Waco ISD reports progress on college, career and military readiness; class of 2025 preliminarily exceeds near-term goal
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Summary
District staff reported progress under Priority 1.2 to increase college/career/military readiness. Preliminary data show 76.5% of the class of 2025 met at least one CCMR indicator, exceeding the district's 74% target for that cohort; staff outlined next steps including strengthened TSI cycles, dual-credit completion and expanded advising.
Dr. Dina Kornblum reviewed the district's Priority 1.2 goal to increase college, career and military readiness (CCMR) for Waco ISD graduates.
"When we think about college career military readiness, what we're talking about here is a measure of high school graduates preparedness for life after graduation," Dr. Kornblum told trustees. She described CCMR as an accountability indicator that counts graduates who meet at least one state-defined readiness measure (AP score or completion, dual credit, industry-based certifications, certain test scores or military enlistment).
Dr. Kornblum said the district's baseline for the class of 2024 was 62% and that the five-year strategic target is to reach 86% by August 2030. For the near-term accountability window the board reviewed, staff had set a 2026 target of 74% (based on the class of 2025 cohort). Preliminary data presented to the board showed the class of 2025 at 76.5% meeting CCMR criteria; grade-12 students stood at 74.8% on a cohort basis.
District staff noted growth in industry-based certifications (IBC) and dual-credit participation: 584 IBCs were earned during the reporting period, and 540 students earned at least one IBC (up significantly from the prior year). Staff credited expanded cohort advising, counselor planning, region 12 coaching and targeted SAT/TSI supports as contributors to the gains.
Planned district actions to strengthen CCMR included structured TSI readiness cycles and retesting logistics, actions to improve dual-credit completion rates, strengthened AP instructional supports and expanded pathways for associate-degree acceleration beginning in freshman or sophomore years. Staff also emphasized cohort tracking, PLC supports and campus-level CCMR focus meetings to monitor progress and intervene earlier for students off-path.
Board members praised the gains and asked about testing-out policies, planning time and how interventions are aligned to instruction. Dr. Kornblum described concrete steps the district is taking to align instructional supports, scale cohort tracking, and expand student advising tools.