No Child Left Behind: Correct Placement Equals Retention

1. No Child Left Behind:Correct Placement Equals Retention Presented by: Kathie Montognese Director of Testing Services Hennepin Technical College MnSCU Accuplacer Institutional Administrator Minnesota College and University System Innovations 2009 Conference Reno, NV March 15, 2009

2. Session Overview • Why do we test for course placement? • Many students are underprepared for college • Accurate placement improves retention and student success • Overview of Hennepin Technical College • Challenges and concerns • How can we help students and improve retention? • Overview of A+dvancer • Partnering with High Schools and ABE Centers

3. Challenges of Remediating Underprepared Students • Country is undergoing profound economic and demographic changes • Creates a demand for workers with post- secondary training • Employers are looking for employees that are cross-trained • Do more with less • Budget cuts in education • Less $$ coming in, while more $$ needed to help students with multiple barriers • Well educated Baby Boomers are retiring and being replaced by the ID generation

4. National Statistics Diploma to Nowhere, Sept 2008 • More than a third of all students enroll in remedial courses • Percent of students receiving remediation (2004) • All students 34% • Institution type • Two-year public college 43% • Four-year public college 29% Bridging the Gap, Jan 2009 • Nearly a third of all incoming freshman enroll in remedial courses • Institution type • Two-year public colleges 42% of first year students • Four-year public college 27% of first year students • Remedial courses offered at 99% of public 2 year colleges and 75% of public 4 year institutions

5. MN Statistics: Getting Prepared, March 2008 Minnesota Public High School Graduates who Enrolled in Minnesota Public Higher Education and took Developmental Courses within Two Years of Graduation: *Percentages do not add to 38% (the total) due to rounding of numbers. Sources: U of M, Office of Institutional Research and Reporting, and MnSCU Research and Planning

6. Largest Technical College in Minnesota Serving over 8,500 students on 2 campuses Serving over 12,000 students through Customized Training Division Majors offered 44 (A.S., A.A.S., Diplomas, Certificates) Part of MnSCU system 54 campuses 7 state universities 32 - 2 year colleges Average Age: 27 Enrollment Status: Part Time 68% Full Time 32% Gender: Male 53% Female 47% Ethnic Background: Caucasian 65% African American 15% Asian 6% Hispanic 2% American Indian 1% Not Declared 11% Hennepin Technical CollegeAt a Glance

7. Challenges and Concerns Challenges: • Many students arrive at our doors only to find they are underprepared to begin college-level coursework • In 2007-2008, 60% of students placed into a developmental course in one of the three basic skills areas Concerns: • Statistics show that students who begin in developmental classes are less likely to persist and graduate • According to the Alliance for Excellent Education (2006), the U.S. spends $1.4 billion to provide remedial classes at colleges for students who recently completed high school

8. What can we do? Look for ways to Improve Retention • Fall of 2006, Hennepin Technical College Testing Center obtained initiative funding to purchase A+dvancer, online tutorial of basic skills • Initially used two ways: • Study before initial course placement testing • Prior to retesting

9. A+dvancer Pilot Pilot results were very encouraging Math • Of new students who used A+dvancer and retested with ACCUPLACER, 54.5% improved their placements in math • Average improvement in Arith was 21 points • Average improvement in Algebra was 15.8 points Reading • Of new students who used A+dvancer and retested with ACCUPLACER, 38% improved their placements in reading • Average improvement in Reading was 6.1 points Overall 70% of students who used A+dvancer prior to retesting went up one to two courses

10. Expanded the Use of A+dvancer LRC with tutors, can work with more students Developmental instructors in classroom ABE working with adults transitioning to college College Readiness High School Testing Program M-Powered, Customized Training

11. Customized Training: M-Powered Project • M-Powered is a fast track training program in manufacturing: metalstamping/sheet metal fabrication, welding and machining/CNC operation • The focus of M-Powered is low-income, unemployed and dislocated workers. Program is 12 weeks of “fast track” classroom training • Assessment testing showed 75% of participants did not have the necessary basic arithmetic skills needed to be successful in this fast paced training • Students with arith test scores below 40 on Accuplacer were required to complete the A+dvancer arith coursework • 73% of students who completed A+dvancer coursework passed the final exam • Advisory Board has recommended that A+dvancer be included in the M-Powered program

12. Model used at Hennepin Technical College to partner with surrounding High Schools • TOUR:Hennepin Technical College for career exploration, “What programs are available to me?” • TEST: Take ACCUPLACER Placement Test at High School, proctored by college testing staff • TALK: Receive individualized test interpretation with HTC counselors/testing staff at HS, sign up students for A+dvancer, parent evenings Working on a system to track student progression from high school to college

13. Sample of Results and Recommendations from Testing at a High School

14. Ascension High School Project • Inner city charter high school • 91%, 1st generation college students • A+dvancer for 6 weeks, 2 hrs/week with instructor • 26 Seniors • 3 Reading Comp • 15 Sentence Skills • 5 Arith • 2 Elm Alg • 1 Trig/CLM

15. A+dvancer Overview Online tutorial to review/refresh basic skills Reading, Sentence Skills, Arith, Elm Alg, CLM Does not replace a devcourse www.advancerlearning.com

16. Optional Prescriptive Instruction College Readiness Proficiencies Skill-Level Diagnostic Reporting

17. A+dvancer Design • Students can work on it anywhere at anytime- online delivery • Provides diagnostics, “What do I need to study?” • Prescribed instructional coursework (optional) • Individualized to students specific learning needs • Refreshes basic skills needed for college success • Targets certain populations • Students wanting to review skills prior to placement testing • Students needing remediation before retesting • Enrolled students needing light academic support Not designed as a comprehensive developmental course.

20. Required Required Required Required Optional Real Time

25. Frequently Asked Questions

26. Steps To Sign Up

27. Discussion and Questions Kathie Montognese Ph: 952-995-1545 (office) Email: kathie.montognese@hennepintech.edu