Running head: DO WE NEED TO ONLY RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL

Do We Need to Only Rethink High School Or Our Whole Education System?

Valerie Reeves
University of Saint Thomas
EDUC 6326
Educational Research and Scholarly Writing

Dr. Tara Tuchaai

January 22, 2015

Running head: DO WE NEED TO ONLY RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL

Do We Need to Only Rethink High School Or Our Whole Education System?

The United States high schools are losing ground with its competitors according to
Chester Finn Jr.s (2013) article, Rethinking High School. Finn Jr (2013) states there were
more than 50 percent of students in high school that received a low SAT score predicting they
would receive below a B- average their freshman year in college. Other countries are surpassing
the United States in the number of students graduating high school, entering into universities,
and increasing their test scores. Finn hopes that the Common Core academic standards, if
implemented with fidelity, will increase our high school graduation rate and better prepare
students for college. There is not one solution that will solve this problem. More work needs to
done across our whole education system: starting our educational system with requiring students
to start school at Pre-K 4 (possible even Pre-K 3), continuing to increase students opportunities
for higher education, and altering college admissions policies will help increase the number of
students graduation high school and going on to pursue college.
In order to better prepare our students for college, education needs to start from when
students enter school to give them the foundation that will help them to be successful in college.
It is educators responsibility to make sure students are prepared to move to the next level. The
reality is that students are not going into high school prepared, so changes need to be made
before students go to high school. The National Institute for Early Education Research
conducted a study where they randomly tested students who were currently enrolled in
Kindergarten to see difference in language and literacy development of students who had
attended pre-school verses students who had never attended pre-school. Overall, children in
state pre-k posted vocabulary scores that were 31 percent higher than those of nonparticipants.

Running head: DO WE NEED TO ONLY RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL

Pre-k participants in these states had an 85 percent increase in print awareness. Such outcomes
may strongly predict later reading success (NIEER, 2004-2005, para. 8). Educators have to
continue to give create opportunities for students to have success in order to give students more
opportunities to attend college.
College tuition is so high many students either are cannot afford to go, are forced to take
out costly student loans, or work their way through college. For a lot of people, this is a huge
obstacle to overcome. Therefore, it is easier for them to take other opinions and not go to
college. Finn makes a good pint that there should be more opportunities need to be available for
students to have access to better education. This includes being accepted into college. Many
colleges require students to take the SATs and use those scores to consider if they are qualified to
be accepted into their school. A study done by William C. Hiss and Valerie W. Franks showed
that a students high school GPA could be a better predictor for college success than scores on the
SAT or ACT and can change college admissions. This study examines the outcome of optional
standardized testing policies in the admissions offices at 33 public and private colleges and
universities based on GPA and graduation rates with just under 123,000 students, there were
few significant differences between submitters and non-submitters in cumulative GPA and
graduation rate, despite the differences in SAT/ACT scores Hiss and Franks (2014, para. 4).
The United States may have dropped in rake with their competitors; however, according
to Finn, the United States scores has remained flat. Therefore, it is a positive that the United
States numbers have not decreased. There is not one solution that will instantly boost high school
graduation rates. Solutions must be made across the curriculum, starting in early childhood
education. Educators cannot continuously push students through without the proper foundation
to be successful in the upcoming grade. If a student enters high school unprepared, there is little

Running head: DO WE NEED TO ONLY RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL

chance that student will be successful and will want to continue with additional education. If the
United States wants to increase the number of students attending advance education, we have to
make changes throughout our education system.

Running head: DO WE NEED TO ONLY RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL

References
Finn, C. (2013). Rethinking high school. National Review.
Hiss, W., & Franks, V. (2014). Defining Promise: optional standardized testing polices in
American college and universities. Retrieved from
http://www.nacacnet.org/research/research.data/nacacresearch/Documents/DefiningPromise.pdf
National Institute for Early Education Research, (2004-2005). Pre-kindergarten: what research
shows. Retrieved from
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Pre-kindergarten/Prekindergarten/Pre-kindergarten-What-the-research-shows.html