TAKE STOCK & PRIORITIZE
TAKE STOCK & PRIORITIZE
Prior to the selection of indicators, the district identifies its college readiness goals and how they might differ for different groups of students (e.g., by achievement level). It takes stock of its available resources, challenges, and needs and prioritizes actions to take. A parallel process occurs at the school level, where each school takes stock of the demographics and achievement of their current and prior population of students and related needs and prioritizes actions. With this information, the district or school can proceed with the selection of indicators in each college readiness dimension and at each level. The CRIS District Self-Assessment Tool provides guidance to districts engaging in this process.
NEXT STEP
SELECT INDICATORS
SELECT INDICATORS
Schools and districts next select indicators in each college readiness dimension and at each level. Three CRIS products can help with this step; see the Menu of College Readiness Indicators and Supports, Selecting Effective Indicators, and A Technical Guide to College Readiness Indicators for more information.
NEXT STEP
SELECT INDICATORS
DIMENSIONS
ACADEMIC
PREPAREDNESS
ACADEMIC PREPAREDNESS
The key academic content knowledge and cognitive strategies needed to succeed in doing college-level work.
ACADEMIC
TENACITY
ACADEMIC TENACITY
The underlying beliefs and attitudes that drive student achievement.
COLLEGE
KNOWLEDGE
COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE
The knowledge base and contextual skills that enable students to successfully access and navigate college.
LEVELS
INDIVIDUAL
(STUDENT)
INDIVIDUAL (STUDENT)
At the individual level, indicators measure students' personal progress toward college readiness.

Examples of individual–level indicators of academic preparedness include:

  • GPA & credits/courses
  • Benchmark exams
SETTING
(SCHOOL)
SETTING (SCHOOL)
At the setting level, indicators track the resources and opportunities for students provided by their school.

Examples of setting–level indicators of academic preparedness include:

  • Advanced Placement coursework availability
  • Academic supports
  • Consistent grading standards
SYSTEM (DISTRICT
AND PARTNERS)
SYSTEM (DISTRICT AND PARTNERS)
At the system level, the focus of the indicators is on district policy, funding infrastructure, and partnerships that affect the availability of college readiness supports.

Examples of system– level indicators of academic preparedness include:

  • Student/teacher assignment policies
  • Advanced Placement coursework availability at X schools
  • Availability/evaluation of academic supports
INDIVIDUAL
(STUDENT)
INDIVIDUAL (STUDENT)
At the individual level, indicators measure students' personal progress toward college readiness.

Examples of individual–level indicators of academic tenacity include:

  • No/low disciplinary infractions
  • Attendance
  • Self-discipline
  • Mastery goal orientation
SETTING
(SCHOOL)
SETTING (SCHOOL)
At the setting level, indicators track the resources and opportunities for students provided by their school.

Examples of setting–level indicators of academic tenacity include:

  • Students' perceptions of teacher practices (e.g., instructional scaffolding, academic press, support for autonomy)
  • Professional development on practices that promote academic tenacity 'soft skills'
SYSTEM (DISTRICT
AND PARTNERS)
SYSTEM (DISTRICT AND PARTNERS)
At the system level, the focus of the indicators is on district policy, funding infrastructure, and partnerships that affect the availability of college readiness supports.

Examples of system– level indicators of academic tenacity include:

  • Communicated expectations & professional development focused on 'soft skills' & classroom practices that foster academic tenacity
INDIVIDUAL
(STUDENT)
INDIVIDUAL (STUDENT)
At the individual level, indicators measure students' personal progress toward college readiness.

Examples of individual–level indicators of college knowledge include:

  • Completed college & financial aid applications
  • Campus visits
  • Meeting with college advisors
SETTING
(SCHOOL)
SETTING (SCHOOL)
At the setting level, indicators track the resources and opportunities for students provided by their school.

Examples of setting–level indicators of college knowledge include:

  • College–going culture
  • Access to counseling resources
  • Resources for teachers' college knowledge
SYSTEM (DISTRICT
AND PARTNERS)
SYSTEM (DISTRICT AND PARTNERS)
At the system level, the focus of the indicators is on district policy, funding infrastructure, and partnerships that affect the availability of college readiness supports.

Examples of system– level indicators of college knowledge include:

  • Resources to support college–going culture/knowledge
  • Communicated expecations about college knowledge supports
ENGAGE IN CYCLE OF INQUIRY
The College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) framework articulates the interrelated components that make up an effective college readiness indicator system.

The CRIS initiative, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed to develop and study the implementation of a system of signals and supports designed to increase the number of students who graduate from high school ready to succeed in college. Three research organizations - the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University, and the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research - partnered with four urban school districts and one school support network to conduct the initiative.

Please see the six-part CRIS Resource Series for a more detailed account of our research.
SELECT INDICATORS
ENGAGE IN CYCLE OF INQUIRY
DIMENSIONS

ACADEMIC
PREPAREDNESS

ACADEMIC
TENACITY

COLLEGE
KNOWLEDGE
LEVELS
INDIVIDUAL
(STUDENT)
SETTING
(SCHOOL)
SYSTEM
(DISTRICT &
PARTNERS)
COLLEGE READINESS
ENGAGE IN CYCLE OF INQUIRY
IMPLEMENT SUPPORTS
Use targeted efforts—strategies, interventions, and/or policies—to move the indicator
MONITOR PROGRESS
Use data to assess the extent to which your supports are reaching the intended individuals and having the expected effect
ADJUST SUPPORTS
Make any necessary changes to your supports based on the progress that has been made
ANALYZE RESULTS
Assess performance on the indicator, paying particular attention to subgroups of interest
IDENTIFY
Identify the population for whom the indicator will be tracked—this may be students, teachers, schools, or another group—as well as any subgroups of interest
PLAN
Determine what resources are available and what barriers may exist to developing and carrying out a plan for providing additional resources or guidance
CONTEXTS
Building a CRIS not only entails technical considerations between schools and districts, but includes multiple levels of social, cultural, and political factors and contexts that impact implementation
STATE POLICY
In thinking about the state policy context, consider the:
  • Role of college readiness indicators in state graduation requirements
  • Coordination of CRIS with state longitudinal data systems
  • Presence of or potential for significant increases or decreases in state education funding that can affect CRIS capacity
COMMUNITY
Consider the community’s priorities, resources, and culture around college readiness, especially the:
  • Capacity of college access and success providers
  • Existence of robust citywide cross-sector partnerships
  • Level of trust and mutual accountability across system stakeholders
HIGHER EDUCATION
In thinking about the higher education policy context, consider the:
  • Alignment of CRIS with state college entrance requirements
  • Existence of district-higher education college readiness partnerships and data sharing agreements
  • Availability of higher education institutions to co-develop a CRIS research agenda
LOCAL POLICY
In thinking about the local policy context, consider the:
  • Prominence of CRIS in district strategic plan and priorities
  • Alignment of CRIS with other district/school data-driven efforts
  • Inclusion of college readiness indicators in district school accountability measures
  • Municipal education policy and priorities around college readiness and attainment
RESTART
COLLEGE READINESS
College ready students have the skills, knowledge and beliefs necessary to succeed in college. College ready schools and districts provide the resources and opportunities for students to graduate high school ready for college.

You can learn more about implementing a CRIS through the CRIS Resource Series:

OVERVIEW OF CRIS FRAMEWORK
    The CRIS framework features:
  • Indicators to target three distinct yet interdependent college readiness dimensions: Academic Preparedness, College Knowledge, and Academic Tenacity;
  • A tri-level approach premised on the idea that an effective set of indicators generates data that reflect activities, processes, and outcomes at the individual (student), setting (school), and system (district and partners) levels; and
  • A Cycle of Inquiry that connects indicators for each dimension and at each level with the appropriate supports.

See Beyond College Readiness: A New Framework for Promoting College Readiness for more information.
GET STARTED
SELECT INDICATORS
Select a dimension and then level to proceed.
ENGAGE IN CYCLE OF INQUIRY
The Cycle of Inquiry is the mechanism
connecting indicators with supports.
Click Identify to start.