Bobcat Ready! High School Readiness for Life Beyond Middle School

America’s schools have a profound responsibility to ensure that our nation’s 50 million students are college ready, career ready, and life ready. Standardized test scores – traditionally used as the primary readiness indicator – do not always provide an accurate representation of our students’ potential. Our students are more than a single test score. The below indicators reflect the depth and full picture of our students and the programs we offer. Like the global economy, today’s students are driven by ideas and innovations. They should not be reduced down to, or defined by, a single test score. Students learn in a variety of ways. They should be allowed to demonstrate readiness in a variety of ways.

Our Bobcat “High School” Ready indicators must reflect the educational landscape of the 21st Century. Middle school students are engaged in a world that was hard to imagine a decade ago, and they need to be prepared with 21st Century skills to participate in a future that they will help create. In order for our middle school students to demonstrate high school readiness, we must use a multi-measure approach that takes into consideration high school and post-secondary readiness indicators.

Bobcat High School Readiness Indicators

Academic Indicators

Students have identified post-secondary education and/or career (job) interests and meet one or more of the following academic indicators listed below:

• Completion of Core Classes of English, Math, Science and Social Studies (C or Above)

• Grade Level Proficiency in ELA, Math and Science

Behavioral (Life) Indicators:

• Attendance rate of 90% or better

• No suspensions or expulsions

• No Code of Conduct Violations (Board Policy 503.4)

• Participation in two or more organized co-curricular activities

• Civic Readiness = Community Service (10 hrs. or more documented service)

• Student has identifed at least one positive & trusting relationship (yes or no) with an adult at school