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In the United States, students who graduate from college are likely to have higher earnings than those who only complete high school.21 But research also shows that it is students from affluent families who are more likely to graduate from college.22 Further, students of color and those from low-income families are less likely to be in a college-track curriculum in high school.23 Given these trends, completing a rigorous high school program can have significant consequences for students from low-income and minority backgrounds.
These magnet high schools present opportunities for students to advance themselves. They show what is possible in public education-that when public high schools provide students from all walks of life with rigorous curricula and high academic expectations, students will rise to the challenge. The measures of successful achievement are clear: These schools are outperforming local districts on state tests (see tables 2 through 9), are getting students into college, and are preparing them for a productive future.