College & Career Readiness is not just about College

It's also about the military.  One day last year, my assistant principal and I discussed the future of one of our more troubled and troublesome seniors (who ultimately failed to graduate in 2012).  This student had expressed to me a desire to enter the military, which would not have been a good option based on this student's behavior.  But my assistant principal commented that in light of defense cuts and the end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military can be much more selective about who they enlist, and our student would not make the cut.

In this article called "Shut Out of the Military: Today's High School Education Doesn't Mean You are Ready for Today's Army", The Education Trust argues that just as high schools aren't preparing students for college-level work, they also are not providing students with the skills they to pass the military enlistment test (the ASVAB) and pursue military service, and students of color are scoring much lower than their white peers.  The article states "Among white test-takers, 16 percent scored below the minimum score required by the Army. For Hispanic candidates, the rate of ineligibility was 29 percent.  And for African-American youth, it was 39 percent."  While this article does not provide any specific recommendations for strengthening high school programs or for preparing students for greater success on the ASVAB, it does call attention to the fact that the military may not be a viable post-secondary option for many students, especially those who (traditionally?  stereotypically?) are not college-bound.

College Board and ACT weigh in on College Readiness

I guess it makes sense.  College Board and ACT are gatekeepers to higher education--students must score as high as possible on the SAT and ACT in order to win a spot at their dream college, and these tests presume to predict student success in college.  Each year both organzations issue reports on college & career readiness based on student achievement on these two entrance exams.

College Board: "The SAT Report on College & Career Readiness released today revealed that only 43 percent of SAT® takers in the class of 2012 graduated from high school with the level of academic preparedness associated with a high likelihood of college success. These findings are based on the percentage of students in the class of 2012 who met the SAT College & Career Readiness Benchmark, which research shows is associated with higher rates of enrollment in four-year colleges, higher first-year college GPAs and higher rates of retention beyond the first year."

ACT: "In 2012, 67% of all ACT-tested high school graduates met the English College Readiness Benchmark, while 25% met the College Readiness Benchmarks in all four subjects. Fifty-two percent of graduates met the Reading Benchmark and 46% met the Mathematics Benchmark. Just under 1 in 3 (31%) met the College Readiness Benchmark in Science."

You can read the full reports on the class of 2012 at these links:
ACT
College Board

Mitt Romney Didn't Build This

Please pardon the political joke...I couldn't resist.

Anyway, Massachusetts is lauded as having the best education system in the nation (although Maryland also claim that distinction for itself...), and it's College & Career Readiness website is quite extensive.  The Mass. DOE states its definition of college & career readiness, the two goals the state has set for itself in this realm, and how its seven existing initiatives support these goals.  Of all the state-level college & career readiness websites I've surveyed, Massachusetts definitely seems to be leading the pack on this.

For comparison, here are some links to other states' College & Career Readiness Office pages:
Maryland (which is a bit embarrassing)
New Jersey's College & Career Readiness Task Force Report
Texas (not bad for a conservative state that refused to play along with Race to the Top)
What does California mean when it talks about College & Career Readiness?
Hawai'i

'College for All' Reconsidered: Are Four-Year Degrees for All?

This June 2011 Education Week article argues that a four-year degree might not be the most beneficial post-secondary option for many students and the value of pursuing studies at a four-year institution.  The author argues that at least one year of post-secondary education will be necessary in order for students to have the proper training for the jobs that will be available, but this post-secondary education could be an occupational certificate or associate degree.

Defining College Readiness for Students with Learning Disabilities

This article was published in the April 2009 issue of Professional School Counseling and describes a study designed to identify all of the college readiness factors affecting students with learning disabilities.  The study identified over sixty factors that affect students' achievement in college (most of which are not unique to students with special needs) and argues the importance of precisely identifying particular students' strengths & weaknesses and the specific interventions necessary to meet student needs.  The study also argues the importance of the counselors' role, especially on IEP teams as they develop transition plans for students.

"An informal examination of the final 62 items reveals possible groupings under which the factors could be organized. For example, factors such as confidence, resilience, coping skills, and strong work ethic reflect innate characteristics important to success. Academic skills (e.g., basic math skills, writing skills) and broad study skills (e.g., time management skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, note-taking skills) could be grouped together to encompass more traditional college preparation focus areas. Skills to function autonomously is another possible grouping that might include factors such as self-determination skills and accepts responsibility for actions. Another grouping could focus on skills necessary to work effectively with others, including social skills, communication skills, and self-advocacy skills. Finally, knowledge of self and of college might be two final groupings. The former could include factors such as knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses and knowledge of whether the available college accommodations fit their individual needs, while the latter might include factors such as knowledge that college is different than high school and knowledge of legal rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act."

The Conclusion:
"This study provides justification for school counselors to take a comprehensive approach to postsecondary transition planning with students with learning disabilities. School counselors are encouraged to use the list of factors as a starting point to guide their work during postsecondary transition planning for students with learning disabilities. They might find that all students, not just those with learning disabilities, can benefit from interventions targeting many of the factors. What is lacking, however, is empirical support for interventions that can used by high school counselors and teachers to address the college readiness factors. School counselors are strongly encouraged to collect data that can help to inform their and others' future work with students with learning disabilities."

College for All?

This article from the Autumn 2011 issue of Wilson Quarterly examines arguments against college-for-all and argues that in order for President Obama's college graduation goals to be achieved, secondary education must be improved so that students are prepared for college.  The author also argues that institutions & policymakers must reduce attrition not only from high school but also from "grades 13 and 14" in college and provides some suggestions to achieve this goal.