HOW WELL IS ARKANSAS PREPARING ALL STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS AND LIFE May 2011

Why College- and Career-Ready Expectations for All? 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.

A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IS NO LONGER ENOUGH FOR SUCCESS The changing economy is accelerating the expectations gap, as careers increasingly require some education/training beyond high school, and more developed knowledge and skills.

Jobs in Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) Workforce Require More Education and Training 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. ww9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf

The Rise of Middle-Skill Jobs High-skill jobs Occupations in the professional/technical and managerial categories. Often require four-year degrees and above Middle-skill jobs Occupations that include clerical, sales, construction, installation/repair, production, and transportation/material moving. Low-skill jobs Occupations in the service and agricultural categories. Often require some education and training beyond high school (but typically less than a bachelor’s degree), including associate’s degrees, vocational certificates, significant on-the-job training. Source: Holzer, Harry J. and Robert I. Lerman (February 2009). The Future of Middle-Skill Jobs. Brookings Institution.

Employment Shares by Occupational Skill Level Source: National Skills Coalition (2010). The Bridge to a New Economy: Worker Training Fills the Gap. http://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/assets/reports-/the-bridge-to-a-new-economy.pdf ; National Skills Coalition (2011). State Middle Skill Fact Sheets. http://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/resources/fact-sheets/state-fact-sheets/

Demand for Middle-Skill Workers Outpaces Arkansas’ Supply In 1950, 60% of jobs were classified as unskilled, attainable by young people with high school diplomas or less. Today, less than 20% of jobs are considered to be unskilled. One result: The demand for middle- and high-skilled workers is outpacing the state’s supply of workers educated and experienced at that level. 82% of Arkansas’ jobs are middle- or high-skill (jobs that require some postsecondary education or training). Yet only 27% of Arkansas’ adults have some postsecondary degree (associate’s or higher). Sources: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna Desrochers (2003). Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K-12 Reform. Education Testing Services. http://www.learndoearn.org/For-Educators/Standards-for-What.pdf ; Skills to Compete. http://www.skills2compete.org National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, analysis of 2009 American Community Survey. http://www.higheredinfo.org

Education and Training Beyond High School Is Increasingly Being Demanded Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco2003.htm

The Jobs of Tomorrow Arkansas should be preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow, not the jobs of yesterday – or even today. A quarter of American workers are now in jobs not even listed in the Census Bureau’s occupation codes in 1967. Given the growth of new job sectors – most notably “green jobs” – it is common sense to provide all students with a strong foundation that keeps all doors open and all opportunities available in the future. Source: Milano, Jessica, Bruce Reed & Paul Weinstein Jr. (Sept 2009). A Matter of Degrees: Tomorrow’s Fastest Growing Jobs and Why Community College Graduates Will Get Them. The New Democratic Leadership Council.

The Public Agrees That Education or Training Beyond High School is Necessary for Future Success To really get ahead in life, a person needs more than just a high school education. 87% To really get ahead in life, a person needs at least some education beyond high school, whether that means university, community college, technical or vocational school. 89% Source: Achieve, Inc. (2010). Achieving the Possible: What Americans Think the College and Career-Ready Agenda. http://www.achieve.org/files/AchievingThePossible-FinalReport.pdf

America’s International Edge is Slipping in Postsecondary Degree Attainment 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

America’s International Edge is Slipping in Postsecondary Degree Attainment % 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%) 3 N.Z. (34%) 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%) 6 Norway (28%) Australia (33%) 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%) Spain (39%) Neth. (32%) 15 Belgium (22%) Ireland (27%) Sweden (33%) Luxembourg (39%) Sweden (32%) 45-64: Arkansas (25%) AR (29%) AR (27%) 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

FAR TOO MANY STUDENTS DROP OUT OR GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL UNPREPARED FOR REAL WORLD CHALLENGES

Of Every 100 9th Graders in Arkansas… Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (2008). Student Pipeline - Transition and Completion Rates from 9th Grade to College. http://www.higheredinfo.org

Achievement Remains Low: 8th Grade Achievement Over Time % At or Above Proficient on 8th Grade NAEP 8th Grade Math 1992 2009 Arkansas 10% 27% U.S. 21% 34% 8th Grade Reading 1998 23% 33% 32% 8th Grade Science 1996 22% 24% 29% 30% Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress. Analysis of data downloaded from http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/

And Gaps Persist: Arkansas’s 8th Grade Achievement Gap % At or Above Proficient on 8th Grade NAEP Subgroup 8th Grade Math (2009) 8th Grade Reading (2009) 8th Grade Science (2009) All Students 27% 20% White 34% 33% 32% Black 8% 4% Hispanic 15% 19% 12% Asian n/a American Indian Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress. Analysis of data downloaded from http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/

High School Graduation Rates Remain Inequitable in Arkansas Source: Education Week, Education Counts. Developed through the Custom Table Builder, http://www.edweek.org/rc/2007/06/07/edcounts.html

America’s International Edge is Slipping in High School Graduation Rates 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

Enrollment in College Does NOT Equal College Readiness Percentage of U.S. first-year students in two-year and four-year institutions requiring remediation Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2003). Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000.

Freshmen at Two-Year Colleges are More Likely to Require Remediation Percentage of U.S. first-year students requiring remediation, by institution type Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2003). Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000.

Enrollment in College Does NOT Equal College Readiness in Arkansas Percentage of Arkansas’s students in two-year and four-year institutions in the requiring remediation Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education (Dec 2009). Comprehensive Arkansas Higher Education Annual Report. http://www.adhe.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/Comprehensive%20Report/14%20-%20Remed_Report-FINAL.pdf

Many College Students Fail to Return Their Sophomore Year and Go On To Earn Degrees Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (2008). Retention Rates - First-Time College Freshmen Returning Their Second Year ; Graduation Rates. http://www.higheredinfo.org/

Many College Students Fail to Earn a Degree in Arkansas Percent of students earning a bachelor’s degree within six years in Arkansas, 2007 Source: NCES. IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey, analyzed by National Center for Management of Higher Education Systems.

The Majority of Graduates Would Have Taken Harder Courses, Particularly in Mathematics 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 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.

A MORE RIGOROUS & RELEVANT HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION WILL OPEN DOORS FOR STUDENTS – AND KEEP THEM OPEN

Personal Benefits of Education in Arkansas While there may be jobs available to high school dropouts and graduates, they often pay less and offer less security than jobs held by those with at least some postsecondary experience. The link between educational attainment and gainful employment is clear: More education is associated with higher earnings and higher rates of employment.

Personal Benefits of Education in Arkansas Arkansas Statistics: Total Unemployment: 9%, Mean Income: $33,573 Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Current Population Survey. Figures are based on the total persons in the civilian labor force. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/cpstc/cps_table_creator.html

Benefits to Education 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 Analysis based on author’s analysis of March 2008 CPS data.

Arkansas’ Students Taking College Admissions Exams 2010 Arkansas U.S. Participation in ACT 81% 47% Average ACT Score 20.3 21 Participation in SAT 4% Average SAT Score 1684 1509 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

Students Meeting College Readiness Benchmark 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. Source: ACT (2010). College Readiness Benchmark Attainment by State. http://www.act.org/news/data/10/benchmarks.html?utm_campaign=cccr10&utm_source=data10_leftnav&utm_medium=web#benchmark

Students Participating in Advanced Placement and Exceeding College and Career Readiness Percent of all 12th Graders Participating in Advanced Placement (2008) Source: College Board (2011). AP Report to the Nation. http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/7th-annual-ap-report-to-the-nation-2011.pdf

STATE-LED EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE EXPECTATIONS GAP 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.

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.

Arkansas’ Commitment to Closing the Expectations Gap to Date In 2004, Arkansas adopted the Smart Core, a set of college- and career- ready course requirements, as the default graduation requirements for all students. The Smart Core requirements also are the minimum college- admission requirements for entrance into the state’s public four-year higher education institutions beginning in 2011. In 2006, Arkansas adopted academic standards aligned to college- and career-ready expectations. Arkansas adopted the Common Core State Standards in July 2010. Arkansas has a P-20 longitudinal data system that regularly matches student-level data across K-12 and postsecondary data systems. Arkansas is a Governing State in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), a consortium of states working to develop a common assessment system using Race to the Top Common Assessment funds.

How Arkansas 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. …Remain committed to the goals of PARCC and developing a next- generation, computer-based assessment system anchored by college- and career-ready tests in high school that will let students know if they are ready for college-level coursework and 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, in alignment with the state’s standards and course requirements.

HOW WELL IS ARKANSAS PREPARING ALL STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS AND LIFE May 2011