SREB College Readiness Transitional Course Project: Overview and Design

1. SREB College Readiness Transitional Course Project: Overview and Design September 20, 2012 Oklahoma Math Faculty Conference

2. What do we do? SREB Facts

3. The Southern Regional Education Board • SREB Partner States Alabama * Arkansas * Delaware * Florida Georgia * Kentucky * Louisiana * Maryland Mississippi * North Carolina * Oklahoma South Carolina * Tennessee * Texas Virginia * West Virginia

4. The Southern Regional Education Board • SREB is the nation’s first regional interstate compact for education, created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislators who recognized the link between education and economic vitality. • SREB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose work is funded by member appropriations and by grants and contracts from foundations and local, state and federal agencies. • SREB is the only education compact in the nation whose work spans the entire education pipeline from PK-20.

5. What are Transitional Courses? Project Overview

6. College Readiness Efforts • SREB’s College Readiness Mission began in 2007 • SREB’s first grant that initiated transitional courses in the South – Strengthening State College/Career Readiness Initiatives (SSCRI) • SREB’s current grant - Advancing Common Core Standards, Educator Effectiveness, and College Readiness in SREB States

7. SREB College Readiness Transitional Course Project Participating States: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. • SREB will work with the participating states to develop model course outlines and course content that incorporates the CCSS and LDC/MDC strategies. • SREB will work with the state to build the model courses as well as field test the courses statewide before full implementation takes place. • SREB will work with state policy-makers to develop policies that support the statewide implementation of these courses.

8. Why are Transitional Courses Needed? • Close the “Readiness Gap” • Only 66% of the nation’s Class of 2010 met ACT’s college-readiness benchmark in English, 52% did so in reading, and 43% in math • On average, 60% students who enter two-year colleges need at least one remedial course • Only 30% of students pass the remedial math sequences in which they enroll

9. How are they effective? • Transitional Courses target specific students • Assessments highlight student needs for teachers • Based on the CCSS • Courses are modular and flexible • Content is delivered in engaging, contextual formats

10. SREB College Readiness Action Agenda • Establish statewide college readiness standards (CRS) in reading/writing and math • High school assessment(s) of student progress on the CRS a. Assess students before 12th grade b. Focus on the specific CRS c. Set test score requirements that are highly predictive of first-year college success

11. Action Agenda (cont.) 3. Twelfth grade courses to ensure college readiness a. Focused on the reading/writing and math CRS b. Juniors assessed as not ready must take courses c. All high schools statewide must offer courses d. Success in course signifies readiness 4. Teacher development in the CRS a. Teachers of the 12th-grade courses b. Practicing teachers c. New teacher preparation programs

12. Action Agenda (cont.) 5. College placement coordinated with P-12 readiness actions a. Use the same CRS b. Recognize school readiness assessments and transitional course results 6. State school accountability systems include college readiness a. Distinct recognition of school progress in increasing readiness for college b. Based on school assessments of CRS c. Based on college placement results

13. Policy Guidelines • SREB has 12 policy recommendations for states for implementing Transitional Courses in three areas: • Standards • Assessments • Curriculum • Two SREB Policy papers will be published out of our Essential Elements series: College Readiness and Implementing Transitional Courses

14. Publications • SREB’s Policy Agenda for College Readiness Project Overview Handout Beyond the Rhetoric • The Role of Transitional Courses SSCRI Transitional Course Report SSCRI Teacher Development Brochure

15. Q & A • Project Questions? • Policy Questions?

16. BREAK

17. What’s next? Final Steps

18. Timeline • Internal Pilot of Units, Fall, 2012 • Syllabus Creation and Teacher Guidelines, Fall, 2012

19. Project Goals: January 2013- June 2014 • Transitional Course Curriculum Documents for disciplinary literacy and math will be published and disseminated to all states. • Pending additional funding, online modules will be developed. • Each state will enter into a phase of voluntary field-testing with selected high schools within districts in the state of the Math and Literacy Transitional Courses from January 2013 through May/June 2013. • Each state will complete a review of the pilot-testing phase and determine any changes necessary for successful statewide implementation. • SREB will provide professional development workshop, pending funding. • Each state will enter into full, statewide implementation phase of the Math and Literacy Transitional Courses as determined by the state’s implementation policy/rule.

20. Questions? Email Megan Root Megan.Root@sreb.orgor Kenna Bargerbargerconsulting@frontier.com