College Readiness Criteria

Criteria Definition

• Key cognitive strategies:

○ Intellectual openness

○ Inquisitiveness

○ Analysis

○ Reasoning, argumentation, proof

○ Interpretation

○ Precision and accuracy

College Ready ○ Problem solving
Knowledge
and Skills • Key content knowledge
Embedded in
Curriculum ○ Overarching academic skills

 Writing

 Research

○ Core academic subjects knowledge and skills

• Academic behaviors
○ Self-monitoring – monitor actively, regulate, evaluate, and direct thinking.
○ Study skills – time management, preparing for and taking examinations, using resources,
taking class notes, communicating with teachers and advisors, ability to participate
successfully in a study group, etc.
• Contextual skills and awareness
○ Interpersonal and social skills
○ College knowledge

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• Provide students and parents with college readiness information (academic and contextual)
Student and • Provide teachers college readiness training
Teacher • Utilize high school learning plans
Support • Provide college pathway opportunities in middle and high schools to all students regardless of
Structure academic standing
• Expand programs that connect high school student with jobs and internships
• Offer practice diagnostic placement exams in high school
• Encourage dual enrollment and college credit
• Creating small learning communities (SLC) in high school.
• Assessment system tests college readiness proficiency related to:
○ Implicit key cognitive strategies – ‘habits of the mind’
Comprehensiv ○ Explicit key content knowledge – aligned with college readiness standards
e Assessment ○ Implicit academic behaviors – academic behavior management
System • Assessments function as diagnostically
• Three assessment models
○ End-of-course exams
○ State exam set college-ready “cut score”
○ Incorporated college admissions test with high school exit exams
K-16
• Driven by research-based college readiness standards for college or post high school career
Alignment of
pathways
Standards
• Align level and quality of coursework and instruction between K-12 and postsecondary systems
Curriculum
• Assessment systems anchored within college readiness standards
and
• Specific focus on K-8 alignment initiatives within K-16 system
Assessment
Longitudinal
• Develop a state information system that tracks student progress across K-16 institutions
K-16 Data • System publicly reports on student progress and success from high through postsecondary
Tracking education
System • The characteristics of the tracking system include a mechanism to:
○ Report on the condition of education at various level
○ Enable policymakers and educators to identify effective educational practices and diagnose
problems
○ Increase the commitment among stakeholders to collect, analyze, and use information on
student performance
○ Identify students, programs, and schools that are successful and those that need attention
and assistance to become more successful
○ Help K-12 students and teachers focus on the curricula and content that must be mastered to
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be successful in postsecondary education.
State College • Provide financial incentives for K-12 and postsecondary education to support college readiness
Readiness
Budget

References
Adelman, C. (2006). The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion From High School Through College.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

Bangser, M. (2008). Preparing High School Students for Successful Transitions to Postsecondary Education and
Employment. Retrieved from the MDRC website:
http://www.betterhighschools.org/docs/PreparingHSStudentsforTransition_073108.pdf

Boser, U., & Burd, S. (2009). Bridging the Gap: How to Strengthen the Pk-16 Pipeline to Improve College Readiness.
Retrieved from the New America Foundation website:
http://www.newamerica.net/files/NAF%20Bridging%20the%20Gap.pdf

Callan, P.M., Finnery, J.E., Kirst, M.W., Usdan, M.D., & Venezia, A. (2006). Claiming Common Ground: State
Policymaking for Improving College Readiness and Success (National Center Report #06-1). Retrieved from National
Center for Public Policy and Higher Education website:
http://www.highereducation.org/reports/common_ground/common_ground.pdf

Conley, D. (2005). College Knowledge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Conley, D. (2007a). Towards a More Comprehensive Comprehension of College Readiness. Retrieved from
Educational Policy Improvement Center website: http://www.s4s.org/upload/Gates-College%20Readiness.pdf

Green, J.P., & Rivers, M.A. (2005). Public High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates: 1991-2002 (Education
Working Paper No. 8). Retrieved from Manhattan Institute for Policy Research website: http://www.manhattan-
institute.org/pdf/ewp_08.pdf

Hoffman, N. V. (2007). Minding the Gaps: Why Integrating High School with College Makes Sense and How to Do It.
Cambridge: Harvard Education Press.
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Kirst, M., & Venezia, A. (2004). From High School to College: Improving Opportunities for Success in Postsecondary
Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Quint, J., Thompson, S.L., Bald, M., Bernstein, J., & Sztejnberg, L. Relationships, Rigor, and Readiness: Strategies for
Improving High Schools. Retrieved from MDRC website http://www.mdrc.org/publications/498/full.pdf

State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). (2007). More Student Success: A Systemic Solution. Retrieved
from http://www.sheeo.org/k16/StudSucc2.pdf

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