College Readiness Consortium

History The College Readiness Consortium at the University of Minnesota was created in 2006, and was initially known as the Consortium for Postsecondary Academic Success. In January of 2008, the name of the organization was changed to better reflect the consortium’s focus on preparing preK-12 students for higher education. The consortium staff includes three administrators and one administrative support person. It was originally housed within the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Administration and is now part of the College of Education and Human Development. Today the Consortium has developed a comprehensive strategy for increasing the number and diversity of students who graduate from high school with the knowledge, skills and habits for success in higher education. That strategy has two key components: Working to improve student success in the PreK-12 system as it exists today. Working in partnership with the PreK-12 system to change the system itself—transitioning from an Industrial Age model where few students were prepared for postsecondary education to one in which all students are expected and supported to go beyond a high school diploma. To date, the Consortium has engaged educators and students from every corner of the state in efforts to promote and create college readiness in all Minnesota high school graduates. Highlights include: Creating Ramp-Up to Readiness™, a school-wide advisory program that leads students through a research-based sequence of activities and workshops that prepare them for postsecondary success. Over 34,000 students in 53 schools will have participated in the first 2 years of full implementation. Creating the Minnesota Principals Academy, over 350 leaders participated in the Minnesota Principals Academy executive development program to help them create and sustain schools in which every student is on the path to college readiness. Creating the PreK-12 Network, where University faculty and staff who work with PreK-12 programs meet regularly to share ideas and collaborate. Helping to coordinate the work of the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership, which is bringing together Minnesota's PreK-12 and higher education systems by aligning standards, creating longitudinal data systems, conducting public awareness campaigns and building the capacity of educators at ever level. Convening conferences featuring Dr. Mandy Savitz-Romer, Dr. Andreas Schleicher and U of M faculty at which K-12 educators learn about and exchange ideas on best practices in the United States and around the world Partnering with the Minneapolis Public Schools to operate the Connecting Parents to Educational Opportunities (CPEO) program, through which parents of Minneapolis students learn about helping their students succeed in K-12 schools and prepare for college. This program has spread and the U of M now supports Saint Paul, Brooklyn Center and Columbia Heights school districts in their parent programs. Helping the College-in-the-Schools program reach more students in the “academic middle” through participation in the Entry Point Project Bringing together U of M providers of professional development for PreK-12 educators to enhance and coordinate their offerings, and be more responsive to educator needs. Developing a recommendation for a new high school assessment and accountability system in Minnesota known as ACCESS. Supporting new partnerships between University faculty and staff and K-12 educators and students on every U of M campus.