CLOSING THE EXPECTATIONS GAP Preparing all students for college, careers and life Margaret Horn Vice President, State Leadership and Policy A+ Washington July 10, 2012

About Achieve

2

Achieve, Inc., was created by the nation’s governors and business

leaders in 1996 following the first National Education Summit.

Achieve is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise

academic standards, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability

to prepare all young people for postsecondary education, work, and

citizenship.

Achieve currently is working with 35 states through the American Diploma

Project Network to design and implement policies that aim to close the

expectations gap.

The ADP Network Today

3

What is College and Career Readiness?

4

A career provides a family-

sustaining wage and pathways

to advancement and requires

training or education beyond

high school.

College includes any education

beyond high school that leads to a

postsecondary credential (i.e. a

professional certificate, license,

Associates or Bachelor’s degree).

Being ready for college and careers means that a high school

graduate has the core, foundational knowledge and skills

necessary to qualify for and succeed in entry-level,

credit-bearing coursework - be it at a university, community

college, technical/vocational program, apprenticeship or on the

job - without the need for remedial or corrective courses.

A high school diploma is no longer enough; now, nearly every good

job requires some education beyond high school – such as an

associate’s or bachelor’s degree, certificate, license, or completion

of an apprenticeship or significant on-the-job training.

Far too many students drop out or graduate from high school

without the knowledge and skills required for success, closing doors

and limiting their post-high school options and opportunities.

The best way to prepare students for life after high school is to align

K-12 and postsecondary expectations. All students deserve a world-

class education that prepares them for college, careers and life.

Why College- and Career-Ready

Expectations for All?

5

6

Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. et al. (June 2010). Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education

Requirements Through 2018. Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce.

www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf

Jobs in Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) Workforce

Require More Education & Training

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Bachelors &HigherSome College /

AssociatesHigh SchoolGraduateHigh School

Dropout

33%

29% 28%

10%

32%

27% 30%

11%

16%

12%

40%

32%

Percentage of Workforce by Education Level 2018

2002

1973

America’s International Edge is Slipping in

Postsecondary Degree Attainment

7

Source: OECD. Education at a Glance 2010. (All rates are self-reported.) http://www.oecd-

ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2010_eag-2010-en; National Center for Higher Education

Management Systems, analysis of 2009 American Community Survey. http://www.higheredinfo.org

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

% Young Adults (25-34) with College Degree % Adults (25-64) with College Degree

% of Citizens with Postsecondary Degrees Among OECD Countries, by Age Group (2006)

55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 ALL (25-64)

1 U.S. (40%) Canada (44%) Canada (54%) Korea (58%) Canada (49%)

2 Canada (40%) Japan (43%) Japan (48%) Canada (56%) Japan (43%)

3 N.Z. (34%) U.S. (40%) Finland (44%) Japan (55%) U.S. (41%)

4 Finland (29%) N.Z. (38%) U.S. (43%) N.Z. (48%) N.Z. (40%)

5 Australia (28%) Finland (37%) Korea (43%) Norway (46%) Finland (37%)

6 Norway (28%) Australia (33%) N.Z. (40%) Ireland (45%) Korea (37%)

7 Switz. (27%) Denmark (32%) Norway (38%) Denmark (43%) Norway (36%)

8 U.K. (27%) Norway (32%) Australia (38%) Belgium (42%) Australia (36%)

9 Sweden (26%) Switz. (31%) Denmark (37%) Australia (42%) Denmark (34%)

10 Neth. (26%) Neth. (31%) Ireland (37%) U.S. (42%) Ireland (34%)

11 Denmark (26%) Iceland (30%) Switz. (36%) Sweden (41%) Switz. (34%)

12 Japan (26%) U.K. (30%) Iceland (36%) France (41%) U.K. (33%)

13 Germany (24%) Belgium (29%) Belgium (35%) Neth. (40%) Belgium (32%)

14 Iceland (24%) Sweden (28%) U.K. (33%) Spain (39%) Neth. (32%)

15 Belgium (22%) Ireland (27%) Sweden (33%) Luxembourg (39%) Sweden (32%)

45-64: Washington (42%) WA (44%) WA (41%) WA (42%)

America’s International Edge is Slipping in

Postsecondary Degree Attainment

8

Source: OECD. Education at a Glance 2010. http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-

2010_eag-2010-en ; National Center for Higher Education Management Systems analysis of 2009 American

Community Survey. http://www.higheredinfo.org

America’s International Edge is Slipping in

High School Graduation Rates

9

Source: OECD. Education at a Glance 2010. (All rates are self-reported) http://www.oecd-

ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2010_eag-2010-en; National Center for Higher Education Management

Systems, analysis of 2008 and 2009 American Community Survey. http://www.higheredinfo.org

0 20 40 60 80 100

Iceland

U.K.

Netherlands

Norway

Ireland

Denmark

Germany

Israel

Canada

Poland

Korea

U.S.

Washington

% Young Adults (25-34) with HS Diploma+ % Adults (25-64) with HS Diploma+

FAR TOO MANY STUDENTS DROP

OUT OR GRADUATE FROM HIGH

SCHOOL UNPREPARED FOR REAL

WORLD CHALLENGES

Of Every 100 9th Graders in Washington…

11

Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (2008).

Student Pipeline - Transition and Completion Rates from 9th Grade to

College. http://www.higheredinfo.org

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

9th Graders GraduateHigh Schoolin 4 Years

Enroll inCollege In the

Fall

Still EnrolledSophomore

Year ofCollege

Earn aCollegeDegree

100

69

35

25 18

Achievement Remains Low: 8th Grade

Achievement Over Time

12

Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress. Analysis of data downloaded from

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/

8th Grade Math 1992 2009

Washington n/a 39%

U.S. 21% 34%

8th Grade Reading 1998 2009

Washington 32% 36%

U.S. 33% 32%

8th Grade Science 1996 2009

Washington 27% 34%

U.S. 29% 30%

% At or Above Proficient on 8th Grade NAEP

And Gaps Persist: Washington’s 8th Grade

Achievement Gap

13

Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress. Analysis of data downloaded from

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/

Subgroup 8th Grade Math

(2009)

8th Grade

Reading (2009)

8th Grade Science

(2009)

All Students 39% 36% n/a

White 46% 41% 41%

Black 16% 13% 16%

Hispanic 13% 17% 9%

Asian 53% 42% 39%

American Indian 23% 25% 20%

% At or Above Proficient on 8th Grade NAEP

High School Graduation Rates Remain

Inequitable in Washington

14

Source: Education Week (2007). Graduation in the United States.

http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/dc/2010/34sos_gradrate.pdf

U.S.

WA

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

AmericanIndian

AsianHispanicBlack

WhiteAll

51%

81%

56% 54%

77%

69%

40%

78%

55% 50%

72% 68%

15

Source: ACT (2010). ACT 2009 Results. http://www.act.org/news/data/09/states.html ; College Board. Mean 2010 SAT

Scores by State. http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/2010-sat-trends.pdf

Washington’s Students Taking College

Admissions Exams

2010 Washington U.S.

Participation in ACT 19% 47%

Average ACT Score 23 21

Participation in SAT 54% 47%

Average SAT Score 1564 1509

16

Source: ACT (2010). College Readiness Benchmark Attainment by State.

http://www.act.org/news/data/10/benchmarks.html?utm_campaign=cccr10&utm_source=data10_l

eftnav&utm_medium=web#benchmark

Students Meeting College Readiness

Benchmark

U.S.

WA

0

20

40

60

80

English,2010

Reading,2010

Math, 2010Science,

2010All 4 tests,

2010

66

52

43

29 24

79

67 61

41 36

Percentage of ACT-tested graduates who met or

exceeded the College Readiness Benchmark score

Note: A benchmark score indicates a 50% chance of obtaining a B

or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the

corresponding credit-bearing college courses.

17

Source: College Board (2011). AP Report to the Nation.

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/7th-annual-ap-report-to-the-nation-2011.pdf

Students Participating in Advanced

Placement and Exceeding College and Career

Readiness

Percent of all 12th Graders Participating in

Advanced Placement (2008)

Enrollment in College Does NOT Equal

College Readiness in Washington

18 Source: Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, “Key Facts about Higher Education in

Washington, 2011” Fall 2008. http://www.hecb.wa.gov/keyfacts/documents/RevisedBinder1-18-11.pdf

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

No RemediationMathEnglish

Math & English

67%

30%

14% 10%

Percentage of Recent Graduates Enrolled in Remediation at

Washington Two- and Four-Year Institutions, 2007

Enrollment in College Does NOT Equal

College Readiness in Washington

19

0%

20%

40%

60%

AnyMath

WritingReading

54% 48%

18%

10%

Percentage of Recent Graduates at Washington Community and

Technical Colleges Enrolled in “Pre-College” Courses, 2009

Source: Role of Pre-College (Developmental and Remedial) Education for Recent High School

Graduates Attending Washington Community and Technical Colleges - System Summary for Students

Enrolled in 2008-09 (December 2009); http://www.sbctc.edu/college/d_deveducation.aspx

Many College Students Fail to Earn a

Degree in Washington

20

Source: NCES. IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey, analyzed by National Center for Management of

Higher Education Systems.

Percent of students earning a bachelor’s degree

within six years in Washington, 2007

The Majority of Graduates Would Have Taken

Harder Courses, Particularly in Mathematics

21

Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies. (2005) Rising to the

Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? Washington, DC:

Achieve.

29%

32%

34%

62%

38%

41%

48%

72%

Students Who Did Not Go To College College Students

Would have taken

more challenging

courses in at least

one area

Math

Science

English

Knowing what you know today about the expectations of college/work …

THE SOLUTION:

STATE-LED EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE

EXPECTATIONS GAP All students deserve a world-class education that

prepares them for college, careers and life.

23

The College- and Career-Ready Agenda

Align high school standards with the demands of college and careers.

Require students to take a college- and career-ready curriculum to earn a high school diploma.

Build college-and career-ready measures into statewide high school assessment systems.

Develop reporting and accountability systems that promote college and career readiness.

24 For more information, see www.corestandards.org

State-Led Efforts: Common Core State

Standards Initiative

Beginning in the spring of 2009, Governors and state commissioners of

education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia

committed to developing a common core of state K-12 English-language arts

(ELA) and mathematics standards.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is a state-led effort

coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices

(NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

Building on the strength of current state standards, the common standards

are designed to be:

Focused, coherent, clear and rigorous

Internationally benchmarked

Anchored in college and career readiness

Evidence and research based

The final Common Core State Standards were released in June 2010, and states are

now moving to adopt – and implement – the new standards.

46 States and DC Have Adopted the

Common Core State Standards

25 * Minnesota has only adopted the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts/Literacy

26

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will be new science

standards created through a collaborative, state-led process for grades

K-12.

The NGSS will be arranged in a coherent manner across grades and

provide all students access to a challenging science education.

The NGSS will be based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education,

developed by the National Research Council, the staffing arm of the

National Academy of Sciences.

The NGSS are expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

There are 26 Lead State Partners that will help guide the standards

writing process, gather and deliver feedback from state-level committees,

and come together throughout the process to address common issues

and challenges.

Achieve is managing the state-led process.

For more information see www.nextgenscience.org

State-Led Efforts: Next-Generation Science

Standards

27

As of 2004, only two states – Arkansas and Texas – had set their

graduation requirements at the college- and career-ready level.

Today, 21 states and the District of Columbia have raised their

requirements to include (at a minimum):

Four years of grade-level English,

3-4 years of mathematics (including Algebra II or its equivalent),

At least three years of science (including a lab experience),

At least three years of social science/economics, and

A range of elective options (such as career and technical education pathways and

fine arts).

Source: Achieve Survey/Research, 2011

State-Led Efforts: College- and Career-Ready

Graduation Requirements

28

Source: Horn, L. and A.M. Nuñez (2000). Mapping the Road to College: First-generation Students' Math Track, Planning Strategies, and

Context of Support. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001153.pdf; Adelman, C. (2006). The

Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School through College. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

The Importance of Rigorous Course-Taking

in Closing Gaps

Students who take challenging courses & meet high standards are

much more likely to enter college ready to succeed.

87% of first-generation college-going students – who took a highly rigorous course

of study in high school – persisted in college or earned a degree after 18 months.

Only 55% of first-generation students who took just a general curriculum persisted

that long.

High school students who take advanced math nearly double their

chances of earning a postsecondary degree:

59% of low-income students who took advanced math in high school earned a

bachelor’s degree.

36% of low-income students who did not complete the rigorous high school course

of study earned a bachelor’s degree.

29

To cover the content American Diploma Project research shows students

need to be college- and career-ready, high school graduates need to take:

In Math: Four courses, with content equivalent to Algebra I and II,

Geometry, and a fourth course such as Statistics or Pre-calculus

In English: Four courses with content equivalent to four years of

grade-level English or higher

To be college- and career-ready, high school graduates must have studied a

rigorous and broad curriculum, grounded in these core academic disciplines, but

also one that includes other subjects that are part of a well-rounded education.

Students must also possess the skills or habits of mind that enable them to apply

their knowledge in a range of environments and situations.

To be College and Career Ready, Students

Need to Complete a Rigorous & Broad

Sequence of Courses

21 States and DC Require a

College- and Career-Ready Diploma

30

Source: Achieve Survey/Research, 2011

While the Common Core State Standards are a critical first step, they

alone will not bring about the instructional changes necessary to improve

student achievement and attainment

Creating common assessments grounded in common standards is the

logical next step to ensure:

All students have access to the new standards

States get an accurate view of how they stack up against one another

Assessments aligned to the Common Core will help ensure the new

standards truly reach every classroom

31

State-Led Efforts: Why Common, Next-

Generation Assessments?

32

Race to the Top Assessment Competition

• $350 million in federal funds allotted through Race to the Top for grants to

consortia of states for the development of common assessments aligned

to common state standards

• Benefits of common assessments include:

Quality

Efficiency/Cost Sharing

Cross-State Comparison

Possibility of Common Classroom Tools/Supports

Opportunity for Innovation

• In September 2010, the U.S. Department of Education announced two

winning consortia:

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers

(PARCC)

The SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)

Washington’s Commitment to Closing the

Expectations Gap to Date

33

Washington adopted the Common Core State Standards in 2011.

In 2011 Washington adopted graduation requirements at the

college- and career-ready level. The full set of requirements is

slated to be phased in by 2016.

Washington is a Governing state in the SMARTER BALANCED

Assessment Consortium, a group of states working to develop a

common assessment system using Race to the Top Common

Assessment funds.

Washington has a P-20 longitudinal data system that matches

student-level data across K-12 and postsecondary systems on a

regular basis.

How Washington Can Continue to

Build on its Momentum…

…Realize the promise of the Common Core State Standards by

implementing them fully and successfully, taking into consideration the

related curricular and policy changes.

…Adopt and fully implement college- and career-ready graduation

requirements, aligned to the Common Core State Standards, to ensure all

students are prepared, and eligible, for entry into college and skilled

careers.

…Remain committed to the goal of developing a next-generation,

computer-based assessment system that will measure the full range of the

Common Core State Standards.

…Continue to make progress on the state’s data collection efforts,

particularly around making student data available to relevant

stakeholders.

…Re-examine the state’s K-12 accountability system to determine how it

can reward measures of college and career readiness.

CLOSING THE EXPECTATIONS GAP Preparing all students for college, careers and life mhorn@achieve.org 202-419-1549