Policy: State

This study from Education First and the Editorial Projects in Education Inc. (EPE) Research Center examines state implementation plans on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Study findings from a summer 2011 survey of state education officials of 50 states and the District of Columbia show that all CCSS-adopting states but one have developed plans to implement the CCSS. Authors further analyze the implementation plans and report on details including plans for specified areas and professional development.

In November 2011, eleven states submitted applications to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for waivers from up to ten provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), now known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Although the state waiver process currently underway presents an opportunity to strengthen college and career readiness among the nation’s high school students, the waiver applications as submitted may also have the unintended consequence of weakening high school graduation rate accountability.

This technical brief by Uekawa, Merola, Fernandez, and Porowski presents a historical analysis of key indicators of dropout for Delaware students in grades 9-12. The authors identified three key indicators of dropouts: (1) students’ attendance; (2) students’ math course grades; and (3) students’ English language arts (ELA) course grades. They found that the greater the number of risk indicators among a group of students, the higher the rate of student dropout in that group.

This field research study reports on findings from Partnerships for Student Success (PSS), a four-state study that analyzed K–16 educational governance and policies at the state level that included analysis of organizational structures, leadership, finance, curricula and assessment, accountability, and data systems. Sources of the data included interviews conducted in Florida, Georgia, New York, and Oregon, a review of related literature and research, and data from relevant Web sites.

This resource guide synthesizes information collected through a review of more than 70 organizations focused on college and career readiness.

The College and Career Readiness Action Planning Template includes ten overarching questions designed to help states discuss key areas of college and career readiness. Each question has a series of more detailed subquestions that can be used to further examine each college and career readiness topic area.

This brief, the third in the College and Career Development Organizer series, summarizes the pathways and supports of college and career preparation that have been collected and organizes this information into three key threads: 1) Personalized Learning Supports; 2) Rigorous Programs of Study; 3) Aligned Resources, Structures, and Supports. Along with a brief description of each thread, key components are highlighted and examples of each type of pathway and support are provided.