The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act takes a student-centered and competency-based approach to create four strategies to help students prepare for postsecondary and career opportunities: offering a Postsecondary and Career Expectations framework, piloting competency-based high school graduation requirements, supporting students to avoid remediation in college through targeted math instruction during the senior year, and creating a new system for school districts to award college and career pathways endorsements on high school diplomas.
Public Act 99-0674
, was signed into law on July 29, 2016. The Act was amended in 2018 by
Public Act 100-0599.
Postsecondary and Career Expectations
The Postsecondary and Career Expectations framework outlines what students should know and actions they should take from middle school through 12
th grade to select the right postsecondary option, prepare for careers, and access financial aid opportunities.
Competency-Based Education Pilot
Competency-based programs assess and advance students based on their demonstrated mastery of skills and knowledge. The competency-based model removes the constraints of “seat time" and allows for student-driven learning inside and outside of the classroom. This approach can make education more relevant both to students and to employers.
Transitional Mathematics
The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act includes a comprehensive model of helping students seamlessly transition from secondary education to postsecondary education and the workforce. The transitional math instruction provides high school students a means to address college readiness in mathematics before high school graduation, enabling students to earn guaranteed placement into college-level math classes at all Illinois community colleges and accepting universities.
College and Career Pathway Endorsement
The PWR Act includes a voluntary process for school districts to award College and Career Pathway Endorsements to high school graduates. Students earn endorsements by completing an individualized learning plan, a career-focused instructional sequence, and professional learning opportunities. By June 30, 2019, eligible school districts will submit information to offer College and Career Pathway Endorsement programs for 2020 high school graduates.
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