Connect2Complete Theory of Change Development for Colleges and State Offices November 10, 2011

1. Connect2Complete Theory of Change Development for Colleges and State Offices November 10, 2011 OMG Center for Collaborative Learning

2. Goal for today’s session • Begin to develop college- and state-level theories of change, including: • Local context: Challenges and opportunities • Key Strategies: Outcomes, indicators, and activities • Assumptions: Our best thinking about why and how the initiative will be successful

3. A Theory of Change CAN BE: • A planning tool • Maps a strategy • Forces partners to consider why and how • A communication tool • Helps multiple partners develop a common understanding of the big ideas • An evaluation tool • Provides a map for checking progress • Helps identify areas of partner responsibility IS NOT: • A workplan • A static document • A punitive checklist of outcomes

4. Elements of a Theory of Change Strategic Focus The overall approach to conducting our work: The elevator speech “We do x in order to change y and z.” Long-term Outcomes Describe the long-term changes we hope to see among students, colleges, and states Context Define and understand the local political, economic, and social environment within which we will conduct our work Strategies to Drive Change Describe the overarching strategies and key activities that we will undertake to achieve student, college, and state-wide outcomes Interim Outcomes Describe the immediate changes we hope to see among students, colleges, and states ASSUMPTIONS

5. Connect2Complete pilot initiative: Theory of Change in Brief LONG-TERM OUTCOMES KEY STRATEGIES INTERIM OUTCOMES Partner with Strong Community Colleges Design and implement pilot programs that marry vision and local context; track program and use data for continual improvement; repurpose existing public and private funds or secure new ones to institutionalize programs; commit to ongoing learning community participation, best practice dissemination, and work towards a collaborative state agenda. Increased student completion, policy and practice changes at C2C institutions, increased non-pilot campus adoption - implementing program (scaling and institutionalization), state and federal agenda and emerging policy and practice changes in support of community engagement , peer to peer mentoring, and retention on college campuses. Institutionalized C2C programs at community colleges (pilot sites and non-pilot institutions) that are achieving student and system level outcomes such as increased student persistence and more coordinated student supports. Engage State Offices for Support, Network Building and Program Expansion Manage state learning community; support implementing colleges, including through relevant advocacy support; advise national office; prepare for broader implementation by identifying and leveraging funding and communicating to Compact network about C2C; disseminate findings. Increased C2C and community college presence within the Compact network and nationally. Campus Compact seen as expert on building community engagement in college settings, peer-to-peer impact models. Leveraged funds to support the C2C agenda. Develop National Learning Community and Make the Case for Scale to a Broad Audience Serve in an advisory role to state and community college partners; package lessons learned , finance approach and research findings; codify and disseminate model broadly; build political will to influence policy and practice changes; secure funding for scale and sustainability.

6. National Context: Connect2Complete Theory of Change Opportunities • The current administration, the funding community, and the business community are focusing on college completions as paramount to the future of our country and our economy. • Since 2008, community college enrollment has increased 15 percent; there may be urgency and readiness for initiatives to tackle some of the college’s pressing needs. • There is currently national attention being paid to developmental education and more knowledge about the challenges related to it; the timing may be ripe to pilot an initiative with this target population. • There may be community reinvestment funding available for initiatives that can link to twenty first century workforce skill development. • Challenges • Budget cuts at the state and federal levels have led to a constrained resource environment at many of the country’s community colleges. • In the face of low resources, community colleges are dealing with numerous competing demands and there is concern of “being spread too thin.” • At many institutions of higher education, including community colleges, the systems that impact students are not integrated with one another. • There are pending federal policy changes, including within the Corporation for National & Community Service, that may impact the ability of the C2C students and peer advocates to use federal funding and other in-kind supports to support their educational trajectory.

7. Connect2Complete pilot initiative: Theory of Change in Brief LONG-TERM OUTCOMES KEY STRATEGIES INTERIM OUTCOMES Partner with Strong Community Colleges Design and implement pilot programs that marry vision and local context; track program and use data for continual improvement; repurpose existing public and private funds or secure new ones to institutionalize programs; commit to ongoing learning community participation, best practice dissemination, and work towards a collaborative state agenda. Increased student completion, policy and practice changes at C2C institutions, increased non-pilot campus adoption - implementing program (scaling and institutionalization), state and federal agenda and emerging policy and practice changes in support of community engagement , peer to peer mentoring, and retention on college campuses. Institutionalized C2C programs at community colleges (pilot sites and non-pilot institutions) that are achieving student and system level outcomes such as increased student persistence and more coordinated student supports. Engage State Offices for Support, Network Building and Program Expansion Manage state learning community; support implementing colleges, including through relevant advocacy support; advise national office; prepare for broader implementation by identifying and leveraging funding and communicating to Compact network about C2C; disseminate findings. Increased C2C and community college presence within the Compact network and nationally. Campus Compact seen as expert on building community engagement in college settings, peer-to-peer impact models. Leveraged funds to support the C2C agenda. Develop National Learning Community and Make the Case for Scale to a Broad Audience Serve in an advisory role to state and community college partners; package lessons learned , finance approach and research findings; codify and disseminate model broadly; build political will to influence policy and practice changes; secure funding for scale and sustainability.

8. What are community colleges expected to accomplish? LONG-TERM OUTCOMES KEY STRATEGIES INTERIM OUTCOMES Partner with Strong Community Colleges Design and implement pilot programs that marry vision and local context; track program and use data for continual improvement; repurpose existing public and private funds or secure new ones to institutionalize programs; commit to ongoing learning community participation, best practice dissemination, and work towards a collaborative state agenda. Increased student completion, policy and practice changes at C2C institutions, increased non-pilot campus adoption - implementing program (scaling and institutionalization), state and federal agenda and emerging policy and practice changes in support of community engagement , peer to peer mentoring, and retention on college campuses. Institutionalized C2C programs at community colleges (pilot sites and non-pilot institutions) that are achieving student and system level outcomes such as increased student persistence and more coordinated student supports. Engage State Affiliates for Support, Network Building and Program Expansion Manage state learning community; support implementing colleges, including through relevant advocacy support; advise national office; prepare for broader implementation by identifying and leveraging funding and communicating to Compact network about C2C; disseminate findings. Increased C2C and community college presence within the Compact network and nationally. Campus Compact seen as expert on building community engagement in college settings, peer-to-peer impact models. Leveraged funds to support the C2C agenda. Develop National Learning Community and Make the Case for Scale to a Broad Audience Serve in an advisory role to state and community college partners; package lessons learned , finance approach and research findings; codify and disseminate model broadly; build political will to influence policy and practice changes; secure funding for scale and sustainability.

9. What are state offices expected to accomplish? LONG-TERM OUTCOMES KEY STRATEGIES INTERIM OUTCOMES Partner with Strong Community Colleges Design and implement pilot programs that marry vision and local context; track program and use data for continual improvement; repurpose existing public and private funds or secure new ones to institutionalize programs; commit to ongoing learning community participation, best practice dissemination, and work towards a collaborative state agenda. Increased student completion, policy and practice changes at C2C institutions, increased non-pilot campus adoption - implementing program (scaling and institutionalization), state and federal agenda and emerging policy and practice changes in support of community engagement , peer to peer mentoring, and retention on college campuses. Institutionalized C2C programs at community colleges (pilot sites and non-pilot institutions) that are achieving student and system level outcomes such as increased student persistence and more coordinated student supports. Engage State Officesfor Support, Network Building and Program Expansion Manage state learning community; support implementing colleges, including through relevant advocacy support; advise national office; prepare for broader implementation by identifying and leveraging funding and communicating to Compact network about C2C; disseminate findings. Increased C2C and community college presence within the Compact network and nationally. Campus Compact seen as expert on building community engagement in college settings, peer-to-peer impact models. Leveraged funds to support the C2C agenda. Develop National Learning Community and Make the Case for Scale to a Broad Audience Serve in an advisory role to state and community college partners; package lessons learned , finance approach and research findings; codify and disseminate model broadly; build political will to influence policy and practice changes; secure funding for scale and sustainability.

10. Sample Assumptions: Connect2Complete Theory of Change Assumptions about the student population and program design • C2C students need personal guidance and individualized support over multiple semesters to meet their educational goals. • C2C students & peer advocates have the necessary capacities and willingness to participate in this program. • The more students are engaged in their college system and in community pursuits, the more likely they are to persist. • Peers want to engage with peers. • Community engagement opportunities will create a sense of community among students and increase academic persistence. • Large pockets of existing public dollars can be leveraged and repurposed if C2C achieves success and is replicable for rapid prototype development. Assumptions about network building and program expansion • State offices are local experts that can help shape policies related to their community colleges; they are important partners necessary for scale. • Organizing CCs in state clusters will build a stronger state agenda, link CCs to additional resources, and allow for a stronger evaluation as factors external to the grant will be considered. • Learning communities will be effective ways to share learning across CCs and increase likelihood of scaling. • State offices will need to create the right environment and policy setting to adopt this practice more widely.