Rigor Relevance Relationships

Creating High Schools that Make a Difference for Iowa & Iowans

It’s not our parents’ Iowa.

“ Our children deserve and need a world-class education that prepares them for the challenge of global competition. While Iowa enjoys good schools today, our children need the best if they hope to succeed with that competition and in life.” --Governor Tom Vilsack, December 2004

Most jobs require higher levels of reading, communication, math and problem-solving skills than ever before.

“The days of the uneducated grease monkey are over.”

Aspiring auto mechanics must have increasingly sophisticated vocational skills and must constantly adapt to continually changing technology.

Career summary for Auto Mechanics, The Princeton Review

49 of the 50 highest paying jobs of tomorrow will require post high school education

--U.S. Department of Labor

A high school diploma is not the last educational stop required

60% Share of new jobs, 2000–10 40% 36% 31% 22% 20% 10% 0% High school dropout High school diploma Some postsecondary Bachelor's degree Jobs that require at least some postsecondary education will make up more than two-thirds of new jobs.

Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna M. Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K–16 Reform, Educational Testing Service, 2003.

All students, not just those bound for college, benefit from taking challenging courses in high school.

  Preparation for technical school and work Fields from auto mechanics to tourism now rely on technology and require strong math and science skills.

Case in point:

  Requirements for tool and die makers   Four or five years of apprenticeship and/or postsecondary training Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics Requirements for sheet metal workers   Four or five years of apprenticeship Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and technical reading Source: American Diploma Project , 2002.

Employers say high school graduates lack basic skills.

  73 percent of employers rate the writing skills of recent high school graduates as fair or poor 63 percent were dissatisfied with graduates’ math skills --Reality Check, Public Agenda, 2002

“Even 15 years ago, a high school diploma was a ticket to the middle class. Those days, and those jobs, are gone.” --Jacquelyn M. Belcher, vice chair, National Commission on the High School Senior Year

When it comes to RIGOR, students say,

“Bring it on.”

9 in 10 students say they would work harder if their high school expected more of them Less than 1/3 say their school sets high academic expectations State of Our Nation’s Youth, Horatio Alger Association, May 2005

Regardless of family background: Most students believe study after high school is an advantage.

Life After High School, Public Agenda, 2005

Education Pays:

Annual earnings of 25-34 year-olds by attainment, 2001

$70,000 $60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 27,831 29,663 34,259 36,135 49,011 57,155 $20,000 $10,000

HS, no diploma HS diploma Some coll, no deg Assoc deg BA/BA Master's Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, March 2002

Higher learning = Higher earnings

Unemployment rate in 2003 Median weekly earnings 2003 2.9% 3.3% 4.0% 5.2% 5.5% 8.8% Master’s degree Bachelor’s degree Associate’s degree $1,064 $900 $672 Some college, no degree $622 High school graduate $554 Some high school, no diploma $396

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unemployment and full-time wage and salary earnings for workers 25 and older.

Students know learning matters…

Our job is to prepare them for success.

“This is not about competition among school districts; the competition is global. It’s absolutely imperative that we prepare our students to go on for more education after high school.” --Governor Tom Vilsack

Iowa’s Leadership Challenge:

  All students will graduate having taken challenging, relevant courses that prepare them well for productive employment and citizenship.

Iowa Learns Council Goal: 90% of Iowa high school graduates will go on to complete at least two years of college.

An Iowa Reality Check So, how are we doing?

The Iowa Education Pipeline

   

For every 100 Iowa 9 th graders:

83 graduate from high school four years later 54 immediately enter college 37 are still enrolled their second year 28 will earn an associate’s degree within 3 years or a bachelor’s degree within 6 years Source: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 2002

The OUR DISTRICT Education Pipeline

 

For every 100 9 th graders in our district:

XX graduate from high school four years later XX immediately enter college   XX are still enrolled their second year XX will earn an associate’s degree within 3 years or a bachelor’s degree within 6 years

Insert your data here

if available

Checkpoint:

Iowa High School Graduation  Iowa is among the top states in terms of graduation rate… Yet at least 1 of 10 Iowa students doesn’t graduate.

Source: Iowa Condition of Education Report, 2004-05

Checkpoint:

Algebra I  The “traditional” course for high school freshmen, yet… 45.3% of Iowa 9th graders take a lower-level course Source: Improving Rigor and Relevance in the High School Curriculum, Iowa Department of Education, September 2005

Checkpoint:

Core Curriculum 4 years English and 3 years each of math, natural science and social studies 1/3 of Iowa students who take the ACT take less than a core curriculum Source: Iowa Condition of Education Report, 2004-05

Checkpoint:

Advanced Placement  U.S. high schools providing A.P. courses:

60%

Iowa high schools:

45%

Iowa ranks 46th in the nation in the number of AP exams taken by 11th and 12th graders Source: Iowa Department of Education, September 2005

Checkpoint:

Achievement Gap On virtually every indicator… Your chances of success go down remarkably if you are poor or a racial minority.

Source: Indicators in Iowa Condition of Education Report, 2004-05

Checkpoint:

In our district…

Insert slides with your district data here

If this is our destination…

  All students will graduate having taken challenging, relevant courses that prepare them well for productive employment and citizenship.

Iowa Learns Council Goal: 90% of Iowa high school graduates will go on to complete at least two years of college.

Then our focus must be on

Rigor Relevance

and

Relationships

  

It’s more than…

Rigor

Memorizing Reciting Restating

Students must become adept at…

 Deep understanding    Applying knowledge Solving problems Analyzing

Relevance

   Relates to student interests and needs Real-world situations and contexts Linked to a global economy and democratic life

Relationships

   Ensuring each student feels connected, each student succeeds Caring, student focused environment Supports for struggling students

6 Keys for Iowa Schools

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6.

High Expectations Collaborative Leadership Professional Development Student-Focused School Environment Rigorous, Relevant Curriculum Student Assessment and Program Evaluation

5 Keys for Iowa Communities

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2.

3.

4.

5.

High Expectations Parent Involvement Business Engagement Community Supports for Youth Understanding of School Change Efforts

The Focus for Our District

CUSTOMIZE Describe your district’s efforts or plan here. Keep it simple.

Brighter Futures Ahead

prepared by Iowa Association of School Boards www.ia-sb.org

In partnership with Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa High Schools Steering Committee