Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream Success is What Counts (A National Initiative) 2009 SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference August 13, 2009 Session Tools and Strategies Relevant to States and SHEEOs

Success is what counts. Presenters Frank Renz, PhD – Educational Consultant Coach for Achieving the Dream Debra Stuart, PhD – Vice Chancellor for Educational Partnerships, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Jan Yoshiwara – Deputy Executive Director for Educational Services, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Success is what counts. Success is What Counts Achieving the Dream was created to help more community college students succeed – complete courses, earn certificates and earn degrees. The initiative is built on the belief that broad institutional change – informed by student achievement data – is critical to achieve this result.

Success is what counts. Why the Concern About Student Success? Our performance as a Nation is lagging in the global economy Access has improved but there are still disparities…those with low income, 36% (but better than earlier years); those with high income, 78% Completion rates are lagging…BA rates: 4 in 10 after 4 years; 6 in 10 after 6 years; BA rates by age 24…high SES, 75%; low SES, 9%

Success is what counts. Why the Focus on Community Colleges? CC traditional success indicators worse…less than 1/4 th succeed through Dev Ed; 1 in 10 earn certificate/degree within 3 years; 1 in 15 in 6 years Concern that Community Colleges as open door institutions were becoming revolving doors focusing more on access than success Many non-traditional students (students of color and low-income) begin at community colleges

Success is what counts. About Achieving the Dream Began in 2004 with 27 community colleges in 5 states As of mid-2009, the Initiative has grown to more than 100 institutions enrolling more than one million in 22 states Co-designed by Lumina Foundation for Education and seven National partners (ATD is the largest non-government Initiative in CC history Since Lumina, 12 other Foundations have contributed

Success is what counts. About Achieving the Dream The 27 colleges and 5 states in Round One (plus Ohio) of the Initiative are now officially done but 20 (possibly 21) of the colleges have been designated ATD Leader Colleges Additionally,15 of these colleges and 5 states have received Gates funding for a new three- year Developmental Education Initiative Plans continue in 2009 for a National Expansion with 20 colleges joining the Initiative (proposing 20 or so colleges be added each year…mostly self-funded)

Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream…Working on Five Levels ATD is a long-term effort to increase the success rates of traditionally underserved students at community colleges at 5 levels… Promote and support institutional change Develop supportive state and national policies Engage the public to support access and success Build knowledge about what works in strengthening student outcomes Enhance the capacity of national organizations to work long-term for improved student success

Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream Level I Work Promoting and Supporting Institutional Change

Success is what counts. Initiating Five-Step Process for Institutional Improvement 1. Commit to improving student success 2. Agree on priorities for action 3. Engage stakeholders 4. Implement, evaluate, improve strategies 5. Establish culture of continuous improvement

Success is what counts. Colleges Making Progress… Develop institutional research capacity throughout the institution Provide routine reports to their Board and other stakeholders Share and present data in user- and level-friendly formats Identify a limited number of priorities, goals and intervention strategies… based on data

Success is what counts. Colleges Making Progress… Are serious about using evidence to… a)Evaluate and modify interventions…based on data b)Stop ineffective practices c)Bring effective interventions to scale Note: Which are determined only after analysis of a college’s context, data and priorities

Success is what counts. If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going…You’ll End Up Somewhere Else Yogi Berra

Success is what counts. Encouraging Interventions that are Emerging Assessment and placement (mandatory) Orientation for first-time students (mandatory) Advising and career counseling (mandatory for the first 30 college credits) Case management/success coaches Early alert systems Student success course (especially for the developmental education student)

Success is what counts. Encouraging Interventions that are Emerging Offering late start/mid-term course options Learning lab participation Supplemental instruction (built in schedule) Tutoring options Learning communities (paired courses for cohorts of students) Summer Bridge programs/Boot Camps Help with financial aid/child care/transportation

Success is what counts. Philosophical Lessons Learned Non-traditional students “don’t do optional” Besides the traditional 3 Rs… importance of the new 3 Rs (especially again for non-traditional students)…Relationships, Relevance and Rigor

Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream Level II Work Developing Supportive State and National Policies

Success is what counts. State Policy Goals Promote changes in state-level priorities, rules, regulations and resource allocations that make it easier for participating colleges to improve outcomes Move proven institutional practices of participating college statewide

Success is what counts. Expected Outcomes of State Policy Make success of underprepared students an explicit policy goal Routinely use student outcome data to inform decision-making and to assess policy needs and options Identify and implement specific policy changes that promote success of underprepared

Success is what counts. Framework for the State Policy Work (Policy Levers) Clear public policy commitment to student success Strong data-driven accountability systems Aligned expectations, standards, and assessments across education sectors (K-12, 4-year, adult education and workforce) Incentives for improving success for underprepared students Financial aid policies and incentives that enhance persistence Public support

Success is what counts. JFF Created a State Policy Self- Assessment Tool Participating states are annually addressing 60 questions (Rating… no/under consideration/in process/yes) in 5 categories… 1.Data and Performance measurement (20 questions) 2.Student success policies (17) 3.K-12 and Postsecondary alignment (9) 4.Transfer and articulation (7) 5.Financial Aid policies (7)

Success is what counts. Examples of Questions Posed Does the state have the ability to share student-level information between K-12, community college, and other higher education data systems? Is performance funding tied to improvements in low-income, underprepared students’ success or narrowing success gaps (e.g., funds sent to schools that increase retention and/or completion rates of Pell Grant recipients)?

Success is what counts. Percent Changes Between Baseline year and ATD States by Policy Area… % decrease % increase “No’s” “Yes’s” Data Systems -71% 38% Student Success -38% 35% K-12 Alignment -49% 81% Transfer/Articulation -53% 38% Financial Aid -48% 42%

Success is what counts. Examples of Policy Changes Under Each Policy Lever

Success is what counts. Policy Lever I Clear Public Policy Commitment Creating clear statement of overarching student success policy goals, objectives Specification of measureable goals for improved student outcomes (such as statewide goal to reduce college remediation rate by 10% by 2015) Developing broad stakeholder buy-in (ex. through cross-agency State Policy teams)

Success is what counts. Policy Lever II Stronger Data Systems Linking unconnected data systems Strengthening college and system capacity to use data for evaluation and improvement Creating “Report Cards” on performance for state and colleges Analyzing state data on institutional reform

Success is what counts. Policy Lever III Cross-System Alignment K-12 systems…P-20 Coordinating Councils; efforts to define “college readiness”; “readiness feedback” to schools; statewide standardization of placement test cut scores; examining dual enrollment policies Postsecondary Alignment…Growing interest in alignment with Adult Basic Education/GED; better student and parent information on transfer of credits to different schools; transfer core that is accepted statewide

Success is what counts. Policy Lever IV Performance Measurement Changes in state accountability measures for community colleges…focusing on progress in developmental education; momentum points New interest and approaches to performance funding

Success is what counts. Policy Lever V Financial Aid Enhancing need-based aid, including support beyond just tuition Enhanced interest in financial aid programs for part-time and transfer students Improving central aid tracking systems Interest and piloting of “Opening Doors” model (performance-based aid) Strategies to increase federal financial aid up- take

Success is what counts. Policy Lever VI Public Support Media campaigns Public awareness Stakeholder ID and campaigns Focus on importance of issues, state commitment, and progress

Success is what counts. Summary Lessons Learned on Policy Front Promising Impacts: Shifting conversations from strictly access to success Making tangible policy changes Increasing focus on data-driven decisions Cross-State fertilization (ex., Data WorkGroup) Challenges: Budget crisis and funding implications Leadership changes and staff turnover IR capacity (local and state level)

Success is what counts. Some Examples from Washington and Oklahoma In Addressing State and Local College Issues

Success is what counts. Questions and Answers