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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

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


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


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:


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%

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