There is little doubt today that the key to United States economic growth in the 21st century is education. U.S. businesses require entry-level workers with the same knowledge and skills as college-bound students. ACT research has shown that the level of skills needed for college readiness is the same as that needed for workforce training programs. To prepare our nation's students for the future, it is essential that all students graduate high school ready for college and for work.
Research shows that taking a core curriculum (four years of English and three years each of mathematics, science, and social sciences) in high school is a necessary first step. But these core courses must be rigorous to make a difference. And when students have the opportunity to take rigorous core courses, the prospects of their being ready for college and work when they graduate from high school are dramatically increased, ultimately leading to more choices and greater earning potential throughout their lifetime.
Students in 400 U.S. high schools are proving that rigorous courses matter. The percentage of students in these schools who took a rigorous course in Algebra II and who are ready for college is nearly double the percentage of college-ready students in all ACT-tested high schools.
ACT Mathematics Benchmark Attainment, by Mathematics Course Sequence (ACT-tested 2004 High School Graduates, ACT-tested 2004 Graduates of Rigorous Mathematics High Schools)*
* Based on 675,458 (All ACT-tested) and 41,445 (Rigorous Mathematics Schools) high school students who took the ACT and indicated that they would graduate from high school in 2004.
How can educators improve the quality and consistency of their high school core courses and ensure that all students have the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills they need to be ready for life after high school no matter whether they go on to college or enter workforce training programs?
QualityCore™, ACT's high school instructional improvement program, helps ensure educators that courses are focused on the right content and skills to enable students to be ready for college and work when they graduate from high school.
Learn more . . .
- Why rigorous core courses are important for both college AND work
(PDF; 20 pages, 414KB)