High school is supposed to be a launchpad. But for many students, it can feel more like a conveyor belt: seven or eight classes a day, short periods, crowded hallways, and adults who are trying their best but don’t have enough time to truly know every learner.
A new March 2024 report from the Learning Policy Institute, Redesigning High Schools: 10 Features for Success, makes a clear case: we already know what works. When schools are intentionally designed around relationships, belonging, meaningful learning, and coordinated supports, students do better academically and feel better emotionally.
At TinyEYE, we work with schools every day that are trying to strengthen student support systems—especially in moments when staffing is tight and needs are high. The report’s “10 features” are a helpful blueprint because they connect learning and well-being instead of treating them like separate goals.
Below is a simple, practical walkthrough of the 10 features—and what they look like in real schools.
Why redesign at all? The “factory model” problem
The report describes a long-standing structure many of us recognize: a standardized, impersonal “factory model” built for efficiency, not for deep learning or whole-child support. In that model, students rotate rapidly through classes, teachers carry very high student loads, and counseling support can be stretched to caseloads of 500+ students.
When students don’t feel known, safe, or supported, learning becomes harder. Brain science backs this up: stress and threat reduce focus, memory, and the ability to take academic risks. Redesign is about building conditions where students can thrive.
The 10 features of successfully redesigned high schools
1) Positive developmental relationships
Strong learning starts with strong relationships. Students do better when they have consistent adults who know them over time and peers they can trust.
- Smaller learning communities (small schools or “houses/academies” within large schools) help students feel seen.
- Advisory systems give every student a go-to adult advocate.
- Looping (keeping teachers and students together for multiple years) reduces the “restart” problem every fall.
When relationships are the design priority, fewer students fall through the cracks—and schools often see improvements in attendance, behavior, and graduation rates.
2) Safe, inclusive school climate
Safety isn’t only physical. Students need psychological safety and a sense of belonging. Schools build this through:
- Community-building routines like circles and shared norms
- Social and emotional learning (SEL) taught explicitly
- Restorative practices that repair harm instead of relying on exclusionary discipline
Restorative approaches are especially important because suspensions and removals often increase disconnection from school—and they disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities.
3) Culturally responsive and sustaining teaching
Students learn best when they feel valued and when instruction connects to who they are. This feature focuses on creating “identity-safe” classrooms and interrupting bias and stereotype threat.
- Teachers intentionally build empathy and connection with students.
- Curriculum includes multiple perspectives and culturally relevant materials.
- Schools reduce practices (like rigid tracking) that signal unequal expectations.
4) Deeper learning curriculum
Deeper learning is not about “covering more.” It’s about learning that sticks and transfers. Students engage in inquiry, analysis, collaboration, and real-world application.
- Inquiry-based learning built around meaningful questions
- Project-based learning that requires research, revision, and presentation
- “Less is more” curriculum choices that prioritize depth over speed
This matters because engagement is not a personality trait; it’s often a response to whether learning feels meaningful and doable.
5) Student-centered pedagogy
Students don’t all learn the same way. Redesigned schools use adaptive teaching approaches so more students can access rigorous work without being separated into lower tracks.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers multiple ways to engage, learn, and show understanding.
- Scaffolding breaks complex tasks into supported steps.
- Feedback and revision normalize growth and reduce “one-and-done” grading.
6) Authentic assessment
If we want students to think critically and communicate well, we need assessments that actually measure those skills.
- Performance assessments like projects, research papers, experiments, and presentations
- Portfolios that show growth over time
- Clear graduate profiles that define what students should know and be able to do
Students often report that portfolios are harder than tests—but also more meaningful and more helpful for learning.
7) Well-prepared and well-supported teachers
Redesign only works when educators have the time and support to do complex work well.
- Strong preparation in content, learning science, and inclusive practices
- Ongoing professional learning that is job-embedded and sustained
- Real collaboration time during the workweek
In many traditional structures, teachers teach more hours and have less planning time than peers in other countries. Redesigned schedules and staffing models can shift that.
8) Authentic family engagement
Family engagement is not just newsletters and open houses. It’s ongoing partnership.
- Regular, positive communication (not only “calls home when there’s a problem”)
- Home visits or community-based meetings that build trust
- Student-led conferences that help families understand learning goals and progress
When families and schools work as a team, students get clearer support and fewer mixed messages.
9) Community connections and integrated student supports
This feature is especially relevant to student services. The report highlights community schools and integrated support systems that address barriers like mental health needs, housing insecurity, food insecurity, and access to healthcare.
Schools can’t do everything alone, but they can coordinate supports so students don’t have to navigate complex systems by themselves. This is where partnerships matter—and where online therapy can help schools expand access to services in a practical, scalable way.
10) Shared decision-making and leadership
Lasting change requires shared ownership. Redesigned schools build structures for students, families, and staff to participate in decisions—because the way adults work together shapes the way students experience learning.
- Shared norms and values guide decisions
- Students have real voice and leadership opportunities
- Teachers collaborate in governance, not just in classrooms
What this means for student support systems (and where TinyEYE fits)
Across all 10 features, one theme keeps coming up: students succeed when schools are designed to notice needs early and respond quickly. That requires:
- Consistent relationships (so changes in behavior or mood don’t go unseen)
- Safe, inclusive climates (so students ask for help sooner)
- Integrated supports (so help is coordinated, not fragmented)
For many districts, redesigning structures takes time. But strengthening student supports can start now—especially by expanding access to services through partnerships. Online therapy can help schools increase capacity, reduce wait times, and support students where they are, particularly when in-person staffing is limited.
A simple way to start
If your school or district is looking for a practical first step, consider this sequence:
- Start with relationships: strengthen advisory and adult-student connection points.
- Build belonging: implement consistent routines, SEL, and restorative practices.
- Coordinate supports: map what services exist, what gaps remain, and how students access help.
- Align learning to purpose: move toward deeper learning and authentic assessment over time.
Redesign is not about a single program. It’s about building a school experience that feels human, coherent, and supportive—so learning becomes possible for more students, more often.
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