Leaders in business and higher education acknowledge progress toward higher academic achievement based on the state's 2014 Grades 3-8 Math and English Language Arts (ELA) assessments, released last week, but also agree more progress is needed to ensure that students are graduating from New York's public schools college- and career-ready.
Commenting on the scores, Heather C. Briccetti, Esq., president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State cited a recent report by ReadyNation, a statewide business organization, that New York employers will face a deficit of 350,000 workers for mid-level skill jobs in six years.
“The new, more rigorous standards will help ensure that students are appropriately prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century economy. The skills gap must be addressed on the state and national level if we want to remain competitive in the global arena,” Ms. Briccetti said.
Mid-level skills jobs are those that require more than a high school diploma, but less than a traditional four-year degree.
SUNY Chancellor, Nancy L. Zimpher also called for continued effort to improve academic results.
“I am encouraged to see New York State students trending in a positive direction as we continue to implement the higher Common Core standards. Parents, teachers, school leaders, and community partners should be proud of the progress we are making, but our collective efforts must continue in order to deliver the best possible results for our children. As we move forward with the Common Core and work together to address current achievement gaps, these positive student outcomes will only improve,” Chancellor Zimpher said.