Professional Development for College and CAreer Readiness Practictioners

College Board Conference - March 2026 Takeaways

• Inspirational Notes

  • Don't let life just happen to you. How are you going to be an impact on the world. 

  • Exposure and belief in studens is vital

• New Releases

  • AP Cybersecurity - from entry level to Security Plus, Pass certificates, CompTIA security Plus, CyberSecurity via CISCO, Network security

    • teaches you how to secure a network, set up your own network, and keep a business going during a cyberattack

  • AP Business w/ Personal Finance - entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, accounting, management, case studies, PBL

• DMV

  • Non-Profit: The Spark Academy

    • Founded by 3 students from CH Flowers High School: Halmed Kamaru and Kinglsey Nwogy

    • with support from Dr. Merlin Fitzpatrick

    • Targeting DC students to learn about coding and computers. Hands on engineering and coding workshops

  • STEM internships with CYEP - Capitol Youth Empowerment - https://cyep.org/stem-education/ 

• Breakout Sessions

  • Dream Achieve Framework - Dismantling Inequities in Postsecondayr PLanning

    • Margot Todman-Mack - UPenn EdD - Dissertation: Postsecondary planning for black and latinx students

    • Tara Yoso - asset based supports

  • Relevance Reach REadiness - Building Pathways that ELad to Social Mobility

    • building pathways that help AFricam American students thrive academically while connecting them to meaningul career opportunities

    • Moderator: Ledra Ishop - VP Higher Ed, membership access at College Board

    • Need

      • strong adiving

      • early college and career opportunities

      • broader access to rigorous pathways

      • strengthening academic rigor

      • expanding reach deliberately and thoughtfully

    • What does a ready student look like?

      • academic preparation

      • career exposure

      • not needing to take remedical college courses

      • criticla thin king

      • emontional and social aspect

      • Earn Degree, go to work, have a life long career

      • average age of community college entry is 27