Liberal Education Resources

College Preparation and K-16 Reform

Pathways to College Network
A network of organizations and foundations focusing research-based knowledge and resources on improving college preparation, access, and success for under-served populations, including low-income, underrepresented minority, and first-generation students. In addition to resources, the site includes A Shared Agenda, a report that offers broad policy recommendations and suggests specific steps for leaders in government, education, and communities.

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education Policy Alert - "State Policies On 2/4 Transfers Are Key To Degree Attainment"
This Policy Alert summarizes an earlier report, "State Policy and Community College-Baccalaureate Transfer," which examined the role of state policy in influencing community college-baccalaureate transfer. The Policy Alert looks at the importance of two-year to four-year transfer, and offers recommendations for improvement to state policymakers.

Harlem Educational Activity Fund
HEAF is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged children become successful college students through a comprehensive college preparatory program that helps motivated students develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to ensure success in school, career, and life.

CASTL: Program for K-12 Teachers
The program, which began in 1999, includes a national fellowship project that brings together outstanding K-12 teachers as Carnegie Scholars. These scholars are committed to documenting their teaching and to sharing their work with others.

The Aspen Institute Education and Society Program
Includes recent publications and reports, including “Transforming the American High School: New Directions for State and Local Policy,” on efforts to reform high schools to better prepare students for success in college.

Education Commission of the States Resources on K-16 (choose "P-16" from the drop-down list under "All Issues")
Includes information about local communities and states trying to create a “seamless system of education” in which all levels of education — preschool through college — educate as one system instead of several.

The Bridge Project: Strengthening K-16 Transition Policies
The overarching purpose of the project is to improve opportunities for all students to enter and succeed in higher education by strengthening the alignment between higher education admissions requirements and K-12 curriculum frameworks, standards, and assessments. "Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Education Systems Undermine Student Aspirations," the final report from the Bridge Project was released March 4, 2003.

Standards for Success: Connecting High School Standards with University Success
Project supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts and The Association of American Universities with two goals: 1: Identify what students need to know and be able to do in order to succeed in entry-level university courses. 2: Produce a database of information on state high school assessments to improve the connection between the content of high school tests and the standards for university.

Education Trust K-16 Resources
The Education Trust works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, kindergarten through college and sponsors local and state projects aimed at K-16 improvement. Thinking K-16 is a series of reports examining these educational issues and is available online.

Maryland K-16 Partnership
Develops strategies for strengthening K-16 connections, standards, competencies, assessments, professional development of educators, and community engagement in educational activities. All institutions bear responsibility for ensuring that students are prepared to accept their responsibilities as citizens—as active participants in the social, cultural, intellectual, and political life of our State, nation, and world.

State Systems K-16 Network
The National Association of System Heads (NASH) and the Education Trust have come together to support a network of public higher education, K-12, and civic leaders who are implementing statewide K-16 improvement strategies in their states. These efforts have a single goal: improving student achievement at all levels.

SHEEO K-16 Collaborative
A collaborative on K-16 professional development, by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO).

Crisis at the Core: Preparing All Students for College and Work
This report from ACT, the organization that administers college-entrance examinations, documents how few high school students are taking a core curricula that will prepare them adequately for college-level work and/or for job training.

Developing Citizenship Competencies from Kindergarten through Grade 12
This paper released by the Education Commission of the States is designed to help policymakers and education leaders incorporate civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes into policies that support effective citizenship education from the early elementary grades through high school.

AAC&U offers these resources only as possible models of interest and has not submitted each of them to any substantial peer or quality review. If you have questions about any particular resource, please contact the institution sponsoring it directly.