Career

This article presents a four-year case study on the impact that an urban college preparatory charter high school had on the postsecondary outcomes of its graduates. Through analysis of staff and teacher interviews, the impact that logistical constraints and staff turnover had on the implementation of the school’s mission to prepare educationally and socially disadvantaged students for college was revealed.

This study uses a national sample of students in sixth and ninth grade to determine how students perceive the utility of schooling for career development. Students demonstrated little awareness of the relationship between work and school, skills and knowledge required of them and learning opportunities at their disposal. In addition, students found extracurricular activities to be more important to their future careers than academic activities.

This study examines the impact of a career workshop which uses the Cognitive Information Processing Approach, which looks at the role of the three stages of memory, in order to promote the career choice readiness of young adolescents. Findings showed that middle school students increased their career planning, career decidedness, and career exploration.

This brief sponsored by Achieve, Inc., discusses the results from a poll of registered voters to examine: 1) whether they support the goal that students graduating high school should be college and career ready, and 2) whether they support the policies necessary to reach the goal. Voters polled indicated a strong belief in rigorous, well rounded high school academic requirements that are aligned with college and career expectations.

Through examination of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 and its transcript component, vocational education is analyzed for a group of youth. Career and technical education (CTE) courses taken and participation in career-related programs of courses and activities are described. The findings revealed that the majority of American high school students participate in CTE courses and work-related activities, which hold true across demographic subgroups as well.

This policy brief describes programs and initiatives from different states and districts that have been implemented to retain students, lower dropout rates, and help provide students with life skills to make them successful through and after high school. The authors start with a discussion of how to determine the parameters of graduation policy, i.e., identifying which courses students should be required to take and anchoring courses in standards that are aligned with college and career expectations.

This policy brief outlines the policy agenda of the Coalition for a College and Career Ready America. The authors note that the coalition supports: high standards with supports for students, providing states and districts with access to quality data and technical assistance, recognizing the role of charter schools and high-quality models, turning around all low-performing schools, and aligning state and federal initiatives with these principals.

This fact sheet seeks to update the components that make up "career ready". The authors broaden career readiness to include: academic skills, employability skills, and technical skills to align with the needs of 21st century employers. The authors conclude that it requires all three of these skill sets for students to be career ready.

This guide addresses the question: "Is the demand for 'college jobs' growing?" The author approaches the question by breaking relevant issues and the research into four areas: 1) evidence on the trajectory of the demand for skill; 2) sources of rising skill needs; 3) are the benefits real; and 4) moving forward. The author concludes that increasing access to higher education is beneficial in "social, civic, and economic terms."

This paper from EPIC asserts that a new operational definition of college readiness is needed, proposing a shift from a focus on high school coursework, grades and scores on national exams, to a new and more comprehensive conceptualization of college readiness. The author suggests, based on the last two decades of research, that there are several other key components of college success.