Lots of paper to hang on their walls but their literacy, numeracy, and problem solving skills suck compared to their peers in other industrialized countries. As the author states, "To put it bluntly, we no longer share the growth and prosperity of the
nation the way we did in the decades between 1940 and 1980."
How do U.S. top-performing and lower-performing millennials
compare to their international peers? What is the degree of inequality
in the score distribution?2
Top-scoring U.S. millennials (those at
the 90th percentile) scored lower than top-scoring millennials in 15 of
the 22 participating countries, and only scored higher than their peers
in Spain.Low-scoring U.S. millennials (those at
the 10th percentile) ranked last along with Italy and England/Northern
Ireland and scored lower than millennials in 19 participating countries.The gap in scores (139
points) between U.S. millennials at the 90th and 10th percentiles was
higher than the gap in 14 of the participating countries and was not
significantly different than the gap in the remaining countries,
signaling a high degree of inequality in the distribution of scores.
How do millennials with different
levels of educational attainment perform over time and in relation to
their peers internationally?
Although a greater percentage of young
adults in the U.S. are attaining higher levels of education since 2003,
the numeracy scores of U.S. millennials whose highest level of education
is high school and above high school have declined.Since 2003, the percentages of U.S.
millennials scoring below level 3 in numeracy (the minimum standard)
increased at all levels of educational attainment.U.S. millennials with a four-year
bachelor's degree scored higher in numeracy than their counterparts in
only two countries: Poland and Spain.The scores of U.S. millennials whose highest level of educational attainment was either less than high school or high school were lower than those of their counterparts in almost every other participating country.Our best-educated millennials-those with
a master's or research degree-only scored higher than their peers in
Ireland, Poland, and Spain.
Lots of degrees but not much behind them
nation the way we did in the decades between 1940 and 1980."
How do U.S. top-performing and lower-performing millennials
compare to their international peers? What is the degree of inequality
in the score distribution?2
Top-scoring U.S. millennials (those at
the 90th percentile) scored lower than top-scoring millennials in 15 of
the 22 participating countries, and only scored higher than their peers
in Spain.Low-scoring U.S. millennials (those at
the 10th percentile) ranked last along with Italy and England/Northern
Ireland and scored lower than millennials in 19 participating countries.The gap in scores (139
points) between U.S. millennials at the 90th and 10th percentiles was
higher than the gap in 14 of the participating countries and was not
significantly different than the gap in the remaining countries,
signaling a high degree of inequality in the distribution of scores.
How do millennials with different
levels of educational attainment perform over time and in relation to
their peers internationally?
Although a greater percentage of young
adults in the U.S. are attaining higher levels of education since 2003,
the numeracy scores of U.S. millennials whose highest level of education
is high school and above high school have declined.Since 2003, the percentages of U.S.
millennials scoring below level 3 in numeracy (the minimum standard)
increased at all levels of educational attainment.U.S. millennials with a four-year
bachelor's degree scored higher in numeracy than their counterparts in
only two countries: Poland and Spain.The scores of U.S. millennials whose highest level of educational attainment was either less than high school or high school were lower than those of their counterparts in almost every other participating country.Our best-educated millennials-those with
a master's or research degree-only scored higher than their peers in
Ireland, Poland, and Spain.
Lots of degrees but not much behind them
