Pathways to Success through Early High School, Career Center, and Community College Partnerships National Council for Workforce Development October 30, 2014 Jess Toussaint, Dean for Health Professions and Public Service Michelle Evans, Assistant Dean for Health Professions and Public Service

3 OBJECTIVES Attendees will understand how dual credit programs were developed and how they are currently executed in Illinois. Attendees will understand the dual credit/concurrent enrollment path created by the partnership between Waubonsee Community College, local high schools, and two community career centers. Attendees will understand specific benefits of this process, which are maximized in the Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and health care professions.

3 The National Challenge Per the AACC College Completion Challenge Fact sheet: Research demonstrates that College completion rates are very low: Only 34% of all college students graduate with a degree from a two or four year college. 33% of students who start at community colleges full-time graduate with an associate degree within three years. The United States ranks sixth in postsecondary attainment in the world with only 40.3% of the population holding an associate’s degree or higher. Only 19.2% of Latinos between the ages of 25 and 34 had earned an associates degree or higher – less than half the national average of 41.1 percent and the lowest of any major racial or ethnic group.

3 The Community College Challenge Nationwide, students are taking too many classes over too long a period, resulting in students who never complete. Poor students and students of color struggle the most to graduate. Part time students rarely graduate Seventy-five percent of community college students are also working and caring for families. Only 25% of students report having most of their education paid for by their parents.

3 The Challenge in Illinois In Illinois: 43% of Illinois adults currently have an associate degree or higher 67% of jobs in Illinois will require a career certificate or college degree by % of 2-Year Public College students graduate in 4 years Students who attend college full time directly after high school are most likely to complete an associates degree, compared to older and part time students.

3 The Challenges for Waubonsee’s District Why don’t students complete in Waubonsee’s District? In addition to the challenges reflected on a national level - Waubonsee’s district has a wide and varied district, and the challenges of each community that Waubonsee serves is unique. Waubonsee’s district has varied levels of educational achievement; in some areas, over 50% of residents have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher, in other areas, as many as 49% of residents have a high school diploma or less. Waubonsee’s district has many first generation college students.

3 Waubonsee’s Dual Credit Program One way that Waubonsee is working to resolve multiple barriers to completion is through the dual credit program: The goal of Waubonsee’s dual credit program is aligned with the six goals of the Illinois P-20 initiative: 1.Improving academic achievement 2.Increasing college access and success 3.Improving use of existing data and measurements 4.Requiring greater accountability 5.Promoting lifelong learning 6.Easing the transition to college and reducing remediation

3 History of Dual Credit in Illinois In The Dual Credit Quality Act became effective January 1, 2010; This act requires that the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and the Board of develop policies standardizing dual credit. Dual credit instructors teaching credit, college level courses must meet the same requirements as on campus faculty. Dual credit students meet the same academic criteria as those enrolled in credit-bearing college classes, including taking appropriate placement testing.

3 How It Works: Waubonsee’s Program Within the field of Career and Technical Education, the advantage is that dual credit gives you the opportunity to begin to link students with mentors and potential employers in the field early in the student’s educational career. Waubonsee is unique as it incorporates the use of high schools career centers in the area What’s the difference? Articulated Credit vs. Dual Credit vs. Dual Enrollment

3 How It Works: The Role of the Community College Waubonsee has established course objectives and syllabi which guide the content of the dual credit instruction, so that credits earned through dual credit should transfer seamlessly across postsecondary institutions. Role of Waubonsee’s Partnerships Manager Role of Waubonsee’s Dean’s Office

3 Role of the High School and Career Center Provide qualified instructors to teach discipline-specific content. If qualified instructors are not available at the career center or high school, instructors may be provided by the college. Provide junior and senior-status students that meet the college’s prerequisite requirements for college courses. Courses offered for dual credit include the same content and rigor as course taught to other college students, utilizing the same instructors, curriculum and policies.

3 Role of the Faculty For college-level academic courses, most colleges require a master’s degree or doctoral degree with 18 graduate hours in the discipline being taught. For workforce education courses, some colleges require a bachelor’s degree in the discipline or an associate’s degree plus demonstrated competencies in the discipline. College faculty are not required to obtain certification through the State Board of Education when teaching high school students for dual credit. Courses for dual credit may be taught by appropriately-qualified public education employees or by employees of the institution of higher education.

3 The Numbers Waubonsee’s data demonstrates that student success rate is high within groups that have attended dual credit courses in Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Certified Nurse Assistant.

3 Success Rates of Career Center Students versus Non Dual Credit Waubonsee Students High School/Career Center Students Non Dual Credit Waubonsee Students Subject Unduplicated HeadcountTotal Enrollments Total CompletionsCompletion Rate Total SuccessesSuccess Rate CRJ % % FSC % % NAS %4185.4% Subject High School Group Unduplicated Hadcount Total Enrollments Total Completions Completion Rate Total Successes Success Rate CRJ Fox Valley % % Indian Valley000 0 Non-career %7396.1% FSC Fox Valley % % Indian Valley %9396.9% Non-career000 0 NAS Fox Valley %2477.4% Indian Valley %2 Non-career % %

Subject High School Group Unduplicated Headcount Total Enrollments Total Completions Completion Rate Total Successes Success Rate CRJ Fox Valley %8989.0% Indian Valley %9 Non-career %8897.8% FSC Fox Valley % % Indian Valley % % Non-career %4 NAS Fox Valley %1986.4% Indian Valley %1 Non-career %1794.4% Subject Unduplicated HeadcountTotal Enrollments Total CompletionsCompletion Rate Total SuccessesSuccess Rate CRJ % % FSC % % NAS %3790.2% Success Rates of Career Center Students versus Non Dual Credit Waubonsee Students High School/Career Center Students Non Dual Credit Waubonsee Students

3 Does Dual Credit Lead to Completions? Academic Year Unduplicated Headcount Unduplicated AwardsAward Rate Total Enrollments Total Completions Completion Rate Total Successes Success Rate % % % % % % All Waubonsee Students in CRJ, EMT, FSC, NAS Academic Year Unduplicated Headcount Unduplicated Awards Award Rate Total Enrollments Total Completions Completion Rate Total Successes Success Rate % % % % % % Dual Credit Students in CRJ, EMT, FSC, NAS

3 Benefits of Dual Credit Reduced college costs for families and the state. Accelerated student progress toward degree completion. Provides greater challenges to advanced students. Students have increased access to a wider array of course options, college instructors, and facilities. Students can get college credits in career fields while receiving educational support from their high schools in areas where they are weak. Students ability to visualize themselves as “college material”. Improved pathways for a “seamless” transition to college (Boswell, 2001; Andrews and Barnett, 2002.)

3 Benefits of Dual Credit Dual credit offered through a collaboration with the local career centers, high school, and college helps students by: Students obtain meaningful credits more quickly in line with a career track, Students are connected to role models and mentors in the field, Students have access to superior resources of the high school, career center and college. Students receive preparation to transfer into the college setting, knowing what they need to do to complete and become employed.

3 Next Step In Illinois and at Waubonsee Community College, we are: Working to collaborate with colleagues in secondary education to more precisely track student outcomes and progress. Continue to develop quality dual credit faculty who have the qualifications necessary to teach college level courses, while also having the ability to work within the unique culture of the high school or career center. Developing agreements with four-year higher education partners to assure that dual credit courses are accepted as college-level credits and applied toward baccalaureate degree requirements.

3 Next Steps In Illinois, our next steps are to continue to grow and enhance the current offerings to our dual credit students. Waubonsee recently received a Dual Credit Enhancement Grant from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to allow Waubonsee to offer a Legal Interpreting course in the spring semester. Juniors and seniors would be encouraged to take this course. After taking the two dual credit courses in the spring, students can take the remaining three courses, and thus complete their certificate the summer after they graduate, or after their senior year.

3 Summary At Waubonsee, our goal is to increase our collaboration with multiple partners with different strengths provides a comprehensive experience for the student. The student is able to maximize their use of the resources available in the area, including networking with area mentors that can lead to employment opportunities.

3 Questions?

3 CONTACT INFORMATION Jess Toussaint, Ed.D. Dean for Health Professions and Public Service ext Michelle Evans LCSW, CADC Assistant Dean for Health Professions and Public Service ext Waubonsee.edu

3 BIBLIOGRAPHY Andrews, H., Barnett, E.A. (2002). Dual Credit/Enrollment in Illinois: A Status Report. Office of Community College Research and Leadership. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Boswell, K. (2001). Dual enrollment programs: Accessing the American dream. UPDATE on Research and Leadership, Office of Community College Research and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 13(1), National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (2011, June). Affordability and transfer: Critical to increasing baccalaureate degree completion. Retrieved October 27, 2011, from National Center for Higher Education Management Systems - Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis (2009). Progress and completion: Graduation rates. Retrieved October 27, 2011, from College Board Advocacy and Policy Center (2011). The college completion agenda 2010 progress report executive summary. Retrieved October 27, 2011, from College Board Advocacy and Policy Center (2011). The college completion agenda 2011 progress report. Latino edition. Retrieved October 27, 2011, from