Globally Positioning Studentsfor Life in the 21st Century

KeyTrain and Career Ready 101 are trademarks of Thinking Media. WorkKeys and the National Career Readiness Certificate are trademarks of ACT, Inc.

The Accountability Services Mission• Promote the academic achievement of all North Carolina

public school students and assist stakeholders in understanding and gauging achievement compared to state and national standards

• Design and development of reliable test instruments

• Uniform implementation of and access to suitable test instruments for all students

• Provision of accurate and statistically appropriate reports

Career Ready 101 Purpose:

To provide a single system that combines all essential aspects of preparing a student or job seeker with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify, locate, obtain, and be trainable for the optimum career and/or job in their area, leading to a recognized national work readiness credential.

The Problem:

•How do we manage to address all of the common basic skills and workplace readiness issues?

•How do we reduce need for remediation of Reading and Math skills at the college level

•How do we document progress on these issues?

•How do we provide a credential that is useful to business and recognized nationwide?

Does Not Apply Math Well

Doesn’t Understand What He/She Reads

Trouble with Workplace Graphics

Needs to Show Up on Time

Writing Skills are Lacking

More math

BehavioralCoaching

English Composition

EnglishCoaching

????

Can’t Balance Checkbook

Poor in Interviews

Finance/math

Trial and Error

Difficulty with College Courses

Rigor

Varied Career Exploration

Lacks Career DirectionAnd Goals

Struggles with Teamwork

Basic Skills for College and Work Readiness is a Broad Issue

The Solution:

Step 1:•Adopt metrics that can measure these skills

Step 2:•Use a system that can manage all aspects of improving these skills

Step 3:•Issue a credential that already has national acceptance and traction

STEP 1: Creating Metrics

Finding a Solution: Metrics

Determine measurement systemTrack performance

Assessment, Training, Certification

Define Skills

The ideal metrics would be:

•Valid

•Reliable

•Based upon an agency that has a solid reputation

The WorkKeys® Process

Research

Training

Profiling

Assessments

WorkKeys® Skill AreasFoundational Skills• Reading for Information* (Levels 3-7)• Applied Mathematics* (Levels 3-7)• Locating Information* (Levels 3-6)• Applied Technology (Levels 3-6)• Teamwork (Levels 3-6)• Observation (Levels 3-6)• Listening (Levels 1-5)• Writing (Levels 1-5)• Business Writing (Levels 1-5)Personal Skills• Talent - predicts characteristics such as cooperation, discipline, influence, and stability

• Fit - interests and values to determine the fit between a candidate and occupations in an organization

• Performance - measures tendency towards unsafe behaviors and attitudes towards work

** 85% of ALL occupations utilize

these skills

WorkKeys Skill Scale

WorkKeys Identifies Skill GapsBy comparing the job profile and individual assessment results, skills gaps can be identified

3

4

3

4

3

4

5 5

6

3

4

AppliedMathematics

3

4

Reading forInformation

3

4

LocatingInformation

5

Skills Gap

Skills Gap

Individual Results

KeyTrain

5

6

Job Profile

Does Not Apply Math Well

Doesn’t Understand What He/She Reads

Struggles with Teamwork

Workplace Soft Skills

Writing Skills are Lacking

Trouble with Workplace Graphics

Applied Math

Locating Information

Business Writing

Teamwork

Reading for Information

Personal Skills - Talent

Poor in Interviews

Can’t Balance Checkbook

Job Search Skills

Financial Awareness/Budgeting

Solution Step 1 – The ACT WorkKeys Assessment System:

Lacks Career Direction/GoalsCareer Exploration linked to actual job profiles

Finding a Solution: Creating Metrics

and coordinating activities:

WorkKeys is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc.

Training for College or Workplace?The needs of college and workplace-bound students are merging:

“Whether planning to enter college or workforce training programs after graduation, high school students need to be educated to a comparable level of readiness in reading and mathematics.”

- Ready for College and Ready for Work: Same or Different?, ACT, Inc.

• Nationally over half of college freshmen take at least one “remediation” course (usually math or reading)

• 2006 ACT performed a study that showed a direct correlation between WorkKeys score in Reading & Math level 5 & an ACT score of 21/22

• Most US colleges use an ACT score of 18 for the cutoff whether a student takes remediation

• Implication: K-12 students with a Gold Level CRC much less likely to take remedial studies in college

STEP 2 – Creating a Manageable System Career Ready 101™ Manages Curriculum based upon the WorkKeys System

Does Not Apply Math Well

Doesn’t Understand What He/She Reads

Trouble with Workplace Graphics

Needs to Show Up on Time

Struggles with Teamwork

Writing Skills are Lacking

Poor in Interviews

Can’t Balance Checkbook

Solution Step 2:

Career Ready 101 manages all aspects of instruction.

Difficulty with College Courses

Lacks Career Direction/Goals

Career Ready 101

Career Ready 101 Design Wizard

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday1 2 About CRC 3 Career Clusters 4 5 Interest

Assessments6 Exploring Career

Options7

8 9 Financial Awareness

10 Financial Awareness

11 12 Reality Check 13 Creating a Resume

14

15 16 Your Resume 17 Your Resume 18 19 Interviewing Skills 20 Interviewing Skills 2122 23 24 25 26 27 28

Completed Past Due Due Today

Career Ready 101My Course My Classes My Account My Reports

Easily creates customized class calendar meeting classroom needs:•Time per week, Time per semester•Facilities – computer lab access, etc•Component priorities given time and physical constraints

ChooseTime

Variables

ChooseFacility

Variables

PrioritizeComponents Edit

Instructor’s Class Dashboard Instructor’s Class Dashboard

Career Ready 101 Library

Career Ready 101 Library

Career Ready 101 Library

Career Ready 101 Library

Instructor’s Teaching Menu Instructor’s Teaching Menu

Instructor’s Calendar View Instructor’s Calendar View

Viewing a Lesson and Topic:Interactive Lessons or Classroom Presentations and Exercises

Viewing a Lesson and Topic:Interactive Lessons or Classroom Presentations and Exercises

Instructor-Led Lessons include lecture guides, presentations, handouts and printable quizzes.Instructor-Led Lessons include lecture guides,

presentations, handouts and printable quizzes.

Career Ready 101 Class Reports

Career Ready 101 Student Reports

Career Ready 101 Organization Reports

Georgia High School Graduation Test

Population% KeyTrain Users Passing % Non-KeyTrain Users

Passing

At-Risk 94% 57%

African American 93% 59%

Special Education 90% 27%

Low Socio-Economic 93% 36%

Population% KeyTrain Users Passing % Non-KeyTrain Users

Passing

At-Risk 96% 76%

African American 93% 77%

Special Education 94% 50%

Low Socio-Economic 97% 65%

GHSGT English/Language Arts

GHSGT Math

Sample KeyTrain Results

Results

Chicago Public Schools - PSAEKeyTrain was implemented in over 100 high schools. Students who completed at least one level in KeyTrain =

One full level higher on WorkKeys Applied Mathematics on average.

One half level higher on WorkKeys Reading for Information on average.(Sample size > 1100 per group, less than 5 hours KeyTrain use per skill.)

More than 130,000 students have been enrolled in KeyTrain at CPS, and over 430,000 contact hours have been logged.

The effect of KeyTrain is significant at a confidence level of over 99%.

Tidewater CC and Norfolk PS – Best Key ProgramKeyTrain is the primary tool for helping students prepare the GED

• First attempt success rate on the GED has been 89 - 94%. • Nearly 400 students completed their GED and have been

placed in jobs, the military or college. • A 100% success and placement rate was recorded in a

recent class of more than 100 students.

ResultsGED Programs

Career/Tech Education - Oklahoma• With some usage of KeyTrain remediation 78% increased

at least one level• For all three tests:

– 6.3% at Level 3– 40% at Level 4– 30% at Level 5– 20% at Level 6– 3.8% at Level 7

• 94% at Level 4 or above• 50% at Level 5 or above

Results

Central New Mexico Community CollegeRetention • English 98 + KeyTrain: 81% course retention • English 98 alone: 60% course retention

WorkKeys Reading for Information • English 98 + KeyTrain: 78% scored Level 4 or higher • English 98 alone: 57% scored Level 4 or higher

Pre vs. Post Accuplacer Scores • English 98 + KeyTrain: 46% increased Accuplacer

performance • English 98 alone: 35% increased Accuplacer performance

Results

Does Not Apply Math Well

Doesn’t Understand What He/She Reads

Trouble with Workplace Graphics

Needs to Show Up on Time

Struggles with Teamwork

Writing Skills are Lacking

Poor in Interviews

Can’t Balance Checkbook

National Career Readiness Certificate

Solution Step 3:Certify basic and workplace skills using the National Career Readiness Certificate

Difficulty with College Courses

Lacks Career Direction/Goals

Diploma and NCRC demonstratesReady for College/Ready for WorkDiploma and NCRC demonstratesReady for College/Ready for Work

The National Career Readiness Certificate is a trademark of ACT, Inc.

Important Elements of the System• WorkKeys – Assessments from ACT, Inc.

– Foundational Skills– Personal Skills

• KeyTrain – Online Curriculum from Thinking Media– Demonstrated improvement of Foundational Skills– Complete coverage of Personal Skills

• National Career Readiness Certificate™ (NCRC)– Credential certifying 3 most common foundational skills– Issued by ACT; many states issue comparable state CRC’s

• Career Ready 101™– KeyTrain curriculum plus new career readiness curriculum,

classroom management tools, and course calendaring

Skill Areas of The Career Readiness Certificates – Reading for Information– Applied Mathematics– Locating Information

Three Certificate levels:• Bronze – Minimum of Level 3 in all Skill Areas

– Qualified for 30% of Jobs• Silver – Minimum of Level 4

– Qualified for 65% of Jobs• Gold – Minimum of Level 5

– Qualified for 85% of Jobs

NCRC Provides Information on Skills

NCRC STATE

CRC STATE CERTIFICATES

WORKKEYS REGIONAL ACTIVITY

LIMITED WORKKEYS ACTIVITY

The NCRC is Nationally Accepted

Benefits of an NCRC

• Portable credential for basic workplace skills

• Business: Easy way to measure skills

• Individuals: Easy way to demonstrate skills

• Economic Development: Document the quality of workforce

• Education, Workforce Development, Training Organizations, and Business: Speak a common language

KeyTrainWhat sets us apart:

•A clear roadmap for implementing a complete career readiness strategy

•Don’t have to be an expert in career readiness to deliver an effective solution

•Single sign-on that combines previously separate information obtained from a wide variety of web sites and sources

•Flexible delivery – self-paced study, classroom learning, or a blend of the two.

•Intelligent class setup helps instructors recommends best combination of resources

•Multiple views for classroom presentation, grading or accountability reporting

•Creates a single point of accountability and ease of management.

A Comprehensive System

A course for life