Education Working Paper No. 8  February 2005 Public High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates: 1991–2002 Proficiency 101 By Jay P. Greene & Marcus A. Winters, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2-28-05 What the Press Said: Study: Texans lag in college preparation Dallas Morning News (subscription), TX, 2-15-05 Graduates: For students and state, a clear message to improve Detroit Free Press, 2-15-05 Report calls South Carolina’s graduation rate worst in nation Charleston Post and Courier (subscription required), 2-15-05 Tennessee's graduation rate still near bottom The Tennessean, TN, 2-15-05 Wisconsin's graduation rates improve Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, 2-15-05 State's grad rate down Rocky Mountain News, 2-15-05 GRADUATE RACE-DIVIDE GETTING WORSE New York Post, 2-15-05 State's high school graduation rate flat Seattle Post Intelligencer, 2-15-05 White grad rate twice others' New York Daily News, 2-15-05 Iowa's graduation rate ranks 2nd in US DesMoinesRegister.com, IA, 2-15-05 When is a graduate not a graduate? (not on web), Plain Dealer (Cleveland) February 15, 2005 Study: 32 percent of NY's Class of 2002 college-ready New York Newsday, NY, 2-15-05 More state students graduating on time Seattle Times, 2-15-05 Study: State grads lack college skills Oklahoma City Oklahoman, 2-15-05 Study: More blacks graduate Providence Journal (subscription), RI – February 16 A Failing Grade: 22: Let's give more Texas kids the skills for ... Dallas Morning News (subscription), TX Dropout rate targeted Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription), GA Senate Democrats Discuss Education Options The Chattanoogan, TN Iowa tied for No. 2 in high school graduation rate Sioux City Journal, IA, 2-15-05 College readiness up among La. high school students, report says Baton Rouge Advocate, LA, 2-15-05 State's rate of black grads rises Las Vegas Sun, 2-15-05 DOE rejects lower estimate of graduation rate in Hawai'i (2002-11-24) Honolulu Advisor Michigan Graduation Rate Improves, But Not Near Enough The Detroit News New York State Graduation Rates WIVB, NY, 2-15-05 Study Says 37% Of State High School Grads Ready For College KOTV, OK, 2-15-05 Iowa tied for No. 2 in high school graduation rate KWQC-TV, IA, 2-15-05 Iowa tied for No. 2 in high school graduation rate WOI, IA, 2-15-05 Report: College Readiness Up Among La. High School Students New Orleans Channel.com, LA, 2-15-05 Iowa tied for No. 2 in high school graduation rate WHO-TV, IA, 2-15-05 HS Graduation Rate Is On The Rise KSL-TV, UT, 2-15-05 Report says Wisconsin black graduation rate improved Duluth News Tribune, MN, 2-15-05 Study: NY high school grad rate well below national average Ithaca Journal, NY, 2-15-05 NY's high school graduation rate lags national average Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY, 2-15-05 Study: NY high school grad rate well below national average Ithaca Journal, NY, 2-15-05 Alabama's graduation rate 47th nationally AL.com, AL, 2-15-05 Study: Most Utah high school grads not college-ready New Utah, UT, 2-15-05 Study: Most Utah high school grads not college-ready Provo Daily Herald, UT, 2-15-05 College readiness up among La. high school students, report says KATC, LA, 2-15-05 College readiness up among La. high school students, report says KLFY, LA, 2-15-05 College readiness up among La. high school students, report says Dateline Alabama, AL, 2-15-05 State's grad rate lags behind nation Capital News 9, NY, 2-15-05 Study: NY's high school graduation rate trails national figures WSTM-TV, NY, 2-15-05 When is a graduate not a graduate? (not on web), Plain Dealer (Cleveland) February 15, 2005 Black students graduation rate in Rhode Island tops nation WLNE-TV (ABC6), RI, 2-16-05 Miss. graduation rate rises but still lags nation's Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 2-16-05 State officials dispute study on dropouts Report claims fewer ... The Decatur Daily, AL, 2-16-05 College readiness up in high schools DeRidder Beauregard Daily News, LA, 2-16-05 Study: Texans lag in college preparation WFAA (subscription), TX, 2-16-05 Study: Texans lag in college preparation Denton Record Chronicle (subscription), TX, 2-16-05 Washington state briefs OregonLive.com, OR, 2-16-05 How many grads? Take a guess Indianapolis Star, 2-17-05 Trying to decipher education statistics Jacksonville Daily News, NC, 2-17-05 Not by the numbers; High school reform needed in state The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) 2-16-05 Setting new standards Enid News & Eagle, OK State denies having one of the worst graduation rates in nation KPUA, HI Thumbs up/down: Meth use, graduation rate, college drinking ... Janesville Gazette, WI Bush cuts hit popular Miss. ed programs Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS - Feb 21, 2005 Study: Wyoming graduation rate 71 percent The Casper Star Tribune, WY - Feb 20, 2005 Angela Shah A bad grade for Texas' economy Dallas Morning News (subscription), TX - Feb 20, 2005 Wyoming digest Billings Gazette, MT Editorial: Florida high school's need to fix 59 percent graduation ... Fort Pierce Tribune, FL Setting new standards Enid News & Eagle, OK - Feb 21, 2005 Louisiana College Readiness KLFY, LA LA Editorial Rdp Times Picayune, LA Backyard Bird Count was a lot of fun Tallahassee Democrat, FL Key use for schools cash? Think small Newsday, NY Public High Schools are Obsolete and Failing; Legislatures ... Hawaii Reporter, HI US Education Secretary Spellings Calls Proposed Education Budget ... All American Patriots (press release), Sweden School OfficialsTrying to Reverse Drop in Wyo. Graduation  Rates KGWN, WY School officials trying to reverse drop in Wyo. graduation rates Billings Gazette, MT Measure grad rates by an honest standard Denver Post, CO The Early-College Experiment Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription) Mar 7, 2005 Assignment: Fix state's high schools Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription), GA, Mar 7, 2005 School reforms' goal: more prepared grads Toledo Blade, OH, Mar 6, 2005 Remaking the high schools The Grand Rapids Press, MI, Mar 6, 2005 Column: Time to finance our children's education Norton Mirror, MA, Mar 4, 2005 High schools losing 1/3 of their students San Antonio Express (subscription), TX, 3-8-05 Assignment: Fix state's high schools; Georgia joins a national debate on how to help students succeed, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 7, 2005 Fact check on Bush's speech Palm Beach Post, FL, Mar 9, 2005 Regents results improve Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, Mar 10, 2005 The Early-College Experiment, The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 11, 2005 Hard lessons: Minn. shootings again raise security concerns Seattle Times - Mar 23, 2005 School shooting highlights plight of Indian teens Times Herald-Record, NY - Mar 22, 2005 School shooting: familiar echoes, new concerns ABC News - Mar 22, 2005 School shooting: familiar echoes, new concerns Christian Science Monitor - Mar 22, 2005 Students Not Ready For Workforce, Study Says AXcess News, NV - 6 hours ago Students Graduating From High School Without Proper Life Skills Watchman Herald, TX - Apr 2, 2005 Students Not Ready for Workforce, Study Says Kansas City infoZine, MO - Apr 1, 2005 SchoolMatters gives data that matter eSchool News (subscription), MD - Mar 31, 2005 . . . And So Do Those They Have Failed Washington Post - Apr 1, 2005 Six reasons why 9 was a bad deal for schools, The Miami Herald, April 10, 2005 High school dropout crisis carries a high price tag for all involved, The Asheville Citizen-Times, April 5, 2005 SCHOOL DISTRICT HOPES TO TRACK TRUE DROPOUT RATES, The Santa Fe New Mexican (New Mexico), April 1, 2005 CPS graduation rate rising, The Cincinnati Enquirer, March 31, 2005 Kentucky madness: neglecting education, March 27, 2005, Lexington Herald Leader (Kentucky) The bad news about the dropout rate; New study shows state school officials have been downplaying a problem that's getting worse, The Orange County Register (California), March 27, 2005 High school graduation: A long-anticipated moment, The Sheboygan Press, March 27, 2005 High schools losing 1/3 of their students ; Attrition declines, but not by much, San Antonio Express-News (Texas), March 8, 2005 Assignment: Fix state's high schools; Georgia joins a national debate on how to help students succeed, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 7, 2005 School reforms' goal: more prepared grads, Toledo Blade (Ohio), March 6, 2005 Key use for schools cash? Think small, Newsday, March 3, 2005 Senate Committee Passes Pre-K Plan, The Chattanoogan, TN, April 22, 2005 Advisers desire to fold MAP Columbia Daily Tribune, MO - Apr 25, 2005 Push for improved school efficiency, but handle urban districts ... Indianapolis Star - Apr 24, 2005 Graduation requirements may increase News-Leader.com, MO - Apr 23, 2005 Task forces recommends stricter graduation requirements Kansas City Star, MO - Apr 23, 2005 Students, be prepared to hit the books harder Kansas City Star, MO - Apr 23, 2005 High school success The Tulsa World, April 24, 2005 Kentucky madness: neglecting education; Funding Cuts Make No Sense For Struggling State The Lexington Herald Leader, March 27, 2005

EMAIL THIS | PRINTER FRIENDLY EWP 8 PDF (279 kb) SUMMARY: This study calculates high school graduation rates and the percentage of all students who left high school eligible to apply for college from 1991 to 2002. The study finds that during this period the graduation rate went from 72% to 71%, while the college readiness rate increased from 25% to 34%. The authors argue that the finding of flat high school graduation rates and increasing college readiness rates is likely the result of the increased standards and accountability programs over the last decade, which have required students to take more challenging courses required for admission to college without pushing those students to drop out of high school. TABLE OF CONTENTS: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ABOUT THE AUTHORS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT EDUCATION WORKING PAPERS INTRODUCTION PREVIOUS RESEARCH METHOD Calculating Public High School Graduation Rates Calculating Public High School College-Readiness Rates RESULTS High School Graduation Rates for the Class of 2002 College-Readiness Rates for the Class of 2002 Comparing College-Ready Graduates with Students Actually Entering College High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates over Time CONCLUSION ENDNOTES REFERENCES Table 1: High School Graduation Rates for the Class of 2002 Table 2: Ranking the States by High School Graduation Rate Table 3: Ranking States by White High School Graduation Rate Table 4: Ranking States by African-American High School Graduation Rates Table 5: Ranking States by Hispanic High School Graduation Rates Table 6: College Readiness Rates by Region and State Table 7: College Readiness Population Compared to Number of Students Who Entered College For First Time Table 8: Total High School Graduation Rates by State, 1991–2002 Table 9: White High School Graduation Rates by State, 1997–2002 Table 10: African-American High School Graduation Rates by State, 1997–2002 Table 11: Hispanic High School Graduation Rates by State, 1997–2002 Table 12: Total College Readiness Rates by Region and State, 1991–2002 Table 13: White College Readiness Rates by Region and State, 1997–2002 Table 14: African-American College Readiness Rates by Region and State, 1997–2002 Table 15: Hispanic College Readiness Rates by Region and State, 1997–2002