More Students Taking Tougher Courses, NAEP Study Finds, p. 6
Results from a 2009 study have revealed an increase in the percentage of high school graduates who have completed a “rigorous” curriculum, including higher-level math and science courses. The percentage of students taking a “midlevel” curriculum has also increased, with more students moving up from a “standard” curriculum. High school students overall are taking more classes at all levels, going from an average of 23.6 credits in 1990 to 27.2 credits in 2009. Some of these additional credits result from summer school courses, high school credits for courses taken in middle school, and online courses.
Researchers also found a link between these curriculum levels and student achievement as measured by national assessments. They found that students who take more rigorous courses in high school are more likely to perform well on achievement tests. More minority students are taking higher-level courses than in previous years, although black and Hispanic students still lag behind white students. Although more female grads took a rigorous or midlevel curriculum than in previous years, they generally scored lower in math and science than boys did. The average GPA of 3.1 for girls was higher than the average for boys of 2.9.
These findings make a good argument for the adoption of common-core standards, which raise the standards for all. If all students receive a more rigorous curriculum, they will be more likely to do better on national assessments.
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