A Success Curriculum for Wyoming
HS Hathaway Recipients
January 2007
History

1950
80 % of jobs classified as
unskilled.

2003
85 % of jobs classified as skilled
and require postsecondary
education.
Ref: Business Higher Education Forum-2003
The Educational Pipeline

Nationally:
88% of 8th graders say they
will pursue post-secondary
education.

Wyoming:
40 out of every 100 entering 9th
graders move directly on to
college.
The Wyoming Student Pipeline
For every 100 HS freshman:

Graduate from HS.
 Attend college.
 Graduate within 150 % of time.
76
40
19
Student Pipeline Comparison
Are still
Graduate
enrolled
within
their
150 % of
Sophomore
Time
Year
State
For Every
100 9th
Graders
High School
Graduates
Enter
College
Massachusetts
100
75
53
42
29
Iowa
100
83
52
36
27
Wyoming
100
76
40
NA
19
Problem
College Participation (2002)
College-going Rates of HS Graduates
70
Percent
65
60
55
50
45
55
57
WY
US
62
65
40
IN
MA
State
Indiana Rank:
9th
(40th in 1988)
The Issues Affecting Low
College Entrance

Preparation

Financial

Transition
All three must be addressed for success!
Preparation

What we teach in HS.

How we teach in HS.

Standards.

Information and the choices made based on information.
(Course Selection)
Success Curriculum
Course Selection
 ACT Performance
College Success
(workforce readiness)
ACT College Readiness
Benchmark Study

23,000 – 85,000 students

College ready benchmark
•
•
50 % chance of getting a B
75 % chance of getting a C
College Benchmarks

Math
22
(WY
21)

Science
24
(WY
21.4)

English
18
(WY
20.6)
50 % chance of getting a B
75 % chance of getting a C
ACT Core Curriculum

English (4 years or more)

Math (3 years or more)

Al I, Al II, Geometry

Science (3 years or more)

General/Physical/Earth, Biology,
Chemistry, Physics

Social Studies (3 years or more)
ACT now argues that the core curriculum is not enough.
2004 ACT Scores by College-Prep
Core Coursework
22
21.5
21
ACT Score
20.5
20
Core
19.5
Non-core
19
18.5
18
17.5
17
English
Math
Science
Subject
2004:
56% of ACT test takers had taken the core
curriculum
2003 ACT
Colorado+ & Illinois+
Core
Non-core
Colorado
21.9
18.5
Illinois
22.5
18.5
+Require
ACT of all students.
Course Selection
High ACT Scores (>26)



Top States
Nat. Ave
Wyoming
23 %
18 %
16 %
Wyoming’s average ACT score is above the national
average!
ACT College Readiness: Math

Benchmark
•
•
22
75 % chance of getting a C
50 % chance of getting a B
 Wyoming college ready: 42%
12th Graders in Upper Level Math (2004)
(Al II, Geom., Trig, Pre-calc., Calc.)


Top States
Wyoming
WY college ready:
66 %
51 %
42 %
al
cu
lu
s
C
II
Tr
ig
on
om
et
ry
Pr
eca
lc
ul
us
eo
m
G
Al
ge
br
a
Al
ge
br
a
et
ry
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
I
Completion Rate (%)
Bachelor's Completion Rates by
Highest Level of HS Math
The level of math preparation is the single most important high school
curricular experience to predict college success. (Adelman, 1999)
ACT College Readiness: Science

Benchmark
•
•

24
75 % chance of getting a C
50 % chance of getting a B
Wyoming college ready: 29 %
9th-12th Graders in Upper Level Science (2004)
( Chem., Physics, Biol. II, 2nd year Earth Sci., advanced science)

Top States
41 %

Wyoming
25 %
WY college ready:
29 %
Financial
HS Grads with High Test Scores
Failing to go Directly on to College

Affluent
5 / 100

Low-income
25 / 100
Ref: Challenging Times, Clear Choices: An Action Agenda for
College Access and Success
Financial  Preparation !
Low Income Participation

Preparation:



Low income students often
opt out of a rigorous core
curriculum early!
Low Income College Prep:
Middle Income College Prep:
High Income College Prep:
28 %
48 %
65 %
} SC
Governors Guide: Helping All Students Achieve Secondary and
Postsecondary Success
State Examples
Indiana
• College participation at 62 %
• National ranking improved from 34th to 9th from 1992-2002
North Carolina
• College participation at 64 %
• National ranking improved from 37th to 6th from 1992-2002
Louisiana
• ACT scores rise for students enrolled in the Louisiana
Regents Curriculum
Indiana Core 40
Math:
Al I, Al II, Geom.
Science:
Biology I, Chemistry I or
Physics I, core 40 science elective
English
4 years to include
literature, composition, and speech
Social Studies
3 years
Indiana:
Student/Parent Accountability
 Students are automatically enrolled in a
rigorous default (Core 40) program of study.
 Students and parents must opt out of the
rigorous default program.
Also done in Texas & Arkansas++
Arkansas Graduation Requirements
Math
Al I, Al II, Geom, elective (4 years)
Science
Biology I, Applied Biology, Chem. I,
Physics I, Principles of Technology
(3 years)
English
4 years
Oral Communication 0.5 years
Social Studies
3 years
UNC System (16 campuses)
Admission Requirements for 2006
Math
Al I, Al II, two years beyond (4 years)
Science
Biology , Chem. or Physics;
at least one laboratory course (3 years)
English
4 years
Foreign language
2 years
Social Studies
2 years
College participation: 1992-2002 + 14 %
Louisiana Regents
Math
Al I, Al II, Geom or Trig or Calculus
Science
Biology, Chemistry, science elective
• An additional unit of advanced math or science.
English
4 years
Social Studies
3 years
Foreign Language
(2 years, same language)
Louisiana 2004 ACT Scores
 State Average
19.8
 Less than Regents Core
16.5
 Regents Core
21.7
• Regents Core & GPA
23.8
Approximately 60 % of 2004 HS graduates took the
Regents’ core curriculum.
California State University
 400,000 students
 23 campuses
 Diverse (53% are students of color)
 An economic engine for California
• >50 % of state’s graduates of teachers
• >50 % of state’s graduates in agriculture majors
• >50 % of state’s graduates in engineering
CSU Admission
 English
(4 years)
 Math
(3 years, 4 is recommended: Al I,
Al II, Geom)
 Laboratory Science
(2 years including 1 biological
science and 1 physical science)
History and Social Science
(2 years)
 Foreign Language
(2 years, same language)
 Visual and performing arts
(1 year)
College Prep elective
( 1 Year)
Key Elements of a WY:
Success Curriculum

4 years of grade-level English

4 years of mathematics (Al I, Al II, Geom)

4 years of science
(3 taken from Bio I & II, Chemistry I & II, Physics I & II, geology)

3 years of social studies

2 years of foreign language (same language)
Arguments Against a Specified
Success Curriculum

What about the fine arts and vocational careers?
•

A burden to small schools?
•

Students/schools may be granted exemptions.
Will high school graduation rates decline?
•
•

Approximately 14-16 of 28-32 hours are specified.
Hathaway is completely decoupled from HS graduation requirements.
National data suggests Success Curriculum participation levels of 60-70%.
All students are not college bound.
•
Post HS work requirements and college prep requirements are rapidly
converging.
2004 Preparedness Survey

1,500 recent high school graduates
(evenly divided between college and workforce bound)

400 employers

300 college instructors
Achieve, Inc.
HS Graduates with some Preparation Gaps
Percent Unprepared
50
40
30
20
2004
10
0
College
Bound HS
Grads
Non-college
College
Bound HS Instructors
Grads
Employers
40% of students at 4-year institutions took at least
one remedial course (1980-1993).
80 % of students say they would have worked
harder if HS’s had demanded more.
Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars Program (Lumina Report)
College-going Rates of HS Graduates
70
Percent
65
60
55
50
45
55
57
WY
US
62
65
40
IN
MA
State
“It is generally ineffective to address only academic
preparation or financial aid.”
REFERENCES
American Diploma Project: Ready or Not
The Expectations Gap
Access Illumination 2005: Indiana’s 21st Century Program
CHEPA: Preparing for College
On Course for Success
ACT: Crisis at the Core
Rising to the Challenge: Are HS Grads Prepared for College and Work