School & District Management Report Roundup

College and Career Readiness

By Catherine Gewertz — February 23, 2009 1 min read
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More states are moving toward aligning their standards, graduation requirements, and assessments to reflect the demands of colleges and employers, according to a new report by Achieve, Inc.

Twenty-three states have revised their high school standards to meet postsecondary expectations, four more than last year, Achieve said in its annual report on states’ progress, released on Feb. 19.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia, two more states than last year, have boosted their high school graduation requirements to better reflect college and workforce readiness, the report said, and eight others plan to adopt similar requirements.

Only 10 states, however, administer tests of college or career readiness to all high school students, the report said. Twelve states have longitudinal data systems that allow them to track students from kindergarten through college graduation.

The Washington-based nonprofit group, established by governors and business leaders, has tracked states’ progress toward making students college- and career-ready since 2005.

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A version of this article appeared in the February 25, 2009 edition of Education Week

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