The transition from high school to college has become an important target for efforts to improve student success. Nationally, alliances among states and reform organizations are promoting academic standards that prepare students for college, fostering greater collaboration and alignment between secondary and postsecondary institutions, and encouraging the exchange of data to allow more accurate measurement of student success.¹ In California, partnerships among institutions, organizations, and foundations,² as well as recently enacted legislation,³ are designed to strengthen the preparation and support students receive as they navigate this crucial transition.

The educational success of California students—especially those attending public schools and community colleges—has been a significant focus of the Hewlett Foundation for nearly 10 years. As part of this work, the Foundation develops a set of priorities for its investments and chooses metrics to monitor. Until California has a data system in place that tracks students across education sectors—from elementary through postsecondary education⁴—the Hewlett Foundation shares the most up-to-date information available on its priority student outcomes. The indicators pinpoint where on their education pathways students struggle and, therefore, can help identify crucial times and places to intervene. We believe decision-makers should pay close attention to these existing indicators, and work continuously to improve the quality of available data, so that they and the wider community can learn more about how best to serve students throughout their education.

Preparation for College

Statewide, students’ readiness for college and preparation during high school has changed little in recent years. As early as 9th grade, students can begin taking courses that prepare them—and meet eligibility requirements—for college admission. But by the time they graduate, only one-third has successfully completed the series of courses (called "a–g" courses) required for admission to the University in California, a rate that has not increased over time. Likewise, just over one-third of 12th-graders take the SAT college entrance exam, and both participation and the percentage of those earning high scores have remained steady.

On a more promising note, California students’ rate of taking and passing Advanced Placement (AP) exams is well above the national average. Almost one-third of the 2008 graduating class attempted an AP exam, and about 20 percent earned a passing score, for which they can receive college credit.⁵ However, like other indicators of college preparation, participation and pass rates have remained flat.

Completing courses at community colleges is another way that high school students can earn college credit. In a sample of community college students, some 4 percent were concurrently enrolled in high school ("dual enrolled" students). Better data on these dual enrolled students could shed more light on this type of preparation for college.

Since 2006, many California students have had access to a useful new tool to gauge their readiness for college. The Early Assessment Program shows 11th-graders their readiness for college-level work at California State Universities (CSUs). This assessment is appended to the standardized tests required at the end of certain high school courses. Participation is particularly high on the English portion, because most students take that standardized test; 75 percent of students enrolled in 11th grade took the EAP English test. Only 35 percent took the EAP math test, however, in part because far fewer students were enrolled in the eligible math courses. Test results indicate that few students are prepared for college-level work: 12 percent of students in English (16 percent of test takers) and 5 percent of students in math (13 percent of test takers) scored at the "Ready for College" level. Despite those discouraging rates, one finding suggests that these tests are providing useful and timely signals to students. On the math test, students may score at a level called "Ready for College—Conditional," which requires them to complete specific coursework during their 12th-grade year to be prepared for college. Thirty-seven percent of students who scored at that level in 2007 went on to complete the necessary coursework the following year.

California schools have made little progress in increasing the proportion of students who complete high school. For over a decade, the best estimates of graduation rates have lingered around 70 percent, indicating that 70 percent of students enrolled in 9th grade graduated 4 years later. Until recently, the state had not collected student-level information that tracks individuals, so all statewide rates are still best guesses. They also do not capture students who drop out before 9th grade. To provide a better look at when students leave the system, one indicator tracks a cohort of students in a sample of school districts from 7th grade through graduation. Only 55 percent of those students originally enrolled in 7th grade graduated six years later in 2008.⁶ Although almost 70 percent were still enrolled in 12th grade, many failed to earn a diploma. This may be due in part to failure to pass the high school exit exam: more than half of the 12th-graders who failed to graduate had not passed that exam.⁷

For Hispanic and African American students, the picture of college preparation and high school completion is consistently worse across all indicators. Their graduation rates trail those of their White and Asian/Pacific Islander peers by 20–35 percentage points statewide. Large gaps between racial/ethnic and income groups exist across all indicators of college readiness.

College Entrance

College enrollment in California is difficult to measure. Students are not tracked from high school into postsecondary institutions. Public colleges and universities report enrollment, but private institutions do so only voluntarily, and there is no reliable way to identify California students enrolled outside the state.⁸ A system connecting secondary to postsecondary education data would provide a much clearer picture of how many students successfully transition into college. The best estimates available indicate that about half of high school graduates enroll the following fall in a two- or four-year college in California, a figure that has not increased in recent years. It also trails the national average—about two-thirds of recent high school graduates enroll immediately after high school.⁹ Among California students who enroll in college, roughly two-thirds do so a community college.

Success in Community College

Among students who enroll at a community college after high school and seek a degree,¹⁰ only one-quarter transfer to a four-year college or complete a certificate or degree. After an initial increase, completion rates fell for students in the most recent cohort (2008–09). These students, however, began their enrollment in the midst of budget cuts and resulting reduction in course selections and student services, all of which may have played a role in the completion decline. Additional findings indicate that fewer students are able to complete 12 units (3 or 4 courses), which is the coursework milestone used by colleges to show "intent to complete."

A closer examination of the completion data reveals at least one effective opportunity for intervention: in the most recent cohort, students who received any financial aid completed community college at a rate 5 percentage points higher than those who did not. In particular, Pell Grants awarded to low-income students are associated with higher rates of completion: recipients complete at higher rates than low-income students receiving other forms of financial aid and compared with students who received none. Students who receive financial aid attend full time more often than their peers who do not and full-time attendance is strongly associated with higher completion rates.

Underprepared Students

As exams like the EAP reveal, many students leave high school unprepared for college. However, that lack of preparation does not guarantee poor outcomes. About 60 percent of students who require pre-collegiate coursework (called "basic skills") when they first enroll in a community college, pass their initial basic skills course. Moreover, according to new data, depending on the subject, between 16 and 35 percent of students who start in basic skills courses pass the subsequent college-level course.

Interim Milestones

Many students who do not complete community college still make significant progress toward a degree. In the most recent cohort of students, 40 percent who did not complete community college earned at least 12 units, and 25 percent achieved the half-way mark by completing 30 or more units. Tracking students through these interim milestones can help institutions target resources and programs more effectively to improve student success.

College Achievement Gaps

By the time students enroll in and complete postsecondary education, racial/ethnic gaps have widened. Asian/Pacific Islander students enroll in postsecondary institutions at substantially higher rates than any other racial/ethnic group, and more than one-quarter of Asian/Pacific Islander high school graduates in California enroll in a University of California (UC). African American and Hispanic students, in contrast, enroll at much lower rates. Proportionally more Hispanic and African American students than White or Asian/Pacific Islander students enroll in California’s community colleges.

Conclusion

Despite a few promising signs, little progress has been made in recent years on any measure of student success in the transition from high school to college and beyond, and wide gaps between racial/ethnic and income groups persist. Although these results are discouraging, the indicators offer policymakers a web-based set of comprehensive data they can use as they consider policies to strengthen education and measure progress over time.