What is “P-16”?

P-16 is the term used to represent efforts to infuse three largely disconnected levels of public education – pre-school, K-12, and postsecondary – with a greater coherence and a stronger sense of connectedness. P-16 stakeholders include leaders in P-12, higher education, and the business community. Stakeholders work collaboratively to foster a more integrated education system, while addressing such issues as college readiness standards, teacher education, and educational resource development.

Goals

The primary goals of a P-16 system are as follows:

• Expand access to early learning for children ages 3 to 5 and improve their readiness for kindergarten
• Smooth student transitions from one level of learning to the next
• Close the achievement gap between white and minority students
• Upgrade teacher education and professional development
• Strengthen relationships between families and schools
• Create a wider range of learning experiences and opportunities for students in the final two years of high school
• Improve college readiness and college success.
• Other activities including raising scholarships, creating promotional campaigns, and providing incentives or recognition awards for high academic performance.

Basic Assumptions of P-16

Building this system starts with a number of assumptions about a P-16 system. While it is not necessary to accept these specific assumptions, it is important to articulate the assumptions that underlie any chosen approach. The assumptions on which this model was built are listed below.

1. Every child can learn – regardless of income, gender, race, ethnicity, geographic location or disability – and deserves an equal opportunity to develop his or her abilities in a high-quality public education system. A P-16 system should facilitate achievement of this goal.
2. Recent research teaches the importance of giving early learners high levels of age-appropriate stimulation. A system that makes learning opportunities available for all early learners will pay dividends to both individuals and society.
3. An education system should be responsive to the context of its times. At this moment in history, such a system needs to prepare learners to function successfully in a diverse democracy and a global economy that relies on information and technology.
4. Participants in the education system – students, parents, educators, legislators – should be encouraged to work together for the benefit of learners and expect to be held accountable for results, and these results should be made public on a regular basis.
5. At each level, educators should interact with their colleagues working with learners at the next lower and higher levels, and ensure that each learner is prepared for the challenges ahead and moves smoothly from level to level.
6. The education system should be flexible enough to respond to the changing and increasingly diverse environment in which it exists and the increasingly diverse students it education.

Benefits

“P-16” describes an integrated system of education stretching from preschool (the “P”) through a four-year college degree (“grade 16”). It is designed to improve student achievement by getting children off to a good start, raising academic standards, conducting appropriate assessments, improving teacher quality and generally smoothing student transitions from one level of learning to the next. It also focuses on helping all children meet the proficiency levels needed to succeed at the next education level and in the workforce.

• Expose students to career options & role models
• Better prepared workforce
• Healthier school, business & community culture
• Help solve local problems
• Improve standing within the community
• Opportunity for University & P-12 students & faculty to learn across diverse populations

P-16 in Texas

In 2005, the Texas Legislature modified and strengthened the P-16 statute by passing House Bill 2808 Section 61.076. This legislation helped to define P-16 council efforts by outlining the following objectives:

• Alignment between the goals of the State P-16 Council and educational programs to promote more effective functionality of the public education continuum.
• Coordination of plans and programs, including curricula, instructional programs, research, and other functions as appropriate.
• Examine and make recommendations regarding the alignment of secondary and postsecondary education curricula and testing and assessment.
• Advise the board and the State Board of Education on the coordination of postsecondary career and technology activities, career and technology teacher education programs offered or proposed to be offered in the colleges and universities of this state, and other relevant matters.