High School Graduation Tests:

A National Perspective

A high school diploma is not the last educational stop required

Jobs that require at least some postsecondary education already make up 61 percent of the labor force, and will make up more than two-thirds of new jobs.

Share of new jobs, 2000-2010

31%

36%

22%

10%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

BA ($48,000)

Somepostsecondary

($33,400)

Below avg HSgraduate($26,900)

HS dropout($21,500)

Postsecondary education:Destination for most graduates

Enrollment within two years of high school graduation

Public two-year colleges 26%

Four-year colleges 45%

Other postsecondary 4%

Total 75%

Too many graduates leave high school unprepared

Nearly three in 10 first-year students are placed immediately into a remedial college course.

Percentage of first-year students in two-year and four-year institutions requiring remediation

28%

22%

14%

11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Reading, writingor math

Math

Writing

Reading

Too many graduates leave high school unprepared

College transcripts have shown that more than half of college students take at least one remedial course at some point.

No remedial courses

At least one remedial course

53%

47%

Most students who take remedial courses fail to earn degrees

Many college students who need remediation, especially remedial reading, do not earn a degree.

Percentage earning degree by type and amount of remedial coursework

13% 10% 10%

21%35%

45%

66%55%

45%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Remedial reading Remedial math(one or two

courses)

One remedialcourse (not

reading or math)

Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree No Degree

How many high school graduatesare “college ready”?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

NVUSWV

A recent study estimated the percentage of “college ready” students based on high school transcripts and reading test scores. Nevada and West Virginia had the lowest and highest college readiness.

Professors, employers have similar concerns about graduates’ preparation

Most employers and professors question whether high school graduates have the knowledge and skills required on the job or in the college classroom.

73% 73%

63%

75% 74%

65%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Clear writing Grammarand spelling

Basic math

Employers Professors

Percentage of employers and professors rating high school graduates’ skills as “fair” or “poor”

The American Diploma Project

Partnered with Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas

Involved wide variety of K-12, higher education and business representatives.

Created end-of-high school benchmarks to convey the knowledge and skills graduates will need to be successful in college and the workplace.

Key finding: Unprecedented convergence of skills required for success in college and work

College- and workplacereadiness benchmarks In English, the benchmarks cover:

Language Communication Writing Research Logic Informational text Media Literature

In math, the benchmarks cover: Number sense and numerical operations Algebra Geometry Data interpretations, statistics and probability

Diploma Project’s expectations

In math, graduates need skills traditionally taught in Algebra I & II, geometry, data and statistics courses.

In English, graduates need strong reading, writing and oral communication skills equal to four years of grade-level coursework, as well as research and logical reasoning skills often associated with honors courses.

Using graduation tests to set“floor” of performance

24 states have put high school graduation tests in place

Achieve’s graduation test study

Six states agreed to participate Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,

Ohio, and Texas

Three fundamental questions What do the graduation tests actually measure? What does it take for students to pass the tests? How well do the tests measure what

postsecondary educators, employers say matters?

Released on June 10th

The tests we analyzed

Grade Given

Reading Writing

Math First Graduating Class Facing Requirement

Florida 10th 2003

Maryland End of course

2009

Massachusetts

10th 2003

New Jersey 11th 2003

Ohio 10th 2007

Texas 11th 2004

What Do the Tests Measure?Math Content Across States

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Number Algebra Geometry &Measurement

Data

%ag

e o

f to

tal p

oin

ts

What Do the Tests Measure?Algebra Content Across States

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Prealgebra Basic Algebra AdvancedAlgebra

%ag

e o

f to

tal p

oin

ts

What Do the Tests Measure?Reading Content Across States

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

BasicComprehension

Literary Topics InformationalTopics

Critical Reading

%ag

e o

f to

tal p

oin

ts

What Do the Tests Measure?Reading Cognitive Demand

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Recall Infer Explain Analyze

%ag

e o

f to

tal p

oin

ts

What does it take to pass Englishon adapted ACT scale?

ACT uses items up to level 4 on its 8th/9th-grade EXPLORE test, up to level 5 on its 10th-grade PLAN test, and up to level 6 on its college admissions test for 11th and 12th graders. More than half of the college admissions test’s items can be at levels 5 or 6.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

AC

T L

evel

FL MD MA NJ OH TX

What does it take to pass mathon TIMSS international grade scale?

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Inte

rnati

on

al G

rad

e

Pla

cem

et

FL MD MA NJ OH TX

Measuring college and workplace readiness

In English Measure fundamental

skills such as recognizing the theme or main idea

Only FL and OH emphasize informational reading

Very few questions target “critical reading” such as judging the credibility of sources or recognizing faulty reasoning

Some states don’t test writing, use multiple-choice writing items

In math Only 5 percent of points

awarded for Algebra II 2-D geometry measured

well, but little of 3-D concepts such as volume and surface area

Basic number concepts measured well, but almost no ratios and proportionality

About a fifth of the tests’ points awarded for vital skills of data analysis

The MCAS story:More students passing exit exam

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%1

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1st

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%ag

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ass

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1998(Math)Class of2003Class of2004Class of2005

The MCAS story:Passing rate gaps closing on exit exam

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%1

0th

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Black

Hispanic

Asian

The MCAS story:Moving more toward ADP-like standard

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

19

98

19

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20

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20

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Pro

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English

Math

The MCAS story:Progress toward ADP-like standard varies

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

19

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19

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White

Black

Hispanic

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The MCAS story:Progress toward ADP-like standard varies

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

19

98

19

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20

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Hispanic

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Recommendations to states

Don’t lower standards Content, cut scores reflects learning expected no

later than 9th grade

Don’t delay stakes Tests measure only a fraction of what colleges,

employers consider vital

Improve the tests over time Build more comprehensive assessment

systems

High School Graduation Tests:

A National Perspective