ACHIEVEMENT IN AMERICA: How Are We Doing? What Comes Next?

1. ACHIEVEMENT IN AMERICA: How Are We Doing? What Comes Next? Adapted from DC Public Education Learning Tour, Triangle High Five Algebra Readiness Summit and National Urban League Conference presentations (Aug/Sept 2010) September, 2010

2. First, some good news. After more than a decade of fairly flat achievement and stagnant or growing gaps, we appear to be turning the corner for elementary and middle grades.

3. 4th Grade Reading:Record Performance with Gap Narrowing *Denotes previous assessment format NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES

4. 4th Grade Math:Record Performance with Gap Narrowing *Denotes previous assessment format Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES

5. 8th Grade Reading: Recent Gap Narrowing for Blacks, Less for Latinos *Denotes previous assessment format Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES

6. 8th Grade Math: Progress for All Groups, Some Gap Narrowing *Denotes previous assessment format Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES

7. Progress Even Clearer When Examined Over a Decade on the “Main NAEP” Exam

8. NAEP Grade 4 Math1996 Compared to 2007 NAEP Data Explorer, NCES

9. The Bottom Line When we really focus on something, we make progress!

10. Clearly, however, much more remains to be done in elementary and middle school Too many youngsters still enter high school way behind.

11. But at least we have some traction on elementary and middle school problems. The same is NOT true of our high schools.

12. Achievement Flat in Reading Source: NAEP Long-Term Trends, NCES (2004)

13. Achievement Also Flat in Math Source: NAEP Long-Term Trends, NCES (2004)

14. And gaps between groups are wider today than in 1990

15. 12th Grade Reading: No Progress, Gaps Wider than 1988 *Denotes previous assessment format Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES

16. 12 Grade Math: Results Mostly FlatGaps Same or Widening *Denotes previous assessment format Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES

17. Internationally?

18. PISA PerformanceU.S.A. Ranks Near Bottom, Has Fallen Since 2000 Note: Rankings are for the 26 OECD countries participating in PISA in 2000, 2003, and 2006. PISA 2006 Results, OECD

19. A closer look at math

20. Of 29 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranked 24th U.S.A. PISA 2003 Results, OECD

21. Science?

22. Higher than U.S. average Not measurably different from U.S. average Lower than U.S. average Of 30 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranked 21st U.S.A. PISA 2006 Results, OECD

23. Even in problem-solving, something we consider an American strength…

24. U.S.A. Ranks 24th Out of 29 OECD Countries in Problem-Solving U.S.A. PISA 2003 Results, OECD

25. Only place we rank high? Inequality.

26. PISA 2003: Gaps in Performance Of U.S.15 Year-Olds Are Among the Largest of OECD Countries *Of 29 OECDcountries, based on scores of students at the 5th and 95th percentiles. Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/

27. Among OECD Countries, U.S.A. has the 4th Largest Gap Between High-SES and Low-SES Students U.S.A. PISA 2006 Results, OECD, table 4.8b

28. We used to make up for this by sending far more of our students to college—but no longer.

29. U.S. is one of only two OECD nations where today’s young people are not better educated than their parents United States (0) Source: 2007 OECD Education at a Glance, www.oecd.org/edu/eag2007. Note: data is for 2005.

30. College and Career-readiness are one in the same.

31. Today’s complex workplace requires every high school student to learn the same knowledge and skills. Even jobs once thought of as “non-academic” demand a rigorous academic foundation.

32. Academic Requirements All of these jobs require a strong foundation of reading, writing, and speaking the English language in order to comprehend instructions and technical manuals. Sources: Plumbing-Shapiro, D., and Nichols, J. Constructing Your Future: Consider a Career in Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) PHCC Auxiliary 2005 downloaded March 13, 3006 http://www.phccweb.org/PDFs/PHCC20pg.pdf, Construction-California Apprenticeship Council Division of Apprenticeship Standards 2001 Annual Legislative Report Downloaded March 15, 2006 http://www.dir.ca.gov/das/DASAnnualReport2001/LegRep2001.pdf#search='architecture%2C%20construction%2C%20engineering%20%28ace%20pathway%29%20course%20outline’

33. Too many of our children are not ready for college, or career.

34. Employers report that many new hires with a high school diploma are “deficient” in important basic skills Casner-Lotto, J & Barrington, L., Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers’ Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st Century U.S. Workforce (2006)

35. Many high school graduates in the workforce do not feel prepared to do the work expected of them Achieve, Inc. Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? (2005) Percentage of young people reporting gaps between the preparation they received in high school and what is/will be expected of them

36. Minority Students More Likely to Need Remediation U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2004). The Condition of Education 2004, Indicator 18.

37. Students Requiring Remediation in College Earn Degrees at Lower Rates Note: Data represent all 12th-graders who enrolled in postsecondary education NCES, The Condition of Education 2004, Indicator 18

38. Many Chicago Public School students fall off the college path between aspiration and enrollment Consortium on Chicago School Research, From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College (2008)

39. Low-Income and Minority Students Enroll in College at Lower Rates U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement, 1972–2006

40. Six-Year Public College Graduation Rates Education Watch National Report 2009, The Education Trust

41. How Does All of This Happen?

42. Students who arrive with less, are given less in school, too.

43. Some of these “lesses” are a result of choices that policymakers make.

44. Less Money

45. National Inequities in State and Local Revenue Per Student Education Trust analyses based on U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Census Bureau data for the 2005-06 school year.

46. In truth, though, some of the most devastating “lesses” are a function of choices that educators make.

47. Less access to rigorous courses aligned with the expectations of colleges and employers

48. African American, Latino, Native American H.S. Grads Less Likely to Have Been Enrolled in Full College Prep Track Note: Full College Prep track is defined as at least: 4 years of English, 3 years of math, 2 years of natural science, 2 years of social science and 2 years of foreign language. J. Greene, Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the United States, Manhattan Institute (2003)

49. They are likely to attend high schools that offer courses like these: Algebra Art Pre-Spanish Future Studies Exploring Principles of PE Teen Living Life Management Food Fundamentals Winter Activities Education Trust Analysis of High School Transcripts; 2005

50. …and lower level assignments.