9-12

This annual report released by ACT presents data on college and career readiness levels for the 2014 high school graduates who took the ACT college readiness assessment. Because of the ACT’s alignment with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the analysis of ACT scores also sheds light on academic readiness within a CCSS context. The report is designed to help educators address key questions regarding the readiness of their students and offer recommendations for state policy and practice to increase readiness.

While apprenticeships are offered throughout the nation, programs use different measures to indicate successful completion and mastery of the relevant skills learned. This Center for American Progress (CAP) policy brief outlines the benefits of apprenticeships, describes why current apprenticeships are not meeting student and employer needs, and advocates that to address this problem, apprenticeships must provide a portable, nationally recognized credential.

This guide introduces the model for the Diploma Plus high schools. The schools are small, alternative high schools run by districts, or charter schools, and some alternative programs supported by community colleges in partnership with school districts. The students served are primarily those who are over-age, under-credit, and at-risk for dropout. The guide provides a detailed explanation of how Diploma Plus high schools function, an explanation of their effectiveness, and easy-to-use charts and lists to understand the components of the school system and curriculum.