Career Readiness: WorkKeys FAQs What is WorkKeys? How is it being used in CCSD and SC? And, how can we help students improve their career-readiness?

From a student’s perspective… Damon's Story

What Is WorkKeys? System from ACT designed to help students develop better workplace skills Measurement of skills employers believe are critical to job success Measurement of skills valuable for any occupation – skilled or professional- at any level of education

WorkKeys Assessment Results Can earn students a National Career Readiness Certificate Prove what students can do rather than what they know

Being “career ready” means meeting the standard for Level 4 or higher in all three areas assessed – locating information, reading for information, and applied math. A silver, gold, or platinum certificate designates a student as career ready.

WorkKeys Skill Areas Applied Mathematics Reading for Information Locating Information WorkKeys is the most recognized national standard for assessing workplace/career readiness. WorkKeys was given to all 3rd-year high school students in SC in Spring 2015 and will be given to that same demographic this year. It measures career readiness in three areas. In 2015, 66.5% of the students assessed in CCSD were “career ready” based on these scores (compared with 62.9% in SC overall).

Locating Information Tests students’ ability to interpret typical graphics that may be encountered in the workplace Includes various types of graphs, charts, tables, diagrams, schematics, and measurement instruments Tests students’ general ability to analyze and draw conclusions from graphics

Locating Information Range of difficulty (Levels 3 -6) - easy questions simply require students to locate information - more difficult questions require students to use graphics to make conclusions about a hypothetical scenario

Locating Information Difficulty Level 3 Graphics are in a simple format and contain a low level of detail. Questions are usually straightforward and require the tester to only locate information rather than draw conclusions from it.

Locating Information Difficulty Level 4 Graphics typically have more detail and less intuitive format than Level 3 graphics. Questions, however, are usually straightforward.

Locating Information Difficulty Level 5 Graphics are highly detailed and in a format that is either abstract or non-intuitive to many people. Questions often require summarizing information, identifying trends, or drawing conclusions.

Locating Information Difficulty Level 6 Graphics are highly complex. Questions usually require drawing conclusions about hypothetical scenarios.

Locating Information Leveled Examples: https://www.act.org/workkeys/assess/locate/sample3.html

Reading for Information Skill Area Tests students’ ability to read and understand typical documents encountered in the workplace. Inclusive of a large amount of literature/text: contracts or other legal documents safety warnings or instructions checklists lists of instructions or procedures OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines employee memorandums

Reading for Information Range of Difficulty (Levels 3-7) Basic questions will simply require students to spot information in a relatively simple passage. Most advanced questions will require a thorough understanding of complex passages, and the use of that information to draw conclusions about a hypothetical scenario.

Reading for Information Skill Area Difficulty Level 3 Short and relatively simple passages (usually in the form of bulleted lists or brief memorandums) Simple sentence structure and basic vocabulary Straightforward questions that require identifying details rather then drawing conclusions Example could be a note in the company kitchen explaining where to put food or dishes

Reading for Information Difficulty Level 4 Requires identifying details in the passages rather than drawing complex conclusions Longer passages with more information Written in more complex style Details more difficult to spot

Reading for Information Difficulty Level 5 Passages feature more complex sets of instructions or details Less focused questions on identifying details from passages and more focused on drawing basic conclusions from details

Reading for Information Difficulty Level 6 Often include legal agreements, governmental or regulatory documents Usually written in more formal, less readable way than previous levels May ask test takers to use context clues and logic to define terms in a passage Questions may require drawing conclusions, or explaining why a particular conclusion is correct or incorrect based on information in the passage

Reading for Information Difficulty Level 7 Passages include complex legal, regulatory, or procedural documents Although similar in scope to Level 6, questions are more difficult

Reading for Information Leveled Examples: https://www.act.org/workkeys/assess/reading/sample3.html

Applied Math Leveled Examples: https://www.act.org/workkeys/assess/math/sample3.html

Career Readiness 2015 ACT WorkKeys©: Grade 11 No Certificate Bronze Career Ready Silver Gold Platinum % Career Ready CCSD 12.7% 20.8% 35.8% 29.2% 1.5% 66.5% SC 12.1% 25.1% 40.0% 22.1% 0.8% 62.9% The 20.8% of Bronze certificate earners represents approximately 247 students who failed to demonstrate Level 4 (Silver) proficiency in math alone. If as few as ½ of these bubble students for workplace readiness demonstrated 1 level of growth after having received extra help and re-tested in WorkKeys (which is free) at the end of their senior year, our District Career Readiness % would increase to 71.1% from 66.5%.

2,769 current 12th graders took WorkKeys last year 2,769 current 12th graders took WorkKeys last year. Of these students, 572 earned a Bronze certificate. Of these 572 students earning a Bronze certificate, 287students missed by 1 skill. Of these students lacking Level 4 proficiency (Silver) in one skill, 86% missed in math proficiency. That means that we have an opportunity to help 247 seniors achieve workplace readiness and earn a silver certificate by June 2016.

Stall is light red (44).

Resources Career Ready 101 – KeyTrain, Soft skills support, other resources SLC Support – Weebly & Google Doc

The SLC Curriculum Team is here to help! Katherine_Gehr Gwendolyn_Benton Deitra_Clegg (Lynn) Christine_Harley Catherine_Mahoney Tralice_Reddock