Collaboration Between Community Colleges and Community Literacy Groups

1. Collaboration Between Community Colleges and Community Literacy Groups Impacting Student Success Luanne Bibbee, M.Ed., B.S. Ed. Lansing Community College, Livingston County Literacy Coalition MAACE Conference Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, MI April 26, 2012

2. Simple string…or is it?

3. Adult education needs abound.

5. Another need,affecting 4.4 million adults… Source: CCRC

6. 60% of community college students need developmental education. (DE)Source: CCRC

7. 15 Million Number of students in U.S. higher education Source: U.S. Dept of Education

8. 7.4 million Number of students in U.S. community colleges for college credit Over half of U.S. postsecondary students are in community colleges. Source: AACC

9. Average CC Student 28 years old Part-time student Working/family/life issues 1st generation college 33% minority students Source: AACC

10. Everyone is admitted. However, community colleges require Assessment Tests before registering for classes.

11. Accuplacer and Compass CC Assessment TestsCollege Credit Reading - Level 5 Writing – Level 6 Math - Level 5

12. Results * 60% of community college students test at levels needing 1 or more developmental courses * 30% of students drop out, if assigned to 3+ developmental courses * Only 25% of developmental students make it to the college credit gatekeeper course

13. CC Developmental Reading Exit Points Source: Edgecomb, N. (2011). CCRC

14. Costs of Developmental Education * Business and Employers * Taxpayers * Post Secondary * Society * Students

15. Costs to Post Secondary • Small classes, Ratio > 15:1 • Administration • Negative Retention • Testing costs/ testing re-takes • $1.9 to $2.3 B / yr. – cost to CC’s • $500 M / yr. – cost to four-year colleges • $6K / student/ year Source: Bailey, 2009; Green, 2000

16. Costs to Employers/Businesses * Writing - threshold skill for 2/3 of employees Survey – Nat. Commission on Writing * $ Billions in costs - Correcting mistakes - Needed technology to make up for lack of skills - Productivity losses Source: Greene, 2000

17. Cost to Taxpayers * Obama 2009 AGI initiative $2 B * Paying “Twice” * Accountability demands * Comparison costs: - $25K / 1 year of prison - $ 30K -$40K dependent family

18. Cost to Society * Family capital * Costs of incarceration, unemployment, welfare * Costs of lost taxes in lost wages * Educated society needed to solve tomorrow’s problems * True costs difficult to quantify – Tragedy of wasted minds and spirits

19. Costs to the Student * Delayed school progress * Accumulated debt * Sacrifice of financial aid eligibility * Discouragement * Changes in Laws: Financial Aid to HS level (9th grade) - 2010 Pell grant changes – 2012

21. Options

22. Traditional/Transitional Learning * Developmental Courses * CC Writing and Math labs * CC tutoring * Peer Tutoring

23. Acceleration Methods * Compressed Courses * Paired Courses * Curricular Design * Mainstreaming with support * I-BEST; Contextual; Scenario * Bridge programs

25. Another Option

26. Community Literacy Tutoring

27. 55 Local Literacy Organizations in MI Many offer adult tutoring at no cost. Some - not many - work with community colleges to tutor students

28. 28 Community Colleges in Michigan .

29. Research * Survey to 55 community literacy organizations and 28 community colleges: Four CC’s partner with local literacy groups Washtenaw CC and Grand Rapids CChave substantial partnerships with literacy groups * Interviews WCLC: 40 yrs old/ 400 volunteer tutors/ 4,000 learners, partnership w/WCC Amy Goodman, Director: Every $1 in WCC budget is leveraged 4X, working with WCLC tutors.

30. Pilot Program LCC/LCLC Students can utilize LCLC tutors for help: - Assessment test score improvement - Developmental course tutoring

31. LCLCLivingston County Literacy Coalition * Founded 2009 * Clearinghouse for county literacy needs and resources * Training adults to tutor adults at no cost to tutor, and no cost to the learner * 37 tutors trained as of 4/2012

32. LCCLivingston County Center * 1,000 unduplicated student enrollment / yr. * DE courses offered for Reading Level 3 and Reading Level 4 * 24% of students assess < Level 5 Reading (2011 Jan-Sept) (371 students) * 8.5% of students assess < Level 3 Reading (2011 Jan – Sept) (130 students)

33. LCC Collaboration Advantages * Reduced costs * Increased retention * Increased tuition with increased persistence

34. Literacy OrganizationCollaboration Advantages * Community resource * Utilization of tutors * Collaborative strengths * Educated local populace

35. Recommendations * More measurable research data needed * Continued expansion of collaborative efforts between local literacy coalitions and community colleges needed.

36. Lesson 1Cut the string. Simple. Or is it?

37. * Lesson 2A cord of three strands is not easily broken. Source: Eccl. 4: 12

38. Community. Collaboration.

39. Share | Buy The Simple Children's StoryThat Adults are ReadingAgain and Again Suma the Elephant by Gary Shoup "Never have I seen so few words, so few simple words, able to touch one's intellect and emotions to such a degree." A. Price Readers of all ages are deeply inspired by the story of Suma—a powerful tale, profoundly moving. This 'simple children’s story' does indeed change lives. Now required reading in college classrooms for three years in a row. "Read this story. Then read it again, slowly, so it can unfold and fully reveal its beauty and poetry." Dale M. Herder Author and professor of English Join me in the meadow. - Suma Garden Fleetwood Press, 2006

40. Luanne Bibbee, M.Ed., B.S.Ed. Livingston County Center Lansing Community College 517-545-3522 – office bibbeel@lcc.edu Bibliography available upon request.