How to elevate college and career readiness in 3 steps

District leaders are asking an urgent question: Does earning a high school diploma mean students are truly prepared for what comes next?
Employers report that many graduates lack the skills needed for today’s workplace. Colleges continue to enroll students who require additional academic support before they can succeed in credit-bearing coursework.
While these concerns are often framed as a readiness problem, they are ultimately a systems-design challenge.
Readiness does not emerge from a