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Frequently Asked Questions



What does college and career readiness mean?
College/career readiness describes not only a national educational movement toward better preparing America’s youth for college and careers, but also the state of a student’s preparedness level for postsecondary education or a career. Today’s high school students who are properly prepared for college and the workplace are armed with the skills to be successful in higher education – from a career and technical school program to community college, to the pursuit of a four-year bachelor’s degree. SREB’s Strengthening Statewide College/Career Readiness Initiative (SSCRI) is a hands-on project in six southern states aimed at creating comprehensive, statewide policies and practices that promote college-ready standards, courses, assessments, and professional development in every high school. See more information here.

Why is college and career readiness important for all students?
College- and career-readiness policies and programs are aimed at preparing students for career and technical school programs and community college, and preparing students who plan to go directly into the workforce after high school graduation. A high school diploma should signify a person’s ability to not only read, write, and do basic arithmetic; but also ensure that a person has the skills to pursue employment or higher education and succeed in either of those endeavors.

Does my state have a college- and career-readiness initiative?
Many states around the nation have taken steps to address the growing issue of inadequate college- and career-ready efforts. With the recent Common Core State Standards initiative and the federal Race to the Top grant applications, many states have agreed to adopt a national set of standards that encompass college- and career-readiness standards, and have taken steps to address college- and career-readiness concerns. To learn more about your state’s college- and career-readiness efforts, check your Department of Education website and your state's Race to the Top grant application (if applicable).

How can states improve college and career readiness?
States can address their educational standards, assessments, courses and professional development around college and career readiness, with the goal to create a comprehensive college- and career-readiness agenda. SREB recommends action in each of these areas to have a sustainable, effective readiness agenda.

First, state leaders and policy-makers should conduct an evaluation of the state’s efforts and progress toward a comprehensive college- and career-readiness agenda. Once aware of the status of readiness efforts in the state, SREB’s model college- and career-readiness agenda can be adjusted to meet the distinct needs of the state. See SREB Tools to Help States Adopt a College- and Career-Readiness Agenda for a list of issues and questions that can be used by state leaders to assess the status of readiness efforts for more information on the SREB Model College- and Career-Readiness Agenda.

What are the recommendations to state policy-makers interested in college- and career-readiness policy?
SREB has compiled many recommendations around creating a complete college- and career-readiness agenda, developing statewide readiness standards and statewide assessments that accurately evaluate student’s skill levels, developing senior-year transitional courses designed to help high school seniors who are not prepared for college or a career, and developing and supporting teacher development (both in-service and pre-service) for high school transitional course teachers and core math and English teachers.
Click for recommendations on:
Creating a Model College- and Career-Readiness Agenda
Transitional Courses
Teacher Development

Additional information on college and career readiness




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