Pre-Application Workshops for 2012-13 Grant Cycle

1. Pre-Application Workshops for 2012-13 Grant Cycle February 9, 2012, Pioneer RESA February 16, 2012, NW GA RESA

2. Thank you to our RESA Partners Pioneer RESA Northwest Ga. RESA for allowing us to use their facilities for our Pre-Application Workshop!

3. Purpose • By the end of today’s session, you will : • Assess current practices as they relate to post-secondary attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in your school and district • Reflect on your own ideas, opinions, beliefs as they relate to post-secondary outcomes for your students • Explore the GACHE RFP requirements and • Begin to formulate an initial plan (proposal) for developing a school-wide college-going culture and using data to improve post-secondary outcomes for all students

4. Mission: “moving the finish line from high school graduation to postsecondary and career success” Vision: GACHE will be the leader in providing resources to high schools to increase their postsecondary enrollment.

5. How will you move the finish line from graduation to post-secondary and career success for your students?

6. Appalachian Higher Education Centers • ARC funding in 2000 established AHE centers in two Appalachian states • Ohio and • West Virginia

7. Appalachian Higher Education Centers • Ohio (OACHE) 2000 _ Mississippi (MSHEI) • West Virginia (WVACHE) --Georgia (GACHE) 2006 • North Carolina (NCACHE) --Alabama (AACHE) 2011 • Tennessee(TnACHE) • Kentucky (K-AHED) • Virginia (VACHE)

8. What schools are eligible? 59 Public high schools in 30 of the 37 Appalachian counties

10. Unemployment Rates by Education Level Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2011.

11. Why do your Economically Disadvantaged students not continue their education? • insufficient preparation • lack of encouragement from home, teachers, community • lack of information or misinformation about postsecondary costs • high teenage pregnancy • lack of self-confidence • geographical isolation • absence of dreams and clear goals • survival is a basic need • drop-out of school to work • need for immediate gratification • welfare is common • few college-educated role models • dysfunctional families • no stimulation to think about college as an option to get out of poverty

12. At-Risk Students — at risk: students at-risk for not continuing their education beyond high school. • Poor attendance and grades • Failed one or more classes or have not taken appropriate course sequences • Lack of exposure to colleges/careers outside of immediate area • Don’t know the steps to make college possible • Lack of encouragement • Lack of post-secondary information • Poverty and economic hardship

13. Where does the Responsibilityfor Post-Secondary Access and Success land?

15. Bi-partisan Support for Launchpad High Schools • 2008:President George Bush signs the Higher Education Opportunity Act into law. Section 808 - “Improving College Enrollment by Secondary Schools”: • Calls for post-secondary enrollment rate trends by secondary school to be made available to the public • Requires 50 urban and rural school districts that serve primarily low-income students, to be assessed on the criteria supporting college enrollment rate increases 2009:President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address: • Establishes postsecondary education as the goal of the American education system • Asserts that every U.S. citizen will need to achieve more than a high school diploma • Asks every American to commit to attain at least one year or more of higher education or career training beyond high school

16. Bi-partisan Support for Launchpad High Schools • 2010:President Barack Obama and his administration upgrade his challenge: • States that within 10 years, 60% of all 25-34 year olds should have completed college • Defines increasing college enrollment and persistence as one of Race to the Top’s award criteria • Reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to include national college and career ready standards as well as public information for families to determine whether their child’s school is “effective,” defined as how many students are on track for college and career • 2011:The national common core standards begin to be incorporated in most states’ curricula. The standards are written so that schools ensure that all students, K-12, are college ready

19. High Schools as Launchpads • What Students and Staff Say: • “How many credits of science do I need to get accepted into a Veterinary Technician program at the local community college?” • “If you can raise your state Math test score, you can test out of remedial courses when you get to college.” High Schools as Launchpads • What Leaders Do: • Focus on traditional leading indicators of academic preparation as well as postsecondary planning milestones • Celebrate achievements such as college acceptances and scholarships • What Matters: Measures of Success • Increased Post-Secondary Enrollment Rate • Increased Post-Secondary Persistence • Decreased need for academic remediation at the post-secondary level • Preparing young people for college and career success

20. Perceptions, Attitudes and Beliefs • Around the room, you will see a set of statements. For this activity, you will respond from your perspective. • You will each receive a sheet of colored dots. Each colored dot represents your opinion as to whether you agree (green), disagree (red), or do not know how you feel (yellow) with each statement. • After you read each statement and clarify any questions, you will then be able to place the colored dot corresponding to your opinion next to each statement. This is an individual exercise. We will discuss as a group when everyone has finished. • On your table, you also have a set of printed handouts that list the same set of statements. You may choose to respond on these sheets before you go up to place your dots. • When your table has finished, you may discuss your choices. • Green – Agree Yellow= Do not know Red = Disagree

21. Your School: Where are you?

22. The statements offered insight into whether or not you feel your school is……. 1 • Creating a "college-going culture" in our schools to inspire students to meet higher standards • Leveraging teachers and counselors to be leaders and advocates for students by preparing them for post-secondary • Using student data and data systems (NSC) to track students' post-secondary enrollment and persistence rates • Supporting all students -- first-generation and at-risk students in particular -- throughout the post-secondary planning and application process 2 3 4 Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, July 10, 2010

24. College Going Culture • “Across all analyses, the single most consistent predictor of whether students took steps toward college enrollment was whether their teachers reported that their high school had a strong college-going culture, that is, they and their colleagues • Pushed all students to go to college • Worked to ensure that students would be prepared-starting in 9th grade • Were involved in encouraging and supporting students in completing their college applications • …and having a strong college-going culture seemed to make the biggest difference for first generation and lower socio-economic students.”

25. Five Non-Academic Roadblocks to Post-Secondary Achievement in High Schools Serving Low-Income Students • Planning begins too late. • Adult conversations with students about college are infrequent, impersonal, and confusing. • Post-secondary planning is random- no high stakes measure of post-secondary access and success. • Schools do not have a college-going culture. • College-going process is not responsive to low-income and minority families and students.

26. Request for Proposals The primary purpose of GACHE grants to high schools is to Increase The Post-secondary Enrollment Rates of our High Schools by -Developing a College-going Culture and -Using Data for school improvement and to increase postsecondary access and success for all students

27. GACHE’s Request for Proposal • A-01-Summary Page • A-02 Application Form • A-03 Post-Secondary Goals and Action Plans Form • A-04 Proposed Budget Form • A-05 Budget Narrative Form • A-06 School, Business and Community Partnerships • Proposal Narrative • Scoring Rubric

28. GACHE’s Strategies and Best Practices for Post-Secondary Outcomes Developing a college/post-secondary culture • Commitment by school leadership • High expectations and consistent message for access and success in post-secondary • Establishing Post-secondary goals and actions plans (A-03) for School Improvement Plan • Academic teachers address career pathways, research and career interests on regular basis • Professional development for counselors and teachers • Sharing information with students and parents about test results, areas of academic strengths and weaknesses, college admission requirements, course sequences, application procedures, deadlines and financial aid options • Relationships with colleges and businesses and providing field trips to all students • Reality Store and Welcome to State of Poverty simulations

29. GACHE’s Strategies and Best Practices for Post-Secondary Outcomes Utilizing Student and School-level Data • Commitment by school leadership to utilize a full-range of school and student-level data including SLDS, NSC, ACT and other locally administered tests • Providing the ACT EXPLORE assessment for all 9th graders and recommended testing in 10th and 11th using ACT PLAN and ACT • Upload graduating student data to NSC and use results with faculty to set post-secondary goals and actions plans • Use NSC and other data to increase awareness of the need to increase post-secondary enrollment • Setting annual school goals that are specific and measurable and evaluate progress at end of year • Provide access to SLDS system to teachers, counselors and support personnel and using the information to maximize student success • Share aggregated school, grade level, and subject-level data from assessments in professional development sessions and train faculty in using data for instructional improvement

30. GACHE’s Model Program for 9th Grade Students Freshman Year is Crucial! • Prepare for Reality Store-academic teachers (Fall) • Reality Store simulation (Fall) • GACollege411 account established and beginning exploration(Fall) • ACT EXPLORE Assessment for all 9th graders (Fall) • Discussion and interpretation of results with students, teachers, parents • Exploring ACT’s “World of Work” for career interests • Counselors providing guidance and interpretation • Academic teachers promoting post-secondary in class (daily) • Discussions, research, grades, course sequence, rigor, study habits, overt and covert messages • Development of a Post-secondary plan by all students • College campus field trip (s) • Business/Industry field trip (s)

31. GACHE’s Model Program for 10th Grade Students • ACT PLAN Assessment and interpretation of results • GaCollege411 career assessments and academic help • College Campus Field Trip (1) • Business/Industry field trip (1) • Career Fairs/Speakers • Career Research Project • Individual and small group counseling • Parent information sessions • ORNL Summer Program- Oak Ridge National Laboratory for Math, Science, Technology students

32. GACHE’s Model Program for 11th Grade Students • College campus field trip(s) • Business/Industry field trip(s) • Research project pertaining to career selection • ACT and/or SAT assessments • GaCollege411 career assessments and test preparation, post-secondary institutions and ACT score information • Parent meetings to discuss post-secondary options • Career Fairs and speakers

33. GACHE’s Model Program for 12th Grade Students • Apply to College Week activities • FAFSA Completion • Application to colleges • Fee waivers • Apply for GACHE’s At-Promise Scholarship and others • GaCollege411 • College campus field trip(s) • Business/industry field trip(s) • Appointments with each senior and parent/guardian to discuss post-secondary options, deadlines • Mentor program for middle school/underclassmen • Apprenticeship programs

34. How will you move the finish line from graduation to post-secondary and career success for your students?

35. Reality Store Reality Store Simulation by Lisa Bell, Communication Specialist Cartersville School System Thank You, Lisa!!

36. I Welcome to the State of Poverty Welcome to the State of Poverty Simulation by John Osborne, Principal Jessica Whitley, Counselor White County High School THANK YOU JOHN AND JESSICA! Special thanks to Samuel Pruitt, student at White County High School for videotaping this session.

38. Step In Activity • Step into the circle if on the day of your high school graduation: • You had (or thought you had) a plan for what your next step would be • You had completed at least college application • You had been accepted to college • You had secured financial aid or a way to pay for college • You had actually enrolled in a college • Step into the circle if during your first semester of college: • You felt academically prepared • You felt socially and emotionally prepared • You persisted to your second semester • Step into the circle if: • You were the first in your family to go to college • You had someone at home or in your community who pushed you to choose college • You had someone at your high school who pushed you to choose college