Forum Guide to College and Career Readiness Data - Practical guide for SEAs and LEAs

Oct 15, 2026

The Forum Guide to College and Career Readiness (CCR) Data explains how state and local education agencies collect, integrate, report, and use high-quality CCR data across K-12, postsecondary, and workforce systems. It outlines purposes for supporting educator decisions, measuring progress toward CCR accountability and continuous improvement, enabling postsecondary feedback loops, and expanding career opportunities. The guide summarizes best practices, key considerations, emerging needs, and real-world district and state examples, also comparing college readiness and career readiness data and describing evolving CCR data system requirements and uses.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages77

Reading Time3 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Publication Objectives

Intended Audience

Organization of This Resource

Development of Forum Products

Forum Guide to College and Career Readiness Data ii Readiness National Cooperative Education Statistics System The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) established the National Cooperative Education Statistics System (Cooperative System) to assist in producing and maintaining comparable and uniform information and data on early childhood, elementary, and secondary education. These data are intended to be useful for policymaking at the federal, state, and local levels. The National Forum on Education Statistics (Forum) is an entity of the Cooperative System and, among its other activities, proposes principles of good practice to assist state and local education agencies (SEAs and LEAs) in meeting this purpose. The Cooperative System and the Forum are supported in these endeavors by resources from NCES. Publications of the Forum do not undergo the same formal review required for products of NCES. The information and opinions published here are those of the Forum and do not represent the policy or views of NCES, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), or the U.S. Department of Education (ED) . November 2025 Other Forum publications may be found at the websites listed below. The NCES Home Page address is [http://nces.ed.gov](http://nces.ed.gov). The NCES Publications and Products address is [http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch](http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch). The Forum Home Page address is [http://nces.ed.gov/forum](http://nces.ed.gov/forum). Suggested Citation National Forum on Education Statistics. (2025) . Forum Guide to College and Career Readiness Data (NFES 2026-003) . U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Foreword The Forum is pleased to present the Forum Guide to College and Career Readiness (CCR) Data. The purpose of this document is to explore how SEAs and LEAs effectively collect, integrate, report, and use high-quality CCR data to prepare students for the postsecondary and dynamic global workforce. High-quality data in integrated K-12, postsecondary, and workforce data systems are valuable to all CCR stakeholders when they are used to: • support educators in identifying and addressing student-specific needs; • measure progress made by education agencies in achieving CCR accountability and continuous improvement goals; • guide CCR programmatic decisions through the use of postsecondary feedback loops; and • maximize career opportunities for all students. This document serves as a practical guide for SEAs and LEAs in determining the types of data, reporting and analysis tools, and data system connections essential to support CCR efforts. It also highlights emerging developments in CCR pathways and data systems. Publication Objectives This resource will: • highlight best practices, important considerations, and emerging needs in the processes of collecting, integrating, reporting, and using CCR data; • discuss the importance of high-quality CCR data in education and workforce data systems; • provide insights into the differences between college readiness data and career readiness data; • examine the evolving landscape ofCCR data systems, requirements, and uses; • identify the types of data, tools, and systems that are needed to effectively support an agency’s local, state, and federal CCR reporting; • explore solutions to and share valuable lessons learned in effectively addressing challenges related to CCR data; and • provide real-world examples from districts and states that have implemented successful CCR data practices. Intended Audience The primary audience for this publication includes education agencies and others with an interest in preparing K-12 students to be college and career ready. SEA and LEA staff who are responsible for the data needed to support or manage CCR efforts and metrics may find this guide especially useful. The higher education and workforce communities also may find this guide

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the Forum Guide to CCR Data?

It shows how SEAs and LEAs can effectively collect, integrate, report, and use high-quality CCR data to prepare students for postsecondary education and a dynamic global workforce.

Which stakeholders benefit when CCR data are used in integrated data systems?

High-quality CCR data benefits educators and CCR stakeholders across K-12, postsecondary, and workforce data systems when used to support student needs, accountability, and continuous improvement.

How does the guide distinguish between college readiness and career readiness data?

It explains the differences between the two data types and places their roles within evolving CCR data systems, requirements, and uses.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan