Test-only placement systems are associated with inaccurate placement determinations that can perpetuate college achievement gaps by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). In response to the pitfalls of traditional, test-only placement systems, colleges across the country are increasingly experimenting with and adopting alternative…

The Developmental Strategies for College Readiness and Success Resource Guide was produced by the Education Commission of the States and the Southern Regional Education Board for the "Countdown to 2015: Developmental Strategies to Advance Readiness in the Common Core Era" convening held April 21-23, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The…

Dramatic changes in the higher education landscape and the recent recession have intensified the challenges students face in postsecondary enrollment and completion. In response, some states, communities, and institutions have developed "postsecondary opportunity programs (POPs)"--comprehensive college access and success programs…

Annually, ACT provides a snapshot of the college and career readiness of ACT-tested high school graduates. This report is offered as a service to inform policymakers and practitioners about selected indicators of effectiveness and how that translates into readiness. It is designed to stimulate discussion, inquiry, and action. This report for the…

High school students participating in 16 California multiple pathways programs generally graduated at higher rates, met university requirements in greater numbers, performed better on high school exit exams and were more engaged in school and learning. This report summarizes a 2007-2008 study of the ConnectEd Network of Schools, capturing positive…

The goal of college preparation programs is to help students, particularly underrepresented students of color, to enroll and succeed in college. While many programs focus on strengthening students' math and reading skills, familiarizing them with college entrance exams, and demystifying the college admissions process, there are few guidelines for…

The "Measuring College and Career Readiness" report for each state represents a snapshot of the ACT-tested graduates in the class of 2009 and focuses on their readiness for college and careers. Designed to inform policymakers and practitioners about selected indicators of effectiveness, the report is not intended to be comprehensive but…

Designed for college-bound students, their parents, and high school teachers, counselors, and administrators in California, this statement sets forth recommendations concerning the skills, attitudes, and qualities that should be imparted by high school science programs and the curriculum and courses to impart them. Prefactory material provides…

The adoption of more rigorous California Sate University (CSU) admission requirements reflects a recent state-level trend calling for more standardized course work in California high schools. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 73 expanded the new CSU requirements, recommending actions to assure high school students access to higher education,…

This report provides information about the performance of 2009 graduating seniors who took the ACT as sophomores, juniors, or seniors; and self-reported at the time of testing that they were scheduled to graduate in 2009 and tested under standard time conditions. This report focuses on: (1) Performance: student test performance in the context of…

The Academy of Math, Science, and Engineering was established at the Luther Burbank High School of Sacramento, California as a rigorous and competitive academic alternative program. This report contains an evaluation of the second year (1984-85) of the program. Program accomplishments are reviewed in the categories of: (1) student enrollment; (2)…

This article presents the results of a study in which university students were questioned about their high school experiences. Major findings include (1) There is a great need to improve the quality of instruction that students receive in math, science, critical thinking, and study skills; (2) Hispanic and African American students believe that…

Contributions of participants in a three-day invitational symposium for representatives of the 21 California high schools which were most successful in sending Black and Hispanic students to the University of California and the California State University are compiled in this document. The publication addresses two major goals of the California…

To have any real chance of success in the workplace or in college, high school students must regularly engage in more rigorous, intellectually challenging work and must make more progress during their high school years than they do now. This report, presented to the California Senate Standing Committee on Education, states that in California,…

The importance of cooperation between colleges and schools to insure that students have adequate preparation for college-level work is considered by the assistant vice-president of the University of California System. It is claimed that higher college admission standards would screen out underprepared students but would not solve the problem of…