Arkansas

College and Career Ready Definitions

“’College and career readiness’ means the acquisition of skills a student needs to be successful in future endeavors, including:

  1. Successfully completing credit-bearing, first-year courses at a postsecondary institution; and
  2. Embarking on a chosen career”

Source:

AR SB 814, sec. 8(a)(1)

Accountability Metrics
  • Student achievement status on state tests
  • Student growth on state tests
  • Student English language acquisition
  • Four-year graduation rate
  • Additional graduation rates (five or more years)
  • Dropout rate

Source: Center for American Progress. (2016). Explore the Data for ‘Making the Grade’. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/news/2016/05/19/137455...

College and Career Ready Reporting Metrics
ACT High-School-to-College Success Reports1
State School Report Card2
Education Data Center3
Early Warning Systems
 
SAT scores and participation rate2
ACT scores and participation rate2
Advanced Placement (AP) scores and participation rate2
International Baccalaureate (IB) participation rate2
Students completing college preparatory (core) coursework2
NAEP2
State and local assessments4
College entrance exams4
Grades and credit4
Attendance rate2
Retention rate2
Discipline data by type of infraction (expulsions, weapons incidents, and assaults; disaggregated by assaults on staff and assaults on students)2
Number of students in College and Career Readiness Planning Program (CCRPP)2
Attendance and discipline4
Students assigned to developmental coursework in postsecondary education1
First-year college GPA1
Average number of credit hours completed in first year of postsecondary education1
Persistence into second year of postsecondary education1
Associate’s degree attainment within six years1
 
 
Sources:
1. Arkansas Department of Education Data Center. (2015). High-school-to-college success reports. Retrieved from https://adedata.arkansas.gov/actreports/
2. Arkansas Department of Education Data Center. (2016). Accountability Reports Center—School performance data reports. Retrieved from https://adedata.arkansas.gov/arc/
3. Arkansas Department of Education Data Center. (2016). For data. Retrieved from https://adedata.arkansas.gov/#data
4. Arkansas Department of Education. (2017). Arkansas studentGPS Dashboards. Little Rock, AK: Author. Retrieved from https://adedata.arkansas.gov/sgps/
 
Dual Enrollment and Early College High School

Dual Enrollment and Articulation

Arkansas allows students to earn dual credit in academic and/or CTE courses through endorsed concurrent enrollment offered at their high school. Dual enrollment is available for college credit only. Students who have completed eighth grade also can earn dual credit through enrollment in a publicly supported community college or four-year institution of higher education. Students who have completed eighth grade may take developmental/remedial coursework for dual credit. Public postsecondary institutions are required to accept these credits within certain guidelines (Education Commission of the States, 2015).

Early College High School

Arkansas is not participating in the Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI). More information about schools participating in ECHSI is available at the ECHSI website (Jobs for the Future, n.d.).

Citations: Jobs for the Future. (n.d.). Schools. Retrieved from http://www.jff.org/initiatives/early-college-designs/schools#sthash.LH84Mq8C.dpuf

Education Commission of the States. (2015). Dual enrollment – all state profiles. Retrieved from http://ecs.force.com/mbdata/mbprofallRT?Rep=DE14A

Career Pathways

Arkansas implements programs of study across all 16 Career Clusters.

Citations:

Arkansas Department of Career Education. (2012). Career Clusters. Retrieved from http://ace.arkansas.gov/cte/careerClusters/Pages/default.aspx

Career Exploration and Career Plans
Arkansas does not have a statewide system for career exploration or career plans at the K–12 level.
Alignment Between High School Graduation and State College Admission Requirements

High School and College Alignment

Subject

High School Graduation Requirements

College Admission Requirements

English Credits:

4.0

4.0

Mathematics Credits:

4.0 (Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, and from among transitions to college mathematics, mathematics, pre-calculus, calculus, trigonometry, statistics, computer mathematics, Algebra III, or an Advanced Placement mathematics)

4.0 (from among Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, trigonometry, pre-calculus, and calculus; two years of applied mathematics can be substituted for Algebra I)

Social Studies Credits:

3.0 (civics or civics/American government, world history, and American history)

3.0

Science Credits:

3.0 (each with laboratory experience; from among physical science; biology or applied biology/chemistry; chemistry; and physics, principles of technology I and II, or principles of technology physics)

3.0 (each with laboratory experience; from among biology, chemistry and physics. Two years of principles of technology or applied biology/chemistry can be substituted for physics and biology respectively)

Foreign Language Credits:

None specified (N/S)

See Additional Credits

Arts Credits:

0.5

N/S

Additional Credits:

7.5 (oral communication [0.5], P.E. [0.5], health and safety [0.5], and career focus courses [6.0])

2.0 (from among English, foreign languages, oral communication, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, or social studies)

Total Credits:

22.0

16.0

Tests:

Arkansas Comprehensive Assessment Program

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or ACT®

Source:

Arkansas Department of Education

University of Arkansas

 

Early Warning Systems

Arkansas’ state-specific Early Warning System is called the Arkansas studentGPS Dashboards. The level at which Early Warning System data are reported is not publicly available. District officials, principals, and teachers can access Early Warning System data, although formal documentation of this access has not been identified.

Citations:

Arkansas Research Center. (n.d.). [Website]. Conway, AR: Author. Retrieved from https://arc.arkansas.gov/publications

Arkansas Department of Education. (2015). Arkansas studentGPS Dashboards. Little Rock, AK: Author. Retrieved from https://adedata.arkansas.gov/sgps/