This is the third in the series of reports resulting from the strategic partnership between the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg and Pinellas Education Foundation, and it focuses on college and career readiness.
College and career ready is defined by the indicator tracked by the Florida Department of Education. It is a high school student who – in addition to receiving a standard diploma – earns an industry certification and/or completes college prep coursework such as Advanced Placement classes, dual enrollment classes, the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, or the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program. Although this is the indicator tracked by the Florida Department of Education and will allow for consistency over time, college and career ready means more than just completing college prep coursework or obtaining an industry certification. It means that students need to be academically prepared for college, have high academic and career expectations, and have college and career knowledge such as career planning and how to access college.
Why do students need more than a diploma? By 2020, nearly two-thirds of jobs will require postsecondary education or training and nearly 60% of employers reported that high schools are not preparing students for college or careers. Nationally, only 54.8% of students who started in any type of college or university in fall 2010 completed a degree or certificate within six years. Employers also report that high school graduates are not prepared even for jobs that don’t require a college degree.
