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EMAIL THIS | PRINTER FRIENDLY EWP 8 PDF (279 kb) WHAT THE PRESS SAID 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