Student Success – From the Starting Gate to the Finish Line

1. Student Success – From the Starting Gate to the Finish Line Portland Community Colleges, November, 2011

2. Note: This presentation has been modified from the original content, presented by ArleenArnsparger, Project Manager for the Initiative on Student Success Center for Community College Student Engagement. PCC added content is in green. Community College Survey of Student Engagement

3. 90% • …of new students responding to the Survey of Entering Student Engagement say they believe they have the motivation to do what it takes to succeed in college. • -based on national SENSE results Center for Community College Student Engagement

4. Why do students come to PCC? • 41% - Work toward bachelor’s degree • 13% - Explore new career • Almost 11% - Gain new job skills • 8% - Personal enrichment • 8% - Earn certificate or technical degree -based on PCC CCSSE respondents Center for Community College Student Engagement

5. 85% • …of new students responding to the SENSE survey say they’re academically prepared for college. based on national SENSE results Center for Community College Student Engagement

6. What percentage of recent high school grads test into PCC developmental courses? Math: 80% Reading: 28% Writing: 28% PCC Office of Institutional Effectiveness Center for Community College Student Engagement

7. Entering students are highly motivated, are committed to achieving their academic goals, and sincerely believe they will. Center for Community College Student Engagement

8. Yet during the first 3 weeks of college… • 43% came to class unprepared at least once. • More than one-quarter of students skipped class at least once. • One-quarter did not turn in an assignment at least once. based on national SENSE results Center for Community College Student Engagement

9. … of community college students leave before the start of their second year. Nationally, 50% Center for Community College Student Engagement

10. …of PCC Fall 2010 credit degree-seeking students retained to Spring 2011. Significantly better retention for those receiving financial aid – FT - 90% vs. 77% HT 84% vs. 66% 73% PCC Office of Institutional Effectiveness Center for Community College Student Engagement

11. … of PCC students retained from fall 2009 to fall 2010 (Full-time: 52.5%) 46% PCC Office of Institutional Effectiveness Center for Community College Student Engagement

12. Helping students succeed through the equivalent of the first semester (12–15 credit hours) can dramatically improve subsequent success rates. Helping students complete their first developmental course can dramatically improve subsequent success rates. Center for Community College Student Engagement

13. Discussion Question: • From your perspective…what are your college’s strengths? What does your college do well? How do you know? What DATA support your perspective? Center for Community College Student Engagement

14. Center for Community College Student Engagement • Quantitative • CCSSE • CCFSSE • SENSE • Qualitative • Initiative on Student Success / Starting Right Center for Community College Student Engagement

15. CCSSE: Listening to Students • 10 years • 808 colleges • Almost 2 million students • 49 states, DC, Alberta, Bermuda, British Columbia, Marshall Islands, Northern Marianas, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec

16. SENSE & Starting Right: Listening to Entering Students • 4 years • 274 colleges • Represents 2.1 million students • 41 states, District of Columbia, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, Nova Scotia • Focus Groups

17. Measuring Student Engagement …the amount of time and energy students invest in meaningful educational practices

18. What we’re learning about student engagement: • It’s unlikely to happen by accident. It has to happen • by design… • from the moment they arrive…

19. Students don’t know what they don’t know… • but we think they should…and we behave as though they do! Center for Community College Student Engagement

20. Test Your PCC Student IQ! • % women? • % credit students attending part-time? • % students of color? • % of students under 25 years of age? • % receiving financial aid?

21. Test Your PCC Student IQ! • % women? 53% • % credit students attending part-time? 59% • % students of color? 30% • % of students under 25 years of age? 44% • % receiving financial aid? 30% PCC Office of Institutional Effectiveness

22. Which students are more likely to drop out? • Women or men? • Part-time or full-time? • White students or students of color? • Students under or over 25 years of age? • Students receiving financial aid or those not receiving aid?

23. Which students are more likely to drop out? • Women or men? Men • Part-time or full-time? Part-time • White students or students of color? Students of color • Students under or over 25 years of age? Under 25 • Students receiving financial aid or those not receiving aid? No aid PCC Office of Institutional Effectiveness

24. CCSSE Benchmarks for Effective Educational Practice • Active and Collaborative Learning • Student Effort • Academic Challenge • Student-Faculty Interaction • Support for Learners Center for Community College Student Engagement

25. 2011 Portland System Benchmark Scores 50 50 = Normed national average Sources: 2011 CCSSE data

26. PCC CCSSE Benchmarks • PCC Other X-Large • Active & Collaborative Learning 51.5 49.3 • Student Effort 52.4 49.3 • Academic Challenge 51.3 49.9 • Student-Faculty Interaction 51.3 48.3 • Support for Learners 48.3 49.1

27. 2011 Portland System Benchmark Score Range Sources: 2011 CCSSE data

28. PCC CCSSE Benchmarks • FT PT • Active & Collaborative Learning 56.8 47.1 • Student Effort 57.8 48.0 • Academic Challenge 55.8 47.4 • Student-Faculty Interaction 55.8 47.5 • Support for Learners 50.4 46.5

29. After lunch…Data Review Exercise • Look at your Key Findings report. • Review the benchmark data. Where are your strengths? Which areas will you target for improvement? • Pick one benchmark for this discussion. • Review the frequency responses within that benchmark. (All students, PT, FT)

30. Example Community College (Example only– the following are not PCC results) Community College Survey of Student Engagement

31. Community College Survey of Student Engagement

32. Data to consider • More PCC students reported that they: • Spent more time preparing for class • Used email to communicate with an instructor • Wrote more papers or reports • Worked with other students on projects in class Center for Community College Student Engagement

33. Data to consider • Fewer PCC students reported that they skipped class! And yet there’s still room for improvement Center for Community College Student Engagement

34. But… Data to consider • Fewer PCC students reported that they: • Worked with instructors on activities other than coursework • Used writing and math labs • Met with a career counselor Center for Community College Student Engagement

35. But… Data to consider • Fewer PCC students reported that the College helps them cope with their non-academic responsibilities, such as work and family, or provides the financial support they need to afford their education. Center for Community College Student Engagement

36. The Front Door -- Orientation • More PCC students report that they participated in online registration…37% (11% at other CCSSE colleges) • (From 33% - 45% across the campuses) • Fewer PCC students report that they participated in on-campus orientation… 16%(40% at other CCSSE colleges) • (From 14% to 19% across the campuses)

37. What do PCC students say is the most important college service? Academic Advising & Planning 94% (91% to 95%) Center for Community College Student Engagement

38. Yet… • 43% • …of students say they never saw an advisor • (or really aren’t sure…) • (36% to 45%) Center for Community College Student Engagement

39. Students don’t do optional!! Center for Community College Student Engagement

40. PCC students’ most important services Very or Somewhat Important % Using Services Academic Advising 94% 57% Financial Aid 85% 48% Career Counseling 81% 25% Center for Community College Student Engagement

41. Younger students are less likely to… Use academic advising/planning Seek career counseling Seek financial aid advising

42. Younger students are less likely to… Use academic advising/planning They ask their friends 54% vs. 42% for older students

43. What entering students are telling us: • During their first 3 weeks… • 71% - advisor helped them pick classes. • 60% - advisor helped them select a major or program. • Fewer than 40% - advisor helped them set academic goals and create a plan for achieving those goals. • out based on national SENSE results

44. Student Success courses make a difference! • On the CCSSE survey, PCC students report: • 77% say they did not take a student success course. Center for Community College Student Engagement

45. Student Success courses make a difference! • Students say: This course… • Helped me to be a better student: 63% • Helped me to feel more connected to the college: 51% • Should be mandatory for new students: 74% based on national survey results Center for Community College Student Engagement

46. Let’s Talk About… The “M” Word M = Mandatory

47. Discussion Questions – Orientation, Academic Planning & Student Success Courses • Are these practices mandatory? For whom? • What does your college data show about the impact of these practices on student persistence and first term academic success? • What are you doing to bring orientation, academic planning and student success courses to scale? Center for Community College Student Engagement

48. The Heart of Student Success… Teaching & Learning

49. On the CCSSE survey, PCC students report that they are NOT planning to enroll in • Developmental Math – 53% • Developmental Reading – 73% • Developmental Writing – 61% “Developmental” is defined here by the student interpretation of what courses are developmental level. This may or may not correspond with college definitions.

50. What percentage of PCC students say they worked harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor’s standards or expectations? 50% 12% say NEVER Sources: 2011 CCSSE data