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.
In November 2015, New America convened a diverse coalition of national organizations to discuss strategies for strengthening connections between education, social mobility, and economic development in anticipation of the 50th anniversary and reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA).
States are increasingly embracing the use of student-centered learning in classrooms. However, outdated federal K–12 education policies pose considerable barriers to the widespread adoption of this approach.
A growing number of states allow community colleges to award bachelor’s degrees as one strategy to meet workforce demands, address affordability, and increase access to educational opportunities. This Education Commission of the States Policy Analysis examines state policies that allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees, summarizes arguments for and against these policies, and offers key policy considerations related to community college bachelor’s degree programs.
High school diploma options vary across states with regard to: (1) the number offered, (2) their alignment to college- and career-ready expectations in English language arts/literacy and mathematics course requirements, (3) the types of assessment requirements associated with degree conferral, and (4) whether or how they report student outcomes. Achieve’s analysis provides detailed descriptions of these four characteristics for the 93 diploma options available across all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the class of 2014.
Career and technical education (CTE) in Ohio has received a statewide renovation during the past two decades. The programs now integrate academics in a rigorous and relevant curriculum and focus on high-skill, high-demand career clusters and career pathways. CTE programs also partner with postsecondary institutions, offering students opportunities for dual enrollment so that they can graduate with college credits, a few steps closer to degrees or even employment. This report touches on the implementation of Ohio’s three-pronged CTE structure while spotlighting real student experiences.
To prepare all students for success in both postsecondary education and the workforce, the high school reform debate is increasingly focused on the role of career and technical education (CTE). Programs that merge CTE, rigorous academic coursework, and career exploration opportunities, while creating clear pathways through high school, college, and beyond, are gaining momentum.
National studies reveal that 50 percent to 70 percent of community college students enter school each year unprepared for college-level mathematics and must take a series of developmental, or remedial, courses to build their skills before they can enroll in a college-level mathematics course. As these students continue to stumble over their mathematics courses, there has been growing awareness that the types of mathematics skills required in many of today’s professions differ from those skills taught in traditional college mathematics courses.
This study reports on the implementation of Gateway to College, a program whose mission it is to serve students who have dropped out or who are at risk of dropping out of high school by allowing them to earn a high school diploma and credits toward a postsecondary degree. The report’s first goal is to provide an in-depth description of the Gateway to College model and to more precisely define the youth population served by the program.
