1. RESEARCH: How are students doing in our schools? Professor William F. Tate of the Washington University in St. Louis in a keynote address on 9 August 2007 entitled, “Literacy and Democracy: A Cost-Benefit Perspective” shared the following observations: 2

2. James Heckman 2000 Nobel Prize-winning Economist “If we don't provide disadvantaged young children with the proper environments to foster cognitive and noncognitive skills, we'll create a class of people without such skills, without motivation, without the ability to contribute to the larger society nearly as much as they could if they'd been properly nurtured from an early age. The most economically efficient way to remediate the disadvantage caused by adverse family environments is to invest in children when they are young. Neglecting the early years creates an underclass that is arguably growing in the United States. The family is the major source of human inequality in American society.” 3

3. High School Graduation Rates USA’s 50 Largest Districts, lowest to highest RateDistrictRank by Size 21.7Detroit11 38.5Baltimore 30 38.9New York1 43.1Milwaukee28 43.8Cleveland44 44.2Los Angeles2 45.3Miami-Dade4 46.3Dallas13 4

4. Synthetic Work-life Estimates for Full-time by Educational Attainment (in 1999 dollars) [Day & Newberger, 2002] Work-life Earning Estimate Annual Avg. Earnings Work-life Impact Annual Impact Not a H. S. grad $950,000 (25,297) $23,752 H. S. grad $1,226,570 (14,583) $30,664$276,470$6,911 Some college $1,494,990 (29,240) $37,374$544,890$13,622 Associate$1,563,705 (46,903) $39,039$613,605$15,340 Bachelor$2,140,860 (35,559) $53,521$1,190,760$29,279

5. Student, School/District Characteristics for Kentucky Public Schools Student, School/District Characteristics for Kentucky Public Schools: Student Characteristics Number enrolled: 679,878 Percent in Title I schools: 60.6% With Individualized Education Programs (IEP): 16.0% Percent in limited-English proficiency programs: 1.5% Percent eligible for free/reduced lunch: 52.4% Racial/Ethnic Background White: 86.3%1 Black: 10.6%1 Hispanic: 2.1%1 Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.9% American Indian/Alaskan Native: 0.2%1 School/District Characteristics Number of school districts: 176* Number of schools: 1,426 Number of charter schools: N/A Per-pupil expenditures: $7,2541 Pupil/teacher ratio: 16.0 Number of FTE teachers: 42,413

6. 2007 NAEP Scale Scores

7. Reading Grade 4

8. Reading Grade 4 - 2007

9. Reading Grade 8

10. Reading Grade 8 - 2007

11. Math Grade 8

12. Reading – By Gender

13. Math - Gender

14. Reading Grade 8 - 2007

15. Math Grade 4 - 2007

16. Race/Ethnicity: Math Grade 8 White students (282) scored higher than Black students (257) No data on Hispanic students The percentages of White students performing at or above Proficient in 2007 was greater than in 1990,1992, 1996, 2000 and 2005 but not in 2003. Black students greater in 1990, 1992 not 2000, 2003 and 2005

17. Reading - Race

18. Reading – Free or Reduced Lunch Eligibility

19. Math – Free or Reduced Lunch Eligibility

20. Parent’s Highest Level of Education Reading and Math Students with college grad parent scored higher than those with a parent in any other category

21. 22 Urban Literacy Challenges & Issues Poverty Related Issues  High Student Mobility  Language Development Deficits  Nutrition & Health Issues  Attendance Problems  Access to resources School District Challenges  Leadership Capacity (Superintendents, Principals)  Teacher Longevity  Accountability Stress (NCLB)  Supt. Turnover  “Program of the Month” Solutions Community Perceptions & Flight (Economic/Re-segregation)

22. “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” -- St. Francis of Assisi 23