Few States Define ‘Ready’

Only a handful have spelled out what it means for students to be ready for college or the workplace.

By Sterling C. Lloyd

High school graduation rates are about more than just numbers. They show how many of a state’s young people are earning the minimum credential needed to enter postsecondary education or a broad cross section of jobs. And they are an important indicator of the competitiveness of a state’s workforce in a challenging global economy.

Given the economic transformations resulting from technological change and international competition, many business leaders and state policymakers want the diploma to signify whether graduates have mastered the knowledge and skills required for college, work, and life beyond high school.

To provide context for high school graduation rates, the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center surveyed the states in fall 2006 on policies related to high school graduation, with a particular focus on...