SPARKPOINT at SKYLINE COLLEGE GOAL Institutional Effectiveness STRATEGY Mitigating Economic Disparities Today we will explore the role of measurement to examine the impact of SparkPoint at Skyline College. We are educators who value an intentional approach to analyzing and understanding the social and economic conditions of our service population. We draw upon this critical consciousness to create equitable educational opportunity. Our framework for SparkPoint at Skyline College is that poverty in our service area impacts college connection and completion. Because we believe that economic condition should not predict college connection and completion, we implement SparkPoint at Skyline College as a strategy for mitigating economic disparities in order to achieve optimal institutional effectiveness. MEASURING IMPACT Dr. Angélica Garcia, Vice President of Student Services Heather Smith, MPA, Program Services Coordinator Julie Lamson, Staff Assistant

SparkPoint in a Nutshell SPARKPOINT at SKYLINE COLLEGE is a financial education and coaching center that improves college connection and completion by mitigating economic disparities. Students and other members of the community use SPSC services and resources to strengthen their financial capability and further their economic and educational goals. Dr. Garcia

SparkPoint in a Nutshell Students & other members of the community use SparkPoint services & resources to strengthen their financial capability & further their economic & educational goals. Services in these three areas: Education | Workforce Finances Benefits Access | Resources Result in four major outcomes: Increased Income Improved credit Reduced debt Increased savings For context, see the Logic Model which follows. Heather

Heather/ Julie Read the situation- Poverty among our service population negatively impacts educational attainment at Skyline College. What it takes, what are we doing, and who are we serving, and what the short-term, long-term, and impact goals are. The Logic Model was created by staff and stakeholders to outline what a SparkPoint’s goals are, and what will keep SparkPoint on track to meet our goals.

SparkPoint at Skyline College San Mateo County Community College District Achieving the Dream Skyline College (Instruction & Student Services) United Way of the Bay Area Community Financial Resources Career Center Life OnTrak Grove Foundation San Mateo Credit Union Earn It Keep It Save It English Language Institute Joy Family Foundation SparkPoint at Skyline College Opportunity Fund San Mateo County Human Services Agency Second Harvest Food Bank Benefits Access Peninsula Family Service Silicon Valley Community Foundation Heather/ Julie Heather- 1. Achieving the Dream and connection to SparkPoint Julie- 2. Second Harvest Food Bank and multiple connections to SparkPoint Heather- 3. Human Services Agency of San Francisco and connection with SparkPoint California Employment Development Department Grove Scholars Program San Francisco Health Plan San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Human Services Agency of San Francisco KEY California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Off-Site Partner Annie E. Casey Foundation Co-Located Program or Partner Funder/Affiliate

Integration with Skyline College Instruction: Regular class presentations and division meeting participation. Ex: CTE faculty request class presentations about the Grove Scholars Program. Career Services: Co-located within the SparkPoint Center. Under the SparkPoint Director’s purview. Strengthened services integration. Financial Aid: SparkPoint outreach letters are emailed to students who might be eligible for specific services based on their FAFSA application. CTE Students for the Grove Scholar Program. BOG Fee Waiver applicants for benefits screenings. Heather

Integration with Skyline College Counseling: Strong referral system and regular division meeting participation. The SparkPoint Financial Education Coordinator is also a counselor and advisor for Puente, CIPHER and Kababayan. TRiO: SparkPoint services are written into their program strategy. TRiO students must participate in an initial financial coaching session and benefits screening. Guardian Scholars Program for Foster Youth A specialized workshop is offered each semester. The Program Services Coordinator is a former SparkPoint Financial Coach. Heather- All student service programs have mutual goals for student equity and success, so strengthening program connections is mutually beneficial.

Efforts to Outcomes Software Measures Economic Mobility | http://www Customizable software tailored to measure: (Efforts) work in each of the SparkPoint services areas. (Outcomes) the results of that effort. Used by the United Way of the Bay Area Regional SparkPoint Initiative at all 11 centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Specifically tracks efforts in the 3 SparkPoint Service Areas & tracks progress toward the 4 Major Outcomes. Julie- SparkPoint at Skyline College utilizes Efforts to Outcomes data management systems, created by Social Solutions. United Way of the Bay Area and all of the 11 SparkPoint Centers throughout the Bay Area have built and uses a state-of-the-art, customized data system that enables staff to produce one-on-one action planes for each individual. Individuals financial and educational goals and services plans will be documented and progress will be tracked in ETO. Services provided, or Efforts, will be different for each person as each individual plan varies, but may include credit report and credit score reviews, submitting CalFresh applications, accessing the food pantry, and working to obtain Financial Aid, which all services will assist the student in staying in school and to be on track to be financial stability.

SparkPoint Efforts Measures Economic Mobility | http://www Julie- Under each program area of Education/Workforce, Finances, and Benefits Access, SparkPoint provides services, or Efforts, in many different aspects and levels of services provision. For example, if I was working with a community member, that was interested in starting their education Skyline College and I work with them to enroll, an Effort would be recorded in the service area of Increasing Education Level, with the interaction described as enrolling in school. As I work with the new student over time, the Effort or service, will increase to Achieved educational goal. Grove Scholar students are good examples of students that will be intentionally required to bundle services in the three program areas, as a requirement for the Grove Scholars program. As a part of the program, the Scholars meet one-on-one with dedicated Financial Coaches to complete services, or Efforts, in Finances where the student can set financial goals, create a budget, access free banking products, review their credit report, etc. They will also meet one-on-one with a Benefits Access student assistant to prescreen, apply, and potentially obtain county benefits, and they may also pick up groceries at the Food Pantry to assist in off-setting their expenses while in school. As the semester goes on, the student is addressing and overcoming any barriers and will Increase their Education Level and continue in their studies.

SparkPoint Outcomes Julie- With the services that SparkPoint provides in the three program areas of Education/Workforce, Finances, and Benefits Access/ Resources, we want individuals to bundle services and achieve the Regional SparkPoint Financial goals. This image highlights the Regional SparkPoint financial Outcomes that ETO produces information for. SparkPoint’s four goals are for Financial Coaching clients to increase their income to a self-sufficient wage, improve their credit score to 650 or above, increase their savings to at least 3 month worth of their living expenses, and reduce their debt to less then 40% of their income.

Highlights from 2013 - 2015 2013 - 2014 2014 - 2015 Highlights 85% 89% SparkPoint served 2,581 people over 25,900 times 359 of the 2,581 entered into 1-on-1 Financial Coaching services (Goal - Engagement to last up to two years) 2013 - 2014 Highlights 2014 - 2015 85% Percentage of measurable clients making 5% progress towards financial outcomes 89% 76% Percentage of measurable clients making 30% progress towards financial outcomes 82% Heather- Will go over SparkPoint’s numbers served. Julie- Of the 359 clients that have entered into one-on-one financial coaching, we are able to track their incremental progress to each of the four financial outcomes of Increased Income, Improved Credit, Increased Savings, and Reduced Debt. As you can see in 13-14, 85% of clients were making 5% progress towards at least 1 financial outcome, and in 14-15, 89% of the 359 clients were making 5% progress. In 13-14, 76% of clients were making 30% progress towards financial outcomes, and this past year, 82% were making 30% progress.

SparkPoint at Skyline College Persistence Rates Persistence: a measure of student progress toward credential attainment. Fall to Spring persistence rates (FSPR): # of students enrolled in Fall semester who enrolled in the following Spring semester. The college wide goal for FSPR is just under 60%. 2012 - 2013 SparkPoint Service Bundlers Education – Workforce Finances Benefits – Income Supports 2014 - 2015 87% 1 Service 83% 90% 2 Services 91% 93% 3 Services 97% Dr. Garcia- Explanation of persistence and the College wide goal for persistence being at 60%. Since ETO primarily focuses on the Regional SparkPoint Financial Outcomes, SparkPoint at Skyline College works closely with PRIE to analyze persistence, and degree and credential attainment of students, based on bundling of services. Julie- Based on student identification information, we are able to measure term to term persistence of students that are accessing services in 1, 2, or 3 of the program areas, and how that impacts their academic persistence each year. As you can see from the chart, students who are accessing services in all three of the SparkPoint program areas, they are as high as 97% likely to persist in college, versus the College level persistence rate of 60%. SparkPoint at Skyline College is a retention strategy that is proving to be effective.

Thank you SparkPoint at Skyline Dr. Angélica Garcia Vice President, Student Services garciaa@smccd.edu (650) 738-4333 Heather Smith Program Services Coordinator smith@smccd.edu (650) 738-4240 Julie Lamson Staff Assistant lamsonj@smccd.edu (650) 738-7047 Thank you All- Thank you and any questions? Sources: SparkPoint at Skyline College Efforts to Outcomes database and Skyline College Planning, Research & Institutional Effectiveness, 2012 - 2015