Several Fort Worth school districts recently celebrated increases in the number of students deemed career-ready by state standards.
Fort Worth ISD, Everman ISD, and Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD self-reported at least a 10 percentage point increase in college-, career-, and military-ready students over the previous year, and this number increased students’ college-readiness in college readiness. It emphasizes that it is evidence of success. successful future. Educators often refer to this career readiness measure as the CCMR.
While Fort Worth school board members were celebrating, they were also curious about how their district got there. Recent changes in the criteria for determining whether students are career ready are impacting school district acceptance rates. All Fort Worth school districts that self-reported had a higher number of students considered career ready.
The Texas Education Agency is still in litigation over the publication of official AF Responsibility Scores, which use college, vocational, and military readiness ratings as factors in the calculation. While the lawsuit is ongoing, the state is unable to release specific information about recent standards changes or data on what metrics the district’s students met to see the increase.
“We cannot speak to carrier readiness at this time as it relates to the AF litigation,” TEA spokesperson Jake Kovarsky said in an email to The Fort Worth Report.
This makes it difficult for the public to determine which school districts truly best prepare students for their futures after graduation.
“Metrics are changing at the district level in recognition of industry-wide needs,” said Ron Rhone, an education professor at Tarleton State University, adding that the changes applied by the TEA are happening gradually rather than in a specific year. He emphasized that “We need to be clear about what exactly districts are measuring. We need to be transparent about exactly how we are responding to CCMR.”
One change began in 2020. While other college entrance exams are postponed due to COVID-19, TEA is offering the District Texas College Bridge as an alternative means for students to achieve college, career, and military readiness. allowed to purchase. Our online, self-paced college prep curriculum integrates with other entrance exams and provides advice and resources for students online.
A 2020 article posted by the Texas Classroom Teachers Association states, “Texas College Bridge will improve district AF accountability ratings in 2020-21 (and beyond).”
Across Fort Worth ISD, 60% of students who demonstrated career readiness in 2024 became career ready through the self-paced preparation curriculum.
According to the agency’s February 2024 accountability manual update, after further changes to the TEA accountability system during the 2022-2023 school year, the agency will require school districts to certify their college, career, and military readiness. He gave two additional methods to do so.
The agency says a variety of metrics are now used to determine which students are ready for the workforce after graduation. These include:
Earn an industry certification, associate degree, or Level I or Level II certificate. Take 9 hours of dual credit classes or 3 hours of English or math to pass. Obtain an advanced degree plan for special education. Successful completion of an Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or OnRamps course. Graduate from the individual education program with job-ready skills. Take Texas College Bridge, a reading and math preparation course for the SAT, ACT, Texas Success Initiative Assessment, or college entrance exams. join the army.
Students only need to complete one to prove they are ready for a career path after high school.
With all these variables at play, career readiness indicators can tell us a lot, but not enough, said Jo Beth Jimerson, an education professor at Texas Christian University.
At the district’s Oct. 8 meeting, Robert Wright, director of college, career and military readiness for Fort Worth ISD, presented an assessment of the district’s career readiness to trustees and explained how it got to its current state. I tried to paint the whole picture. He said he feels the district is making great strides in post-secondary engagement for students.
Fort Worth ISD will increase the number of students deemed career ready from 63% in 2022 to an estimated 86.6% this year, and the district’s goal is to reach 90% in 2025. This is “awesome,” Wright said.
How do Fort Worth ISD students prepare for their careers?
Dual Credit: 15% Associate Degree: 4% Career and Technical: 20% OnRamps: 18% Texas Success Initiative: 16% Advanced Placement: 15% Level I and II Certificates: 1% Texas College Bridge: 60% Career Not ready: 13.4%
Wright praised students and teachers, but emphasized that each high school campus has a postsecondary success team of educators and administrators to ensure each campus is career ready.
And these teams are showing results, Wright said. More Fort Worth ISD students than ever are graduating with college degrees as 10 district high schools now offer associate degree programs. In 2022-2023, 201 students left Fort Worth ISD with an associate’s degree, while in 2024, 234 students earned an associate’s degree.
Additionally, Wright highlighted the district’s career and technical education programs that allow students to earn industry-based certifications upon completion. Of the 86.6% of graduates deemed job-ready, 20% earned passing scores in these programs.
Wright also announced that more students are taking dual credit courses than in previous years, and student participation in Advanced Placement courses has also increased. However, students must pass courses and exams to be considered career ready. Approximately 15% of students deemed career ready earned their certification by passing a dual credit course, and an additional 15% earned their certification by meeting Advanced Placement exam benchmarks.
All of these variables come into play, Jimerson said, making it difficult to be sure that students are truly getting jobs in the way the district expects based on the data.
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD officials agreed with that assessment at the September board meeting, where board members and staff discussed the district’s career and technical education offerings.
“Students are not career ready,” Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Superintendent Jim Chadwell said while discussing the district’s accomplishments and improvements. “They’re human beings. … It’s not right to force them into that CCMR game. We want them to have a well-rounded education.”
Within Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, staff have increased their level of engagement and education with families about the importance of career readiness. The district has 13 different career and technical education programs where students can earn industry-based certifications, and SchoolLinks, a district-wide program, allows students and parents to track career readiness progress, the statement said. said Matthew LeBlanc, the person in charge.
This is something Fort Worth ISD should follow, Trustee Wallace Bridges said at the Oct. 8 meeting. The district could do a better job of marketing its 14 different career and technical education programs to residents, he told Wright.
Career readiness indicators are a component of career and technical education funding, and data plays a large role in state accountability measures, so districts need to maintain and continue to build on the progress seen over the past five years. Rhone said. .
Before TEA made changes to its accountability system during the 2022-23 school year, districts and campuses were required to have 60% of students graduate career-ready to earn an A grade. In a recent standards update, TEA raised the standard to 88% of graduates.
“We have a great situation here in Tarrant County, and I truly believe in supporting our children and getting all parties at the table to make that happen,” Wright told the Fort Worth Report.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for The Fort Worth Report. Contact matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
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