College Connection Austin Community College Foundation Board Annual Meeting September 26, 2006

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Strategic Plan “Closing the Gaps” Overview

Closing the Gaps Closing the Gaps warns that if more Texans do not receive college degrees by 2030, the State could lose up to $40 billion in annual household income. The goal is to increase student enrollment in higher education by 630,000 by Most students will elect to start at a community college. Austin Community College expects 15,000 more students by 2015.

Education Beyond High School Increases earning potential and employment opportunities U.S. Department of Education

Learn to Earn Source: Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY

College Connection Overview

Improving High School to College Transitions - Goals Create an expectation that “College is in everyone’s future.” Increase percentage of high school seniors who enter college after high school graduation.

Texas High School Graduates from FY 2005 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 Austin Community College Service Area College Transition Rates *Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state. **Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report. Source: School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2-year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Austin3, %68718%2,005 54% Bastrop %10223%239 54% Blanco631829%1422%31 49% Coupland** Del Valle %6719%236 66% Doss** Dripping Springs %5423%66 28% Eanes %539%267 46% Elgin %4220%111 53% Fredericksburg %3013%108 47%

Texas High School Graduates from FY 2005 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 Austin Community College Service Area College Transition Rates School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2-year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Georgetown %9518%246 46% Harper331751%412%12 36% Hays %7715%290 55% Jarrell381026%1026%18 47% Johnson City582340%916%26 45% Lago Vista652132%812%36 55% Lake Travis %5417%116 36% Leander1, %28228%422 42% Liberty Hill %3022%66 48% Lockhart %2812%147 61% *Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state. **Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report. Source:

Texas High School Graduates from FY 2005 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 Austin Community College Service Area College Transition Rates School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2-year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Luling811721%79%57 70% Manor %2619%87 62% McDade** Nixon Smiley591017%1322%36 61% Pflugerville %20221%404 43% Prairie Lea** Round Rock2, %39818%1,057 48% San Marcos %6416%234 59% Smithville %2423%56 53% Wimberley %3421%61 38% Total12,9074,05931%2,41419%6,43450% *Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state. **Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report. Source:

Excuses For Not Continuing Your Education No one in my family has ever gone to college. I’ve been in school for 12 years. That’s enough! I just want a good job. I can’t afford it. I don’t know what I want to do with my life. I won’t fit in. College is too hard. I don’t know how to apply or where I want to go. Source: Adapted from The College Board’s “Seven Excuses Not to Go to College and Why They’re Lame”

College Connection Program Many high school students find the college enrollment process intimidating. Austin Community College provides hands-on, one-on-one support to assist every student through each step of the college admissions process. During graduation ceremonies, high school graduating seniors receive acceptance letters to Austin Community College.

College Connection Students Receive On-Campus Activities: Access to college and help getting started Student life information Admission application ACC Video Teleconference Financial aid application ASSET assessment Tour of Austin Community College campus(es) Pre-Advising (ACC 101) Advising Acceptance letter to ACC at graduation Registration for ACC classes Red=Required Blue=Recommended Black=Optional

School Districts Participating in the College Connection Program (Year 1) San Marcos CISD (Year 2) Austin ISD Bastrop ISD Del Valle ISD Leander ISD San Marcos CISD (Year 3) Austin ISD Bastrop ISD Del Valle ISD Hays CISD Leander ISD Manor ISD Pflugerville ISD San Marcos CISD (Year 4) Austin ISD Bastrop ISD Del Valle ISD Elgin ISD Hays CISD Jarrell ISD Leander ISD Lockhart ISD Luling ISD Manor ISD Pflugerville ISD Prairie Lea ISD Round Rock ISD San Marcos CISD Smithville ISD

School Districts Participating in the College Connection Program School District Number of High Schools Number of Seniors Austin ISD124,200 Bastrop ISD1560 Del Valle ISD2367 Elgin ISD2234 Hays CISD3665 Jarrell ISD160 Leander ISD41,386 Lockhart ISD2376 Luling ISD1124 Manor ISD2226 Pflugerville ISD2436 Prairie Lea ISD120 Round Rock ISD52,597 San Marcos CISD2484 Smithville ISD1115 Total4111,850

College Connection Participation Data

College Connection Participants School Districts # of Students Participating Austin ISD3,161 Bastrop ISD405 Del Valle ISD326 Leander ISD923 San Marcos CISD448 Total5,263

College Connection Participants by Gender,

College Connection Participants by Race/Ethnicity,

College Connection Enrollments Into ACC Fall 2005

College Connection Enrollment into ACC, Fall 2005 School Districts # of Students Enrolling Austin ISD697 Bastrop ISD68 Del Valle ISD61 Leander ISD234 San Marcos CISD49 Total1,109

College Connection Enrollment into ACC by Gender, Fall 2005

College Connection Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity, Fall 2005

College Connection Declared ACC Majors, Fall 2005 Total Students* AcademicWorkforce * 4 student’s data is unknown

College Connection Top 10 Majors, Fall 2005 Program of Study Number of Students General Studies 278 Undeclared-Intend to Transfer 83 Business Administration 45 Art 34 Pre-Nursing 34 Pre-Medical 33 Early Childhood Education 32 Engineering General 25 Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement 22 Psychology 20

The Austin Community College College Connection Program Works! District Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education Fall Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education Fall Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education Fall % Increase of Students Located in Higher Education San Marcos 27366%21955%23459% 7 % Austin 2,15556%2,06656%2,00554% 2 % Bastrop 28669%23457%23954% 15 % Del Valle 29377%31280%23666% 11 % Leander 44448%45948%42242% 6 % Blue=Year after College Connection started 1-Source: 2-Source: 3-Source:

College Connection Results for ACC, Fall 2005 Positive effect on fall enrollments 37.6% increase in enrollment from College Connection High Schools from Fall ’04 to Fall ’05 Positive effect on Early College Start enrollments 25.6% increase in enrollment from Fall ’04 to Fall ’05 Positive effect on Tech Prep enrollments 714% increase in number of students receiving Tech Prep credit from Fall ’04 to Fall ’05

College Connection Expansion

College Connection Related Initiatives Mini-College Connection for Adult Education College Connection Scholarships $20,000 – Matching Funds

Other Community Colleges Adopting College Connection Program Currently Coastal Bend Community College Del Mar Community College Houston Community College Temple Community College Victoria Community College Beginning Fall 2006 Central Texas College Odessa College

“Attaining advanced levels of education for disadvantaged students cannot be done without developing a college-going culture in every middle school and high school in the state of Texas...then suddenly, (going to college) changes from being a possibility to an expectation.” Raymund Paredes Commissioner, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board January 6, 2005

“The state must look for successful programs with statewide potential, such as ACC’s College Connection program, in which seniors in participating high schools are given help with financial aid forms and required to fill out applications.” Raymond Paredes State Higher Education Commissioner Austin American Statesman, April 16, 2006

College Connection Program National Acclaim & Recognition

College Connection Scholarships

2006 College Connection Scholarship Recipients 11 Scholarships Awarded $500 per semester for four semesters 5=Austin ISD 1 each=Bastrop, Del Valle, Hays, Leander, Pflugerville, and San Marcos

Student Majors Automotive Technology General Studies Jewelry Music Pharmacy Tech Pre-nursing (2) Pre-dental Pre-veterinary 3-D Animation Undeclared 2006 College Connection Scholarship Recipients

2006 College Connection Scholarship Fundraising Money raised : ACC/AFT Silent Auction$1,525 Adjunct Faculty Silent Auction$3,036 Direct Contributions$5,018 Photo Contest $230 Raffle at General Assembly$1,001 Santa Photo $440 Total Gifts and Pledges $11,250

College Connection Awards

ACC’s College Connection Program Recognitions Excelencia in Education Washington, D.C. Semi-Finalist, National Excelencia in Education Award Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board State Finalist (1 of 8), STAR Award Winners to be announced at a November 6 th ceremony at the Governing Board Conference in Austin.

College Connection Web Site

The College Connection Web Site Information for parents Information for students Information for school district personnel Calendars Links to pertinent Austin Community College sites

Mary Hensley, Ed.D. Austin Community College Vice President College Support Systems and ISD Relations 5930 Middle Fiskville Road Austin, TX (512) (512) (fax)

For a copy of this presentation: Presentation.ppt