Evaluation of the Integrating College and Career Readiness Demonstration Initiative (ICCR)
In the summer of 2013, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) funded five school districts - Chicopee, Gill- Montague, Hampden-Wilbraham, Northbridge, and Weymouth - to serve as demonstration sites for the Integrating College and Career Readiness (ICCR) Demonstration Initiative. The purpose of this competitive grant program was to provide start-up support to districts to build a more comprehensive approach to college and career readiness (CCR) through the creation, expansion, and integration of activities that mutually support academic, socialemotional development, and workplace readiness skills for all students in grades 7-12. ESE used the funding opportunity to promote the scaling up of CCR strategies so that all students ultimately would be served, though it did not expect districts to be able to serve all students by the end of the two year grant.
The Institute conducted the evaluation of the ICCR Demonstration Initiative, visiting each district, conducting interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders, and administering student and personnel surveys to explore the impacts of integrating CCR into the participating middle schools and high schools. All five districts used the 2013-14 school year as a planning year and the 2014-15 school year for program implementation. This issue brief summarizes both district-specific ICCR activities and cross-district achievements, challenges, factors for success, student outcomes, and suggestions for other schools and districts planning to advance their efforts to integrate CCR education.
November 30, 2015
