Houston’s students are making gains in college, career, and military readiness (CCMR) — but the progress hides some big gaps. College readiness jumped 10 points, but Black and emergent bilingual students are still being left behind. And more students are meeting CCMR benchmarks through easier pathways that may not set them up for long-term success.
CCMR measures whether students graduate prepared for life after high school, as defined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Students qualify by meeting at least one of the following:
- College Readiness: Scoring well on the SAT, ACT, or Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA), earning college credit through AP/IB exams or dual credit courses, or obtaining an associate degree.
- Career or Military Readiness: Earning an industry-based certification (IBC) through Career and Technical Education (CTE) or enlisting in the military.
Progress with Persistent Gaps
Houston’s overall CCMR rate rose nearly 10 percentage points from 2022 to 2023, driven largely by improvements in college readiness. However, equity gaps remain:
- Black students (64%) and emergent bilingual students (65%) still trail the regional average (74%).
- The gap between Black and white students (19 points) has widened since 2019.
Research suggests these gaps may be due to unequal access to advanced classes and college and career counseling in schools serving predominantly Black and emergent bilingual students. Several parents who have participated in Good Reason Houston’s Learning Curve Conversations series, an avenue in which we hear perspectives from various community stakeholders, agree.
“I don’t think we pay enough attention to understanding the subtle ways that non-English speaking students and Black students are overlooked in college and career prep—whether it’s lower expectations, fewer opportunities, or not getting the right support to navigate the system,” one parent said.
Concerns About Rigor
But here’s the thing — not all college and career readiness measures are created equal. High-rigor indicators like AP/IB exams and SAT/ACT scores require more skill mastery and coursework.
- Dual credit and OnRamps participation is rising, but other high-rigor indicators are flat or declining. These courses allow students to earn college credit before they graduate high school that are often transferable to other colleges and universities.
- Industry certifications are growing, but TEA is increasing the standards to ensure they align with workforce needs. This includes reviewing and removing certifications that are not aligned with industry need and requiring students to complete coursework related to that certification. Which means that we can anticipate a temporary dip in CCMR rates as fewer students initially qualify under the heightened standards. This decline isn’t bad news—it signals a transition toward more meaningful preparation that better serves students’ futures
- College preparatory courses are growing. However, these courses are designed for students who do not pass their STAAR End of Course Assessments and the standard for these courses is not well defined. In coming years, TEA will institute a proposal and review process for future graduating classes.
How are some Houston districts closing the gap?
Houston districts are making big moves to close gaps and open doors to college and career success — and it’s working. Next week, we’ll spotlight the districts that are proving it’s possible to close the gaps and the lessons we can all learn from their success. Don’t miss it!
