Achieve’s ADP Assessment Consortium Shows Value of States Working Together to Prepare Students for Success

NEWS STATEMENT

CONTACT:

Sandy Boyd, (202) 419-1542, sboyd@achieve.org

WASHINGTON – October 1, 2009 – A new report released by Achieve shows that multi-state efforts to improve student performance is not only possible, but that when states work together, they can raise the bar and collectively challenge themselves, their systems and their schools to improve secondary mathematics education for the benefit of all students. The American Diploma Project (ADP) End-of-Course Exams: 2009 Annual Report details the work of the 15 states in Achieve’s ADP Assessment Consortium to develop, set standards for and administer rigorous Algebra I and II exams that assess not only achievement in the course students have just completed, but also readiness for higher level mathematics.

The Consortium is the largest of its kind and serves as an important model for future multi-state collaboration efforts. Participating states include Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington. The ADP Algebra II exam was administered for the first time last year to 88,344 students in the consortium states. That number rose to more than 102,936 this year despite daunting state budget challenges. This year, the first administration of the ADP Algebra I exam, which was piloted in five Consortium states, also took place.

"The ADP Assessment Consortium proves that collective state action to raise the bar for the purpose of improving student achievement can work," said Mike Cohen, Achieve's president. "No state alone could do what the 15 consortium states have achieved together, and while there is still much work to do, there is strength – and there will be success – in numbers."

By design, the Consortium states have created rigorous Algebra I and II exams and – as expected – results for both exams were low in all of the participating states. Nevertheless, states set the bar high so that they would have an honest baseline for moving forward.

"What we are seeing is a voluntary race-to-the-top where states have worked together to ensure that their high school graduates are prepared for the opportunities and challenges that await them by creating an honest measure, even if that means producing, initially, low test results," continued Cohen. "Now that the results are in, the hard work of improving instruction, curriculum and supports for teachers and students must be accelerated."

The ADP Assessment Consortium is a group formed from Achieve’s ADP Network. Launched in 2005, the Network brings state, education and business leaders together to work to align high school standards, assessments, graduation requirements and accountability systems with the demands of college and careers. The Network has grown to 35 states, educating nearly 85 percent of all U.S. public school students.

Created in 1996 by the nation's governors and corporate leaders, Achieve is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit education reform organization based in Washington D.C. that helps states raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability. Achieve is leading the effort to make college and career readiness a national priority so that the transition from high school graduation to postsecondary education and careers is seamless. To make college and career readiness a priority, in 2005 Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network. Starting with 13 original states, the Network has now grown to include 35 states educating nearly 85 percent of all U.S. public school students. Through the ADP Network, governors, state education officials, postsecondary leaders and business executives work together to improve postsecondary preparation by aligning high school standards, assessments, graduation requirements and accountability systems with the demands of college and careers. For more information about the work of Achieve, visit www.achieve.org.