College and Career Readiness Among California High School Students

Defining College Readiness

Kurlaender, M., Reed, S., & Hurtt, A. (2019, August). Improving college readiness: Leveraging research to inform practice [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education. 

Kurlaender, M., Reed, S., Hurtt, A. (2019, August). Improving college readiness: A research summary and implications for practice [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Kurlaender, M., Hurtt, A., & Reed, S. (2019, April). K-12 content standards, assessment and accountability in California: A short primer for higher education [Research Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Kurlaender, M., & Carrell, S. (2019, November). Strengthening the road to college: California’s college readiness standards and lessons from district leaders [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Kurlaender, M., Reed, S., Cohen, K., & Ballis, B. (2018, September). College readiness in the era of Common Core [Technical Report]. Getting Down to Facts II. Policy Analysis for California Education.  

Dual Enrollment

Friedmann, E., Reed, S., Kurlaender, M. & Dykeman, K. (2024, February). A strong start for college and career: Dual enrollment participation from 9th to 12th grade [Infographic]. Policy Analysis for California Education. 

A rising tide: Appendix of county-level stats. (2021, September). California Education Lab, Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, and Policy Analysis for California Education. 

A Rising Tide, a data update on California dual enrollment. (2020, December). Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research.

Friedmann, E., Kurlaender, M., Li, A., & Rumberger, R. (2020, January). A leg up on college: The scale and distribution of community college participation among California high school students. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, 5(1), 1-7.

A-G Course Requirements

Reed, S., Hurtt, A., Kurlander, M., Luu, J., & Merritt, C. (2023, July). Inequality in academic preparation for college [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Hurtt, A., Kurlander, M., Luu, J., & Merritt, C. (2023, July). Inequality in academic preparation for college: Appendix of county and district stats. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Hurtt A., Reed, S., Lee, P., & Kurlaender, M. (2023, July). Addressing inequities in college preparatory course-taking [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education. 

Hurtt, A. (2018, April). Academic rigor and English course-taking: A descriptive analysis of differential enrollment patterns. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.

Reed, S., Kurlaender, M., & Hurtt, A. (2016, September 7). Are A-G requirements an indicator of college readiness? Memo submitted to California Department of Education.

High School Math Course-taking

Reed, S., Merritt, C., & Kurlaender, M. (2023, February). 12th-grade math: An updated look at high school math course-taking in California [Infographic]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Innovating high school math courses through K-12 and higher education partnerships [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Advanced innovative math course: Introduction to data science [Case Study]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Advanced innovative math course: Discrete math for pre-college students [Case Study]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Advanced innovative math course: Mathematical reasoning with connections [Case Study]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Advanced innovative math course: Quantitative reasoning courses [Case Study]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Advanced innovative math course: Transition to college level mathematics [Case Study]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Bracco, K. R., Kurlaender, M., & Merritt, C. (2023, February). Advanced innovative math course: Transition to college level mathematics and statistics [Case Study]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Blazar, D., Heller, B., Kane, T. J., Polikoff, M., Staiger, D. O., Carrell, S., … & Kurlaender, M. (2020). Curriculum reform in the Common Core era: Evaluating elementary math textbooks across six US states. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 39(4), 966-1019.

Asim, M., Kurlaender, M., & Reed, S. (2019, August). 12th grade course-taking and the distribution of opportunity for college readiness in mathematics [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California.

The Role of Assessment

Kurlaender, M., & Cohen, K., (2019, March). Predicting college success: How do different high school assessments measure up? [Research Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.  

Kurlaender, M., Kramer, K. A., & Jackson, E. (2018, March). Predicting college success: How do different high school assessments measure up? [Research Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Kurlaender, M. (2014). Assessing the promise of California’s Early Assessment Program for community colleges. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 655, 36-55.

Kurlaender, M., Martorell, P., & Reed, S. (2016, June 27). High school exit exams: A review of the literature, current state reforms, and analysis of California assessment data (CAHSEE & SBAC). Report submitted to the California Department of Education. 

College-going Patterns

Kurlaender, M., Reber, S., Smith, E., & Ugo, I. (forthcoming). Understanding gender gaps in college enrollment (Working Paper). California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Asim, M., Ballis, B., Carrell, S., Kurlaender, M., & Martorell, P. (2022). How do students respond to signals of college readiness? Evidence from California’s Early Assessment Program (Working Paper). California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Kurlaender, M., Lusher, L., & Case, M. (2020). Is early start a better start? Evaluating California State University’s early start remediation policy. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 39(2), 348-375.

Kurlaender, M., Reed, S., Cohen, K., Naven, M., Martorell, P., & Carrell, S. (2018, December). Where California high school students attend college. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Jackson, J.  & Kurlaender, M. (2014). College readiness and college completion at broad access four-year institutions. American Behavioral Scientist, 58(8), 947-971.

            Media 

Kurlaender, M. (2018, September 11). High expectations demand high support: Strengthening college readiness at the California state universities. EducationNext.

Community College Policy and Practice

Student Course-Taking, Pathways, and Success

Baker, R., Friedmann, E. & Kurlaender, M. (2023). Improving the community college transfer pathway to the baccalaureate: The effect of California’s Associate Degree for Transfer. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 42(2), 488-524.

Li, A. (2023). Working as designed: A causal analysis of AB 705 shows increased rates of transfer-level course taking and passage [Policy Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Li, A. (2023). Remedial education reform in California and community college student outcomes [Working Paper]. California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Linden, R., Kurlaender, M.,  Martorell, F., &  Carrell, S. (2022). Pandemic-period enrollment and persistence in California Community Colleges [Infographic Report]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Carrell, S., & Kurlaender, M. (2019). Estimating the productivity of community colleges in paving the road to four-year college success. In Hoxby, C. & Stange, K. (Eds.), Productivity in Higher Education (pp. 291-315). National Bureau of Economic Research.

Hart, C. M. D., Friedmann, E., & Hill, M. (2018). Online course-taking and student outcomes in California Community Colleges. Education Finance and Policy, 13(1), 42-71. 

Friedmann, E., Kurlaender, M., & VanOmmeren, A. (2016). Addressing college readiness gaps at the college door. New Directions for Community Colleges, 176, 45-52.

Kurlaender, M., Carrell, S., & Jackson, J. (2016). The promises and pitfalls of measuring community college quality. The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2(1), 174-190. 

Baker, R., Friedmann, E., & Kurlaender, M. (2018, March). Associate degrees for transfer: A snapshot of progress across California community colleges.  [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Kurlaender, M., Carrell, S., & Jackson, J. (2018, March). College quality: The promises and pitfalls of measurement. [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Baker, R., Friedmann, E., & Kurlaender, M. (2020). Improving the pathway to the BA: An examination of the Associate Degree for Transfer.  [Research Report]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Baker, R., Friedmann, E., & Kurlaender, M. (2020). ADTs at year 10 [Infographic Report]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Baker, R., Friedmann, E., & Kurlaender, M.  (2018). Associate Degrees for Transfer: A snapshot of progress across CA Community Colleges. [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Kurlaender, M., Carrell, S., & Jackson, J., (2018) College quality: The promises and pitfalls of measurement. [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Grosz, M. (2017). The returns to a large community college program:  Evidence from admissions lotteries [Working Paper]. California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Reed, S., Friedmann, E., Kurlaender, M., Martorell, F., Rury, D., Fuller, R., Moldoff, J., & Perry, P. (2022). Disparate impacts of COVID-19 disruptions for California college students. Journal of Student Financial Aid, 51(1), Article 7.

Special Populations

Nunez Martinez, M., Cuellar, M., Reed, S., &  Esposito-Noy, C. (2023, June). Enlace comunitario: Identifying opportunities to enhance community college outreach and recruitment of Latinx/a/o students [Research Report]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Reed, S., Grosz, M., Kurlaender, M., & Cooper, S. (2021, March). A portrait of student parents in the California Community Colleges [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Britton, T., Friedmann, E., & Adan, S. (2021). Higher learning inside: An exploration of the demographic make-up of incarcerated persons taking postsecondary courses in California [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Financial Aid

Escobar, C., Friedmann, E., & Tovar, S. (2023). More than just money? Early outcomes of Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) College Promise Program. New Directions for Community Colleges, Fall 2023, 49-61. 

Linden, R. (2022). Funding incentives for CCCs: Impacts of the SCFF on financial aid receipt [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Linden, R. (2022). Understanding the Student-Centered Funding Formula [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Kurlaender, M., Martorell, F., & Friedmann, E., (2021). Financial aid for California Community College students [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Friedmann, E. & Martorell, P. (2019). Why do some students fail to receive Pell Grants? [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Rios-Aguilar, C., Kurlaender, M., Lyke, A., Martinez, T. (2019, June). College affordability in every corner of California: Perspectives from the 2019 PACE/USC Rossier poll [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Friedmann, E. & Martorell, P. (2018, April). Money left on the table [Research Report]. Wheelhouse Center for Community College Leadership and Research, 3(3), 1-7.  

Career Technical Education

Boochever, A., Reed, S., & Kurlaender, M. (2023, November). Career Technical Education among California high school graduates [Infographic]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Dougherty, S., Kurlaender, M., & Mathias, J. (2018, September). A portrait of career technical education pathway completers [Report]. Getting Down to Facts II. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Grosz, M., Kurlaender, M., & Stevens, A. (2018, September). Capacity and flexibility in CTE programs: Program offerings and student success (Working Paper). California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Grosz, M. (2018, August). Do postsecondary training programs respond to changes in the labor market? (Working Paper). California Education Lab, Davis, California. 

Student Financial Aid

Linden, R. (2022). Funding incentives for CCCs: Impacts of the SCFF on financial aid receipt [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Kurlaender, M., Martorell, F., & Friedmann, E., (2021). Financial aid for California Community College students [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Friedmann, E. & Martorell, P. (2019). Why do some students fail to receive Pell Grants? [Research Brief]. Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research, Davis, California.

Rios-Aguilar, C., Kurlaender, M., Lyke, A., Martinez, T. (2019, June). College affordability in every corner of California: Perspectives from the 2019 PACE/USC Rossier poll [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Friedmann, E. & Martorell, P. (2018, April). Money left on the table [Research Report]. Wheelhouse Center for Community College Leadership and Research, 3(3), 1-7.

California’s Public School Students & Schools

Public Schools and the Students They Serve

Luu, J., Wyels, K., Hurtt, A., Reed, S., & Kurlaender, M. (2023, June). Exploring alternative schooling in California. Presentation prepared for the Stuart Foundation. California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Reed, S., Luu, J., Hurtt, A., Olaffsen-Goldberg, E., & Kurlaender, M.  (2022, August). A portrait of California’s adolescents and the schools that serve them. Presentation prepared for the Stuart Foundation. California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Reed, S. (2021, March). Beyond the white picket fence: A picture of suburban schools in California. California Education Lab, Davis, California.

Student Perspectives

Hurtt, A., Kurlaender, M., Sun, C., & Zhou, B. (2024, March). The transition to college: Voices from the class of 2023 [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Friedmann, E., Kurlaender, M., Martorell, F., Rury, D., Moldoff, J., Fuller, R., & Perry, P. (2021, June). California college students’ experiences during the global pandemic [Report]. California Student Aid Commission, Sacramento, California.

Reed, S., Kurlaender, M., Martorell, P., Rury, D., Hernandez Negrete A., Perry, P., Moldoff, J., & Fuller, R. (2020, December). College uncertainties: California high school seniors in spring 2020 [Report]. California Student Aid Commission, Sacramento, California.

California Student Aid Commission (2020, July). COVID-19 student survey [Report]. California Student Aid Commission, Sacramento, California.

Pandemic Response

Hurtt, A., Reed, S., Dykeman, K., & Luu, J. (2023). Ensuring educational continuity in the midst of crisis: Policy and planning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational Policy. Advance online publication.

Hurtt, A., Reed, S., Dykeman, K., & Luu, J. (2022, June). From policy to plans: Supporting students during COVID-19 [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Hurtt, A., Hibel, J., & Garrett, D. (2022, June). Serving English learners during the COVID-19 pandemic [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Hurtt, A., Cohen, K. & Reed, S. (2021, March). Early pandemic responses in California: Identifying the structural and instructional changes in K-12 [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Charter Schools

Boochever, A. & Rose, H. (2023). Student-teacher ethnoracial matching at charter and traditional public schools. Journal of School Choice, 17(3), 324-351.

Reed, S. & Rose, H. (2020). Serving the underserved? Student characteristics and staffing patterns in California charter schools. Journal of School Choice, 14(2), 190-227.

Reed, S., & Rose, H. (2018). Lessons in charter school accountability: Evidence from California. Journal of School Choice, 12(3), 355-381. 

Reed, S., & Rose, H. (2015). Charter school spending and saving in California. Journal of School Choice, 9(3), 407-445. 

School Quality

Carrell, S., Kurlaender, M., Martorell, P., & Naven, M. (2021). The impact of school quality on postsecondary success: Evidence in the era of common core (Working Paper). California Education Lab, University of California, Davis. 

Naven, M. (2020). Within-school heterogeneity in quality: Do schools provide equal value added to all students? (MPRA Paper 100123). Munich Personal RePEc Archive.

Naven, M. (2019). Human capital formation during childhood and adolescence: Evidence from school quality and postsecondary success in California (MPRA Paper 97716). Munich Personal RePEc Archive.

Other Work

Reed, S. (2019, January). Special education in California schools: The challenges and solutions from multiple perspectives. [Practice Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Coburn, C. Friedmann, E., & Stipek, D. (2018, November). Fostering pre-K to elementary alignment and continuity in mathematics in urban school districts: Challenges and possibilities [Practice Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S.  (2018, January).  Community collaboration in teacher recruitment and retention [Continuous Improvement Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Harris, K., Hovis, S., Krausen, K., Chida, B., Reed, S., Wilson, A., & King, J. (2016, October). In school + on track 2016: Attorney General’s 2016 report on California’s elementary school truancy and absenteeism crisis. Special report produced by California Attorney General’s Office.

Student Success and Persistence in College: The Role of Faculty

Carrell, S. E., & Kurlaender, M. (2023). My professor cares: Experimental evidence on the role of faculty engagement. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 15(4), 113-141.

Reed, S. (2018, January). Community collaboration in teacher recruitment and retention [Practice Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Intersegmental Partnerships and Alignment

Reed, S., Rios-Aguilar, C., Smith Arrillaga, E., Vargas, J. & Kurlaender, M. (2019, June). Empowering the intersegmental agenda: Opportunities for research, policy, and practice. [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Reed, S., Lee, P., Kurlaender, M., & Hernandez, A. (2018, July). Intersegmental partnerships and data sharing: Promising practices from the field. [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.  

Lee, P., Reed, S., Hernandez, A. & Kurlaender, M. (2018). Intersegmental data partnership resource guide [Practice Resource]. Policy Analysis for California Education.

Friedmann, E. (2017, June). Building intersegmental partnerships [Policy Brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education.