Promoting Smooth Transitions to College
TCN Meeting 10-8-13
Juanita Comeau –Madison College
Sandy Hall – Madison College
Brian Kenny & LaNae Jabas – TIG
Kevin Miller- DPI
Numerous Opportunities
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Transcripted (Dual) Credits
Advanced Standing
38.14 Contracts (between tech college and K-12 district)
College Credits in High School (CAPP, PIE, Others)
Youth Options
Youth Apprenticeship Program
Second Chance Partners
Audit Course Options
New Initiatives
Madison College Options
Transcripted Credit
 Local Agreement between HS and Tech College
 Cost neutral
 HS Teacher vetted and approved by TC to teach course;
serve as adjunct instructor
 Students enroll in TC
 Students receive TC grade and credit
 Tech College provides early college readiness as well as
program opportunities
Advanced Standing
 HS teacher at HS align majority of their curriculum
with our course
 Students who complete the Advanced Standing course
are provided an AS on their transcripts
 Students are required to request ‘credit for prior
learning credit’.
 Most need to take the course but only pay for partial
credit
38.14 Contracts
 Refers to statute allowing tech colleges to enter into
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contracts
Personalized to meet local needs
Typically involves district paying for a college
instructor to deliver the course at the high school or
the college
Classes may be outside normal schedule & calendar
Frequently used with the Youth Apprenticeship
program
College Credit in High School
 Offered through various UW Colleges
 HS Teacher teaches is certified to teach the college
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course in the HS
HS Teacher must meet university credentialing
Students receive Dual Credit
Student enrolls at university and pays tuition (½ to full
depending on program)
Only students who enrolled and paid tuition receive
college grade and credit
Youth Options Program
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HS pays for student to take college course
Student gets both HS and college credits
Must be junior or senior (11th or 12th grade)
Includes UW-System, Wisconsin Tech College System,
Wisconsin private, non-profit colleges & universities
 Course cannot be comparable to course offered at HS
 Can be used with fifth year seniors/transition plans
 Important to make contact with disability services
 HS is responsible for providing or paying for
accommodations
Youth Apprenticeship Program
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Supported by state funds; administered by DWD
Partnerships support schools and access funding
Industry Driven
Student req’t for paid experience in related industry
Mentor Training/Supervision
Often program is run through
 CESA
 Chambers of Commerce
 Technical Colleges
 High Schools
Second Chance/GPS Ed
 www.GPSed.org
 Targets at-risk and EBD students
 Provides academic and technical instruction at
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worksite delivered by HS and TC instructors
Focus on Manufacturing
Collaboration with local business
Second Chance/GPS Ed statewide
Local variation can be developed
Audit Course Options
(No Transcripted credit)
 HS can still award credit for class at their level and
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grade them pass/fail
School or student may pay
If student receives SSI or SSDI they can audit any UW
course at no charge for tuition
Look at Article A 14 paragraph 1
http://www.wisconsin.edu/fadmin/fppp/fppp44.htm
Other Things to Consider
 New Child Labor Guide (Aug 2012)
 High School/ UW Colleges/Technical colleges
 Separate Institutions
 Different funding, Rules, and Schedules
Things to Keep in Mind when Contracting for
Students with Disabilities
 K-12 system must ensure proper supports are in place
 Contract with the WTCS District to provide services
thru local negotiations;
 School District can provide services, but must be
mutually agreed upon by the WTCS district;
 Form consortium of school districts to provide agreed
upon accommodations at WTCS campus. Example
would be specialized tutor(s) employed thru a CESA but
located at the technical college campus.
Keep in Mind (continued)
 WTCS District thru Disability Services Coordinators/
Staff determine type, level, and duration of
ADA/504 accommodations, usually thru discussions
and mutual agreement with school district, not the
student’s IEP;
 HS Student taking classes at tech college follow
College’s Student Handbook including Student Code
of Conduct and other pertinent policies and
procedures
Keep in Mind (continued)
 Any high school contract, including Dual Enrollment,
should have written local processes and procedures
related to students with disabilities and ADA/504
accommodations. High school special education
teachers and dept. and WTCS Disability Services
Coordinators/Staff should be involved before contract
gets finalized
 For Dual Enrollment and other high school contracted
arrangements, WI Interpreter Licensing Law (2012)
applies, not DPI standards for providing mutually
agreed upon interpreting services.
New Initiatives
 Academic & Career Plans – State mandated 2017-18
 An ongoing process to actively engage each student :
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in his or her instructional and learning opportunities both in
and out of school
in career development opportunities that incorporate selfexploration, career exploration, and career planning and
management activities.
 A product that documents and reflects each
student’s:
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coursework, learning, and assessment results
post-secondary plans aligned to career goals
record of the student’s college and career readiness skills.
New Initiatives
 Academic & Career Plans
 Involve all school staff in engaging students
 Involve parents/families in engaging students
 Very compatible with IEPs/504s
 Developed within context of:
 Personal Financial Literacy (cost of living, desired lifestyle,
cost of education/training, salary, benefits, etc.)
 Labor Market information (career outlook, market
location, skills needed, postsecondary education needed,
etc.)
New Initiatives
 Academic & Career Plans
 Each student’s process:
 Who am I? (Know)
 What do I want to do? (Explore)
 How do get I there? (Plan)
 Let’s GO! (Implement)
Madison College Options
 Dual Enrollment
 Each tech college different
 College determines courses, HS determine fit and
teacher
 Smaller Districts –Create Collaborations (example
Wautoma/Westfield/Montello)
 Courses Special Ed students benefit from
Reading Strategies, College Success, Intro to College Writing
Welding, College and Career Readiness
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Optimal Situation for Dual
Enrollment
 Core teacher attends Madison College summer
institute with an agreed upon articulation agreement
to start a course and finishes
 Special ed teacher becomes a cooperative teacher or
team teaching.
 Working together CORE teacher provides the
curriculum expertise and special educator provides
accommodations and supports.
Middle College
 DWD Initiative
 Partnership with Madison College, DWD and HS
 Qualifications:
 Second semester juniors who are disengaged in
traditional HS setting
 Stays in program until graduation
 Support to attain HS Diploma
 Job search and retention assistance
 Connections with Community services to achieve goals
 Manufacturing targeted area
A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EDUCATION MODEL SERVING
DROPOUT YOUTH
Overview of Presentation
 Gateway to College:
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Origin, Evolution & Mission
Student Demographics
Data
Program Structure
 Gateway to College Elements & Core Commitments:
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Essential Elements
Principles of Holistic Student Support
Principles of Teaching & Learning
History of Gateway to College
 Portland Community College created the Gateway to
College program in 2000 to help reconnect high school
dropouts with their education.
 Through the program, students complete their high
school diploma requirements at community and
technical colleges while simultaneously earning
college credits toward an associate’s degree or
certificate.
History of Gateway to College con’t
 Gateway to College’s innovative approach captured the
attention of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
which initially funded the replication of Gateway to
College as part of its Early College High School
Initiative.
 Since 2003, Gateway to College has evolved from a
single-site program into a national network of 43
colleges in 23 states partnering with more than 125
school districts.
Our Mission
Gateway to College programs empower youth,
who have dropped out of school or are not on
track to graduate, to earn
a diploma and dual credit
in a supportive college
environment.
Changing Our Expectations for
Dropouts
Offering an alternative that challenges and inspires
students
 Innovative instructional strategies
 Collaboration between faculty
 Learning communities
 Wrap-around and solution-focused support
 Curriculum that meets high school standards while
earning college credit
Program Structure
Gateway to College Experience: Up to 3 Years
Gateway Foundation
Gateway Continuation (comprehensive campus)
One Quarter or Semester
Multiple Quarters or Semesters
Developmental Ed Courses
College Coursework to Meet High School Diploma Requirements
College Skills Course
Advanced Coursework Toward Career Major
Academic and Personal Support
Continues During the Entire Time Students are Enrolled
Graduation
&
Further
College
Student Profile
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Between 16 and 21 years old
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Out of school or on the verge
of dropping out
Average Age:
17
Behind in high school credits
(for age and grade level)
Average High
School GPA:
1.5
Average High
School Credits
at Entry:
43% of credits
needed for a
diploma
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GPA of 2.0 or below
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Lives in an eligible school
district
Network Wide
Life Challenges
Non-school challenges
19%
16%
11%
26%
10%
10%
Conflict with work/need more
hours
Childcare
Health issues, not drug/alcohol
related
Problems with substance abuse
Homelessness
Transportation
Finances
Problems with the legal system
Problems with family or
household
Frequent moving
Too many family responsibilities
30%
14%
12%
38%
35%
28%
31%
27%
8%
14%
12%
49%
44%
52%
47%
52%
New Student Survey
Satisfaction Survey
The
Gateway
to
College
Population
 60% are students of color
 51% are male
 77% are first generation college-goers
 24% have at least one parent without a high school diploma
 9% state homelessness as a reason for dropping out of high
school
 28% cite health problems not related to drugs and alcohol as a
reason
 72% have an academic goal of a BA or higher
Gateway to College Results
 Improved academic success: despite
multiple barriers to success, Gateway students
pass 72% of courses in which they earned a
letter grade (DE and transfer level), and 80%
of their first transfer-level core courses.
 Changed relationships with adults: our
students tell us that their relationships with
program staff have changed their attitudes
toward school and changed their lives.
Gateway to College National
Network Membership
Partner colleges receive:
 On-site training for Gateway staff
 Technical assistance with curriculum alignment and
program implementation
 Program materials and course guidelines
 Instructional coaching for college faculty
 Ongoing professional development
 Data analysis and program evaluation
Essential Elements of Gateway to
College
Gateway to College programs all follow 5 Essential
Elements which provide guidance for the service we
provide to students and ensure consistency of model
design:
 Significant Dual Credit
 Sustainable Partnerships
 Holistic Student Support
 Innovative Teaching & Learning
 Intentional Collaboration
The 5 Principles of Holistic Student Support
Caring Relationships
Safe Environments
Strengths Based
Mindset
Solution Focused
Approach
Community
Connections
Academic
Progress
When compared with a baseline group of
college students who have already earned a
High School Diploma or GED, Gateway
students attain:
 Higher success rates for developmental math and
English courses1
 Higher success rates for students passing out of
developmental course sequences to transfer-level
classes2
1,2
Gerlaugh, K., Thompson, L., Boylan, H. & Davis, H. (2007).
National Study of Developmental Education II: Baseline Data for Community Colleges.
Research in Developmental Education. 20 (4) Retrieved from: www.ncde.appstate.edu
The Principles of Holistic Student Support
are Integral to the Program
Key Cognitive Strategies
Key Content Knowledge
Academic Behaviors
Contextual Skills and Awareness
Non-Cognitive Variables
Integrated, Outcomes-based
Rigor
Relationships
Relevance
Constructing Meaning
Personal Growth
Assessment
College
Readiness
Principles of
Teaching and
Learning
Principles of
Holistic
Student
Support
Caring Relationships
Safe Environments
Strengths Based Mindset
Solution Focused Approach
Community Connections
“This program is so different than high school. I feel
challenged academically, and that is something I haven’t felt
in a long time.”
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. Being in Gateway means doing
something with your life and going somewhere.”
“At home I never saw the model of
‘you can be anything, you are
intelligent,’ but now I can see it.”
“Being in a learning community, we learn from each
other. Collectively, we are better together.”
“Gateway to College saved my life.”
Thank
You!
Juanita Comeau
Director, Gateway to College Program-Madison College
Center for College & Career Transitions
EM: jcomeau@madisoncollege.edu PH: (608)246-6596
Claudia Mikkelson
Resource Specialist, Gateway to College Program-Madison College
EM: cmmikkelson1@madisoncollege.edu PH: (608)243-4204
Andrew McKinney
Resource Specialist, Gateway to College Program-Madison College
EM: amckinney@madisoncollege.edu PH: (608)259-2937
Campus Connections
 Joint MMSD and Madison College project
 Target are 18-22 year olds in Special ed who typically would
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not be considering college
Eleven are currently enrolled
1 full time MMSD staff assigned to the college (Eric Hartz)
HS pays for College Success Course and books for any
developmental courses needed
Student is responsible for any other tuition or a third party
such as DVR
DVR at the table but reluctant to enter into an “agreement”
taking each student on a case by case basis
Ongoing Options
 Even without a “program” HS students can start
Madison College
 18-21 year olds can take a variety of classes
 Be sure to contact DRS BEFORE the semester starts
 Great way to get to know college with HS support
Using Dual enrollment options for students with disabilities is a
high effective strategy for ensuring a smooth transition to post
secondary education options or other post high school
opportunities. Should be considered regularly with 18-21
programing.