Ready for what?  Confusion around college and career readiness

A program that conflates college and career readiness may unnecessarily discourage students without college aspirations.

States and districts across the United States have put a lot of energy into various college and career readiness initiatives, often with an emphasis on preparing students for postsecondary education that will, in turn, help them succeed in the labor market. But are these efforts effective? And what do they do to help work-bound students who are unlikely to attend college? What strategies could educators and school leaders use to better support these students?

We examine these questions using the case of Florida’s College and Career Readiness Initiative (FCCRI), a program in which high schools administered the statewide community college placement test to mid-performing students (i.e., students scoring a 2 or 3 in reading and 2, 3, or 4 in math on the grade 10 Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test) in their junior year and enrolled those scoring below college-ready in a senior-year “college readiness and success” (CRS) course. When the FCCRI began in 2008-09, student participation in both the college readiness testing and the CRS courses was voluntary. In 2011-12, participation in both components became mandatory for targeted students. The mandatory FCCRI continued through 2014-15, but new legislation signed in April 2015 eliminated the requirements for common placement testing and CRS courses.