2. Focuses on the dropout problem among overage high school students in the United States Program for students in grades 6 th -12 th who are behind in school by two or more years Majority of focus is on improving high schools but have noticed that by 9 th grade many struggling middle school students stop attending school – “Discovered the best way to improve high schools is to salvage the middle school experience” We have discussed in previous Units how critical the middle school years are – they start pulling away from parents and gravitating towards peers, attitudes emerge, self-concept, disorganized, start struggling in school My 7 th Grade Year

3. Intervention Early 28% of the nation’s 8 th graders are at risk of dropping out of high school because of POOR READING SKILLS. 20 times more likely to drop out than their higher-achieving classmates. Major risk factors among 6 th graders dropping out: Failing either English or mathematics Attending school less than 80% of the time Receiving poor marks for behavior Robert Balfanz - “If we can identify the kids who might fall off the graduation track earlier on, we might be about to intervene more effectively.” Held back = low self-esteem = behavior problems

4. “Multiple pathways to graduation” – working with community groups to expand options for overage students Stepped up literacy instruction at the middle school level Opening up small high schools as an alternative to the larger school districts – smaller class size Accelerated curriculum designed to catch students up with their peers After-school tutoring Teaching Approach = Informal and Emphasizes Active Engagement Adult mentors with daily monitoring and teacher feedback My Aunt Strategies

5. A Regional Plan for College Readiness –By Evan S. Dobelle “Decaying cities, declining economies, and mounting social troubles travel together. The combination is NOT coincidental.” The health of any city, state, or region depends upon the educational attainments of its residents. More education = Finding a Good Job = Building a Stronger Community Many communities, like New England in this article, are not making college available to minorities and students from working-class backgrounds – so we are only educating (at college level) a small number of students The global economy demands every-increasing skills of all workers, and the gaps in income and in quality of life continue to grow between those with college degrees and those without. Communities start to suffer as well due to the conditions.

6. “We must PREPARE and MOTIVATE our young people earlier and better for college so they will have a place in today’s economy.” Listen to researchers who report that MANDATORY PRESCHOOL for 3-year olds hugely enhances later success. Celebrate and fully fund the mission of ACCESS and AFFORDABILITY of our community colleges Give students the financial tools to afford a good education Increase the number of students who graduate from high school prepared for college study and then go on to earn college degrees How? By making schools more responsive to student needs and make schools more aligned with the demands of higher learning What Can We Do

7. Improving College Readiness and Success for All Students: A Joint Responsibility Between K–12 and Postsecondary Education - Michael W. Kirst and Andrea Venezia There is widespread agreement among policymakers, the business community, and educational leaders that the U.S. must raise the educational achievement of its young population. Simply stated, in a 21 st century labor market, all high school students must graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in some form of postsecondary education. Broad access institutions admit almost every student who applies; getting admitted to college is not the most difficult hurdle. What most students do not realize is that they will face course placement tests after they enroll. Approximately one-half of the nation’s entering postsecondary students do not meet placement standards and are not ready for college-level work. Enrolling in remedial work increases the time and money spent toward earning a degree.

8. 88% of 8 th graders expect to participate in some form of postsecondary education, and approximately 70% of high school graduates actually do go to college within two years of graduating. (across ethnic and racial lines) Instead of supporting these aspirations, though, states have created unnecessary and detrimental barriers between high school and college— barriers that are undermining these students’ aspirations and postsecondary success. The current fractured systems send students, their parents, and K–12 educators conflicting and vague messages about what students need to know and be able to do to enter and succeed in college. High school assessments often stress different knowledge and skills than do college entrance and placement requirements. The coursework between high school and college is not connected; Finance structures pit one education sector against the other, with few incentives for collaboration. In order to remove these impediments, postsecondary education must become an active participant in preparing their future students for the rigors of college-level work. Good News, Bad News

9. Stimulate high schools and colleges to align their courses and assessments in order to improve college readiness. Provide incentives in state budgets for increasing the proportion of students who complete high school and enroll in college. Create data systems to track student progress across educational levels and institutions. Publicly report on student progress and success from high school to postsecondary education. Connect governance structures across the education sectors. Recommendations

10. According to the articles "Improving College Readiness and Success for All Students: A Joint Responsibility Between K-12 and Postsecondary Education" and "A Regional Plan for College Readiness," what is your role as an Educational Paraprofessional in preparing students for higher education? How does this relate to the video of Mary Ellen Sanders in Unit 2 regarding early intervention?Mary Ellen Sanders Questions for Everyone

11. How will you use your feelings toward higher education and your experiences as a higher education student to influence your students? Share a personal inspirational story with your classmates about your higher education journey. What inspired you? How can you use your personal story to inspire your students? Questions for Everyone