Integrating the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Approach into Postsecondary Work Regina Pretekin NCS Postsecondary Coach Nate Flint NCS Project Manager Aurora Flores-Garcia College & Career Coach Liz Monge-Pacheco

iSession Outcomes Discover the research that led to shifts in practice around college applications and enrollment at a large, urban high school Identify effective data-driven strategies to ensure equity in the school-wide college application process Develop ideas on how to improve existing school strategies on college enrollment driven by data Review the rationale on increased college access based on “College Match” and “College Choice”

Where did this all start? The UChicago Consortium releases “Potholes” in March 2008 Key findings on college access Impacts how Chicago Public Schools (CPS) organizes all of its district postsecondary efforts

Chicago is Segregated by Race and Education

What Matters for Getting Past the “Potholes?” past the potholes? For all students: For Latino students especially: Strong relationships with Teachers One-on-one support from Counselors Direct support in college planning from Teachers and Counselors Filing a FAFSA Completing more college applications Going to a high school with a strong college-going culture!

“…the resources people derive from their social ties.”—Mario Small Social Capital “…the resources people derive from their social ties.”—Mario Small “…the collective value of all 'social networks' and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other” —Robert Putnam

African-American students Asian students Caucasian students African-American students Latino students

College Access Grid

Turn & Talk Turn to your elbow partner How does your school build “social capital” to create access and opportunities for all students? How do you leverage relationships in your building?

Thomas Kelly High School is a public, 4-year high school located in the Southwest side of Chicago, IL. It is the third largest Chicago public high school in terms of student population with over 3,200 students. Over 80% of the students are Hispanic, primarily of Mexican descent. Approximately 8% of students are Asian (mostly of Chinese heritage), 3% are Caucasian, and 2% are African-American.  Every student in the Class of 2014 completed one college application, the first time in over 80 years in the school’s history. Every student in the Class of 2015 completed 3+ college applications.

Identifying Your Team and Resources Postsecondary Coach External Partner: Network for College Success Administration & Teachers Counseling Department Postsecondary Leadership Team

Kelly’s Postsecondary Strategies Tier 3 Tier 2 Tier1 Intensive supports for undocumented students, students in temporary living Very Selective Selective Somewhat Selective Non-Selective Two Year Targeted supports for students who are behind on applications (class pull-outs and Counselor outreach) Junior Match Day Personal Statement Workshop Naviance Week College Application Week Scholarship Workshops FAFSA Due Decision Day Celebration Financial Aid Night College Night Summer Transition Check-Out 6 Applications Due FAFSA Workshops School-wide strategies

Lesson Learned The key to effective interventions is administrative support, a Counseling Department that is on board to execute the work, and Teachers who are supportive.

Challenges Local options for students identified as Somewhat Selective and Non-Selective lead to under-matching Changing the culture of the school (developing the knowledge of staff, creating a unified message, etc.) Teacher leadership on Postsecondary Leadership Team to carry out work Lack of school-based systems to consistently meet with students and conduct guidance lessons (threat of losing Advisory)

Turn & Talk Turn to your elbow partner How do you track data? How does your team strategically make goals around the application process?

Why is college choice important? To improve a student’s odds of graduating in FOUR years.

The American Income Distribution is Widening Source: Economic policy institute http://www.epinet.org/datazone

Almost 60% of CPS four-year college-goers attend just nine colleges % of CPS college-goers Institutional Four-Year Graduation Rate Access Category University of Illinois – Urbana 9.3 67 Very Selective DePaul University 5.2 48 Selective Loyola University 3.2 Northern Illinois University 6.1 28 Somewhat Selective Columbia College - Chicago 3.0 26 Nonselective Southern Illinois University 4.7 University of Illinois – Chicago 13.0 25 Northeastern Illinois University 8.8 4 Chicago State University 3

What Would Happen to College Graduation Rates If We… Thought about college choice in a different way?