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

The State of College & The State of College & Career ReadinessCareer Readiness

Webinar, May 27Webinar, May 27Jibril G. SolomonJibril G. Solomon

Issues and Root CausesIssues and Root Causes

Roles of the high schoolRoles of the high school

Education reform: Education reform: system misalignmentsystem misalignment

Rigor vs. whole childRigor vs. whole child

Educational leversEducational levers

The Meritocracy of EducationThe Meritocracy of Education

Sorting for social as well as Sorting for social as well as economic promotioneconomic promotion

Social & Economic ValueSocial & Economic Value

Postsecondary pursuit as the Postsecondary pursuit as the hallmark of successhallmark of success

Economic leversEconomic leversEconomic values drive the meaning & Economic values drive the meaning &

focusfocus

of readiness.of readiness. Requirements for advanced knowledge Requirements for advanced knowledge

in the 21in the 21stst century information economy century information economy

The dichotomy between advanced The dichotomy between advanced academic knowledge and career academic knowledge and career knowledgeknowledge

Higher education vs. workforce trainingHigher education vs. workforce training

Current Conceptual Current Conceptual Framework of ReadinessFramework of Readiness

Curricular rigor: AP, Honors, IBCurricular rigor: AP, Honors, IB

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

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

Current Definitions of Current Definitions of ReadinessReadiness

Enroll free of remediationEnroll free of remediation Student meets all Student meets all

admissions requirementsadmissions requirements Dependent on curriculum & Dependent on curriculum &

teacher qualityteacher quality Preparatory experiences Preparatory experiences

(academic & personal)(academic & personal)

Research supporting of Research supporting of these definitionsthese definitions

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

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

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

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

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

College & Career College & Career Readiness Gaps are Readiness Gaps are

similarsimilar Academic Readiness Skills:Academic Readiness Skills:1. Math Gaps1. Math Gaps2. Reading Gaps2. Reading Gaps3. Writing Gaps3. Writing Gaps4. Postsecondary Academic 4. Postsecondary Academic Expectation GapsExpectation Gaps

Workforce Readiness Skills:Workforce Readiness Skills:1. Problem Solving Gaps (Math)1. Problem Solving Gaps (Math)2. Analytical Thinking Gaps (Math, 2. Analytical Thinking Gaps (Math, Reading Comprehension)Reading Comprehension)3. Critical Thinking Gaps (Writing, 3. Critical Thinking Gaps (Writing, Reading, Math)Reading, Math)4. Workforce Expectation Gaps4. Workforce Expectation Gaps

But … But … Placement tests measure Placement tests measure

basics not rigorbasics not rigor HS & college curricula out of HS & college curricula out of

alignment alignment College counseling & advising College counseling & advising

and career planning lackingand career planning lacking Limited & nonexistent use of Limited & nonexistent use of

student data to inform student data to inform processprocess

At the readiness At the readiness crossroad!crossroad!

What is its mission? Why and whose?What is its mission? Why and whose?

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

Transition to Career Education vs. Transition to Career Education vs.

TransitionTransitionto College Education?to College Education?

The disconnectsThe disconnects

The slippery slope of…The slippery slope of…

Misaligned ValuesMisaligned Values

Misaligned ExpectationsMisaligned Expectations

So what should the So what should the definition of readiness definition of readiness

be?be?The degree to which The degree to which AcademicAcademicPreparationPreparation and and InterpersonalInterpersonalExperiencesExperiences, including counseling &, including counseling &support services, prepare asupport services, prepare astudent to make informed student to make informed

decisions,decisions,transition successfully and meet transition successfully and meet

thethedemands of college or the demands of college or the

workforce.workforce.

Perhaps it comes down to Perhaps it comes down to a simple formula? a simple formula?

A + T = VCA + T = VC(Assessment (Assessment

Information + Human Information + Human Touches = Value Touches = Value

Capital)Capital)

Readiness requiresReadiness requires

Making a cognitive Making a cognitive andand emotional emotional shift in thinking about academic shift in thinking about academic assessment information as assessment information as value value capitalcapital

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

Readiness requiresReadiness requires

Shifting from Eligibility to Shifting from Eligibility to PreparednessPreparedness

Using data to inform planning Using data to inform planning processprocess

Supporting students’ hopes Supporting students’ hopes and aspirationsand aspirations

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

Readiness requiresReadiness requires

Understanding the purpose of Understanding the purpose of education in the 21education in the 21stst Century: Century:

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

Values shift dependent upon Values shift dependent upon economic variables economic variables

(1) Industrial Economy(1) Industrial Economy

(2) Post-Industrial Economy(2) Post-Industrial Economy

(3) Current Information (3) Current Information EconomyEconomy

Consequence of readiness Consequence of readiness

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

How Do We Do It?How Do We Do It?

1. EARLY Assessment! 1. EARLY Assessment! AAdministration of Accuplacer, dministration of Accuplacer, PSAT, ACT MCAS, Career PSAT, ACT MCAS, Career assessment as valuable signals assessment as valuable signals and informationand information

2. Planned follow up in time to 2. Planned follow up in time to improve outcomes and to continue improve outcomes and to continue to informto inform

3. Established students’ college and 3. Established students’ college and career readiness competencies career readiness competencies

Early Assessment (EAP) Early Assessment (EAP) ShouldShould Derived from quality assessments that are: Derived from quality assessments that are:

(1) valid and reliable; (1) valid and reliable; (2) designed to measure specific (2) designed to measure specific competenciescompetencies

(3) given at the right time.(3) given at the right time. Are administered early enough in a student’s Are administered early enough in a student’s

academic career to send a signal and effect academic career to send a signal and effect decision-making in a positive direction. decision-making in a positive direction.

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

Are given under optimal conditions. Are given under optimal conditions.

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

How does EAP Support How does EAP Support Readiness?Readiness?

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

Offering insight into what students currently Offering insight into what students currently know and don’tknow and don’t

Gauging students’ interests, values and Gauging students’ interests, values and beliefsbeliefs

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

Values of EAP for Values of EAP for CounselorsCounselors Baseline information for informing, Baseline information for informing,

encouraging, advising, supporting encouraging, advising, supporting and tracking individual and group and tracking individual and group progress: progress: College & Career PlanningCollege & Career Planning

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

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

Values for Teachers & Values for Teachers & StaffStaff Provide Real Time Data on students’ Provide Real Time Data on students’

basic Math and ELA readiness skills basic Math and ELA readiness skills for workforce and college academic for workforce and college academic expectations: expectations: School Data KnowledgeSchool Data Knowledge

Assessment results could inform Assessment results could inform course planning and curriculum course planning and curriculum delivery activities: delivery activities: Data Inform Data Inform PracticePractice

Early Assessment Programs send Early Assessment Programs send signals to school administrators signals to school administrators about the readiness gaps of specific about the readiness gaps of specific cohorts: cohorts: Closing the Preparation GapsClosing the Preparation Gaps

Intervention Should Intervention Should Follow KnowledgeFollow Knowledge

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

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

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

Best Practice 1 Best Practice 1

Inform & educate early and oftenInform & educate early and often Students and parents are wellStudents and parents are wellinformed, prior to testing, about informed, prior to testing, about

thethepurpose, value and purpose, value and

consequencesconsequences(e.g., persistence risk, increase (e.g., persistence risk, increase

costcostand time)and time)

Best practice 2Best practice 2

Use the dataUse the data

Map career assessment data Map career assessment data information against information against performance and goals performance and goals

Work with students to formulate Work with students to formulate realistic and achievable post realistic and achievable post high school goalshigh school goals

Align curriculum Align curriculum Outline deficits and options Outline deficits and options

Best practice 3Best practice 3

Action PlansAction Plans

Provide specific steps and Provide specific steps and timelinestimelines

Empowering students to Empowering students to manage their plans in light of manage their plans in light of college & career expectationscollege & career expectations

Build resources and supports Build resources and supports into these plansinto these plans

Best practice 4Best practice 4Put it in perspectivePut it in perspective

Acknowledge both competencies Acknowledge both competencies as well as gaps as well as gaps

Describe gaps in light of higher Describe gaps in light of higher education or the workforce education or the workforce expectationsexpectations

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

Support the whole childSupport the whole child

Strongest driving Strongest driving perspectiveperspective

Steven Covey’s Second Habit of Steven Covey’s Second Habit of Highly Effective People tells us Highly Effective People tells us to “Begin With The End In to “Begin With The End In Mind”Mind”

In an information economy, the In an information economy, the mission of K-12 must be about mission of K-12 must be about college and career readinesscollege and career readiness

Thank You! Questions?Thank You! Questions?

Special thanks to Karen DeCoster, DESE, Special thanks to Karen DeCoster, DESE, MassachusettsMassachusetts

for her commitment, contribution and support infor her commitment, contribution and support in

bringing to the forefront the importance and bringing to the forefront the importance and urgency ofurgency of

addressing the college & career readiness addressing the college & career readiness challengechallenge

For More Information, please contact me at For More Information, please contact me at

Jibril Gabriel Solomon, Higher Education Jibril Gabriel Solomon, Higher Education ConsultingConsulting

Gabriel7627@gmail.com

781-223-3972781-223-3972