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Aligning Incentives with Opportunity in College and Career Readiness across Rural Texas. Policy Brief No. 3

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Title: Aligning Incentives with Opportunity in College and Career Readiness across Rural Texas. Policy Brief No. 3
Language: English
Authors: Jacob Kirksey, Jennifer Freeman, Wesley Edwards, Brian Holzman, Han Bum Lee, Texas Tech University (TTU), Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education (CIRCLE)
Source: Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education. 2026.
Availability: Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education. Texas Tech University, College of Education, 3002 18th Street, Room 168, Lubbock, TX 79409. Tel: 806-834-2923; e-mail: circle.educ@ttu.edu; Web site: https://hdl.handle.net/2346/88837
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 5
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Texas 2036
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: College Readiness, Career Readiness, Rural Schools, Accountability, Incentives, Dual Enrollment, Associate Degrees, College Entrance Examinations, Credentials, Education Work Relationship
Geographic Terms: Texas
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: SAT (College Admission Test), ACT Assessment
Abstract: Using statewide longitudinal data that link high school graduates to college and the workforce, we examined differences in college and workforce outcomes for students who were considered CCMR-ready, with a focus on the differences in how they met CCMR criteria. We find that when rural students met specific CCMR indicators, they experienced significant gains in college and the workforce. In contrast, when students met other criteria, they fared no better compared to students who met no CCMR benchmark. Importantly, we show that rural students are meeting these high-value indicators at higher rates than students in non-rural districts, demonstrating that meaningful college readiness is not only possible in rural settings but already being achieved by many districts.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679044
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: Aligning Incentives with Opportunity in College and Career Readiness across Rural Texas. Policy Brief No. 3
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jacob+Kirksey%22">Jacob Kirksey</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jennifer+Freeman%22">Jennifer Freeman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wesley+Edwards%22">Wesley Edwards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brian+Holzman%22">Brian Holzman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Han+Bum+Lee%22">Han Bum Lee</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Texas+Tech+University+%28TTU%29%2C+Center+for+Innovative+Research+in+Change%2C+Leadership%2C+and+Education+%28CIRCLE%29%22">Texas Tech University (TTU), Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education (CIRCLE)</searchLink>
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  Data: Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education. Texas Tech University, College of Education, 3002 18th Street, Room 168, Lubbock, TX 79409. Tel: 806-834-2923; e-mail: circle.educ@ttu.edu; Web site: https://hdl.handle.net/2346/88837
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Readiness%22">College Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Readiness%22">Career Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Accountability%22">Accountability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Incentives%22">Incentives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dual+Enrollment%22">Dual Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Associate+Degrees%22">Associate Degrees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Entrance+Examinations%22">College Entrance Examinations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Credentials%22">Credentials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink>
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  Data: Using statewide longitudinal data that link high school graduates to college and the workforce, we examined differences in college and workforce outcomes for students who were considered CCMR-ready, with a focus on the differences in how they met CCMR criteria. We find that when rural students met specific CCMR indicators, they experienced significant gains in college and the workforce. In contrast, when students met other criteria, they fared no better compared to students who met no CCMR benchmark. Importantly, we show that rural students are meeting these high-value indicators at higher rates than students in non-rural districts, demonstrating that meaningful college readiness is not only possible in rural settings but already being achieved by many districts.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED679044
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679044
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 5
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: College Readiness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Readiness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Accountability
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      – SubjectFull: Incentives
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      – SubjectFull: Dual Enrollment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Associate Degrees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Entrance Examinations
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      – SubjectFull: Credentials
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      – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Texas
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: SAT (College Admission Test)
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      – SubjectFull: ACT Assessment
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      – TitleFull: Aligning Incentives with Opportunity in College and Career Readiness across Rural Texas. Policy Brief No. 3
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