Closing the Expectations Gap: 2008 February, 2008

2 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Too Few Students Graduate from High School Prepared for College and Careers n 30% of students drop out of high school n 40% - 45% of recent high school graduates report significant gaps in their skills, both in college and the workplace n 30% of first year students in postsecondary education are required to take remedial courses n Faculty estimate 42% of first year students in credit- bearing courses are academically unprepared n Employers estimate 45% of recent high school graduates lack skills to advance

3 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT What does it take to be prepared for postsecondary education and good jobs?

4 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT American Diploma Project Research Phase 1: n Partnership of Achieve, Education Trust, Fordham Foundation and National Alliance of Business n Initial ADP research study conducted in Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas. n Involved wide variety of K-12, postsecondary education and business representatives. n Examined the work high school graduates do in the college classroom and on the job, and the preparation they needed to do the work. n Identified “must-have” knowledge and skills graduates will need to be successful in college and the workplace.

5 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Key Finding: Expectations are the same for both college & “good jobs” n ADP found a high degree of convergence. n The knowledge and skills that high school graduates will need to be successful in college are the same as those they will need to be successful in a job that: l pays enough to support a family well above the poverty level, l provides benefits, and l offers clear pathways for career advancement through further education and training.

6 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Key Finding #2: Expectations Gap between High School & Postsecondary n Academic standards in HS not aligned with postsecondary and workplace entry requirements n HS graduation requirements too low n HS assessments not meaningfully connected with students’ college or career aspirations n RESULT: Students can earn a high school diploma without the skills necessary for success in college and work.

7 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT The 2005 National Education Summit on High Schools n In February 2005, Achieve and the National Governors Association co-chaired the National Education Summit on High Schools n Forty-five governors attended the Summit, along with corporate CEOs and K–12 and postsecondary leaders. n Addressed the fact that our schools are not adequately preparing students for college and 21st-century jobs n Reached the common conclusion that aggressive action is needed to address the expectations gap. n As a result of the Summit, Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network.

8 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT ADP Network launched at the 2005 Summit: thirteen states committed to improving student preparation

9 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT ADP Network today: thirty-two states now committed to improving student preparation

10 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT ADP Network Policy Agenda n Align high school standards with the demands of college and careers. n Require students to take a college- and career-ready curriculum to earn a high school diploma. n Build college-and career-ready measures into statewide high school assessment systems. n Hold high schools and postsecondary institutions accountable for student preparation and success.

11 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Align high school standards with the demands of college and the workplace

12 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Aligning Standards n The goal for states is to align their high school standards with the demands of college and careers so that students can: l Enter into credit-bearing course work in two- or four-year colleges, without the need for remediation and with a strong chance for earning credit toward their program or degree; and l Gain entry-level positions in quality job and career pathways, which often require further education and training.

13 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Align High School Standards with the Demands of College & Careers n Nineteen states report their high school standards are aligned with postsecondary expectations, eight more than a year ago. l The eight new states since last year include: Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee. n Twenty-two additional states report that they are in the process of aligning their standards, thirteen of which plan to adopt new standards in n Three other states and the District of Columbia have plans for such an alignment process.

14 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Nineteen States Have Aligned High School Standards

15 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Twenty-five States and DC Are in the Process of Aligning Standards

16 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Aligning Standards: Common Challenges n Postsecondary and Business Engagement l States must ensure that the standards produced reflect the demands of postsecondary institutions and employers, and promote real buy-in from those communities. n Vertical Alignment l States must back-map their standards from the end of high school all the way down through the lower grades to ensure that their K–12 standards are vertically aligned. n Fully Implement Standards l States must ensure that their standards provide a foundation for decisions on curriculum, instruction and assessment.

17 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Raise graduation requirements to the college- and career-ready level

18 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT The ADP recommended college- & career-ready curriculum n Achieve’s research suggests that for high school graduates to be prepared for success in postsecondary settings, they need to take l Four years of challenging mathematics—at least through Algebra II or its equivalent, and l Four years of rigorous English aligned with college and career ready standards. n In 2005, only 2 states had graduation requirements at this level

19 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Require All Students to Complete a College- & Career- Ready Curriculum n Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have set their course requirements at a level that will prepare high school graduates for success in college and the workplace. l Including five new states since last year – Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as DC. n Twelve others report plans to adopt college- and work- ready diploma requirements for all students in the near future.

20 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Eighteen States & DC Require a College- & Career-Ready Diploma

21 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Twelve States Plan To Raise Requirements to the College- & Career-Ready Level

22 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Raising Graduation Requirements: Common Challenges n Ensure that as graduation standards are raised, graduation rates also improve. n Create a system of intensive and sustained student supports. n Ensure that teachers have access to better training, professional development and instructional tools. n Provide guidance to teachers to ensure that rigorous courses are more engaging and relevant for students. n Guard against course title inflation. n Encourage proficiency based approaches.

23 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Build college- & career-ready measures into statewide high school assessment systems

24 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT College- & career-ready measures n To help prepare students academically for a successful transition from secondary to post- secondary education and the workplace, states need more than their existing tests. n States need a component of their high school assessment systems that measures the more advanced skills valued by postsecondary institutions and employers.

25 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Build college-and career-ready measures into statewide high school assessment systems n Nine states administer high school assessments also used by postsecondary institutions to place incoming students, including one new state – Tennessee. l End-of-course: one state New York l Comprehensive high school assessments: two states California and Texas l College admissions tests – the ACT or SAT: six states Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan and Tennessee n Twenty-three additional states report plans to build college- and career-ready assessments into their statewide testing system.

26 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Nine states have built college- & career-ready measures into statewide assessment systems

27 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Twenty-three States Are Developing or Planning College- & Career-Ready Tests

28 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT ADP Algebra II End-of-Course Exam n Fourteen states are developing a common EOC exam in Algebra II aligned with ADP math benchmarks l AR, AZ, HI, IN, KY, MA, MD, MN, NC, NJ, OH, PA, RI & WA n Purposes of the test: l To improve Algebra II curriculum and instruction in high schools; l To serve as an indicator of readiness for first-year college credit-bearing courses; l To provide a common and consistent measure of student performance across states over time. n Additional states will be able to use this exam & the Consortium will consider additional exams.

29 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT College-and Career-ready Testing: Common Challenges n Ensure alignment of assessments with state college/career-ready standards n Involve postsecondary systems & institutions in development/review of high school assessments to ensure their buy-in n Work with postsecondary systems/institutions to waive placement tests for students scoring at the college/career-ready level on high school assessments n Develop strategies for helping students who do not score at the college/career-ready level

30 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT P-20 Longitudinal Data Systems

31 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Nearly Every State Plans To Create a P–20 Longitudinal Data System n Nine states report that they have P-20 longitudinal data systems in place, capable of tracking an individual student’s progress from Pre-K through college graduation. l Including four new states since last year – Delaware, Utah, Washington and Wyoming n Thirty-seven others and the District of Columbia have plans to develop or operationalize P-20 longitudinal data systems, including at least two in n The remaining four states report having no plans l Montana, Nebraska, Vermont and West Virginia

32 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Nine states have created a P–20 longitudinal data system

33 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Thirty-Seven States & DC Are Developing or Planning P–20 Longitudinal Data Systems

34 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT P–20 Longitudinal Data Systems: Common Challenges n Policy & resource barriers more significant than technical ones n Privacy concerns a challenge for most states n Data systems must be accompanied by tools & training to help schools and school systems access, understand and act on the data.

35 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Hold high schools accountable for the preparation of students for postsecondary success

36 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT What do current high school accountability systems value? n “Proficiency” on tests measuring knowledge & skills students should learn by early in high school n Graduation rates n Other measures, such as attendance… n But college & career readiness rarely measured & valued

37 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Few states hold high schools accountable for college- & career-readiness n An accountability system that measures college- & career-readiness should take into account key indicators including l an accurate graduation rate; l whether students have completed a college- & career- ready curriculum; l whether students have reached a statewide college- & career-ready cut score on a high school assessment; l whether students have been placed into credit-bearing, non-remedial courses in reading, writing and mathematics

38 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Ten States Use the NGA or Similar Cohort Graduation Rate for Accountability Purposes

39 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Seven States Factor College- & Career-Ready Diplomas in Their Accountability Formula

40 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Hold high schools accountable for student preparation and success

41 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Hold high schools accountable for student preparation and success n Four states factor both an accurate cohort graduation rate and an indicator of whether students are earning college- and career-ready diploma into the high school accountability system. l Louisiana, New York, North Carolina and Texas n Six other states and the District of Columbia plan to include both of these indicators in their accountability system in the future. l DC, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Virginia

42 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT A growing number of states have policies that help prepare H.S. graduates for college and careers

43 AMERICAN DIPLOMA PROJECT Individual Policies Standing Alone Will Not Close the Expectations Gap n Each of the ADP recommended policies will need to be integrated into a comprehensive strategy for closing the Expectations Gap. l Standards and assessments must be in alignment u Both must be aligned with college- and career-ready expectations l Curriculum requirements must be aligned with standards u Course-level standards, model curricula l Assessments must be able to adequately measure whether students have learned the curriculum and are ready for college and careers. l Data & accountability systems must work in tandem to support these goals

Closing the Expectations Gap: 2008 February, 2008