<p>Soaring dropout rates among high school students and diminished literacy skills among adults are contributing to an increasingly ill-prepared U.S. labor force and pose a serious threat to the nation's economic future, a new report produced by the National Commission on Adult Literacy finds.</p>
<p>Based on a two-year study of trends, challenges, and opportunities in adult education and workforce development nationwide, the report finds that a growing percentage of U.S. workers is not prepared for careers in fields with growth potential such as health care, advanced manufacturing, and alternative energy. </p>
<p>Studies show that **one in three young people in this country drop out of high school **before earning their diploma, while nearly thirty million adults lack basic literacy skills. According to study director Cheryl King, a former deputy secretary and commissioner of adult education and workforce development in Kentucky, many of the estimated one hundred and fifty million workers in the United States age 16 and older require adult education and workforce development services, while the combined annual capacity of federal programs in these areas is only about three million people. </p>
<p>Funded in part by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the report recommends that workforce development services be expanded to serve twenty million workers a year by 2020 and calls for policies and partnerships at the state and federal levels to substantially increase the number of adults who earn high school diplomas or equivalent certifications; improve literacy skills among workers; and grow enrollment of adults in postsecondary education and job training activities. The report also singles out community colleges, which provide a third of the country's adult instructional services, as "vital educational forces" that can help strengthen the nation's labor force.</p>
<p>"We're at a critical crossroads in this country," said King. "The next steps we take on these issues will determine our economic standing, both at home and around the world, for decades to come."</p>
<p>Xiggi - America has plenty of smart and motivated young people such as yourself and the many others who patrol this Forum. Unfortunately education is not a cultural priority for many, many families. In Connecticut inner city high schools the dropout rate exceeds 50%, with even higher drop out rates for some demographic groups. It's got to be tough on employers when "What's the product of four times six?" is a challenging question for prospective employees. You and I have discussed the shortcomings of institution secondary education in the past. Apparently the situation isn't improving.</p>
<p>They aren't dropouts, though, they are "school leavers". One school in Florida had an entering class of 970, only 200 graduated, but they didn't have a asingle dropout. (It's the New Math.)</p>
<p>Owlice, the dropout crisis started well before anyone thought of NCLB. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the publication of another report, namely A Nation at Risk by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. </p>
<p>Since then, we have witnessed the work of plenty of apologists who refuse to accept that our country has allowed our K-12 education system to be ruined by interest groups which seemingly care more about job preservation and playing political games than about students. Our system will never improve as long as we abdicate our rights to unions and the corrupt politicians who are on their payrolls. Today, we have little to show for all the concessions that were extorted during the past five decades. We have thrown more money at education and accepted shorter teaching time than most countries in the world. Yet, we are continuing to toil among the LEAST competitive countries in all international comparisons. </p>
<p>We love to complain about outsourcing to countries that offer cheaper labor. However, time has come to accept that those third-world countries might also offer better labor. If we once led the world in education, we now should be happy to stay ahead of the worst countries. </p>
<p>This is the price we pay for allowing education to become a "public" monopoly and turn our back on the spirit of independence and competition that made the United States the country it is. </p>
<p>"Since then, we have witnessed the work of plenty of apologists who refuse to accept that our country has allowed our K-12 education system to be ruined by interest groups which seemingly care more about job preservation and playing political games than about students.:</p>
<p>You mean the National Business Roundtable, of course. ;)</p>
<p>(There is NO dropout crisis, because in many places, there aren't any dropouts. Just "school leavers".)</p>
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You mean the National Business Roundtable, of course.
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<p>Of course, that's it! ;)</p>
<p>On a more serious note, I'd prefer to point an accusatory index at notorious "deniers" such as Gerald Bracey, Joydeep Roy, Lawrence Mishel, or others pseudo-scientists and intellectual mercenaries who sold their souls to the devil.</p>
<p>We are failing a lot of people. The politicians should be ashamed of themselves. A lot of countries are doing it right (I know they are school countries), and I hope we can learn from them. The k-12 system is totally broken for a lot of people. </p>
<p>When I was younger, I used to request brochures from universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton,MIT etc), and I could just imagine myself walking around the campus. I was looking forward to going to college so much that I thought high school was just too long. We have to teach kids to love school, for me, the brochures were a compelling reason.</p>
<p>"On a more serious note, I'd prefer to point an accusatory index at notorious "deniers" such as Gerald Bracey, Joydeep Roy, Lawrence Mishel, or others pseudo-scientists and intellectual mercenaries who sold their souls to the devil."</p>
<p>Xig - Don't equivocate, tell us how you really feel.</p>
<p>This will be "old news" to those familiar with our family's experience. DW and chose our current house primarily because of the excellent school system. Of course that was before the first of our children was born. By the time our D's had reached Middle School it was apparent the school system was generally unsupportive of academically oriented students. Many $$$ later both headed off to good colleges, well prepared by their private HS's. Considering the $$$ our state spends, public education is an embarassment.</p>
<p>Xiggi, have you ever considered becoming a public school teacher? Perhaps you could make some changes from within the system. Become part of the solution.</p>
<p>Xiggi-why on earth do you spend a day that is supposed to be joyous and remind us of all the GOOD things America has done complaining?</p>
<p>I agree with thumper-become a teacher. Go into administration. Go into government. Teach underprivileged children. Do something to CHANGE things. Start a daycare and help the parents who don't have the time/resources/whatever to take the time their children deserve. Don't sit around and complain about the problem but do nothing to become a part of the solution.</p>
<p>Mr Payne-you've hit the nail on the head. This "Send your kids to pre-school and they'll graduate high school" stuff is crap. It all starts at home. I remember my parents reading to me every single night. All 3 of us could read before we even started school. </p>
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Xiggi, have you ever considered becoming a public school teacher? Perhaps you could make some changes from within the system. Become part of the solution.
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<p>Do you assume I have not considered it? </p>
<p>Speaking about assumptions, should we assume that public school teachers are part of the problem? Or should be assume that they are as much prisoners of a system that been spinning out of control for a long time as the students and their parents. Becoming part of the solution hardly requires being on the "inside" because few solutions have come from the "inside." </p>
<p>Plenty of people with great aspirations and amazing dedication have rapidly seen their enthusiasm drowning in a sea of mediocrity and lower expectations. Fwiw, "solutions" to the ENTIRE education system will not come from within because they are no incentives to better the system. </p>
<p>Solutions will only come from outside pressures: pressures from parents who will reclaim THEIR rights to see their children educated in an environment they select, pressures from an open market that will be allowed to compete at a level playing field, and the pressures from the outright exclusion of political groups that are masquerading as labor unions from the debate. </p>
<p>Our system is rotten to the core and no amount of "small solutions from the inside" will redress decades of passivity. School reform needs to start at the top as far as policies and at the bottom as far as getting the right teachers ... educated and trained for a competitive system.</p>
<p>Or, y'know, parents could do their jobs and teach their kids what they're supposed to know so the teachers can do their job when the kids get to school.</p>
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Xiggi-why on earth do you spend a day that is supposed to be joyous and remind us of all the GOOD things America has done complaining?</p>
<p>I agree with thumper-become a teacher. Go into administration. Go into government. Teach underprivileged children. Do something to CHANGE things. Don't sit around and complain about the problem but do nothing to become a part of the solution.
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<p>HisGraceFillsMe, with all due respect, feel free to follow your own advice. And, by the way, you should not make assumptions about people or subjects ... you know absolutely nothing about.</p>
<p>No, but it's not exactly hard when you're spending time complaining on a message board. If you were really dedicated to changing things, you'd be out changing things. </p>
<p>And, with all due respect, feel free to follow YOUR own advice. I spent a whole year working to end homelessness in Long Beach, and would still be doing so if not for the fact that we are no longer allowed to work with homeless people now that the school year is over. You know as little about me as I know about you.</p>
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<p>Do you assume I have not considered it?>></p>
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<p>Didn't know, that's why I asked. </p>
<p>I'm not saying you don't have some valid points. BUT there are also some excellent schools and fine educational programs out there in the public sector...and some excellent administrators and teachers. It's not all bad. </p>
<p>I HAVE been working in public education for quite some time. I've seen some very positive changes within the system that were put forth by the staff within the districts. AND where I am, we also work with the community and respond to THEIR concerns as well.</p>
<p>Anyway, I digress...I was only asking. I didn't make any assumptions...I was just inquiring.</p>
<p>I was blessed with an amazing high school, and my teachers were some of the best teachers I've ever heard of.</p>
<p>I think you're basing your entire view of the educational system off of your own experience and the media (and we all know you can't trust the media to give the real picture). That's what bothers me.</p>