The Commission for a College Ready Texas was appointed in April 2007 by Governor Rick Perry.  The Commission was created to engage Texans in a discussion of what skills and knowledge a student must possess to be college ready and to provide expert resources and general support to the statutorily-created Vertical Teams and the State Board of Education (SBOE) regarding the requirements of House Bill One. The Commission was chaired by Austin attorney and education policy leader Sandy Kress and was composed of 21 individuals who have distinguished themselves in business, education, and community service.  Also serving on the Commission were the eight Vertical Team co-chairs and four ex-officio members, including the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Higher Education, and the Comptroller of Public Accounts.

House Bill One (HB1), passed and signed into law in 2006, requires the State Board of Education, the body holding the statutory authority for public school curriculum, to incorporate college readiness standards into Texas’ foundation curriculum—the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). To assist the State Board with its charge, HB1 directs the Commissioners of Education and Higher Education to appoint high school and college faculty to Vertical Teams to develop college readiness standards for English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. After a period of public comment, the draft college readiness standards will be submitted for approval by the Commissioner of Education and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and submitted to the State Board for its consideration. Final authority to incorporate these standards into the TEKS rests with the State Board.

The Commission provided a forum for Texans across the state to share their views on college-readiness, to facilitate the development of college-readiness standards, and to provide research and support to the Vertical Teams and to the SBOE. The Commission engaged in extensive outreach to key stakeholder groups, including members of the education and business communities, key legislators, government officials, and regional groups. Members also received testimony from some of the nation’s leading researchers on standards and college-readiness.  The Commission also engaged in research with some of the nation’s foremost education researchers.

The Commission’s final report adopted on November 7, 2007 summarizes the Commission’s findings and recommendations based on research and public testimony. The report also addresses several key questions in its effort to provide resources and support to the Vertical Teams as they drafted college readiness standards and the SBOE in aligning high school curriculum with college standards:

•     How is college readiness defined?
•     Is college readiness the same as workforce readiness?
•     What do data say about the college readiness of students nationally and in Texas?
•     What are the costs of students not being ready?
•     What is the evidence supporting the calls for increased rigor in K–12 courses?
•     How well do existing TEKS standards for English language arts align to exemplary standards?
•     How well do existing TEKS standards for mathematics align to exemplary standards?
•     How do nationally recognized college readiness standards define knowledge and skills and what evidence supports the validity of the standards?
•     What does college readiness mean to Texans—parents, students, teachers, college faculty, and employers?

The report provides data and analysis that suggest the level of proficiency required to ensure that students are prepared for success in entry-level college courses or the skilled workplace.  It summarizes the comparison of multiple sets of college readiness standards in English language arts, mathematics, and science.  (Given the identification of only one set of college readiness standards in social studies, no comparison activities were undertaken in that subject area.)  The report also compares Texas’ current English language arts standards (TEKS) to other standards and provides research on the role that postsecondary developmental education plays in college success or failure.

The report represents the first step in a long process. The next steps include the contemplation of these findings and recommendations by the State Board of Education as it determines how to best write specific grade-level curriculum standards that will put students on track to be college ready when they graduate.  Additionally, policymakers will need to address the development of instructional materials, teacher professional development, and student end-of-course assessments to ensure that each is aligned with the college readiness standards.

For further information please contact the State Initiatives office at the Texas Education Agency, 512-936-6060