Skills for Work, College Readiness Are Found Comparable

These are precisely the results I would have expected -- and further underscore how badly our schools are failing.

The reading and math skills needed for success in the workplace are comparable to those needed for success in the first year of college, a study set for release this week shows.

Conducted by ACT Inc., the study provides some of the first empirical evidence for those contending that the skills needed for work and postsecondary education are converging because of changes in an increasingly global, high-tech economy.

It's not that our schools have gotten worse, overall, over the past 35 years or so -- in fact, student achievement has been roughly flat -- but we're spending TWICE as much money (inflation adjusted) for ZERO increase in performance, PLUS, relative to other countries and the demands of our changing economy, we're falling further and further behind...

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Education Week

May 10, 2006

Skills for Work, College Readiness Are Found Comparable http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/05/10/36act.h25.html?levelId=1000

By Lynn Olson

The reading and math skills needed for success in the workplace are comparable to those needed for success in the first year of college, a study set for release this week shows.

Conducted by ACT Inc., the study provides some of the first empirical evidence for those contending that the skills needed for work and postsecondary education are converging because of changes in an increasingly global, high-tech economy.

It comes as policymakers and business leaders are pushing the nation's schools to step up their graduates' preparation for employment and further study. ("Economic Trends Fuel Push to Retool Schooling," March 22, 2006.)

For More Info

"Ready for College and Ready for Work: Same or Different?" is available from ACT.