College Success Begins With HIGH SCHOOL Engagement

More than 70% of high school graduates now go on to postsecondary education. Yet, a new study of high school student engagement reveals some major concerns about the level of college preparation of those students.

See “Voices of Students on Engagement: A Report on the 2006 Survey of Student Engagement”.

Using a national sample of grades 9-12, the survey found that:

· Fewer than half of the students go to high school because of what happens within the classroom environment
· A great majority of students are bored every day, if not in every class

· 43% spend 0-1 hour doing written homework, 83% spend 5 hours or less

· 55% spend 0 or 1 hour per week reading and studying for class, 90% spend 5 hours or fewer

· Students want more active learning such as peer working groups and presentations

· Girls report being more engaged across all dimensions of high school engagement than boys. (Girls were 58% of 4 year college graduates in 2006).

Engagement within a high school context is about a student’s relationship with the school community (adults, peers, curriculum, facilities, etc). Importantly, however, I believe that this study should raise concerns that many of these high school students will become at-risk college students who will not experience college success for the very reason that they were not sufficiently engaged in high school.

Labels: College Completion, College Preparation