<p>"Illinois rolled out its new, information-chocked school report card recently and provided an easy-to-understand figure of how many Illinois high school graduates are ready to go to college.</p>
<p>Brace yourself: It's only 46 percent.</p>
<p>That, the state says, pegs how students have a reasonable chance at college success, based on their ACT scores." ...</p>
<p>Do standardized-test scores <em>really</em> predict college success? It's an old argument.</p>
<p>Most disturbing is the attempt by Illinois to cover up the truth about college readiness in the state. It seems that the state just wants to look good and isn’t actually concerned about the kids.</p>
<p>Of course, there are lots of problems in the inner city that the state can’t resolve - crime rate among youth being the epicenter. And then there are all the budgetary problems that the state is suffering. I just hope that Illinois is not representative of the US as a whole because we are in deep trouble if it is.</p>
<p>“Only 8 of 100 freshmen who enter Chicago public high schools manage to get a college diploma.”</p>
<p>Thats a problem…over 30% of americans over the age of 25 have a Bachelor degree (over 40% have an AA or Bachelor’s degree).</p>
<p>Does Chicago have a vicious cycle thing going on where most people perceive the public schools as inferior, so most of the students who are aiming for college go to private schools, which leaves only worse performing students in the public schools, which makes the public schools look worse, etc.?</p>
<p>85% of students in Chicago public schools are low income.
Its pretty hard to have the needed volunteers in the schools when parents are working two jobs.
[Three</a> families tell us why they ditched CPS | Feature | Chicago Reader](<a href=“Three families tell us why they ditched CPS - Chicago Reader”>Three families tell us why they ditched CPS - Chicago Reader)</p>
<p>most low income parents do not stress the importance of education, it’s that simple. It’s not working 2 jobs, they don’t value education.</p>
<p>Chicago has a different vicious cycle thing going on where the top kids go to “selective enrollment” public high schools - leaving behind all those (95%) that did not make it. Same scenario where the top kids cluster together and are not in a position to serve as role models for the rest. And many colleges coming to recruit here only look at the selective enrollment high schools - along with the privates of course.</p>
<p>dusktodawn - that is not true - it is a stereotype. So a little truth prevails but by and large I have not had the experience that low income parents devalue education. Wow - how do you back up that statement. Are you low income?</p>
<p>I will clarify and say that most non college educated parents do not value a college education…and most low income parents are not college educated.</p>
<p>Many low income parents are not college educated thats true, but I dont follow the jump that says they don’t value education.
I didn’t graduate from high school and my husband only did because he did well in the vocational classes ( like metal shop & auto mechanics, something many districts no longer offer).
But we both had education as a priority, and I even quit my job/ going to school in order to free up my days so to volunteer in my youngests school, because it was so desperately needed. </p>
<p>Low income schools often dont even have PTAs. Parent groups are vital as the school is often the center of the neighborhood.
IMO, socioeconomic diversity is much more important ( or at least easier to accomplish) than racial diversity.
You need the advocacy & modeling of the middle class parents.
Low income parents can be intimidated by administration and accept a schools decision to adopt crappy curriculum, to label a kid with ADD a discipline problem and to retain crappy teachers.
Middle class parents " aint got time for that sort of treatment".
Our school districts attorney has said that it is easier & cheaper not to provide federally mandated services to all students with IEPs, but instead provide less than minimum services, because very few parents will actually bring a case to court.
We also have a middle class district.
Imagine the corruption and level of underserved students in an area with such a high poverty rate.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Source ?</p>
<p>Chicago has stronger Catholic and some privates-otherwise most middle/upper-class folks move to the many top notch suburban districts after they have kids. Of all races.</p>
<p>Yes, middle class parents and those above on the economic ladder can afford to move closer to more responsive school districts and away from supports low income families depend on, like laundromats & food banks.</p>
<p>“85% of students in Chicago public schools are low income.
Its pretty hard to have the needed volunteers in the schools when parents are working two jobs.”</p>
<p>Do you think that in most low income family both parents are working two jobs? Do the math … $20,000 per job, $80,000 per family. They won’t be low income.</p>
<p>Why should everyone go to college? Why?</p>
<p>"Are you low income? "</p>
<p>I used to be low income. I used to be middle class and high income as well. It’s all in your mind, not in your paycheck.</p>
<p>When I was traveling in Switzerland, I made many people without college degree. Farmers, restaurant owners, hotel employees, skiing instructors. They had very respected life and excellent wages without college degree.</p>
<p>Yes, well, in Switzerland, it’s not possible to work full time there and be in poverty (unlike here). </p>
<p>You assume that working 2 jobs means full time at each job. Almost never the case. Most are working in the neighborhood of 60 hours/week (which at minimum wage comes out to a whopping <$25k/year).</p>
<p>The job sector with the highest number of lower skilled jobs is retail.
Retail often does not hire full time, and you may not know your hours more than 5-7 days in advance.</p>
<p>
[U.S</a>. economic recovery leaving families behind - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57564118/u.s-economic-recovery-leaving-families-behind/]U.S”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57564118/u.s-economic-recovery-leaving-families-behind/)</p>
<p>[Employment</a> by education and training assignment, 2010 and projected 2020](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_summary.htm]Employment”>http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_summary.htm)</p>
<p>46% is probably plenty. Better question: what skills do HS graduates have? Reading, writing, arithmetic?</p>