Written by Bob Wise, former governor of West Virginia and current president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, Raising the Grade describes the alarming cost of our long-time neglect of secondary education. At a time when technology and postsecondary education requirements are rising dramatically in the workforce, the literacy skills of adolescents are not keeping pace. With most federal dollars targeted to elementary schools and higher education, few resources are allocated to improve high schools, to address the achievement gap threatening nearly 6 million students at risk of dropping out in the United States. Raising the Grade is rooted in the stories of real Americans whose high school experiences failed to engage or adequately prepare them for work or college.

PRESS RELEASE
In the newly released book, Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation (Jossey-Bass), Governor Bob Wise, former governor of West Virginia and one of the nation’s leading experts on high school reform, draws attention to the crisis in America’s high schools that sees approximately 1.2 million students failing to graduate every year, and calls for a federal response to this pressing issue.

FACT SHEET PDF
Fast facts about raising the grade

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) PDF about Raising the Grade

 

"This is an excellent book. Governor Wise uses a very effective blend of hard data, clear examples, vivid metaphors, and personal anecdotes to make the case for high school reform—and the specific actions that need to be taken. Every policymaker from the schoolhouse to the statehouse, and from the classroom to Congress, should read this book."

— GASTON CAPERTON, former two-term governor of West Virginia, president of the College Board

"Governor Wise has been a critical leader on identifying the problem and solutions to the dropout crisis and his insightful analysis should be a must-read for all who care about the future of our nation."

—U.S. CONGRESSMAN ROBERT “BOBBY” SCOTT (D-VA)

 “In Raising the Grade, Governor Wise uses his extensive experience in education to make a compelling case for the transformation of America’s high schools. The prosperity of every state—and our nation—demands a response to the issues that are so candidly described in this book. In it, the governor lays out an invaluable plan for federal action that should be required reading for every elected officeholder across the country.” 

—GOVERNOR JAMES B. HUNT, JR.,former governor of North Carolina (1977-1985; 1993-2001) and Chairman, James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy

 

CLICK HERE to order the book.