Ready for the Future: Identifying Profiles of Postsecondary Readiness in a Context of Changing Accountability Standards

• In Event: Sociology of Education Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 13. Navigating College Preparation and Admission Processes

Abstract

Federal, state, and local education leaders have placed increasing emphasis on policies that expand postsecondary opportunities for students graduating from high school. School districts in the United States now invest more resources in college and career readiness (CCR) programs than in the past, in part because many state education accountability systems include measures of how well districts prepare students for life after high school. In Texas, the state has increasingly prioritized preparing students to attend college, enter the workforce, or serve in the military by offering a variety of programs accessible during middle and high school. Despite these efforts, Texas continues to fall short of its degree attainment goals, and demand for workers with specialized career training regularly exceeds supply. Although Texas school districts offer a wide range of CCR opportunities—and evidence on the effectiveness of individual programs is mixed—little is known about how students combine participation across programs to connect with specific postsecondary opportunities (i.e., follow distinct postsecondary pathways), or how effectively these pathways lead to postsecondary success. This study adopts a student-centered approach and uses Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to identify profiles of college and career readiness among Texas high school graduates to better understand: (1) the range of academic CCR pathways students pursue; (2) whether pathways vary by student demographics; and (3) how these pathways relate to early postsecondary outcomes. We evaluate how well current CCR indicators predict outcomes such as college enrollment, persistence, degree attainment, employment, and earnings. Findings from this research will provide important insights for practitioners and researchers on effective strategies for strengthening CCR, improving equity in access to CCR opportunities, and ultimately increasing students’ postsecondary success.

Authors

• Stacey Terrell Hood, Rice University

• Mauricio Molina, Rice University

• Gabriela Sanchez Soto, Rice University