Assessments

This report from ACT, Inc., recommends that considerable experience with complex reading texts in high school is the key to the development of college-level reading skills, and is the clearest differentiator of students who are ready for the post-secondary world of college and/or work versus those who are not. The report also defines the types of materials that need to be included in all high school courses, and offers recommendations to educators and policymakers on how to help increase the number of high school graduates who are ready for college-level reading.

ACT’s report recommends that schools strengthen their core high school curriculum to better prepare students for post-secondary success. Even with a high school diploma, many students leave high school without the necessary skills that will assist them in college or the workforce and research demonstrates that students at all levels of achievement benefit from taking rigorous courses.

This 2003 study from the Center for Educational Policy Research analyzed 66 state-administered standardized tests from 20 states to determine whether they adequately gauge whether students are prepared for introductory-level college courses. The report concludes that state exams are largely not aligned with the standards generally thought to lead to college readiness and success

This study explores whether state testing policies were related to differences in students’ likelihood of earning a high school diploma. The study also explores whether there is variation in the association of high school graduation with students’ backgrounds and expectations. It was found that the relationship between students’ likelihood of graduating from high school and their background, aspirations and teacher expectations varied among states with different practices.