The Millennial Generation The Next Greatest Generation?

1. The Millennial GenerationThe Next Greatest Generation? American Association of School Administrators 801 N. Quincy St., Suite 700 Arlington, VA 22203 Standing Up For Public Education Standing Up For Kids

2. Most major negative indicators are falling

3. Percentage of students who reported smoking cigarettes daily in the previous 30 days by school grade (1980-2003)

5. Percentage of students who reported using illicit drugs in the previous 30 days by grade (1980-2003)

8. Serious violent crime victimization and perpetration rates for youth ages 12 to 17 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Supplementary Homicide Reports. Above figure at ChildStats.gov

9. In the 10 years between 1992 and 2001, the decline in the number of violent crime arrests was greater for juveniles than adults: Juvenile Adult Data source: Crime in the United States 2001, table 32.

10. The juvenile Violent Crime Index arrest rate in 2001 was at its lowest level since 1983—44% below the peak year of 1994 • All the growth in the juvenile violent crime arrest rate that began in the latter part of the 1980s was erased by 2001. Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

11. After years of relative stability, the juvenile arrest rate for Property Crime Index offenses began a decline in the mid-1990s that continued through 2001 Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

12. Trends in juvenile arrest rates for weapons law violations and for murder were similar between 1980 and 2001 Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

13. The juvenile arrest rate for drug abuse violations soared in the mid-1990s Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

14. Adolescent mortality: Death rates among adolescents ages 15 to 19 by cause of death SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Immunization Program and National Center for Health Statistics, National Immunization Survey. Above figure at ChildStats.gov

15. Above found at School Violence Resource Center website, Fact Sheet:What are the Odds?

16. Source: The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2004.

17. Birth rates by mother's age, race, and Hispanic origin 1980-2002 SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Immunization Program and National Center for Health Statistics, National Immunization Survey. Above figure at ChildStats.gov

18. Source: The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2004.

19. Source: The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2004.

20. Percentage of youth ages 16 to 19 who are neither enrolled in school nor working by gender, race, and Hispanic origin SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey. Above figure at ChildStats.gov

21. Number of homicides and suicides of youth ages 5-19 at school 1 Homicides and suicides of youth ages 5–19 at school from July 1,1992 to June 30,2002.2 Data are preliminary and subject to change.SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1992–2002 School-Associated Violent Deaths Surveillance System, previously unpublished tabulation (August 2003). Above found in National Center for Education Statistics Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2003.

22. Rate of Non-fatal crimes against students ages 12-18 per 1000 students, by location SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), 1992–2001. Above found in National Center for Education Statistics Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2003.

23. Percentage of students in grades 9-12 who reported carrying a weapon at least 1 day during the previous 30 days, by sex SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), “Youth Risk Behavior Survey” (YRBS), selected years 1993–2001. Above found in National Center for Education Statistics Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2003.

24. At the same time, positive indicators are rising

25. Source: College Board

26. AP Candidates and Exams Taken Source: College Board

27. Number of Schools offering AP Courses Source: College Board

28. Average Number of Carnegie Units Earned by Public High School Graduates from 1982-2000 Source: National Center for Education Statistics, November 2002

29. Average Number of Carnegie Units Earned by Public High School Graduates from 1982-2000 Source: National Center for Education Statistics, November 2002

30. Percentage of high school graduates who completed high-level coursework in mathematics, science, English, and foreign language SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, High School and Beyond Survey, National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, and National Assessment of Educational Progress Transcript Study. Above figure at ChildStats.gov

31. Adults have a mistaken impression of young people. • Adults think kids are more dangerous and commit more crimes • Adults think schools are more dangerous • But adults do acknowledge that kids work harder in school than they did, but not by a wide margin • Some good things about today’s kids must be sinking in with adults because they do see them as better citizens than they were

32. I have more concern that teens today will engage in aggressive behavior than my parents did when I was a teenager 60% 24% Total Agree 84% 9% Total Disagree 14% 5% 11% 2%

33. Today’s young people commit fewer crimes and are less likely to use drugs than previous generations 11% 16% Total Agree 27% 46% 25% Total Disagree 71% 11% 2%

34. Do you think that ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS are (much/somewhat) more or less dangerous than when you were a child? Neither 12% Much less 6% Much more 26% Somewhat less 15% Somewhat more 40% Totals More Dangerous – 66% Less Dangerous – 21%

35. Do you think that MIDDLE SCHOOLS are (much/somewhat) more or less dangerous than when you were a child? Much less 3% Neither 6% Somewhat less 9% Much more 43% Somewhat more 37% Totals More Dangerous – 80% Less Dangerous – 12%

36. Do you think that HIGH SCHOOLS are (much/somewhat) more or less dangerous than when you were a child? Much less 2% Neither 4% Somewhat less 6% Somewhat more 31% Much more 56% Totals More Dangerous – 87% Less Dangerous – 8%

37. Do you think that (insert item) schools are (more/somewhat) more or less dangerous than when you were a child? Total More Elementary 66% Middle 80% High 87% Total Less Elementary 21% Middle 12% High 8%

38. Children today work harder in school-they take more classes and harder classes-than previous generations 29% 29% Total Agree 58% 18% 21% Total Disagree 40% 11% 3%

39. Children today are more likely to be good citizens 14% 41% Total Agree 54% 15% 28% Total Disagree 43% 11% 2%

40. Persons in selected age groups as a percentage of the total U.S. population SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates and Projections Above figure at ChildStats.gov