The global economy places a premium on ensuring that high school graduates acquire the skills to succeed in college or careers. Real progress has been made over the past decade as states and districts hit new highs in graduation rates across all student groups. But despite these gains, many high school graduates, especially the most vulnerable students, are still unprepared for college or careers. In general, states have set lower bars for reading and math proficiency than what college requires. A new analysis by the Alliance for Excellent Education reveals a bewildering variety of diploma types across the nation and suggests that the types most often awarded to historically underserved students do not prepare them for their next steps.
Join NASBE on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm (EDT), for a webinar that explores these gaps and highlights efforts in Colorado, Indiana, Virginia, Ohio, and Washington to rethink graduation requirements, provide more rigor and relevance, and steer all students toward postsecondary success. NASBE’s Don Long, Jennifer Zinth of the Education Commission of the States, and Phillip Lovell from the Alliance for Excellent Education will discuss ways to integrate high school curriculum with postsecondary goals and employability skills and “profiles of a high school graduate” aimed at ensuring graduates can navigate the rapidly changing world of work and technology. D.C. state board member and co-chair of the D.C. High School Graduation Requirements Taskforce Laura Wilson Phelan will talk about the work of the taskforce and how policymakers can focus on historically marginalized students as they develop education pathways.