SUCCESS ACADEMY A HIGH TOUCHHIGH TECH APPROACH TO BASIC SKILLS

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SUCCESS ACADEMYA HIGH TOUCH/HIGH TECHAPPROACH
TO BASIC SKILLS
Jenny Redding, Oxnard College English
Professor Larry Kennedy, Oxnard College Job
Career Center Manager

• CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE ASSOCIATION
• 2008 SPRING CONFERENCE
• SAN DIEGO, CA
• March 20, 2008

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What is the Success Academy?

• A place offering an alternative to the
  traditional classroom specializing in mastery of
  basic English, writing, reading, and math

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Workshop Objectives

• The Crisis in Basic Skills deficiencies
• Research into Basic Skills
• What is the Success Academy?
• How was it created
• Who can build one?
• What are the challenges
• What are the opportunities

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The Crisis in Basic Skills

• Basic skills are those foundation skills in
  reading, writing, mathematics, learning skills,
  study skills, and English as a Second Language1
  which are necessary for students to succeed in
  college-level work.
• 1 The inclusion of English as a Second
  Language in this definition recognizes that all
  ESL is not, by definition, subsumed under basic
  skills. To the extent that a student is unable
  to succeed in college-level coursework due to
  inability to write, speak, read, or comprehend
  English, ESL skills may be considered as
  foundation skills in accordance with the
  definition.

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Graduation Rates of High School Students(2005-06)

• Graduation rates of high school students in
  2005-06
• (based on the number of 9th graders entering in
  2002-03)
• Oxnard Area Ventura County
  Statewide
• 85
  89 83
• Dropouts from 9th grade through 12th grade
• (based on the number of 9th graders entering in
  2002-03)
• Oxnard Area Ventura County
  Statewide
• 15
  11 17
• Source California Department of Education,
  Educational Demographics Unit.

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Passing Rates on the California High School Exit
Exam (CAHSEE) (2006-07)

• Students in California public schools have to
  pass the CAHSEE to earn a high school diploma.
  They have several opportunities, starting in the
  10th grade, to pass the English-language arts and
  mathematics tests.
• In the 2006-07 year, there were a number of 12th
  graders in the Oxnard area high schools that
  still needed to pass the CAHSEE
• 12th graders in Oxnard Area
• English-Language Arts 1,239 tested 84 did not
  pass
• Math 1,009 tested 74 did not pass
• Source California Department of Education, High
  School Exit Exam Office.

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High School Graduates Enrolling inVentura
Countys Community Colleges(Fall 2006)

• There were approximately 8,100 students
  graduating from Ventura Countys public high
  schools in 2005-06.
• Approximately 3,700 of these public high school
  graduates enrolled at one of the three community
  colleges in the county (Oxnard, Moorpark, or
  Ventura) in Fall 2006.
• Therefore, about 46 of the countys public high
  school graduates attended a local community
  college the fall after graduation.
• Source Ventura County Community College
  District.

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MOTIVATION FOR CHANGE

• Changes in English and Math Requirements for Fall
  2009 English 101 and Intermediate Algebra
• Number of Students Testing in at Basic Skills
  Level 75 to 85
• To Improve Retention and Persistence Rates
• To Improve Success Rates

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PREPARATION

• Visit from Valencia, Florida Personnel
• Marsha Elliotts Paper on Best Practices
  http//www.acceonline.org/resource/file45.pdf
• Visit to Denver Community CollegeContact Sam
  Cassio, Exec. Dir. Dev. Ed., 303-556-2514
• Visits to Highlighted California Centers
• Basic Skills Initiative Lit Rev (26 Effective
  Practices)
• Recruiting Full-time Faculty for
  Curr.Development and Software Selection

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IMPLEMENTATION

• Preparing the Space
• Buying the Hardware and Software
• Buying the Furniture, etc.
• Staffing Faculty Tutors Student Workers
• Getting Students Registered

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BSI Components

• characteristics of highly effective
• developmental education programs
• Orientation, assessment, and placement are
  mandatory for all new students.
• Regular program evaluations are conducted,
  results are disseminated and used to improve
  practice.
• Counseling support provided is substantial,
  accessible, and integrated courses/programs.
• Financial aid is disseminated to support
  developmental students.

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Staff Development

• Administrators support faculty development in
  basic skills.
• The faculty play a primary role in planning and
  implementation of staff development.
• Staff development programs are appropriately
  supported to sustain them as ongoing efforts.
• Staff development opportunities are flexible,
  varied, and responsive to developmental needs of
  individual faculty and diverse student
  populations.
• Faculty development is connected to intrinsic and
  extrinsic faculty reward structures.

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Organizational Effectiveness

• A high degree of structure is provided in
  developmental education courses.
• Developmental education faculty employ a variety
  of instructional methods to accommodate student
  diversity.
• Programs align entry/exit skills among levels and
  link course content to college-level performance
  requirements.

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Organizational Effectiveness

• Developmental education faculty routinely share
  instructional strategies.
• Faculty and advisors closely monitor student
  performance.
• Programs provide comprehensive academic support
  mechanisms, including the use of trained tutors.

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Philosophy

• The assessment of basic skills programs
• and services needs to be viewed as
  developmental. We are not correcting something
  that is wrong. We are trying to transform the way
  we provide programs and services to make them
  more effective in producing the desired outcomes
  for students.
• The Center for Student Success, July 2007

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Instructor Characteristics

• Faculty who are both knowledgeable and
  enthusiastic about developmental education
  Enjoys and respects students
• Varies instructional delivery methods
• Maintains organized and structured activities

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Instructor Characteristics

• Possesses knowledge of learning styles and how to
  apply this information
• Relates the curriculum to the real world and
  careers
• Actively engages students

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Instructor Characteristics

• Chooses to teach under-prepared students and
  demonstrates a passion for working with these
  students
• Creates a classroom community learning
  environment
• Encourages students to use all available
  support services

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Oxnard College Study Area 30-Mile Radius by Zip
Code and Parent Areas
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Median Household Income - 2006
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Households Below Poverty Level Married with
Children - 2006
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Population by Educational Attainment Age 25 -
HS Graduates - 2006
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What is the Success Academy?

• A place offering an alternative to the
  traditional classroom specializing in mastery of
  basic English, writing, reading, and math

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What courses will be offered in fall of 2007?

• MATH R009 MATH R098A - 1 unit (CRN 72853)
• MATH R098B - 1 unit (CRN 72859)
• MATH R098C - 1 unit (CRN 72860)

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ENGLISH Composition Fall Offerings

• ENGL R066 ENGL R098M - 1 unit (CRN 72842)
• ENGL R098N - 1 unit (CRN 72844)
• ENGL R098P - 1 unit (CRN 72845)

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When is the Success Academy Open?

• Monday through Thursday
• 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
• Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• OPEN ENTRY/
• OPEN EXIT

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How does the Success Academy work?

• PLATO Learning Systems software
• On-Site Tutoring . . . Peer Tutors
• Individualized Faculty Instruction
• Homework (given by instructors)
• Progress Carefully Monitored
• Earn Units test out of what you know focus on
  areas needing improvement

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CHALLENGES

• Institutional Resistance to Change
• Politics of Money
• Under-prepared, At-Risk Students
• Faculty Challenges Not Just a Lab
• Tutors Not Just a Lab
• Getting the Word Out

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SUCCESSES

• The Formula Is Working EOPS/EAC Students
  Hearing Impaired Re-Entry Students High School
  AP Students African-American and Latino Males
  (18 to 28 years of age)

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Now its time to GET THIS LEARNING STARTED . . .

• Hi! Come on in cause its time to get this
  learnin started! Repeat
• Verse 1
• Get this learnin started
• just as soon as we can
• Everybodys waitin
• to put cards through the scan
• Sendin out the message bout all that Ive
  gained
• PLATOs system software so easy on the brain!
• Weve got lots of tutors for English and Math
• And the full-time faculty are always on staff!

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• Chorus Hi! Come on it cause its time to get
  this learnin started! Repeat
• Verse 2
• Pumpin up the energy
• til you understand
• Buildin up your knowledge yeah, well lend you
  a hand
• Youll be earnin unitsworkll go by so fast
• Futures lookin brightyou can forget all your
  past!
• Finish up each modulemovin at your own pace
• Schedule is flexible
• yeah, its not a race!

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• Chorus Hi! Come on it cause its time to get
  this learnin started! Repeat
• Verse 3
• If you want to transfer, say to UCSB
• Or to a Cal State or a university
• Or if you want a certificate or an AA
• Everything you learn heres
• going to help pave the way
• Well just keep on teachin
• until you succeed
• Success Academy has brought you
• just what you need!
• CHORUS GET THIS LEARNING STARTED!

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GET THIS LEARNING STARTED . . . RIGHT NOW!!
Jenny Redding Jredding_at_vcccd.edu Larry Kennedy
Lkennedy_at_vcccd.edu