FSCA NEWS

Subject: NEW REPORT! - Academic Pathways, Preparation, and Performance:
A Descriptive Overview of the Transcripts from the High School
Graduating Class of 2003-04

This report uses transcript data from the Education Longitudinal Study
of 2002 (ELS:2002) to provide nationally representative information
about the level of academic preparation the high school graduating class
of 2003-04 had when leaving high school. The report supplies a brief
examination of the coursetaking patterns of 2003-04 graduates, with a
focus on their participation in mathematics, science, and Advanced
Placement/International Baccalaureate courses. Additionally, the report
links these coursetaking patterns with test achievement in mathematics,
grade point average, and expectations for future educational attainment.
Major findings in the report are that: the high school graduating class
of 2003-04 earned an average of 25.8 course credits (measured in
Carnegie units), 19.0 in academic subjects. Overall, about 30 percent of
the class earned at least a credit in Advanced Placement or
International Baccalaureate courses. Among the graduates, 5 percent got
no further than basic math or pre-algebra courses, 45 percent completed
at least algebra I or II, 36 percent completed at least one
trigonometry, statistics, or precalculus course, and 14 percent
calculus, as their highest level mathematics in high school. Ninety one
percent of graduates who completed an academic curriculum and 46 percent
of students who completed an occupational curriculum demonstrated
mastery at proficiency level 3 on the ELS:2002 12th grade mathematics
assessment, which is simple problem-solving, requiring low-level
mathematical concepts.

To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007316

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