The State of College & Career Readiness

Webinar, May 27 Jibril G. Solomon

Higher Education Consultant, National Science Foundation Grant, BATEC Project, UMASS Boston. Doctoral candidate, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA. Dissertation Research on Early Assessment and Academic Preparation of Urban High School Graduates

Issues and Root Causes

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Roles of the high school

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Education reform: system misalignment

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Rigor vs. whole child

Educational levers The Meritocracy of Education

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Sorting for social as well as economic promotion Social & Economic Value

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Postsecondary pursuit as the hallmark of success

Economic levers Economic values drive the meaning & focus of readiness.

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Requirements for advanced knowledge in the 21 st century information economy

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The dichotomy between advanced academic knowledge and career knowledge

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Higher education vs. workforce training

Current Conceptual Framework of Readiness

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Curricular rigor: AP, Honors, IB

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Standardized assessments: SAT, ACT, Accuplacer, Compass, high stakes exit exams

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Explosion of early college experience programs (dual enrollment, early college)

Current Definitions of Readiness

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Enroll free of remediation

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Student meets all admissions requirements

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Dependent on curriculum & teacher quality

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Preparatory experiences (academic & personal)

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Research supporting of these definitions The level of preparation needed to enroll and succeed without remediation in credit-bearing 2 or 4-year courses (ACT, 2005)

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Ability to meet admission requirements for 4-year college entry and having some basic skills (Greene & Foster, 2003)

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The high school curricula determine students’ level of academic preparedness (Horn & Kojaku, 2001)

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The classroom teachers, if provided with guidance and resources, could impact readiness for postsecondary success (Spence, 2007)

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The degree to which previous educational & personal experiences prepared students to meet the demands of college or workforce (Conley, 2008)

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College & Career Readiness Gaps are similar

Academic Readiness Skills: 1. Math Gaps 2. Reading Gaps 3. Writing Gaps 4. Postsecondary Academic Expectation Gaps

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Workforce Readiness Skills: 1. Problem Solving Gaps (Math) 2. Analytical Thinking Gaps (Math, Reading Comprehension) 3. Critical Thinking Gaps (Writing, Reading, Math) 4. Workforce Expectation Gaps

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But …

Placement tests measure basics not rigor HS & college curricula out of alignment College counseling & advising and career planning lacking Limited & nonexistent use of student data to inform process

At the readiness crossroad!

What is its mission? Why and whose?

Is graduation about “getting them through” preparing them or sending them off with a purposeful plan for lifelong success?

Transition to Career Education vs. Transition to College Education?

The disconnects The slippery slope of…

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Misaligned Values

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Misaligned Expectations

So what should the definition of readiness be?

The degree to which Academic Preparation and Interpersonal Experiences, including counseling & support services, prepare a student to make informed decisions, transition successfully and meet the demands of college or the workforce.

Perhaps it comes down to a simple formula?

A + T = VC (Assessment Information + Human Touches = Value Capital)

Readiness requires

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Making a cognitive and emotional shift in thinking about academic assessment information as value capital

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Developing an action plan for “priority” assessment and follow-up interventions that will be of value to students and families in college & career planning and decision making

Readiness requires

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Using data to inform planning process

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Shifting from Eligibility to Preparedness Supporting students’ hopes and aspirations

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Enhancing rigor in the foundational skills i.e. Algebra, Writing & Reading

Readiness requires Understanding the purpose of education in the 21 st Century:

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From Literacy and Numeracy to Social and Economic Promotion and Economic Stratification

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Values shift dependent upon economic variables (1) Industrial Economy (2) Post-Industrial Economy (3) Current Information Economy

Consequence of readiness The number of developmental courses required has become one of the strongest predictors for college drop out (Achieving the Dream’s Data Report Vol. 3. N0. 4, July/Aug 2008)

How Do We Do It?

1. EARLY Assessment! Administration of Accuplacer, PSAT, ACT MCAS, Career assessment as valuable signals and information 2. Planned follow up in time to improve outcomes and to continue to inform 3. Established students’ college and career readiness competencies

Early Assessment (EAP) Should

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Derived from quality assessments that are: (1) valid and reliable; (2) designed to measure specific competencies (3) given at the right time.

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Are administered early enough in a student’s academic career to send a signal and effect decision-making in a positive direction.

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Students are adequately prepared, supported and informed prior to the assessment.

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Are given under optimal conditions.

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Are given for the purpose of alerting students, educators and parents about students current competencies and skill gaps

How does EAP Support Readiness?

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By providing signals that inform students, parents/guardians and educators about readiness and necessary preparation for college and career success

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Offering insight into what students currently know and don’t

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Gauging students’ interests, values and beliefs

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Investing “capital” in the form of information and data in students’ future growth

Values of EAP for Counselors

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Baseline information for informing, encouraging, advising, supporting and tracking individual and group progress: College & Career Planning

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Assessment outcomes do NOT hold pass/fail values, but rather help counselors know and relate to students and communicate that knowledge: Whole Child

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Evidence of need for the planning and implementation of targeted interventions and supports: Course & Curriculum Planning

Values for Teachers & Staff

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Provide Real Time Data on students’ basic Math and ELA readiness skills for workforce and college academic expectations: School Data Knowledge Assessment results could inform course planning and curriculum delivery activities: Data Inform Practice Early Assessment Programs send signals to school administrators about the readiness gaps of specific cohorts: Closing the Preparation Gaps

Intervention Should Follow Knowledge

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Follow-up interventions must be routinely scheduled and systematically delivered in a timely fashion

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Assessment results alone are of little value to educators, students and parents/guardians in college and career planning and decision making

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Understanding the relationship between assessment results and future dreams, aspirations and skills is invaluable

Best Practice 1 Inform & educate early and often Students and parents are well informed, prior to testing, about the purpose, value and consequences (e.g., persistence risk, increase cost and time)

Best practice 2 Use the data

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Map career assessment data information against performance and goals Work with students to formulate realistic and achievable post high school goals Align curriculum Outline deficits and options

Best practice 3 Action Plans

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Provide specific steps and timelines Empowering students to manage their plans in light of college & career expectations Build resources and supports into these plans

Best practice 4 Put it in perspective

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Acknowledge both competencies as well as gaps

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Describe gaps in light of higher education or the workforce expectations

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Validate & turn up the volume on students’ interests, values and beliefs (it’s not just grades)

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Support the whole child

Strongest driving perspective

Steven Covey’s Second Habit of Highly Effective People tells us to “Begin With The End In Mind” In an information economy, the mission of K-12 must be about college and career readiness

Thank You! Questions?

Special thanks to Karen DeCoster, DESE, Massachusetts for her commitment, contribution and support in bringing to the forefront the importance and urgency of addressing the college & career readiness challenge For More Information, please contact me at Jibril Gabriel Solomon, Higher Education Consulting [email protected]

781-223-3972