Preparing Students for the Future: College and Career Readiness

College and Career Readiness means that all high school students should graduate ready for college, careers, and citizenship. Preparing our students for the future has become a number one priority for the the K-12 and higher education community. Achieve, a nonprofit education reform organization, states, “With the growing complexity of the world and the increasing demands of the 21st-century workforce, there is little question that all students should graduate from high school fully prepared for college AND careers.” However, the challenge of ensuring that all students are “college and career ready” encompasses more than just rigorous academics. More support systems are necessary to help students meet individual goals. Not all students learn the same way and many face academic challenges that require assistance. While mastering language arts and math skills and standards are important, they’re not the only thing needed to ensure success. Students need life skills and problem solving capabilities, as well as the ability to work cooperatively with others.  

The National High School Center, a USDOE grant funded initiative, developed an organizer to guide schools and other educational organizations meet the needs of students. The use of the organizer allows users to develop strategies for designing comprehensive college and career readiness initiatives. The College and Career Development Organizer has three categories:

• Goals and Expectations for College and Career Readiness: What should high school graduates know and be able to do?
• Pathways and Supports for College and Career Preparation: What policies, programs, and structures will help high school graduates meet expectations?
• Outcomes and Measures for College and Career Success: How do we know when high school graduates meet expectations?

According to Achieve, “Simply put, "college and career readiness" is the umbrella under which many education and workforce policies, programs and initiatives thrive. From high-quality early education and strong, foundational standards in elementary school to rigorous career and technical education programs and college completion goals, college and career readiness is the unifying agenda across the P-20 education pipeline.”
Your Pepper learning community can help you effectively implement College and Career Readiness Standards. Pepper provides 24/7 online access to a vibrant and growing series of relevant professional development courses. These courses and resources provide collaborative support from other inspiring educators. Be sure to check out our wide range of courses available to you.