Expanding the Latino Participation Beyond Student Recruitment

1. Expanding the Latino Participation Beyond Student Recruitment Colorado Community College Summit October 24, 2011

2. What do we know about Latinos in higher education?

3. 42.97%

5. 66% 63% 2.7% 14.7% 12%

6. 73% 27% 56% 44%

7. Complete College America: Colorado 2011 • By 2020 70% of jobs will require career certificate or college degree • 41% of Colorado adults have an associate degree or higher • 29% skills gap

8. Complete College America: Colorado 2011 (18-24 Year Olds)

9. Of Every 100 Kindergartners… 20% 36% 16% Source: US Department of Commerce

10. College Graduates by Age 24 75% From High Income Families 9% From Low Income Families Source: Postsecondary Educational Opportunity

11. What else do we know?

12. Excelencia in Education • Profile of today’s Latino students • U.S. Born • U.S. Citizens • English Dominant • High School Graduate • Majority of Latino students in higher education • First-generation • Enroll part-time • Attend community college (live off campus) • Work while enrolled in college • Do not complete in the traditional path

13. The story of one community’s journey… …building on Latino families belief in education as path to success.

14. Location …

15. 50th Community College in Texas • Legislatively created September 1993 • Serve over 678,000 people previously without access to a community college • $28 million campus donated by the City of McAllen • High Unemployment: Hidalgo 24.1% & Starr 40.3% “I signed the Bill to create STCC porqueesjusto.”

16. Our Service Area … • 95% Hispanic Enrollment • Majority First Generation – Low Income College Students • Nearly 88% on Financial Aid (State/Federal) • McAllen MSA Fastest Growing in the Nation • McAllen Poorest City in the Nation

17. Our Service Area … • Almost one-half the population lives below the poverty level • One-half Adults over age of 25 have Less than ninth grade education • One-fourth Adults over age of 25 have less than fifth grade education • Approximately 49% of Hispanic Students in Texas do not complete High School

18. In Eighteen Years… • From 1,000 to over 30,000 students • From a $3.9 million to over $135 million • budget • From 267 to 2,300 faculty and staff • From 1 to 5 campuses, 2 sites, e-STC • Over 100 degree and certificate • program options • 3 Bachelors of Applied Technology • Over 20,000 Graduates

19. Eighteen Years of Excellence: Changing Lives & Communities “Creating Pathways to the Middle Class”

20. Defined STC by . . . 1993 • Access • Equity • Opportunity 2004 • Success 2006 • Completion

21. In the First 10 Years... • Many initiatives did not produce the results and gains anticipated • Institutional performance benchmarks were flat • Local public image of academic quality was disappointing • Lack of responsibility and accountability for student success

22. Developmental Studies Did the Right Things … The “best practices” had disappointing results “Tough love” was equally disappointing

23. Each fall thousands of students were not returning to STC … when they should have been…

24. South Texas College, one of 27 community colleges, selected nationally in Round One to build a culture of evidence to improve student success (2004)

25. How did we establish institutional commitment for student success & completion?

26. Presidential Leadership & Commitment •  Setting a Vision and Goals •  Eliminating Silos •  Broad Based Engagement •  Build Culture of Evidence •  Listen to the “Voices” •  Identify Barriers to Student Success “We are making a transformational systematic change to our beloved STC.” Dr. Shirley A. Reed, President August 15,2005

27. Vision Statement A better quality of life for our communities

28. Regional Goals  Increase College-Going Rates  Increase College & Career Readiness  Increase Degree/Credential Attainment

29. Work Plan to Create a Culture of Evidence • Establish Core Team & Data Team • Develop Action Plan • Collect Data • Analyze Data • Conduct Core and Data Team Retreat • Identify Strategies for Implementation

30. Data Driven … Student Focused

31. Critical Gaps … Critical Gap Critical Gap Critical Gap Critical Gap (First Year Retention & 2-Year Completion) (High School to College) (Transfer from 2-year to 4-year & 4-year Completion) (7th–10th Grade Dropout) Elementary PK-5 Middle 6-8 High 9-12 Lower Division Upper Division Birth to PK Completion Point Completion Point Completion Point (Adapted from THECB, 2007)

32. Institutional Priorities

33. Asset Models Vs Deficit Models X

34. The Role of Quantitative Data: Identifying Gaps in Student Success The Role of Qualitative Data: Understanding the Underlying Factors of Gaps in Student Success

35. A Theory and a Method of Conducting Focus GroupsUnderstanding Knowledge, Actions, Attitudes in Overcoming Barriers to Student Success Adapted from Developing local Models of minority student success. Padilla, Trevino, Gonzalez, and Trevino (1997).

36. Three Assumptions of Framework:1) Campus is a Black Box2) Barriers are contextually dependent 3) Students viewed as experts Developing Local Models of Minority Student Success Degree, Certificate Completion, Transfer Students No Degree Adapted from Developing local Models of minority student success. Padilla, Trevino, Gonzalez, and Trevino (1997).

37. The Role of Knowledge Source: Student Success Model as adapted from Padilla, Gonzalez, & Treviño, 1996

38. Applying the Framework to Different Contexts First Year in CollegeWhat barriers do students experience during their first year in college? What knowledge, actions, and attitudes do successful students employ to successfully persist? Successful Persistence Students Drop-out/Stop-out Adapted from Developing local Models of minority student success. Padilla, Trevino, Gonzalez, and Trevino (1997).

39. Applying the Framework to Different Contexts A CourseWhat barriers do students experience as they attempt to complete a specific course? What knowledge, actions, and attitudes do successful students employ to successfully complete the course? Successful Course Completion Students Non-completer Unsuccessful Completer Adapted from Developing local Models of minority student success. Padilla, Trevino, Gonzalez, and Trevino (1997).

41. Fall 2005 Barrier Study • 25 focus groups • 387 student essays • Spring 2007 Follow-up Barrier Study • 22 focus groups • Over 300 student Essays

43. Student Voices… “I can afford to start but not to finish. Problems happen later in the semester.” “Financial aid is not enough for my family, and I get pressured to work.” “Work piles up too quickly! I can't find time to do homework or study. Tests and papers are always due together…for all my classes.” “I don’t know what to expect, like what to do to get into college, and how the college works.”

44. 22 representative groups of faculty, staff, and students met with two consultants Faculty & Staff Voices …

45. Community Voices … Over 170 community members participate in Community Conversations

46. Community Conversations … Communication/Information Engage parents/families early in the process Communicate process of enrolling in college and expectations Partnerships Create more partnerships with businesses Join efforts with K-12 and existing organizations • Access to Existing Programs • Create programs like Gear-up for all students • Offer dual enrollment to all students • Schedule college tours for all students (elementary, middle, high school)

47. Inventory of Policies/Practices

48. Education & Business Voices… Summit on College Readiness • 2006 - Closing the Gaps on College Readiness • 2007 –Closing the Gap on College and Career Readiness • 2008 –The Journey to College Success • 2009 – Accelerating Student Success • 2010 – Success by Design • 2011 – The Power of One

49. Are the barriers different for successful students as compared to unsuccessful students?

50. Data Suggests … … successful students navigate barriers … unsuccessful students do not