Archived Information

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

More and more students going on to college

49 5055

6065 62

0102030405060708090

100

1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2001

Source: The Condition of Education 2003.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Most high school grads go on to postsecondary within 2 years

Source: NELS: 88, Second (1992) and Third (1994) Follow up; in, USDOE, NCES, “Access to Postsecondary Education for the 1992 High School Graduates,” 1998, Table 2.

Entered Public 2-YearColleges

26%

Entered 4-Year Colleges 45%

Other Postsecondary 4%

Total 75%

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, March 2002.

That’s good, because education pays:Annual earnings of 25-34 year-olds by attainment, 2001

$27,831 $29,663$34,259 $36,135

$49,011

$10,000$20,000$30,000$40,000$50,000$60,000$70,000

HS, no diplomaHS diploma

Some coll, no deg

Assoc degBA/BA

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Unfortunately, when these new freshmen arrive in college, many must take remedial (high-school) level courses

47% 53%

0%

100%

No Remedial Courses At Least One RemedialCourse

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Not surprisingly,many of those college freshmendo not return for sophomore year

4-Year Colleges 26%2-Year Colleges 45%

Source: Tom Mortensen, Postsecondary Opportunity, No. 89, November 1999.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Even among freshmen in selective colleges, large numbers don’t complete degrees

39%

65%

46%37%

59%

0%

70%

African American Asian American LatinoNative American White

Source: 1999 NCAA Division I Graduation Rates Report, p. 636.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Clearly, we’ve got a problem

Students are following all the rules; Meeting all of the requirements for the

diploma; and Falling in the cracks between high school

and the expectations of postsecondary institutions.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Big gap between what students, teachers think is necessary and what colleges and employers need

31%

39%

67%

73%

77%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Professors

Employers

Parents

High SchoolStudents

Teachers While parents,

students and teachers continue to believe in the diploma’s value, those who judge the quality of high school graduates most closely — first-year college professors and employers — express strong skepticism.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Both professors and employers have similar worries

Most employers and professors question whether high school graduates have the knowledge and skills required on the job or in the college classroom.

73% 73%63%

75% 74%65%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Clear writing Grammarand spelling

Basic math

Employers Professors

Percentage of employers and professors rating graduates’ skills as “fair” or “poor”

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Consequences of poor alignment are serious both for students and for taxpayers

In a single state, employers and postsecondary education institutions spend an estimated $134.3 million a year on remedial education.

Estimated annual spending on remedial education in Michigan

$65,500,000

$28,800,000$40,000,000

$134,300,000

$0

$20,000,000

$40,000,000

$60,000,000

$80,000,000

$100,000,000

$120,000,000

$140,000,000

$160,000,000

Communitycolleges

Four-yearinstitutions

Employers TOTAL

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Better alignment has major benefits

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Better alignment has major benefits:A strong h.s. curriculum* improves college completion and narrows gaps

45%

75%61%

79%73%86%

0%

100%

All college entrants Entrants who hadstrong high school

curriculum

African American 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.

28%11%

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Important for workplace, too.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Take manufacturing, for example …

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Requirements fortool and die makers

Four or five years of apprenticeship and/or postsecondary training;

Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics;

Average earnings: $40,000 per year.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Requirements forsheet metal workers

Four or five years of apprenticeship; Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and

technical reading.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Source: Metropolitan Life, Survey of the American Teacher 2000: Are We Preparing Students for the 21st Century?, September 2000.

Moving forward:Kids and parents are clear, but their teachers have other ideas

79%

68%

51%

5%11%

28%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Students Parents Teachers

2- or 4-year college Work full time

Response From

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

To break through those attitudes,we cannot equivocate:

ALL students must be educated as if they are bound for college AND work.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Defining workplace expectations Highly Paid Professional Jobs

Earnings: $40,000+ Projected Job Growth Rate: 20%

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

Low-Paid or Low-Skilled Jobs Earnings: Less than $25,000 Projected Job Growth Rate: 15%

25%

37%

38%Share of Jobs

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

ADP Workplace Study: Key findings

Algebra II is the threshold math course for most workers in good jobs.

In English, most workers at all levels of employment had completed four years of English at grade level or above in high school. Taking below-average English or

functional/basic English increased the likelihood of being employed in a low-paid or low-skilled job.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Defining postsecondary expectations

Convened focus groups with wide range of arts and sciences faculty in two- and four-year institutions

Elicited “must have” math and English competencies as they relate to freshman coursework

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Identifying gaps

Analyzed state standards and high school assessments

Analyzed postsecondary admissions and placement exams

Compared with “must have” competencies defined by faculty

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

English

Write an extended research essay…building on primary and secondary sources that: Marshals evidence in support of clear thesis… Paraphrase and summarizes…and supporting or

refuting thesis… Cites sources correctly…using standard format.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Math

Recognize and solve problems that can be modeled using a finite geometric series, such as home mortgage problems and other compound interest problems.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

States should:

Anchor academic standards in the real world.

Require all students to take a college- and workplace readiness curriculum.

Measure what matters and make it count.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Postsecondary institutions should:

Use high school assessments for college admissions and placement.

Provide information to high schools on the academic performance of their graduates in college.

Be held accountable for the academic success of the students they admit.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

The federal government should:

Provide incentives for students to meet college- and workplace readiness expectations.

Offer resources for states to align college- and workplace readiness expectations.

Require that postsecondary institutions report annually to students, parents and the public evidence of student achievement, as well as remediation, persistence and degree completion.

Align the 12th grade NAEP with the ADP benchmarks and require states to administer it.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A Partnership of Achieve, Inc.; The Education Trust; and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Business leaders should:

Consider evidence such as high school assessment results and transcripts when making hiring decisions.

Encourage states to align standards, assessments and high school graduation requirements with college- and workplace readiness expectations.