High School & Beyond
Some of the biggest policy debates center on high school: college and career readiness, testing, dual enrollment, career-technical education, transitions to college and work. Veteran reporter Catherine Gewertz explored them all here. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: high schools, college & workforce readiness.
College & Workforce Readiness
New Scholarship Rewards Completing Road-to-College Steps
A new $25 million scholarship sponsored by the College Board rewards students for taking key steps to prepare for, and apply to, college.
College & Workforce Readiness
Low-Income Students Are More Likely to Underestimate Cost of College
A federal survey finds that students' estimates of the cost of tuition and fees at four-year colleges track closely with their socioeconomic backgrounds.
College & Workforce Readiness
Does Your School Post Its 'Profile' Online? And Why That Matters for College Admission
Students at high schools with large low-income populations could be at a disadvantage when applying to college because of a little-known document that's part of the process: each high school's "school profile."
College & Workforce Readiness
ACT Stops 'Flagging' Scores of Students with Disabilities
ACT has stopped telling colleges whether students who took the admissions exam have disabilities, a practice that sparked a lawsuit last summer.
College & Workforce Readiness
Why ESSA Misses Hundreds of Low-Graduation-Rate High Schools
At nearly half a million students' high schools, half or more of the freshmen disappear before graduation, and federal law doesn't require those schools to get better, according to a new study.
Assessment
California Nixes Plan to Let Districts Substitute SAT for Smarter Balanced Exam
California rejects a plan to let school districts substitute the SAT for the Smarter Balanced exam.
College & Workforce Readiness
Michelle Obama's 'Reach Higher' Initiative Merges With the Common Application
The Common Application acquires "Reach Higher," a signature college-access initiative started by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
College & Workforce Readiness
High School Counselors Think Colleges Should Drop SAT, ACT Requirements
A pair of new surveys shows deep skepticism about the value of college-admissions exams among high school counselors and college-admissions leaders. Both groups also worry about too much pressure to take AP courses, and lack of equal access to those classes.
Assessment
Considering Grades, Not Just Tests, in College Course Placement Pays Off
A new study finds that students perform well in college classes when their placements in those courses are based on multiple factors, including high school grades.
College & Workforce Readiness
Does Too Much Credit Recovery Lead to Inflated Graduation Rates?
Schools that rely most heavily on credit recovery produce bigger increases in their graduation rates, even though their students perform poorly on state achievement tests. The finding adds fuel to the controversy about graduation-rate inflation.
Federal
SAT Stumbles in Getting Federal Approval as High School Achievement Test
Federal education officials have notified Connecticut that they can't fully approve its use of the SAT as a high school achievement test. It's a glimpse of where the college-entrance exam could falter in its bid to gain new ground in the K-12 world.
College & Workforce Readiness
Here's What You Need to Know About the Latest SAT Controversy
You might have heard that there were problems with the August SAT exam. Here's what you need to know.
College & Workforce Readiness
One Way to Increase College Access: Encourage Students to Retake the SAT
Just over half of SAT takers retake the SAT at least once, but new research shows that retakes can have a significant effect on college enrollment.
Curriculum
What Do Employers Want in a New Hire? Mostly, Good Speaking Skills
Good speaking skills are the most important communication skill to executives and hiring managers when they're looking for new employees, a survey finds.