Massachusetts schools
boast some of the nation's highest academic rankings but are in danger of
falling into complacency.
As the saying goes,
"You can legislate adequacy but not greatness. To sustain momentum through
innovation and ambition, daring policymakers are crucial."
AP Courses
Advanced Placement
tests enable high school students to earn college credit through rigorous,
demanding courses considered equivalent to undergraduate study. Massachusetts
once again led the nation by scoring over 31% on an AP exam last year - far
ahead of neighboring states and the national average. Furthermore, Massachusetts
has made significant strides over time in increasing participation by Black and
Latino students taking AP tests; state education leaders celebrated these gains
this Wednesday at a State House ceremony by awarding 26 schools with "AP
Access Awards" to recognize these efforts.
Educators across the
state are working hard to increase access to Advanced Placement courses in
science, technology and engineering fields - an area widely seen as essential
in shaping future workforce needs. With support from the federal Education
Department's Grant program, DESE is working in partnership with VHS Learning on
creating an interactive platform that will allow both students and teachers to
develop long-term plans to offer more AP coursework at schools.
The system will
include an online portal where colleges and employers can search for students
with AP scores that meet specific thresholds, while teachers can share course
material they have created or acquired. According to educators, this platform
may help integrate AP coursework more thoroughly into the curriculum -- even non-AP
classes like history class.
Concord's Milton
Academy, which promotes moderate AP use, is among several high schools taking
steps in that direction. Lexington High and Noble and Greenough School in
Dedham remain undecided on whether the label itself benefits their students;
rather they prioritize building strong academic cultures for all their
students.
Nationally, more
colleges accept scores of three or higher on an Advanced Placement test as
equivalent to college credit; however, some institutions set thresholds of
higher scores or simply refuse to acknowledge AP tests altogether.
Massachusetts leads in accepting these exams with 90.7 percent of high schools
offering at least one AP course offering them.
Advanced Placement Exams
Advanced Placement
courses are college-level high school classes offered and tested in, which
cover subjects like math, science and literature. A score of 3 or above on an
AP exam is considered passing and could result in college credit or placement
into more advanced classes.
Massachusetts students
topped the nation on Advanced Placement exams in 2022, according to new results
released by College Board, which administers them. Massachusetts saw 30 percent
of graduating seniors score three or higher on at least one test - more than
Maryland (22.8 percent)! Massachusetts retained first place for both categories
combined while also coming in first for Hispanic/Latino graduates scoring at
three or higher on at least one exam.
The College Board
works with over 9,000 high schools to offer Advanced Placement courses and
exams that emulate college classes. Exams taken at the end of courses are
graded by teachers as well as an expert panel, offering students college
credit. Each exam costs a fee.
Over 90 percent of
high schools in Massachusetts offer at least one Advanced Placement course and
more than 30 colleges have policies accepting AP scores for credit or placement
into more advanced college courses. Since its debut in 1955, The College Board
has expanded AP to reach over 2,900 colleges and universities around the globe.
AP exams not only increase
academic achievement but can also speed up graduation time from college, with
those passing more likely to obtain degrees and have greater lifetime earnings.
DESE's goal of
expanding access to Advanced Placement exams among low-income students is a crucial
one, and its various initiatives to do so have resulted in over 7,500
low-income members of the Class of 2021 taking at least one AP exam - double
their numbers since 2008!
High School Graduation Rates
An education beyond
high school is essential to academic and career success, and Delaware has seen
its four-year graduation rates continue to climb since last year, rising from
87.5 percent to 88.3 percent according to reports by the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education.
However, that figure
represents a marked improvement since 30 years ago when graduation rates stood
at around 60%. Calculations of graduation rates involve tracking a cohort from
ninth grade through senior year and reporting the percentage who graduated
within that timeframe - taking into account transfers or dropping out to pursue
employment or community college enrollment as appropriate.
Graduation rates
provide a key indicator of any state's efforts to increase student achievement,
particularly among low-income and minority children. They're also one of the
key measures of public school quality overall.
While state rates
continue to improve, not every district has seen progress. Boston stands out
with having one of the lowest dropout rates and experiencing its highest rate
since 2006.
All area districts
offering vocational or career-focused schools have seen graduation rates
steadily increase over the last several years, including Greater Lawrence
Regional Vocational Technical's graduation rate jump by 26 points over two years
alone. These popular and often oversubscribed institutions tend to admit only
students with impeccable attendance records and top grades that fit the mold of
magnet schools; unfortunately they're often also quite costly to operate.
Experts often advocate
for vocational and career-focused high schools as an effective way of
increasing graduation rates, since these types of institutions provide relevant
coursework in an engaging environment - often located near neighborhoods with
plentiful job opportunities - plus boost nonacademic skills like resilience. A
recent study discovered that lower income students attending these schools had
higher graduation rates even though they performed similarly on standardized
tests.
College Graduation Rates
Recent years have seen
an increase in the percentage of high school graduates enrolling in college,
but graduation rates still lag below national averages and Boston's rate has
fallen even further. Boston has made numerous efforts to encourage and support
those enrolling, though its effectiveness remains to be seen.
This graph depicts a
two-decade trend in Massachusetts's higher education system, which encompasses
both University of Massachusetts, state universities and community colleges.
Enrollment peaked in 2013, yet continues to decrease since then - particularly at
community colleges; this trend can be found throughout many states.
Graduation rates at
community colleges have fallen since 2005, which may explain their declining
enrollment levels due to rising tuition fees - one factor contributing to
rising student debt levels that has become such an impediment to accessing
higher education in recent years.
College graduation
rates are usually measured as the percentage of full-time undergraduates who
complete a bachelor's degree within four or six years, though these numbers
rarely provide an accurate representation of student populations as they
exclude part-time and transfer students. Graduation rates also depend on which
institution it comes from; some cater to first-year undergraduates while others
support those who already graduated high school.
Though obtaining a
college degree is an admirable feat for most students, it does not guarantee
their success. There can be various reasons for students deciding not to
complete their degrees, including financial issues, disinterest in studies,
personal health concerns and mental health concerns. Students from low-income
households tend to drop out more frequently.
Boston Mayor Michelle
Wu has taken several initiatives to encourage high school graduates to pursue higher
education opportunities. One such plan includes investing $4 million to expand
free community college access for all Boston residents regardless of high
school graduation year or income level.
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