Rising to the Challenge Are High School Graduates Prepared For College & Work?
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Transcript of Rising to the Challenge Are High School Graduates Prepared For College & Work?
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
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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.
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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.
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
Many Grads Cite Gaps In Preparation
15%7% 11% 12%
Extremely well: prepared for everything Very well: generally able to do what's expected
Not 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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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 company
Extremely/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
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
22% very dissatisfied
24% very dissatisfied
20% very dissatisfied
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
29% very dissatisfied
22% very dissatisfied16% very dissatisfied
17% very dissatisfied
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
College students Non-students
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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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:
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
College students Non-students
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?
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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
College students Non-students
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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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:
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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).
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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%
How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
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.