ACC Foundation Board of Directors Meeting February 18, 2009 College Connection Closing the Gaps and Opening Doors

Agenda Statewide efforts to increase participation in higher education Closing the Gaps Partnerships with school districts Four required steps to admission College Connection Program Serving the ACCD service area Texas connection Changing the nation Opening Doors

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Strategy: Increasing Participation Closing the Gaps If more Texans do not receive college degrees by 2030, the State could lose up to $40 billion in annual household income. The Texas Goal Increase student enrollment in higher education by 630,000 by ACC’s Goal Increase student enrollment to 38,690 by 2015.

OVERALL TexasSlightly Below Target ACC Above Target 2010 Target: 34,340Fall 2008: 35,798 AFRICAN AMERICAN TexasOn Target ACC Above Target 2010 Target: 2,640Fall 2008: 2,978 HISPANIC TexasWell Below Target ACC Above Target 2010 Target: 8,620Fall 2008: 8,846 WHITE TexasSlightly Above Target ACC Above Target 2010 Target: 19,800Fall 2008: 20,754 ACC Has Met 2010 Participation Goals *OIE Table 1, Austin Community College, Student Profile - ACC Total, 12th Class Day Data, Fall 2007 vs. Fall 2008 *THECB (2008, July). Closing the gaps by 2015: 2008 Progress Report. *THECB (2004). Institutional targets for closing the gaps in participation: Targets one – four.

The College Connection Program Partnerships with area school districts 100 percent participation of college seniors One-on-one support to assist students through college admissions Bring college admissions to the high school campuses—at no cost to the school district Required Application Admissions test Pre-advising Academic advising Graduation letter Optional Student life info Teleconference Campus tours Registration Other Recommended Senior presentation Financial aid application

College Connection Results College Connection Growth

College Connection Enrollments into ACC College Connection Program Growth

Blue=Year College Connection startedRed=Year Seniors attend ACC after College Connection 1-Source: 2-Source: 3-Source: 4-Source: ISD Students NOT Located in Higher Education in Texas 2007 Increase of Students in TX HIED Since Inception Fall 2003Fall 2004Fall 2005Fall 2006Fall 2007 #%#%#%#% #% San Marcos27366%21955%23459%29466%27764%2% Austin2,06656%2,00554%2,01452%1,87152%4% Bastrop23457%23954%28261%22355%2% Del Valle31280%23666%22971%22775%5% Leander45948%42242%41840%45238%10% Hays29055%28651%29648%7% Manor8762%8968%8556%6% Pflugerville20448%15646%44542%6% College Connection Works!

Blue=Year College Connection startedRed=Year Seniors attend ACC after College Connection 1-Source: 2-Source: 3-Source: 4-Source: ISD Students NOT Located in Higher Education in Texas 2007 Increase of Students in TX HIED Since Inception Fall 2003Fall 2004Fall 2005Fall 2006Fall 2007 #%#%#%#%#% Elgin9556%7245%11% Jarrell2250%2652%-2% Lockhart17063%13955%8% Luling5462%5467%-5% Round Rock102047%95944%3% Smithville6653%5657%-4% College Connection Works!

Diversity of Participants

Opening Doors “ Because of College Connection and because of Austin Community College, I have been able to make smart choices about college and my future.” – LBJ High School Graduate, ACC Student “With the start that I got from College Connection and the support that I got once I arrived at ACC, I have learned a lot about what it takes to go to college. I have learned so much that I have been able to help my friends know what to do. One of my best friends is finally going to start at Austin Community College in the fall because I shared with her that if I can do it, she can do it, too.” – Bastrop High School Graduate, ACC Student

ACC Fall Enrollments 38% increase first year 59% increase over two years Sustained growth over five years at about 30% per year Early College Start (Dual Credit) Enrollments 41% increase from ’05 – ‘08 Tech Prep Enrollments 98% increase in enrollment from ‘03 to ‘08 36 students in students in students in ,597 students in ,181 students in Positive Impact on Other College Programs

Alamo Community College District Blinn College Del Mar College Houston Community College System Lee College Odessa College Richland College South Texas College Tarrant County College District Weatherford College The Texas Connection Ten Colleges Received THECB Implementation Grants

The Texas Connection Central Texas College Coastal Bend Community College Temple Community College Vernon College Other Community Colleges with College Connection Cedar Valley College Cisco Junior College Northeast Texas Community College Paris Junior College Victoria College Five Colleges Received THECB Planning Grants

Changing the Nation Florida Department of Education: “Go Higher--Get Accepted” Maine: Law requiring high school seniors to complete one college application Consulting: Colleges from California to South Carolina have consulted with ACC about the program’s success Awards: THECB Star Award Excelencia in Education Bellwether Award

For copies of this presentation: Melissa Richardson Director, College Connection Luanne Preston, Ph.D. Executive Director, School Relations