FIGURE 30 . PUBLIC REVIEW OF TENNESSEE ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Math / English Language Arts
Public Website ( Estimated Count of Reviews )
Source : Tennessee State Board of Education , 2016
Roundtables ( Number of Participants )
169,000 223
Science 39,000 89
Social Studies 118,000 192
EARLY POSTSECONDARY COURSEWORK . Research shows that students who participate in rigorous early postsecondary courses or take advantage of dual enrollment at both their high school and a postsecondary institution are more likely to meet college-ready benchmarks , less likely to require remedial English and math , have higher four- and six-year college completion rates , and achieve higher earnings . 40 41 Early postsecondary opportunities ( EPSOs ) refer to courses and experiences available to high school students that can lead to earning credits toward a postsecondary credential or industry certification before graduation . Increasing student access to , and completion of , EPSOs is crucial to meeting Tennessee ’ s Drive to 55 .
EPSOs include Advanced Placement ( AP ), International Baccalaureate ( IB ), Cambridge International Examinations , and dualenrollment or dual-credit courses intended to improve college attainment , as well as career-technical internships , externships , and industry certifications . Compared to 2014 , Tennessee students earned 7,500 more postsecondary credits in 2016 . Nearly 28,000 students took at least one AP exam , an 8.8 percent increase compared to 2015 . 42
EPSOs hold potential to raise overall postsecondary attainment and close gaps related to students ’ income background . Economically disadvantaged students with EPSO credits currently enroll in fouryear universities at the same rate as nondisadvantaged students without such credits . Wide gaps in EPSO enrollment among student subgroups show the need for urgent efforts to increase access ( Figure 31 ).
Tennessee is pursuing policies and programs to expand early postsecondary and career opportunities for students and working with businesses and higher education institutions to make sure these opportunities are in line with demands of the 21 st century workforce . Addressing gaps in access to EPSOs remains an area for enhanced equity of opportunity .
PG . 38