In our final highlight of approved state waivers from provisions in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), I will be looking at two states that currently do not integrate CTE into their accountability system, but that have suggested in their applications that they may in the future.
In their applications to the Department of Education both Connecticut and New York stated that they are hesitant to switch too quickly to a new accountability system, but would be open to adopting new standards when more evidence is gathered.
Currently, Connecticut’s measure of college and career readiness comes down to graduation rates, but they are considering the addition of the following measures:
- College enrollment and completion
- Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) program participation and success rates
- SAT/ACT participation and success rates
- Industry certification and exam pass rates
- Need for postsecondary remediation rate
New York's application admits that they are not looking to “reinvent the wheel” when it comes to their accountability standards. For now, the state will exam its existing assessments and graduation rates to align those with the rigor of current college- and career-ready standards. The application does state however, that New York will have opportunities in the future to incorporate AP and IB courses, SAT and ACT scores, CTE course completion, industry certifications and dual enrollment into its accountability system.
Although some states have chosen not to incorporate career-readiness accountability standards into their school performance ratings, I think it’s important to look at states like Connecticut and New York. Though they are hesitant to implement a new system, they are still open to seeing the results of other states and implementing a well rounded system in the future.
Currently, thirty three states have been approved for ESEA flexibility waivers since the waivers were announced in November 2011, and remaining states are welcome to apply by September 6. In the meantime, we encourage you to take a look at your state’s waiver, and see where it may impact your school and district.
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