College: 2-year

This report seeks to define and recommend changes to the federal role in ensuring that students not only enter college but graduate. The authors describe the current state of college matriculates, discern their goal of "increasing degree production and decreasing inequality", and discuss five strategies that need to be implemented to reach their goal. The authors conclude that the federal role, in terms of both funding and oversight, should further expand their reach to increase the number of degree holders.

This paper from EPIC asserts that a new operational definition of college readiness is needed, proposing a shift from a focus on high school coursework, grades and scores on national exams, to a new and more comprehensive conceptualization of college readiness. The author suggests, based on the last two decades of research, that there are several other key components of college success.

This resource from the Center for American Progress discusses the results of a forum held in March 2008 that explored the question, "What is driving these poor results in higher education?" The results of this forum concluded with the Center for American Progress recommending that federal policy be enhanced with a stronger focus on postsecondary completion and student and college readiness. Specific recommendations focused on two key areas: (1) college-ready student strategies, and (2) student-ready college strategies.

This report describes an AYPF-hosted field trip to Indianapolis, Indiana in order to showcase cross-system linkages aimed at increasing the number of students prepared for, attending, and succeeding in postsecondary education and the world of work.

This resource from the Data Quality Campaign is a checklist that can be used by state policymakers to support their efforts to increase college and career readiness. It is meant as a guide to policymakers to use as they develop policies and procedures. The checklist provides information on the State Role, the State Responsibility, and the National Landscape. Users are able to then analyze how their state fits in compared to the provided information.

This resource from the Data Quality Campaign is a primer for state policymakers. The authors discuss the role that data plays in developing college and career ready policies. They specifically discuss the importance of state policymakers supporting the efforts to use data. A checklist is provided that policymakers can use to determine whether they have the necessary data capacity.

This brief from CLASP discusses six promising programs that show how career pathway bridges help lower-skilled students move farther and faster along college and career paths through dual enrollment in linked basic skills and occupational certificate courses. The brief finds that these bridges both engage instructors and administrators and bring basic skills students into the mainstream of colleges. Finally, it is asserted that at minimum, career pathways bridges should create shorter, more relevant paths to credentials that matter in the local economy.

This study evaluates the performance of students enrolled in the College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP) compared to non-AP students on college outcome measures. Results revealed that AP students outperformed their non-AP counterparts with similar academic ability in all college outcome measures, and concurrent students typically earned more college credit hours in related subjects than other students, yet their GPAs were not higher.

This study examines the types of sources of information and approaches students use when making their decisions regarding postsecondary education, and the roles other individuals play and paths they follow regarding this decision. Information gathered from a literature review and 11 focus groups with 90 participants in eight states revealed that there was a lack of knowledge and about resources and general information on postsecondary education.

This report describes the effects that Project Graduation Really Achieves Dreams (GRAD) had on academic progress in select high schools in three states. Findings indicated that Project GRAD had a statistically significant positive impact on the number of students completing core academic curriculum in one site, some sites did not show an improvement in student academic preparation, and there were improvements made in attendance and promotion to 10th grade in some sites.