futures, whether that includes college or not. As one teacher from Brookfield stated, “It’s not always about college… I’m just encouraging them to be the best they can be and be successful in their own ways.” 
• Valuing Diverse Pathways: Educators are expanding their conception of what is valuable in a high school education. They support students who want to pursue trades or other career paths, encouraging them to follow their interests. A support staff member from LaFayette noted, “Some students want to go into the different trades… I think there used to be a big push for everybody to go to college.” 
• Defining Success Broadly: Success is viewed in broad terms, encompassing more than just good grades and college enrollment. Educators aim to equip students with “soft skills” like teamwork, respect, and civic-mindedness alongside academic learning. A teacher from Roxbury explained, “We want to make the kids successful in the real world… They’re going to be active participants in their community and in life.” 

Take-aways 

The findings, highlighted in the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Educational Change Special Interest Group Lead the Change suggest that educators are broadening their conceptions of secondary pathways and aligning their instruction to support diverse career interests. This shift indicates a need for additional career and technical programs to help students prepare for the workforce, especially in sectors with workforce shortages. 

The upcoming AERA conference paper presentation (scheduled for April 26th in Denver Colorado) by Aaron Leo and Kristen Wilcox is titled “It’s not always about college: Teachers’ sense-making around the shifting purpose of high school,” and will delve into these findings.  

Stay tuned for the publication of this study along with others on the NYKids website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. As always, feel free to reach out with comments or questions at nykids@albany.edu.