Archived: NEW REPORT SHOWS ENCOURAGING TRENDS IN AMERICAN EDUCATION

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE
June 1, 2000

Contact:
David Thomas (202) 401-1579
Barbara Marenus (202) 502-7391

NEW REPORT SHOWS ENCOURAGING TRENDS
IN AMERICAN EDUCATION

The Condition of Education, 2000

Increasing numbers of children and adults are "hitting the books," more high school students are taking advanced courses in mathematics and science, and mathematics and science performance has improved, according to The Condition of Education: 2000, released today by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

The annual report summarizes the health of U.S. education and shows that more Americans are participating in education - from preschoolers to adult learners.

"This report shows a very positive trend toward creating a 'nation of learners,'" said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Frank S. Holleman, III. "With more children starting school earlier and more adults going to college and seeking to upgrade their careers, the American public is saying it recognizes the value and importance of education."

"There are many encouraging trends emerging in education, as well as some continuing challenges," said Gary W. Phillips, acting commissioner of education statistics.

Enrollment rates are growing fastest among America's youngest children, with 65 percent of 3- to 5-year-olds enrolled in early childhood education in 1998, compared to 55 percent in 1985. By the time children start kindergarten, they are already developing basic skills related to reading and mathematics. In the fall of 1998, for example, 94 percent of beginning kindergartners could recognize single-digit numbers and basic shapes, and 66 percent could recognize the letters of the alphabet. Wide differences in beginning kindergartners' skills and knowledge were associated with characteristics such as their race/ethnicity, family income level, and mothers' educational attainment.

During the same period, enrollments in grades 9-12 rose by 9 percent. Major influences on increased elementary and secondary enrollments have been the "baby boom echo," the increase in the number of births that began in the mid-1970s and peaked in 1990, and increased immigration. In addition to the increase in the number of students enrolled, the population has become more diverse. For example, between 1972 and 1998, the proportion of minority students increased from 22 to 37 percent, with the most growth in the proportion of Hispanic students.

Over the past two decades, trends in the performance of elementary and secondary students in reading, mathematics, and science have generally been positive. For example, 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds all improved their average scores on mathematics and science assessments between the late 1970s and 1996. In addition, the percentage of students taking advanced mathematics and science courses is increasing. Despite these improvements, issues regarding educational equity and international competitiveness remain.

Postsecondary enrollments have increased because of the combined influence of higher rates of enrollment and growth in the numbers of 18- to 24-year-olds, who constitute the traditional college-age population. By 1998, 37 percent of all Americans in this age group were enrolled in college, up from 26 percent in 1980. Postsecondary enrollment rates are highest among the traditional college-age population. Since students in this age group are more likely to attend college full-time, the number of full-time students is expected to grow at least three and a half times faster than the number of part-time students. For women, enrollment rates have risen more quickly than for men. By 1998, women made up 57 percent of all postsecondary students, up from 41 percent in 1970.

Not only are more high school students enrolling in college, but more of them are doing so immediately after completing high school. Between 1984 and 1998, the percentage of students completing high school and enrolling in college immediately rose from 55 to 66 percent.

Since 1984, the rate of immediate enrollment has grown faster for blacks than for whites, reducing the gap between these groups. In 1998, 62 percent of black high school graduates enrolled immediately, compared with 69 percent of whites.

The Condition of Education is a congressionally mandated annual report, reflecting a consensus of professional judgement about significant national measures on the condition and progress of education. This year's report contains 67 indicators, 35 of which are new this year, and an essay on the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that entering kindergartners bring to school. Examples of topics of new indicators include:

Preparedness and other factors related to whether at-risk students will enroll in higher education;
Before- and after-school care;
Parents' satisfaction with their children's schools, teachers, academic standards, and discipline;
Advanced coursework taken by high school graduates in mathematics and science; and
The civics understanding of students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

The full text of the report is available on-line at http://nces.ed.gov. A copy of the report can be ordered by calling toll free 1-877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827) (TTY/TDD 1-877-576-7734); via e-mail at edpubs@inet.ed.gov; or via the Internet at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html.

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