1 of 19 Study • Data from Washington State • First time college students, tracked for 7 years • Focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged students Definitions: • Enter a concentration -take and pass at least three college-level courses within a focused field of study • SES -socioeconomic status • CTE -career-technical education Findings: 1. Low SES were less likely to enter a concentration 2. Among those who enter a concentration -low SES were: a. less likely to enter liberal arts and sciences b. more likely to enter CTE 3. Completion rates are lower in general in CTE concentration. 4. Low SES students are: a. Overrepresented in fields with low completion rates (education, childcare, etc.) b. Well represented among fields with high labor market returns (nursing, allied health, etc.) 5. Overall (regardless of SES), students were more likely to enter a concentration in liberal arts/sciences than CTE. 6. Majority of all first time students did not get far enough to enter a concentration. 7. Evidence of systemic problem in low completion rates, especially among low-SES Suggestions: • Encourage students into pathways that involve multiple, "stackable" credentials in CTE fields with relatively high labor market returns. • Increase the rate at which students enter programs of study. o If not able to increase completion rates, than at least we may increase completion numbers Charting pathways to completion for low-income community college students Article Review – J Illian 2 of 19 Completion – Pathways Presentation - ACCCA Completion by Design (CbD) Initiative: Challenge of Completion for College Financial Innovation tends to be isolated Change is hard, even when the will is there Challenge of Completion for Students Easy to enroll, easy to drop out Many enter without a clear plan, and need developmental education Lack of confidence, financial resources and family support Redesign Systems & Practices for Student Success Analyze and understand the common barriers and momentum points that students experience Create the conditions for change by empowering interdisciplinary, cross-campus delegations of faculty, staff and administrators Intermediate Objectives Raise the number and percentage of students who enter a program of study, and shorten the period between when students first enroll and when they enter a program Increase completion rates for students who have entered a program of study, and shorten the period in which they achieve completion Visualize the Student Experience and Completion by Design Framing Model: Preventing Loss Creating Momentum Strategies Completion & pathways: Moving from buzz-words to a student-centered approach Presentation Review – T Cummings 3 of 19 Completion – Pathways Presentation - ACCCA Analyze relevant Completion Data: Develop a Cohort Group – First-time-in-college (FTIC) cohort Break down Starting Program Levels Engage with the principles for redesign: Completion & pathways: Moving from buzz-words to a student-centered approach Presentation Review – T Cummings 4 of 19 Completion – Pathways Presentation - ACCCA Summary of Points: In order for students to follow a given pathway, the roadmap must be simple, easy to use and easy to understand. The guidance and advice they receive in the early stages of their community college experience is critical to their success. Students should be able to visualize what they will gain at the end of a program instead of concentrating on the right now. Students need to be able to project into their future selves in order to complete their degree programs. Accountability models can be designed for each phase of the pathway, from connection to completion. Program advising is needed at every step of the way. First Time In College (FTIC) students come from a variety of backgrounds. Understanding students’ possible complications that may hinder them from persevering and completing a program, can help substantially in guiding a student towards completion. Having the possibility of designing program interventions to help combat these issues before students “drop out” or “stop out” is crucial. Mentoring may be needed for those students who are “undecided” in their majors. Ideally, job-shadowing may help some to eliminate certain majors from their career list while helping others to chose that very same major. Student do need to “get with the program” but they need help to make an informed choice and not just guess at what they’d like to do and who they’d like to become in the future. Program orientations can help students in determining how they will handle the challenges that may present themselves as they go through the program. Program coordinators may be able to assist in intervention tactics when a student is found to be struggling in a program. Proper advising during a hardship can be critical in some students’ efforts at completion. Creating a “Things To Do” and “Things Not To Do” list for students to follow during each of these phases can greatly help in the intervention process. Students can be prompted to speak to an advisor when they are struggling in a specific class so that advisors can provide them with much needed academic support. These types of interventions can be automated (i.e., if a student is earning a C- or worse) with an email to both the student and the advisor. Completion & pathways: Moving from buzz-words to a student-centered approach Presentation Review – T Cummings 5 of 19 Career Pathways in Oregon Together, the community colleges through the Oregon Pathways Alliance, leaders from the 17 colleges and the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD) guided the statewide initiative and built the foundation for the initial study of completers. The State Board of Education approved a new short-term credit certificate, the Career Pathway Certificates of Completion (CPCC), in July 2007. These certificates, combined with existing Less Than One Year (LTOY) certificates, ensure flexible educational and skill building options for unemployed. Oregon is working with nine other states and the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) in an effort to develop a national framework for Career Pathways benchmarks and metrics, Oregon’s Career Pathways Initiative is a statewide strategy focused on increasing the number of Oregonians with certificates and degrees and contributing to achieving the “middle 40” result of Oregon’s40-40-20 goal: By 2025, 40 percent of Oregonians will have a postsecondary certificate or associate’s. Oregon’s Career Pathways Initiative is focused on ensuring that Oregonians are able to easily prepare for, access, and complete short-term certificate programs of less than one year that lead to either immediate employment in occupations in demand by employers, or provide a seamless “pathway” to then ext highest level of a degree or certificate related to the occupation. Employment and continued education are the dual objectives of Career Pathways. In Oregon there are two types of short-term certificates: Career Pathway Certificates of Completion (CPCC) and Less Than One Year (LTOY) certificates. Both are 12-44 credits and serve as intermediate steps toward an associate’s degree. Despite high unemployment, 44.5 percent of certificate completers entered employment at $12/hr. or more within four quarters of completing their certificate, with many completers earning more than $15/hr. Of those that entered employment, 48.1 percent were continuously employed for four quarters at $12/hr. or more. Their average wage was $17.68/hr. Most short-term certificate completers were more than 25 years of age and many were older than 45, with approximately one-third of the cohort between 45 and 64 years of age. Only 17.9 percent of completers were under 25 years of age. Short-term certificate completers (CPCC and LTOY) were fairly evenly divided between males and females. Courses are tied to competencies identified by employers for jobs in the local labor market. Between 2004 and 2012, with input from employers, an extensive infrastructure of more than 350 web-based Career Pathway “roadmaps” and high school to community college plans of study has been built for Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs to show students and job seekers how to attain longterm career and educational goals. Accessible online through community college and Oregon career and labor market websites, Career Pathway Roadmaps across the state average 45,000 page visits annually (www.MyPathCareers.org/cp). Pathways in Oregon: A descriptive student of the statewide initiative & initial cohort of completers. Article Review – B. Rentschler 6 of 19 In 2009, in partnership with the Oregon Association of Broadcasters, a 30-second video was produced which aired on Oregon radio and TV stations over a six month period. Lane Community College has also produced a 90-second video which is featured on their website (http://www2.lanecc.edu/pathways). • • • Increase the number of Oregonians who attain degrees, certificates and other credentials; Increase entry into employment and further education in fields of economic importance locally, regionally and statewide; and Increase wage gains for completers over time. Pathways in Oregon: A descriptive student of the statewide initiative & initial cohort of completers. Article Review – B. Rentschler 7 of 19 Pathways through College: Strategies for Improving Community College Student Success This article explores the reasons students leave community colleges. I. II. Problems a. Inadequate Academic Preparation i. Arriving at college without the academic foundation necessary to excel ii. Weak curricula, unclear standards, and lack of alignment between high school and college course work b. Remedial Education i. The longer it takes students to complete developmental education requirements, the less likely they are to remain in school ii. Complete College America reports 1. Fifty percent of students entering two year colleges are required to take remedial classes 2. Sixty-Seven percent of African American students, 58% of Hispanic students, and 64% of low-income students are required to take remedial classes c. Student Financial Aid i. Inadequate financial aid information ii. Rapidly rising costs iii. Financial aid system is complex and confusing d. Lack of Non-Academic Skills i. Navigating complex bureaucratic requirements ii. Utilizing good study habits and time management strategies iii. Engaging in new social relationships e. Competing Obligations i. Work and family life demands 1. Jobs 2. Children 3. Commute to school Solutions a. Solution for Inadequate Academic Preparation i. High school and college curricula alignment ii. Academic support should be embedded into first year courses and programs iii. Many states have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) iv. Early Assessment 1. Students are tested in high school 2. Students are able to address the problem before they enroll into college a. Howard Community College in Maryland is using early assessment to improve student success rates (Howard County Public School System to assess 11th grade readiness) b. Students meet with their guidance counselors and community college English faculty to discuss their preparedness for college level work b. Remedial Education i. “Fast-track” courses Pathways through college: Strategies for improving community college student success. Article Review – L. Gonzalez-Gronauer 8 of 19 1. Focus on specific, targeted issues 2. Progress at own pace 3. Complete remedial work more quickly ii. Learning Communities 1. Students take several remedial classes with the same group of peers 2. Students develop extra academic and social supports as they form friendships and help each other in their studies iii. Early College Experiences 1. Dual-enrollment 2. Summer bridge 3. Other early college programs c. Student Financial Aid i. Use Financial Aid and performance-based scholarships as incentives to keep students on track and reward their success as they progress through school ii. To align incentives with student success, states should provide funding based on student performance; instead of head-count d. Lack of Non-Academic Skills i. Orientation provides a valuable opportunity for students to understand how their school works ii. Summer-bridge programs e. Competing Obligations i. Financial Aid incentives can reduce the cost of college; which can reduce the number of hours spent working ii. Allowing some part-time students to switch to full time Pathways through college: Strategies for improving community college student success. Article Review – L. Gonzalez-Gronauer 9 of 19 Document Reviewed: “Pathways to Success” Author: Richard M. Rhodes, Ph.D. Reviewed by: Al Perry El Paso Community College • And Area high schools and UTEP -Achieve the Dream -Developmental Education Initiative I. Pathways • • • College Readiness Initiative Dual Credit Early College A. College Readiness- “Traditional Path” Phase 1: College Readiness Initiative • High School Juniors are required to: 1.) Comprehensive orientation for student and parent 2.) Complete joint EPCC/UTEP admissions application 3.) Test 4.) Interpretation of Scores 5.) Post-Test Interventions 6.) Re-test • Found biggest issue to be the students not understanding the importance of the test/ not studying for the test. • Unintended Consequence is the 1st generation students getting confident about their ability Pathways to success Review – A. Perry 10 of 19 Phase II: Summer Bridge Program (Project Dream) • • Provides intensive 5 week course of study for high graduates who have DE needs 1.) Improving basic skills 2.) Accessing college resources 3.) Developing college-going 4.) Developing Success strategies 5.) Enrolling in the fall semester 6.) Completing the fall semester in good standing Pre/Post Placement tests Phase III: Prep Program: “Pretesting Retesting Educational Preparation” • • • Assist incoming students through a case management approach, focusing on: significance of placement test; developing individual preparation program, and refreshing basic skills Also other facets of the college: financial aid, Registration… Pretest overview Phase IV: Developmental Education • • Melded Developmental Department with the other faculty in the departments in 3 sub categories: Math, Reading, and Writing Also worked to decrease redundancy and developmental sequences B. Dual Credit Program Serves to: • Jump start high school students’ acquisition of a degree • Incentive to go to college • Show the level of work is in reach academically and financially • El Paso Region Colleges waived tuition and fees. School districts purchased books. C. Early College High School • EPCC runs 4 early colleges • Students earn 60 transferrable credits, an associate degree, and a high school diploma II. Conclusion: The multi-phased approach to enrollment, retention, and graduation that is outlined in this article is undoubtedly one of the most effective and comprehensive methodologies I have read thus far. It clearly incorporates a culture in the universities, colleges, high schools, and in the community Pathways to success Review – A. Perry 11 of 19 that it is expected that all high school students graduate high school, enroll in college, and graduate from college… no exceptions. This article also created a cathartic moment for me: Our biggest hurdle is the finite timeline. Pathways to success Review – A. Perry 12 of 19 Pathways to Success February 2012 Purpose of this report - subtitle: Integrating Learning with Life and Work to Increase National College Completion. Contents include contributions from the higher education community to support increased degree completion among nontraditional students by 2020. A review of nontraditional students’ challenges to degree completion yields the following identified issues – from the Executive Summary: First, higher education is not structured to serve this population adequately nor are most financial aid programs. Second, unlike that for recent high school graduates, nationally representative data that tracks nontraditional college enrollment and persistence do not exist. Increasing college completion among nontraditional students must begin with careful consideration of the invaluable experience of those in higher education who have dedicated their professional lives to better integrate higher learning with the life and work of these students. The focus of the document includes: 1. Barriers to persistence 2. Best practices 3. Federal Role Premise: Nontraditional students are no longer the minority within college students. Note: Traditional students’ data collection information from 4-year institutions has yielded substantial data about enrollment shifts that need to be reviewed. At-risk characteristics of nontraditional students: • delays enrollment into postsecondary education • attends part-time • is financially independent of parents • works full-time while enrolled • has dependents other than a spouse • is a single parent • lacks a standard high school diploma (Horn & Carroll 1996). Recommendations 1. Make better use of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) which can provide relevant data from multiple institutions to document what success may look like and how successful pathways can be designed and structured. Pathways to success: Integrating learning with life and work to increase national college completion Article Review – J.Brown 13 of 19 2. Create more reasonable financial aid systems, or utilize existing options in a more effective manner – i.e. allowing Pell for half-time students who are also employed. 3. Improve/expand upon the role of the federal government i.e. Prior Learning Assessment, leveraging funds, promoting effective practices through partnerships. 4. Implement stricter federal guidelines for Return to Title IV (R2T4) and Satisfactory Academic Progress. (Note – all regulations should be reviewed in terms of the impact on nontraditional students.) 5. Increase the federal capacity to share best practices including design and implementation of demonstration projects and encouraging pilot projects. 6. States can support the Common Education Data Standards which will increase data sharing and capacity to analyze, and also to share information about students who attend multiple institutions. 7. States can integrate state education and workforce data systems to better facilitate understanding of target employment options after graduation. 8. Partnerships such as the National Governor’s Association (NGA) and Complete College America (CCA) have not only developed completion metrics to track students’ progress General suggestions: 1. Support funding for academic as well as life expenses 2. Support performance-based funding 3. Support part-time as well as full-time students 4. Combine adult basic education as well as skills training 5. Partner with others who provide competency-based training 6. Support personalized guidance and planning programs 7. Collaborate to advise students with other entities 8. Improve opportunities for on-line learning or improve articulation options 9. Strengthen the retroactive degree opportunities 10. Work to improve college preparatory options in the high schools 11. Support student-friendly approaches to daily business – i.e. multiple options for learning including online options, prior-learning assessment, self-improvement options, hybrid options, flexible options for attendance which can be supplemented by on-line options. 12. Assure that student support services are consistent and comprehensive as well as affordable and convenient 13. Assure that student services are universally available i.e. library services or tutoring – 24/7. 14. Maximize the value of previously earned credentials or courses 15. Provide flexible course terms 16. Support the use of cohorts to create communities who support each other 17. Support relevant degree fields for the adult learner 18. Maintain communication with the workplace and its needs 19. Support review of data to understand the evolving demographics of the nontraditional learner 20. Consider the value of third-party assessments 21. Value and use the expertise and knowledge of the private sector 22. Promote professional development for current employees and lifelong learning options Note: Many nontraditional students are already employed within the private sector and are seeing career advancement. Institutions should arrange for methods to receive feedback from students and from employers or recruiters. Pathways to success: Integrating learning with life and work to increase national college completion Article Review – J.Brown 14 of 19 Document title: Authors: Series: “Providing Structured Pathways to Guide Students Toward Completion” M. Dadgar, A. Venezia, T. Nodine, and K Bracco Game Changers Series part of WestEd.org and Completion by Design (Gates Foundation) Objective: To provide a “structured pathway” to allow students to explore their educational and career options while also making progress towards a credential. Once a student commits to an education program, additional supports are provided and course sequencing / degree requirements are designed to allow quick program completion for employment and/or transfer. Strategies: Strategies to achieve this “structured pathway” include: 1. Mandated or proactive intake processes to guide student decision-making. 2. Balance between flexibility and prescription in student selection of courses and majors. 3. Instructional programs that are clearly defined. 4. Proactive and ongoing support at each stage of student progression. 5. Instructional programs that are aligned with employment and / or transfer requirements. Implementation: This is a list of initial challenges / opportunities that colleges have experienced while working to implement a structured pathway: 1. Getting Started / Forming a team completed via AQIP (pg 10) 2. Implications of having more defined course structures / program structures Effects on enrollment, expansion and contraction (pg 11) 3. Data Use Defining “good” data, types, etc. (pg 11) 4. Institutional incentives Fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for faculty and staff (pg 13) 5. Cost Implications Additional cost due to increased student services (pg 13) 6. Policy Implications Efforts to create more structured pathways will require supportive institutional, system, state, and federal policies (pg 14) Engagement: Article Review – J Slade One of the key features of the document is a list of questions (pg 15 – 17) that we should be asking. Strategic sample questions include: • What kind of information would we (as a student) want to know before choosing which classes to take / program to select? • How does our college help students explore various career options, including understanding day-to-day work, pay scales, etc.? • How does our college track progress toward education goals? Can it be mandatory? On-line? 15 of 19 • • • Additional: Article Review – J Slade How do we alert students that they have strayed from the pathway? Are program reviews required for our academic and career / technical programs? Who should participate? What are key challenges for creating more structure pathways? What training is needed? Changes? The document contains case studies on institutions that have implemented structured pathways including their responses to various challenges. 16 of 19 Stepping it Up: Building Pathways to College Success in Pennsylvania and Nationwide Governor’s Conference on Higher Education The four steps listed below were derived from careful and content analysis of the many keynote speeches and presentations that were given during a three day Governor’s Conference. This conference had over 300 participates ranging from faculty, president and administrators. In addition, there were ACT, Pearson and College Board representatives in attendance as well. Four Steps to increase College Success: 1. Identifying the Challenges to Increased College Success 2. Creating an Action Plan: Defining a Policy Agenda for College Success 3. Putting the Plan into action-Enacting policies and creating programs for the nation 4. Working Together to Increase Colleges Success Step 1: Identifying the Challenges to Increased College Success Challenges to access and success including the following: • Affordability “It is not about what college is worth; it is whether the people can afford it.” Patrick Callan, President of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education • Student Debt “Debt for diplomas is not good public policy.” Judith Eaton, President of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation • Students who drop-out “Internationally, the US was once the leader in the production of college graduates, but currently we rank at the bottom of the top ten.” Patrick Callan, President of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education • Rising adult student demographic “The lens has been too narrow focusing on traditional aged students in all of our plans for access and support. We have 40 million adult Americans without a high school credential and that number is growing. ”Molly Corbett Broad, Present of the American Council on Education • K-12 pipeline graduating underprepared students for college “We need a fairly radical restructuring of the pipeline. We need to be more inventive with how we think about time and progress to degree in order to improve the performance of postsecondary institutions.” Hilary Pennington, Director of US Special Initiatives, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Step 2: Creating an Action Plan for College Success • Increasing Affordability • Policies that streamline the path from college enrollment to degree completion • Policies that promote successful transitions from high school to college and transfer between colleges • Policies that support and reward effective college teaching Step 3: Putting the Plan into Action • National Response: Federal Policies for College Success – The Obama Administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act addresses college affordability and improves access to higher education • Other National Efforts: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is focused on the economic and civic imperative to help historically under-represented populations achieve college degrees. Fifteen community colleges in five states were awarded 16.5 million in grants to expand innovative remedial education programs and there has been an increase in college success for low-income & students of color. • Stepping it up: Building pathways to college success in Pennsylvania and nationwide Article Review - R Broomfield 17 of 19 • Focus on Pathways to College Success in Pennsylvania: Expansion of Pennsylvania’s longitudinal data system to include all postsecondary institutions Creation of a statewide transfer and articulation agreement and system Enhanced support and advocacy for adult students without postsecondary degrees Development of quality school leadership as well as enhanced preparation and continuing education for K-12 educators to increase the number of qualified college applicants Increased college affordability for working families by greatly reducing or eliminating reliance on student loans for students attending state institutions Preparation for Success in Higher Education Pathway to college begins in Kindergarten: Cohorts of students in kindergarten and begin working with their teachers and schools to foster a strong academic preparation with a focus on high expectations Pathway to college degrees in Engineering, Math & Science Pathway to college success for Hispanics Students Pathway to college Success for High School Drop-outs Summer Pathway to college success for underprepared students Succeeding in Higher Education (college success for every institution = focus on effective learning strategies rather than best practices) “What an institution does is less important to student learning and development than that whatever it does has one or more of the characteristics of effective learning experiences.” Patrick Terenzini, Distinguished Professor of Higher Education, Pennsylvania State University. Success for students needing developmental coursework in community colleges Success for students needing developmental coursework at the FourYear University Increasing college success through meaningful coursework Increasing college success through supportive relationships Step 4: Working Together to Increase College Success in Pennsylvania • Collaboration for success in Pennsylvania: A Public & Private Matter • More than Inter-Library Loan-The Need for New Collaborations Stepping it up: Building pathways to college success in Pennsylvania and nationwide Article Review - R Broomfield 18 of 19 The Future of College and Career Pathways This reading revealed a national survey of pathways practitioners. Given the positive impact that pathways initiatives can have in the lives of high school students, and their importance for both education and workforce outcomes, the National Center for College and Career Transitions (NC3T) surveyed educators and administrators in the field to learn about the current state of pathways programs and get a sense of what the future holds. The results provide a real-time look at the perceptions of state and local practitioners who are doing the work of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and related academies and pathways. Today nearly one in four high school students enroll in a concentration of CTE courses which includes more than 7,000 career academies nationwide. Findings • • • • • • The percentage of students participating in pathways programs is growing: While all areas of education are facing funding challenges, pathway programs have seen smaller levels of cuts: Pathways practitioners have active relationships with their communities: Employers are heavily engaged i.e. advisory boards; OJT opportunities: Expecting continued growth of both CET programs and career academies over the next 1-3 years: The best areas for pathways programs appear to be urban areas as Southeastern states: Summary Pathways programs have been an integral part of K-12education for decades and, as the responses to the survey indicate, they serve a sizable – and growing – portion of the students’ population with strong links to, and participation from, the employer and postsecondary communities. In conclusion, my article referred to K-12 and how the future of (CTE) related academies and career pathways will continue to play a role in their lives. The future of college and career pathways: A national survey of pathways practitioners Article Review - G Bowman 19 of 19 California College Pathways. Turning Dreams into Degrees: Past, Present, and Future of California College Pathways. October 2012. Data on Foster students in California system (representing approximately 56,000 people) ● “80 percent have repeated a grade by the third grade and only one in twenty is proficient in math by their junior year in high school” (3) ● 75% have goals of graduating college (2) ● 3-11% achieve those goals (2) Californians who complete bachelor's degrees earn an average of $1.3 million more in their lifetimes than those with high school diplomas alone; those who complete some college earn an average of $340,000 more than those with HS diplomas alone (2) Reasons ● removal from homes from abuse/neglect (3) → difficult pasts that mirror some of the issues facing our student population ● frequent removal and replacement (3) → again, some mirroring of similar issues ● disconnections from family and community support systems (3) → even with families, educational support might not be present Methods being used ● “foster youth liaison” (5): A specific position to work with foster youth who are attending college → Suggests the potential for a dedicated pathways position or counseling dedication ● Support programs to address three main needs, finance, housing and academic support (8), in addition to support for mental health and counseling (9) → acknowledges the need to support students fully; could apply to pathways by setting up workshops and support groups/services to help students with external conflicts ● summer residential orientation (8) → suggests support for extending first-year orientation ● “family on campus” - mentoring-style program (10) → suggests support for student-driven mentoring, whereby veteran students assist beginning students ● Partnerships with K-12 (12) → suggests community connection to begin pathways work in grade-school work ● Education for community to remove stigmas (12) → suggests education for our college community (faculty included) to understand more about the profile of the unique population of students we serve ● legislation for additional support for foster youth (6) → does not apply to pathways ● Campus support programs, $4.7 million investment across 13 campuses (5) → Training and potential personnel may incur costs Turning dreams into degrees: Past, present, and future of California college pathways. Article Review - P Greenfield