1. College and Career Readiness
Mission Statement
The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear
understanding of what students are expected to learn, so
teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.
The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the
real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young
people need for success in college and careers. With American
students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be
best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

2. College and Career Readiness
What’s the end game for K-12 education?

3. College and Career Readiness
What is the difference between Readiness and Eligibility?
Today’s high school diploma certifies college eligibility via specified courses
taken and grades received.
College eligibility is not the same as college readiness. College and career
readiness is more complex and multi-dimensional than meeting eligibility
standards.
-Educational Policy Improvement Center, David Conley

4. College and Career Readiness

5. College and Career Readiness
These standards define
the knowledge and skills
students should have
within their K-12
education careers so that
they will graduate high
school able to succeed in
entry-level, credit-bearing
academic college courses
and in workforce training
programs.
-Common Core State Standards

6. College and Career Readiness
College readiness can be defined
operationally as the level of
preparation a student needs in
order to enroll and succeed—
without remediation—in a creditbearing general education course
at a postsecondary institution
that offers a baccalaureate degree
or transfer to a baccalaureate
degree.
-Toward a More Comprehensive Conception of
College Readiness, David Conley, Educational
Policy Improvement Center

7. College and Career Readiness
Being “college-ready” means being
prepared for any postsecondary
education or training experience,
including study at two- and four-year
institutions leading to a
postsecondary credential (i.e.
certificate, license, Associate’s or
Bachelor’s degree). Being ready for
college means that a high school
graduate has the English and
mathematics skills necessary to
qualify for and succeed in entrylevel, credit-bearing college courses
without the need for remedial
coursework.
-Achieve, American Diploma Project Network

8. College and Career Readiness
ACT defines “college
readiness” as students having
approximately a 75% chance
of earning a grade of C or
higher or a 50% chance of
earning a grade of B or higher
in first-year college English
Composition; College Algebra;
History, Psychology, Sociology,
Political Science, or
Economics; and Biology
(credit- bearing courses)
-ACT

9. College and Career Readiness
These standards define the
knowledge and skills
students should have within
their K-12 education careers
so that they will graduate
high school able to succeed
in entry-level, creditbearing academic college
courses and in workforce
training programs.
-Common Core State Standards

10. College and Career Readiness
The definition of “ready” is a
student who can succeed—
without remediation—in
credit-bearing general
education courses or a twoyear associates or certificate
program that leads to a
career in the O-NET job zone
3 classification.
-Beyond Business as Usual-Key State Actions to Boost
College and Career Readiness, PowerPoint
presentation, David Conley

11. College and Career Readiness
Being ready for a career
means that a high school
graduate has the English,
and mathematics
knowledge and skills
necessary to qualify for and
succeed in the
postsecondary job training
and/or education necessary
for their chosen career.
Achieve, American Diploma Project Network

12. College and Career Readiness
We focus on Job Zone 3
because the occupations
in this zone are likely to
offer a wage sufficient
to support a small
family, provide
potential for career
advancement and are
projected to increase in
the future
-ACT

13. College and Career Readiness
O*NET (Occupational Information Network) – US DOL
Job Zones
Overview
A Job Zone is a group of occupations that are similar in:
• how much education people need to do the work,
• how much related experience people need to do the
work, and
• how much on-the-job training people need to do the
work.

14. Job Zone One: Little or No
Preparation Needed
Education Some of these occupations may require a high school
diploma or GED certificate.
Related Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or
Experience experience is needed for these occupations. For example,
a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she
has never worked before.
Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a
few days to a few months of training. Usually, an
experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
Job Zone These occupations involve following instructions and
Examples helping others.
Examples include taxi drivers, amusement and recreation
attendants, counter and rental clerks, construction
laborers, continuous mining machine operators, and
waiters/waitresses.

15. Job Zone Two: Some
Preparation Needed
Education These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience
Experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from
experience working directly with the public.
Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few
months to one year of working with experienced employees.
A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with
these occupations.
Job Zone These occupations often involve using your knowledge and
Examples skills to help others.
Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters,
customer service representatives, physical therapist aides,
salespersons (retail), and tellers.

16. Job Zone Three: Medium
Preparation Needed
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools,
related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for
Experience these occupations. For example, an electrician must have
completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of
vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in
order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of
training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training
with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program
may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone These occupations usually involve using communication and
Examples organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train
others to accomplish goals.
Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural
technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales
agents.

17. Job Zone Four: Considerable
Preparation Needed
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree,
but some do not.
Related A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or
Experience experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an
accountant must complete four years of college and work for
several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of
work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational
training.
Job Zone Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising,
Examples managing, or training others.
Examples include accountants, sales managers, database
administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers,
criminal investigators, and special agents.

18. Job Zone Five: Extensive
Preparation Needed
Education Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example,
they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D.,
M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these
Experience occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For
example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an
additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be
able to do their job.
Job Training Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these
occupations assume that the person will already have the required
skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Job Zone These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising,
Examples or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very
advanced communication and organizational skills are required.
Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, wildlife
biologists, school psychologists, surgeons, treasurers, and
controllers.

19. College and Career Readiness
ACT study provides empirical
evidence that, whether
planning to enter college or
workforce training programs
after graduation, high school
students need to be educated
to a comparable level of
readiness in reading and
mathematics.
Graduates need this level of
readiness if they are to
succeed in college-level
courses without remediation
and to enter workforce
training programs ready to
learn job-specific skills.

20. College and Career Readiness
A synopsis of the research
College and Career Readiness are complex and
multidimensional . Research has indicated a
number of cognitive, metacognitive,
psychosocial and career development factors
which are critical to college and career
success.

21. The Four Dimensions of College
Readiness
Key Cognitive Strategies
• Problem formulation, research,
• interpretation, communication,
precision and accuracy.
Contextual Skills
and Awareness
Academic
Behaviors
Key Content Knowledge
• Key foundational content and
“big ideas” from core subjects.
Academic Behaviors
• Self-management skills:
time management, study skills,
goal setting, self-awareness,
and persistence.
Key Content
Knowledge
Contextual Skills and Awareness (College Knowledge)
Key
Cognitive
Strategies
• Admissions requirements, college types and missions,
affording college, college culture, and relations with
professors.
Educational Policy Improvement Center, David Conley

22. ACT Pyramid for Success
Impact of Cognitive, Psychosocial, and Career Factors on Education and Workplace Success, ACT

23. In the Workplace
Carefulness—tendency to think and plan carefully before acting or speaking.
Cooperation—tendency to be likable and cordial in interpersonal situations.
Creativity—tendency to be imaginative and to think "outside the box."
Discipline—tendency to be responsible, dependable, and follow through with tasks
without becoming distracted or bored.
Goodwill—tendency to be forgiving and to believe that others are well intentioned.
Influence—tendency to impact and dominate social situations by speaking without
hesitation and often becoming a group leader.
Optimism—tendency toward having a positive outlook and confidence in successful
outcomes.
Order—tendency to be neat and well organized.
Savvy—tendency to read other people's motives, understand office politics, and
anticipate the needs and intentions of others.
Sociability—tendency to enjoy being in other people's company and to work with
others.
Stability—tendency to maintain composure and rationality in situations of actual or
perceived stress.
Striving—tendency to have high aspiration levels and to work hard to achieve goals.

24. Language in the Common Core
Standards
Students Who are College and Career Ready in Reading,
Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Language
• They demonstrate independence.
• They build strong content knowledge.
• They respond to the varying demands of audience, task,
purpose, and discipline.
• They comprehend as well as critique.
• They value evidence.
• They use technology and digital media strategically and
capably.
• They come to understand other perspectives and cultures.

25. Language in the Common Core
Standards
• The high school standards call on students to
practice applying mathematical ways of thinking
to real world issues and challenges; they prepare
students to think and reason mathematically.
• The high school standards set a rigorous
definition of college and career readiness, by
helping students develop a depth of
understanding and ability to apply mathematics
to novel situations, as college students and
employees regularly do.

26. College and Career Readiness

What?

So What?

Now What?