College and Career Ready : Helping All Students Succeed Beyond High School

by David T. Conley (University of Oregon)

• ISBN13: 9780470593257
• ISBN10: 0470593253
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2010-01-01
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

Giving students the tools they need to succeed in college and workCollege and Career Ready offers educators a blueprint for improving high school so that more students are able to excel in freshman-level college courses or entry-level jobs-laying a solid foundation for lifelong growth and success. The book is filled with detailed, practical guidelines and case descriptions of what the best high schools are doing. Includes clear guidelines for high school faculty to adapt their programs of instruction in the direction of enhanced college/career readiness Provides practical strategies for improving students' content knowledge and academic behaviors Offers examples of best practices and research-based recommendations for changeThe book considers the impact of behavioral issues-such as time management and study habits-as well as academic skills on college readiness.

Table of Contents

AcknowledgementS

Preface

Introduction

Should and can today's high schools prepare all students for college and careers?

College ready and work ready: One and the same?

The new challenge

What we mean by "ready for college and careers"

Redefining College and Career Readiness

The Four Key Dimensions of College and Career Readiness

General elements of a more comprehensive definition of college and career readiness

Uses of the expanded definition of college and career readiness

Current means to determine college and career readiness

Course titles and grade point averages

Performance in college courses

Remedial education

General education requirements for a baccalaureate degree

Details and examples of the four dimensions of college and career readiness

Key cognitive strategies

Key content knowledge

Academic behaviors (self-management)

Contextual skills and awareness (college knowledge)

Differences between high school and college courses

Examples of what college courses expect

Operational examples of college readiness

General characteristics

Example performances

Ways to Develop Key Cognitive Strategies and Key Content Knowledge

Formative assessment for college readiness

Developing key content knowledge

Big ideas

Aligning courses and expectations between high school and college

Aligning with AP or IB

Aligned syllabi and reference courses

Senior seminars

Senior assignments

Paired courses

The role of scaffolding

Ways to Develop Academic Behaviors and Contextual Skills and Awareness

Self management

Time management

Study skills

Goal setting

Persistence with difficult tasks

Self-awareness of academic strengths and weaknesses

Contextual skills and awareness (college knowledge)

Building cultural capital

Helping navigate admissions

College partnerships

Supporting postsecondary participation

Key Principles of College and Career Readiness

Create and maintain a college-going culture in the school

Examples of how schools seek to create college-going cultures

Create a core academic program that is aligned with and leads to college readiness by the end of 12th grade

Examples of how schools seek to develop aligned core academic programs

Teach key self-management skills and academic behavior and expect students to use them

Examples of how schools develop academic behaviors

Make college and careers real by helping students manage the complexity of preparing for and applying to postsecondary education

Examples of how schools help students manage the complexity of preparing for college

Create assignments and grading policies that more closely approximate college expectations each successive year of high school

Examples of how schools seek to create assignments and expectations that more closely approximate college

Make the senior year meaningful and appropriately challenging

Examples of how schools seek to make the senior year meaningful

Build partnerships with and connections to postsecondary programs and institutions

Examples of how schools build postsecondary partnerships

Case Studies of Schools that Succeed

Alternative School: University Park Campus School, Worcester, Massachusetts

University Park: Proving that demographics are not destiny

State and local context

How it all began: Clark University's "enlightened self-interest"

The Academic program: Closing the gaps and getting students college-ready

Capitalizing on substantive ties with higher education institutions

The school culture: No one is allowed to fail and everyone is a learner

Magnet School: Fenway High School, Boston, Massachusetts

State and local context

Small learning communities facilitate the development of college-and life-readiness behaviors and skills

A challenging core curriculum provides opportunities for all students to become college ready

Collaboration with a local community college and community partners provides transitional learning opportunities

Comprehensive High School: Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, Colorado

State and local context

School culture revolves around college preparation from day one

Key cognitive strategies and academic behaviors are emphasized

The school campus resembles a college

Administrators set a tone of professionalism and evaluation

Counselors provide continuity and contextual skills

Charter School: Minnesota New Country School, Henderson, Minnesota

State and local context

Project-based learning helps students become ready for life after high school

Integration of technology prepares students for 21st Century living and learning

Advisory groups facilitate students' learning and development

Students develop a strong sense of responsibility

Early College High School: Manhattan Hunter Science High School, New York, New York

State and local context

A rigorous college preparatory curriculum facilitates a successful transition into higher education

Unique academic support programs promote student achievement

Intensive guidance counseling practices build contextual skills and awareness

Students develop a sense of responsibility for their learning

Comprehensive High School: Garland High School, Garland, Texas

State and local context

The school focuses on key cognitive strategies and college content

Latino ELL students are encouraged to attend college

Teachers collaborate to align curriculum vertically

Academic behaviors and contextual skills are emphasized

Magnet School: Polytech High School, Woodside, Delaware

State and local context

The Polytech curriculum and academy structure integrates the academic and the technical

Even with a strong technical program, the school maintains a focus on college preparation

PASS program provides systemic support

Staff communication leads to articulation of standards

Private School: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Chicago, Illinois

State and local context

Corporate Internship Program builds community connections and contextual skills

Bilingual students and staff enhance culture and parental involvement

Curriculum and assessments are designed collaboratively

Personalized college counseling supports college readiness

Homework center cultivates academic behaviors

Putting it all Together

Develop a profile of the school's college readiness capacity

Identify outcome measures of success

Assess the district capacity to support improvements

Institute specific programs to address all four dimensions of college and career readiness

Make small incremental changes

Make larger systemic changes

Engage outside partners

Institute professional development to support college readiness

Help teachers strengthen content knowledge, instructional. strategies, and awareness of college knowledge

Utilize the power of professional learning communities

Recognize the importance of culture and change culture

Changing behaviors to change beliefs

Symbolic changes

Gauge progress of changes in the high school

What are the effects on student performance in college?

Steps on the Road to Readiness

Steps High Schools are Taking to Make More Students College and Career Ready

Small schools and high school conversions

Career academies

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs

Early college high schools

Dual enrollment

Learning from the new models

Steps States are Taking to Make More Students College and Career Ready

State actions to date

Examples of state actions

Efforts to increase the value of state high school exams and of the high school diploma

State efforts to align high school and college

State college readiness standards: The example of Texas

Organization of the Texas College Readiness Standards

Structure of the Texas College Readiness Standards

English as a way of knowing

Mathematics as a way of knowing

Cross-disciplinary skills: Foundations of learning and knowing

Clear messages states can send to the secondary system

Focus high schools more clearly on college readiness

Develop and utilize more comprehensive measures of student readiness

Pay attention to the needs of first-generation college attendees

Commit to ensuring teachers have necessary content knowledge and instructional skills

Clear messages states can send to their postsecondary systems

Align exit-level high school courses and entry-level college courses better

Control the quality of entry-level courses

Utilize better diagnostic information for placement

Create integrated student support programs

Ensure future educators have the skills to make all students college ready

Concluding Observations

Characteristics of the 38 Study High Schools

Example of C-Pas Task in English, Math, and Science

Example of Items From School Diagnostic

Resource List

College and Career Readiness Services and Tools Available Through Epic

Index

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