For this report, 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. David Conley, an expert in the field, identifies four facets of college readiness: key cognitive strategies, key context, academic behaviors, and contextual skills and awareness. This 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.

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