[Paleopsych] CHE: High-School Graduates Are Poorly Prepared for Work or College, Survey Finds

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High-School Graduates Are Poorly Prepared for Work or College, Survey Finds
News bulletin from the Chronicle of Higher Education, 5.2.7
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/02/2005020704n.htm
By MICHELLE DIAMENT

    As many as 4 in 10 high-school graduates are not ready for the demands
    that they face after graduation, whether they are going to college or
    to work, according to survey findings scheduled for release today.

    Achieve Inc., a nonprofit organization created by state governors and
    business leaders that focuses on raising academic standards, surveyed
    recent high-school graduates, employers, and college instructors about
    the preparedness of young people entering college or the work force.
    The poll of 2,200 people was conducted in December and January.

    According to a report based on the survey, college instructors thought
    that the recent graduates' greatest deficiencies were in writing and
    mathematics. Students largely concurred, with 81 percent saying they
    approved of graduation tests in math and English.

    Many students who responded to the survey indicated that it was easy
    to slide by in high school, but said they would have worked harder if
    more had been asked of them, said Geoff Garin, one of the pollsters.
    In particular, students pointed to academic counseling and course
    requirements as areas to bolster.

    One of the governors involved in the organization is Gov. Bob Taft of
    Ohio. "This survey should be a real wake-up call to the governors
    around the country," said Mr. Taft, a Republican. "We're hearing a
    clear message from our graduates that we do them no favors if we set
    the bar for performance too low."

    Socioeconomic circumstances were not a decisive factor for success,
    Mr. Garin said. Rather a high level of expectation proved essential
    for graduates no matter what their goals, he said, because many of the
    same skills now are necessary for both work-bound students and those
    continuing their education.

    The full text of the report, "Rising to the Challenge: Are High-School
    Graduates Prepared for College and Work?," is available on Achieve's
    [63]Web site.
      _________________________________________________________________

    Background articles from The Chronicle:
      * [64]Undergraduates Study Much Less Than Professors Expect, Survey
        of Student 'Engagement' Says (11/15/2004)
      * [65]Core Curricula in High Schools Provide Inadequate Preparation
        for College Work, Report Says (10/15/2004)
      * [66]Report Being Sent to High Schools Outlines What College
        Freshmen Need to Know to Succeed (4/22/2003)
      * [67]High Schools Fail to Prepare Many Students for College,
        Stanford Study Says (3/5/2003)
      * [68]'Report Card' on States and Higher Education Finds Better
        Student Preparation, Mixed Opportunities (10/2/2002)
      * [69]Report Finds the Majority of U.S. Students Not Prepared for
        College (10/5/2001)

References

   63. http://www.achieve.org/
   64. http://chronicle.com/daily/2004/11/2004111501n.htm
   65. http://chronicle.com/daily/2004/10/2004101502n.htm
   66. http://chronicle.com/daily/2003/04/2003042201n.htm
   67. http://chronicle.com/daily/2003/03/2003030502n.htm
   68. http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/10/2002100205n.htm
   69. http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/10/2001100501n.htm

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