11/3/08

Education Trust

Katy Haycock, President of the Education Trust

The United States is now the only industrialized nation in which today’s young people are less likely than their parents to have earned a high school diploma. Nationally, one of every four high school freshmen fails to graduate on time. And for African-American and Latino students, the rate increases to more than one in three.

But as stunning as the national figures are, Michigan’s are even more troubling. In 2006, Michigan had one of the lowest graduation rates in the Midwest; only Indiana’s was lower. The state’s on-time graduation rate for all students was 74 percent. Michigan’s Latino graduation rate was just 55 percent. For African Americans, it was 51 percent.

The problem, however, is not just that too few young people in Michigan are graduating. Even those who earn diplomas too often lack the skills and knowledge they need to get and keep good jobs. For example, among the state’s students who express interest in the high-growth field of healthcare, only one in six demonstrate the math skills necessary for college-level math, and only one in ten in science.

Still, some argue that not all students need to be prepared for college. Data from Michigan’s Department of Labor suggests otherwise. They project that the 50 fastest-growing job categories in the state require at least some education beyond high school. And the Association of General Contractors says success in higher-paying occupations that don’t require college-electricians, pipe fitters, sheet-metal workers, and draftsmen-still demand a mastery of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Meanwhile, less than one-third of Michigan’s eighth graders scored at the proficient level in math on the country’s only national math test, known as NAEP.

Getting by isn’t good enough anymore. The state’s economic future depends on fully equipping all young people for the demands of college and career.

The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals is rising to that challenge. Its members are working to find ways to help all students-even those who are struggling-stay in school and gain the academic foundation needed to compete in and contribute to a more demanding economy.

Yes, this may mean schools need additional funds at a time of tight budgets. But it also means that educators will have to “do school” in new ways. We’ll have to use school days more efficiently and provide some students with additional learning time. We’ll have to better match student needs with teacher abilities. We’ll have to implement effective catch-up strategies for students who are behind. And we’ll have to carefully monitor the progress of all students to catch them BEFORE they fall behind.

We’ll have to ask more of our students, too. That’s why the state’s new course requirements and higher graduation standards are crucial. In fighting off the critics two years ago and pushing forward to raise standards, Governor Granholm and the state legislature took the most meaningful step they could to ensure that all Michigan students get the skills and knowledge they’ll need to compete in the real world.

Some people believe these new standards aren’t realistic. They argue that setting expectations high will force more students out of school. That’s not what research tells us. Studies of young people who have dropped out of high school find that the overwhelming majority of students who leave school do so because they are bored, not because they are challenged. And if you’re worried that demanding courses are too tough on our kids, think for a minute about how tough our economy is on those who leave school without the skills and knowledge necessary to earn a decent wage.

Michigan must do better, and it can. It won’t be easy, but we have little choice.

Kati Haycock is President of The Education Trust, a Washington-based, independent nonprofit that works for the high academic achievement students at all levels – pre-kindergarten through college.