Defining a Career Skills Building Student Cohort & Outcome

VERTAC Skills Builder cohort definition options #1 Reported student goal #2 Student course taking pattern #3 Combination of student course taking pattern & reported student goal

#1 Reported student Goal Had reported student goal of ‘G’ (Prepare for new career), ‘H’ (Advance in current job/career) or ‘I’ (Maintain certificate or license) in a given year – Could be informed or uninformed goal No longer enrolled after 1 year Did subsequently not earn an award or transfer to a four-year institution

#2 Student Course Taking Pattern Students attempts or completes between.5 and 18 units in a given year Some number of these units must be a SAM A, B, or C course (designated as vocational) No longer enrolled after 1 year Did subsequently not earn an award or transfer to a four-year institution

#3 Combination of student goal & course taking pattern. Student would be included in cohort if characteristics of ‘reported student goal’ option or ‘student course taking pattern’ option were met

Scorecard & Course Behavior Scorecard cohorts based solely on past course behavior. Look back to determine inclusion into cohort (example: completion cohort, look back 6 years, determine who had at least 6 units and attempted any Math or English). Those meeting criteria would then be included in cohort. How many completed outcome definition in some time period?

Cohort Sizes ( ) Reported student goal N=132,270 – 5% of total enrollment Student course taking pattern N=203,555 – 8% of total enrollment Combination of student course taking pattern & reported student goal N=252,244 – 10% of total enrollment

Cohort overlap Reported Goal Cohort = 132,270 Course Taking Cohort = 203,555 Overlap = 48,046

Cohort Descriptives Median Age – Reported Goal: 34 – Course Pattern: 30 – Combination: 30 Median units earned (11-12 year) – Reported Goal: 3 – Course Pattern: 4 – Combination:4

Cohort Descriptives Gender – Reported Goal: 41% female/57% male – Course Pattern: 41% female/57% male – Combination: 41% female/57% male

Course Taking Patterns % SAM A, B, C courses taken – Goal cohort: 50% – Course pattern cohort: 63% – Combination cohort: 56% % Vocational courses taken – Goal cohort: 60% – Course pattern cohort: 69% – Combination cohort: 63%

Cohort Outcome Options #1 Course success rate #2 Percentage wage gain over x number of years (those already employed) #3 Earnings that meet some benchmark (possibly living wages or entry level earnings in some field)

#1 Course Success Rates Reported Goal: 71% Course Pattern: 69% Combination: 67% Success rates vary significantly by Top Code Ranges from 99% Petroleum Technology to 24% Secondary Education & GED

#2 Wage Gain Median Wages 1 year before ( ) compared to wages 1 year after ( ) Match Rates: reported goal (21%), course pattern (18%), combination (18%) Pre Post Reported Goal: $47,900 to $49,600 (3.5%) Course Pattern: $42,300 to $43,000 (1.7%) Combination: $40,300 to $41,300 (2.5%)

#3 Compare to Benchmark California living wage for one person= $23,295 (Poverty in America Living Wage Calculator % with post enrollment wages above ‘living wage’ benchmark – Reported Goal: 64% – Course Pattern: 60% – Combination: 59%