| Educational Attainment in the USA |
 |
 |
| Monday, 10 August 2009 09:06 |
|
13% of people in the United States between the ages of 25 and 29 do not have a high school diploma or equivalent (2007). This rate has remained stable over the past few decades: the high school completion rate has stayed between 85% and 88% for the last 30 years.
Although over half of 25 to 29 year olds have completed at least some college, less than 1 in 3 held a bachelor’s degree in 2007. While the percentage of 25- to 29-year olds who had a bachelor’s degree rose from 17% in 1971 to 27% in 1996, it has remained between 27% and 30% ever since.
What do you think? Is educational attainment stagnating? How important is it today to complete a college degree? What factors might contribute to completion rates staying relatively the same for the past 10 years?
The United States Compared to Other Developed Countries In December 2008, US News and World Report reported that out of 30 industrialized countries, the USA ranked 25th in math and 21st in science. The article also reported that economists estimate a growth in the US economy of 4.5 percentage points over 20 years if US students caught up to world leaders in math and science.
|
JPIC Corner August 2009
Do you know more than a 4th grader?
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) survey of 204,000 U.S. students in 2007, only 36% of 4th grade students in the United States were able to answer the following multiple-choice question correctly:
The Ben Franklin Bridge was 75 years old in 2001. In what year was the bridge 50 years old?
A. 1951 B. 1976 C. 1984 D. 1986