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College & Work Readiness

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PRIORITIES
In the 21st century job market, education is essential for success. Postsecondary education is not a luxury for the elite; it is a necessity for all. In the next decade, nearly 80 percent of job openings in the U.S. will require some education beyond the high school level, and only about 20 percent of jobs will be categorized as "low skill"—requiring a high school diploma or less.[1] Without the skills necessary to succeed in college or the workplace, America's high school graduates will face a harsh reality: few career options and limited opportunity to earn a living wage.

 

Like the country as a whole, Washington's high school graduates are unprepared for the rigors of college and the workplace. In fact, while three quarters of Washing­ton's high school graduates enter a two- or four-year college within two years of high school graduation, more than half of the stu­dents that go straight into a two-year college after high school need remedial courses before they are allowed to take credit-bearing classes.[2]

 

Washington has started making notable changes to ensure high school graduates are better prepared for college and career, including efforts to increase graduation requirements to 24 credits (CORE 24), consideration of the Common Core of State Standards, and a revamp of the current assessment system. Still, the state has considerable work to do. If all students are to graduate ready for college and careers, Washington must have high expectations that are internationally-benchmarked and pegged to the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in postsecondary education and careers, and must provide the supports students and teachers need to achieve these expectations.

 


[1] What is College and Career Ready? 2009. Achieve. http://www.achieve.org/files/CollegeandCareerReady.pdf.

[2] Improvingthe Odds: Preparing Washington Students for Family Wage Jobs. 2009. College and Work Ready Agenda. http://www.collegeworkready.org/downloads/finalforweb_improvingthe_odds_report_113007.pdf.

Dateline: August 7, 2007, 3:45 pm