Why a Rigorous Curriculum is

ImportantChristine Walzak

Info from College Board

O Those students who take more difficult and higher placed courses in high school are more prepared and successful than those that do not in both college and life

O Engaging students with difficult and rigorous materials, as well as having higher standards is vital to give students the edge to compete in the 21st century economy

O “There are no shortcuts to success!”

Info from College Board

O In 2010, students who completed a core curriculum (4+ years of English, 3+ years of mathematics, 3+ years of natural science, and 3+ years of social science and history) scored an average of 151 points higher on the SAT than those students who did not have a core curriculum

Info from Student AidO Taking difficult classes helps you get into

college: Colleges look at how challenging high school classes are, not just the grades that were received. Admissions officials want to see that students challenges themselves, especially in selective schools. Receiving high grades in more difficult courses sets students apart from others.

O More difficult courses can qualify you for some merit-based grants: A rigorous schedule is important in receiving certain federal grants to go to school.

Info from Student AidO Taking higher level courses can give you

college credits during high school, which saves you money: Some schools will give credit based on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes taken in high school. Each of these credits is dependent on the ability transfer as well as the final grade in the course and the exam score. Taking college credit courses in high school also offers a cheaper way of gaining credit toward a degree.

O “By completing a rigorous curriculum program, you show a willingness to take on academic challenges and improve your standing with college admissions officers.”

Info from ACTO The most important

content and performance standards are common in both college and career readiness, so being more productive in high school not only betters those that continue their education, but also those entering the workforce

O Students need to begin preparing for college starting in 8th grade all the way up until the last day of 12th grade.

Info from The Tool Box/ The Tool Box Revisited

This table shows that after Algebra 2, the likelihood of earning a bachelors degree doubles both in 1982 and 1992

Info from Answers in the Tool Box

O AP courses are strongly correlated with the likelihood of students completing a bachelors program

O Taking a math class above Algebra 2 more than doubles the likelihood of a student completing a bachelors program

Info from Rise to the Challenge

O Recent high school graduates and college instructors, as well as employers, are recommending more rigorous courses and high education expectations in high school

O 2/5 recent high school graduates make claims of there being gaps between the education they had received in high school and the skills, work habits, and abilities that are expected of them both in college and the work force

O College instructors are especially serious and are not satisfied with how high schools are preparing students in all courses, but especially in writing and mathematics

Info from Rise to the Challenge

O Less than ¼ high school graduates feel as if they were challenged or were held to expectations to graduate from high school

O Graduates who face higher expectations and more likely to feel prepared for college and the work force

O Graduates, employers, and instructors support a reform agenda, including measures that would raise expectations for high school students by testing them more rigorously and requiring more difficult and challenging courses

Info from Rise to the Challenge

O High school graduates long for raised standards in schooling. A majority of students say that they would have worked harder in high school if they had demanded more and had higher academic expectations

Info from Rise to the Challenge

College instructors and employers also believe that students are not prepared enough in high school

Ways that students do not believe they were prepared in high school:

Info from NACACO Rigorous curriculums are the best preparation

for continuing education and its successO Out of 100 9th graders, 69 graduate from high

school on time, 38 enter college immediately, 28 remain in college after the 2nd year, only 20 graduate from college within 6 years

O 71 percent of NACAC members attributed importance to strength of curriculum in 2009, compared to 16 percent attributing it to class rank

NACAC Policy Brief:The COMPETES Act (HR 2272)

O $75 million for 5 year grants to increase the number of teachers qualified to teach AP and IB courses

O $95 million for 3 year grants to improve math instruction in elementary and middle school

O $95 million for 3 year grants to implement research based math instruction for secondary schools

O 5 grants at $1,600 each to establish summer programs focused on STEM subjects for needy students in low income schools

O $28 million for 5 year partnership grants led by a college or university to increase opportunity to study foreign language and to increase proficiency in second language

ReferencesO http://www.ivyboost.com/?p=657O http://

www.studentaid.com/Planning/Prepare/Rigorous-CurriculumO http://

www.nacacnet.org/issues-advocacy/LegislativeNews/Pages/RigorousCurriculum.aspx

O http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED431363.pdfO http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/toolboxrevisit/to

olbox.pdfO http://

www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/MindTheGaps.pdfO http://

www.achieve.org/files/AchieveClosingtheExpectationsGap2011.pdf

O http://www.achieve.org/files/pollreport_0.pdfO http://

www.nacacnet.org/issues-advocacy/policy/Documents/Rigorous%20Curriculum.pdf

O http://www.nacacnet.org/issues-advocacy/policy/Documents/summary_COMPETES.pdf