Creating a High School Diploma That Counts

Creating a High School Diploma That Counts

American Diploma Project    

How well prepared are our students for the world after high school?

What does it mean to be prepared for college and work?

Do we expect all of our students to be prepared?

Closing the expectations gap — what will it take?

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American Diploma Project

How well prepared are our students?

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A high school diploma is not the last educational stop required Share of new jobs, 2000–10 60%

31%

Jobs that require at least some postsecondary education will make up more than two­thirds of new jobs.

Bachelor's degree

Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna M. Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K–16 Reform, Educational Testing Service, 2003.

 40%

36%

22% 20% 10% 0%

High school dropout

High school diploma

Some postsecondary

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Percentage of 9th grade students

Too many U.S. students drop out of the education pipeline 100% 75%

68%

50%

40% 27%

25% 0%

Graduate high school

Start college

Persist 2nd year

18%

Earn degree

Source: National Center for Public Policy & Higher Education, Policy Alert, April 2004. Data are estimates of pipeline progress rather than actual cohort.

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Only about half of African American and Latino students graduate from high school in four years Percentage of 9th grade students

On-time high school graduation, 2002 100% 78%

75% 50%

52%

56%

Latino

African American

25% 0% White

Source: Manhattan Institute, Public High School Graduation and College­Readiness Rates: 1991–2002, February 2005, http://www.manhattan­institute.org/html/ewp_08.htm.

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U.S. high school graduation rates have dropped over past 20 years Public high school graduation rates, 1981–2000 75%

70%

65%

60%

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Source: Mortenson, T., “Chance for College by Age 19 by State in 2000,” Postsecondary Education Opportunity: The Environmental Scanning Research Letter of Opportunity for Postsecondary Education, No. 123, The Mortenson Research Center on Public Policy, September 2002.

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High school graduation rate: United States trails most countries

1 2 3 4 5 5 7 7 9

OECD Reporting Graduation Country Rate (%) Denmark 100 Norway 97 Germany 93 Japan 92 Poland 90 Switzerland 90 Finland 85 Greece 85 France 82

9 9 12 13 13 15 16 17 18 18 20

Hungary Italy Czech Republic Belgium Iceland Ireland United States Sweden Luxembourg Spain Slovak Republic

82 82 81 79 79 77 73 72 68 68 61

Source: Organisation for Economic Co­operation and Development, Education at a Glance 2004, 2004.

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Very few high school graduates are “college ready” Percentage of 9th grade students graduating on time college ready

100%

75%

50%

25%

45% 34%

27%

0%

Lowest: Alaska

United States

Highest: New Jersey

Source: Manhattan Institute, Public High School Graduation and College­Readiness Rates: 1991–2002, February 2005, http://www.manhattan­institute.org/html/ewp_08.htm.

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Too few minority students in U.S. graduate from high school “college ready” Percentage of 9th grade students graduating on time college ready

100%

75%

50%

25%

40% 20%

23%

Latino

African American

0% White

Source: Manhattan Institute, Public High School Graduation and College­Readiness Rates: 1991–2002, February 2005, http://www.manhattan­institute.org/html/ewp_08.htm.

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College bound does not necessarily mean college ready Percentage of U.S. first-year students in two-year and four-year institutions requiring remediation Reading

Writing

11%



14%

Math

22%

Reading, writing or math 0%

Nearly three in 10 first­year students are placed immediately into a remedial college course.

28% 20%

40%

60%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Remedial Education at Degree­Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000, 2003.

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Most U.S. college students who take remedial courses fail to earn degrees

Percentage of college students

Percentage not earning degree by type of remedial coursework 100% 75%

76% 63%

50% 25% 0% Remedial reading

 Many college students who need remediation, especially in reading and math, do not earn either an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree.

Remedial math

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education, 2004.

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Many high school graduates cite gaps in preparation How well did your high school education prepare you for college or the work/jobs you hope to get in the future?  Very well: generally able to do what’s expected  Extremely well: prepared for everything

 Somewhat well: some gaps  Not well: large gaps/struggling

61% 53% 46% 46%

39% 42%

34%

32%

15% 7%

High school graduates who went to college

11%

12%

High school graduates who did not go to college

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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College instructors/employers confirm high school graduates’ lack of preparation Average estimated proportions of recent high school graduates who are not prepared

42%

High school graduates not prepared for college­level classes

45%

High school graduates not prepared to advance beyond entry­level jobs

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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American Diploma Project

What does it take to be prepared for postsecondary education and work?

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American Diploma Project    



Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.

Partnered with Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas.

Involved wide variety of K–12, higher education and business representatives.

Created end­of­high­school benchmarks to convey the knowledge and skills graduates will need to be successful in college and the workplace.

Key finding: Unprecedented convergence of skills required for success in college and work.

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Today’s graduates need more knowledge and skills



Highly Paid Professional Jobs Earnings: $40,000+ Projected Job Growth Rate: 20%



Well­Paid, Skilled Jobs Earnings: $25,000–$40,000 Projected Job Growth Rate: 12%



Low­Paid or Low­Skilled Jobs Earnings: Less than $25,000 Projected Job Growth Rate: 15%

25% 37% 38% Share of Jobs Source: American Diploma Project, 2002.

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What does it take to succeed in “good” jobs?

ADP research found that:  84 percent of highly paid professionals (top tier of pyramid) took Algebra II or higher in high school.  Employees in vast majority of good jobs took four years of grade­level English.  Employers emphasize importance of workers being able to think creatively and logically and to identify and solve problems.  Fastest growing occupations require some education beyond high school (e.g., certificate, bachelor’s degree, associate degree, on­the­job training).

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Even blue-collar jobs require high-level skills 

Requirements for tool and die makers 





Four or five years of apprenticeship and/or postsecondary training Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics

Requirements for sheet metal workers  

Four or five years of apprenticeship Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and technical reading

Source: American Diploma Project, 2002.

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ADP expectations ensure high school graduates are prepared to succeed 

In English, the benchmarks cover: 

Language



Communication



Writing



Research



Logic



Informational text



Media



Literature



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In math, the benchmarks cover: 

Number sense and numerical operations



Algebra



Geometry



Data interpretations, statistics and probability



Math reasoning skills

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Whether graduates are going to college or work, they need the same skills Machine Operator Eastman Chemical Company

College Algebra

Required Skills:  Add, subtract, multiply, divide and simplify rational expressions  Calculate and apply ratios, proportions and percentages to solve problems  Recognize and solve problems using a linear equation and one variable  Apply units correctly in expressions involving measurements  Determine the perimeter and the circumference of geometric shapes

Required Skills:  Add, subtract, multiply, divide and simplify rational expressions  Understand functional notation  Solve systems of two linear equations in two variables  Solve quadratic equations in one variable  Graph a linear equation and quadratic function  Determine the perimeter and the circumference of geometric shapes  Represent geometric objects and figures algebraically

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To be college and work ready, students need to complete a rigorous sequence of courses To cover the content in the ADP benchmarks, high school graduates need:  In math:  In English:  

Four courses Content equivalent to Algebra I and II, Geometry, and a fourth course such as Statistics or Precalculus

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 

Four courses Content equivalent to four years of grade­level English or higher (i.e., honors or AP English)

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American Diploma Project

What do we expect of our high school graduates?  Standards

 Course­taking requirements  Assessments

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State high school standards not always anchored in real-world expectations 



In most states, standards reflect a consensus among discipline­based experts about what would be important for young people to learn – not a reflection of what would be essential to know to succeed at the next level.

Few states’ postsecondary faculty and employers have verified that state high school standards reflect their expectations.

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Do state graduation requirements reflect “college- and work-ready” content?

To answer this question, Achieve:  Reviewed minimum high school course requirements in all 50 states.  Compared each state’s requirements to what students need to be successful in college and the workplace.

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42 states require students to take certain courses to graduate from high school WA OR

MT ID

NV CA

WY

UT AZ

MN WI

SD

KS NM

VT ME

OK TX

AK

NY

IL IN OH WV VA MO KY NC TN SC AR GA MS AL

NH CT NJ DE MD

LA FL

Source: Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap: A 50­State Review of High School Graduation Requirements, 2004.

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20 states require Algebra I MN SD IN

UT

KY TN

CA NM

OK TX

AR

WV VA

MD

NC

MS AL GA

LA FL

Source: Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap: A 50­State Review of High School Graduation Requirements, 2004.

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13 states require Geometry MN

IN

UT

KY OK TX

AR

WVVA

MD

MS AL

LA

Source: Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap: A 50­State Review of High School Graduation Requirements, 2004.

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Only 3 states require Algebra II

IN

AR TX

Source: Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap: A 50­State Review of High School Graduation Requirements, 2004.

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A strong high school curriculum* improves college completion and narrows gaps 100% 75%

30%

61%

13% 73%

79%

86%

45%

0%

All college entrants African American

Entrants who had strong high school curriculum Latino

White

*Completing at least Algebra II plus other courses.

Source: Adapted from Adelman, Clifford, U.S. Department of Education, Answers in the Toolbox, 1999.

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Only four in 10 high school students complete a college- and work-ready math curriculum Taking a math course beyond Algebra II* by graduation (2002) 100% 71%

75% 50% 25%

41% 20%

0% Lowest: Nevada

United States

Highest: West Virginia

*Trigonometry or Precalculus.

Source: Council of Chief State School Officers, State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 2002, 2003, p. 27.

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Do assessments measure “college-ready” skills?



Half the states require students to pass one or more exams to earn a high school diploma.

What does it take to pass these tests?

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The tests Achieve analyzed

Math

First Graduating Class Facing Requirement

•

2003

•

•

2009

•

•

•

2003

11th

•

•

•

2003

Ohio

10th

•

•

2007

Texas

11th

•

•

2004

Grade Given

Reading

10th

•

End of course

•

Massachusetts

10th

New Jersey

State Florida Maryland

Writing

•

Source: Achieve, Inc., Do Graduation Tests Measure Up? A Closer Look at State High School Exit Exams, 2004.

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Good news: States are measuring algebra and geometry

Percentage of total points

60% 50% 38%

40% 31%

30% 20%

19% 12%

10% 0% Number

Algebra

Geometry & measurement

Data

Source: Achieve, Inc., Do Graduation Tests Measure Up? A Closer Look at State High School Exit Exams, 2004.

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Bad news: States tend to measure lower-level content

Percentage of total points

60%

56%

50% 40% 30%

30% 20%

15%

10% 0% Prealgebra

Basic algebra

Advanced algebra

Source: Achieve, Inc., Do Graduation Tests Measure Up? A Closer Look at State High School Exit Exams, 2004.

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Students can pass state math tests knowing content typically taught in 7th and 8th grade internationally Grade when most international students cover content required to pass state math tests International Grade Placement

12 11 10 8.6

9 8 7

8.1

8.2

8.3

OH

TX

7.4

7.1

6 5

FL

MD

MA

NJ

Source: Achieve, Inc., Do Graduation Tests Measure Up? A Closer Look at State High School Exit Exams, 2004.

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Reading tests downplay higher-level skills

Percentage of total points

60%

55%

50% 40% 30% 20%

20% 13%

12%

10% 0% Recall

Infer

Explain

Analyze

Source: Achieve, Inc., Do Graduation Tests Measure Up? A Closer Look at State High School Exit Exams, 2004.

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Students can pass state English tests with skills ACT expects of 8th and 9th graders ACT ACT EXPLORE (8th/9th)

0

1

2

3

ACT PLAN (10th)

4

5

(11th/12th)

6

FL MD MA NJ OH TX Source: Achieve, Inc., Do Graduation Tests Measure Up? A Closer Look at State High School Exit Exams, 2004.

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American Diploma Project

What do recent high school graduates tell us about the expectations they faced?

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Most high school graduates were moderately challenged High expectations/I was significantly challenged

57%

56%

53%

Moderate expectations/I was somewhat challenged Low expectations/pretty easy to slide by

24%

26% 20%

All high school graduates

26% 20%

17%

College students

Students who did not go to college

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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Graduates who faced high expectations in high school twice as likely to feel prepared for future Percentage saying they were extremely/very well prepared 100% 80%

High school graduates who went to college

80% 72%

High school graduates who did not go to college

58%

60%

53% 37% 36%

40% 20% 0% High expectations

Moderate expectations

Low expectations

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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Algebra II critical for college and work High school graduates extremely or very well prepared for expectations of college/work 100% Completed less than Algebra II Completed Algebra II/more 75%

68% 60% 46%

50%

25%

26%

0%

College students

Students who did not go to college

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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Writing critical for college and work High school graduates extremely or very well prepared for expectations of college/work 100% Wrote a fair amount/not much Wrote a great deal 79%

75%

75%

50%

51%

47%

25%

0%

College students

Students who did not go to college

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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Knowing what they know today, high school graduates would have worked harder 100% Would have applied myself more 75%

77%

65%

50% 25% 0% High school graduates who went to college

High school graduates who did not go to college

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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If high school had demanded more, graduates would have worked harder  Would have worked harder

 Strongly feel I would have worked harder

82%

 Wouldn’t have worked harder

80%

18%

17%

64%

63%

15%

High school graduates who went to college

18%

High school graduates who did not go to college

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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Majority of graduates would have taken harder courses Knowing what you know today about the expectations of college/work …

College students Would have taken more challenging courses in at least one area Would have taken more challenging Math courses in: Science

English AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT NETWORK

Students who did not go to college 62% 72% 34% 48% 32%

41%

29% 38%

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies, Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? prepared for Achieve, Inc., 2005.

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American Diploma Project

What will it take to close the expectations gap?

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Closing the expectations gap requires states to take action 

Align high school standards and assessments with the knowledge and skills required for success in postsecondary education and work.



Administer a college­ and work­ready assessment, aligned to state standards, to high school students so they get clear and timely information and are able to address critical skill deficiencies while still in high school.



Require all students to take a college­ and work­ready curriculum to earn a high school diploma.



Hold high schools accountable for graduating students who are college ready, and hold postsecondary institutions accountable for their success once enrolled.

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Postsecondary must be involved What does it take to align high school standards with “college­ready” standards? 

A clear, consistent definition of “college ready” from state postsecondary institutions.

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Some states are using high school assessments for postsecondary purposes 

  

California State University system augmented the state’s high school test and now uses it for placement purposes.

City University of New York uses scores on the state’s Regents exam for admissions and placement purposes.

Texas students who earn a certain score on the state TAKS exam can be placed in college­level courses.

Some states are considering incorporating the SAT or ACT into their high school assessment systems.

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High schools must be held accountable for student preparation To ensure high schools are graduating students who are “college and work ready,” states need: 



A data system based on individual student unit records that permits an honest count of graduation and dropout rates Measures of college and work readiness aligned to state standards

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Postsecondary institutions must be held accountable for student success Holding postsecondary institutions accountable for the success of the students they admit requires:   

Focused goals for each institution, including persistence and graduation rates Data systems linked to K–12 Appropriate incentives

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ADP Network: 18 states committed to improving student achievement MN

OR

MA MI PA OH

IN

KY OK

NC

AR MS AL

TX

RI NJ

GA

LA

FL

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Creating a High School Diploma That Counts

For more information, please visit Achieve, Inc., on the Web at http://www.achieve.org

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