College Connection

1
College Connection
Chabot- Las Positas Community College
District May 4, 2007
2
Presenters
3
Presenters
Mary Hensley, Ed.D.Vice President, College
Support Systems and ISD Relationsmhensley_at_austinc
c.edu512-223-7618
Luanne Preston, Ph.D.Executive Director,
Early College Start and College
Connectionluanne_at_austincc.edu512-223-7354
4
Agenda

• Closing the Gaps Overview
• College Connection Overview
• College Connection How It Works
• Program Results
• Program Recognition
• State and National Interest in Expansion
• College Connection How To Start
• Questions and Answers

5
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Boards
Strategic PlanClosing the GapsOverview
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Closing the Gaps in Participation

• Closing the Gaps warns that if more Texans do
  not receive college degrees by 2030, the State
  could lose up to 40 billion in annual
  household income.
• The goal is to increase student enrollment in
  higher education by 630,000 by 2015.
• Most students will elect to start at a
  community college.
• Austin Community College District expects
  15,000 more students by 2015.

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College ConnectionOverview
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Education Beyond High School

• Increases earning potential and employment
  opportunities
• U.S. Department of Education

9
Learn to Earn
Source Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY
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Excuses For Not Continuing Your Education

• No one in my family has ever gone to college.

Ive been in school for 12 years. Thats enough!
I just want a good job.
I cant afford it.
I dont know what I want to do with my life.
I wont fit in.
College is too hard.
I dont know how to apply or where I want to go.
Source Adapted from The College Boards Seven
Excuses Not to Go to College and Why Theyre Lame
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Improving High School to College Transitions

• Provide admission and pre-enrollment services to
  seniors on their school campuses
• Create an expectation that College is in
  everyones future.
• Increase percentage of high school seniors who
  enter college after high school graduation.

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Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006Enrolled
in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
Austin Community College District Service
Area College Transition Rates
Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas
colleges or universities in the year immediately
following graduation, as well as students who
were enrolled out-of-state. Districts with less
than 25 graduates are not included in this
report. Source http//www.thecb.state.tx.us/Repor
ts/PDF/1161.PDF
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Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006Enrolled
in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
Austin Community College District Service
Area College Transition Rates
Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas
colleges or universities in the year immediately
following graduation, as well as students who
were enrolled out-of-state.Districts with less
than 25 graduates are not included in this
report.Source http//www.thecb.state.tx.us/Repor
ts/PDF/1161.PDF
14
Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006Enrolled
in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
Austin Community College District Service
Area College Transition Rates
Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas
colleges or universities in the year immediately
following graduation, as well as students who
were enrolled out-of-state.Districts with less
than 25 graduates are not included in this
report. Source http//www.thecb.state.tx.us/Rep
orts/PDF/1161.PDF
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College ConnectionHow It Works
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College Connection Program

• Many high school students find the college
  enrollment process intimidating.
• Austin Community College District provides
  hands-on, one-on-one support to assist every
  student through each step of the college
  admissions process.
• During graduation ceremonies, high school
  graduating seniors receive acceptance letters to
  Austin Community College District.

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Students Receive Servicesat the High School
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College Connection Activity Grid Sample
District Lead Sylvia Garza, 512-393-6742,
sylvia.garza_at_smcisd.net San Marcos HS Lead Chad
Kelly, 512-393-6800, chad.kelly_at_smcisd.net Admin.
Assistant Lisa Jordan, 512-393-6805,
lisa.jordan_at_smcisd.net ACC Lead Mary Hensley,
223-7618, mhensley_at_austincc.edu/Luanne Preston,
223-7355, luanne_at_austincc.edu Exec. Assistant
Esther Buzard, 223-7618, ebuzard_at_austincc.edu
College Connection
Lead Luanne Preston, 223-7354,
luanne_at_austincc.edu Admin. Assistant Laurie
Clark, 223-7354, lclark2_at_austincc.edu Senior
Count 424 (SMHS)
SHADE/BOLD Required College Connection
Activities
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Lifetime Acceptance

• Application never discarded
• Provide a permanent college home
• Students come to ACC District
• In summer for transfer
• After military service
• After career changes
• Co-enroll while attending 4-year institution
• Cohorts can be tracked by semester of entry
  ACC District collects longitudinal data for
  retention, completion and success

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Program Results
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College Connection School Districts
2006-07 (Year 4) Austin Bastrop Blanco
Del Valle Elgin Fredericksburg Harper
Hays Jarrell Johnson City Lago Vista
Leander Liberty Hill Lockhart Luling
Manor Nixon-Smiley Pflugerville Prairie Lea
Round Rock San Marcos Smithville
2003-04 (Year 1) San Marcos
2004-05 (Year 2) Austin Bastrop Del Valle
Leander San Marcos
2005-06 (Year 3) Austin Bastrop Del
Valle Hays Leander Manor Pflugerville San Marcos
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School Districts Participating in the College
Connection Program 2006-2007
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School Districts Participating in the College
Connection Program 2006-2007
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College Connection Program Growth

• Over 3 years
• 1 school district to 22 school districts
• 2 high schools to 48 high schools
• 400 students to 12,000 students
• ACC Districts Future Goal
• Include all 30 school districts in service area

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The College Connection Program Works!
BlueYear College Connection started 1-Source
http//www.txhighereddata.org/Reports/PDF/0961.pdf
2-Source http//www.txhighereddata.org/Reports/P
DF/0963.pdf 3-Source http//www.thecb.state.tx.u
s/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF
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College Connection Diversity of Participants

• Anglo 41
• African American 11
• Hispanic 39
• Asian 4
• Other 5

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Traditionally Underrepresented in Higher
Education - Students Enroll at ACC District

• More than 55 of College Connectionenrollees are
  minorities
• Higher percentage entering ACC District through
  College Connection than inthe general ACC
  District student population

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College Connection Results for ACC District,
2004-2006

• Positive effect on fall enrollments
• Immediate great results 37.6 increase first
  year
• 59 increase over two years
• Positive effect on Early College Start
  enrollments
• 25.6 increase in enrollment from 04 to 05
• 45 increase in enrollment from 04 to 06
• Positive effect on Tech Prep enrollments
• 714 increase in number of students receiving
  Tech Prep credit
• 36 students in 2003-04
• 48 students in 2004-05
• 293 students in 2005-06

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Program Recognition
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College Connection Program National Acclaim
Recognition
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Awards Received
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State and National Interest in Expansion
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• Attaining advanced levels of education for
  disadvantaged students cannot be done without
  developing a college-going culture in every
  middle school and high school in the state of
  Texas...then suddenly, (going to college) changes
  from being a possibility to an expectation.
• --Raymund Paredes
• Commissioner, Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board
• January 6, 2005

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State Interest

• 6 Texas community colleges adopt College
  Connection Program
• 4 Texas community colleges express interest
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to
  expand program statewide beginning Fall 2007

35
Florida Department of Education
National Interest

• Launched state-wide campaign in April 2007 called
  Go Higher-Get Accepted modeled after College
  Connection
• Maine Interest in College Connection
• Proposed law requiring graduating high school
  seniors to complete at least one college
  application before getting diploma.
• Support from Compact for Higher Education

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External Support

• Funding to Expand College Connection
• Funding for Mobile Go Center

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Mobile Go Center
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Related Initiatives

• Mini-College Connectionfor Adult Education
• College Connection Scholarships

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College ConnectionHow To Start
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Collaborate with School Partners

• Find higher education transition rates for local
  high schools
• Use other partnerships (dual credit, tech prep,
  etc.) as a springboard
• Choose a pilot school or group of schools
• Meet with superintendent to discuss
• program features
• advantages to students and district
• transition rates
• formal agreement
• buy-in from district
• campus staff

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Formal Agreement

• Between college and school district
• Signed by chancellor, president, and
  superintendent
• Establishes transfer of student data from high
  school to college
• Details responsibilities and expectations

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Advance Briefing

• District/Central Office Staff
• High School Principal

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Planning Meeting

• One meeting held annually
• Early Summer, before high school staff leave is
  ideal
• Complete activity grid
• Should take about one hour (slightly longer for
  new schools or multiple schools)
• Stick to scheduling work out details between
  designated contact for each activity

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Planning MeetingRecommended Participants

• College

• High School

• District lead person
• Implementation lead person
• Team leader for services
• Admissions representative
• Financial Aid representative
• Assessment representative
• Recruitment representative
• Advising representative
• Recorder

• Principal
• Grade level principal or AP
• Lead or senior counselor
• Person in charge of testing/scheduling
• Tech person (use of computer labs)
• Any staff that works with the senior class
• Bring
• Bell schedule
• School calendar
• A/B Block scheduling
• Testing calendar

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Data Collection

• Collect electronically (EXCEL)
• Mark records as College Connection cohort
• Collect from high school
• Name
• Address
• DOB
• HS Student ID (for later record matching)
• Test Scores (HS Exit Exam, SAT, ACT)

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Communications

• Electronic via list serv
• Updated activity grid sent via e-mail when
  changes occur
• College Connection Website
• iCal
• Combined calendar for internal use

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Data Follow-Up

• Track by school, how many students complete each
  activity
• Plan multiple visits to get 100 participation
• Give high school principal participation rates
  for use at graduation announcement ceremony
• Report Fall enrollment from pilot schools
  (compare to benchmark), spring persistence

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Website

• Participating schools
• Links to school pages
• Link to college pages of interest
• Press coverage/special events

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Austin Community CollegeCollege Connection
Website

• Access to scheduled activities for students,
  parents, and school officials
• Calendars
• Links to pertinent ACC school district sites

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Helpful Hints

• Know/connect with Superintendent(s) in School
  District(s)
• Form a College/ISD planning team
• Form a College/High School planning team
• Initially use a core team of early adopters
• Build support for program within CLPCCD
• Understand K-12 operations
• Begin with a smaller school district
• Small and successfulOthers will come

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Helpful Hints

• College departments such as Information
  Technology, Public Relations, Dual Credit, Tech
  Prep, Foundation, and particularly, Student
  Recruitment and Student Services, must be
  supportive
• Do away with thinking that students have to come
  to the college to meet college processes
• Focus on what works for the school district
• Make it a win-win program for both

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Helpful Hints

• Use publicity and press conferences at every
  opportunity
• Get Foundation involved in raising scholarships
• Make a presentation to each school district Board
• Use current staff to serve on teams
• Expand personnel requests through budget
  process/master plan process

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Helpful Hints

• Keep CLPCCD Board involved
• Continually thank and recognize participants
• Involve staff in recognitions
• Keep College Connection process simple
• Understand what is/is not required
• Time/effort now will reduce work later

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Helpful Hints

• Increased enrollments will build programs and
  support staff
• Many off shoots develop
• Chamber of Commerce events/support
• Grants and Contracts
• Annexation
• Scholarships
• Continuing education
• Training
• Teacher certification
• Instructional Aide Training
• Dual Credit
• Tech Prep
• Other

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Helpful Hints

• Name a single point-of-contact for all
  communications
• Utilize technology for communication including
  web, listserv, and online calendars (I-Cal)
• Build a superintendents e-mail list
• Have joint CLPCC and School District Board
  meetings
• Form CLPCCD/ISD Executive Team
• Provide immediate response/service
• Pace for success
• Initially use key leaders on teams then expand to
  lower-level personnel

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For copies

• PowerPoint Presentation
• www.austincc.edu/isd/las_positas/050407Presentatio
  n.ppt
• Handouts
• www.austincc.edu/isd/documents

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Questions and Answers