A new analysis from the Collaborative for Student Success argues that many high school graduates enter college without the math proficiency needed for post-secondary success, even as graduation rates rebound. The report finds high school math proficiency often falls below 50% despite statewide graduation rates commonly ranging from 80% to 95%. Researchers say the gap undermines the meaning of diplomas as signals of college readiness, particularly when states rely on varying testing schedules and only a subset requires exit exams. Experts interviewed in the analysis emphasize that diplomas reflect minimum course completion rather than readiness. For higher education systems, the findings reinforce the importance of aligning placement, advising, and bridge supports with actual math readiness—rather than relying on graduation credentials alone to predict who will need remediation.