Improving College Readiness: Collaborating With K-12 To Ensure That Students Are Prepared

1. Improving College Readiness: Collaborating With K-12 To Ensure That Students Are Prepared Luzelma G. Canales Executive Director, RGV FOCUS (Collective Impact Initiative) Communities Foundation of Texas/Educate Texas

2. Presenter Background Over 26 years in Higher Education 10 Years at University 15 Year at South Texas College (STC) 2 Years at Lone Star College System (LSCS) STC Achieving the Dream Lead since 2004 STC Completion by Design Lead Talent Dividend Liaison for South Texas Region Achieving the Dream Data Coach Since 2009 Student Success by the Numbers Consultant Since 2011 RGV FOCUS Since August 2013

3. Objectives • Examine the emerging trends and research on college readiness • Explore a process for establishing institutional commitment to increasing college readiness through meaningful collaborations • Discuss strategies for getting more students ready for college level work before they exit high school • Share strategies for building a culture of engagement and collaboration • Review evidence based examples of successful strategies/programs

4. Changing Demographics

5. 42.97%

6. 66% 63% 2.7% 14.7% 12%

7. 42.97%versus2.7% Population Growth College Enrollment Growth If we keep going at this rate, we will never close the achievement gap!

8. Latinos in Higher Education: Many Enroll, Too Few Graduate • 10% of all Latino high school graduates enroll in college • Substantial enrollment gap between Latinos and all other groups among 18 to 24 year olds • 35% of Latinos compared to 46% of whites • Latinos more likely to enroll in community colleges • 40% of Latinos • 25% of whites and African American • 1.9% of Latino high school graduates purse post-baccalaureate studies (Canales, 2012) Source: Pew Hispanic Center Report, Richard Fry, 2002

9. College Graduates by Age 24 75% From High Income Families 9% From Low Income Families Source: Postsecondary Educational Opportunity (Canales, 2012)

10. http://www.completecollege.org/

11. Finding 1: Nontraditional students are the new majority. 75% of students are college commuters, often juggling families, jobs, and school. 25% of students attend full-time at residential colleges. Source: Complete College America

12. And if they attend part-time, the federal government doesn’t even track their success … as if they are invisible. Source: Complete College America

13. Finding 2: Too few students graduate. For part-timers, results are tragic – even when they have twice as much time. Source: Complete College America

14. Finding 3: Graduation odds are especially low for students who are African American, Hispanic, older, or poor. Source: Complete College America

15. Finding 4: Students are wasting time on excess credits… Source: Complete College America

16. …and taking too much time to earn a degree. Source: Complete College America

17. Finding 5: Remediation—too many students need it, and too few succeed when they get it. Source: Complete College America

18. Remedial students are much less likely to graduate. Source: Complete College America

19. Trying to Understand through Qualitative Research

20. Encore Research Study • Study in Hidalgo County, Texas • Conducted by Dr. Victor Saenz, UT-Austin • 23 Focus Groups • Parents • Students • Educators (K-16) • Community/Business Leaders • Interviews with key Education and Community Leaders • Community Surveys • Parents • Students • Teachers

21. Key Thematic Findings • Theme I: We want to go to college! Our kids should go to college! • Theme II: Expecting to go to college is not enough. We need to be college ready. • Theme III: Disengagement in schools and communities. Challenges to college readiness efforts.

22. Key Thematic Findings (Cont.) • Theme IV: Should I stay, should I go, or leave and then come back? Multiple notions of academic success in the region. • Theme V: Everyone is responsible for promoting the goal of college readiness. • Theme VI: Building momentum for a college readiness movement.

23. Communication/Information Engage parents/families early in the process Communicate process of enrolling in college and expectations Partnerships Create more partnerships with businesses Join efforts with K-12 and existing organizations Community Voices • Access to Programs • Create programs like Gear-up for all students • Offer dual enrollment to all students • Schedule college tours for all students (elementary, middle, high school)

24. Where are we losing students?

25. Educational Pipeline Gaps Critical Gap Critical Gap Critical Gap Critical Gap (First Year Retention & 2-Year Completion) (High School to College) (Transfer from 2-year to 4-year & 4-year Completion) (7th–10th Grade Dropout) Elementary PK-5 Middle 6-8 High 9-12 Lower Division Upper Division Birth to PK Completion Point Completion Point Completion Point (Adapted from THECB, 2007) (Canales, 2012)

26. Of Every 100 Kindergartners… Source: US Department of Commerce (Canales, 2012)

27. What are students telling us? • Study Conducted by Public Agenda for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board • Funded by The Lumina Foundation’s • Interviews with noncompleters and current students in Texas Colleges and Universities • Houston, El Paso, San Antonio, McAllen, and Austin

28. Finding 1: Postsecondary attainment is highly valued by all, though some question whether or not it is worth the effort • Finding 2: Inadequate academic preparation and poor advising in high school set the stage for failure

29. Finding 3: For those without strong support systems, solid preparation, and a clear sense of purpose, the transition to college can quickly lead to a desire to give up • Finding 4: Faculty at two-year institutions get better marks than faculty at four-year institutions or advisers at any type of institution

30. Finding 2: Inadequate academic preparation and poor advising in high school set the stage for failure

31. I wasn’t counseled by anyone or anything like that. I don’t even recall ever talking to a counselor or anything about college. ~ Female, noncompleter, Houston

32. I feel like I wasn’t prepared when I went into college with math and stuff. I feel like I didn’t know the stuff that I should’ve known.…. Unfortunately, down here they prep you more for passing your tests more than actually learning. ~ Female, noncompleter, McAllen

33. They make the two hardest subjects the ones you opt out on senior year. Those are the ones you need to be refreshed on when you go in [to college]. ~ Female, noncompleter, San Antonio

34. Historically Working on Solutions in Isolation!

35. Working in Isolation has not Produced Results!

36. Asset Models Vs Deficit Models X

37. Start with Regional Goals • Increased College-Going Rates • Increased College & Career Readiness • Increased Degree & Credential Attainment (Canales, 2012)

38. Developing a Common Understanding: Summit on College Readiness • 2006 - Closing the Gaps on College Readiness • 2007 –Closing the Gap on College and Career Readiness • 2008 –The Journey to College Success • 2009 – Accelerating Student Success • 2010 – Success by Design • 2011 – The Power of One • 2012 – Completion by Design • 2013 – Navigating the Pathway from High School to College Completion and a Successful Career

39. Summer Leadership Institute

40. Retention? College readiness? Remediation? Completion? Student Success? (Canales, 2012)

41. Students who can succeed—without remediation—in credit bearing general education courses or a two-year certificate program and who are prepared for the cognitive challenges they face in general education requirements and subsequent courses (Canales, 2012)

42. Success by DesignNot by Chance ~ Alma Garcia, Educate Texas (Canales, 2012)

43. HIGH SCHOOL + ASSOCIATES DEGREE Starting with a Plan to Serve all Students HIGH SCHOOL + CORE READY 60 Hours HIGH SCHOOL + HB 1 42- 45 Hours HIGH SCHOOL + TSI READY 12 Hours HIGH SCHOOL ONLY HS Students 0 Hours & DROPOUTS • Dropout Recovery • Gateway to College • Dual Enrollment Academies • Early College High Schools • Dual Enrollment Programs (Canales, 2012) Adapted from Educate Texas(2011)

44. Do your colleges work with school districts to provide dual enrollment opportunities to high school students? In our region, dual credit programs and strategies continue to contribute to the increased number of students graduating from high school college ready.

45. What are some positive outcomes of dual credit? • Studies show that dual credit increases the likelihood that a student will complete high school, and enroll in and persist in college. • Decreases cost of tuition and fees for students by accelerating time to degree. • New graduates enter the workforce sooner and begin to earn wages. (THECB, 2008 )

46. What is dual credit? The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board defines dual credit as a process by which a high school junior or senior enrolls in a college course and receives simultaneous academic credit for the course from both the college and the high school.

47. While dual credit courses are often taught on the secondary school campus to high school students only, a high school student can also take a course on the college campus and receive both high school and college credit.

48. Dual credit courses include both academic courses as well as career & technical courses.

49. Dual Enrollment Programs • Traditional Dual Enrollment • Career & Technical Education Dual Enrollment • Early College High Schools • STEM Dual Enrollment Academies • Drop-out Recovery • Gateway to College (Canales, 2012)

50. Leveraging Dual Enrollment • Relationships are Critical • Formal Memorandum of Understanding • College Going & College Completion Culture • High Expectations for all Students • Strong Support Systems • Seamless Transitions