This is wonderful news as it is great for publicitiy. Our students, parents, and educators do a wonderful job. Teachers and parents working together towards a common goal makes it work.

Our community needs to stick together and fight for continued success as the next generation will have to endure ever strengthening opposition to quality,objective public education. This opposition saddens me as I see our community and our children fighting an uphill battle against corporate influences at both the state and city level.

It was good to see this post today after yesterdays news of budget battles. Thank you for posting Kristen. We needed some good news.

ACT college readiness scores are trending up in Rochester -- a testament to the long overdue, higher bar established by the Michigan Merit Curriculum in 2006. Yet undeniably, much work remains to prepare young people for academic success beyond high school.

Percentage of Rochester Class of 2012 deemed college-ready at each high school, per ACT composite scores:

Rochester Adams High School - 46 %
Rochester High School - 34 %
Rochester Stoney Creek High School - 39%

http://www.freep.com/article/20110628/NEWS06/110627059/Database-Michigan-high-school-ACT-MME-scores?appSession=299303136019835

I think it is also a testament to the hard working teachers and active parents in the district. Kudos to them.

Hi Clara,

1. Define college ready. 2. Did you attend RCS?

LinkedIn is a great resource to see a plethera successful RCS grads/college grads. You're right! RCS is rich in resources.

Hello Timothy,

1. From ACT:

http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/benchmarks.pdf

"ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT test scores
required for students to have a high probability of success in credit-bearing
college courses—English Composition, social sciences courses, College
Algebra, or Biology."

"Students who meet a Benchmark on the ACT or COMPASS have
approximately a 50 percent chance of earning a B or better and approximately a
75 percent chance of earning a C or better in the corresponding college course
or courses."

2. Define attend.

3. Define plethora. Surely you aren't suggesting that 34% college readiness is excessive?

While potentially useful for instigating argument, let's be clear that no one is suggesting that RCS graduates aren't successful.

The point is that more RCS graduates deserve the opportunity to succeed academically once they leave the school district.

Adults are responsible for creating the conditions necessary for success, and while the district's upward tick in student achievement is commendable, plenty of room for improvement exists.

RCS can and should do better.

Too often people consider the ACT a final destination, rather than a landmark along the way.

Rochester as a district compares very well to other Michigan public schools when considering ACT scores, and I'm sure they help our our students get into good Michigan universities.

The real question is, "How do they do once they get there?"

How many of them require remedial coursework? How many of them need to take a fight year, not because of changes in majors, but because of necessary remedial work?

Not only has the district never given any serious consideration to this question, I think they actually avoid looking at the information. Many colleges will provide matriculation data to high schools, providing data on how their graduates perform during their first year. Some automatically send it... other are just waiting for the schools to ask.

Now here is the interesting point... I mentioned this to board Candidate Jeremy Nielson, who was intrigued at the concept, and decided to ask the district for information though a FOIA request. The response he received stated that the information was not available.

I was shocked at that answer. I saw the reports when I served on the Rochester Board of Ed. I still have copies. They weren't circulated... I had to dig... but it wasn't hard and I saw them.

I've talked to other board members from other districts, who see their matriculation reports.

What's up with RCS?

http://amusingyou.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/head_in_sand.jpg

I've created a comparison of Rochester Community Schools to peer districts of similar demographics. Unfortunately, our ACT scores aren't as stellar as our MEAP scores. See the comparison at http://rochestersage.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/2011-act-and-mme-district-comparison/

How are the demographics determined? Has anyone looked at the link between college educated parents and college ready students? Higher income level does not always correlate to education level as you know. So, was wondering if you have any comparative data. That may be interesting.
Thanks for sharing.

Cheryl, the list of school districts was given to me by Mike Reno. At least some of these districts appear to be ones that RCS compares itself to based on slides I've seen at school board meetings.