Report: High school graduation rates lower today than 40 years ago
More students are graduating high school than some recent reports have suggested. However, fewer students are graduating today than 40 years ago.
December 2007
College course taking, a tool for high school reform
A recent study shows the benefit of high school students taking college courses, especially for low-income and lower-performing students.
October 31, 2007
Kids connect online about school, new study finds
Teens and 'tweens spend a sizeable chunk of their time online discussing education. According to a new study, 60 percent of 9- to 17-year-olds talk about education topics while online, and 50 percent say they talk specifically about schoolwork.
Topic areas: technology, social networks
August 14, 2007
ACT scores rise again
ACT scores continue to rise and more graduates are leaving high school prepared for college coursework even as more students continue to take this college admissions exam.
Topic Areas: College readiness, high schools, assessments, course taking, performance indicators
August 15, 2007
U.S. 12th graders know their economics
How well do U.S. 12th graders know their economics? The first ever National Assessment of Education Progress report in economics found that most 12th graders know at least basic economic concepts they would need in everyday life.
Topic areas: student achievement, high schools, economics, achievement gaps, NAEP
August 8, 2007
Study finds gap between high school preperation and college expectations
Are high schools preparing students for college? According to a report by ACT there is a gap between what students are learning in high school and what they are expected to know when they enter college.
Topic areas: college readiness, curriculum, high schools, state standards, math, reading, science
August 3, 2007
Getting students prepared for life after high school
The second installment of Education Week's "Diplomas Count" takes an in-depth look at the skills high school graduates need for work or career readiness and how these skills translate into future earnings. Once again the report provides graduation rates for the nation, each state, and each district across the nation.
Topics: college readiness, workforce readiness, high school graduation rates
June 13, 2007
Nation's report card finds decline in 12th grade reading scores
The reading scores of U.S. 12th graders are on the decline according the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).According to the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), reading scores dropped six percentage points between 1992 and 2005. While trend data on math scores isn’t available for the same period, on the 2005 assessment only 23 percent of 12th graders scored at or above proficient in math,
Topics: assessment, standards, achievement gap, math, reading
February 26, 2007
Report documents gap in academic course-taking
Harder courses in high school translate to higher scores on standardized tests and a greater chance of success in college--but black, Hispanic, and poor students don't take as many of these rigorous courses as their white and more affluent peers finds a report from the U.S. Department of Education.
Topics: high school, academic readiness, college readiness, achievement gap
January 3, 2007
High school sophomores, then and now
Posted: October 12, 2006
Summary: A report from the U.S. Department of Education that compared the attributes and attitudes of sophomores from the years 1980, 1990, and 2002 found, among other things, a dramatic increase in the number of students, particularly minority and low SES students, who expect to receive at least a four-year degree after high school.
Topic areas: high school, post-secondary education, college readiness
High price paid for unprepared high school grads
Posted: September 28, 2006
Summary: A study from the Alliance for Excellence in Education calculatest the cost of students who graduate high school without the knowledge and skill necessary to succeed in college or the workplace.
Topic areas: high school graduation, college readiness, workforce readiness, remediation
Value of high school diploma underscored by international report
Posted: September 12, 2006
Summary: A high school diploma is more important in the United States than in any other country according to data released today by the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
Topic Areas: international assessments; competitiveness; high school graduation
