Social Studies

This report describes how some of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s education grantees in Atlanta are working to increase the instances of students in the community moving on from secondary to postsecondary life. The author highlights the strategy known as "P-16" which aims to link education strategies from preschool through college graduation. Lessons learned provide insight for other communities undertaking this approach. This report would be most useful for state and community leaders working to graduate students prepared for postsecondary success.

This report provides a profile of 38 schools and details how these schools have implemented strategies to promote and advance college readiness. The report outlines each school, characteristics that make the school unique, and lessons learned from undertaking particular strategies. The report is organized into six sections: 1) alternative schools, 2) charter schools, 3) comprehensive schools, 4) early college high schools, 5) magnet schools, and 6) private schools. In several cases, schools may have utilized more than one strategy to achieve their goal.

This report by EPIC reveals that students who are generally proficient in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will likely be ready for a wide range of postsecondary courses. The more CCSS in which they are proficient, the wider the range of postsecondary-level classes they will be ready to undertake.

ACT’s report recommends that schools strengthen their core high school curriculum to better prepare students for post-secondary success. Even with a high school diploma, many students leave high school without the necessary skills that will assist them in college or the workforce and research demonstrates that students at all levels of achievement benefit from taking rigorous courses.