SOUTH CAROLINA
PREPARING ALL
STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE,
CAREERS AND LIFE
Why College- and Career-Ready
Expectations for All?
Currently, far too many students drop out or graduate from high
school without the knowledge and skills required for success,
closing doors and limiting their post-high school options and
opportunities.
The best way to prepare students for life after high school is to align
K-12 and postsecondary expectations. All students deserve a world-
class education that prepares them for college, careers and life.
2
A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IS NO
LONGER ENOUGH FOR SUCCESS
The changing economy is accelerating the
expectations gap, as careers increasingly require
some education/training beyond high school,
and more developed knowledge and skills.
Jobs in Today’s Workforce Require More
Education & Training
Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna M. Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic
4
Roots of K–16 Reform, Educational Testing Service, 2003.
The Rise of the Middle-Skill Jobs
High-skill jobs
Occupations in the professional/ technical and managerial categories.
Often require four-year degrees and above
Middle-skill jobs
Occupations that include clerical, sales, construction, installation/repair,
production, and transportation/material moving.
Low-skill jobs
Occupations in the service and agricultural categories.
Often require some education and training beyond high school (but
typically less than a bachelor’s degree), including associate’s degrees,
vocational certificates, significant on-the-job training.
Source: The Future of Middle-Skill Jobs” by Harry J. Holzer and Robert I. Lerman, Brookings
5
Institution, February 2009.
Employment Shares by Occupational Skill Level
Source: The Future of Middle-Skill Jobs” by Harry J. Holzer and Robert I. Lerman, Brookings
6
Institution, February 2009.
Demand for Middle-Skill Workers Outpaces
South Carolina’s Supply
One result: In South Carolina, the demand for middle- and high-skilled
workers is outpacing the state’s supply of workers educated and
experienced at that level.
80% of South Carolina’s jobs are middle- or high-skill (jobs that require
some postsecondary education or training).
Yet only 34% of South Carolina adults have some postsecondary
degree (associate’s or higher).
Sources: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna Desrochers (2003). “Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K-12 Reform,” Education Testing
Services. http://www.learndoearn.org/For-Educators/Standards-for-What.pdf; Skills to Compete. http://www.skills2compete.org; Measuring Up 7
(2008), “The National Report Card on Higher Education. “ http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/index.php
The Rise of the Middle-Skill Jobs
Source: Milano, Jessica, Bruce Reed & Paul Weinstein Jr. (Sept 2009). A Matter of Degrees:
Tomorrow’s Fastest Growing Jobs and Why Community College Graduates Will Get Them. The 8
New Democratic Leadership Council
South Carolina’s Middle-Skill Jobs
Computer Support
$38,300 13% 44% 4.7 5.5 17%
Specialists
Radiologic
Technicians & $46,800 7% 68% 2.7 3.2 19%
Technologists
First-line Supervisors
/ Managers of $48,700 60% 30% 14.3 16.2 13%
Construction Trades
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
% Young Adults (25-34) with College Degree % Adults (25-64) with College Degree
% of Citizens with Postsecondary Degrees Among OECD Countries, by Age Group (2006)
55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 ALL (25-64)
1 U.S. (38%) Canada (43%) Canada (51%) Canada (55%) Canada (47%)
2 Canada (37%) U.S. (40%) Japan (46%) Japan (54%) Japan (40%)
3 N.Z. (30%) Japan (39%) Finland (41%) Korea (53%) U.S. (39%)
4 Denmark (28%) N.Z. (38%) U.S. (41%) N.Z. (44%) N.Z. (38%)
5 Finland (27%) Finland (34%) N.Z. (39%) Ireland (42%) Finland (35%)
6 Australia (26%) Denmark (33%) Korea (37%) Belgium (42%) Denmark (35%)
7 Sweden (25%) Australia (32%) Denmark (36%) Norway (42%) Australia (33%)
8 Norway (25%) Norway (30%) Belgium (35%) France (41%) Korea (33%)
9 Neth. (25%) Neth. (30%) Norway (35%) Denmark (41%) Norway (33%)
10 U.K. (24%) Switz. (29%) Iceland (34%) U.S. (39%) Belgium (32%)
11 Switz. (24%) Iceland (29%) Australia (33%) Spain (39%) Ireland (31%)
12 Japan (23%) U.K. (29%) Switz. (33%) Sweden (39%) Sweden (31%)
13 Germany (23%) Sweden (29%) Ireland (33%) Australia (39%) U.K. (30%)
14 Belgium (22%) Belgium (27%) Spain (31%) Finland (38%) Neth. (30%)
15 Iceland (21%) Germany (25%) U.K. (31%) U.K. (37%) Switz. (30%)
South Carolina (32%) SC (35%) SC (34%) SC (34%)
Source: OECD Education at a Glance, 2007; National Center for Higher Education Management
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Systems analysis of 2007 American Community Survey. http://www.higheredinfo.org
FAR TOO MANY STUDENTS DROP
OUT OR GRADUATE FROM HIGH
SCHOOL UNPREPARED FOR REAL
WORLD CHALLENGES
Of Every 100 9th Graders in South Carolina…
100
100
90
80
70 57
60
50 36
40 23
30 15
20
10
0
9th Graders Graduate Enroll in Still Enrolled Earn a
High School College In Sophomore College
in 4 Years the Fall Year Degree
Source: NCHEMS Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis. Student Pipeline - Transition and
Completion Rates from 9th Grade to College. 13
www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?submeasure=119&year=2006&level=nation&mode=data&state=0
Achievement Remains Low: 8th Grade
Achievement Over Time
79%
76% 80%
72%
69% 70% 50%
66% 55%
51% 60%
46%
40%
20%
N/A
N/A
0%
Asian American
Black Hispanic Indian
White
All
Source: Education Week, Education Counts. Developed through the Custom Table Builder,
16
http://www.edweek.org/rc/2007/06/07/edcounts.html
America’s International Edge is Slipping
South Carolina
U.S.
Korea
Norway
Japan
Canada
Israel
Denmark
Germany
Netherlands
Ireland
U.K.
Iceland
0 20 40 60 80 100
% Young Adults (25-34) with HS Diploma+ % Adults (25-64) with HS Diploma+
42%
45%
34% 40%
35%
23% 24% 30%
19%
25%
20%
15%
13% 8% 6% 10%
5%
0%
Reading, Writing
Reading
Writing or Math
Math
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education, 2004:
20
% of 1992 12th graders who entered postsecondary education.
How Many College Students Return Their
Sophomore Year – and Go On To Earn
Degrees?
76%
75%
56% 80%
53% 56% 70%
60%
48% 50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Completion (4-Year)
Persistence (4-Year)
Persistence (2-Year)
Source: NCES, IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey, analyzed by National Center for Management of
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Higher Education Systems.
The Majority of Graduates Would Have Taken
Harder Courses, Particularly in Mathematics
Math
Science
English
Source: Peter D. Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies. (2005) Rising to the
Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? Washington, DC: 23
Achieve.
A MORE RIGOROUS & RELEVANT
HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION WILL
OPEN DOORS FOR STUDENTS –
AND KEEP THEM OPEN
Personal Benefits of Education in South
Carolina
While there may be jobs available to high school drop outs and
graduates, they often pay less and offer less security than jobs
held by those with at least some postsecondary experience.
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Personal Benefits of Education in South
Carolina
5% HS Dropout $9,576
5% HS Graduate $26,017
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2008). “Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic
26
Supplement.” Figures are based on total person within the civilian labor force
The Importance of Rigorous Course-Taking
in Closing Gaps
Students who take challenging courses and meet high standards are
much more likely to enter college ready to succeed.
High school students who take advanced math double their chances of
earning a postsecondary degree:
59% of low-income students who took advanced math in high school earned
a bachelor’s degree.
36% of low-income students who did not complete the rigorous high school
course of study earned a bachelor’s degree.
Source: Horn, L. and A.M. Nuñez (2000). Mapping the Road to College: First-generation Students' Math Track, Planning
Strategies, and Context of Support. U.S. Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001153.pdf; Adelman, C. 27
(2006). The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School through College. U.S. Department of Education.
8th Graders Taking Algebra I
Source: ACT (2009), ACT 2009 Results. http://www.act.org/news/data/09/states.html; College Board, Mean SAT
Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing Scores by State. http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/cbs- 30
2009-Table-3_Mean-SAT-CR-MATH-and-Writing-Scores-by-State.pdf
THE SOLUTION:
STATE-LED EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE
EXPECTATIONS GAP
All students deserve a world-class education that
prepares them for college, careers and life.
The College- and Career-Ready Agenda
32
South Carolina’s Commitment to Closing
the Expectations Gap
33
HOW WELL IS
SOUTH CAROLINA
PREPARING ALL
STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE,
CAREERS AND LIFE