Recent studies have revealed that few of the nation’s high school students are gaining the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and work. This report finds an important explanation for this phenomenon: states do not expect their graduates to take courses that truly reflect the real-world demands of life after high school. This study reveals that, in order to be fully prepared for work and postsecondary education, each student should take a minimum of four years of rigorous mathematics and four years of grade-level English.