Sponsoring research.

In 2004 Achieve, Inc., a key partner of the foundation's, released Ready or Not: Creating a High School Diploma That Counts. The report found that no matter what their post-high school plans are, whether working or continuing their education, high school graduates need the same basic knowledge and set of core skills, including a familiarity with algebra, statistics, and the ability to speak and write clearly. But most high school graduates are not getting these skills. As a result, the majority of college freshmen need remedial help, too few students ever attain a degree, and employers complain that recent high school graduates don't have what they need. The foundation is funding Achieve, Inc. to launch the American Diploma Project 2, an initiative aimed at working with states to address these issues over the next four years.