The College and Career Readines and Success Center closed on September 30,2019 because the grant cycle for the U.S. Department of Education Comprehensive Centers ended. The information on this website will no longer be updated. Visit www.air.org for updates on college and career readiness.
This study uses a nationally representative sample of students that were in grade 10 in 1980 that took the High School and Beyond Survey. The findings indicate that math courses do play an important role in predicting postsecondary education success for both men and women and students of different ethnic backgrounds, and students that took more advanced math courses on average had higher earnings.
This report by EPIC reveals that students who are generally proficient in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will likely be ready for a wide range of postsecondary courses. The more CCSS in which they are proficient, the wider the range of postsecondary-level classes they will be ready to undertake.
This report examined strategies used in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina to improve student achievement and, ultimately, high school graduation rates to ensure that students are equipped with 21st century skills and knowledge. Information on state-level high school reform initiatives in each state and state profiles were then analyzed to identify themes or “levers for change.” The report provides a detailed description of each lever and aims to give policymakers ideas about approaches to consider.
This study aimed to find out whether the expectations of the Central Region states match the expectations of colleges and the workplace, and if state standards for what students should know and be able to do in English language arts and mathematics are aligned with expectations common to two national studies on skills needed for entry to college and the workplace. Six states outside the region were selected as a comparison group. The report reveals specific findings on topics missing in the academic standards for the Central Region states.
This policy brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education makes a number of federal policy recommendations that might support states’ comprehensive literacy plans, including: support for college and career ready standards, support for state level literacy teams, support for teacher education and professional development focused on content literacy, and investment in ongoing research and evaluation. Authors argue that major commitments are necessary from state and federal agencies to make substantial improvements in literacy achievement.
This policy brief from The Education Trust-West discusses the need for a more educated workforce. The author examines the effects of low expectations and coursework rigor for all students, especially low-income students and students of color, and provides recommendations that include a more integrated and equitable approach.
This report sponsored by the College Board identifies the research-based factors that contribute either to the persistence or to the attrition of young men of color within the education system. The author synthesizes the literature in context of the communities to find connections and intersections in the literature for each of these racial/ethnic groups.
This framework, sponsored by ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, discusses critical elements needed to build district infrastructure for Linked Learning, California’s system of preparing students for college and careers. The author identifies 17 critical elements that district leaders must consider to properly support Linked Learning. These critical elements are organized into three categories: (1) Leadership and Systems Alignment, (2) Pathway Design and Quality, and (3) Operations.
