College and Career Readiness, also known as CCR, is a course that every student at Pleasant Valley is required to take. The objective of the class is to prepare students for their post-secondary life and path. However, some students have complained about the level of engagement in the course.
CCR is a course that was mandated by Iowa law. In 2021 Pleasant Valley started teaching this class. Students need to have somewhat of a plan for their lives after they graduate high school. CCR is a course to aid students in their decision-making for their future.
One of Pleasant Valley’s counselors and CCR educator, Ellie Thomas explained the reasoning behind CCR. “It’s important for students graduating from high school to have all of the knowledge possible about postsecondary options to make the best, informed decision about their future,” she said.
Thomas elaborated on the topics discussed in CCR. “We discuss GPA, high school credits, the Regents Admission Index (RAI), postsecondary readiness, academic testing, create a resume, … exploring majors and postsecondary institutions, ACT & SAT testing, financial aid and scholarships, professional communication…how to send a transcript, specific application questions” she stated. These subjects that are explored in CCR are important for a student to be familiar with prior to graduating high school.
Junior Hannah Horsfield described her opinion on CCR. “I like the idea of the class; however, I don’t think we learn much about colleges, we are more so told,” she said. Horsefield elaborated on the idea that instead of being taught major life skills, students are told what to do in an unengaging way.
The main websites that students use for assignments and coursework are Xello and Everfi. Horsfield described her personal experience with these websites and how they affected her engagement in CCR. “I think Xello and Everfi lessons can be very tedious and become a repetitive task. Since they are so long and full of bulky paragraphs, students tend to focus on getting them done as fast as possible rather than actually paying attention to the course,” Horsfield explained.
Thomas shared her experience with PVHS students’ engagement in CCR. “Students complete the work required in CCR because it is a required course- so that engagement is high. I think the level of engagement varies by grade and the lesson presented,” she said.
Horsfield shared what she would personally change about CCR. “I would change the lessons to being more engaging with the classroom rather than all of the online work. I would also change having class to only once a week because the courses tend to be repetitive and unneeded,” she said.
