PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR COUNSELORS

1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR COUNSELORS This Generation of Students Is the Future of Texas!

2. Overview • Presentation team: • Patricia G. (Pat) Bubb, Executive Director, RGV LEAD • Martha Gutierrez, P-16 Council Coordinator, RGV LEAD • Norma Salazar, Director of Student Success, TSTC Harlingen (immediate past Higher Education Chair, Lower Rio Grande Valley Counselors’ Network) • Sandra Rodriguez, Career Counselor, Harlingen CISD (immediate past Secondary Education Chair, Lower Rio Grande Valley Counselors’ Network)

3. Transition Counseling • The Counselors’ Network Connection • Transition Counseling: • What We’ve Done to Date • The Message We’re Conveying • Response in Our Region • Application in Harlingen Career Center Project • Our Plans for “Next Steps” • Implications for Other Councils

4. Counselors’ Network • The Counselors’ Network Connection: • Current Chairs: • Higher Education: Larry Barroso, South Texas College • Secondary Education: Valerie Paredes, Harlingen CISD • Immediate Past Chairs: • Higher Education: Norma Salazar, Texas State Technical College • Secondary Education: Sandra Rodriguez, Harlingen CISD • Meets jointly with P-16 Council, with GenTX blended into agendas • P-16 Regional Outreach & Counseling Leadership Team meets thereafter

5. What We’ve Done to Date • First-ever transition counseling conference was planned by P-16 Regional Outreach & Counseling Leadership Team and hosted by UTPA in April 2012 • Response indicated the content met a need! Planned together again, incorporating strands into RGV LEAD’s Regional Conference in December 2012 • The message is important! Most recently shared at regional conference in December 2012.

6. Blending Transition CounselingInto RGV LEAD’s Regional Conference Event was at South Padre Island on December 6-7, 2012 Transition Counseling Sessions focused on 3 Critical Areas: • Programs of Study • Effective Advisement • Financial Aid (One Session) (One Session)

7. Programs of Study • Introduction of POS begins at the middle school level • Stress importance of following a POS that will lead to a certificate/degree, rather than taking courses that lead to nowhere • Students need to be aware of the process for redeeming or “cashing in” ATC credits (Advanced Technical Credit courses) upon college enrollment (award of ATC credits for CTE resembles award of AP credits for academics) • Participating post-secondary institutions need to have a designated office to which students can go and “cash in” ATC credits (Admissions, Student Success, Dual Enrollment Office, Registrar, etc.). • Sharing the Knowledge-It is important is that secondary partners, as well as students, are aware of the office location. A contact matrix was disseminated during session.

8. Contact Matrix

9. Programs of Study • Students need to understand how they can earn credits under a Program of Study (Ex. Through Dual Enrollment courses, Concurrent Enrollment Courses, AP Credits & Advanced Technical Credit courses) • A common problem is that students may graduate from high school with ATC credits that do not align with their major (Ex. Student took CNA Advanced Technical Credit courses in high school, but majors in Dental Hygiene when she enrolls in college) • Other problems include: 1) student not realizing he/she is taking a course that carries potential credit, 2) student forgets to “cash in” credits and may end up retaking the course, and 3) student may not be familiar with the process to “cash in” ATC credits

10. Process for “Cashing in” ATC Credits • Handout shared during P-16 Council Meeting and Transition Counseling • Information is also posted on TSTC Achieve Texas webpage

11. Effective Advisement Dual Enrollment Vs. ATC • Students/Parents need to understand the difference between Dual-Enrollment credits vs ATC credits • Also need to understand the impact of Dual Enrollment and ATC grades on a college transcript • Dual Enrollment grades reflect on a permanent college transcript, whereas ATC grades count only if students (1) get a B on the course and (2) “cash in” the credits upon college enrollment and meet other ATC criteria • Administrators, counselors, parents, and students should familiarize themselves with college/university scholastic policies and procedures (Six-Drop Rule, “No Show, suspension policies, drop deadlines, etc.)

12. Effective Advisement • New Student Orientation vs. College orientation for students enrolling in Dual Enrollment, Concurrent Enrollment, and ATC credit courses • When planning and following a POS/Degree Plan, students need to know Admissions criteria, processes, university scholastic policies, etc., which will help them determine if they are ready to apply or will have to wait another year. (Will Dual Credit courses be accepted? Will credits at a community college transfer to the university of preference? When does a program cohort begin?) ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL! • DAP Measures vs. College requirements—how do you reconcile? • Important for students to know Scholastic Standing Policies such as Good Standing, Scholastic Probation, Scholastic Suspension) and how Dual Credit Courses can impact your college scholastic standing (Ex.: A high school junior can be placed on scholastic suspension at the college level which can prevent him or her from progressing through his/her POS).

13. Financial Aid • It is important that students, parents, educators, and administrators are aware of federal financial aid policies, such as Standards of Academic Progress or Satisfactory Academic Progress. They also need to be aware of institutional financial aid policies. -Ex.: How does Completion Rate (hours successfully completed divided by hours attempted) factor into financial aid? -What is the Completion Rate requirement for the college of choice? At UTB-a student’s Completion Rate must be 70% , while at TSTC it must be 67%. • Important to understand the Impact of poor/failing grades on financial aid eligibility • Important to understand Financial Aid standing (Ex. Good Status, Warning Status, Suspension Status, and Probation Status) and how it affect a student’s college admission.

14. Scenarios • Steven earned 3 ATC credits and 6 Dual Technical Credits while in high school, all of which lead to a certificate or Associate degree in Drafting and Design at the local college. However, after participating in a summer camp, he decides to enroll in Culinary Arts after graduating from high school. 1) What happens to his ATC credits? 2) Do the Dual Technical Credits affect his financial aid eligibility? 3) If so, in what way since he is now declaring a new Program of Study/Major?

15. Scenarios • After high school graduation, Ramiro was excited to begin college. He knew college would be different from high school, but he was ready to study. He scheduled an appointment to meet with a college academic advisor and was informed he had a 1.87 GPA because two dual/concurrent enrollment courses he thought he had dropped were on his college transcript as “F” grades. He also discovered he had taken three classes (nine credits) which he didn’t need for a major in nursing.

16. Response in Our Region • Evaluations were positive: this event met a need for our region. • The work done so far is only the beginning. • Individual school districts have begun requesting sessions, and plans to meet that need are being developed now. • We utilized the “Top 10 List” in a “Passport” developed especially for a project funded by Harlingen EDC.

17. Application inHarlingen Career Center Project • Harlingen EDC has funded a Harlingen Career Center Project for RGV LEAD for several years. • On January 22, this team came together for an 8th Grade College and Career Fair hosted by Harlingen CISD • The partners presenting today worked together on that event for 8th grade students and parents. • Utilized the Transition Counseling event “Top 10 List” in a Passport distributed at that event.

18. Our Plans for “Next Steps” • As a result of the information shared during Transition Counseling sessions, some school districts have expressed an interest in having transition counseling training for their faculty and counselors. • P-16 Regional Outreach & Counseling Leadership Team discussed that request and strategized solutions to meet that need. • There is no substitute for the session with all higher education partners participating; however, the team is working on a presentation that one or two partners can share to represent the group as a whole—encouraging participation in the 2013 regional conference.

19. Implications for Other Councils • The needs we’re addressing are compelling and urgent! • When students create college transcripts in high school, they need to make informed decisions! The message is important! • We’re sharing what we’ve done to encourage other Councils to adapt the concept … doing so may meet needs that students and the educators who work with them may not even know they have!

20. In Conclusion • Final thoughts • Questions? Comments? • For additional information: • Norma Salazar: norma.salazar@harlingen.tstc.edu • Sandra Rodriguez: sandra.rodriguez@hcisd.org • Patricia G. (Pat) Bubb: pat.bubb@harlingen.tstc.edu • Martha Gutierrez: martha.gutierrez@harlingen.tstc.edu