Supporting High School Assessments in Higher Education

Achieve’s research has found that very few states measure students' readiness for college and work.  High school tests typically measure 8th, 9th and 10th grade skills — only a subset of the skills students will ultimately need after graduation. Furthermore, higher education institutions use admissions and placement exams that are, by and large, disconnected from the curriculum students study in high school. As a result, higher education institutions and employers pay little attention to state test results, sending mixed signals to students and parents about whether student performance on those tests matter.

Higher education leaders have an important role to play in improving and supporting state high school assessments. Everyone benefits when postsecondary and K-12 faculty, policy-makers and assessment specialists work together to create exams that assess what students ought to know and be able to do upon high school graduation: students can be made aware of their progress toward college-readiness, schools can close student learning gaps before graduation, and postsecondary institutions have a more reliable source with which to make admissions and placement decisions.

Read the action steps to supporting high school assessments in your state

Read Achieve’s research on college admissions and placement exams

Learn about Achieve’s multi-state assessment partnership