National Research

National Educational Assessment Studies
State of state standards. (2005). Washington, DC: Fordham Foundation.
http://www.edexcellence.net/foundation/global/page.cfm?id=304
The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation's latest studies on the state standards gave California an A for its math standards AND for its English standards. Finding that a majority of states have "sorely inadequate math standards," researchers awarded an A or B to only six states, while eleven states received an F.

Greene, J. (2005, Feb.). Public high school graduation and college-readiness rates: 1991-2002. New York: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. http://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/ewp_08.pdf
This latest annual study of public high school graduation rates found the national graduation rate fell from 72% in 1991 to 71% in 2002. The percentage of students who left high school prepared for college rose from 25% to 34% during the same period, the report said.

Rising to the challenge: Are high school graduates prepared for college and work? (February 2005). Washington, DC: Achieve. http://www.achieve.org/achieve.nsf/StandardForm3?openform&parentunid=ABC3A652CD3B736785256F9E00783B86
A study by nonprofit Achieve finds about 42% of college students are not prepared to succeed, while at least 39% of recent high school graduates lack basic skills for the workplace.

Advanced Placement report to the nation. (2005). New York: College Board. http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/news_info/ap/2005/ap-report-nation.pdf
In its first-ever state-by-state report on student mastery of Advance Placement tests, the College Board finds that as participation in the rigorous exams has shot up, so has achievement. Nationally, about 13% of high schoolers who graduated last year scored a 3 or higher on at least one exam. Among the states, New York posted the best rate, with 21% of students attaining at least a 3 on one exam.

Nation’s report card. (2005). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
A state-by-state comparison of students' results on the mandatory National Assessment of Educational Progress test and their performance on state tests reveals striking disparities in the rigor of state proficiency standards. The data shows some states have set the bar lower, which will make it easier for them to avoid NCLB sanctions.

Program for International Student Assessment. (2004). Learning for tomorrow's world: First results from PISA 2003. Paris: OECD. http://www.pisa.oecd.org/document/55/0,2340,en_32252351_32236173_33917303_1_1_1_1,00.html
A survey comparing the skills of 15-year-olds in 40 countries ranked the U.S. 28th place in math and 18th in reading. In Finland, which earned the top spot in math, former Education Minister Pasi Sahlberg says teachers teach to student needs, rather than to standardized tests.

What the United States can learn from Singapore’s world-class mathematics system. (2005). Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. http://www.air.org/news/documents/Singapore%20Report%20(Bookmark%20Version).pdf
Math instruction in the U.S. lacks consistent standards and relies on textbooks that emphasize definitions and formulas more than broader mathematical concepts. The study's authors noted that Singapore, whose students' math scores tend to be among the best in the world, gives teachers outstanding training and uses a national curriculum.