Today’s School Districts: Challenges of Working in HSSDs

Today’s School Districts: Challenges of Working in HSSDs CREATING A COLLEGE GOING CULTURE Dr. Suzanne D. Mudge Texas A&M University – San Antonio 8/16/13

Today’s School Districts: Challenges of Working in HSSDs Looking at the problem…

Congruity of College World and World of Middle- and Upper-Class Students • World of Middle & Upper Class Students • Values • Traditions • Conventions • Family • Cultural Expectations • College World • Values • Traditions • Conventions • Faculty • Curriculum • Students

Incongruity of College world and World of Low-Income, Underserved Students • World of Low Income Underserved Students • Values • Traditions • Conventions • Family • Cultural Expectations • College World • Values • Traditions • Conventions • Faculty • Curriculum • Students

Research on First-Generation, Low-Income Students Many grow up in environments where nobody they know has attended college; In school, low expectations are often set for these students; Many are tracked into less demanding high school curriculum that does not lead to college. Rendon, L. (2006). Reconceptualizing Success for Underserved Students in Higher Education.

Research on First-Generation Students Students have little knowledge of higher education and no direct or clear adult guidance in making educational choices. Generally speaking… Parents of first-generation students know little about higher education.

Research on First-Generation Students 2) Absent strong adult guidance, first-generation students are often misinformed about higher education. Paramount issues include: How/when to apply to college; I must decide on a career before attending college.

Research on First-Generation Students 3) First-generation students, at the time of high school graduation, are often already working 20-40 hours per week. Issues of concern surround: Family responsibilities; “Bird in the hand”

Research on First-Generation Students 4) The combination of minimal adult supervision and misinformation often causes first-generation students to make poorly informed choices about higher education, choices that might result in a student never completing a higher education degree.

Research on First-Generation Students ON THE OTHER HAND… FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS WHO APPEAR HEADED FOR A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE CAREER, INDICATE THAT A TEACHER, COUNSELOR, ROLE MODEL, OR STRONG ADULT IN THE FAMILY HAVE HELPED THEM TO STAY ON TRACK. Immerwahr, J. (2003). With Diploma in Hand: Hispanic High School Seniors Talk About Their Future.

Research on Latinos and Education Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) Latino young adults say that a college education is important for success in life, yet only about half that number—48%--say that they themselves plan to get a college degree. Lopez, M. H. (2009). Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap. Pew Research Center. Washington D.C.

Research on Latinos and Education The biggest reason for the gap between the high value Latinos place on education and their more modest aspirations to finish college appears to come from financial pressure to support a family. Lopez, M. H. (2009). Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap. Pew Research Center. Washington D.C.

Research on Latinos and Education Nearly three-quarters (74%) of all 16 to 25-year-old survey respondents who cut their education short during or right after high school say they did so because they had to support their family. Lopez, M. H. (2009). Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap. Pew Research Center. Washington D.C.

Research on Latinos and Education When asked why Latinos on average do not do as well as other students in school, more respondents blame poor parenting and poor English skills than blame poor teachers. Lopez, M. H. (2009). Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap. Pew Research Center. Washington D.C.

Research on Latinos and Education • Among Latino youths who have a high school education or less and are not currently enrolled in school, the reasons they give for not continuing their education include: • Need to help support their family; • They didn’t like school; • They cannot afford to go to school; • They don’t need more education for the career they want; and • Their grades weren’t high enough. Lopez, M. H. (2009). Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap. Pew Research Center. Washington D.C.

Today’s School Districts: Challenges of Working in HSSDs Addressing the problem…

Addressing Barriers by Creating College-Going Cultures • Educational equity requires that all students have equal access to academic opportunities as well as academic support for present and future endeavors.

Addressing Barriers by Creating College-Going Cultures • Several high school conditions have been identified as necessary to successfully preparing all students for a full range of postsecondary options: • School leadership must be committed to building a college culture. • School personnel must provide a consistent message that supports the college preparatory efforts of all students. • Counselors must be effective college counselors. • Administrators, counselors, teachers, and parents must be partners in preparing students for college.

Academic Preparation and College/Career Readiness Exposure to an intellectually-challenging high school curriculum is one of the best ways to offset the negative effects of low-SES on postsecondary enrollment. Centre for the Study of Higher Education Management, (2007)

Academic Preparation and College/Career Readiness Seven Principles that Facilitate College Readiness: Create and maintain a college-going culture in the school; Create a core academic program that is aligned with and leads to college readiness; Teach self-management skills and academic behaviors and expect students to use them; Help students manage the complexity of preparing for and applying to postsecondary education;

Academic Preparation and College/Career Readiness Seven Principles that Facilitate College Readiness: Create assignments and grading policies that approximate college expectations; Make the senior year meaningful and appropriately challenging; Build partnerships with and connections to postsecondary programs and institutions.

Family Education Empirical evidence points to three reasons why students do not choose to invest in post-secondary educational opportunities: Students and their families cannot afford college; Students lack the academic skills necessary for college success; and Students and their families are not convinced of the economic benefits of a college education. Hill, K., Hoffman, D., & Rex, T.R. (2005). The value of higher education: Individual and societal benefits. Arizona State University’s Productivity and Prosperity Project.

Family Education Although educators see to it that students receive information, process information, and begin to form decisions about future plans, without family member approval and support, the realization of postsecondary aspirations isn’t likely to occur for most students. Mudge, S. and Higgins, D. (2010). College access programming: Removing higher education barriers for underrepresented student populations. The International Journal of Learning.

Family Education Intentional interventions by the school must include: Make increased college knowledge a priority among advocacy, political, cultural, and community organizations. Provide college admissions information, financial aid information, and general college knowledge to low socioeconomic families and communities. Expand the understanding of economic trends, future labor markets, and college rationale among low-income and immigrant communities and families so they are fully aware of the value or post-secondary education.

Family Education Provide college information in the family’s native language. Increase the scope and frequency of college “events” such as college nights and campus visitations. Make college campus visits more accessible to marginalized families by offering flexible schedules, providing bilingual guides, and decreasing costs. Increase the number of bilingual high school counselors and teachers.

Family Education • Increased family participation in postsecondary planning activities and college information sessions requires: • culturally-sensitive planning, • personal contacts, • family connections, • a warm and welcoming school climate, • the accommodation of family language needs, and • a genuine respect for family values and culture.

Family Education Engaging underserved families in the college preparation process isn’t an easy task; however, given the powerful influence the family has on student planning and goal attainment, it is a task worth accomplishing. Mudge, S. and Higgins, D. (2010). College access programming: Removing higher education barriers for underrepresented student populations. The International Journal of Learning.

Creating a College Going Culture At what point in a student’s K-12 educational journey should this emphasis on a college going culture occur? FROM DAY 1

Creating a College Going Culture How does a school counselor go about creating a college going culture? Through the Four Components of the Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program • Guidance Curriculum • Responsive Services • Individualized Student Planning • System Support

Creating a College Going Culture • Family Activities Include: • Parent University-Monthly family workshoptopics: • Why College? • College: Myth or Reality • College Systems: Which Way to Go • Financial Aid • Financial Aid Extension (undocumented students) • Leaving the Nest • Parent/Student Panel • Graduation Ceremony: Potluck & Confer Honorary Parent Studies Degrees

Creating a College Going Culture • Family Interventions Include: • College Readiness Calendars (by grade level) • College Ready Updates in Newsletters • Paying and Saving for College Workshops • Community College/University Family Visits and Mock Classroom Visits

Creating a College Going Culture • Student Interventions/Planning to include: • Understanding the Nature of College • Recognizing that a College Education may be important to Future Success • Gaining Positive Perceptions and Aspirations about College • Preparing Academically for College Admission • Setting Short Term & Long Term Goals

Today’s School Districts: Challenges of Working in HSSDs Questions And Comments

Today’s School Districts: Challenges of Working in HSSDs