Essential Elements in Implementation. College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) Resource Series

Educators nationwide confront a troubling phenomenon: Increasingly, students leave high school unready for college, as evidenced by high rates of placement into remedial courses and low rates of college completion. Many students also lack either the attitudes or skills essential to succeed in a postsecondary setting, or knowledge of how to apply to, finance, and navigate college. Moreover, other capable students never apply to college because they are unaware of opportunities, did not take the necessary coursework, or did not imagine college in their futures. These realities highlight a fundamental distinction: There is more to college readiness than college eligibility. The gap between college eligibility and college readiness raises concerns that students' potential--and their potential contributions to society--will be unrealized. The "College Readiness Indicator Systems" (CRIS) initiative aims to develop and study the implementation of a system of signals and supports designed to increase the number of students who graduate from high school ready to succeed in college. This document draws on data collected about CRIS implementation in four sites (three urban districts and one school support organization)--Dallas Independent School District (DISD), Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS), San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD), and New Visions for Public Schools in New York City (New Visions)--to feature key strategies and provide concrete examples of their use. [See the related report: "Menu of College Readiness Indicators and Supports" at ED565475.]