Are We Preparing Our Students for the 21st

Century?

(no)

• According to the ACT College Readiness Report, 78% of U.S. high school graduates in 2008 did not meet readiness benchmark levels for one or more entry-level college courses in mathematics, science, reading, and English. 

• The World Economic Forum ranks the U.S. 48th in the quality of its math and science education. 

• The United States ranks 20th in high school completion rate among industrialized nations and 16th in college completion rate.

U.S. Competitive Position has Further Declined in Past 5 Years

Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Rapidly Approaching Category Fivehttp://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12999

• In 2009, 51% of U.S. patents were awarded to non-U.S. companies

• China has replaced the U.S. as the #1 high-tech exporter• China is #2 in publication of biomedical research• Nearly 1/3 of U.S. manufacturing companies are

suffering from some level of skills shortage• In 2009, we spent more on POTATO CHIPS than the U.S.

government spent on alternative energy research

Incoming College Freshman

• Are unprepared to use mathematics in introductory biology, chemistry, and biochemistry courses.

• Are unprepared for the amount of time needed to study outside of class.

• 80% expect at least a “B” for reading assignments & taking tests.

• Have poor expository writing skills.

In a survey of more than 2,000 high school seniors in the Chicago metropolitan area, sociologist James Rosenbaum reported that almost half of the students in the sample (46%) agreed with the statement: "Even if I do not work hard in high school, I can still make my future plans come true."

Shut Out of the Military

• More than 1 in 5 recent HS graduates do not meet the minimum score to enlist in the U.S. armed forces

• In PA, 21% fail to meet the minimum score– (higher rates for ethnic

minorities)

• Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) – math knowledge– arithmetic reasoning– word knowledge– paragraph

comprehension

• Recruits with the highest scores are eligible for elite categories of training

“The widespread lack of readiness among enlistees to meet the criteria for [highly technical] positions reduces their options within the military and, by cutting them off from the relevant training, limits the skills they will bring to civilian careers if and when they leave the military.

“The military recommends that examinees take a solid core of courses in mathematics, English, and science to do well on the exam. But, clearly, the K-12 system has not responded with a sufficiently rigorous course of study, depriving many applicants of the knowledge and skills they need to serve. The loss is theirs – and ours.”

http://www.edtrust.org/sites/edtrust.org/files/publications/files/ASVAB_4.pdf

Shut Out of the Military: Today’s High School Education Doesn’t Mean You’re Ready for Today’s Army

ACT College Readiness Report

• Of all 8th & 9th graders who met a reading benchmark for their grade:– 93% also met the English benchmark– 67% also met the Mathematics benchmark– 32% also met the Science benchmark

• Of all 8th & 9th graders who DID NOT meet a reading benchmark for their grade:– only 40% met the English benchmark– only 15% met the Mathematics benchmark– only 1% met the Science benchmark

ACT recommends strengthening reading instruction in ALL high school courses by incorporating complex reading materials into course content.

• Only about half of all students who enroll in an associate or bachelor’s program finish with a degree.

• 60% of all community college students require remedial math; less than 25% of these students earn a degree over 8 years.

• More than half of all minority students who earn a BS in a STEM field begin in a community college.

College Graduation Rates

Future Academic Success• The rigor and number of high school mathematics

courses a student successfully completes is shown to be one of the biggest influences on student achievement. (http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/NationalConf/2007/Handouts/S229H3.pdf )

• Finishing math beyond Algebra 2 more than doubles the odds a student entering a post-secondary education will complete a BS or BA.

• Students who leave high school without mastering Algebra 2 are unable to enroll in STEM-related post-secondary programs or majors.

National & International Assessments

• PISA: Programme for International Student Assessment– tests 15-year-olds internationally in reading, math, and

science– no ESL or students with IEPs participate– over 60 countries

• NAEP: National Assessment of Educational Progress– national test given to representative sampling of

students in all states in grades 4, 8, 12 in multiple subjects

– accommodations made for students with IEPs

* p < .05. Significantly different from the corresponding OECD average percentage at the .05 level of statistical significance.

• 23 percent of U.S. students scored below level 2 (not measurably different from OECD average).

• 27 percent of U.S. students scored at or above level 4 (smaller than 32 percent for OECD average).

• 10 percent of U.S. students scored at level 5 or 6 (13% did for OECD average).

U.S. at OECD Average at PISA Mathematics Proficiency Level 2; Below OECD Average

at Levels 4 & 6

11

SOURCE: Fleischman et al. (2010). Highlights From PISA 2009: Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy in an International Context (NCES 2011-004) .

Which Countries Out-Perform US Students?

• China (Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong)

• Liechtenstein• Korea• Finland• Switzerland• Japan• Canada• Netherlands• New Zealand• Belgium• Australia• Germany• Estonia• Iceland• Denmark• Slovenia• Norway• France• Slovak Republic

THESE COUNTRIES ARE NOT MEASURABLY DIFFERENT FROM THE US SCORES ON PISA MATH•Austria•Poland•Sweden•Czech Republic•United Kingdom•Hungary•UNITED STATES•Luxembourg•Ireland•Portugal•Spain•Italy•Latvia

U.S. at the OECD Average for Levels 2 & 4 in Science; Below Average for Level 6

• 18 percent of U.S. students scored below level 2 (as did 18 percent in OECD countries, on average).

• 29 percent of U.S. students scored at or above level 4 (as did 29 percent in OECD countries, on average).

• 1 percent of U.S. students scored at level 6 (2% OECD average).

13

SOURCE: Fleischman et al. (2010). Highlights From PISA 2009: Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy in an International Context (NCES 2011-004) .

Examples of Different Levels of Rigor in Mathematics

What is the value of x in the right triangle?

A. 8 feet B. 12 feet C. 18 feet D. 23 feet

12th Grade California Question

What is the measure of angle XYZ?

A. 570 B. 630 C. 1230 D. 1370

11th Grade PSSA Question

Z

YX

13 feet

x

Grade 2: The Stars Problem

Every time Mike reads a book he puts a star on a paper that hangs on his door. The first week he put two stars on the paper. The second week he put four stars on the paper. The third week he put six stars on the paper. If this continues, how many stars will Mike put on the paper the eighth week?

The work of Student 1 is correct.

It is pictorial and literal.

The work of Student 2 shows a higher level of abstraction.

The student has recognized a pattern and organized the data into a table.

The work of Student 3 is at a very high level that would be comparable to that of a strong high school student.

The student has:

•restated the problem

•outlined a strategy for solving the problem

•developed the data into a table

•extracted the pattern from the data

•developed a general formula

•documented the variables in the formula

•tested the formula in special cases

•remarked “My rule works, it is fun.”

But the student is not finished yet.

Student 3 has also drawn the graph of the data in the table. Notice that:

• the units in the problem are clearly marked on the axes.

• the student has enjoyed the graphing:“I love to do the dots.”

All 3 students had the same teacher during undifferentiated

math instruction• # 1 was with an

experienced 2nd grade teacher before any math professional development or mentoring.

• #2 was in her class after one year of mentoring by another elementary teacher who had taken extra courses in college level mathematics.

• #3 was in her class after the teacher took 2 courses in college math (Mathematics as a Second Language: Algebra & Functions).

It is no coincidence that Chinese students do better in math than American students.

Comparison of PISA/NAEP/PSSA data (8th grade or 15 years old)

Science Below Basic

Basic Proficient Advanced

PISA 18% 53% 20% 9% (1% level 6)

NAEP (PA) 32% 33% 33% 2%

PSSA 25.5% 17.3% 33.7% 23.5%

Math Below Basic

Basic Proficient Advanced

PISA 23% 49% 17% 10% (2% level 6)

NAEP (PA) 22% 38% 30% 10%

PSSA 12.0% 12.8% 24.1% 51.1%

Scores decline in the upper grades

Across almost all schools, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds, test scores decline in the upper grades in math, reading, and science as the tests become more complex and less focused on literal facts.

7 Keys to College Readiness

• KEY 1: Read at advanced levels in Grades K – 2

• KEY 2: Score ‘advanced’ in reading in grades 3 - 8

• KEY 3: Complete advanced math in grade 5

• KEY 4: Complete Algebra 1 by grade 8 with a “C” or higher

• KEY 5: Complete Algebra 2 by grade 11 with a “C” or higher

• KEY 6: Score 3 on an AP exam

• KEY 7: Score 1650 on the SAT or 24 on the ACT

21st CENTURY SKILLS

There is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st century workplaces.

To successfully face rigorous higher education coursework, career challenges and a globally competitive workforce, U.S. schools must align classroom environments with real world environments by infusing 21st century skills.

Demand and wages continue to grow in “non-routine analytic” positions that require synthesizing skills, problem solving, and strong communications skills.

Occupations with the fastest growth

% chang

e

Education/training category

Biomedical engineers 72 Bachelor's degree

Network systems & data communications analysts

53 Bachelor's degree

Home health aides 50 Short-term on-the-job training

Personal and home care aides 46 Short-term on-the-job training

Financial examiners 41 Bachelor's degree

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists 40 Doctoral degree

Physician assistants 39 Master's degree

Biochemists and biophysicists 37 Doctoral degree

Athletic trainers 37 Bachelor's degree

Physical therapist aides 36 Short-term on-the-job training

Dental hygienists 36 Associate degree

Veterinary technologists and technicians 36 Associate degree

Dental assistants 36Moderate-term on-the-job training

Computer software engineers, applications 34 Bachelor's degree

Medical assistants 34Moderate-term on-the-job training

Physical therapist assistants 33 Associate degree

Veterinarians 33 First professional degree

Labor Trends 1973 - 2007

• Manufacturing jobs:– 24% to 10%

• Service sector jobs:– 70% to 83%

Scientists and engineers command salaries higher than other fields, have a stable employment base, and frequently cannot be outsourced to India or China because of the Patriot Act.

Economic Impact of STEM in PA

• STEM jobs average $9.55 / hr more than non-STEM jobs

• 10% growth for STEM jobs vs. 4% for non-STEM jobs

• An entry-level technician at an automotive service facility needs to have completed coursework in math, computers or electronics, automotive technology, and analytical skills.

Use 21st Century Skill Maps

• Promote literacy in math & science:– use news articles for reading assignments– require students to evaluate source of online

information– use real-world data for problems and projects

• Test on the application and evaluation of content knowledge:– give grades in fractions– use charts, graphs, and data

across the curriculum

K-12 Teachers

• Communicate with parents & students frequently.

• It’s not your world anymore – it’s the students’. Prepare them for the future, not the present.

• Have high standards for achievement.

• Follow academic standards for curriculum development.

• Provide clear, concise statements on what you will base your grades.

• Create grading rubrics and post on-line.• Have one-on-one meetings with faltering students

and/or parents as soon as they start losing ground.• Reduce homework assignments.• Grade more on achievement (summative

assessment) than effort or practice (formative assessment).

• Test on the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy:– apply, analyze, synthesize, evaluate

Require Higher Levels of Student Achievement

What Works In Science

• Combined inquiry science and literacy instruction.

• Incorporating grade-level mathematics with science investigations.

• Using real-world questions to solve in science investigations.

• Providing out-of-classroom experiences in science exploration (museums, field experiences, competitions).

What Works in Math• Using real-world questions to solve in

math problems.• Incorporating grade-level

mathematics with science investigations.

• Early intervention for struggling students:– remediation should include 10 min. per

session building fluent retrieval of basic arithmetic facts

– provide models of proficient problem solving, verbalization of thought processes, guided practice, corrective feedback, and frequent cumulative review

• Type of textbook or computer program has a statistically insignificant effect.

What HS Graduates Need to Know

• To be financially INDEPENDENT:– you will need to attend schooling beyond HS– you will need to read and write at the 12th grade level– you must MASTER Algebra 2

• To be in a career with a stable employment base:– you must have high levels of technical skills– you must be able to read and understand technical

papers– you need a certificate of completion for a technical

program, an associate degree, or a bachelor’s degree– you will continue to take classes for most of your life

Advice to Parents

• Preparing for life after high school begins in the elementary grades

• The knowledge and skills students learn in grades 3 – 8 will help them achieve better in high school

• A student who is reading below grade level by grade 3 may NEVER catch up to his/her peers

• A student who has not mastered Algebra 1 by 9th grade will NEVER be able to enroll in post-secondary STEM programs