ERIC ED534953: The Condition of College & Career Readiness, 2012: North Carolina

2012·2.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

The Condition of College & Career Readiness l 2012
North Carolina
North Carolina
The Condition of College & Career Readiness | Class of 2012
Annually, ACT provides a snapshot of the college and career only), regardless of the high school they attend and their level
readiness of ACT-tested high school graduates. We offer this of prior achievement. In fact, students who are monitored
report as a service to inform policymakers and practitioners early are more likely to meet three or all four of the ACT
about selected indicators of effectiveness and how that College Readiness Benchmarks than students who are not
translates into readiness. In interpreting and using the results, monitored early, regardless of gender, race, or annual family
keep in mind that the number and percentage of 2012 income.
graduates who took the ACT in your state determine how
The ACT groundbreaking research report The Forgotten
representative these findings are for your state.
Middle (ACT 2008) suggests that being on target for college
Our Unique Added Value and career readiness by 8th grade puts students on a
trajectory for success in high school and beyond. This
ACT has been measuring the academic achievement of
research shows that the level of academic achievement that
11th- and 12th-grade students since 1959, their career
students attain by 8th grade has a larger impact on their
aspirations since 1969, and their academic preparation in
college and career readiness by the time they graduate from
high school since 1985. ACT’s data system includes each of
high school than anything that happens academically in high
these areas for 8th and 10th graders and has been
school. This research also reveals that students’ academic
monitoring student readiness and success for nearly two
readiness for college and career can be further supported
decades. Since 1996, and every three to five years thereafter,
and improved when they acquire and demonstrate behaviors
ACT surveys thousands of high school and college educators
in the upper elementary grades and in middle school shown
to pinpoint the knowledge and skills needed for first-year
to be related to successful academic performance.
college coursework. ACT is the only organization with
decades of empirical data showing exactly what happens to The problems are clear and very well documented. ACT
high school graduates once they get to college or to work research strongly supports the need for an integrated,
and how they can maximize success—based on their longitudinal, data-driven system to inform and encourage
preparation from kindergarten through high school. coherence in school, district, and state efforts to prepare all
high school graduates for college and career. Our high
College and Career Readiness Defined
schools must provide rigorous courses that are aligned with
ACT has long defined college and career readiness as the college and career readiness standards, and more students
acquisition of the knowledge and skills a student needs to must be prepared and have the opportunity to take these
enroll and succeed in credit-bearing first-year courses at a core courses. All students must also have systematic
postsecondary institution (such as a two- or four-year college, guidance and feedback about their progress, and get that
trade school, or technical school) without the need for feedback early and often.
remediation. ACT’s definition of college and career readiness
Use of Student Growth Models in Early Monitoring
was adopted by the Common Core State Standards Initiative,
which serves as validation of our extensive research and As states and districts implement college and career
ACT’s College Readiness Standards™. readiness standards, metrics aligned to those standards are
needed to gauge individual and school progress toward this
Measuring academic performance in the context of college
goal. Using these metrics, growth modeling has strong
and career readiness—focusing on the numbers and
potential to help stakeholders measure progress—for
percentages of students meeting or exceeding the ACT
individual students and for school systems. Growth model
College Readiness Benchmarks—provides meaningful and
results can serve a variety of purposes. Educators and
compelling information about the academic readiness of
policymakers can use growth modeling results as part of
students. The Condition of College & Career Readiness
accountability systems, to measure student and school
highlights that information.
improvement, to more accurately diagnose areas of strength
Early Student Monitoring and Intervention and weakness, and to inform educator professional
ACT research continues to show the importance of early development initiatives. Early monitoring of academic growth
monitoring of student achievement and appropriate toward the college and career readiness goal can help
interventions. In the recently released research report Staying identify problems, so that interventions can be made to get
on Target (ACT 2012), students who are monitored early the individual or school system back on track.
before taking the ACT are more likely to be college and career
ready than those not monitored early (i.e., who take the ACT
© 2012 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. The ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., in the USA and other countries. ACT National Curriculum Survey®, EXPLORE®,
PLAN®, QualityCore®, and WorkKeys® are registered trademarks of ACT, Inc. College Readiness Standards™, ENGAGE™, and Core Practice™ are trademarks of ACT, Inc.
A Comprehensive Framework of Best Practices the results of the ACT National Curriculum Survey®.
One compelling reason for undertaking early and continuous This survey is given every few years to educators in
monitoring of student performance that includes student postsecondary, secondary, and now in the elementary
growth models and for implementing aligned, outcomes- grades to determine both what is being taught in the
focused education standards is that there is strong classroom and the expectations of what is needed to
empirical evidence for these educational practices.1 In succeed at the next level, be it middle school, high school,
addition to these, other key practices for increasing readiness or college. It is a representative sample of educators from
can be implemented at the district, school, and classroom across the country. For the first time, this survey has been
levels as part of a comprehensive framework of best enhanced to drill into what is being taught and the specific
practices. The Core Practice™ Framework is an example of expectations in the lower grades and how that aligns to
this. Empirically developed and validated, the Core Practice success in college. As you may expect, there is a
Framework outlines the evidence-based educator practices disconnection between what is being taught and the
at each level of a school system—district, school, and expectations for success at the next level. The ultimate goal
classroom—that will help all students master high standards. of this system is to give educators assessment tools to
The Framework focuses on five themes: 1) Curriculum and intervene and get more students on the right track to college
Academic Goals, 2) Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity and career success. Arguably, this is one of the reasons the
Building, 3) Instructional Tools, 4) Monitoring Performance Common Core State Standards were developed. A system
and Progress, and 5) Intervention and Adjustment. Included in like this will give you a jump-start into implementation of a
the Framework are Critical Actions—steps on how to more robust, standards-based system centering on the right
implement the 15 core practices. number and right types of assessments all tied to appropriate
interventions.
Building a System
Using This Report2
ACT is pleased to announce that we will provide an aligned,
coherent system that will now begin in the earlier grades, This report is designed to help inform the following questions
giving states, districts, and schools a suite of opportunities driving national efforts to strengthen P–16 education.
spanning grades 3–12. This new system is aligned to our • Are your students prepared for college and career?
College Readiness Standards, which allows monitoring and • Are enough of your students taking core courses?
intervening to take place much earlier and will help to get • Are your core courses rigorous enough?
more students prepared to succeed at college-level work. • Are your younger students on target for college and
career?
The system is built on the framework of our College
• What other dimensions of college and career readiness
Readiness Standards, essentially pulling these standards
should we track?
down into the lower grades and defining what students need
• How is the 2011 graduating class doing?
to know and when in order to be on track for college. We
have created these standards, and our test blueprints, around
How does ACT determine if students are college ready?
Empirically derived, ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks are scores on the ACT subject area tests that represent
the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75%
chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses. These college courses
include English Composition, College Algebra, Biology, and an introductory social science course. Based on a
nationally representative sample, the Benchmarks are median course placement values for these institutions and as
such represent a typical set of expectations. The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are:
EXPLORE® PLAN® ACT®
College Course Subject Area Test Benchmark Benchmark Benchmark
English Composition English 13 15 18
Social Sciences Reading 15 17 21
College Algebra Mathematics 17 19 22
Biology Science 20 21 24
3
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Attainment Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting
College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
of College
and Career 100!
Readiness
80!
69!
67!
• 18,817 of your graduates,
which is an estimated 20% 60! 58! 56!
nt! 52!
of your graduating class, e
c 46!
r
took the ACT.* Pe
40!
34!
• From 2008–2012, the 31! 30!
25!
number of ACT test-taking
20!
graduates has increased by
44.1%, while the number of
graduates in your state has 0!
increased by 3.7%. English! Reading! Mathematics! Science! All Four!
Subjects!
North Carolina! Nation!
Percent of 2008–2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates
Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
100!
80!
69! 70! 70! 69!
67!
58! 58! 58!
60! 55! 56!
nt!
ce 55! 56! 56!
Per 49! 51!
40! 34! 34! 34!
30!
* Totals for graduating seniors were 28!
obtained from Knocking at the
30! 30! 30!
College Door: Projections of
20! 24! 26!
High School Graduates by State
and Race/Ethnicity, 1992 to 2022,
7th edition. © March 2008 by
the Western Interstate Commission 0!
for Higher Education. 2008! 2009! 2010! 2011! 2012!
English! Reading! Mathematics! Science! All Four Subjects!
Note: Percents in this report may not
sum to 100% due to rounding.
4
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Near
Benchmark Attainment and Subject
Attainment
100! of College
22! and Career
31! 35!
80!
9! 51! Readiness
10!
60! 9!
nt!
e
c
r
e
P
40! 15!
69!
58! 56!
20!
34!
0!
English! Reading! Mathematics! Science!
Met Benchmark! Within 2 Points of Benchmark! Below Benchmark by 3+ Points!
Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by
Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained
Met 1
Benchmark!
13%!
Met No
Benchmarks!
24%!
Met 2
Benchmarks!
16%!
Met All 4 Met 3
Benchmarks! Benchmarks!
30%! 18%!
5
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Participation Percent of 2008–2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates
by Race/Ethnicity*
and Opportunity
Over the past decade, 100! 8! 2! 4! 3! 4! 3! 4! 3! 4!
2!
ACT has experienced
unprecedented growth in the 80!
number of students tested, as
well as statewide partnerships 60! 61! 64! 64! 62! 61!
in 12 different states and in nt!
e
many districts across the rc
e
P
country. As a result, the 2012 40!
Condition of College & Career
3! 3! 4! 5! 6!
Readiness report provides a 20! 1! 3! 1! 3! 1! 3! 1! 4! 1! 3!
much deeper and more
representative sample in 22! 22! 21! 22! 22!
comparison to a purely 0!
self-selected college-going 2008! 2009! 2010! 2011! 2012!
population. African! American! Asian! Hispanic! Pacific ! White! Two or! No Response!
American! Indian! Islander! More Races!
Note: Less than 0.5% will not appear.
Percent of 2008–2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates
Meeting Three or More Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity*
100!
80!
68!
64! 64! 65! 66!
nt! 60! 51! 54! 59! 59! 60!
e
c
r
Pe 38! 37! 40! 39!
40! 34!
33!
33! 23! 22!
28!
20! 26!
14! 14! 13!
11!
10!
0!
* Race/ethnicity categories changed
2008! 2009! 2010! 2011! 2012!
in 2011 to reflect updated US
Department of Education reporting African ! American! Asian! Hispanic! Pacific! White!
requirements.3 American! Indian! Islander!
6
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Participation and Opportunity by Subject
Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting College
Readiness Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity and Subject*
English Mathematics
African! African!
32! 21!
American! American!
American! American!
48! 38!
Indian! Indian!
Asian! 79! Asian! 81!
Hispanic! 61! Hispanic! 50!
Pacific! Pacific!
71! 54!
Islander! Islander!
White! 83! White! 68!
All! All!
69! 56!
Students! Students!
Reading Science
African! African!
23! 7!
American! American!
American! American!
37! 17!
Indian! Indian!
Asian! 70! Asian! 54!
Hispanic! 53! Hispanic! 26!
Pacific! Pacific!
58! 25!
Islander! Islander!
White! 71! White! 43!
All! All!
58! 34!
Students! Students!
7
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Course-Taking Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates in
Core or More vs. Less Than Core Courses Meeting College
Patterns and
Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
Benchmark
100!
Performance
Within subjects, ACT has 80!
consistently found that 69!
students who take the 60! 58! 59! 57!
recommended core nt!
e
curriculum are more likely to c
er 43!
be ready for college or career P 40! 37!
than those who do not. A core
curriculum is defined as four
years of English and three 20!
11!
years each of mathematics, 9!
social studies, and science.4
0!
English! Reading! Mathematics! Science!
Core or More! Less Than Core!
8
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Early Preparation
ACT research shows that younger students who take a “the level of academic achievement that students attain by
rigorous curricula are more prepared to graduate from 8th grade has a larger impact on their college and career
high school ready for college or career. Moreover, our readiness by the time they graduate high school than
recent research (The Forgotten Middle, 2008) found that anything that happens academically in high school.”
Percent of 2011–2012 PLAN-Tested 10th Graders Meeting College Readiness Benchmarks (N = 95,298)
100!
24!
80! 36! Met 1!
45!
Benchmark!
14! 58! Met No! 20%!
60! Benchmarks!
ent! 19! 32%!
c
Per 40! 22! Met 2!
Benchmarks!
62! 20!
18%!
45!
20! Met All 4!
33!
22! Benchmarks!
Met 3!
17%!
0! Benchmarks!
English! Reading! Mathematics! Science! 13%!
Met Benchmark! Within 2 Points of Benchmark! Below Benchmark by 3+ Points!
Percent of 2011–2012 EXPLORE-Tested 8th Graders Meeting College Readiness Benchmarks (N = 4,422)
100!
13!
20! 20!
80! 16! Met No Met 1
Benchmarks! Benchmark!
23! 60! 21%! 19%!
33!
60!
nt!
e
c
er
P 40! Met All 4 Met 2
71! Benchmarks! Benchmarks!
18!
57! 18%! 20%!
47!
20!
22! Met 3
Benchmarks!
0! 21%!
English! Reading! Mathematics! Science!
Met Benchmark! Within 2 Points of Benchmark! Below Benchmark by 3+ Points!
9
College & Career Readiness in
North Carolina
Other College and Career Readiness Factors
ACT has found several other Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates with
substantial factors that impact Career Interests in Jobs Calling for a Two-Year Degree or
college and career readiness
More in the State’s Five Fastest-Growing Career Fields5
for students. They include
25!
career and educational
planning and the academic
Job Openings!
behaviors of students. 20! Career Interests!
17!
15!
nt!
e 12!
rc 11!
Pe 10!
10! 9!
8!
7!
6! 6!
5!
2!
0!
Education! Management! Marketing/! Community! Health!
Sales! Services! Care!
Preparation
Percent of 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates
for Careers in
Interested in High-Growth Careers Meeting College
High-Growth
Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
Fields
100!
Many students who are
interested in these career 80!
areas fall short of meeting
65!
63!
ACT’s College Readiness
58!
Benchmarks, suggesting that nt! 60! 54! 55! 54! 51!
e
they are not on the right path erc 44! 41! 46!43! 46!
to take advantage of career P 40! 39! 39!
34!
opportunities in these high-
25!
23!
growth fields. 21! 20!
20! 15!
0!
Education! Management! Marketing/! Community! Health!
Sales! Services! Care!
English! Reading! Mathematics! Science!
10