College Connection TASA Conference Presentation December 4, 2007

Agenda College Connection Overview College Connection Results

Presenter

Luanne Preston, Ph.D. Executive Director, Early College Start and College Connection Presenter

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Strategic Plan Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Strategic Plan “Closing the Gaps” Overview

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 Most students will elect to start at a community college. Austin Community College District expects over 15,000 more students by Source:

College Connection Overview

Education Beyond High School Increases earning potential and employment opportunities U.S. Department of Education

Learn to Earn Source: Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY

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 everyone’s future.” Increase percentage of high school seniors who enter college after high school graduation.

Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006 Enrolled 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: School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2-year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Austin3,8561,11129%73719%2,00852% Bastrop %7316%28261% Blanco763647%1317%2736% Coupland** Del Valle %5818%22972% Doss** Dripping Springs %6226%8335% Eanes %5911%21639% Elgin %2917%9556% Fredericksburg %3315%10647%

Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006 Austin Community College District Service Area College Transition Rates School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2-year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Georgetown %9819%20740% Harper462963%37%1430% Hays %9617%28651% Jarrell441432%818%2250% Johnson City %613%2351% Lago Vista %2129%2027% Lake Travis %6219%11235% Leander1, %26325%41840% Liberty Hill %2420%5042% Lockhart %3616%12155% *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:

Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006 Austin Community College District Service Area College Transition Rates School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2-year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Luling872428%910%5462% Manor %1612%8968% McDade** Nixon Smiley %914%4468% Pflugerville %23424%41143% Prairie Lea** Round Rock 2, %37317%1,02047% San Marcos %5613%29466% Smithville %2822%6653% Wimberley %4531%5739% Total13,0214,21632%2,45119%6,35449% *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:

College Connection How It Works

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.

Students Receive Services at the High School: Required Admission application ASSET or COMPASS Pre-advising Academic advising Graduation letter Optional Student life info Teleconference Campus tours Registration Other Recommended Senior presentation Financial aid application

College Connection Activity Grid Sample ActivityDateTimeLocation Equipment CommunicationDel Valle HS Contact (*Lead Contact) valle.k12.tx.us ACC District Contact (*Lead Contact) High School Planning Committee Meeting August 9, :00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Del Valle Admin 5301 Ross Road Del Valle, TX Announcement *Jean MacInnis Jmacinnis *Luanne Preston luanne College Connection Agreement Prior to beginning Fall semester *Sandra Dowdy Sdowdy *Luanne Preston luanne Senior Presentation Kickoff Activity September 13, :30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. AuditoriumNotice in parent newsletter Notice on high school website *Sarah Mabry Sarah.mabry *Ashley Williams awillia4 Admissions Application Make-Up Day October 10, :30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Rooms A205, C216, D130, D208 Non-citizen students must obtain alternate ID before completing application *Sarah Mabry Sarah.mabry *Pat Colunga pcolunga ISD District Lead:Sandra Dowdy, Assistant Superintendent, , Del Valle HS Lead:Jean MacInnis, Principal, , Admin. Assistant: Nadene Norwood, , ACC District Lead:Mary Hensley, , Exec. Assistant: Esther Buzard, , College Connection Lead:Luanne Preston, , Admin. Assistant: Laurie Clark, , Senior Count:400 SHADE/BOLD – Required College Connection Activities

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

Guaranteed transfer Arts & Sciences courses transfer seamlessly to Texas public universities ACC is UT’s largest source of transfer students Students who start at ACC do as well as, or better than, students who begin as freshmen at UT ACC is a great auxiliary resource for students who already have confirmed college plans

Program Results

Connection School Districts College Connection School Districts Year 1 San Marcos Year 2 Austin Bastrop Del Valle Leander San Marcos Year 3 Austin Bastrop Del Valle Hays Leander Manor Pflugerville San Marcos 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 Year 5 Austin Bastrop Blanco Del Valle Dripping Springs Elgin Georgetown Harper Hays Jarrell Johnson City Lago Vista Lake Travis Leander Liberty Hill Lockhart Luling Manor Nixon-Smiley Pflugerville Prairie Lea Round Rock San Marcos Smithville 17,000 + Seniors expected in Year 5

School Districts Participating in the College Connection Program School District Number of High Schools Number of Seniors YearStarted Austin ISD 124, Bastrop ISD Blanco ISD Del Valle ISD Elgin ISD Fredericksburg ISD Harper ISD Hays CISD Jarrell ISD Johnson City ISD Lago Vista ISD Leander ISD 41,

School Districts Participating in the College Connection Program School District Number of High Schools Number of Seniors YearStarted Liberty Hill ISD Lockhart ISD Luling ISD Manor ISD Nixon-Smiley CISD Pflugerville ISD Prairie Lea ISD Round Rock ISD 52, San Marcos CISD Smithville ISD Total (22) 4812,545

Del Mar College College Connection Programs Expansion Timeline 2004/05 (Year 1)2005/06 (Year 2)2006/07 (Year 3)2007/08 (Year 4) CCISD (2) Sinton Robstown West Oso CCISD (5) Calallen Flour Bluff Odem Robstown Sinton Taft Tuloso-Midway (2) West Oso CCISD (7) Calallen Flour Bluff Odem Robstown Sinton Taft Tuloso-Midway (2) West Oso CCISD (7) Calallen Flour Bluff Odem Robstown Sinton Taft Tuloso-Midway (2) West Oso * Added 12 Remaining ISDs Total: 5Total:14Total:16Total: 28

College Connection Program Growth Over 4 years: 1 school district to 27 school districts 2 high schools to 58 high schools 400 students to 17,000+ students

The College Connection Program Works! Blue=Year College Connection started 1-Source: 2-Source: 3-Source: ISD Students NOT located in Texas Higher Education Fall 2003 Students NOT located in Texas Higher Education Fall 2004 Students NOT located in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 Students NOT located in Texas Higher Education Fall Increase of Students in Higher Ed Since Implementation NumberPercentNumberPercentNumberPercentNumberPercent San Marcos27366%21955%23459%29466%0 % Austin2,15556%2,06656%2,00554%2,01452%4 % Bastrop28669%23457%23954%28261%-4 % Del Valle29377%31280%23666%22971%9 % Leander44448%45948%42242%41840%8 % Hays28157%30956%29055%28651%5 % Manor5157%7457%8762%8968%-6 % Pflugerville19447%20147%20448%15646%2 %

College Connection Diversity of Participants

More than 55% of College Connection enrollees are minorities Higher percentage entering ACC District through College Connection than in the general ACC District student population Traditionally Underrepresented in Higher Education - Students Enroll at ACC District

College Connection Positively Impacts Other College Programs ACC Fall Enrollments ▫ 38% increase first year ▫ 59% increase over two years Early College Start (Dual Credit) Enrollments ▫ 26% increase in enrollment from ‘04 to ’05 ▫ 45% increase in enrollment from ’04 to ’06 ▫ 3,209 students enrolled Summer 2007 (record- breaking ECS enrollment) Tech Prep Enrollments ▫ 4,336% increase in enrollment from ‘03 to ‘06  36 students in  48 students in  293 students in  1,597 students in

Related Initiatives Mini-College Connection for Adult Education College Connection Scholarships

Program Recognition

College Connection Program National Acclaim & Recognition

Awards Received THECB Star Award Award Recipient November 2006 Excelencia in Education Award Semi-Finalist October 2006 Bellwether Award Award Recipient January 2007

Texas Community Colleges Adopting College Connection Program Alamo Community College District Coastal Bend Community College Del Mar Community College Houston Community College District Temple Community College Victoria Community College

Other Texas Community Colleges Express Interest in College Connection Program Vernon College Odessa College Central Texas College El Paso Community College

State and National Interest in Expansion

Florida Department of Education 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” National Interest:

“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

THECB Statewide College Connection Expansion Ten Schools Receive Implementation Grants Alamo Community College District Blinn College Del Mar College Houston Community College System Lee College Odessa College Richland College South Texas College Tarrant County College District Weatherford College

THECB Statewide College Connection Expansion Five Schools Receive Planning Grants Cedar Valley College Cisco Junior College Northeast Texas Community College Paris Junior College Victoria College

THECB Statewide College Connection Expansion Schools Already Adopting College Connection Alamo Community College District Central Texas College Coastal Bend Community College Del Mar Community College Houston Community College District Temple Community College Vernon College Victoria Community College

42 College Connection Draws External Funding ▫TG Public Benefit Grant $155,000 ▫Texas Pioneer Foundation $398,188 ▫Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce $108,000 ▫Round Rock ISD $18,000 ▫Two Mobile Go Centers $147,218  Advanced Micro Devices  AT&T Foundation  College For All Texans Foundation  Texas Pioneer Foundation

Mobile Go Centers

“Closing the Gaps” Background “The community college’s role in the goal of participation is absolutely vital. We talk about students who come directly from high school into higher education, and while the numbers are going up, we are not attracting a significant increase in the pool. That’s one of the areas that we’re going to have to spend some real effort – in encouraging students who complete high school to continue on with higher education and the Connections Program that has been talked about already today is absolutely the way that it needs to happen all across the state to change.” Dr. Glenda Barron Assistant Commissioner, Community and Technical Colleges Division Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board January 7, 2005

Austin Community College College Connection Website Access to scheduled activities for students, parents, and school officials Calendars Links to pertinent ACC school district sites