HOW WELL IS RHODE ISLAND PREPARING ALL STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS AND LIFE May 2011

A high school diploma is no longer enough; now, nearly every good job requires some education beyond high school – such as an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, certificate, license, or completion of an apprenticeship or significant on-the-job training. Far too many students drop out or graduate from high school without the knowledge and skills required for success, closing doors and limiting their post-high school options and opportunities. The best way to prepare students for life after high school is to align K-12 and postsecondary expectations. All students deserve a world- class education that prepares them for college, careers and life. Why College- and Career-Ready Expectations for All? 2

A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IS NO LONGER ENOUGH FOR SUCCESS The changing economy is accelerating the expectations gap, as careers increasingly require some education/training beyond high school, and more developed knowledge and skills.

4 Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. et al. (June 2010). Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce. ww9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf Jobs in Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) Workforce Require More Education and Training

The Rise of Middle-Skill Jobs 5 Source: Holzer, Harry J. and Robert I. Lerman (February 2009). The Future of Middle-Skill Jobs. Brookings Institution. High-skill jobs Occupations in the professional/technical and managerial categories. Often require four-year degrees and above Middle-skill jobs Occupations that include clerical, sales, construction, installation/repair, production, and transportation/material moving. Low-skill jobs Occupations in the service and agricultural categories. Often require some education and training beyond high school (but typically less than a bachelor’s degree), including associate’s degrees, vocational certificates, significant on-the-job training.

Employment Shares by Occupational Skill Level 6 Source: National Skills Coalition (2010). The Bridge to a New Economy: Worker Training Fills the Gap. ; National Skills Coalition (2011). State Middle Skill Fact Sheets.

Demand for Middle-Skill Workers Outpaces Rhode Island’s Supply 7 Sources: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna Desrochers (2003). Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K-12 Reform. Education Testing Services. ; Skills to Compete. National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, analysis of 2009 American Community Survey.  I n 1950, 60% of jobs were classified as unskilled, attainable by young people with high school diplomas or less. Today, less than 20% of jobs are considered to be unskilled.  One result: The demand for middle- and high-skilled workers is outpacing the state’s supply of workers educated and experienced at that level. 77% of Rhode Island’s jobs are middle- or high-skill (jobs that require some postsecondary education or training). Yet only 43% of Rhode Island’s adults have some postsecondary degree (associate’s or higher).

Education and Training Beyond High School Is Increasingly Being Demanded 8 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Edition.

The Jobs of Tomorrow 9 Source: Milano, Jessica, Bruce Reed & Paul Weinstein Jr. (Sept 2009). A Matter of Degrees: Tomorrow’s Fastest Growing Jobs and Why Community College Graduates Will Get Them. The New Democratic Leadership Council. Rhode Island should be preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow, not the jobs of yesterday – or even today. A quarter of American workers are now in jobs not even listed in the Census Bureau’s occupation codes in Given the growth of new job sectors – most notably “green jobs” – it is common sense to provide all students with a strong foundation that keeps all doors open and all opportunities available in the future.

The Public Agrees That Education or Training Beyond High School is Necessary for Future Success 10 To really get ahead in life, a person needs at least some education beyond high school, whether that means university, community college, technical or vocational school. To really get ahead in life, a person needs more than just a high school education. 87% 89% Source: Achieve, Inc. (2010). Achieving the Possible: What Americans Think the College and Career-Ready Agenda.

America’s International Edge is Slipping in Postsecondary Degree Attainment 11 Source: OECD. Education at a Glance (All rates are self-reported.) ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2010_eag-2010-en; National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, analysis of 2009 American Community Survey.

% of Citizens with Postsecondary Degrees Among OECD Countries, by Age Group (2006) ALL (25-64) 1 U.S. (40%)Canada (44%)Canada (54%)Korea (58%)Canada (49%) 2 Canada (40%)Japan (43%)Japan (48%)Canada (56%)Japan (43%) 3 N.Z. (34%)U.S. (40%)Finland (44%)Japan (55%)U.S. (41%) 4 Finland (29%)N.Z. (38%)U.S. (43%)N.Z. (48%)N.Z. (40%) 5 Australia (28%)Finland (37%)Korea (43%)Norway (46%)Finland (37%) 6 Norway (28%)Australia (33%)N.Z. (40%)Ireland (45%)Korea (37%) 7 Switz. (27%)Denmark (32%)Norway (38%)Denmark (43%)Norway (36%) 8 U.K. (27%)Norway (32%)Australia (38%)Belgium (42%)Australia (36%) 9 Sweden (26%)Switz. (31%)Denmark (37%)Australia (42%)Denmark (34%) 10 Neth. (26%)Neth. (31%)Ireland (37%)U.S. (42%)Ireland (34%) 11 Denmark (26%)Iceland (30%)Switz. (36%)Sweden (41%)Switz. (34%) 12 Japan (26%)U.K. (30%)Iceland (36%)France (41%)U.K. (33%) 13 Germany (24%)Belgium (29%)Belgium (35%)Neth. (40%)Belgium (32%) 14 Iceland (24%)Sweden (28%)U.K. (33%)Spain (39%)Neth. (32%) 15 Belgium (22%)Ireland (27%)Sweden (33%)Luxembourg (39%)Sweden (32%) 45-64: Rhode Island (41%)RI (42%)RI (45%)RI (43%) America’s International Edge is Slipping in Postsecondary Degree Attainment 12 Source: OECD. Education at a Glance _eag-2010-en ; National Center for Higher Education Management Systems analysis of 2009 American Community Survey.

FAR TOO MANY STUDENTS DROP OUT OR GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL UNPREPARED FOR REAL WORLD CHALLENGES

Of Every th Graders in Rhode Island… 14 Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (2008). Student Pipeline - Transition and Completion Rates from 9th Grade to College.

Achievement Remains Low: 8 th Grade Achievement Over Time 15 Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress. Analysis of data downloaded from 8 th Grade Math Rhode Island16%28% U.S.21%34% 8 th Grade Reading Rhode Island30%28% U.S.33%32% 8 th Grade Science Rhode Island26% U.S.29%30% % At or Above Proficient on 8th Grade NAEP

And Gaps Persist: Rhode Island’s 8 th Grade Achievement Gap 16 Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress. Analysis of data downloaded from Subgroup 8 th Grade Math (2009) 8 th Grade Reading (2009) 8 th Grade Science (2009) All Students28% 39% White35%34%33% Black8%9%8% Hispanic8%11%5% Asian40%35%21% American Indiann/a % At or Above Proficient on 8th Grade NAEP

High School Graduation Rates Remain Inequitable in Rhode Island 17 Source: Education Week (2007). Graduation in the United States.

America’s International Edge is Slipping in High School Graduation Rates 18 Source: OECD. Education at a Glance (All rates are self-reported) ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2010_eag-2010-en; National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, analysis of 2008 and 2009 American Community Survey.

Enrollment in College Does NOT Equal College Readiness 19 Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2003). Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall Percentage of U.S. first-year students in two-year and four-year institutions requiring remediation

Freshmen at Two-Year Colleges are More Likely to Require Remediation 20 Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2003). Remedial Education at Degree- Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall Percentage of U.S. first-year students requiring remediation, by institution type

Enrollment in College Does NOT Equal College Readiness in Rhode Island 21 Source: Rhode Island Board of Governors of Higher Education (2009). The Transition from High School to Public Higher Education in Rhode Island, Classes of 2005, 2006, Percentage of Rhode Island first-year students requiring remediation at Community College of Rhode Island over time

Many College Students Fail to Return Their Sophomore Year and Go On To Earn Degrees 22 Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (2008). Retention Rates - First-Time College Freshmen Returning Their Second Year ; Graduation Rates.

Many College Students Fail to Earn a Degree in Rhode Island 23 Source: NCES. IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey, analyzed by National Center for Management of Higher Education Systems. Percent of students earning a bachelor’s degree within six years in Rhode Island, 2007

The Majority of Graduates Would Have Taken Harder Courses, Particularly in Mathematics 24 Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies (2005). Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? Washington, DC: Achieve. Would have taken more challenging courses in at least one area Math Science English Knowing what you know today about the expectations of college/work …

A MORE RIGOROUS & RELEVANT HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION WILL OPEN DOORS FOR STUDENTS – AND KEEP THEM OPEN

26 Personal Benefits of Education in Rhode Island While there may be jobs available to high school dropouts and graduates, they often pay less and offer less security than jobs held by those with at least some postsecondary experience. The link between educational attainment and gainful employment is clear: More education is associated with higher earnings and higher rates of employment.

27 Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Current Population Survey. Figures are based on the total persons in the civilian labor force. Personal Benefits of Education in Rhode Island Rhode Island Statistics: Total Unemployment: 13%, Mean Income: $46,420

28 Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. et al. (June 2010). Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce. www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf Analysis based on author’s analysis of March 2008 CPS data. Benefits to Education

29 Source: ACT (2010). ACT 2009 Results. ; College Board. Mean 2010 SAT Scores by State. Rhode Island’s Students Taking College Admissions Exams 2010Rhode IslandU.S. Participation in ACT11%47% Average ACT Score Participation in SAT67%47% Average SAT Score

30 Source: ACT (2010). College Readiness Benchmark Attainment by State. eftnav&utm_medium=web#benchmark Students Meeting College Readiness Benchmark Note: A benchmark score indicates a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit-bearing college courses.

31 Source: College Board (2011). AP Report to the Nation. Students Participating in Advanced Placement and Exceeding College and Career Readiness Percent of all 12th Graders Participating in Advanced Placement (2008)

THE SOLUTION: STATE-LED EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE EXPECTATIONS GAP All students deserve a world-class education that prepares them for college, careers and life.

The College- and Career-Ready Agenda 33 Align high school standards with the demands of college and careers. Require students to take a college- and career-ready curriculum to earn a high school diploma. Build college- and career-ready measures into statewide high school assessment systems. Develop reporting and accountability systems that promote college and career readiness.

Rhode Island’s Commitment to Closing the Expectations Gap to Date 34 In 2006 Rhode Island adopted PK-12 academic standards aligned with college- and career-ready expectations. Rhode Island adopted the Common Core State Standards in July Rhode Island was a Round 2 winner of the Race to the Top state competition. Rhode Island is a Governing state in the Partnership for Assessment of College and Career Readiness (PARCC), a consortium of states working to develop a common assessment system using Race to the Top Common Assessment funds.

How Rhode Island Can Continue to Build on its Momentum… …Leverage Race to the Top funds to advance the state’s college- and career- ready agenda, and build support structures for students to ensure they are fully prepared to meet the raised expectations. …Realize the promise of the Common Core State Standards by implementing them fully and successfully, taking into consideration the related curricular and policy changes. …Remain committed to the goals of PARCC and developing a next-generation, computer-based assessment system anchored by college- and career-ready tests in high school that will let students know if they are ready for college-level coursework and measure the full range of the Common Core State Standards. …Adopt college- and career-ready graduation requirements, aligned to the Common Core State Standards, to ensure all students are prepared, and eligible, for entry into college and skilled careers. …Continue to make progress on the state’s data collection efforts, particularly around linking student-level data across the K-12 and postsecondary systems. …Re-examine the state’s K-12 accountability system to determine how it can reward measures of college and career readiness.

HOW WELL IS RHODE ISLAND PREPARING ALL STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS AND LIFE May 2011