A Partnership for Success
Willow International
(future: Clovis Community College)
And
Clovis West High School
Problem #1:
• More than 70% of the students who apply to
community college require remedial help
before they can be successful in college-level
classes.
– Most cannot read at a college level
– Most cannot write at a college level
– Most do not have basic skills that will allow
success.
Problem #2
• Students who come to community college fail
or drop out at an alarming rate.
Problem #2 examples
• In business and in college, certain behaviors are
expected:
–
–
–
–
–
Show up on time and maintain a schedule
Do work without constant reminders
Meet deadlines
Ask for help when needed
Be resourceful, but utilize the people resources
available (tutors, teachers, librarians) without
prompting
– Be aware that failure is an option.
Problem summary
• The students arrive without the basic tools
required for success:
– basic grammar, punctuation, and usage;
– critical thinking and analytical skills;
– reading and retention skills;
– self-sufficiency skills;
– professional behaviors.
• How could we change this?
Aligning curriculum
• We at the college level align our curriculum to
the UC system’s curriculum
• So why not align the high school’s curriculum
to ours? (and consequently to the UC
standards?)
Building backwards to move forward
• Curriculum alignment began with the English
1A standards. If 1A is the goal, then what are
the steps we need to take to reach that goal?
– More writing at an academically sound level
– More emphasis on basic writing (grammar, etc.)
– More focus on complicated texts and ideas
– More attention to professional behaviors.
The alignment also had to take into account the
required California Common Core Curriculum.
The Curriculum and Behaviors –
Steps toward success
• The resulting 12th grade curriculum is rigorous:
– students are writing many research-based essays
during each semester,
– they are reading college-level texts,
– they are focusing on basics,
– and the expected behaviors are based on
professional standards.
The results
• Clovis West High School has always been an
excellent school with an excellent teaching
staff.
• But last year (2013), 84% of their high school
seniors went to college.
• Last year, 58% of the non-AP students were
qualified for English 1A upon graduation.
And this year?
• By February of this year, only a little over half
way through the instructional year,
– 64.5% of non-AP students at Clovis West had
already qualified for English 1A.
– We expect the total to be well over 70% of non-AP
students ready for college success.
• In short, students’ college dreams are
becoming reality – and that’s our dream, too.