College Readiness Project

Washington’s 2004 Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education, Section 8, Helping Students Make the Transition to College, calls for a collaborative effort to define college readiness in the subject areas of math, science, English, social studies, world languages, and the arts. 

In 2005, the governor and legislature earmarked funding for the Higher Education Coordinating Board to define college readiness in English and science.  Thus, the 2005-06 phase of the board’s College Readiness Project targets English and science.  The project is an initiative of the Higher Education Coordinating Board in collaboration with the Center for Learning Connections at Highline Community College and the Educational Policy Improvement Center, located in Eugene, Oregon. 

Content development and expert review teams, made up of faculty and staff from the three major educational sectors – K-12, community colleges, and baccalaureate institutions – will collaborate in developing and refining the college readiness definitions.   Additionally, a Project Coordination Team, representing educational stakeholders in K-12, community colleges and baccalaureate institutions, will help oversee the project.

In defining college readiness in the subject areas above, the board seeks to:

• Define what students must know and be able to do to succeed, without remediation, in two-year and four-year colleges, universities and technical schools.
• Align requirements for college success with the learning outcomes emphasized in K-12 reform.
• Adopt college readiness definitions to be used by K-12, higher education institutions, and employers to improve student transitions to colleges, universities and/or the workplace. 

In addition, it is anticipated that college readiness definitions could be applied to students whose postsecondary path is either college or the workplace.  As noted by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (July 2005, Perspectives), “It is now widely acknowledged that advanced skills and preparation, regardless of a student’s post-high school path, are essential for success in the emerging economy.”

For more information, contact:
Ricardo Sanchez, Project Manager, HECB
Phone: 360.753.7833

John House, Project Coordinator
Center for Learning Connections
Highline Community College
Des Moines, WA 98198
Phone: 206.870.5906

For additional information about the board’s College Readiness Project, visit: www.learningconnections.org/clc/hecb.htm

Board Reports

October 2006:
Status Report on English and Science College Readiness

Policy Brief on College Readiness for the Arts, Social Studies, and World Languages (January 2007)

College Readiness PowerPoint Presentation

College Readiness Project (October 2005)
Proposed Rules -- Minimum Freshman Admission Requirements (June 2005)
Proposed Rules -- Minimum Freshman Admission Requirements (January 2005)
Revising Minimum Freshman Admission Requirements (December 2004)
Minimum College Admission Standards Review (February 2004)
Minimum Admissions Standards: HECB Admissions Policy for Alternative Admissions (April 2001)

Transition Mathematics Project

In addition to the initiative to define college readiness in English and science, the board has been a partner in the Transition Mathematics Project, an effort to develop college readiness standards in mathematics.  Proposed standards will be available for public discussion in early 2006. 

For additional information: www.transitionmathproject.org