Report: Schools making progress in reading skills

A study released Tuesday from the Southern Regional Education Board indicates that Kentucky is making progress in reading achievement, but needs to work at increasing its number of college graduates. The report by the Atlanta-based organization outlines the state’s progress on the SREB Challenge to Lead Goals for Education, which were approved by a commission of the region’s leaders in 2002. The goals called for major improvements in K-12 student performance, college readiness and other key areas of education in Kentucky and the 15 other member states, including Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia. The report notes that Kentucky’s six-year graduation rate for first-time freshmen who entered a public four-year college or university in the fall of 2000 was 47 percent, compared to the national average of 55 percent. Lee Nimocks, chief of staff for Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education, said the number of college graduates has improved. She said in 1998, more than 14,000 bachelor’s degrees were conferred, and now it’s close to 19,000 - a 30 percent increase. More than 5,000 associate degrees were given in 1998, and last year, 7,834 were conferred - a 53 percent increase. “So overall, when counting bachelor’s, certificates, graduate degrees and associate degrees, there has been an increase of 94 percent since 1998,” she said. “Kentucky will need to continue the output of degrees to achieve its goal of doubling the number of degree holders by 2020.” Public schools rely on data from state universities and technical schools regarding student success to better understand and support successful transition into college, said Winnie Cohron, secondary supervisor for Warren County Schools. “It is really important that we have communication with postsecondary institutions where a large percentage of our students are enrolled with regard to how well first-year students are prepared,” she said. The report also noted the state’s high school graduates enroll in college at a higher rate compared to the rate of U.S. graduates. Cohron said data from 2007 showed 94.2 percent of Kentucky’s high school graduates had transitioned successfully into postsecondary institutions, the military or the work force. “While it’s not perfect, it is a good number,” she said. “And it’s something we can be pleased with at this time as we continue to move forward to 100 percent successful transition for all students.” According to the report, most SREB states are requiring more high school students to take higher-level courses to better prepare them for college, career training and the job market. In 2007, 20 percent of Kentucky’s graduating seniors took at least one AP course and 10 percent of the state’s graduating seniors passed at least one AP exam, an increase of four percentage points from 2000. Cohron said each of the county high schools offers AP classes - Warren East offers eight, Warren Central offers 12 and Greenwood offers 14 - “so students have the opportunity to take more rigorous courses to prepare them for college level work.” Also, students can take classes at the Area Technology Center at the Kentucky Trimodal Transpark, which Cohron said is a wonderful opportunity for students going into technical or vocational careers. Also, according to the report, more states are requiring geometry and algebra II for graduation. Beginning with the class of 2012, Kentucky will require both courses for all students seeking a standard diploma, the report stated. Students have been required to have algebra I, algebra II and geometry for the past several years, Cohron said. “The level of rigor in math is there for all students.” In addition to the AP courses, students at Greenwood are required to take more than the state’s minimum credits for graduation. Greenwood seniors will be required to meet the district’s plan of 26 credits - two extra math credits, one science credit and an additional social studies credit.
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