Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Dept. of Ed Director, Ryan Wise.
The state has released a new report on Iowa schools that measures how many students go on to college and how those students perform at the next level.
Department of Education director Ryan Wise says the report shows how many Iowa high school graduates had to take remedial classes in college because they weren’t ready for college-level courses.
“Data and information are powerful tools for improvement. Accordingly, these reports can be used at the local level to provide valuable baseline data,” Wise says. “Districts and schools can look at their existing programming, identify areas for growth and develop next steps based on the data.”
The report found 71 percent of Iowa public school students enrolled in college or technical training within a year of graduating from high school. However, nearly 19 percent of those high school graduates had to take a remedial math class in college.
“While these reports do not tell the complete story of any school’s successes or challenges, they can serve as a conversation starter to enlist more parents and community members in their improvement efforts,” Wise says.
Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds says the report provides “more precise information” to help craft new policies and spending priorities.
“When we’re talking about investing in our greatest asset which is our students it helps us identify best practices,” Reynolds says. “It helps the school district identify areas that they’re not meeting their objectives.”
Reynolds and Wise made their comments during a news conference in the governor’s office.
AUDIO of news conference, 26:00
The report covered the classes of 2012, 2013 and 2014 who graduated from a public high school in Iowa.