Gone are the days in our region when high school grads could readily find decent-paying jobs to earn a respectable living. Without a rigorous high school education that ensures college and career readiness, graduates of today face a difficult task of being prepared for the careers of a global economy and prospering as productive members of our communities.
One of the ways K-12 and higher education can work together to clear the way for more of our graduating seniors to attend college is to show students they already possess the skills necessary to be on the path toward a successful post-secondary education.
Thatâs one of the efforts taking place with the Inland Area Early Assessment Program Collaborative, which is a collective effort among California State University San Bernardino, the University of California, Riverside (UCR), Cal Poly Pomona, local community colleges, the San Bernardino and Riverside county offices of education and local school districts.
The Early Assessment Program, or EAP, allows 11th-graders to take an assessment as part of their California Standards Test in the spring. The assessment is designed to give high school students an early indication of college-readiness in English language arts and math, and to avoid incoming college studentsâ need for remediation.
The EAP is not new. The assessment was first administered in 2004 as the California State University college entry placement test. It was developed jointly by Cal State faculty and K-12 educators, as were the course content and staff development for high school teachers who deliver the content to students.
The common goal of the Inland Area EAP Collaborative is to ultimately have the assessment used as a âcommon indicatorâ of college-readiness for public universities and community colleges in the region. Specific goals of the collaborative include: expanding and strengthening the use of early assessment at high schools in the region; promoting awareness and increased implementation of the program with students, families, teachers and counselors; increasing community college participation in the EAP; and supporting UCRâs study of the program as a potential indicator of college-readiness at its campus and potentially other UC campuses throughout the state.
Use of the EAP as a common indicator of college preparedness has many advantages. Participation in the EAP strengthens the senior year of high school by aligning course content with college-level expectations in English/language arts and mathematics, while providing professional development to teachers in the delivery of rigorous curriculum.
Also with the assessment, teachers and counselors can look ahead at how well students are prepared for college, and if theyâre not, determine what needs to take place in their senior year to get them prepared.
In an era of limited resources, itâs imperative that high schools, community colleges and universities align coursework, teacher training, tests and college entrance expectations so students are prepared, at graduation, for the next stage of their education. Using the same readiness criteria across the board also sends a strong signal to students that regardless of which postsecondary option they choose, they must meet the same rigorous expectations.
Increasing the college-going rates in our county is a top priority for public education. Without a more highly skilled and college-ready work force, our region will not be able to compete for jobs in the global economy. I hope that through collaborative efforts that reach across K-12 and higher education, we can make that a reality.
Gary S. Thomas is the San Bernardino County superintendent of schools.