High School Graduates Need Similar Math, Reading Skills Whether Entering College or Workforce Training Programs

May 8, 2006

IOWA CITY, Iowa—High school students who plan to enter workforce training programs after they graduate need academic skills similar to those needed by students planning to enter college, according to a new study conducted by ACT. The findings suggest that the math and reading skills needed to be ready for success in workforce training programs are comparable to those needed for success in the first year of college.

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Ready for College and Ready for Work: Same or Different?

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Based on these results, ACT recommends that all high school students should experience a common academic program, one that prepares them for both college and workforce training, regardless of their post-graduation plans.

"We can't afford to have one expectation for students who plan to attend college and another for those who plan to enter the workforce or workforce training programs after high school," said ACT CEO Richard L. Ferguson. "If we educate some students to a lesser standard than others, we narrow their options to jobs that, in today's economy, no longer pay well enough to support a family."

"This landmark report makes it clear that we must ensure high school is relevant and rigorous for all students," said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, chair of the National Governors Association Education, Early Childhood, and Workforce Committee. "We need to bring accountability and focus to our classrooms in order to prepare graduates for the fiercely competitive global economy, whether their next step is college or a career."

In the study, ACT looked at the types of occupations that offer a wage sufficient to support a family of four, as well as potential for career advancement, but that do not require a four-year college degree. These occupations—which include electricians, construction workers, upholsterers, plumbers, etc.—typically require some combination of vocational training and on-the-job experience or an associate's degree.

The academic skill levels compared in the study were based on job profiles from ACT's WorkKeys program and the company's College Readiness Benchmarks on its ACT college admission and placement exam. The results show that the levels of math and reading skills needed for success in the first year of college are comparable to those needed by high school graduates to enter the vast majority (90 percent) of these profiled jobs.

"In today's increasingly technological society, more and more jobs that offer the potential for good wages and future growth are requiring at least some type of training or education beyond high school," said Ferguson. "Students who graduate from high school without the skills they need for college are also likely to lack the skills they need to successfully complete job training programs."

The ACT report emphasizes that the context within which these important skills are taught and tested in schools may differ for students with different goals. However, the level of expectation for all students should be the same.

"Our education system should give every student the knowledge and skills they need to have meaningful options when they finish high school," said Ferguson. "These skills can be taught within rigorous high school classes, whether they be academic- or career-focused."

The report offers a number of recommendations to policymakers, including the following:

Establish a statewide commitment that all students will be prepared for college and workforce training programs when they graduate from high school.
Require that all students take a rigorous core preparatory course program in high school.
Hold schools and states accountable for preparing all students for college and workforce training through rigorous core courses.
Ensure that state standards reflect the skills needed for college and workforce training readiness for all students.
Begin measuring student progress with aligned assessments as early as the eighth grade to monitor progress, make appropriate interventions, and maximize the number of high school graduates who are ready for college and workforce training programs.
Use college and workforce training readiness as a prerequisite for entry into funded training or development programs and offer remediation for those who do not meet established expectations.