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Public school educators in high poverty neighborhoods are less likely to rate themselves as doing a good job preparing high school students for college and the workforce compared to their colleagues in more affluent communities, a found.

In January, the surveyed more than 1,600 public K-12 schools from every state and the District of Columbia 鈥� where 53 percent in low poverty neighborhoods said they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college and 52 percent said the same for the workforce.

But public school educators in high poverty neighborhoods were lower at 33 and 43 percent respectively.

鈥淚f they鈥檙e assessing themselves based on the post-graduation success of their students, it makes sense why they feel they’re not doing as well,鈥� said Josh Wyner, founder and executive director of the .

Wyner said the college enrollment rate of high school students from low-income backgrounds is generally less than those from higher income areas, and they end up facing lower wages long-term if they go directly into the workforce.

鈥淲hile it’s discouraging that schools serving lower income and more diverse students believe they’re not doing as good a job, something they can do about it appears in the study,鈥� he added, noting the correlation between offering more advanced coursework 鈥� such as Advanced Placement and dual enrollment 鈥� and their perception of how they prepare high school students for the next stage of their lives.

The survey, which serves as part of the latest tracking the pandemic鈥檚 impact on public education, asked educators how they viewed their preparation of high school students for college and the workforce on a five-point scale 鈥� from 鈥減oor鈥� to 鈥渆xcellent.鈥�

About 47 percent said they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college and 50 percent said the same for the workforce.

鈥淚 hope this data will spark important conversations that lead to improved opportunities for all students,鈥� said NCES commissioner Peggy Carr in a statement.

Here are four things to know about the survey findings:

1. Public school educators in high poverty neighborhoods with more students of color were less likely to say they鈥檙e preparing students well for college and the workforce.

The report found public schools in low poverty neighborhoods were more likely to say they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college compared to those in high poverty neighborhoods 鈥� a difference of 53 and 33 percent respectively.

Statistics were similar about the workforce 鈥� a difference of 52 and 43 percent respectively.

The report also found public schools with fewer students of color were more likely to say they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college compared to those with a majority 鈥� a difference of 57 and 36 percent respectively.

Statistics were similar about the workforce 鈥� a difference of 55 and 41 percent respectively.

Wyner said the contrast based on poverty level and the number of students of color comes from the disproportionate access to advanced coursework.

鈥淲e’ve known for a long time that AP access is inequitable, but the fact that dual enrollment access is also inequitable鈥�is troubling,鈥� Wyner said.

The study found 73 percent of public schools offered at least one of the following: Advanced Placement, Pre-Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual enrollment courses.

About 76 percent of public schools in low poverty neighborhoods offered advanced coursework compared to 65 percent of those in high poverty neighborhoods.

But the difference was greater based on the number of students of color.

About 84 percent of public schools with fewer students of color offered advanced coursework compared to 65 percent of those with a majority.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit of a surprise because [a majority] of those courses are offered by community colleges which are often located in areas that serve high need high school students,鈥� Wyner said. 

鈥淪o you would think that those partnerships would be stronger and enable expanded access to advanced courses 鈥� but they don’t.鈥�

2. Public school educators with smaller student populations were less likely to say they鈥檙e preparing students well for college and the workforce.

Public schools with less than 300 students were the least likely to say they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college and the workforce compared to those with a larger population.

Wyner said this is because public schools with fewer students are generally located in less densely populated areas, such as towns and rural areas, with less resources and proximity to other educational institutions.

鈥淪ome of this has to do with urbanicity,鈥� Wyner said. 鈥淚n some communities, economic opportunity is limited鈥�so high school students, no matter how well-prepared, may not readily be able to find a job if they’re staying in these areas.鈥�

3. Public school educators in towns were less likely to say they鈥檙e preparing students well for college 鈥� but those in cities had similar attitudes for the workforce.

Public schools in towns were the least likely to say they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college compared to those in cities, suburbs or rural areas.

But those in cities were the least likely to have the same attitude about preparing students for the workforce.

Wyner said the local economies are likely driving these perceptions 鈥� with public schools in towns and rural areas having a higher number of blue collar jobs compared to cities having a higher number of college opportunities.

鈥淭he reality is that schools that are in knowledge-based economies, which tend to be centered in cities, will consider themselves more capable of preparing students for a liberal arts education whereas schools in areas with a higher percentage of jobs in agriculture, manufacturing or some of the more blue collar jobs will view themselves as stronger in preparing students for the workforce,鈥� Wyner said.

鈥淭here are also many parts of the country that have long traditions of having jobs that don鈥檛 require postsecondary training,鈥� he added, pointing to the lingering impact of careers in the automotive, steel mill and manufacturing industries.

4. Public school educators in the Midwest were less likely to say they鈥檙e preparing students well for college 鈥� but those in the West had similar attitudes for the workforce. 

Public schools in the Midwest were the least likely to say they do a 鈥渧ery good鈥� or 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job preparing students for college compared to those in the Northeast, South and West.

But those in the West were the least likely to have the same attitude about preparing students for the workforce.

鈥淚t makes sense why we see a correlation between location, morality and postsecondary and employment opportunities for students,鈥� Wyner said.

鈥淭his study should offer guidance to [public schools] to find the right ways to prepare students for college and the workforce鈥�and give them that sense of self-efficacy that they know what鈥檚 right for them.鈥�

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