Early summer—it’s the time of year when schools start to empty, and major education studies are published. The National Center for Education Statistics recently released The Condition of Education 2015, an update on the state of education in America.
Among the major findings:
- In 2011–12, more than 3 million public high school students, or 81 percent, graduated on time with a regular diploma.
- In 2013, more than 1 million associate's degrees were awarded, concentrated in the fields of liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities; health professions and related programs; and business, management, marketing and support services.
- 91 percent of 25-to-29-year-olds held a high school diploma or its equivalent in 2014; 34 percent had a bachelor's degree or more.
In addition, the annual update of Building a Grad Nation from Civic Enterprises and the Everyone Graduates Center came out recently. The report explains that the country is on track to meet the goal of 90 percent on-time high school graduation by 2020. These gains are largely due to increases in attainment for students who have traditionally struggled to complete.
The report includes several examples showcasing CTE's role in increasing high school graduation rates. For instance, North Carolina’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson attributes increasing attainment rates to CTE, among other strategies. In addition, a case study of Lashon, a student who overcame adversity to earn an associate degree, recommends more relevant, project-based and experiential curriculum to keep students engaged.
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