Closing the Gaps in Education: Statewide Student Success Initiatives

1. Statewide Initiatives to Increase Student Participation and SuccessTexas Community College TeachersJuly 28, 2008 • Judy Loredo, Ph.D • Assistant Commissioner, P-16 Initiatives • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board • 512-427-6545 • Judy.Loredo@thecb.state.tx.us 1

2. Trends • A growing unskilled, under-educated population that cannot meet the demands of a technology-based workplace. • Average household income in Texas is projected to decline by $5,000 in constant dollars by 2040 (total annual drop of $63.5 billion). Source: Texas State Data Center THECB 05/2008 4

3. Goals: By 2015, Close the Gaps in: • Participation • Success • Excellence • Research THECB 05/2008 5

4. Close the Gaps in Participation • By 2015, close the gaps in enrollment rates across Texas to add 630,000more students. THECB 05/2008 6

5. The 1995 Cohort of Public 7th Grade Students – Texas faces a “Pipeline Challenge” Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 8

6. The percent of Texas students enrolling directly from high school needs to increase (46.1%) (44.5%) (45.4%) (44.4%) (44.2%) (44.1%) (43.4%) Percent of Graduating Class Note: Includes entry into public higher education only. Sources: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas Education Agency THECB 05/2008 9

7. Statewide, total enrollment has been increasing,particularly at community and technical colleges Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 10

8. Target to increase Hispanic enrollment remains a big challenge Hispanic White African American Note: Includes public higher education institutions only. 11 Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008

9. Given current trends, Texas will not reach Closing the Gaps 5.7 percent goal by 2015 Public Colleges and Universities Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 12

10. Participation Summary • Texas has had large enrollment growth, however • Hispanic enrollment growth continues to lag • Percentage of students coming from high school remains steady, however • Texas lags other large states in the percentage of ninth grade students entering higher education after four years THECB 05/2008 13

11. Close the Gaps in Success • By 2015, award 210,000 degrees, certificates, and other identifiable student successes from high quality programs. THECB 05/2008 14

12. Nearly half of the first-time-in-college students entering public community colleges are not prepared to do college-level work (49%) (48%) (45%) (48%) (48%) Percent Needing Remediation Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 15

13. First-time, full-time undergraduates entering community colleges in fall 2005 persisted at a lower rate than did first-time, full-time undergraduate students entering universities Universities Community Colleges Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 16

14. Bachelor’s, Associates,and Certificates awarded slows 210,000 171,000 147,705 Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 17

15. There are large differences among ethnicities in six-year university graduation rates Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 18

16. Texas Review • New population projections have increased by approximately 2 million • 1.6 million increase in the Hispanic population • Hispanics and African Americans continue to participate and graduate at lower rates • Traditional college-age population (18-24) is a declining proportion of the total population for all racial/ethnic groups • The White 18-24 population declines after 2009 • The African American 18-24 population peaks numerically in 2013 THECB 05/2008 20

17. Change in Workforce Needs Fastest growing in raw numbers 90% fastest growing jobs require some postsecondary education 66% of new job types in next decade need at least a bachelor’s degree Human Touch Required Skills/Education Required Source: E3 Alliance/Census Data CBPSS 05/2008 21

18. Education Needs for High-Demand/High-Wage Jobs • High-demand Jobs: an occupation growing faster than the average for all occupations in the 2004-2014 projections. For Texas it is 21%. • High-wage Jobs: occupations that exceed the median weekly wage threshold for all earners.  For Texas, the median figure is currently $13.19 per hour, or $27,443 annually. Source: Texas Workforce Commission THECB 05/2008 22

19. Adult Education (2004-2005) • Adult education includes ESL and adult basic education • 3% of the adult basic education exiters enrolled in higher education, with 55% of them also working • 94% of the those who enrolled in higher education went to community colleges; 5% went to 4-year universities • Females (65%) are more likely to continue their education after exiting the program Source: Texas Education Agency THECB 05/2008 25

20. Career Technical Education • Increasingly important role in education system and workforce development • Workforce of the future must be better prepared in order for Texas to compete in the global economy • Career Technical Education (CTE) at all levels must have firm foundation built on academic content and rigorous curriculum • CTE curriculum should offer life-long learning opportunities THECB 05/2008 26

21. Enrollment in Community Colleges Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THECB 05/2008 27

22. Strong, Academically Rigorous CTE Curriculum • More CTE certifications and programs being elevated to community college level • CTE-based workforce opportunities require more sophistication and rigor • Students who lack solid academic foundation will be at marked disadvantage as their careers evolve over their lifetimes • Postsecondary CTE goals helping the state achieve the goals of Closing the Gaps by 2015 THECB 05/2008 33

23. Alignment of Academic-Based Curriculum with Real-World Application • Critical component of education at all levels, not just for CTE • Legislature needs to explore ways to offer internships and work-study for course credit and/or financial assistance • Texas Work-Study program should be expanded to offer opportunities for student exposure to the workforce • Model programs are in existence THECB 05/2008 34

24. Model of Cooperation and Collaboration in CTE • Partnership between South Plains College, Lubbock Independent School District, Texas Tech University (TTU), and the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance • Students take CTE courses in high school, complete a 2-yr Associate of Applied Science in Automotive Service Technology at South Plains, and finish with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from TTU • Program with several exit and reentry points THECB 05/2008 35

25. CTE Curriculum Standards • HB 3485, 80th Texas Legislature, requires increased academic rigor of CTE programs • Revises and aligns the CTE Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) with the College Readiness Standards (CRS) • Improves/increases student participation in CTE programs under which students take advanced technical and/or dual credit courses in high schools • School districts required to provide revised CTE curriculum beginning with the 2010-2011 school year THECB 05/2008 36

26. CTE Summary • Importance of college readiness standards for workforce readiness • Importance of rigorous CTE courses in high school as foundation for continuing, lifetime education • Need for expansion of high school work-study to include on-the-job workforce training and internship opportunities • Trend toward pushing more CTE into community and technical colleges • Access and quality of CTE programs in the state 37 THECB 05/2008

27. Challenges & Priorities • College/Workforce Readiness • Access to Financial Aid • Persistence/Retention • Development of Programs of Study with Multiple Exit/Reentry Points • Transferability of Course Credit • Graduation Rates (Particularly in Critical Fields) • Secure Additional Funding Sources • Fund Innovation & Outcomes 38 THECB 05/2008

28. Texas Course Redesign Project • Currently have funded four phases (almost $5.5 million) • Focus is on redesigning large, gatekeeper courses to improve student learning and decrease cost of delivery • Includes Biology, Chemistry, Spanish, English, US History, Engineering, Humanities, Developmental English, Developmental Math, Calculus, Algebra, Statistics 39

29. Impact of Course Redesign • Most projects will be piloted this coming fall • Estimate that up to 17,000 students will be enrolled in redesigned course sections during FY 2009 • Student impact could be as high as 25,000 during FY 2010 after the implementation of the statewide Learning Objects Repository 40

30. Texas Learning Objects Repository • Phase I: Proof-of-Concept, University of North Texas • How course content can be decomposed into discrete learning objects (LOs) • How LOs can be individually described through metadata • How users can use the Repository to search, browse, retrieve, and download LOs • How LOs can be packaged to import into learning management systems • Phase II: Research & Development, University of North Texas • Phase III: Scale Up • Anticipate availability in mid-fall for use with US History I • Course content in Spanish and Developmental English will be added in mid-spring 41

31. Reusing and Repurposing Learning Objects • Reusing • Acquiring a learning object and using it as it currently exists without any modification and additional effort by a user of the object. • Repurposing • Acquiring one or more learning objects and using them as a basis for a new learning object either through modification of the original, recombination of multiple learning objects, or any other actions that are carried out on the learning objects to serve a similar or new purpose compared to the intentions of the original creator of the learning objects. 42

32. Types of Learning Objects • Units • Lessons • Topics • Case studies • Free standing LOs • Teacher and student guides • Assessments 43

33. The Projects and the Scope • Four Online Professional Development Module projects underway– College Math, Reading Comprehension, Second Language Instruction, Critical Thinking • Modules would provide faculty with readily available instruction in best teaching practices • Anticipate at least 500 faculty impacted in FY 2010 and over 2,000 in FY 2011 • Anticipate College Math modules will be available during the 2009-2010 academic and other modules during the 2010-2011 academic year 44

34. The Partner Institutions College Mathematics Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking Second Language Instruction 45

35. University of North Texas • Teaching Introductory College Mathematics 46

36. Dual Credit • House Bill 1 (80th Regular Legislative Session) requires all school districts to make available at least 12 hours of college credit for academically qualified students. • November 2007 survey showed that 59 of the 62 respondent institutions offered dual credit courses with either waived or discounted tuition and fees. 47

37. Obstacles for Dual Credit • Not enough qualified faculty to teach courses • Not enough student interest to make courses economical • Difficulty coordinating with high school calendar and schedule • Many high schools give a higher GPA weight to Advanced Placement courses 48

38. 49

39. Early College High School • Establishes a college-going culture, college readiness, and post-secondary participation and success. • Autonomous small school, 100 students per grade • Rigorous academic and social support structures • Students may earn 60 SCH or Associates Degree with HS diploma • Targeted students are underrepresented in higher education • Strong IHE / public education partnership • 9-16 curriculum alignment 50

40. P-16 Initiatives and Outreach P-16 Councils Public Awareness P-16 InitiativeRegional Responsibilities Uniform Recruitment & Retention Strategy (URRS) African American Male Advisory Committee (AAMAC) College Connections 51

41. Closing the Gaps:A Vision for Texas Higher Education • Every Texan educated to the level necessary to achieve his or her dreams • No one is left behind, and each can pursue higher education; • Colleges and universities focus on the recruitment and success of students; • Education is of high quality throughout; • And all levels of education, the business community, and the public are constant partners to meet the state’s workforce and research needs. 52

42. The P-16 Regional Councils • Civic organizations that includes stakeholders from: • Pre K - 12 • Higher education • Civic groups • Business community 53

43. Uniform Recruitment & Retention Strategy (URRS) URRS Review • Texas Education Code § 61.086. • (a) The board shall develop and annually update a uniform strategy to identify, attract, retain, and enroll students that reflect the population of this state. • (b) Each institution of higher education shall implement the uniform strategy developed under Subsection (a). Each institution shall report to the board as part of the annual report submitted under Section 51.4032 the manner in which the institution has implemented the uniform strategy. • Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1392, § 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999. • Amended by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 694, § 3, eff. June 17, 2005. 54

44. URRS Review (cont.) • Recruitment Strategy Elements • Partnership with high-need public schools -– public high schools with a college-going rate below 50 percentand/or a 75 percent socio-economically disadvantaged student population. • Pre-college academic outreach such as summer bridge programs, Go Centers, and College Connection programs. • Application assistance (Admissions and Financial Aid) for first generation college students and their parents. 55

45. URRS Review (cont.) • Retention Strategy Elements • Financial aid to first generation and low income disadvantaged college students, such as work-study. • Tutoring/Mentoring program for first generation and low income disadvantaged college students. • Academic support programs for first generation and low income disadvantaged college students. • Institution-wide academic advising by faculty or professionally-trained academic counselors. 56

46. Higher Education Enrollment Assistance Program (HB 400) • HB 400, passed by the 77th Texas Legislature,requires school districts with high schools among the lowest 10 percent college-going rates to enter into a partnership agreement with a public institution of higher education to develop a plan to increase the district's college-going rates. • P-16 Councils and IHE’s that receive funding for outreach efforts like College Connection, Work-Study Mentorship programs and CB support should specifically target these high schools in their region. 57

47. College Connections Program • Work with P-16 Councils and Community Colleges to create a seamless transition from high school to a 2-year college and from a 2-year to a 4-year college or university. • Provide grant funding to 15 colleges to enhance existing programs and create new college connection programming. • Work with Community Colleges to replicate the College Connection program throughout the State of Texas. • Promote best practices to create a college going culture. 58

48. GO Centers • Provide advise regarding GO Centers to GO Center sponsors, school district personnel, and P-16 Councils. • Provide training tools and presentations protocols as needed to program staff. • Maintain close communication with grant sponsored GO Centers i.e. Americorps and Gates. • Monitor GO Center program success by analyzing the Uniform Recruitment & Retention Strategies (URRS) Reports. 59

49. AMERICORPS*STATE • In the summer of 2007, added new GO Centers, supported by part-time AmeriCorps*State members.  • AmeriCorps Members are located on 32 high school campuses in Central Texas (from Waco to San Antonio) • 34 active members serving 16 School Districts. • 2008 school year: • 24,103 GO Center visits • 251 high school G-Force members have provided over 2600 hours of service • 2,332 college applications completed with assistance • Since January 2008, AmeriCorps Members have assisted in the completion of over 1646 FAFSA/TASFA applications. 60

50. AMERICORPS*VISTA • 22 VISTA members currently serve in San Antonio and the grant is being expanded on a cost-share basis for VISTA members in Houston later this year and, eventually, Dallas. • 13 VISTAs serving 10 high schools and 4 middle schools in San Antonio. • In 2007-2008 school year: • 21,899 GO Center visits • 262 high school G-Force members have provided over 825 hours of service • VISTAs have provided nearly 300 presentations 61