P-12

Houston Takes Steps to Make Sure Students Are Ready for College or Careers

Houston ISDs college- and career-readiness goal will ensure that students not only graduate but do so with meaningful credentials in hand or advanced courses under their belt that show they are ready for college coursework or a career.

article-cropped September 17, 2024 by Judith Cruz
three male high school students talking to a teacher

A working Houston Independent School District (ISD) graduate who has an associate degree or higher makes an annual salary of $24,400 more, on average, than a graduate with no postsecondary education. Historically, districts have focused on ensuring students graduate from high school, but school districts also have a responsibility to prepare students for postsecondary success.

 A New College- and Career-Readiness Goal

A key responsibility of the school board is to set the district’s vision and ensure the system remains accountable for achieving that vision. In November 2023, the Houston ISD Board of Managers set and adopted ambitious five-year goals focused on improving student outcomes. During the goal-setting process, EdTrust and the Citywide Coalition on Education advocated for the adoption of a goal that measures college and career readiness.

Subsequently, the Board of Managers adopted a goal (Goal 3) that does just that: The goal is for the percentage of students graduating Texas Success Initiative (TSI)-ready and with an industry-based certification (IBC) to increase from 11% for 2021–2022 graduates to 26% for 2026-2027 graduates.

Why This Goal Matters

Preparing students for life after high school, whether they choose to attend college or go directly into the workforce, is one of the core purposes of education. By emphasizing both college and career readiness, HISD aims to equip students with the skills and qualifications needed to succeed in higher education and/or secure well-paying jobs.

This goal will ensure that students not only graduate but also do so with meaningful credentials in hand — such as certifications in high-wage and high-demand fields — or advanced courses under their belt that demonstrate that they are ready for credit-bearing coursework in college. This increases their chances of achieving a living wage, opens more career opportunities, and improves their potential for long-term success. It also gives students the power to choose their own path, giving them the autonomy to continue their education or start a career immediately after high school.

Measuring College and Career Readiness

To accurately assess students’ likelihood of future postsecondary success, the district must look beyond traditional measures of academic success like GPA. Fortunately, the criteria for measuring college and career readiness generally include, but are not limited to, completing dual-credit courses, taking coherent career and technical (CTE) coursework, earning an associate degree. Goal 3 also includes TSI criteria, such as achieving a passing score on exams like the SAT, ACT, or the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA), thereby demonstrating a student’s ability to handle college-level coursework.

Another important measure that is predictive of future long-term success is earning an industry-based certification. Research shows that students who earn a certification are more likely to matriculate in higher education. And having an industry-based certification (IBC) shows that a student has mastered a specific set of skills or knowledge that’s relevant to a particular job within an industry. Examples include programming, web design, and welding.

Goal 3 measures both college and career readiness and monitors the progress of students who are both meeting the TSI criteria and earning an industry-based certification. This goal holds the school system accountable for putting students on a path to earn a living wage and to succeed in higher education after high school graduation.

Current Outcomes for HISD Students

When the board adopted Goal 3 a year ago, 11% of graduates (of the Class of 2022) met the criteria of a passing TSI score and earning an IBC. This month, the HISD Board of Managers monitored progress on this goal. Note that the data in the progress-monitoring report is for the Class of 2023, since there is a one-year lag in reporting on college- and career-readiness outcomes.

About 12% of graduates from the Class of 2023 hit the Goal 3 target of both TSI readiness and earning an IBC. All student groups met the annual target — except for white and Asian students, who historically in HISD earn IBCs at lower rates, but disproportionately meet TSI criteria at much higher rates (79% and 69% respectively for the Class of 2023).

Table 1 shows the percent of Houston ISD 2023 graduates that meet the Texas Success Initiative criteria and with an industry-based certification. For all students, there were 11 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 12. The target was 12, so the goal was met. Broken down by race and ethnicity: For African American students, there were 9 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 11. The target was 10, so the goal was met. For Hispanic students, there were 10 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 12. The target was 11, so the goal was met. For White students, there were 13 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 12. The target was 14, so 2% growth is needed. For Asian students, there were 14 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 15. The target was 16, so 1% growth is needed. Overall for economically disadvantaged students, there were 10 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 12. The target was 11, so the goal was met. Overall for emergent bilingual students, there were 5 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 6. The target was 6, so the goal was met. Overall for students with disabilities, there were 4 graduates in 2022 that meet these criteria. In 2023 there were 6. The target was 5, so the goal was met.

Source: Agenda Item #2 – Presentation of Goals 3 and 4: September Goal Progress Report

Overall, more students (39%) are meeting the criteria in both math and reading in TSI, an increase of two percentage points from the previous graduating class. The proportion of graduates earning an IBC increased eight percentage points to 39%. In the progress-monitoring report, however, the superintendent calls attention to inequities in access to programs of study and low-quality curriculum and instruction as root causes of why more students are not meeting this goal.

In the charts, we see the percent of Houston ISD 2023 graduates that meet the Texas Success Initiative criteria. For all students, this was 39%. For African American students, this was 31%. For Hispanic students, this was 32%. For Asian students, this was 79%. For White students, this was 69%. For economically disadvantaged students, it was 32%. For emergent bilingual students, it was 18%. For students with disabilities, it was 17%. We also saw the percent of Houston ISD 2023 graduates earning an industry-based certification. For all students, this was 39%. For African American students, this was 40%. For Hispanic students, this was 43%. For Asian students, this was 22%. For White students, this was 20%. For economically disadvantaged students, it was 43%. For emergent bilingual students, it was 43%. For students with disabilities, it was 33%.

Source: Agenda Item #2 – Presentation of Goals 3 and 4: September Goal Progress Report

What the Data Tells Us

Overall, students are making progress toward meeting the criteria for college or career readiness, but when looking at the data for student groups, it’s clear that there is still much work to do to ensure that students — particularly Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds — have equitable access to rigorous coursework, tools and resources for test preparation, and quality programs of study that lead to IBC’s, as well as to supports that get them to completion.

All these efforts will require significant investments and prioritization of strategic resources, including a high-quality curriculum that integrates the TSI skills mentioned in the progress-monitoring report. Those resources are crucial for aligning and implementing the necessary supports for students to access, participate in, and complete the required coursework and earn credentials. By prioritizing these investments, the district can better prepare all students for both college and career pathways.

What Happens Next

In August 2025, the HISD Board of Managers will re-assess progress on Goal 3 — which aims to increase the percentage of students graduating both TSI-ready and with an industry-based certification (IBC) from 11% for 2021–2022 graduates to 26% for 2026-2027 graduates.

The board will also monitor related goal-progress measures (including TSI readiness, college credit, and CTE completers) in October, February, and April. Join us in our monthly coalition meetings, or at board meetings, as we amplify the conversation and continue to advocate to ensure that the school system is providing what students need to thrive after graduation. Email us at info@citywidecoalitioned.org for more information.