Preparing America’s Preparing America’s FutureFuture

Susan Sclafani, Assistant Secretary Susan Sclafani, Assistant Secretary

Office of Vocational and Adult EducationOffice of Vocational and Adult Education

U. S. Department of EducationU. S. Department of Education

Economic ChangeEconomic Change

• Changing nature of the workforce.Changing nature of the workforce.

• Fastest growing jobs require some Fastest growing jobs require some education beyond high school. education beyond high school.

• Employers express concern about Employers express concern about the lack of essential skills among the lack of essential skills among students.students.

Skill Level ChangesSkill Level Changes

Unskilled

60%

Skilled

20%

Professional

20%

Skilled

65%

Unskilled

15%

Professional

20%

1950 1997

National Summit on 21st Century Skills for 21st Century Jobs

23%

3%7%

26%

9%6%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

White African

American

Hispanic Asian/Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/Alaska

Native

Disadvantaged

Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress 2000

Twelfth Grade Students Proficient in Science

20%

3% 4%

34%

10%4%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

White African

American

Hispanic Asian/Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/Alaska

Native

Disadvantaged

Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress 2000

Twelfth Grade Students Proficient in Mathematics

NAEP 2002 Math Assessment

12th Graders Scoring “Below Basic”

• 35 percent of all students

• 56 percent of Hispanic students

• 69 percent of African-American students

• 60 percent of low-income students

Losing Our Edge?Losing Our Edge?

A Question Most “Below Basic” A Question Most “Below Basic” Students Answered IncorrectlyStudents Answered Incorrectly

Chris wishes to carpet the rectangular room shown below. To the nearest square yard, how many square yards of carpet are needed to carpet the floor of the room if the closet floor will not be carpeted? (1 square yard = 9 square feet)

PISA 2003: Mathematics Literacy+

1990 2000 % Change

U.S. 13.7 15.7 +15%

China 3.8 13.6 +258%

India 4.9 9.4 +92%

Students Enrolled in Postsecondary(in millions)

International CompetitionInternational Competition

UNESCO, 2003

New Participants in the World Economy

• China, India and Russia = 3 billion people• 10% highly educated = 300 million people• USA = 300 million people• 25% highly educated = 75 million• Competition for jobs = 375 million people• USA students/adults will face greater

competition in the future than anytime in history

International CompetitionInternational Competition

Craig Barrett, INTEL CEO 2004

Graduation Rates for the United States

All Students 70%

White 72%

African American 51%

Hispanic 52%

Manhattan Institute Data from Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the U.S.

(September 2003)

College remediation ratesCollege remediation ratesEntering freshmen, 2000Entering freshmen, 2000

AllAll 28%

PublicPublic 2-year 42%

Public 4-year 20%

Private 4-year 12%Source: NCES, Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000,

College “drift-out” ratesCollege “drift-out” ratesStudents not returning for year 2Students not returning for year 2

4-year colleges4-year colleges 26%26%

2-year colleges2-year colleges 45%45%

Source: Mortensen, T. (November 1999), Postsecondary Opportunity as presented by The Education Trust.

Millenials• Studies show that they are a capable,

conscientious, concerned and optimistic generation, determined to succeed:– 96 percent say doing well in school is

important to their lives.– 94 percent plan to continue their education

after high school.– 90 percent of 5 and 17 use computers.– 94 percent of teens use the Internet for

school-related research.– Teens spend more time online using the

Internet than watching television.– High school and college students increasingly

are involved in making spending decisions for their parents.

Education Beliefs

• 91% of students have a teacher/administrator who personally cares about their success.

• 60% of students report that standardized tests are a good measure of progress.

• 96% say doing well in school is important in their lives.

• 88% of students report that attending college is critical or very important to future success.

Interested in World

• 76% of students would like to learn more about the world.

• 28% of high school students use a foreign news source to learn about current events.

• After September 11, 2001, 78% of students felt optimistic and hopeful. Two years later, 75% still look toward a future with optimism and hope.

• 70% of students report volunteering or participating in community service.

Advanced Math & Science Advanced Math & Science Increases At-Risk Students’ Increases At-Risk Students’ Postsecondary EnrollmentPostsecondary Enrollment

5

24

36

68

0

20

40

60

80

100

Basic math Algebra I orgeometry

Algebra II Advancedacademic

Source: NCES, The Condition of Education, p. 51.

Few Say Expectations Were HighFew Say Expectations Were High

24%

56%

20%

26%

57%

17%20%

53%

26%

High/I was significantly challengedModerate/I was somewhat challengedLow/pretty easy to slide by

Academic expectations of me in high school were:

All high school

graduates

College students Non-students

Expectations were high

All HS graduates

Below average incomeAverage incomeAbove average income

CitySuburbsSmall town/rural

General studies in HSCollege prep in HS

24%

23%23%24%

23%31%20%

17%30%

Source: Hart Research Associates, Achieve, “Rising to the Challenge,” Jan. 2005

Knowing What They Know Today, Knowing What They Know Today, Grads Would Have Worked HarderGrads Would Have Worked Harder

65%

34%

77%

22%

Would have applied myself more Would have applied myself the same/less

College students Non-students

Question:Knowing what you do today about the expectations of college/the work world, if you were able to do high school over again, would you have worked harder and applied yourself more to your coursework even if it meant less time for other activities?

Source: Hart Research Associates, Achieve, “Rising to the Challenge,” Jan. 2005

America's Most Successful High Schools America's Most Successful High Schools - What Makes Them Work- What Makes Them Workby Dr. Willard R. Daggett

• Focusing instruction around students' interests, learning styles, and aptitudes through a variety of small learning community approaches, most commonly academies.

• An unrelenting commitment by administrators and teachers to excellence for all students with a particular emphasis on literacy across the curriculum.

• A laser-like focus on data at the classroom level to make daily instructional decisions for individual students

• An extraordinary commitment of resources and attention to 9th grade students.

• A rigorous and relevant 12th grade year.

• High-quality curriculum and instruction that focuses on rigor, relevance, relationships, and reflective thought;

• Solid and dedicated leadership;

• Relationships driven by guiding principles;

• Sustained and supported professional development

America's Most Successful High Schools (cont’d)America's Most Successful High Schools (cont’d)

““Every high school diploma must Every high school diploma must

mean that our graduates are mean that our graduates are

prepared for jobs, for college, prepared for jobs, for college,

and for success.”and for success.”

President George W. Bush President George W. Bush

Importance of standardizing data across states

-Consistency of collection-Uniformity of results-Transparency to the public

Accountability & Career Clusters

Why align the secondary data to NCLB (academic & graduation)?

-Both H.R. 366 & S. 250 reference section 1111 of ESEA

-Meet state academic standards

Accountability & Career Clusters

Aligning the accountability system with clusters

-- Links program areas with accountability-- Provides consistency-- Gives local, state and national comparable data

Accountability & Career Clusters

Legislative Update

- H.R. 366 passed

- S. 250 passed

- What are the next steps?• Conference Committee naming• Consensus on differences• Final legislation

Accountability & Career Clusters