Oregon Fails Again in Nationwide Report

Achieve, Incorporated, created by the nation’s governors and business leaders in 1996, just published its third annual 50-state progress report on the alignment of high school policies with the demands of college and careers. The report focused on five major areas:

1. Align high school standards with college and workplace expectations
2. Align high school graduation requirements with college and workplace expectations
3. College readiness test administered to high school students
4. Develop a P—20 longitudinal data system to track student progress from k-12 through higher education
5. Hold high schools accountable for graduating students being college and career ready

Oregon was one of only 19 states that DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE POLICY IN PLACE that addressed ANY of these areas.

In summary:

19 states have aligned college and workplace standards — Oregon does not.
18 states require a college-ready and career-ready diploma — Oregon does not.
9 states have college-ready and career-ready tests — Oregon does not.
8 states have data systems to track students from K-12 through higher ed — Oregon does not.
14 states actually measure graduation rate by tracking the actual students rather than estimating — Oregon does not.

On the same day the report was issued Oregon legislators said there isn’t enough time this session to put together the kind of reforms necessary to prevent school districts from concealing misconduct by teachers.

How much longer will Oregon students and parents accept what is at best a third rate education?

Achieve, Inc. is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise academic standards, improve assessments and strengthen accountability to prepare all young people for postsecondary education, work and citizenship.