Elementary School College & Career Readiness
Effective college and career readiness counseling begins in kindergarten and continues through high school. In elementary school, we are laying the foundation for the work of College & Career Readiness in middle and high schools.
Your Child’s School Counselor is a Great Resource for College & Career Readiness
The National Office for School Counseling Advocacy (NOSCA) provides ideas for parents of elementary age students to meet the six standards for College & Career Readiness.



College Aspirations
Help your child develop a positive engagement in school and build high aspirations.
Help your child get to school on time every day. Attendance matters!
Introduce your child to the world around them and connect their likes and interests to their community.
Academic Planning for College & Career Readiness
Support your child academically, help them engage in school, chart their knowledge and skill development, and encourage social interactions that lay the foundation for college and career readiness.
Create a positive and productive learning environment at home, including showing interest in what your child is learning and having a quiet space for homework.
Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement
Support your child’s participation in enrichment and extracurricular
activities.Develop academic and activity calendars and use portfolios to highlight your student’s accomplishments.
Participate in and support school-sponsored enrichment and extracurricular activities, like field trips to museums, colleges, competitions, plays, and concerts.



College & Career Exploration and Selection Processes
Encourage early academic and workforce readiness skills by creating consistent routines that reinforce character and skill-building, such as getting-ready patterns.
Participate in your Parent Teacher Association (PTA), as well as to adopt
leadership roles that fit with your abilities, talents and interests as a parent.Cultivate their children’s interests by paying close attention to their activities during non-school time and talking with their children about how their interests are related to school success and career opportunities.
College & Career Assessments
Assist your child in developing a positive perspective on assessments as tools for gathering information and learning about themselves.
Create a positive home environment that helps your child plan for assessments while reducing test anxiety, encouraging positive engagement and highlighting students’ strengths.
Visit with your school counselor about potential college and career assessments/inventories that are available in middle school.
College Affordability Planning
Help your child develop early awareness of financial literacy, including the use of piggy banks and allowances.
Begin a saving’s account for your child and visit with him or her about the importance of saving.
Learn about the difference between favorable and unfavorable debt as you plan for their child’s future.