For the most part, the academic component of the industry skill standards could be met without achieving a grade 12 level of competence in a particular academic subject. Mathematics provides the clearest example.
According to mathematics experts who attended the conference, with the exception of photonics (which recommends two to three years of high school mathematics), virtually all the mathematics specified in the seven sets of industry skill standards examined correspond to about two years of study at the level of middle school mathematics. The specified mathematics includes ratios, graphs, formulas, geometric calculations, and elementary statistics. However, in many more traditional curricula, these topics are spread out over grades 7-10, interspersed among many other topics (e.g., algebraic manipulation and geometric proofs) that are not listed in the industry skill standards. Furthermore, high school graduates who meet only the mathematics requirements outlined in the industry skill standards examined at the conference would require two or three remedial courses before being qualified to enroll in credit-bearing college-level mathematics courses.
The industry skill standards may also present an inaccurate picture of the level of academic skills required. For example, the photonics standards, the most mathematically advanced set of standards examined at the conference, recommend a curriculum whose mathematics component takes four years to accomplish what university-bound students routinely do in three years. In particular, Algebra II is listed as a senior course based on three years of preparation, whereas both the traditional and standards-based curricula expect Algebra II to be completed at the end of the junior year. This recommendation suggests that the curricula most appropriate for future photonics technicians is not as challenging as a typical college preparatory program, thus sending a dubious message about what students should be expected to learn (Center for Occupational Research and Development [CORD], 1995).
The level of academic science called for by the industry skill standards may be slightly higher, although in most cases the EIF standards are so general that it is difficult to assign them a level. For example, the standards for the electronic industry call for "proficiency in physics," which includes understanding the fundamental principles of mechanics, pneumatics, hydraulics, and electricity (Electronic Industries Association and Electronic Industries Foundation, 1994). Students may have a brief overview of some of this material in middle school, however, the minority of high school students who do take physics usually take it in their junior or senior years. The metalworking standards call for an understanding of "material properties" (National Tooling and Machining Association, 1994, p. 15) and the health care standards suggest that workers must be able to "apply knowledge of life sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics, and human growth and development" (Far West Laboratory, 1995, p. 15). Biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, and organic chemistry are included in the list of "skills, knowledge, and attributes" called for in the bioscience standards (Education Development Center, 1995, pp. 117-120). In this case, mastery of these disciplines would not be achieved until college. Still, these standards are so vague that they provide little guidance to students and teachers (How much organic chemistry should a prospective bioscience worker learn?). In general, however, the science educators at the conference, to some extent in contrast to the mathematics educators, did not emphasize the low levels of academic skills specified by the industry skill standards.
Defining the levels of English, social studies, or history specified in the industry skill standards is even more difficult. For the most part, there was little mention of social studies or history although the health standards did call on workers to "be aware of the history of health care" (Far West Laboratory, 1995, p. 15). Not surprisingly, none of the industry skill standards called for knowledge of the literature or literary analysis that make up much of the traditional language arts curriculum. However, most industry skill standards did call for writing and communication skills that students would be expected to learn in English, social studies, and history courses. For example, the metalworking standards include "reading, writing, speaking, and listening" and the health care standards suggest that workers need to be able to "read and write, including charts, reports, and measures" (National Tooling and Machining Association, 1994, included in all matrices; Far West Laboratory, 1995, p. 15). It is, therefore, impossible to determine required levels of achievement in these fields from the published standards. This is further complicated because the English standards, for example, do not specify levels of achievement. On the other hand, certainly, an effective education system would teach students to "read, write, speak, and listen," long before the end of high school, although these skills can be improved significantly with more education.
Thus, to the extent that levels of academic achievement are defined, the industry skill standards tend to call for skills that can be achieved well short of high school graduation. The case is clearest for mathematics, but less so for science. On the other hand, one conclusion to emerge from this exercise is that most of the industry skill standards groups failed to specify the levels of academic skills required in industry contexts. Calling for knowledge of "chemistry" or "algebra" provides little guidance. Progress can only be made in this area through collaboration between industry personnel and teachers and leaders from the various discipline-based communities.