Closing the Expectations Gap 2013 Annual Report

Background

2Achieve | 2013 Closing the Expectations Gap

This is the eighth year that Achieve has surveyed all 50 states and

reported on state progress in adopting college- and career-ready

standards, graduation requirements, assessments, and accountability

and data systems.

This year’s report includes information on policy adoption and

implementation as well as recommendations for states as they look

toward transition to assessments aligned to college- and career-ready

standards.

The report includes state-by-state results on the policies and practices of

forty-nine states and the District of Columbia that participated in this

year’s survey.

The College- and Career-Ready Agenda

#1 - Align high school standards with the demands of college and careers.

#2 - Require students to take a college- and career-ready course of study to earn a high school diploma.

#3 - Develop statewide high school assessment systems anchored to college- and career-ready expectations.

#4 - Develop reporting and accountability systems that promote college and career readiness.


State Progress on Adopting Policies to

Ensure that High School Students

Graduate College and Career Ready


College- and Career-Ready Policy Adoption

by State

5

CCR Standards, Assessments, and Graduation Requirements

CCR Standards and Assessments

CCR Standards and Graduation Requirements

CCR Standards

Achieve | 2013 Closing the Expectations Gap

#1 - College- and Career-Ready Standards


In the survey, Achieve asked states whether they have

developed and adopted high school academic content

standards in English and mathematics aligned to college- and

career-ready expectations.

Achieve also asked about state efforts to support

implementation, including access to high-quality instructional

materials and professional learning opportunities aligned to the

CCSS/CCR standards.

Standards Implementation


Number of States Reporting Full Implementation of the

CCSS/CCR Standards (ELA/Literacy and Mathematics K–12)

State Efforts to Support College- and Career-

Ready Standards Implementation

Achieve | 2013 Closing the Expectations Gap 8

41 states reported guiding/supporting district and school use by providing high-

quality processes, protocols and exemplars

30 states reported they are developing curricular and supplemental materials for

voluntary use by districts and schools to align the state’s required courses to the

CCSS/CCR standards

17 states responded that they are approving/certifying a list of curricular and

supplemental materials aligned to the new CCSS/CCR standards

5 states reported they are requiring district and school use of curricular

materials aligned to the state’s required courses and the CCSS/CCR standards

**Types of efforts listed above are not mutually exclusive

State Efforts to Support Professional

Development in Light of the CCSS/CCR

Standards


38 states have developed a coordinated agency-wide plan and calendar for

professional development aligned to the CCSS/CCR standards

30 states have directed regional centers to provide training and support aligned

to CCSS/CCR standards

16 states have or will identify high-quality or promising providers for

districts/schools to access

8 states have or will audit existing professional development offerings for

alignment to the CCSS/CCR standards

Regardless of the role the state plays, it is critical that states make certain

that the professional development teachers, principals and leaders receive is

aligned to the CCSS/CCR standards, high quality and capable of affecting

changes in instruction.

**Types of efforts listed above are not mutually exclusive

#2 - College- and Career-Ready

Graduation Requirements


In the survey, Achieve asked states whether they require all

students to complete a college- and career-ready course of

study in order to earn a high school diploma.

Achieve also asked states how they ensure that the courses

students take are aligned with the state’s academic content

standards and that the content of courses is consistent and

equally rigorous across schools and districts.

As of 2013, 19 States and DC Adopted

Policies that Require Students to Default Into a

College- and Career-Ready Course of Study


Mandatory Requirements

Default Requirements

DC

Raising the Bar with

College- and Career-Ready

Graduation Requirements


31 states with CCSS/CCR standards have not aligned their graduation

requirements to their standards to ensure that all students meet the college- and

career-ready expectations found in their standards.

This year’s survey data indicate that most states without CCR course

requirements are not considering proposals to raise their minimum high school

graduation course requirements to the CCR level.

States send mixed signals about their commitment to CCR when the courses — or

competency-based demonstrations — encompass only a subset of the academic

knowledge and skills in literacy and mathematics needed to qualify for and

succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing postsecondary coursework and/or job

training.

Ensuring Rigor and Consistency of Course

Requirements

13

38 states reported having at least one mechanism in place to monitor the rigor and

consistency of the courses — and the standards covered by the courses — that

students are required to complete.

Of the 12 states with default CCR diplomas, only four states keep track of the

numbers of students who opt out or modify the default CCR requirements. And

only one state reports this information at the school level.


#3 - High School Assessments Anchored

to College- and Career-Ready Expectations

14

In the survey, Achieve asked states whether they administer to

all students an assessment of college- and career-ready

knowledge and skills capable of producing a readiness score

used by postsecondary institutions and employers.


In 2013, 19 States Administer Tests Aligned

with College- and Career-Ready Expectations


National College Admissions Test

State-Developed Assessment

State Actions to Smooth Transition to

Assessments of CCR/CCSS Standards


*These actions are not mutually exclusive, with the exception of “No changes planned to state assessments at this time.” For most states, the transition

actions apply to both English language arts and mathematics for grades 3-8 and high school. However, in a few cases, states made changes to one

subject or grade band. Too, a number of states have plans to raise proficiency standards on their transition assessments after the 2013-14 school

year; these plans are not reflected in the above table.

Assessment Transition Action* States Totals

Removing items from state assessments that do not align to the CCSS/CCR standards

CO, DE, GA, HI, KS, LA, ME, MA, MI, NV, NH, NJ, ND, OH, PA, SC, TN, UT, WY

19

Adding new items to state assessments that align to the CCSS/CCR standards

AK, AZ, DE, FL, GA, KS, LA, MA, NV, NJ, NM, ND, OK, PA, TX, UT, WA, WY

18

Expanding or creating new constructed-response or performance-based assessments

GA, KS, LA, NM, ND, OK, TN, TX, WV 9

Raising standard for “proficiency” on state assessments

FL, GA, MI, NE, TX, WI 6

Administering a CCSS/CCR aligned assessment AL, DC, IL, KY, MN, NY, NC, VA 8

No changes planned to state assessments at this time AR, CA, CT, IA, MD, MS, MO, OR, RI, VT 10

#4 - Reporting & Accountability Systems that

Promote College and Career Readiness


In the survey, Achieve asked states whether they have

incorporated a set of college- and career-ready indicators into

their data, reporting and accountability systems.

Key College- and Career-Ready

Accountability Indicators and Uses


INDICATORSthe percentage of students who...

Earn a college- and career-ready diploma

Score college-ready on high school assessments

Earn college credit while in high school

Are required to take remedial courses in college

USES

Annual school-level public reporting

Set statewide

performance goals

Provide school-level incentives to improve

Factor into accountability formula

In 2013, No State Met

Accountability Criteria – But Four States

Receive Partial Credit


Use of College- and Career-Ready Indicators

over Time


Education

Closing the Expectations Gap 2013 Annual Report