PREPARATION. A large proportion of young adults in California earn a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) diploma by age 24. The state's 8th graders perform very poorly on national assessments of math, reading and writing, indicating that they are not well prepared for challenging high school courses. Comparatively few high school students enroll in upper-level math and science. On the other hand, very large proportions of California's high school juniors and seniors score well on Advanced Placement tests.
|
|
Preparation
|
C-
|
| Participation |
B+ |
| Affordability |
A |
| Completion |
C |
| Benefits |
B+ |
| Learning |
I |
|
|
|
PARTICIPATION. A fairly good proportion of students in California go on to college immediately after high school. Very large percentages of young adults (ages 18 to 24) and working-age adults (ages 25 to 44) are enrolled in education or training beyond high school.
AFFORDABILITY. California requires families to devote a relatively large share of family income, even after financial aid, to attend public four-year colleges and universities. Private institutions, which account for 17% of enrollment, also require a relatively high proportion of family income to attend. The state has done poorly in providing financial aid to low-income students. However, California's overall grade in this category is very high because of the exceptionally low tuition at California's community colleges (which represent 48% of student enrollment statewide) and the very low share of family income that the state's poorest families need to pay for tuition at the community colleges.
|
|
COMPLETION. Very large proportions of freshmen at California's public and private four-year colleges and universities return for their sophomore year. Fairly large proportions of first-time, full-time students earn a bachelor's degree within five years of enrolling. But few students complete certificates and degrees relative to the number enrolled.
|
BENEFITS. A high percentage of California residents have a bachelor's degree and this substantially strengthens the state economy. A large proportion of California's adults perform well on national assessments of high-level literacy.
|
|
LEARNING. Like other states, California lacks information on the educational performance of college students that would permit systematic state or national comparisons.
|