This document discusses understanding college and career readiness. It begins by noting that more students are pursuing postsecondary education and national policy is emphasizing readiness over basic skills. Today's students will need strong education to succeed in a knowledge-based economy. While graduation, college entrance, and completion rates are improving, many students still are not ready for college coursework without remediation. The document defines readiness as being prepared to succeed in general education or certificate programs without remediation. It distinguishes between types of readiness like work, job, pathway, and postsecondary readiness. Four keys to readiness are thinking strategies, content knowledge, learning skills and techniques, and transition knowledge. The document promotes tools from the Educational Policy Improvement Center to measure

1. Understanding College
and Career Readiness!
Charis McGaughy, PhD
Director, Field Services
Educa3onal Policy Improvement Center (EPIC)
June 11, 2012 • College Now, Cleveland OH

2. Today’s Workshop is based in Part on the Findings and
Recommendations In:
"
2

3. Nature of the Challenge"
• The proportion of students going on to postsecondary
education has steadily increased over the past 100
years and is likely to continue to increase."
• National education policy is beginning to emphasize
college and career readiness over basic skills
instruction. "
• Today’s young people will need to be better educated
and prepared as the US continues to move to a
knowledge/information economic model."
3

4. Out of 100 ninth graders, how many... !
100"
90"
Nation"
80"
73"
Ohio"
70"
70" Cleveland"
60"
52"
50"
44" 46"
40"
30"
23" 21" 22"
20"
10" 7"
0"
Graduate from High School" Directly Enter College" Graduate within 150%"
of Program Time"
Sources: (Nation and Ohio): NCES - Common Core Data, IPEDS Residency and Migration Survey, IPEDS Graduation Rate
Survey (2008)"
"(Cleveland): US Census Bureau. (2005-­­2009). American Community Survey" 4

5. Almost 22% of adults in Ohio enrolled in college at
some point but have not completed a degree"
Associate
Some college, degree
no degree
9%
22%
Bachelor's degree
17%
High school Graduate/
graduate professional
(including degree
equivalency) 10%
33%
Less than high
school diploma
9%
Lumina Foundation. (2010). A stronger nation through higher education. http://www.luminafoundation.org/state_work.html! 5

6. Definition of College and Career Readiness"
• College and career readiness
can be defined as
success—without remediation—
in credit-bearing general
education courses or a two-year
certificate program!
- “Succeed” is defined as being able to
progress successfully in the chosen pro
- College readiness and career readiness
similar but not the same !
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7. Distinguishing Among Different Types of
Readiness"
Meets basic expectations
WORK Ready regarding workplace behavior
and demeanor"
Possesses specific knowledge
JOB Ready necessary to begin an entry-level
position"
Possesses knowledge and
learning skills necessary to begin
PATHWAY Ready to focus in an area of study or
training"
POSTSECONDARY Is prepared to succeed in a wide
Ready range of postsecondary courses"
Can pursue a career and a
CAREER AND fulfilling life as a productive
LIFE Ready citizen."
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8. Four Keys to College and Career Readiness
think: know:"
Structure of Knowledge!
Problem Formulation!
Research! Technical Knowledge & Skills!
Interpretation! Challenge Level!
Communication! Value!
Precision & Accuracy! Attribution!
! Key Cognitive Key Content Effort!
Strategies! Knowledge!
Key Transition Key Learning
Knowledge Skills and
go: and Skills! Techniques! act:
Postsecondary Awareness! Ownership of Learning!
Postsecondary Costs! Learning Techniques!
Matriculation! !
Career Awareness! !
Role and Identity!
Self-advocacy!
! 1
8 1 8

9. Think Know Act Go
Key Learning Key Transition
Key Cognitive Key Content
Skills & Knowledge &
Strategies Knowledge
Techniques Skills
+ Problem formulation! + Structure of knowledge! + Ownership of learning! + Postsecondary awareness!
+ Hypothesize!
+ Key terms+and + Aspirations!
Goal setting !
terminology! + Persistence! + Norms/culture!
+ Strategize!
+ Factual information! + Postsecondary costs!
+ Research! + Self-awareness !
+ Linking ideas! + Tuition!
+ Identify! + Motivation!
+ Organizing concepts! + Financial aid!
+ Collect! + Help seeking!
+ Technical knowledge and + Matriculation!
+ Interpretation! + Progress monitoring!
skills! + Eligibility!
+ Analyze! + Self-efficacy!
+ Challenge level! + Admissions!
+ Evaluate! + Learning techniques!
+ Value! + Program!
+ Communication! + Time management !
+ Attribution! + Career awareness!
+ Organize! + Test taking skills !
+ Effort! + Requirements!
+ Construct! + Note taking skills!
+ Readiness!
+ Precision & accuracy! + Memorization/recall! + Role and identity!
+ Monitor! + Strategic reading! + Role models!
+ Confirm! + Collaborative learning! + Self-Advocacy!
+ Technology proficiency! + Resource acquisition!
+ Institutional advocacy!
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© 2011 David T Conley

10. CALIBRATE CREATE CONNECT
Diagnostics that measure college and Applications that increase college and Processes that strengthen linkages with
career readiness with greater precision. career readiness through changes to postsecondary education.
courses.
ThinkReady CourseCreate ReadinessConnect
Developing thinking strategies for Producing syllabi for college and Connecting high school coursework to
postsecondary success and lifelong career ready courses (formerly college-level expectations (formerly
learning (formerly C-PAS). SyllabusMaker). ReferenceCourses).
" " "
CampusReady CourseAlign ReadinessBridge
Analyzing school programs and culture for Aligning courses to college and career Connecting high school and college
college and career readiness (formerly readiness expectations. courses (formerly PairedCourses).
SchoolDiagnostic).
" "
" CoursePathway ReadinessPartner
I’mReady Creating school-wide course pathways Connecting teachers, faculty, and
Determining student readiness for college aligned to college and career administrators to college and career
and careers. readiness. readiness.
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11. For more information please contact:"
!
Dr. Charis McGaughy!
charis_mcgaughy@epiconline.org!
Visit: www.epiconline.org !
"
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