(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Strengthening the Early-College Minority Student Pipeline in Science with a Multi-Faceted Program Christine Barrow, Anisha Campbell, Elaine Davis, Bruce Katz, David May 2010 MSP Learning Network Conference

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Minority Student Pipeline Math Science Partnership (MSP) 2 Our Aim –Increase the number and improve the quality of STEM teachers and STEM professionals Our Focus –Inquiry (“doing science”) Our Partnership (P-16) –Public School System (PGCPS) –2 year institution (PGCC) –USM and 4 year institutions (BSU, UMCP, UMBI)

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership The “Strand” Approach Teachers – Elem./Middle –Strand 1 –Teacher prep and professional development –In the classroom –Summer science institutes Teachers – HS –Strand 2 –Teacher professional development –In research labs Students – HS –Strand 3 –Student preparation –During academic year –In the summer –Early college credit Students – Undergrad –Strand 4 –Student preparation –In middle and high school classrooms –In research labs

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Does exposure to college-credit courses in high school… Increase the likelihood that underrepresented minorities will attend a postsecondary institution (2yr or 4yr)? Increase the likelihood that minority students will consider majoring in science or mathematics?

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Dual enrollment/early college access High school students enrolling in postsecondary institutions while still in high school. Students are generally taught by postsecondary faculty –May be at the college campus or high school. With dual enrollment, students earn credit at both the high school and college levels.

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Two approaches to early college credit Summer (Bowie State Univ.) 4 weeks, residential Students entering the 10 th grade –1 st summer is BIO & Math prep courses –2 nd summer is college BIO & chemistry prep –3 rd summer is college chemistry & physics prep –4 th summer is college physics 125 students total (25 per summer cohort) Academic Year (PGCC) 2 semesters, dual enrolled 11 th and 12 th graders –Taught at 4 high schools –1.5 hours/day & 5 days/week for 15 weeks 8 college credits –Environmental Biology (4cr.) –Forensic Biology (4cr.) 320 students total (80 students per academic year)

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Context of our work Nat’l Res. Ctr. for Career & Tech. Ed. (2007) found dual enrollment positively related to: –likelihood of earning HS diploma –enrolling in four-year institution –persisting to 2 nd semester and 2 nd year in college –achieving higher GPA in college Benefits for male and low-income students were even more substantial than for their peers.

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Context of our work Transition programs help bring 1 st gen and URM students to college with interest in STEM majors (Institute for Higher Education Policy, 2007). URM students benefit from college credit courses while in high school (Hoffman, 2005)

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Unique intervention structure Comparison will be made between the two types of early college programs Help determine what factors are most important for: –increasing postsecondary matriculation –Increasing choice of science major among minorities Next step Middle College??

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Our Hypothesis Multiple different opportunities for secondary students to take early- college and dual-enrollment science courses increase the likelihood that students will attend college (2- or 4- year) and choose science majors.

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Our Research Design Test the documented positive association between early college opportunities and: –college matriculation –retention –graduation Use a large majority-minority student population.

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Data Collection Evaluation will consist of a longitudinal unit-record database –tracking student participants & control group –through their high-school careers into college

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Database Indicators High-school courses taken, GPA, retention, and graduation rates High School Assessment scores in science Enrollment at partner IHEs or any other USM institution Declaration of STEM majors Retention and GPAs of STEM majors Enrollment in teacher certification programs

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Surveys and Focus Groups Pre- and Post-course surveys will be administered to each student focused on: –interest in science –interest in teaching –interest in attending college Focus group interviews on the same topics are planned for a subset of students –Data used to validate and/or refine surveys

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Data Analysis Standard statistical analyses will be conducted on the quantitative data Participant data compared: –to control groups –internally among students of each intervention –between interventions –to students who might take advantage of both interventions

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Expectations and Insights We expect that both interventions will increase the likelihood of college attendance and majoring in science. –A stronger effect may be seen with the summer residential program due to its longer duration. Measurable differences that can be attributed to the programs’ different structures, will have implications for how best to structure early college programs for high-school students.

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership References Hoffman, Nancy (2005) Add and Subtract Dual Enrollment as a State Strategy to Increase Postsecondary Success for Underrepresented Students, Jobs for the Future, Double the Numbers Institute for Higher Education Policy. (2007). Model Institutions for Excellence: 2007 national report. A model of success: The Model Institutions for Excellence program’s successful leadership in STEM education Washington, DC: Author. National Research Center for Career and Technical Education. (October 2007). The postsecondary achievement of participants in dual enrollment: An analysis of student outcomes in two states. University of Minnesota. NCREST – National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (2007). Web site of The National Middle College High School Consortium Early College Initiative. Retrieved on Dec. 7, 2009 from

(MSP) 2 : Minority Student Pipeline, Math Science Partnership Contact Us Christine Barrow, Co-PI - Prince George’s Community College Anisha Campbell, PI - Bowie State University Elaine Davis - Bowie State University Bruce Katz, Co-PI - Prince George’s County Public Schools David May, Project Director - University System of Maryland Or visit us at