New High SchoolGraduation RequirementsPreparing Tennessee’s Students

for The New Economy

Contact Information

State Board of Education

Gary Nixon, Executive Director

Gary.nixon@tn.gov

Gary’s Blog:

garynixon.wordpress.com

The New Economy

• The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that today’s adult learner (18 and up) will have _________ jobs by the time they are 38.

• Students beginning a 4-year technical degree today will begin learning information that is outdated by their _____ year of studies.

10 to 14

3rd

The New Economy

• 1 in ____ workers have been at their job for less than one year.

• 1 in ____ workers have been at their job for less than five years.

2

4

In the new economy…

…workers must expect change in the pursuit of careers that require more and more learning beyond

high school.

What’s the outlook for

the new ecomomy’s

fastest growing and best paying

jobs?

Growth Jobs & Clusters2016 Projections, U.S. Department of Labor

• HS Diploma2.6% of growth jobs– Tile / Marble Setters– Cement Masons – Roofers– Painters– Construction /

Maintenance

• HS Diploma &Some College18.2% of growth jobs– Operation Technicians– Medical Equipment

Repair– Legal Secretaries– Truck Drivers– Bus & Transit Drivers– Police, Fire, Ambulance

Dispatchers– Auto Repair

Growth Jobs & Clusters2016 Projections, U.S. Department of Labor

• HS Diploma / Some College or College11.7% of growth jobs– Construction Managers– Flight Attendants – Healthcare Technologist– Payroll and HR

Assistants

• Some College / College 33.8% of growth jobs– IT Specialists– Database Administrators– Real Estate Brokers– Loan Officers– Medical Lab Technicians– Bio-technicians– General Sales– Police

Growth Jobs & Clusters2016 Projections, U.S. Department of Labor

• College Degree, 33.8% of growth jobs– Public Relations– Pharmacist– Actuary– Civil Engineer– Market Research– Teacher– Counselor– Physicians– Lawyers

Jobs with Above Average Growth and

Above Average Wages, Projections for 2016Bureau of Labor Statistics

2.6%

18.2

%

11.7

%

33.8

%33

.8%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

High School HS / Some College HS / SC / College Some College / College College

High School HS / Some College HS / SC / College Some College / College College

How are we doing in

preparing our students for the new economy?

Are Tennessee Students Proficient?

• Spring 2007… National Chamber of Commerce comparison report card of key education factors in all states:

• Tennessee made an “F” in the category of Truth in Advertising…comparing Tennessee proficiency (our state assessments) to National proficiency (NAEP)

8th Grade Achievement on State Assessment v. NAEP (2005)

87%87%

26% 21%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Reading Proficient Math Proficient

Tennessee

NAEP

Is there a gap between achievement on state assessments and NAEP?

Performance MeasuresToday Beginning 2009-10

Advanced

Proficient

Below Proficient

Advanced

Proficient

Approaching Proficient

(Basic)

Not Proficient

Workforce Readiness Benchmarks

•ACT’s research has found that the skills required to be ready for college are the SAME SKILLS required to succeed and advance in the career and technical workforce.http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/ReadinessBrief.pdf

ACT Readiness Benchmarks

ACT

SUBJECT ACT(Grade 11-12)

PLAN(Grade 10)

EXPLORE(Grade 8-9)

English 18 15 13Algebra 22 19 17Social

Science 21 17 15

Biology 24 21 20

EXPLORE

PLAN

ACT

How do we prepare our

students for the new

economy?

H S Graduation Requirements

Changes that begin with the graduating class of 2013, next year’s 9th graders, include:– transition from Gateway to EOC as

percentage of yearly grade with measures of grade disparity

– increasing the credit requirements to 22– aligning the curriculum with ACHIEVE’s

standards– developing new assessments– developing one diploma for all students

H S Graduation Requirements

English - 4 Credits:• English I - 1 Credit• English II - 1 Credit• English III - 1 Credit

– AP Language and Composition

• English IV - 1 Credit– AP English Literature or Composition– IB Language I– Communications for Life

H S Graduation RequirementsMath - 4 Credits: (Students must take a math class each year)

• Algebra I - 1 Credit

• Geometry - 1 Credit

• Algebra II - 1 Credit

• Upper level Math: - 1 Credit– Bridge Math Students who have not earned a 19 on the mathematics component of the ACT by

the beginning of the senior year are recommended to complete the Bridge Math course.

– Capstone Math– Adv. Algebra and Trigonometry.– STEM Math (Pre-Calculus, Calculus, or Statistics)

H S Graduation Requirements

Science - 3 Credits:

• Biology I - 1 Credit

• Chemistry or Physics - 1 Credit– AP Physics (B or C)– Principles of Technology I and II

• Another Lab. Science - 1 Credit

H S Graduation Requirements

Social Studies – 3.0 Credits:• W. History or W. Geography – 1 Credit

– AP World History, Modern History, Ancient History, European History

• U.S. History – 1 Credit– AP U.S. History, IB History of the Americas HL (2 Years)

• Economics – .5 Credit• Government – .5 Credit

– AP U.S. Government, IB History of the Americas HL (2 Years), JROTC (3 Years), ABLS

H S Graduation Requirements

P. E. and Wellness – 1.5 Credits:

• Wellness – 1 Credit

• Physical Education – .5 Credit– The physical education requirement may be met by

substituting an equivalent time of physical activity in other areas including but not limited to marching band, JROTC, cheerleading, interscholastic athletics, and school sponsored intramural athletics.

Personal Finance – .5 Credit

H S Graduation Requirements

Fine Art, Foreign Lang., and Elective Focus – 6 Credits:• Fine Art – 1 Credit• Foreign Language – 2 Credits (Same)• Elective Focus – 3 Credits

– Students completing a CTE elective focus must complete three units in the same CTE program area or state approved program of study.

– science and math, humanities, fine arts, or AP/IB– other area approved by local Board of Education

• The Fine Art and Foreign Language requirements may be waived for students who are sure they are not going to attend a University and be replaced with courses designed to enhance and expand the elective focus.

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks

ACT

SUBJECT ACT(Grade 11-12)

PLAN(Grade 10)

EXPLORE(Grade 8-9)

English 18 15 13Algebra 22 19 17Social

Science 21 17 15

Biology 24 21 20

What Are We Learning?

The ACT Benchmarksare important for ALL Students.

Students who score more than 2 points below the Explore readiness benchmark scores rarely catch up

and often do not graduate.

What Are We Learning?

It is important that students catch up as soon as possible.

Students who score more than two points below the Explore readiness

benchmark score should receive extensive interventions.

What Are We Learning?Tennessee must more than double the rate at which students earn a postsecondary credential for our

families to be sustained.

Tennessee must develop a variety of seamless paths from the middle

grades through high school to postsecondary completion.

New High SchoolGraduation RequirementsPreparing Tennessee’s Students

for The New Economy