Achieve poll on college readiness

Rising to the ChallengeAre High School Graduates

Prepared For College & Work?

HARTRESEARCH

P e t e r D

A S S O T E SC I A

&PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES

Key findings from surveys among public high school graduates,college instructors, and employers

Conducted December 2004–January 2005 for

How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for

Research Methods Telephone surveys among the following populations:

1,487 public high school graduates from Classes of 2002, 2003, 2004, conducted December 4–21, 2004, including:

861 current students at two- and four-year colleges and universities (353 of whom have taken a remedial course)

626 graduates who are not currently enrolled in college, including 267 who attended college in the past but withdrew

303 African Americans and 287 Hispanic Americans

400 employers who make personnel decisions (owners, CEOs, presidents, human resources professionals), conducted December 10–16, 2004

300 instructors who teach first-year students at two-year and four-year colleges and universities


Key Points As many as four in ten graduates are not prepared:

39% of college students and high school graduates with no further education say they have gaps in the skills and abilities expected today.

35% of college students and 39% of non-students say they have large gaps in preparation in at least one crucial skill; 86% of both college students and non-students say they have some gaps.

College instructors estimate that 42% of their students are not adequately prepared.

Employers estimate that 39% of high school graduates who have no further education are not prepared for their current job and that 45% are unprepared for advancement.


Key Points All groups call for higher standards:

Only 24% of high school graduates say they faced high expectations and were challenged in high school. Those who faced high expectations in high school are much more likely to feel prepared for the expectations they now face.

Knowing what they know today, 65% of college students and 77% of non-students say they would have worked harder in high school.

62% of college students and 72% of non-students would have taken at least one more difficult course.

High school graduates, college instructors, and employers strongly embrace reforms that raise standards and requirements for graduation.


Many Grads Cite Gaps In Preparation

15%7% 11% 12%

Extremely well: prepared for everything Very well: generally able to do what's expectedNot well: large gaps/struggling Somewhat well: some gaps

College students Non-students

How well did your high school education prepare you for college-level work/jobs you hope to get in the future?

Employers estimate that 45% of recent high school graduates are not prepared with skills to advance beyond entry level jobs.

College instructors estimate that 42% of recent high school graduates are not prepared for college-level classes.

61%

39%

53%

46%


Most Grads Cite Gaps In At Least One Skill

33%29%

38%35%

45%40%

41%42%

51%44%

46%45%

College studentsNon-students

(In each area, % saying there are at least some gaps in their preparation)

Oral communication/public speaking

Science

Mathematics

Doing research

Quality of writing that is expected

Reading/understandingcomplicated materials

35% of college students report large gaps in at least one area,86% report some gaps in at least one area.

12% large gaps/struggling15% large gaps/struggling

11%14%

13%16%

10%13%

9%10%

5%9%


Employers/College Instructors Say Many Not Prepared In Math/Writing

50%

50%

38%

41%

(Employers’/instructors’ average estimates of percentages of public HS graduates NOT prepared in each subject)

Ability to do math

Quality of writing

Employers

Ability to do math

Quality of writing

Instructors


Few Employers Feel High School Graduates Prepared For Advancement

78%75%

75%74%

18%25%

10%10%

Extremely/very well prepared for typical job in my companyExtremely/very well prepared for advancement in my company

Applicants with no high school degree

Recent public high school grads who have no further education/training

Recent grads of two-year college or training

program

Recent graduates of four-year colleges


College Instructors Are Harshest Critics Of High School

Do public high schools adequately prepare graduates to meet the

expectations they face in college

Employers

65%

28%

70%

28%

In first-year classes, how much class time do you spend reviewing material and skills that

should have been taught in high school?

Significant amount of class time

(24%)

Some class time

Very little class time

No class time

Do not adequately

prepare graduates

Adequately prepare

graduates


Employers/Instructors Dissatisfied With High Schools’ Skills Prep

24%

36%

34%

40%

32%

52%

29%59%

40%

62%

41%

70%

(In each area, % saying they are somewhat/very dissatisfied with the job public high schools are doing preparing graduates)

Reading/understandingcomplicated materials

Quality of writing that is expected

Doing research

Mathematics

Oral communication/public speaking

Science

College instructors Employers

25% very dissatisfied





Employers/Instructors Dissatisfied With High Schools’ Skills Prep

17%

20%

39%

55%

50%

65%

42%

66%

(In each area, % saying they are somewhat/very dissatisfied with the job public high schools are doing preparing graduates)

Thinking analytically

Work and study habits

Applying what is learned in school to solving problems

Computer skills

College instructors Employers


22% very dissatisfied16% very dissatisfied



Few 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


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%


36%

53%

72%

37%

58%

80%

(% saying they were extremely/very well prepared for college/future job)

Grads Who Faced High Expectations Twice As Likely To Feel Prepared

College students whose high schools held them to:

High expectations

Moderate expectations

Low expectations

High expectations

Moderate expectations

Low expectations

Non-students whose highschools held them to:


Challenging Courses = Better Prepared

33%

54%

58%

67%

73%

(% saying they were extremely/very well prepared for college)

College students who took the following number of high school level math and science courses:

Nine or ten

Eight

Seven

Five or six

Four or fewer


Algebra II Critical For Work World And College

46%

54%

68%

31%26%

72%

60%

37%

Extremely/very well prepared Somewhat/not too/not at all well prepared

Non-students

When it comes to mathematics, how well were you prepared inhigh school for the expectations you face in college/working world?

Completed less than Algebra 2

Completed Algebra 2/more

Completed less than Algebra 2

Completed Algebra 2/more

College students


Lower Expectations For Writing Lead To Lower Confidence

46%

Writing expected of you in high school

All public HS graduates

Graduates

who wrote

great deal

Graduates who wrote

fair amount/ not much

Students

Feel somewhat/not prepared for college writing

21% 49%

Non-students

Feel somewhat/not prepared for writing at work

24%

Great deal high

expectations,

term papers, research reports,

senior thesis

Not much

Fair amount English

classes some emphasis on

writing skills, papers

for other classes

53%

51%


Knowing What They Know Today, Grads Would Have Worked Harder

65%

34%

77%

22%

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


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?


Had High School Demanded More, Grads Would Have Worked Harder

64%

15%

63%18%

Strongly feel I would have worked harder Would have worked harderWouldn't have worked harder


If your high school had demanded more of students, set higher academic stand-ards, and raised the expec-tations of how much course work and studying would be necessary to earn a diploma, would you have worked harder to meet these expec-tations?

82% 80%


Majorities of Graduates Would Have Taken Harder Courses

38%29%

41%32%

48%34%

72%62%

College studentsNon-students

Would have taken more challenging courses in at

least one area

Math

Science

English

Knowing what you know today about the expectations of college/the work world, if you were able to do high school over again, when it comes to math/sciences/English would you have taken higher-level and more challenging courses if they were available?

Would have taken more challenging courses in:


Large Majorities Support All Reforms

45%

50%

50%

57%

58%

70%

71%

73%

Would improve things a great deal Would improve things somewhat

(% public high school graduates saying each would improve things in encouraging HS students to work harder/be better prepared)

Real-world learning opportunities (internships)

Early guidance on courses for career/college prep

More honors, AP, IB courses available for free

More tutoring, summer school, extra help

Give juniors college place-ment tests to see if ready

Require exams in math and English to graduate

Smaller high schools, more contact with teachers

Require four years’ math, biology, chemistry, physics

96%

93%

93%

88%

87%

81%

80%

74%


Overview Of Support For Reforms Early guidance on the courses to take to prepare for career/college

enjoys universal support, with 90% or more of public high school graduates, employers, and college instructors saying this would improve things a great deal or somewhat.

Opportunities for real-world learning receives high support from recent graduates (96% improve things a great deal/somewhat), employers (95%), and college instructors (76%).

More honors, AP, IB courses garners near universal support from recent graduates (93%), and nearly as much from employers (86%) and college instructors (85%).

Non-students are more likely than college students to strongly endorse proposals giving high school students more help/attention, including early placement tests to determine readiness for college (67% of non-students say this would improve things a great deal, 49% of college students say the same), tutoring, summer school, extra help (63% non-students, 55% students), and smaller high schools (58% non-students, 45% students).


Support For Math/Science Requirement

43%

41%

39%

49%

45%

Would improve things a great deal Would improve things somewhat

(% who say requiring four years’ math, biology, chemistry, and physics to graduate would encourage HS students to work harder/be better prepared)

All public high school graduates

College students

Non-students

Employers

College instructors

74%

70%

81%

77%

83%


Conclusions Public high schools are failing to prepare a

substantial minority of graduates for skills expected of them today.

Employers and instructors are the harshest critics and say many graduates come to them inadequately prepared.

More rigorous courses and higher expectations lead to better prepared graduates.

Graduates themselves say they would welcome more challenging requirements and raised expectations for high school graduation.

Achieve poll on college readiness

Education

Transcript of Achieve poll on college readiness