1. High expectations for students and staff
2. Higher education exposure
3. Meaningful and engaging homework
4. Everyone Reads/Literacy: Language development, reading, and writing
5. Substantial opportunities for meaningful parental involvement
6. Education that is relevant to, reflective of, and inclusive of students
7. Development of strong problem-solving skills
8. Development of success skills: metacognitive, note taking, study, time management, organizational, and test-taking skills