Presenter: David Dugger Executive Director

1. E C A @ M U • Presenter: • David Dugger • Executive Director “Do not confine your children to your learning, for they were born in a different time.” – Hebrew Proverb

2. Staff • Mr. David Dugger, Executive Director • Mr. Randall Cooper, Director of Operations • Mr. Keith Kellman, Mathematics faculty member and CORE Advisor • Dr. Pete Sutherland, Science faculty member and CORE Advisor • Mr. Ryan Hyde, English • Ms. Amber Bishop, Social Studies • Ms. Angela Means, Student Support • Dr. Alexandra Krikos, Student Support

3. What are early college high schools and middle colleges? • Early College High School and Middle Colleges are… • small high schools with no more than 500 students that emphasize personalized learning • schools where students graduate with a high school diploma and college credits • schools where students attain academic/strategic learner, life management and entry level job skills • schools designed to prepare students for the world beyond high school

4. What is the Early College Alliance? • County wide educational consortium program • ECA @ EMU students remains “connected” to district while participating in the program • Students can participate in all district curricular and extra-curricular activities • Students will receive a high school diploma from the district, certificate of completion from the ECA and an official transcript from EMU • The word Alliance is important! • A collaborative and cooperative educational partnership between local school districts, WISD and Eastern Michigan University

5. ECA @ EMU – Education and Community Partners • Washtenaw Intermediate School District • Eastern Michigan University • Lincoln Consolidated Schools • Ypsilanti Public Schools • Whitmore Lake Public Schools • Milan Public Schools • University of Michigan Health System • St. Joseph Mercy Health System • Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce • Michigan Works! (Workforce Development Board)

6. What makes theECA @ EMU unique? • Educational collaborative designed to work within the system, as opposed to it • Students remain eligible to participate in all district curricular and extracurricular activities • District retains FTE and % of the Foundation Allowance • Local school districts, WISD and EMU work collaboratively to staff, provide oversight and develop the program

7. WISD Lincoln Milan EMU EMU: Technology, Engineering, Math & Science ECA Governance Structure W. Lake ECA – Superintendent Oversight Group Ypsilanti ECA Executive Director EMU: Health & Medicine CHHS EMU: Business College of Business

8. WCC/Other EMU Graduate ECA/LEA Early College Alliance - Allied Health and Medicine Strand • Personalized learning mentoring • Life management skills and job readiness skills • High school core academics and post-secondary course work delivered by ECA and EMU faculty • Employment readiness skills/work place learning Feedback loop Feedback loop Local Districts Gateway Activities/Assessment * • Summer Program for students going into ECHS 9-10 • Skill strengthening opportunities (summer, in-school, after-school Gateway Activities/Assessment * 6-8 • Skill strengthening opportunities (summer, in-school, after-school) Pre K-5 • Skill strengthening opportunities (summer, in-school, after-school)

9. Who can attend the ECA? • Students who are currently 9th or 10th graders • Students must be enrolled in one of the ECA districts to attend the program • Current non-public school students will be required to demonstrate 9th grade proficiency in mathematics and English composition • No skill limitations • Minimum Age: 13 years of age

10. Why would a student choose toattend the ECA? • A chance to earn college credit while in high school in the areas of math, science, health, medicine, technology and business • Exposure to college and college expectations • Jump start on college and career • Financial security • Annual Income by degree earned 2003 - U.S. Dept. Labor • High School Diploma: $36,835 • 2 Year Degree: $51,970 • 4 Year Degree: $68,728 • Masters Degree: $78,541

11. Credit Gathering External Control Magical Thinking Intellectual Wandering Inside the box education…

12. Outside the box education… Educational Focus Skill Building Credit Gathering External Control Magical Thinking Intellectual Wandering Internal Control Realistic Thinking

13. What We Believe • Current educational practice developed for the industrialized age, not the 21st century • The systemic nature, or status quo of our current educational system is contrary to what we actually know about how people learn • Many high school students are capable of performing at college level and beyond • Effective, high performing educational programs focus on both structural and instructionalchanges • All students can succeed if they choose to learn how to become strategic learners

14. What we do know • High school students who take college classes while in high school have higher rates of success in college compared to those who don’t, or who take IB or AP • Students who are required to take developmental courses in college are more likely to drop out of college than graduate • 1 of every 3 students is required to take developmental courses in college • 3 or more developmental courses in college - 1 in 10 chance of graduating

15. ECA is Non-Time Centric Today’s practices – different standards for different students and promotion by age and grade according to the calendar-are a hoax, cruel deceptions of both the students and society.Time, the missing element in the school reform debate, is also the overlooked solution to the standards problem. Holding all students to the same high standards means that some students will need more time, just as some require less. Standards are then not a barrier to success but a mark ofaccomplishment.Used wisely and well, time can be the academic equalizer. (Prisoners of Time, National Education Commission on Time and Learning, 1994)

16. Non-Time Centric –Principles of Domain Learning Required Post-secondary Skill Level Perceived Reality Skill Level Reality Domain Learning Fundamentals Time (Grade Pre K – 12) Grade 12 Pre-K

17. Understanding the ECA @ EMU Process EMU Coursework ECA and EMU Coursework ECA Transitions Skill Building CORE Advisor - ECA @ EMU 1st Year Graduates

18. What Do We Do? – The 3 R’s • Relationships • Counsel - Oversight - Resource - Educate • CORE Advisor: a connection between the student, staff, school and parent • Relevance • Individualize the educational experience to create successful strategic learners, as opposed to students who “go to school” • Rigor • Transition high school aged students to college credit course work through personalized learning with high academic and behavioral expectations

19. How Do We Do It? The 5 Basics • Life Management – “Soft skills” • Social Intelligence • Academic fundamentals • CORE Advisors • Academic focus at post-secondary level and beyond • EMU resources and environment

20. Life Management – “Soft Skills” • Attendance • No excused absences – documented, but never excused • Preparation • Are you ready to learn? • Follow Through • Take ownership for your education • Communication • Are you advocating for yourself, or are you whining? • Responsibility • Everything is your fault!

21. ECA Academic Program • Extremely high expectations for all (students, parents, administrative staff and faculty) • Skills based • Academic Fundamentals • College entry skills (Social, Emotional, Academic) • Block scheduling (4 classes, 5 days a week, 7.5 hrs instruction per week, per subject) • Low class sizes: approx. 20 to 1 ratio • Curriculum aligned with 1st year 100-level courses – skill based education, not credit based education • College expectations • No extra credit, no late work, no make-up work and no excused absences

22. Coach / Mentors (CORE)– The key piece of the puzzle • Each student has the same mentor, advisor, “significant adult” from admission to graduation: • Personalized Learning Plans • Liaison to EMU faculty, administration and program advisors • Tracks performance and provides feedback to parents • Primary point of contact for each parent

23. Students take ownership for their learning • Students learn to understand themselves as learners and as a people • Students learn to align their academic goals with their strengths, weaknesses and desires • Student learn to accept what it means to be responsible for their actions • Students learn to explore multiple career pathways • Students learn about educational and career laddering

24. Exceptional EMU Resources • Diversity – Age, race and ethnicity • College level academics • Realistic connection to the “world beyond high school” • Access to technology • Access to counseling, support and tutoring services • Access to EMU activities, sports and clubs • Access to EMU advisors • Full immersion into the college environment

26. Early College Alliance -Timelines • January 22nd, 2008 • Enrollment process begins • % of ECA slots determined by district population • Multiple Assessments • Only 100% complete enrollment packets accepted • Enrollment packets online, or available at ECA District High Schools • April 2008 Fall 2008 cohort selected • Lottery? • May - June 2008 • Intake meetings • June - August • Skills development sessions at EMU

27. Early College Alliance Education for the 21st Century • Early College Alliance • Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI 48197 • www.earlycollegealliance.org • (734) 487-4290 • ecamail@wash.k12.mi.us