making career readiness count
DESCRIPTION
On May 27, 2014 Achieve and the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education (NASDCTEc) hosted a webinar open to state leaders and partners in all 50 states to provide guidance to states interested in building more indicators of career preparation into their accountability and public reporting systems and to preview a new joint publication, "Making Career Readiness Count." In addition to sharing a view of how states are currently approaching this challenge, presenters discussed what state policy leaders need to consider as they look to reform their reporting and accountability systems to ensure that the “career” in college- and career-ready accountability and public reporting is a powerful lever to focus priorities, drive progress, and ultimately see more students – and their communities – succeed. State leaders from Missouri and Virginia also shared the range of career-focused indicators used within their accountability and public reporting systems. For more information, visit http://www.achieve.org/meetings-webinarsTRANSCRIPT
Making Career Readiness
Count
Tuesday, May 27th
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
• Reviewed state report cards and accountability
formulas
• Identified career-focused indicators and how they
were being publicly reported or used within states’
accountability systems
• Identified major trends across states
• Updated existing framework for college and career
readiness indicators to be address full range of
college AND career readiness (academic,
technical, employability skills)
Background/Context
Framework
3Source:
Toward College and
Career Readiness
Meeting College and
Career Readiness
Exceeding College and
Career Readiness
Course
completion/
success
Timely credit
accumulation along
a college- and
career-ready course
of study
Students in a
graduating cohort who
complete a college- and
career-ready course of
study
Graduates who have
completed AP, IB
and/or dual enrollment
courses and earned
college credit
Achieve-
ment
Students with “on
track to college and
career readiness”
performance on
aligned assessments
in middle and early
high school
Students in a
graduating cohort with a
college- and career-
ready level of
performance on a high-
quality assessment
aligned to college- and
career-ready standards
Graduates with a
college-level
performance on an AP and/or IB exam
Attainment 9th grade students
with “on track” to
graduation status
based on attendance
and grades in core
courses
High school graduation
Students in a
graduating cohort who
earn a college- and
career-ready diploma
Graduates who enroll
in postsecondary
education with no
need for remediation
Graduates who
successfully complete
at least one year of
postsecondary
education or a
workforce/military
training program
Framework
4Source:
Toward College and Career Readiness Meeting College and Career ReadinessExceeding College and Career
Readiness
Course
completion/
success
Timely credit accumulation along a
college- and career-ready course of
study
AND
Participation in career technical
education (CTE) course(s) aligned to
college- and career-ready or rigorous standards in other subjects
Students in a graduating cohort who
complete a college- and career-ready
course of study
AND
Successful completion of secondary CTE pathway (“concentrating”)
Graduates who have completed
AP, IB and/or dual enrollment
courses and earned college credit
AND
Completion of program of study aligned to workforce needs
Achieve-
ment
Students with “on track to college and
career readiness” performance on
aligned assessments in middle and early
high school
Students in a graduating cohort with a
college- and career-ready level of
performance on a high-quality
assessment aligned to college- and
career-ready standards
AND
Meeting standards on technical skills
assessment for students who complete a CTE pathway
Graduates with a college-level
performance on an AP and/or IB
exam
Attainment 9th grade students with “on track” to
graduation status based on attendance
and grades in core courses
High school graduation
Students in a graduating cohort who
earn a college- and career-ready
diploma
AND
Earn industry-recognized
credential/certificate
Complete a pre-apprenticeship
program
Earn an employability or work
readiness certificate
Graduates who enroll in
postsecondary education with no
need for remediation
Graduates who successfully
complete at least one year of
postsecondary education or a
workforce/military training
program
AND
Earn academic or technical
endorsement on college- and
career-ready diploma Earn stacked industry credential
Experiential
learning
Participation in a career technical
student organization (CTSO) that is
aligned to and reinforces the academic
and technical content in a CTE pathway
Participation in work-based learning
(WBL)
Participation in college/career planning
activities
Participation in CTSO competition
Successful completion of WBL
Completion of portfolio/capstone
project
Earn a medal in CTSO
competition
Earn postsecondary credit
through internships, WBL
Major Trends
5Source:
• Breadth Over Depth: More than Half of States Use
Career-Focused Readiness Indicators
• Meta-Indicators: Many States Are Emphasizing
College or Career Accountability Indicators
• Early Models: Some States Begin To Pave the Way for
Systems Valuing College and Career Readiness
Trend 1: Breadth Over Depth
More than Half of States Use Career-Focused Readiness Indicators
6
Trend 1: Breadth Over Depth
More than Half of States Use Career-Focused
Readiness Indicators
7Source:
CTE participation
CTE completion (pathway
completion/concentrators)
CTE diploma/endorsement
Graduation rate/attainment of
advanced diploma by CTE
concentrators
Industry credentials
Skills assessment
Academic career ready
assessment
Employability assessment
Dual enrollment participation
Dual enrollment credits earned
Work-based learning
CTSO participation
Postsecondary enrollment rates
Placement rate for CTE completers
CTE course grades
Reported by five or more states
Trend 2: Meta-Indicators
Many States Are Emphasizing College or
Career Accountability Indicators
8
• Majority of states do NOT have stand-alone career-ready
indicator in their accountability formulas
• More common is to have “meta-indicator”
• EXAMPLE: Alabama defines a student as college or career
ready if the student earns at least one of the following:
• Benchmark scores on the reading and math sections of ACT;
• Qualifying scores on an AP or IB exam;
• Approved transcripted college or postsecondary credit while in high
school;
• Benchmark level on the ACT WorkKeys; or
• An approved industry credential.
• Use multiple measures of college and career
readiness.
• Engage state CTE/college and career readiness
leaders as well as workforce and economic
development leaders.
• Find the appropriate balance of uses across public
reporting and accountability.
• Use publicly reported information to inform
decisions.
Recommendations
9
Trend 3: Early Models
Some States Begin To Pave the Way for
Systems Valuing College and Career Readiness
10
• Dennis Cooper, Assistant Commissioner & Dennis
Harden, Career Education Coordinator, Missouri
Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education
• Deborah Jonas, Special Advisor for Research and
Planning, Virginia Department of Education.
BUILDING A COLLEGE AND CAREER-
READY ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM:
MSIP 5
Dennis Cooper, Assistant Commissioner
Dennis Harden, Career Education Coordinator
Missouri Department Of Elementary And Secondary
Education
Missouri Department of Elementaryand Secondary EducationMay 2014
MSIP Performance Standard 3:
Indicators 1-3
College and Career Readiness (K-12 Districts) — The district
provides adequate post-secondary preparation for all
students.
1. The percent of graduates who scored at or above the state standard on
any department-approved measure(s) of college and career readiness, for
example, the ACT®, SAT®, COMPASS® or Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), meets or exceeds the state standard or
demonstrates required improvement.
2. The district’s average composite score(s) on any department-approved
measure(s) of college and career readiness, for example, the ACT®,
SAT®, COMPASS®, or ASVAB, meet(s) or exceed(s) the state standard or
demonstrate(s) required improvement.
3. The percent of graduates who participated in any department-approved
measure(s) of college and career readiness, for example, the ACT®,
SAT®, COMPASS®, or ASVAB, meets or exceeds the state standard or
demonstrates required improvement.
MSIP Performance Standard 3:
Indicator 4
College and Career Readiness (K-12 Districts) — The
district provides adequate post-secondary preparation for
all students.
4. The percent of graduates who earned a qualifying score on an
Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Project Lead
the Way assessments , earned an Industry Recognized Credential (IRC),
and/or received college credit through early college, dual enrollment, or
approved dual credit courses meets or exceeds the state standard or
demonstrates required improvement
MSIP Performance Standard 3:
Indicators 5-6
College and Career Readiness (K-12 Districts) — The district
provides adequate post-secondary preparation for all
students.
5. The percent of graduates who attend post-secondary education/training
or are in the military within six (6) months of graduating meets the state
standard or demonstrates required improvement.
6. The percent of graduates who complete career education programs
approved by the department and are placed in occupations directly related
to their training, continue their education, or are in the military within six (6)
months of graduating meets the state standard or demonstrates required
improvement.
Updates
Addition of WorkKeys© in 2014-15
Change from TSAs to IRCs in Indicator 4
For additional information related to the MSIP
IRC approved list and process for seeking
approval, see http://dese.mo.gov/college-career-
readiness/career-education/technical-skills-
attainment
Challenges
Variation in rigor of IRCs
Assumption in districts that all CTE
students can/should obtain an IRC
Recent legislation
Remove “related” from placement requirement
Change in graduation policy allowing a CTE course
to substitute for an academic course in English
language arts, mathematics, social studies, or
science
Career and technical education credentials in Virginia
DEBORAH JONAS, PH.D.
MAY 27, 2014
17
Brief history of Virginia’s career credential initiative
• In 2003/04 the Virginia Board of Education issued guidance for using Board-approved industry credentialing exams to substitute for certain tests that are required for students to earn Virginia’s Standard diploma* only◦ Board-approved credentialing tests may substitute for the student-selected test, and, either a
science or history test when the credential confers more than one credit.
• In 2006/07, Virginia funded a pilot to encourage the use of industry credentialing tests as a substitute for state-required graduation tests
• In 2011, the Virginia General Assembly required that students who earn the Standard diploma pass a Board-approved credentialing test, beginning with first-time freshman in 2013/14.
18
*Virginia also has an Advanced Studies diploma that includes coursework consistent with minimum college-entry requirements.
Board criteria for using credentialing exams to substitute for other state-required exams for graduation
• The test must be standardized and graded independently of the school or school division in which the test is given.
• The test must be knowledge-based.
• The test must be administered on a multi-state or international basis, or administered as part of another state’s accountability assessment program.
• To be counted in a specific academic area, the test must measure content that incorporates or exceeds the Virginia Standards of Learning content in the course for which verified credit is awarded.
19
Multiple approaches to accountability
• School report cards
• Federal Annual Performance Reports (Perkins), including annual reports to the Virginia Board of Education
• Legislation
20
Public reporting—school report cards• Virginia’s report cards include information about credentials
students earn each year.
• Number of credentials students earn each year.◦ State licensures
◦ Industry certification
◦ Workplace Readiness
◦ NOCTI (skills) assessments
• Number of students who earned credentials each year.
21
CTE Annual Performance Reports (Perkins)-- Beyond the core indicators
• Virginia encourages local leaders to strengthen all programs and prepare CTE students for careers and college or other types of postsecondary training.
• Research shows that Virginia’s Advanced Studies diploma is a good predictor of college readiness.
• Established an informational indicator of career and college readiness that is included in state and local Annual Performance Reports. ◦ Students who earn a career credential and complete a college preparatory course of study
(Virginia’s Advanced Studies diploma)
• Annual reports to the Board enhance visibility and ensure alignment with broader state goals.
22
Recent Legislation• 2012 legislation strengthened Virginia’s Standard diploma and established it as
a career-ready diploma.◦ Required all Standard-diploma earners who begin ninth grade in 2013/14 or later to earn a
board-approved career and technical education industry certification.
• Significant enablers included:◦ Availability and accessibility of the Virginia Workforce Readiness Skills Assessment.
◦ Partnership with private sector partners offering low-cost assessments for some credentials.
◦ State-provided funding for industry credentialing programs and assessments.
• High schools are encouraged to transition to the new requirement earlier than required.
23
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*Prior to 2010/11, workplace readiness skills assessments were included in the Industry Certification category, but now are reported separately
Resources• Virginia Department of Education, Office of Career and Technical Education,
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/index.shtml
• Virginia’s CTE Annual Performance Reports, scroll to the bottom of page, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/statistics_reports/index.shtml
• 2012 legislation requiring students to earn board-approved career and technical education credentials as part of Virginia’s Standard diploma, http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+CHAP0454
• Code of Virginia language permitting students who complete career and technical education programs, and who pass industry certification or state licensure exams, to use satisfactory exam scores as substitute for certain state assessments required for graduation, http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+22.1-253.13C4.
• Research and data from the Virginia College and Career Readiness Initiative
◦ http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/college_career_readiness/index.shtml#resources
◦ http://vlds.virginia.gov/pdfs/VLDS_CCRI%201_pager_FINAL.pdf
• Virginia’s public school report cards, https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/
• Virginia's list of approved substitute tests for industry credentialing, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/path_industry_certification/index.shtml.
• Virginia Governor's Stem Academies, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/gov_academies/index.shtml, and Governor's Health Science Academies, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/gov_health_sciences_academies/index.shtml
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Contact Information
Lolita Hall, Director Office of Career and Technical EducationVirginia Department of [email protected]
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http://www.achieve.org/meetings-webinars
Kate Blosveren Kreamer, Associate Executive Director, NASDCTEc
[email protected] or 301-588-9630
Cory Curl
Senior Fellow, Assessment and Accountability, Achieve
[email protected] or 202-308-6640
Marie O’Hara
Associate Director, Achieve
[email protected] or 202-419-1562
Questions?
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