Confronting college readiness in the USA: a public policy review and recommendation

Educational policymakers in the USA face the challenging task of defining the value of a high school diploma. Research has demonstrated that successfully completing secondary education does not automatically result in comparable success in college. Therefore college readiness and the creation and implementation of policies that improve students' chances for success must be on the education policy agenda. We provide an overview of how college readiness is conceptualised at various educational levels and highlight current efforts aimed at addressing this issue. Finally, we suggest that policy proposals that contend with college readiness in the USA are not enough, that policy solutions that bridge secondary and postsecondary education should be mandated.