2011 RP Conference: Growing Solutions

This session will give you: a sense of the bigger issues that are shaping our system an outline of what is happening to IR as a result information on what the RP Group has prioritized for its next five years an overview of the actions we’ll be taking in the next year ideas for where you can plug in

What’s happening at the system level? Bob Gabriner, SFSU EdD Program Director and RP Group board member

California community colleges must demonstrate that we are becoming more: efficient by moving more students through in shorter time periods effective by significantly increasing student success and completion rates equitable by reducing the disparity in success rates between student populations

What’s happening in IR offices? Priya Chaplot, BRIC Project Coordinator

Staffing and Budget 36% - “one-person shops” 72% CROs in their position for <5 years Staffing declined in all but the large colleges, with large offices showing minimal gains Current census measure under way Budget flat or declined (43% colleges and 33% districts – flat, 47% colleges and 58% - budget cuts)

Scope of Work Increasing despite flat or declining budgets Functions are shifting, more prevalence of “planning” and “institutional effectiveness” in titles 50% offices are titled with both research and planning Majority of time spent on research and report production rather than working with practitioners to integrate findings into practice

Scope of Work More need for evidence for wider range of practitioners Top three priority activities: Colleges: accreditation, program review, institutional and/or department surveys Districts: data extracts, data warehousing, accreditation

Increasing IR Effectiveness Nearly 2/3 identified staffing as a vehicle Increasing research requests that come at short notice with poorly defined questions or limited knowledge of existing research Unknown if and how findings are used Question of data integrity Refer to summary for challenges and strategies

Resources and Tools Top three requested resources: Tool to enable cohort tracking Models of learning assessment Tool to check MIS data with college data Desired training topics: Data tools SLO assessment Communication Planning

What is the RP Group planning to do? Michelle Barton, Palomar College Director of Research & RP Group President & Kathy Booth, RP Group Executive Director

The RP Group’s integrated planning process Scan of issues in the field through research (including the IR survey), policy analyses, and conversations with practitioners across the state Engaging IR staff at regional research meetings about whether our goals were on target Developing detailed action and business plans for each year Building our budget and resource development priorities on our plan Annual review processes that includes clear reporting on progress to the board

Three Core Goals A. Investigate ways to ensure equitable access and improve student success B. Strengthen the ability of California community colleges to engage in collaborative research, planning, and assessment that leads to action C. Cultivate leaders who critically examine and act on evidence to improve student success

Highlights of the action plan The professional development opportunities you know, but with a new focus Emphasis on presenting models and tools in ways that allow you to apply this information to your own work and develop action plans Strengthening regional and online opportunities for information sharing Seeking grants to support greater use of interactive web tools, online resources, and video Plus new resources on planning

Highlights of the action plan Research & evaluation that shed light on the big issues and the effectiveness of common strategies in our system Three year study on cost-effective ways to support students inside and outside the classroom Investigations of CTE transfer that help us better understand practitioner concerns and student perspectives Evaluation of specific strategies, such as innovations in basic skills and services for vulnerable students

Highlights of the action plan Leadership development that supports at all levels of the college: Trainings focused on middle managers Working with other constituency groups to address the importance of critically examining and acting on evidence Offer more leadership development opportunities to IR staff

What can you do? Sign up for the Summer Institute Attend a regional research group (or kick start one in your region) Run to join the board Join an RP Group committee

Information about today’s conference