Maximizing Success: Wyoming High School Curriculum for Hathaway Recipients

1. A Success Curriculum for WyomingHS Hathaway Recipients January 2007

2. History • 1950 80 % of jobs classified as unskilled. • 2003 85 % of jobs classified as skilled and require postsecondary education. Ref: Business Higher Education Forum-2003

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

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

5. Problem Student Pipeline Comparison

6. College Participation (2002) • Indiana Rank: 9th (40th in 1988)

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

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

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

10. ACT College ReadinessBenchmark Study • 23,000 – 85,000 students • College ready benchmark • 50 % chance of getting a B • 75 % chance of getting a C

11. College Benchmarks • Math 22 (WY 21) • Science 24 (WY 21.4) • English 18 (WY 20.6) • 50 % chance of getting a B • 75 % chance of getting a C

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

13. 2004: 56% of ACT test takers had taken the core curriculum

14. 2003 ACT Colorado+ & Illinois+ CoreNon-core Colorado 21.9 18.5 Illinois 22.5 18.5 +Require ACT of all students.

15. Course Selection High ACT Scores (>26) • Top States 23 % • Nat. Ave 18 % • Wyoming 16 % Wyoming’s average ACT score is above the national average!

16. ACT College Readiness: Math • Benchmark 22 • 75 % chance of getting a C • 50 % chance of getting a B • Wyoming college ready: 42%

17. 12th Graders in Upper Level Math (2004)(Al II, Geom., Trig, Pre-calc., Calc.) • Top States 66 % • Wyoming 51 % WY college ready: 42 %

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

19. ACT College Readiness: Science • Benchmark 24 • 75 % chance of getting a C • 50 % chance of getting a B • Wyoming college ready: 29 %

20. 9th-12th Graders in Upper Level Science (2004)( Chem., Physics, Biol. II, 2nd year Earth Sci., advanced science) • Top States 41 % • Wyoming 25 % WY college ready: 29 %

21. Financial HS Grads with High Test Scores Failing to go Directly on to College • Affluent 5 / 100 • Low-income 25 / 100 Ref: Challenging Times, Clear Choices: An Action Agenda for College Access and Success

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

23. State Examples • Indiana • College participation at 62 % • National ranking improved from 34th to 9th from 1992-2002 • North Carolina • College participation at 64 % • National ranking improved from 37th to 6th from 1992-2002 • Louisiana • ACT scores rise for students enrolled in the Louisiana Regents Curriculum

24. Indiana Core 40 • Math: Al I, Al II, Geom. • Science: Biology I, Chemistry I or Physics I, core 40 science elective • English 4 years to include literature, composition, and speech • Social Studies 3 years

25. 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++

26. Arkansas Graduation Requirements • Math Al I, Al II, Geom, elective (4 years) • Science Biology I, Applied Biology, Chem. I, Physics I, Principles of Technology (3 years) • English 4 years • Oral Communication 0.5 years • Social Studies 3 years

27. UNC System (16 campuses) Admission Requirements for 2006 • Math Al I, Al II, two years beyond (4 years) • Science Biology , Chem. or Physics; at least one laboratory course (3 years) • English 4 years • Foreign language 2 years • Social Studies 2 years College participation: 1992-2002 + 14 %

28. Louisiana Regents • Math Al I, Al II, Geom or Trig or Calculus • Science Biology, Chemistry, science elective • An additional unit of advanced math or science. • English 4 years • Social Studies 3 years • Foreign Language (2 years, same language)

29. Louisiana 2004 ACT Scores • State Average 19.8 • Less than Regents Core 16.5 • Regents Core 21.7 • Regents Core & GPA 23.8 Approximately 60 % of 2004 HS graduates took the Regents’ core curriculum.

30. 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 in agriculture majors • >50 % of state’s graduates in engineering

31. 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)

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

33. Arguments Against a SpecifiedSuccess Curriculum • What about the fine arts and vocational careers? • Approximately 14-16 of 28-32 hours are specified. • A burden to small schools? • Students/schools may be granted exemptions. • Will high school graduation rates decline? • Hathaway is completely decoupled from HS graduation requirements. • 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.

34. 2004 Preparedness Survey • 1,500 recent high school graduates (evenly divided between college and workforce bound) • 400 employers • 300 college instructors Achieve, Inc.

35. HS Graduates with some Preparation Gaps 2004 • 40% of students at 4-year institutions took at least one remedial course (1980-1993). • 80 % of students say they would have worked harder if HS’s had demanded more.

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

37. REFERENCES American Diploma Project: Ready or Not The Expectations Gap Access Illumination 2005: Indiana’s 21st 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