› Standards and Assessments › Curriculum and Instruction › Leadership and Organization › Professional Development › Parent Engagement See the research basis for our design.		Lower Division High standards are the cornerstone of the America's Choice design. In the lower division, we place a strong emphasis on the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, providing targeted assistance to students who need it most. Helping students become proficient in these subject areas is critical to their success on high stakes state exams, their ability to perform in the other content areas, and ensuring their readiness for college-level work upon graduation. Our Ramp-Up acceleration courses are designed to help students who are two or more years behind in reading or math catch up. Mathematics Navigator stops the achievement gap before it starts with a modular intervention program that supplements any school math curriculum. Genre and Author Studies strengthen reading comprehension and writing effectiveness. Upper Division As a complement to the Lower Division focus on the core curriculum and safety nets, the America's Choice vision for the last two years of high school is one in which young people engage in a focused program of study. America's Choice accommodates several options for students in the upper grades that expose them to work, training, and college while they are still in high school. America's Choice offers schools consulting and technical assistance in support of several well-known small learning community approaches. Options include: • Career academies built around a broad career theme • Houses focused on a curricular theme that go in-depth in certain subject areas • Early college programs that focus on providing students college coursework for credit before high school graduation All upper division students are required to complete a Capstone Project in their senior year. The Capstone Project is a substantial research project that culminates in written and oral student presentations. In addition, students are expected to participate in a paid or unpaid internship, or undertake a serious program of service to their local community. To further strengthen ties between students and adults, every upper-division student in the America's Choice career academy option is given a mentor, an adult from outside the school community who counsels the student during his or her upper-division years. Continue to Aligned Instructional Systems