Study Finds Six Million
Children in Danger of Being "Left Behind"
According to "Every
Child a Graduate," a study released on September 24 by the
Alliance for Excellent
Education, six million students in American middle and high schools
are in danger of being "left behind" in terms of literacy. The study
reports that children of all income levels in cities, suburbs, and rural
areas read far below their grade levels. Less than 75% of eighth graders
nationwide graduate from high school in five years, and that graduation
rate is less than 50% in urban areas. Because of the increasing popularity
of high-school exit exams and the rigorous standards that students must
achieve in order to pass the tests, dropout rates can only be expected
to rise.
In response to these problems, the Alliance is calling for the adoption
of its Framework
for an Excellent Education, a group of four research-based national
initiatives aimed at changing the culture and conditions of middle and
high schools so that every student, regardless of race or class, has
a good opportunity to graduate with the skills to succeed in college.
These four programs are: the Adolescent Learning Initiative; the Teacher
and Principal Quality Initiative; the College Preparation Initiative;
and the Small Learning Communities Initiative. The Alliance "strongly
recommends" that Congress and President Bush fully fund these initiatives
as a sign of their continuing commitments to improve public education.
Prepared September
26, 2002
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