Friday, August 18, 2006

New report examines alignment of high school, college and work

Closing the Expectations Gap 2006: An Annual 50-State Progress Report on the Alignment of High School Policies with the Demands of College and Work is a recently published report from Achieve.org, a "a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise academic standards, improve assessments and strengthen accountability to prepare all young people for postsecondary education, work and citizenship." Achieve's Board Members include Michigan's Governor, Jennifer Granholm.

This report examines progress states are making in closing the gaps between high school standards and requirements and postsecondary and workplace expectations, which were identified through a 50 State survey done by Achieve.org in December 2005.

The issue of K-12 and postsecondary/workplace gaps was also recently discussed in an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (Powerful Forces Draw Academe Into the Fray 3/10/2006), which referenced the following additional reports on the topic.

A Nation at Risk (1983)
The Governance Divide: A Report on a Four-State Study on Improving College Readiness and Success (2005)
Betraying the College Dream (2003, Stanford)
School & College (Special Report, Chronicle of Higher Education, 2006)