Governor’s Commission on Governor’s Commission on College and Career SuccessCollege and Career Success

Making Pennsylvania Competitive: Making Pennsylvania Competitive:

Educating the Next Generation of Workers, Educating the Next Generation of Workers, Innovators & EntrepreneursInnovators & Entrepreneurs

Our workforce needs have Our workforce needs have changed with the global economychanged with the global economy

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1950 1994 2002

Professional

Skilled

Unskilled

16%

73%

10%

30%

47%

23%

40%

40%

19%

Unskilled jobs are disappearing

Pennsylvania schools face Pennsylvania schools face international competitioninternational competition

Our students compete against peers in China, Our students compete against peers in China, Singapore, India and EuropeSingapore, India and Europe

In 2004, the U.S. graduated 70,000 engineers, In 2004, the U.S. graduated 70,000 engineers, while…while…– China graduated 500,000China graduated 500,000– India graduated 200,000India graduated 200,000

Fewer than 1 in 3 U.S. undergraduates receive a Fewer than 1 in 3 U.S. undergraduates receive a degree in science or engineering, compared to degree in science or engineering, compared to 59% in China and 66% in Japan59% in China and 66% in Japan

Our high schools must improve to Our high schools must improve to meet the needs of our economymeet the needs of our economy

Employers say 39% of high school graduates Employers say 39% of high school graduates who have no further education are not who have no further education are not prepared for their current job and that nearly prepared for their current job and that nearly half cannot advance in their companieshalf cannot advance in their companies

Only 7 percent of college instructors at two-Only 7 percent of college instructors at two-year institutions say that most of their year institutions say that most of their students come to college extremely or very students come to college extremely or very well prepared.well prepared.

35% of companies provide remedial math 35% of companies provide remedial math instruction to their workersinstruction to their workers

Restoring Meaning to the High Restoring Meaning to the High School DiplomaSchool Diploma

Every student needs to graduate with the skills Every student needs to graduate with the skills for college and for careersfor college and for careers

Schools must prepare students who can Schools must prepare students who can succeed in our fastest-growing, high-tech succeed in our fastest-growing, high-tech industriesindustries

Schools need to connect students to post-Schools need to connect students to post-secondary success – college, the workforce, secondary success – college, the workforce, technical training, etc.technical training, etc.

The Dual Challenge before the The Dual Challenge before the CommissionCommission

Ensuring that all students graduate with Ensuring that all students graduate with the skills that they need to be the skills that they need to be successful in college and careersuccessful in college and career

Ensuring that greater numbers of Ensuring that greater numbers of students graduatestudents graduate

Commission RecommendationsCommission Recommendations

12 interdependent recommendations12 interdependent recommendations

– Focused on ensuring that graduates have the Focused on ensuring that graduates have the skills they needskills they need

– Focused on supporting students, teachers Focused on supporting students, teachers and administrators in achieving these skillsand administrators in achieving these skills

11

Require all Pennsylvania high school Require all Pennsylvania high school students to demonstrate proficiency on students to demonstrate proficiency on Pennsylvania's academic standards to Pennsylvania's academic standards to graduate. Students can demonstrate graduate. Students can demonstrate proficiency by scoring proficient or proficiency by scoring proficient or advanced on the 11th grade PSSA or by advanced on the 11th grade PSSA or by passing a series of state-developed passing a series of state-developed Graduation Competency Assessments.Graduation Competency Assessments.

Recommendation 1: Statewide Recommendation 1: Statewide Graduation RequirementsGraduation Requirements

GCAs are:GCAs are:– Close to the point of instructionClose to the point of instruction– Can be thought of as “final exams” for Can be thought of as “final exams” for

studentsstudents– Will be offered multiple times a yearWill be offered multiple times a year– Won’t require students to do seat time to Won’t require students to do seat time to

cover content that they already knowcover content that they already know

22

Require all school districts to record PSSA Require all school districts to record PSSA scores and Graduation Competency scores and Graduation Competency Assessments on all student transcripts, Assessments on all student transcripts, and further recommends that and further recommends that postsecondary institutions and employers postsecondary institutions and employers in the commonwealth be encouraged to in the commonwealth be encouraged to use this information for admission, use this information for admission, placement and employmentplacement and employment

Recommendation 2: The High Recommendation 2: The High School TranscriptSchool Transcript

Reporting requirements ensure:Reporting requirements ensure:

– Businesses will know the skill-set of all job Businesses will know the skill-set of all job applicants that have a PA high school applicants that have a PA high school diplomadiploma

– Colleges will know where to place students Colleges will know where to place students based on their skill level in core areasbased on their skill level in core areas

33

Accept the definitions of college and Accept the definitions of college and career ready in mathematics, English and career ready in mathematics, English and science developed by the Commission for science developed by the Commission for use in the review of standards, use in the review of standards, development of assessments, and development of assessments, and development of curriculumdevelopment of curriculum

Recommendation 3: Defining Recommendation 3: Defining College and Career ReadinessCollege and Career Readiness

Definitions of college and career readiness Definitions of college and career readiness created by Commission:created by Commission:

– Developed by institutions of higher education and Developed by institutions of higher education and businesses in Pennsylvaniabusinesses in Pennsylvania

– Vetted nationally Vetted nationally

– Reflect the skills businesses need in their Reflect the skills businesses need in their employeesemployees

44

Expand the definition of college and career Expand the definition of college and career ready content areas to include social ready content areas to include social studies and develop model curricula and studies and develop model curricula and Graduation Competency Assessments in Graduation Competency Assessments in this area in addition to the standards, this area in addition to the standards, curriculum, and evaluations that curriculum, and evaluations that support math, science and language artssupport math, science and language arts

Recommendation 4: The Recommendation 4: The Importance of Social StudiesImportance of Social Studies

Commission’s charge was to focus on Commission’s charge was to focus on science, Mathematics and Englishscience, Mathematics and English

Commission felt that core competency in Commission felt that core competency in social studies was also required to social studies was also required to prepare students for college and careerprepare students for college and career

55

Develop preK-12 model curricula, Develop preK-12 model curricula, including inquiry-based pedagogy, through including inquiry-based pedagogy, through which students can achieve academic which students can achieve academic standards and proceed on track to standards and proceed on track to demonstrate proficiency on PSSA and demonstrate proficiency on PSSA and Graduation Competency AssessmentsGraduation Competency Assessments

Recommendation 5: Creation of Recommendation 5: Creation of Model CurriculumModel Curriculum

Model curriculum aligned to the Model curriculum aligned to the Graduation Competency AssessmentsGraduation Competency Assessments

Not a mandate, but rather a resource for Not a mandate, but rather a resource for all teachers and administratorsall teachers and administrators

Will focus on the skills that employers Will focus on the skills that employers and institutions of higher education think and institutions of higher education think are most importantare most important

66

Develop and implement a preK-16 student Develop and implement a preK-16 student information system that is designed to information system that is designed to collect information on student performancecollect information on student performance

Recommendation 6: Seamless Recommendation 6: Seamless Information System Information System

Better connect K-12 and institutions of Better connect K-12 and institutions of higher educationhigher education

Provide detailed information about how Provide detailed information about how PA high school graduates fair in college PA high school graduates fair in college

Enable every high school to zero in on Enable every high school to zero in on specific areas requiring improvementspecific areas requiring improvement

77

Identify early on those students in danger Identify early on those students in danger of falling behind in their achievement of of falling behind in their achievement of academic standards. Provide additional academic standards. Provide additional instruction and support services to put instruction and support services to put those students back on track for success. those students back on track for success. This early warning system should begin no This early warning system should begin no later than the sixth gradelater than the sixth grade

Recommendation 7: Early Warning Recommendation 7: Early Warning SystemSystem

Identify no later than 6Identify no later than 6thth grade those grade those students at risk of dropping out:students at risk of dropping out:

– Provide supports so that at-risk students can Provide supports so that at-risk students can be successful in high schoolbe successful in high school

– Intervene before students fall too far behindIntervene before students fall too far behind

88

5.5. Take all necessary action and expend Take all necessary action and expend adequate resources to redefine the role of adequate resources to redefine the role of guidance counselors and student service guidance counselors and student service coordinators as school-wide facilitators of coordinators as school-wide facilitators of student advising to ensure that all high student advising to ensure that all high school students are well advised in school school students are well advised in school concerning post-graduation expectations concerning post-graduation expectations and how to transition successfully into both and how to transition successfully into both college college andand career. career.

Recommendation 8: Refocusing Recommendation 8: Refocusing Guidance CounselingGuidance Counseling

Guidance counseling should mean:Guidance counseling should mean:

– Helping students identify postsecondary Helping students identify postsecondary opportunities related to college and careeropportunities related to college and career

– Facilitating relationships between students Facilitating relationships between students and teachers so that every student is strongly and teachers so that every student is strongly supportedsupported

99

Establish new regional alliances of business, Establish new regional alliances of business, high schools, and higher education institutions high schools, and higher education institutions where necessary and more fully utilize existing where necessary and more fully utilize existing alliances to address specific challenges in alliances to address specific challenges in preparing students to be college and career preparing students to be college and career ready. These challenges, perhaps unique to ready. These challenges, perhaps unique to specific regions, will be overcome most specific regions, will be overcome most effectively with local stakeholders working in effectively with local stakeholders working in concert with statewide efforts to achieve college concert with statewide efforts to achieve college and career readinessand career readiness

Recommendation 9: Regional Business, Recommendation 9: Regional Business, Higher Education and High School Higher Education and High School

PartnershipsPartnerships

High school doesn’t happen in a vacuumHigh school doesn’t happen in a vacuum

– High school teachers need the feedback and support High school teachers need the feedback and support of businesses and higher education institutions to of businesses and higher education institutions to make sure their students are getting the skills that make sure their students are getting the skills that they needthey need

– High school students need access to outside High school students need access to outside opportunities to make good decisions about what they opportunities to make good decisions about what they would like to do after graduationwould like to do after graduation

– Businesses and institutions of higher education Businesses and institutions of higher education should help shape the education offered at their local should help shape the education offered at their local high school so that it meets their needshigh school so that it meets their needs

1010

Increase and enhance the number of Increase and enhance the number of educational options available to high educational options available to high school students to achieve high standards school students to achieve high standards with particular attention to career and with particular attention to career and technical educationtechnical education

Recommendation 10: Multiple Recommendation 10: Multiple PathwaysPathways

While all high school pathways must be While all high school pathways must be rigorous, there is no one best systemrigorous, there is no one best system

Career and technical education has a Career and technical education has a valuable place in preparing students for valuable place in preparing students for high-tech, high-skill careershigh-tech, high-skill careers

1111

Facilitate the coordination of existing, and Facilitate the coordination of existing, and the development of new, programs the development of new, programs designed to encourage economically and designed to encourage economically and educationally disadvantaged students to educationally disadvantaged students to attend, be retained and complete their attend, be retained and complete their postsecondary education programs.postsecondary education programs.

Recommendation 11: Increasing Recommendation 11: Increasing Access to Postsecondary trainingAccess to Postsecondary training

2 out of every 3 new jobs require some higher 2 out of every 3 new jobs require some higher educationeducation

All students need to be able to access post-All students need to be able to access post-secondary training:secondary training:

– AffordabilityAffordability

– PreparationPreparation

1212

Build systematic approaches to re-engage Build systematic approaches to re-engage and re-enroll former dropouts in high-and re-enroll former dropouts in high-quality programming that yields a high quality programming that yields a high school diploma and leads to college and school diploma and leads to college and career success. The Pennsylvania career success. The Pennsylvania Department of Education should lead this Department of Education should lead this statewide effort in cooperation with other statewide effort in cooperation with other relevant commonwealth agenciesrelevant commonwealth agencies

Recommendation 12: Re-engaging Recommendation 12: Re-engaging Drop OutsDrop Outs

Our economy demands a high skill Our economy demands a high skill workforceworkforce

Graduation Competency Assessments Graduation Competency Assessments provide former drop-outs with the ability to provide former drop-outs with the ability to gain an important credential: a true high gain an important credential: a true high school diplomaschool diploma

Ensuring that all students graduate Ensuring that all students graduate from high school ready for college from high school ready for college

and career means that and career means that policymakers must implement policymakers must implement ALLALL

of the Commission’s of the Commission’s Recommendations.Recommendations.

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania cancan and and mustmust develop the high- develop the high-skills workforce that our skills workforce that our

global economy global economy demandsdemands