1) A recent survey showed that 71% of 4th grade teachers grouped their students by reading ability in 2009, up from 28% in 1998. In math, 61% of them grouped by ability, up from 40% in 1996.
2) Obama’s School Improvement Grant program has given up to $2 million to each of more than 1,300 of our lowest performing schools.
3) In 2009, 41% of teachers reported having 2 hours or more for structured collaboration; that dropped to 24% in 2012, with 28% of teachers saying they get less than 30 minutes a week.
4) About 25% of high schoolers take Algebra 2 or its equivalent, with success considered by many as a “critical gateway” to career and college readiness.
5) The Census Bureau says 87.65% of Americans have a high school diploma; in 2010, almost 75% of seniors graduated with a regular diploma.
6) Fairfax County took first place in the country with its 85% graduation rate. Detroit public schools came in last with only a 46% graduation rate.
