Full Description
Written by Bob Wise, former governor of West Virginia and current president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, Raising the Grade describes the alarming cost of our long-time neglect of secondary education. At a time when technology and postsecondary education requirements are rising dramatically in the workforce, the literacy skills of adolescents are not keeping pace. With most federal dollars targeted to elementary schools and higher education, few resources are allocated to improve high schools, to address the achievement gap threatening nearly 6 million students at risk of dropping out in the United States. Raising the Grade is rooted in the stories of real Americans whose high school experiences failed to engage or adequately prepare them for work or college.
Contents
Acknowledgments. Preface. 1. America's High SchoolsWarnings. 2. The High Cost of High School Neglect. 3. Demography as Destiny: Race and Class Inequities. 4. Dropout Factories: Behind the Graduation Rate Charade. 5. Strengthening Adolescent Literacy: A National Priority. 6. Creating Quality High Schools: What Works? 7. Investing in High Schools: A New Federal Role. 8. Achieving the Vision. Resource. A. In Need of Improvement: NCLB and High Schools. B. Hidden Benefi ts: The Impact of High School Graduation on Household Wealth. C. The High Cost of High School Dropouts: What the Nation Pays for Inadequate High Schools. D. Paying Double: Inadequate High Schools and Community College Remediation. E. Saving Futures, Saving Dollars: The Impact of Education on Crime Reduction and Earnings. F. Elements of a Successful High School: Advocacy Action Matrix. Notes. References. The Author. Index.
