Testing the Promise: Building State Data Systems That Connect College and Career Readiness to Results

Forty-two states now use at least one college and career readiness indicator in their high school accountability systems. That is important progress. But most states still measure participation in experiences such as earning an industry-recognized credential, taking dual enrollment courses, completing a CTE program of study, or participating in work-based learning without knowing whether those experiences lead to success after graduation. Most states are counting inputs; only 15 use any college or career outcome measure.

Testing the Promise argues that college and career readiness indicators are best understood as hypotheses; they are reasonable bets that certain experiences prepare young people for success after high school graduation. Yet states currently lack the data infrastructure to test those bets. This brief draws on recent research to show why broad readiness indicators can conceal important differences in program quality, alignment, and student outcomes, and why states need more detailed data to understand what works and for whom. State longitudinal data systems (SLDS) should support learning, not simply reporting and compliance, and Workforce Pell offers an immediate reason to build data capacity that states can extend across K–12, postsecondary, and workforce systems.

The brief closes with recommendations for states: steps to take now with data they already have, and the systems to build toward. Data should support learning as well as evaluation, including the development of measures aligned with a fuller vision of young people’s thriving. By connecting what students do in high school with outcomes after graduation, state leaders can determine whether the experiences that accountability systems count are delivering on their promise.