This volume surveys major sources of published data on the academic performance of California public secondary school students and compares current performance levels to those attained in the State in the recent past, as well as to national trends. Chapter I is an introduction. Chapter II, "General Measures of Student Preparation," includes discussion of high school graduation rates, student performance in high schools, postsecondary enrollment, student preparation for college, and youth preparation for employment. In Chapter III, college- and work-related verbal performance is assessed, with data on reading and writing skills presented separately. Chapter IV, similarly, provides data on college- and work-related performance in the areas of mathematics and the sciences. In Chapter V, information is presented about the mastery of other "intellectual and life skills," including social studies/civic knowledge; art, music, and aesthetic appreciation; critical thinking; and health, recreation, and consumer skills. Finally, Chapter VI considers achievement data for different subgroups (males versus females, and students of different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds). Appended are (A) a description of data and information sources, and (B) a comparison of California and national Scholastic Aptitude Test data. Also attached are a glossary of acronyms and an eight-page bibliography on student achievement and performance. (GC)