By popular request, Education Northwest’s national institute on high school design and improvement will take place on the West Coast this year—in Seattle, Washington, June 29–July 1, 2012. The fifth annual From Structure to Instruction Institute will build on the success of the previous institutes by offering best practices, tools and strategies, and personalized coaching by experts in the field to help school and district teams tackle the intensive work of instructional improvement and structural change.

According to Education Northwest’s Katie Whitney Luers, one of the institute’s organizers, “High schools are facing several issues this year that demand immediate attention. Adoption and implementation of Common Core State Standards, the need for better preparation for college and careers through Career and Technical Education and core integration, and waivers for the No Child Left Behind Act are changing the landscape for high schools across the country,” says Luers. “We are recruiting presenters—people with experience transforming high schools—who can offer practical guidance on these new issues, as well as long-standing challenges.” Practitioners who have innovative, successful programs or practices they wish to share are encouraged to visit the Call for Presenters section on the website and submit a proposal.

This year’s program targets eight critical elements of high school design and improvement:

1. Career academies and Career and Technical Education
2. Postsecondary readiness
3. Professional collaboration and effective team facilitation
4. Responses to persistently low achievement
5. Demonstrations of proficiency and authentic assessment
6. Implementing Common Core State Standards
7. Optimizing resources, including time, people, and money
8. District stewardship

Registration is now open. Those who register by April 30, 2012, can save $115 off the standard registration fee. Visit the institute event page regularly for up-to-date information on keynotes, session descriptions, and more.