ED6562: College Readiness And K-12 Partnerships

College Readiness and K-12 Partnerships
Demetria Jackson
Capella University
ED6562 – Comprehensive Community Colleges
June 14, 2013
Ed Gould

Abstract
College Readiness is knowledge, skills, and attributes a student should possess to be ready to succeed in entry-level college courses. A great amount of students entering college are not ready for college coursework resulting in a high number of dropouts. K-12 Partnerships with community colleges work together to ensure that a curriculum is on the same path. ­ This paper explores the political role in college readiness, K-12 partnerships, financial, ethical, the impact on universities, and community programs to help students become more college ready.
Colleges evaluate student’s coursework to examine whether or not they have been exposed to the coursework to prepare them for college. Grades are used to see if they have mastered the material, it also demonstrated non-cognitive skills to show if students have proper work ethic. Test scores are the most important indicator that expresses college readiness. High Schools have raised academic requirements and more schools offer Advanced Placement courses. Grade point averages (GPA’s) are also an important tool to indicate college readiness and very important for admissions.
According to The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (2011), Education is like a pyramid: each level rests on what came before. Any weakness in a child’s educational development jeopardizes all that follows, and gains made at an early age continue to benefit the child in future years. College readiness is necessary for succeeding in college, along with the motivational efforts from the
Bring more college-ready students into the system through local school partnerships. If the President’s goals are to be met, they need more college enrollments from underrepresented minorities and first generation college goers. Most of these students will more than likely start at a community college and the majority is not college ready. Pathway is a program were community colleges partners with local school systems to help prepare students to be more college ready. In this particular program college counselors are sent to work at high schools working with seniors assisting on every aspect in entering college successfully. Seniors who are in the Pathway program have dual enrollment with colleges while still being in high school. College ready programs are offered the summer before their first year, which is called bridges. Pathway does not end when students graduate from high school, there is a pathway college retention counselor to help the students have a successful college career. Financial aid, student grants, and work studies are provided for these students so they can attend college full time. The results from the program are very promising. 93% of the 5,000 students in the program are high risk students and 84% have graduated from the program and enrolled in college. The programs main focus shows that working together with the community, does increase graduation rates and have students more college