Classnotes Podcast (March 29, 2011) Often, the concept of college readiness has meant offering specific courses at the high school level and focusing on students who were likely to do well. Roland Toscano, M.S., a principal at East Central High School in San Antonio, says that while access to those courses is critical, that model has left many students behind. He describes how he and his staff saw transformation when underserved, underperforming students were given access to great teaching, excellent curriculum and strong support systems along with effective communication with parents, those students excelled beyond anyone’s expectations. With this learning, this high school has developed a college-going culture for all of its students rather than for a select few. Mr. Toscano is interviewed by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate.Show length: Send comments to [email protected]Sign up for Classnotes email alerts!ResourcesEarly College High School Initiativehttp://www.earlycolleges.org/Early College High School Initiative, Texas Education Agencyhttps://tea.texas.gov/ECHS/College for All: Get With It – IDRA helps schools create a college-going culture that becomes a model for equityhttp://www.idra.org/services_to_educator/college-for-all/The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need – And What We Can Do About ItBy Tony Wagnerhttp://www.amazon.com/Global-Achievement-Gap-Survival-Need/dp/0465002293Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching and LearningBy Michael J. Schmokerhttp://www.amazon.com/Results-Now-Unprecedented-Improvements-Teaching/dp/1416603581Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work: New Insights for Improving SchoolsBy Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eakerhttp://www.amazon.com/Revisiting-Professional-Learning-Communities-Work/dp/1934009326The Power of Professional Learning CommunitiesRichard Dufour & Rebecca Dufour, National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journalhttps://www.amazon.com/Power-Professional-Learning-Communities-Work/dp/1934009091Your feedbackWe welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].Listen to every episode!To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.The post Principal on Creating a College Going Culture – Podcast Episode 86 appeared first on IDRA.