AMERICAN STUDENTS GO FOR RIGOR

There’s a buzz building in 26 states - states in which more than half of the public school students in the nation live. That buzz is all about demanding more from students in middle and high school so that American businesses will have a pool of qualified workers and remain competitive in the global marketplace. It’s called the American Diploma Project (ADP), and it’s an attempt to make sure that a high school diploma really means something - that getting a diploma really means that you are ready for college, ready for work, ready for life. In too many cases, a high school diploma simply means that you spent four years in school. It does not guarantee that you have really learned what you need to know.

The effort is being led by governors and business leaders who have come together to develop a common agenda - one that sets high expectations for students just like you. These states are moving forward with policies that will require many of their students to take demanding mathematics, science and language arts courses.

If you live in one of those states, the Learn Do Earn website will help you understand why decision-makers are making those decisions. If you don’t live in one of those states, you will have to make sure that you take those courses voluntarily. If you don’t, you won’t be able to compete with students who do, and they will get the college placements and jobs that might have been yours. You can learn more on the LDE website or by going to www.achieve.org.