American Diploma Project

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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

• Jobs that require at least some postsecondary
  education will make up more than two-thirds of
  new jobs.

Source Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna M.
Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic
Roots of K16 Reform, Educational Testing
Service, 2003.
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How does earning power differ between H.S.
college graduates?

• Educational Attainment Median Earnings

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Too many U.S. students drop out of the education
pipeline
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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How does Michigan stack up?
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
On-time high school graduation, 2002
Source Manhattan Institute, Public High School
Graduation and College-Readiness Rates
19912002, February 2005, http//www.manhattan-ins
titute.org/html/ewp_08.htm.
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How does Michigan stack up?
On-time high school graduation, 2002
Source Manhattan Institute, Public High School
Graduation and College-Readiness Rates
19912002, February 2005, http//www.manhattan-ins
titute.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, 19812000
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
Source Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development, Education at a Glance 2004, 2004.
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Very few high school graduates are college ready
Source Manhattan Institute, Public High School
Graduation and College-Readiness Rates
19912002, February 2005, http//www.manhattan-ins
titute.org/html/ewp_08.htm.
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How does Michigan stack up?
Source Manhattan Institute, Public High School
Graduation and College-Readiness Rates
19912002, February 2005, http//www.manhattan-ins
titute.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

• Nearly three in 10 first-year students are placed
  immediately into a remedial college course.

Source National Center for Education Statistics,
Remedial Education at Degree-Granting
Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000, 2003.
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Most U.S. college students who take remedial
courses fail to earn degrees
Percentage not earning degree by type of remedial
coursework

• Many college students who need remediation,
  especially in reading and math, do not earn
  either an associates or a bachelors degree.

Source National Center for Education Statistics,
The Condition of Education, 2004.
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College graduation rate U.S. lags behind most
developed countries
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American Diploma Project

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

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The American Diploma Project

• Partners Education Trust, Thomas B. Fordham
  Foundation, National Alliance of Business
•  2 years of research on essential math English
  skills
•  2004 report Benchmarks to be successful in
  college or work
•  Follow up reports Exit exams (2004), course
  requirements (2004), poll (2005)

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Expectations are the same for both college
good jobs

• ADP found high degree of convergence
• The knowledge skills that high school graduates
  will need in order to be successful in college
  are the same as those they will need in order to
  be successful in a job that
• pays enough to support a family well above the
  poverty level,
• provides benefits,
• offers clear pathways for career advancement
  through further education 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

• 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

• CollegeAlgebra
• 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

• Machine Operator
• Eastman Chemical Company
• 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

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

• In English
• Four courses
• Content equivalent to four years of grade-level
  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
• Course-taking 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 discipline-based 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 states 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
Source Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap A
50-State Review of High School Graduation
Requirements, 2004.
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20 states require Algebra I
Source Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap A
50-State Review of High School Graduation
Requirements, 2004.
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13 states require Geometry
Source Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap A
50-State Review of High School Graduation
Requirements, 2004.
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Only 4 states require Algebra II
Source Achieve, Inc., The Expectations Gap A
50-State Review of High School Graduation
Requirements, 2004.
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Michigans course requirements for graduation

• Apart from the requirement that high school
  students in Michigan complete a course in
  Government/Civics, all course requirements for
  graduation are set by local school districts.

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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
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
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
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
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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Reading tests downplay higher-level skills
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 (11th/12th)
ACT PLAN (10th)
ACT EXPLORE (8th/9th)
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
All high school graduates
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
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
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
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
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

• Wouldnt have worked harder

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High school graduates who did not go to college
High school graduates who went 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
Would have taken more challenging courses in at
least one area Math Science English
Would have taken more challenging courses in
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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ADP Network 18 states committed to improving
student achievement
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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 work-ready 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
  work-ready 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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The Challenge for Michigan
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2003 study of Michigan academic standards

• Achieve evaluated the states new K-8 content
  expectations, comparing them to the best
  standards from other states.
• Our conclusions
• New standards a significant improvement over the
  previous core curriculum standards in terms of
  rigor, clarity, coherence
• New standards among the strongest in the nation

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Next steps on standards

• Create new high school standards that
• Build off of K-8 standards
• Align with expectations of colleges and employers
• Clearly specify expectations for all four years
  of high school

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Next steps on standards

• Postsecondary and business leaders should verify
  that new high school standards are aligned with
  skills for success in college and work.
• If students meet these standards, will they be
  ready for
• Credit bearing, non-remedial college coursework?
• High trajectory jobs?

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High School Assessments

• How might Michigan develop a system of high
  school assessments that is
• Aligned to state standards that will allow
  students to demonstrate that they are meeting
  those standards?
• AND
• Capable of revealing whether students are
  prepared for college and work?

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Some states are using high school assessments for
postsecondary purposes

• California State University system augmented the
  states high school test and now uses it for
  placement purposes.
• City University of New York uses scores on the
  states Regents exam for admissions and placement
  purposes.
• Texas students who earn a certain score on the
  state TAKS exam can be placed in college-level
  courses.
• Some states are considering incorporating the SAT
  or ACT into their high school assessment systems.

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Graduation course requirements

• How Can Michigan
• Let all young people know which high school
  courses will best equip them to succeed in
  college, in the workplace, and in life?
• Encourage more young people to take these
  courses?
• Make better use of high school graduation
  requirements as a lever for change?

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How many students are taking a rigorous math
sequence?
The statistical estimating method is imprecise
above 95. Source CCSSO, State Indicators of
Science and Mathematics Education, 2003
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Indianas Core 40 more challenging courses
yield results
40th in nation
10th in nation
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A strong high school curriculum improves college
completion and narrows gaps
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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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How do the default diplomas in these states
compare?
Math Require-ments American Diploma Project Arkansas Smart Core Indiana Core 40 Oklahoma College Prep Texas Recom-mended H.S. Program Michigan Scholars Program / Presidents Council
Required Years 4 4 3 3 3 4
Algebra I ? ? ? ? ? ?
Geometry ? ? ? ? ? ?
Algebra II ? ? ? ? ? ?
Beyond Alg. II ? ? ?
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The minimum math requirements for students who
opt out
Math Require-ments American Diploma Project Arkansas Common Core Indiana General Diploma Oklahoma Standard Diploma Texas Minimum H.S. Program
Required Years 4 4 2 3 3
Algebra I ? ? ? ? ?
Geometry ? ? ? ?
Algebra II ?
Beyond Alg. II ?
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What did IN do to increase the number of students
pursuing a college- work-ready curriculum?

• Involved postsecondary community in shaping Core
  40 Course of Study to ensure it met their needs
• Created special diploma designation for students
  who took and passed the Core 40
• Attached postsecondary incentives
  (scholarships/financial aid)
• Built Core 40 into high school accountability
  ratings
• Made Core 40 the default for all students

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How Michigan might proceed on course requirements

• Survey districts to determine
• Current graduation requirements
• How many students currently complete a college-
  and work-ready curriculum
• Study how other states rolled out and phased in
  new requirements
• Start with recommended then shift to required
• Postsecondary and business offer incentives
• Collect course taking data from districts and
  publicly report on progress
• Consider default strategy with opt outprovision

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