College and Career Ready

Giving students the tools they need to succeed in college and work College 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 change The book considers the impact of behavioral issues-such as time management and study habits-as well as academic skills on college readiness.

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.

Preface viiAcknowledgments xiiiAbout the Author xvIntroduction 1Should and Can Today's High Schools Prepare All Students for College and Careers?College Ready and Work Ready: One and the Same?The New ChallengeWhat We Mean by "Ready for College and Careers"Part One: Redefining College and Career Readiness1 The Four Key Dimensions of College and Career Readiness 19General Elements of a More Comprehensive Defi nition of College and Career ReadinessCurrent Means to Determine College and Career ReadinessAn Examination of the Four Dimensions of College and Career ReadinessDifferences Between High School and College CoursesOperational Examples of College Readiness2 Ways to Develop Key Cognitive Strategies and Key Content Knowledge 53Focusing on the "Big Ideas"Aligning Courses and Expectations Between High School and CollegeFormative Assessment for College Readiness3 Ways to Develop Self-Management Skills and "College Knowledge" 72Elements of Self-Management "College Knowledge"--Contextual Skills and Awareness4 Key Principles of College and Career Readiness 104Principle 1: Create and Maintain a College-Going Culture in the SchoolPrinciple 2: Create a Core Academic Program Aligned with and Leading to College Readiness by the End of Twelfth GradePrinciple 3: Teach Key Self-Management Skills and Academic Behaviors and Expect Students to Use ThemPrinciple 4: Make College and Careers Real by Helping Students Manage the Complexity of Preparing for and Applying to Postsecondary EducationPrinciple 5: Create Assignments and Grading Policies That More Closely Approximate College Expectations Each Successive Year of High SchoolPrinciple 6: Make the Senior Year Meaningful and Appropriately ChallengingPrinciple 7: Build Partnerships with and Connections to Postsecondary Programs and Institutions5 Case Studies of Schools That Succeed 133Alternative School: University Park Campus School, Worcester, MassachusettsMagnet School: Fenway High School, Boston, MassachusettsComprehensive High School: Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, ColoradoCharter School: Minnesota New Country School, Henderson, MinnesotaEarly College High School: Manhattan Hunter Science High School, New York, New YorkComprehensive High School: Garland High School, Garland, TexasMagnet School: Polytech High School, Woodside, DelawarePrivate School: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Chicago, Illinois6 Putting It All Together 176Develop a Profi le of the School's College Readiness CapacityIdentify Outcome Measures of SuccessAssess the District Capacity to Support ImprovementsInstitute Specific Programs to Address the Four Dimensions of College and Career ReadinessInstitute Professional Development to Support College ReadinessRecognize the Importance of Culture and Change CultureGauge the Progress of Changes in the High SchoolWhat Are the Eff ects on Student Performance in College?Part Two: Steps on the Road to Readiness7 Steps High Schools Are Taking to Make More Students College and Career Ready 205Small Schools and High School ConversionsCareer AcademiesAdvanced Placement and International Baccalaureate ProgramsEarly College High SchoolsDual CreditLearning from the New Models8 Steps States Are Taking to Make More Students College and Career Ready 219State Actions to DateExamples of State ActionsState College Readiness Standards: The Example of TexasClear Messages States Can Send to the Secondary SystemClear Messages States Can Send to Th eir Postsecondary SystemsConcluding ObservationsAfterword 265Appendix A: Two Examples of Tasks Th at Develop and Assess Key Cognitive Strategies 269Appendix B: Example Items from the School Diagnostic 303Appendix C: Resource List 307Index 311