| High School Rankings concern everyone. From the | | | | not able to afford basic school supplies, and the |
| school board members on down through school | | | | schools themselves often divert supply money to try |
| administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students, | | | | to pay for special programs and teachers to |
| High School Rankings show, at a glance, how well a | | | | implement them. |
| school is doing. Test scores on state and national | | | | Perhaps the biggest and most important way to see |
| tests, the successes of students with a low | | | | improvement in a low-performing school listed at the |
| socioeconomic background, and how many students | | | | bottom of High School Rankings for the community to |
| take advanced placement exams are all considered. If | | | | help and support their schools is to donate time. So |
| you look a bit further into the schools that are at the | | | | many kids that attend struggling schools are from |
| top of High School Rankings, you will most likely find | | | | single-parent homes, where moms or dads are |
| that an active surrounding community is vital to the | | | | working multiple jobs just to make ends meet. If these |
| success of the schools that find themselves at the top | | | | kids have to go home after school and take care of |
| of High School Rankings. | | | | younger siblings and do chores, they are less likely to |
| But what about the schools that are on the lower end | | | | study and do homework. If the family is poor, kids may |
| of High School Rankings spectrum? How can getting | | | | be hungry, and that's no way to learn. For kids like |
| the community and community leaders more involved | | | | these attending schools low on the High School |
| in the school help improve their standings in High School | | | | Rankings list, a tutor or mentor is invaluable. Tutors |
| Rankings? Well, the ways to help them are numerous. | | | | come to the school in question, working with an |
| For one, local businesses can donate money. Schools | | | | assigned student in their preferred subject. In other |
| that are doing poorly, as reflected in High School | | | | words, volunteer tutors can pick which subjects they'd |
| Rankings, typically could use some more cash to | | | | like to help out in. Mentors can be paired with students |
| implement programs that will help them improve. In | | | | to build relationships that they might otherwise lack. |
| several states, schools that are at the top of High | | | | These mentors can come to the low-performing |
| School Rankings receive monetary bonuses; schools | | | | school on the High School Rankings list during the |
| that are struggling receive nothing but shame, and the | | | | school day for lunch or elective classes, or meet up |
| threat of closure. Supporting local schools with financial | | | | with their student after school. Many mentors get to |
| donations can help move the struggling school closer | | | | know the student's family as well and actually inspire |
| to improvement. | | | | them to get more involved in their child's school. In |
| Another way those communities can help improve | | | | addition, spending time with a mentor helps keep a |
| schools that are not at the top of High School | | | | teen out of trouble. |
| Rankings is to donate supplies. Many kids go to school | | | | |