A Reality Check to College Readiness 1

Most College-Bound Students Do Not Know… Which high school courses are necessary, not just to enter college, but to begin college credit-bearing work. That simply meeting their high school graduation requirements does not necessarily prepare them for college level work. 2

Most College-Bound Students Do Not Know… That “more than one quarter of the freshmen at 4-year colleges and nearly half of those at 2-year colleges do not even make it to their sophomore year.”* That “as many as half of all college students do not have adequate academic preparation and are required to take remedial courses.”* *College Board 3

Most College-Bound Students Do Not Know… Taking a college readiness assessment is an arbitrary requirement for admission to college. PASSING a college readiness assessment is NOT! That college readiness assessment cut scores simply dictate what college courses are accessible to the student at each college or university. Who dictates what assessments are acceptable measures and what score declares one “college ready”! 4

Gee Whiz… You May Even Not Know The “Texas Success Initiative” (TSI) is the Texas state law enacted in December 2003 and amended February 2006 that defines rules for applying to all public institutions of higher education in Texas for: “Determination of Readiness to Perform Freshman-level Academic Course Work” So… this is where all the cut scores come from…more on that later. And by the way, private colleges and universities get to set their own rules for admission and enrollment in college level classes. 5

What College Professors Say about FTIC Students Do not comprehend complex reading materials Cannot think analytically Lack appropriate work and study habits Write poorly Don’t know how to do research Cannot apply what they learn to solve problems FTIC: “First Time In College” 2005 Achieve Inc. 6

What FTIC Students Say I need… Writing skills Study skills and time management Research skills Study group experience *Tony Wagner, CLG Harvard University 7

Employers Say I Need… Critical Thinking Instructional Technology Health and Wellness Collaboration Innovation Personal Financial Responsibility *Tony Wagner, CLG Harvard University 8

The Seven Survival Skills Critical thinking and problem solving Collaboration across networks Agility and adaptability Initiative Effective written and oral communication Accessing and analyzing information Curiosity and imagination *Tony Wagner, CLG Harvard University 9

Transcript Study The single biggest predictor of college success is quality and intensity of high school curriculum.* *Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education. 10

So Back to “College Ready” Socially speaking? –“Let’s get this party started!” Emotionally speaking? –“That professor doesn’t like me.” Parentally speaking? –“We’re ready for you to go to college whether you want to or not! 11

So Back to “College Ready” Academically speaking? –“Hey I graduated Valedictorian of my class!” No assessmentally speaking…. 12

How Cut Scores Are Used To assess Reading-Writing-Math levels To determine enrollment in developmental or college credit bearing courses toward degree plan Independently or in combination with other Narrow the pool of candidates for admission Narrow the pool of candidates for a specific college course 13

AccuplacerAssetCompass THEASATACT PSATTAKSEOC 14

Resources The Education Trust, “Thinking K-16: A New Core Curriculum for All”, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Winter Research Brief: Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link, SREB, Research Brief: Guidance and Advisement: Influences on Students’ Motivation and Course-taking Choices, SREB, The College Board ©2005 Achieve Inc. Tony Wagner, CLG Harvard University Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education. 15