CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The emergence of the globalized information age impacts the needs and nature of
labor that consequently affects the educational preparation of the new 21st century
learner. Are American public schools ready? American students should be well prepared
for citizenship, 21st century work and postsecondary education. Instead, nearly 40 percent
of high school graduates feel inadequately prepared for college or the work force,
according to a 2004 report by the American Diploma Project. A 2005 survey by the
National Association of Manufacturers showed that 84 percent of employers say K–12
schools are not doing a good job of preparing students for the workplace (Partnership for
21st Century Skills, 2006). According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, college
professors contend that 40 percent of U.S. high school graduates are not adequately
prepared for expectations of college courses, compelling them to take remedial courses in
basic content areas (2011). This statistic is corroborated by the National Association of
Educational Progress (NAEP) from 2004 that indicated 55 percent of high school seniors
need remediation in basic skills due to their 12th grade test scores. For young people, the
impact of struggling in college and leaving without a degree can be profound. The current
estimates show that at least some post secondary education will be needed for about twothirds
of all jobs by 2018 (Carnevele, Smith and Strohl, 2010).