From the ECS State Policy Database: High School--College Readiness - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

Defining College Readiness: Where Are We Now? Where Do We Go from Here? - This PowerPoint, presented at ECS’ 2012 National Forum on Education Policy, identifies the (1) Benefits and challenges of existing state college-readiness definitions, (2) Key elements of any state’s college-readiness definition, (3) Other approaches states may consider using (and critical policy components), and (4) Importance of linking college counseling and college completion to college-readiness definitions and efforts. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, July 2012)...

Race to the Top: Promising Approaches to Achieving College- and Career-Ready Goals (Goal 1) MS Word PDF - (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, March 2009)...

Strategies to Empower Low-Income and Minority Students in Gaining Admission to and Paying for College PDF - This policy brief identifies barriers created by federal, state and local policies that pose a particular challenge for aspiring first-generation college students in the college and financial aid application process, and provides suggestions for how state-level policy might address each barrier. A final section on "other" barriers to college entry seeks to alert policymakers to emerging issues for which adequate institutional, state and federal policy responses are needed. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, November 2008)...

State Initiatives to Improve High Schools - This database provides information on a variety of state-level efforts, including: (1) States that subsidize testing fees for the ACT, SAT, PLAN, PSAT, etc.; (2) State initiatives to improve the senior year and 9th grade year; (3) Outreach efforts to ensure students are well-prepared to finish high school and apply for college admission and financial aid; (4) Initiatives that require students to create long-term plans (i.e., 5-year plan, declaration of major, etc.); and (5) States that authorize or require the use of e-transcripts. (Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, July 2008)...

Postsecondary Feedback Systems - This database provides information about the data systems in more than 20 states that provide districts and high schools with information about how their graduates have fared after entering postsecondary education in the state. (Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, June 2008)...

Helping Equip Teachers to Answer Students' Questions on College Knowledge MS Word PDF - While a majority of both honors and non-honors track high school students in Stanford University's Bridge Project sample reported speaking with a teacher at least once about college admissions requirements, teachers reported receiving very little, if any, information to answer their students' questions. This ECS Policy Brief examines the findings of the Bridge Project's research on students' questions to teachers on "college knowledge," teachers' responses to these questions, and state policies that would better equip teachers to provide students with accurate information on college policies. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, April 2007)...

Using Data To Increase College and Career Readiness: A Checklist for States - This checklist serves as a guide to the key considerations policymakers must address as they develop policies to ensure that every student graduates college and career ready. (Data Quality Campaign, 2012)...

State High School Tests: Changes in State Policies and the Impact of the College and Career Readiness Movement - This 10th installment of CEP’s annual study of high school exit exams and other assessments finds that fewer states are requiring students to pass a high school exit exam, though testing in other areas has increased. The report, based on a survey of all 50 state departments of education, discusses state policies associated with high school exit exams, college entrance exams (such as the ACT or SAT), and college and career readiness assessments. (Center on Education Policy, 2011)...

2011 ACT Condition and College and Career Readiness - Using the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks and ACT® test scores, the Condition of College & Career Readiness reports provide national and state snapshots of college readiness of the graduating seniors of the class of 2011 who took the ACT in high school. (American College Testing, August 2011)...

Many Florida Programs Enhance Students' Career and College Readiness - Like many other states and the federal government, Florida has implemented many programs and initiatives to enhance high school graduates' career and college readiness. OPPAGA was requested by the Florida Legislature to provide an overview of national and state initiatives that help ensure that high school graduates are prepared for college and careers. This report looks at national initiatives addressing career and college readiness, Florida initiatives addressing readiness, and options the Legislature could consider to enhance the readiness of Florida youth. (OPPAGA, November 2010)...

Accelerating the College and Career Readiness of the Nation's Students (State Cards) - In 2009 Common Core State Standards Initiative was launched under the auspices of the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors’ Conference. This Alliance for Excellent Education web site provides state-specific data relevant to the need for improved standards and assessments in the U.S. and the potential benefits of educating all students to meet the common core standards. (Alliance for Excellent Education, May 2010)...

Measuring Up: A Midwestern Perspective on the National Report Card--2002 to 2008 - This report enables Midwestern states to make comparisons regionally and nationally in the following areas: preparation for college, participation, affordability, completion and benefits. The report is created to provide policymakers and the public with non-partisan information about state progress in higher education. (Educational Policy Institute, October 2009)...