Early Alert: A Strategy for Student Success

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Early Alert A Strategy for Student Success
Samuel Hirsch, Ron Jackson, Jermaine
Williams Pennsylvania Governors Conference on
Higher Education Pathways to Success March 17,
2008
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• To serve Philadelphia as a premier learning
  institution where student success exemplifies the
  strength of a diverse, urban community college.

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The College

• Established on April 28, 1964
• Over 500,000 students have come through the
  College
• 27,000 students enrolled in credit classes
• 70 programs of study
• Main campus and 3 regional centers
• 80 of employed students worked in the city after
  graduation

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The Students

• 56 African American
• 26 White
• 11 Asian
• 7 Latino

• 36 Male
• 64 Female
• 59 18-24 years old
• 41 25 and older

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Locations

• Main Campus
• 1700 Spring Garden Street
• Northwest Regional Center
• 1300 W. Godfrey Avenue
• West Regional Center
• 4725 Chestnut Street
• Northeast Regional Center
• 12901 Townsend Road

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Phase One Identifying the Issue

• Student Success Agenda
• Student Persistence and Retention
• Student Engagement
• Faculty Involvement

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Phase One Identifying the Issue (cont)

• Achieving the Dream Initiative
• Enrollment Management Plan
• Timeline

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Phase One Identifying the Issue (cont)

• Early Alert System Goals
• Systemic and systematic early alert program
• Timely, accurately, and effectively deliver
  information regarding classroom performance
• Increase student awareness
• Increase faculty involvement
• Utilization of current technologies and systems
• Banner
• 20 and 50 Student Attendance Reporting

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Phase Two - Implementation Process

• Faculty 20 and 50 reporting prior to Early
  Alert
• 1 week period
• 24 hour batch - students received multiple
  letters
• Options were
• 20 - satisfactory attendance, unsatisfactory
  attendance, or never attended
• 50 - satisfactory attendance, unsatisfactory
  attendance, or never attended and mid-semester
  grade

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Phase Two - Implementation Process (cont)

• Early Alert faculty 20 and 50 reporting
• 1 week period
• Batch at end of the week 1 letter
• Options are
• 20 - Attendance and/or Retention Performance
  Indicators (RPI)
• 50 - Attendance, RPI, and/or mid-semester grade

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Phase Two - Implementation Process (cont)

• RPIs and Intervention
• Frequently Late
• Counseling workshop
• Inadequate Class Participation
• Learning lab workshop
• Inappropriate Classroom Behavior
• Counselor appointment
• Missing Assignments/Unprepared
• Learning lab workshop
• Other/Conference Requested
• Faculty conference

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Phase Two - Implementation Process (cont)

• Early Alert process
• Sample 20 reporting form
• Sample student letter
• Required actions insert

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Phase Two - Implementation Process (cont)

• What we know
• Number of letters
• Fall 2008
• Spring 2009
• Faculty Feedback
• Student Feedback

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Phase Two - Implementation Process (cont)

• Adjustments made based on Fall 2008 Data
• Changed tone of required actions sheet
• Created interventions specifically for Early
  Alert students
• Continue attempts to increase faculty and
  institutional awareness

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Phase Three - Next Steps

• Continued Assessment -Students
• Student focus groups
• Student Questionnaires
• Track students attending intervention
• Learning Lab
• Counseling Services

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Phase Three - Next Steps (cont)

• Continued Assessment Faculty
• Faculty level of participation
• Faculty focus groups
• Departmental information

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Phase Three - Next Steps (cont)

• Risk Analysis
• Student assigned a risk indicator based on
  certain factors
• Risk indicator assists in identifying students
  likelihood of success (i.e., A, B, C) within
  certain categories
• Success in all courses
• Success in 75-99 of courses
• Success in 60-74 of courses
• Success in 50-59 of courses
• Success in less than 50 of courses

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• Questions / Discussion