Dual Credit Student Selection Best Practices Tina Pedersen, Student Success Consultant Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board Dana Ramsay, Program Coordinator Simcoe County District School Board

Workshop Goals To share ideas on best practices for dual credit student recruitment with a focus on the primary target audience (at-risk, disengaged/underachieving) To examine challenges we face in student recruitment despite our best practices and to share those challenges with you To provide an opportunity for you to share best practices and challenges with each other so we can learn more about what works and what doesn’t

Student Success Teams PD Bring Student Success teams together to present dual credit as a pathway option Explain what a dual credit is and how it works for teachers who are new to the program Review application/referral process Provide pathways scenarios as an activity incorporating dual credit as one of the options

Dual Credit Lead At Each School Ideally there is a dual credit lead or “champion” at each secondary school, learning centre or alternative education site Building relationships with the lead is key (more on that later); you may have to cultivate a relationship with someone who hasn’t necessarily been assigned the role of dual credit lead Connecting regularly with leads through face-to-face meetings, email and phone calls helps maintain the important connection between dual credit programs and secondary schools

Guidance/SST Breakfast Forum Guidance/SST breakfast forums were held on 3 campuses of Georgian College: Barrie, Muskoka, Owen Sound Based on feedback provided at this meeting we made some programming changes We also learned what teachers don’t know about dual credit You Are Invited To A Breakfast of Dual Credit Champions! Hear program success stories Learn about semester 2 courses Get your dual credit questions answered Tour the college campus Share your ideas for the future

Dual Credit Area on Staff Website Viewable only to school board staff Updated each semester Includes course descriptions, registration & withdrawal forms, info on the withdrawal process, course status (full, waitlisted, still open) One stop shopping for all relevant dual credit information by semester

Referral sheet Accompanies application, status sheet and college registration Additional details can be provided Criteria are from the 2013 Dual Credit Policy Document

Vetting Process Once applications are received: referrals are vetted through: Referral sheet Status sheet Application Conversations, if needed, with referee Students are admitted, based on best fit and need, this information is communicated to the school, and some students may be placed on a waiting list

School Visits Present to College level classes, student groups identified through the student success teams, staff meetings (dual credit support teacher, Board lead) Whenever possible, bring a former dual credit student or use video testimonial Central Lakes Regional Planning Team website

Relationships, Relationships, Relationships Unused spots by Board are shared on a informal and formal basis, not only to ‘hit’ SCWI targets, but to unsure dual credit opportunities are provided to students whenever possible Due to the difference in recruiting time, target audience and need to come close to ‘actuals’, relationships with those referring in the schools are very important Compare the answers your students gave on the previous slide to what the provincial stats are. Discuss differences.

Now It is Your Turn On post it notes, outline at least one best practice your school, Board, or Regional Planning Team (feel free to outline more than one) You can also outline any particular challenges Share with someone that has the same coloured Post-it For any challenges, brainstorm possible solutions. Share back with the large group