Public Agenda released their 2006 Reality Check report, which tracks attitudes about a variety of educational issues. Some notable findings include:
1. Fifty percent of black students, 43 percent of Hispanic students, and 31 percent of white students say that academic standards are too low and kids are not expected to learn enough.
2. Only 49 percent of black students, 56 percent of Hispanic students, and 68 percent of white students believe they will have the skills needed to succeed in college by the time they graduate from high school.
3. Around 60 percent of black students, 56 percent of Hispanic students, and 49 percent of white students say that too many students get passed through the system without learning.
4. Eighty-four percent of black and Hispanic students and 79 percent of white students think it is a good idea for school districts to require students to meet higher academic standards or go to summer school to catch up.
Overall, students want higher standards, higher expectations, and an orderly learning environment. But what do they know?
