...Bauerlein's book cites study after study to the contrary. For example, he writes that, "in August 2006, the Alliance for Excellent Education (a Washington-based policy and advocacy group) estimated that two-year U.S. college programs spend $1.4 billion a year improving skills that should have been acquired in high school."

Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, a Washington-based education research and advocacy group, thinks the nation fell behind when educators failed to realize reading instruction needs to continue in middle and high schools and when non-English speaking students poured into classes.

On July 1, Alliance for Excellent Education President Bob Wise appeared on the Charlie Rose show, discussing his new book, Raising the Grade, and the crisis in American high schools.

Alliance for Excellent Education President Bob Wise suggested permitting states to report both a four-year and a "cumulative" graduation rate including all students. For the cumulative graduation rate to meet annual targets, a specific percentage of graduates -- perhaps 90 percent -- should be four-year graduates, he wrote.

This removes the incentive to designate certain groups of students as slow learners while acknowledging that some individual students do take more time, said Jamie Fasteau, policy director for [the Alliance for Excellent Education]. It is also, she said, a possible solution to the graduation formula issue and is not just a criticism of the department's proposal. "We're appreciative of her taking this step forward," she said, referring to department chief Margaret Spellings. "The country's been ignoring its graduation rates."

In a report on the costs of high school dropouts compiled by the Alliance for Excellent Education in Washington, D.C., Georgia was one of five states (plus District of Columbia) whose graduation rate for the Class of 2008 was less than 60 percent.

The national Alliance for Excellent Education estimates that the 1,800 Wyoming students who didn't graduate in 2007 will have total lost lifetime earnings of more than $462 million. The group estimated that Wyoming's economy would see a combination of crime-related savings and additional revenue of about $9.5 million each year, if the male high school graduation rate increased by just 5 percent.

According to a study released by the Alliance for Excellent Education, the average annual income for a high school dropout in 2005 was almost $10,000 less than a high school graduate.

Washington, D.C.-based MALDEF issued a joint statement with the National Indian Education Association, the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, the Alliance for Excellent Education, the National Urban League, and the National Council of La Raza, expressing opposition to the measure.

The Alliance for Excellent Education cites study after study showing how important high-school diplomas are: High-school graduates live longer; are less likely to be teenage parents and more likely to raise healthier, better-educated children; are less likely to commit crimes; are less likely to rely on government health care; are less likely to use public services such as food stamps or housing assistance; and are more likely to engage in civic activities, such as voting and volunteering.