A Success Curriculum for Wyoming HS Hathaway Recipients January 2007

History  % of jobs classified as unskilled.  % of jobs classified as skilled and require postsecondary education. Ref: Business Higher Education Forum-2003

The Educational Pipeline  Nationally: 88% of 8 th graders say they will pursue post-secondary education.  Wyoming: 40 out of every 100 entering 9 th graders move directly on to college.

The Wyoming Student Pipeline For every 100 HS freshman:  Graduate from HS.76  Attend college.40  Graduate within 150 % of time.19

Student Pipeline Comparison Problem

College Participation (2002)  Indiana Rank:9 th (40 th in 1988)

The Issues Affecting Low College Entrance  Preparation  Financial  Transition All three must be addressed for success!

Preparation  What we teach in HS.  How we teach in HS.  Standards.  Information and the choices made based on information. (Course Selection)

Success Curriculum Course Selection  ACT Performance  College Success (workforce readiness) (workforce readiness)

ACT College Readiness Benchmark Study  23,000 – 85,000 students  College ready benchmark 50 % chance of getting a B 50 % chance of getting a B 75 % chance of getting a C 75 % chance of getting a C

College Benchmarks  Math22(WY 21)  Science24(WY 21.4)  English18(WY 20.6) 50 % chance of getting a B 75 % chance of getting a C

ACT Core Curriculum  English (4 years or more)  Math (3 years or more) Al I, Al II, Geometry Al I, Al II, Geometry  Science (3 years or more) General/Physical/Earth, Biology, Chemistry, Physics General/Physical/Earth, Biology, Chemistry, Physics  Social Studies (3 years or more) ACT now argues that the core curriculum is not enough.

2004: 56% of ACT test takers had taken the core curriculum

2003 ACT Colorado + & Illinois + CoreNon-core Colorado Illinois Require ACT of all students.

High ACT Scores (>26)  Top States23 %  Nat. Ave18 %  Wyoming16 % Wyoming’s average ACT score is above the national average! Course Selection

ACT College Readiness: Math  Benchmark22 75 % chance of getting a C 75 % chance of getting a C 50 % chance of getting a B 50 % chance of getting a B  Wyomingcollege ready: 42%

12 th Graders in Upper Level Math (2004) (Al II, Geom., Trig, Pre-calc., Calc.)  Top States66 %  Wyoming51 % WY college ready: 42 %

The level of math preparation is the single most important high school curricular experience to predict college success. (Adelman, 1999)

ACT College Readiness: Science  Benchmark24 75 % chance of getting a C 75 % chance of getting a C 50 % chance of getting a B 50 % chance of getting a B  Wyomingcollege ready: 29 %

9 th -12 th Graders in Upper Level Science (2004) ( Chem., Physics, Biol. II, 2 nd year Earth Sci., advanced science)  Top States41 %  Wyoming25 % WY college ready:29 %

HS Grads with High Test Scores Failing to go Directly on to College  Affluent5 / 100  Low-income25 / 100 Ref: Challenging Times, Clear Choices: An Action Agenda for College Access and Success Financial

Low Income Participation  Preparation:Low income students often opt out of a rigorous core curriculum early! Low Income College Prep:28 % Low Income College Prep:28 % Middle Income College Prep:48 % Middle Income College Prep:48 % High Income College Prep:65 % High Income College Prep:65 % Governors Guide: Helping All Students Achieve Secondary and Postsecondary Success Financial  Preparation ! } SC

State Examples  Indiana College participation at 62 % College participation at 62 % National ranking improved from 34 th to 9 th from National ranking improved from 34 th to 9 th from  North Carolina College participation at 64 % College participation at 64 % National ranking improved from 37 th to 6 th from National ranking improved from 37 th to 6 th from  Louisiana ACT scores rise for students enrolled in the Louisiana Regents Curriculum ACT scores rise for students enrolled in the Louisiana Regents Curriculum

Indiana Core 40  Math:Al I, Al II, Geom.  Science:Biology I, Chemistry I or Physics I, core 40 science elective  English4 years to include literature, composition, and speech  Social Studies3 years

Indiana: Student/Parent Accountability  Students are automatically enrolled in a rigorous default (Core 40) program of study.  Students and parents must opt out of the rigorous default program. Also done in Texas & Arkansas ++

Arkansas Graduation Requirements  MathAl I, Al II, Geom, elective (4 years)  ScienceBiology I, Applied Biology, Chem. I, Physics I, Principles of Technology (3 years)  English4 years  Oral Communication0.5 years  Social Studies3 years

UNC System (16 campuses) Admission Requirements for 2006  MathAl I, Al II, two years beyond (4 years)  ScienceBiology, Chem. or Physics; at least one laboratory course (3 years)  English4 years  Foreign language2 years  Social Studies2 years College participation: %

Louisiana Regents  MathAl I, Al II, Geom or Trig or Calculus  ScienceBiology, Chemistry, science elective An additional unit of advanced math or science. An additional unit of advanced math or science.  English4 years  Social Studies3 years  Foreign Language (2 years, same language)

Louisiana 2004 ACT Scores  State Average19.8  Less than Regents Core16.5  Regents Core21.7 Regents Core & GPA23.8 Regents Core & GPA23.8 Approximately 60 % of 2004 HS graduates took the Regents’ core curriculum.

California State University  400,000 students  23 campuses  Diverse (53% are students of color)  An economic engine for California >50 % of state’s graduates of teachers >50 % of state’s graduates of teachers >50 % of state’s graduates in agriculture majors >50 % of state’s graduates in agriculture majors >50 % of state’s graduates in engineering >50 % of state’s graduates in engineering

CSU Admission  English (4 years)  Math (3 years, 4 is recommended: Al I, Al II, Geom)  Laboratory Science (2 years including 1 biological science and 1 physical science)  History and Social Science (2 years)  Foreign Language (2 years, same language)  Visual and performing arts (1 year)  College Prep elective ( 1 Year)

Key Elements of a WY: Success Curriculum 4 years of grade-level English 4 years of grade-level English 4 years of mathematics (Al I, Al II, Geom) 4 years of mathematics (Al I, Al II, Geom) 4 years of science 4 years of science (3 taken from Bio I & II, Chemistry I & II, Physics I & II, geology) (3 taken from Bio I & II, Chemistry I & II, Physics I & II, geology) 3 years of social studies 3 years of social studies 2 years of foreign language (same language) 2 years of foreign language (same language)

Arguments Against a Specified Success Curriculum  What about the fine arts and vocational careers? Approximately of hours are specified. Approximately of hours are specified.  A burden to small schools? Students/schools may be granted exemptions. Students/schools may be granted exemptions.  Will high school graduation rates decline? Hathaway is completely decoupled from HS graduation requirements. Hathaway is completely decoupled from HS graduation requirements. National data suggests Success Curriculum participation levels of 60-70%. National data suggests Success Curriculum participation levels of 60-70%.  All students are not college bound. Post HS work requirements and college prep requirements are rapidly converging. Post HS work requirements and college prep requirements are rapidly converging.

2004 Preparedness Survey 2004 Preparedness Survey  1,500 recent high school graduates (evenly divided between college and workforce bound)  400 employers  300 college instructors Achieve, Inc.

HS Graduates with some Preparation Gaps  40% of students at 4-year institutions took at least one remedial course ( ).  80 % of students say they would have worked harder if HS’s had demanded more. 2004

“It is generally ineffective to address only academic preparation or financial aid.” Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars Program (Lumina Report)

REFERENCES American Diploma Project: Ready or Not The Expectations Gap Access Illumination 2005: Indiana’s 21 st Century Program CHEPA: Preparing for College On Course for Success ACT: Crisis at the Core Rising to the Challenge: Are HS Grads Prepared for College and Work