The Step Up Study Skills course is designed to facilitate a smooth transition to high school by teaching students the vital executive functioning skills necessary for academic success. Success in high school depends on more than just innate intellectual ability. Students must practice disciplined approaches to learning using sound techniques if they are to succeed in a rigorous curriculum. The program consists of 5 major themes in its instructional units: Setting and Achieving Goals; Getting Organized Managing Your Time and Improving Your Study Habits; Reading and Taking Notes from Textbooks; Memory Strategies; and Steps in the Learning Process: Developing Critical Thinking Skills.