# data[].attributes.body
Morgan Barth is a Nashville-based educator, entrepreneur and father. Morgan has years of experience, including founding and running some of the highest-performing charter schools in the country. Currently he advises educational organizations and advocates for children. This is Morgan’s take on why public schools can (and must) open this fall.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Morgan Barth is a Nashville-based educator, entrepreneur and father. Morgan has years of experience, including founding and running some of the highest-performing charter schools in the country. Cu…

# data[].attributes.headline
College Prep Guidance - Beyond Just Grades

# data[].attributes.subject
College Prep Guidance - Beyond Just Grades

# data[].attributes.body
Morgan Barth is a proven leader with many years of experience at the top echelons of education. For nine years, Morgan Barth served as a principal with Achievement First, one of the most successful charter school networks in the country. He was also a founding teacher at Elm City College Prep in New Haven, Connecticut.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Morgan Barth is a proven leader with many years of experience at the top echelons of education. For nine years, Morgan Barth served as a principal with Achievement First, one of the most successful charter school networks in the country. He was also a founding teacher at Elm City College Prep in New Haven, Connecticut.

College prep counselors typically focus on improving a student's grades and SAT scores for college. However, there's much more that students could potentially receive from college prep if counselors focused on some other key areas. For instance, students should be encouraged to pursue extracurricular activities. Studies show that students who engage in extracurricular activities have higher graduation rates and perform better academically.

Moreover, counselors can and should emphasize the development of soft skills in students. In particular, things like persistence in the face of adversity, budgeting, and mental health protection techniques are valuable tools for any aspiring college student. And counselors can also help students choose a college based not only on the location, size, and academic focus. Other factors, such as a school's culture, demographic makeup, and values, can also come into play.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Prep Guidance - Beyond Just Grades

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Morgan Barth is a proven leader with many years of experience at the top echelons of education. For nine years, Morgan Barth served as a principal with Achievement First, one of the most successful charter school networks in the country. He was also a founding teacher at Elm City College Prep in New Haven, Connecticut.

# data[].attributes.headline
Tips for Choosing a College, from an Academic Perspective

# data[].attributes.subject
Tips for Choosing a College, from an Academic Perspective

# data[].attributes.body
Former charter high school principal Morgan Barth helped his school become one of the top-ranking schools in Connecticut and the United States. Morgan Barth played an integral role in getting many of his students into the college or university of their choice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Former charter high school principal Morgan Barth helped his school become one of the top-ranking schools in Connecticut and the United States. Morgan Barth played an integral role in getting many of his students into the college or university of their choice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips for Choosing a College, from an Academic Perspective

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Former charter high school principal Morgan Barth helped his school become one of the top-ranking schools in Connecticut and the United States. Morgan Barth played an integral role in getting many of his students into the college or university of their choice.

# data[].attributes.headline
How U.S. News and World Report Ranks Top High Schools

# data[].attributes.subject
How U.S. News and World Report Ranks Top High Schools

# data[].attributes.body
A former principal of Achievement First Amistad High School in New Haven, Connecticut, Morgan Barth helped the program reach major milestones during his tenure. Morgan Barth was the principal when the school earned a top-20 spot in the U.S. News and World Report 2018 ranking.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A former principal of Achievement First Amistad High School in New Haven, Connecticut, Morgan Barth helped the program reach major milestones during his tenure. Morgan Barth was the principal when the school earned a top-20 spot in the U.S. News and World Report 2018 ranking.

The U.S. News and World ranking is based on six indicators:

- college readiness,

- college curriculum breadth,

- math and reading proficiency,

- math and reading performance,

- underserved student performance, and

- graduation rate.

College readiness is based on the number of AP or IB exams students pass. This number is divided by the total number of twelfth graders at the school.

In the college curriculum breadth, students who took and passed all four subject areas received full credit, while those who passed only two exams were given partial credit. The schools with the largest number of students who took and passed the tests scored higher.

Standardized test scores are used to measure a school's math and reading performance. The school's total assessment scores are compared within the state. A distribution of scores in the state is used to assess how the school fared against out-of-state schools.

Math and reading performance is assessed by looking at the demographic of the area and comparing math and reading assessments to make predictions. For example, one assessment looks at the number of students on free and subsidized lunches and then compares their performance in math and reading.

The underserved student assessment measures how low-income, black, and Hispanic students performed. This measure is compared to students who do not fall into any of these categories.

Finally, the report takes into account the number of students who graduate. This is believed to be an indicator of how well the school meets the needs of its students.

A longtime Connecticut educational administrator, Morgan Barth was involved in setting in place the state's innovative Achievement First (AF) public charter school network. From 2004 to 2008, Morgan Barth engaged as a founding teacher with Elm City College Prep in New Haven, Connecticut, and instructed English language arts at the 5th and 6th grade levels. He supported a full range of school start-up activities, including curriculum design and students and family recruitment. View all posts by morgannbarth

Published

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How U.S. News and World Report Ranks Top High Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A former principal of Achievement First Amistad High School in New Haven, Connecticut, Morgan Barth helped the program reach major milestones during his tenure. Morgan Barth was the principal when the school earned a top-20 spot in the U.S. News and World Report 2018 ranking. The U.S.