Future-Ready Schools Wandra C. Polk, Ph.D Director, Middle and Secondary Division North Carolina Department of Public Instruction NC State Board of Education Regional Meetings North Carolina’s Proposed High School Graduation Requirements

Future-Ready Schools Regional Meeting Agenda Welcome, purposes, and format of meeting – State Board of Education (SBE) Conceptual framework for proposed high school graduation requirements – Department of Public Instruction (DPI) staff Public feedback to SBE Next steps – DPI staff

Future-Ready Schools State Board of Education’s Mission FUTURE-READY STUDENTS FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY Every public school student will graduate from high school, globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the 21 st century.

Future-Ready Schools Purposes of Regional Meetings To create awareness of the SBE’s conceptual framework for Core Course of Study – Revised Graduation Requirements To gather feedback to help formulate SBE graduation requirement policy and DPI’s priorities

Future-Ready Schools Why Do We Need to Change Graduation Requirements?

Future-Ready Schools In North Carolina, for every 100 ninth-grade students… …64 students graduate four years later. …41 students enter college. …28 students are still enrolled in their second year. …19 students graduate with either an Associate’s degree within three years or a Bachelor’s degree within six years. NORTH CAROLINA’S Educational Pipeline Source:

Future-Ready Schools Which is More Difficult? War and Peace or Auto Mechanics Journal?

Future-Ready Schools KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE EXPECTATIONS OF COLLEGE/WORK… Would have taken more challenging courses in at least one area? 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., When asked, the majority of high school graduates would have taken harder courses

Future-Ready Schools 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.

Future-Ready Schools American Diploma Project (ADP) Network 28 STATES COMMITTED TO IMPROVING STUDENT PREPARATION

Future-Ready Schools What Does It Mean to be a Skilled Person?

Future-Ready Schools Skilled Person 1952Six or more years of school (US Census Bureau) 1960Eighth-grade education (US Office of Education) 21 st CenturyHigh school education plus (US Education | The Conference Board)

Future-Ready Schools College Ready = Work Ready American College Test (ACT) Study Ready for College, Ready for Work: Same or Different? – Whether planning to enter college or workforce training programs after graduation, high school students need to be educated in a comparable level of readiness in reading and mathematics.

Future-Ready Schools Technical Jobs Require High-level Skills Technicians in the telecommunications industry: – Recommended high school content includes Geometry and Advanced Algebra Electricians: – Recommended high school content includes Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Physics

Future-Ready Schools Conceptual Framework for the Core Course of Study ( ) All freshmen entering high school in fall 2008 will participate in the required Core Course of Study. They also will earn at least one endorsement in a specialty area based on their choice and interest by taking at least four units in the selected area of interest.

Future-Ready Schools Conceptual Framework for the Core Course of Study (continued) The Core (17 units) 4 units of English 4 units of Mathematics 3 units of Social Studies 3 units of Science 2 units of a Second Language 1 unit of Health/Physical Education

Future-Ready Schools Endorsements (REQUIRES AT LEAST FOUR UNITS IN ONE AREA) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Arts Education Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Advanced Placement (AP) / International Baccalaureate (IB) Second Language Other

Future-Ready Schools Core Course of Study Substitutions

Future-Ready Schools Conceptual Framework for the Core Course of Study Students qualifying for the Occupational Course of Study are exempt from this requirement.

Future-Ready Schools Mathematics Units PROPOSALS Based on student outcomes: – Workforce – Community College – University: Liberal Arts – University: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Future-Ready Schools Mathematics Units (continued) Math IMath IIMath IIIMath IV WorkforceAlgebra I - or - Integrated Math I Geometry - or - Integrated Math II Algebra II - or - Integrated Math III Advanced Functions of Modeling or Integrated Math IV (non-honors) - or - New 4 th course with a technical emphasis — OR —

Future-Ready Schools Mathematics Units (continued) Math IMath IIMath IIIMath IV WorkforceIntegrated Math I Integrated Math II Application- based Math developed to be aligned with a CTE pathway

Future-Ready Schools Mathematics Units (continued) Math IMath IIMath IIIMath IV Community College Algebra I - or - Integrated Math I Geometry - or - Integrated Math II Algebra II - or - Integrated Math III Advanced Functions and Modeling - or - Integrated Math IV

Future-Ready Schools Mathematics Units (continued) Math IMath IIMath IIIMath IV University: Liberal Arts Algebra I - or - Integrated Math I Geometry - or - Integrated Math II Algebra II - or - Integrated Math III Advanced Functions and Modeling - or - Integrated Math IV - or - AP Statistics - or - Discrete Math - or - Pre-Calculus

Future-Ready Schools Middle Grades Math Math I Math II Math III Math IV University: STEM Algebra IGeometry - or - Integrated Math II Algebra II - or - Integrated Math III Pre- Calculus - or - Integrated Math IV AP Calculus AB or BC - or - AP Statistics - or - Discrete Math Mathematics Units (continued)

Future-Ready Schools Why Second Languages in the 21 st Century? Global economy Living and working at home and abroad National security Better communication in native language

Future-Ready Schools Second Languages Program of Study What should these courses include? – Communication – Cultural awareness – Special focus on application

Future-Ready Schools CTE and Second Languages Project Level I for all students Differentiation beginning at Level II with focus on career-related vocabulary and authentic activities related to career interests Creation of activities, lessons, and opportunities for graduation projects

Future-Ready Schools Heritage Language Speakers Speak a language other than English at home Need to improve heritage language skills, especially in reading and writing Spanish for Native Speakers – curriculum can be adapted to other languages

Future-Ready Schools Technology and Second Languages IPODs – Ancillary – Downloadable, free resources – Portable – Listen & record Online Courses – Access to more languages via the virtual classroom – Require some real- time interaction

Future-Ready Schools Public Comment

Future-Ready Schools Next Steps SBE discussion/action On-going communication Intervention strategies Accountability redesign Review of existing policies

Future-Ready Schools Questions or comments?

Future-Ready Schools Wandra C. Polk, Ph.D Director, Middle and Secondary Division North Carolina Department of Public Instruction NC State Board of Education Regional Meetings North Carolina’s Proposed High School Graduation Requirements