College Connection
Dripping Springs Independent School District
August 16, 2007
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board’s
Strategic Plan
“Closing the Gaps”
Overview
Closing the Gaps in Participation
• Closing the Gaps warns that if more Texans do
not receive college degrees by 2030, the State
could lose up to $40 billion in annual household
income.
• The goal is to increase student enrollment in
higher education by 630,000 by 2015.
• Most students will elect to start at a community
college.
• Austin Community College expects 15,000 more
students by 2015.
Education Beyond High School
Increases earning potential
and employment
opportunities
U.S. Department of Education
Learn to Earn
Source: Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY
College Connection
Overview
Improving High School to College
Transitions
• Provide admission and pre-enrollment services
to seniors on their high school campuses
• Create an expectation that “College is in
everyone’s future.”
• Increase percentage of high school seniors who
enter college after high school graduation.
Austin Community College District Service Area
College Transition Rates
Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006
Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
School District
Austin
Total High
School
Graduates
Students
Enrolled in
Texas
Universities
Students
Enrolled in
Texas 2-year
Colleges
Students Not
Located in
Texas Higher
Education *
3,856
1,111
29%
737
19%
2,008
52%
Bastrop
460
105
23%
73
16%
282
61%
Blanco
76
36
47%
13
17%
27
36%
319
32
10%
58
18%
229
72%
Dripping Springs
240
95
40%
62
26%
83
35%
Eanes
555
280
50%
59
11%
216
39%
Elgin
169
45
27%
29
17%
95
56%
Fredericksburg
227
88
39%
33
15%
106
47%
Coupland**
Del Valle
Doss**
*Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year
immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state.
**Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF
Austin Community College District Service Area
College Transition Rates
Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006
Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
School District
Georgetown
Total High
School
Graduates
Students
Enrolled in
Texas
Universities
Students
Enrolled in
Texas 2-year
Colleges
Students Not
Located in
Texas Higher
Education *
519
214
41%
98
19%
207
40%
46
29
63%
3
7%
14
30%
Hays
559
177
32%
96
17%
286
51%
Jarrell
44
14
32%
8
18%
22
50%
Johnson City
45
16
36%
6
13%
23
51%
Lago Vista
73
32
44%
21
29%
20
27%
Lake Travis
318
144
45%
62
19%
112
35%
1,052
371
35%
263
25%
418
40%
Liberty Hill
120
46
38%
24
20%
50
42%
Lockhart
219
62
28%
36
16%
121
55%
Harper
Leander
*Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year
immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state.
**Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF
Austin Community College District Service Area
College Transition Rates
Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006
Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
School District
Total High
School
Graduates
Students
Enrolled in
Texas
Universities
Students
Enrolled in
Texas 2-year
Colleges
Students Not
Located in
Texas Higher
Education *
Luling
87
24
28%
9
10%
54
62%
Manor
131
26
20%
16
12%
89
68%
65
12
18%
9
14%
44
68%
964
319
33%
234
24%
411
43%
Round Rock
2,158
765
35%
373
17%
1,020
47%
San Marcos
448
98
22%
56
13%
294
66%
Smithville
125
31
25%
28
22%
66
53%
Wimberley
146
44
30%
45
31%
57
39%
13,021
4,216
32%
2,451
19%
6,354
49%
McDade**
Nixon Smiley
Pflugerville
Prairie Lea**
Total
*Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year
immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state.
**Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF
College Connection Program
• Many high school students find the college
enrollment process intimidating.
• Austin Community College District provides handson, one-on-one support to assist every student
through each step of the college admissions process.
• During graduation ceremonies, high school
graduating seniors receive acceptance letters to
Austin Community College District.
Students Receive Services
at the High School:
Required
•
•
•
•
•
Admission application
ASSET or COMPASS
Pre-advising
Academic advising
Graduation letter
Recommended
• Senior
presentation
• Financial aid
application
Optional
•
•
•
•
•
Student life info
Teleconference
Campus tours
Registration
Other
Lifetime Acceptance
• Application never discarded
• Provide a permanent college home
• Students come to ACC District
▫
▫
▫
▫
In summer for transfer
After military service
After career changes
Co-enroll while attending 4-year institution
• Cohorts can be tracked by semester of entry;
ACC District collects longitudinal data for
retention, completion and success
College Connection School Districts
2003-04
Year 1
2004-05
Year 2
2005-06
Year 3
2006-07
Year 4
San Marcos
Austin
Austin
Bastrop
Bastrop
Del Valle
Del Valle
Leander
Hays
San Marcos
Leander
Austin
Bastrop
Blanco
Del Valle
Elgin
Fredericksburg
Harper
Hays
Jarrell
Johnson City
Lago Vista
Leander
Liberty Hill
Lockhart
Luling
Manor
Nixon-Smiley
Pflugerville
Prairie Lea
Round Rock
San Marcos
Smithville
Manor
Pflugerville
San Marcos
2007-08
Year 5
Austin
Bastrop
Blanco
Del Valle
Dripping Springs
Eanes
Elgin
Fredericksburg
Georgetown
Harper
Hays
Jarrell
Johnson City
Lago Vista
Lake Travis
Leander
Liberty Hill
Lockhart
Luling
Manor
Nixon-Smiley
Pflugerville
Prairie Lea
Round Rock
San Marcos
Smithville
Wimberley
“The state must look for
successful programs with
statewide potential, such as ACCs
College Connection program, in
which seniors in participating high
schools are given help with
financial aid forms and required to
fill out applications.”
Raymond Paredes
State Higher Education Commissioner
Austin American Statesman, April 16, 2006
College Connection Program
National Acclaim & Recognition
Awards Received
• THECB Star
Award
• Excelencia in
Education
Award
Award Recipient
November 2006
• Bellwether
Award
Semi-Finalist
October 2006
Award Recipient
January 2007
The College Connection
Web Site
www.austincc.edu/isd
• Information for parents
• Information for students
• Information for school district personnel
• Calendars
• Links to pertinent Austin Community College sites
Dripping Springs
Independent School District
Austin Community College welcomes
Dripping Springs ISD into the
College Connection Program
Mary Hensley
Austin Community College
Vice President College Support
Systems and ISD Relations
5930 Middle Fiskville Road
Austin, TX 78754
Office: (512) 223-7618
Fax: (512) 223-7895
mhensley@austincc.edu
For a copy of this presentation:
www.austincc.edu/isd/dripping_springs_isd/081607Presentation.ppt