Eric.ed.gov – College and Career Readiness Profiles of High School Graduates in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. REL 2017-229

Many jurisdictions use data about college and career readiness to help stakeholders understand whether students are on track to succeed in college and careers after high school graduation. For example, Hawaii includes the percentage of high school graduates from a particular school who later attend college in school-level feedback reports for principals and other stakeholders. In American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, education stakeholders have identified high school graduates’ college and career readiness as a key concern. Although both jurisdictions are taking steps to improve their data systems, it is unclear what data are available that can be used to determine students’ college and career readiness. This study cataloged the availability of college and career readiness data in both jurisdictions, described the functionality of the student data systems based on Data Quality Campaign criteria, and developed profiles of the 2012/13 graduating high school class in American Samoa and of the 2013/14 graduating class in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The study team identified a set of college and career readiness indicators used in Hawaii as a starting point to develop a profile of each jurisdiction’s graduating class. The study team also identified additional indicators in the literature on college and career readiness that are used by other states. The study addressed college and career readiness separately in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The study team identified the available college and career readiness indicators in each jurisdiction and determined how many of the Data Quality Campaign’s 10 Essential Elements of Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems were in place. The study team also created a college and career readiness profile of each jurisdiction’s recent high school graduating class based on the identified indicators. In American Samoa: (1) Data were available to develop five college and career readiness indicators: cumulative grade point average, high school graduates, higher level math courses, higher level math course grades, and Stanford Achievement Test 10th Edition (SAT-10) math and reading proficiency; (2) The American Samoa Department of Education’s data system includes 6 of the Data Quality Campaign’s 10 essential elements: a unique student identifier; student-level enrollment, demographic, and program participation information; the ability to match individual students’ test records from year to year to measure academic growth; a teacher identifier system; student-level transcript data, including information on courses passed and grades received; and a state data audit system that assesses data quality, validity, and reliability; (3) Among the 843 high school graduates in the sample, students’ mean grade point average was 2.84, fewer than 60 percent of students passed at least one semester of a higher level math course, and most students scored at the below basic proficiency level in math and reading on the SAT-10; and (4) On average female students had a higher cumulative grade point average and higher SAT-10 reading proficiency than did male students, and a higher percentage of female students than of male students passed at least one semester of precalculus and calculus. In the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: (1) Data were available to develop six college and career readiness indicators: Advanced Placement courses, cumulative grade point average, high school graduates, higher level math courses, higher level math course grades, and SAT-10 math and reading proficiency; (2) No systemwide student longitudinal data system was in place. Separate offices and departments collect and manage student enrollment data and SAT-10 results, and individual high schools store academic information; (3) The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ data systems include 3 of the Data Quality Campaign’s 10 essential elements: student-level enrollment, demographic, and program participation information; the ability to match individual students’ test records from year to year to measure academic growth; and student-level transcript data, including information on courses passed and grades received; (4) Among the 587 high school graduates in the sample, 9.4 percent of students passed at least one quarter of Advanced Placement calculus and 38.7 percent passed an Advanced Placement English course, students’ mean grade point average was 2.81, and most students scored at the average proficiency level on both the SAT-10 math and reading exam; and (5) On average female students had higher cumulative grade point averages and higher SAT-10 reading proficiency than did male students, and a higher percentage of female students than of male students passed at least one quarter of precalculus and Advanced Placement English. The following are appended: (1) Literature review on college and career readiness indicators; (2) Data and methods for the American Samoa analysis; (3) Data and methodology for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands analysis; and (4) Algebra II course completion and grades.