Ruth Gay and Sylvia Ramirez MiraCosta College TRANSITION MODEL – MIRACOSTA COLLEGE

MCC Noncredit Program  15% of total college FTES  ABE, AHSDP, Short Term Vocational - generates 265 FTES / 54 sections every 9 weeks  Noncredit ESL - Seven levels plus VESL, ESL Lab, Citizenship, and ESL Digital StoryTelling - generates almost 500 FTES / offers 30 sections every 9 weeks  Other noncredit (e.g. classes for seniors, parenting, special education) 2 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Making Transitions Happen  Program Structure  Faculty leadership  Curriculum  Transition support 3 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

ESL Program Issues in 1998  Large numbers of students at beginning levels  Students unsure how to move through program  Different promotion standards – even at the same level.  Advanced students never left the program  No coordination with credit program 4 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Some Solutions  We implemented 9-week terms and student learning outcomes for each level.  Advanced level students exit the program when they meet level 7 SLOs. (100 – 150 ESL students exit per year)  Counselor meets with Level 7 students every 9 weeks to describe transition opportunities for ABE, AHS and postsecondary academic/vocational courses 5 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Committed Faculty  Push/Pull Phenomenon – hired full time credit and noncredit faculty members  Meet regularly to discuss curriculum and student needs and goals  Piloted credit assessments with noncredit students  Credit faculty member regularly visits Level 7 classes 7 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Curriculum MCC Faculty Agreement on Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success 1)Writing Writing Process Portfolios 2) Reading vocabulary strategies Identifying main ideas skimming and scanning 3) Critical Thinking making inferences 8 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Curriculum (cont.) MCC Faculty Agreement on Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success 4) Study and learning skills Graded homework and end of term grades Encouraging self efficacy skills Group work Class participation 5) Grammar and usage 9 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Curriculum (cont.) MCC Faculty Agreement on Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success 6) Oral Communication skills Individual and group presentations 7) Listening Note taking (guided handouts) 10 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Curriculum  El Civics Education Unit - complete credit application and select courses  Collaboration among credit and noncredit faculty meet to align curriculum  Portfolio Assessments See Portfolio Assessment at: ents.htm 11 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

Transition Support  Basic Skills Initiative - $$$ college priority to transition noncredit students to credit  ID students who are interested and eligible to transition to credit academic and vocational courses  Form cohorts of AM, afternoon and PM students

Transition Support  Provide presentations on financial aide, registration help, academic support services.  Select additional activities such as more class visits, college activities, additional workshops.  Each cohort has a credit and noncredit faculty member and a counselor.

Transition Support

Contact Information  For more information about our transition program, please contact us: Ruth Gay Sylvia Ramirez NOTE: The powerpoint and handout is available at: tml 15 CASAS National Summer Institute 2010