Alignment is key to getting more students through school and into a fulfilling career. We need to align middle school to high school, high school to college, and college to career. We also need alignent between K-12 systems, colleges, and businesses. And most importantly between students, schools, and parents.
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Raised prices and lowered standards. That’s a familiar expectation for many of our experiences and products today.
In his recent article, “Subprime College Educations,” George F. Will shares some statistics that shed light on how increased prices and lower standards are changing higher education. Over the last 30 years, college tuition and fees have risen over 440 percent. Today, twenty-nine percent of student-loan borrowers will not graduate. Many college grads are entering the workforce unable to get a job that can put a dent in their student loans (He gives the example of one young woman who graduated with a degree in religious and women’s studies and $100,000 in debt making barely enough to pay off her monthly student loan bill).
Learning is a process. We often think of the K-12 experience as a linear experience as students progress from one grade to the next, but within the 12+ years of school, students undergo multiple transitions that break that numerical structure and make it anything but seamless.
Most summer learning programs are designed for younger students. A summer program or a list of books to checkout from the library is all it takes to help kids stay academically active over the summer months and ready to take on the next school year.
But what about college students? After a stressful senior year in high school or a challenging semester in college, many students are inclined to take a break from learning before the next semester. This can do more harm than good. Putting the brakes on learning at any point in one’s life is discouraged, especially in college where we hope students are learning knowledge is power, knowledge is infinite, and knowledge fades if it’s not put to use.
The achievement gap is not an invisible problem. It is one that we can see and one that can be eliminated if we take action. Every summer underprivileged students who don’t have the means for learning resources or experiences will get set behind their more affluent peers. They also are more likely to return to a home environment every day that is not conducive to learning. Low-income families may have illiterate parents, no or limited access to technology, and a lack of literature — all influences that keep the poverty cycle going and the achievement gap strong.
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Everyone is special.
That’s the message many students have learned over the last decade in supportive classrooms and home environments. That’s why for many a commencement speech that recently went viral was such a shock (and for some a breath of fresh air).  In her article “Should We Stop Telling Our Kids That They’re Special?” Erika Christakis responded to the speaker who told the graduating class: “You’re not special, you are not exceptional.”
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Every year the economic demand for workers who have some level of higher education grows by 3 percent, but the number of college graduates has only grown by 1 percent per year. This gap has created a demand for more college graduates, which is why those with a college degree make 74 percent more than high school graduates, explains Anthony P. Carnevale in his article “The Real Education Crisis Is Just Over That Cliff.”
Half of employees were either ready to leave their jobs or unhappy in their position, according to last year’s Mercer survey.1
As we discuss how to get more students graduating from high school and college and into a career, it’s important individuals, schools, and businesses align their definitions of success so that an individual’s strengths and abilities are maximized. In school, success is largely measured by class standing and grades. In your career, success can be measured by status or money. But what about fulfillment? Purpose? Meaning? Contribution?
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Today, the U.S. is in 21st place for high school completion rates and 15th place for college completion. Only 40 years ago, American students were at the top of the list.1Â Students need to be engaged, motivated, challenged, and supported. Above all, they need to be challenged in ways that will allow them to take responsibility for their strengths and interests. They also need role models, mentors, community, and their own space. In addition, they need learning programs such as tutoring, extracurricular activities, and summer enrichment, which enhance learning basics.
K12 communities want students to have higher scores and higher graduation rates. Colleges want active students and successful grads. The working world wants a bigger talent pool and more creative minds to fuel innovation and job growth.