Eric.ed.gov – A Well-Rounded Education: Rethinking What Is Expected of High Schools

Since the 1990s, the United States has fallen behind on college completion, slipping from first in the world in 1995 to 10th in 2016. A major factor in the country’s low rates of college completion is a lack of true college preparation in the K-12 education system. On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the math achievement of 12th graders has remained stagnant since 2005, and reading achievement is actually 5 scale score points lower than it was in 1992, more than 25 years ago. States across the country have taken important steps to reverse this trend, and some are successfully raising standards for students in reading and math by adopting the Common Core State Standards, an effort initiated by governors in 2010. These standards describe what students should know and be able to do in math and reading; furthermore, students who are proficient in these standards can enter into college-level work once enrolled. While it will take more time before one is able to analyze these new, more rigorous standards’ long-term impact on student achievement, thus far, results on annual state tests show that third-grade students improved the most in test scores–which makes sense since these students have been exposed to the more rigorous standards since kindergarten. However, even dramatically improving reading and math scores is not enough to ensure that students are successful in college and careers. Improving the quality of education in American high schools is not simply about requiring additional subjects for high school graduation; states must ensure that all students have access to rigorous coursework and the supports they need to be successful. States will also need to prepare the teaching workforce to meet these demands.