1. College and career ready
Our Vision
College and career ready
Read: You are here today to help achieve our vision of a college and career ready culture statewide. We want ALL students to be prepared and have choices for postsecondary opportunities to help them make a living and build a life, but we want to particularly target our prospective first generation postsecondary students who particularly need our assistance in helping to plan for their futures.
Please note that, throughout this training, when we say “college” we are referring to community colleges and technical schools, not just 4-year universities. We recognize that community colleges and technical schools play a key role in preparing students for careers in many important fields.

2. CACG overview
Read: The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board received a $6 million/year grant for two years to increase the number of targeted students who pursue and complete their postsecondary education. Grants are being disbursed by the CB throughout Texas to support initiatives to achieve these goals. This training initiative is shown in the orange and green boxes on the screen. The grant to the Texas Counseling Association funded the development of this training and the accompanying training-of-trainer session. Grants to the Educational Service Centers fund the delivery of this training, in partnership with their regional P-16 councils, to targeted districts and campuses.

3. CACG training goals Increase awareness Provide knowledge and skills
Deliver professional development
Read: The goals of this College Access Challenge Grant and for this training are to:
Increase Awareness of the importance of postsecondary education and how to prepare for it academically;
Provide Knowledge and Skills to students and their parents enabling them to apply to and pay for college; and
Deliver Professional Development to counselors, teachers and administrators on effective strategies to prepare under-represented students to pursue and complete postsecondary education.

4. Award 210,000 more undergraduate degrees and certificates
Closing the gaps by 2015
Participation
Add 630,000 more students
Success
Award 210,000 more undergraduate degrees and certificates .
Read: In October 2000, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopted a plan to increase postsecondary student enrollment and completion rates in order to increase and better prepare the workforce necessary for the economic future of Texas. The plan calls for the state to close the gaps in enrollment rates across Texas by adding 630,000 more students by The plan also mandates that state institutions of higher education award 210,000 undergraduate degrees, certificates and other identifiable student successes by From this professional development, you will learn strategies that will assist us in achieving these goals and making a difference for all Texans.

5. Educational attainment and rank among states – Texas 2005
18-24 with HS diploma
46th
25-64 with HS diploma
50th
25-64 with Associate
25-64 with Bachelor’s or Higher
34th
25-64 with Graduate/Professional
Read: The reason why state leaders are concerned about the economic future of Texas is that our state ranks in the bottom half of the states in education attainment.
Review the statistics on the slide.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 ACS

6. Ages 25-34 Ages 35-44 30.7% Ages 45-54 33.7% Ages 55-64 34.3% 33.5%
Younger, less well educated in Texas
Texas population with Associate Degree or higher
Ages 25-34
30.7%
Ages 35-44
33.7%
Ages 45-54
34.3%
Ages 55-64
33.5%
Read: Most of us assume that educational attainment increases with each generation. However, in Texas, our younger population is actually less well educated than our older population.
Review the statistics on the slide.
This definitely has a tremendous impact on the future of the state. This is why the Coordinating Board adopted the Closing the Gaps plan.
Report of The Select Commission on Higher Education and Global Competitiveness, January 2009

7. Change in public and independent higher education institutions’ enrollment from Fall 2000
279,541
630,000
404,000
302,000
Read: This graph illustrates our progress toward the Closing the Gap goal of adding 630,000 students by The brown line indicates our target enrollment numbers while the green shows the actual enrollment numbers for Fall 2000 through Fall While there was a steady increase in enrollment during initial recruitment and college readiness efforts, the slope has declined and the numbers have fallen below target. We need to do more to assist students with college and career preparation and readiness, especially our first generation college-going students.
THECB, 2009

8. Change in African American public and independent higher education enrollment
44,414
64,000
50,000
39,317
Read: This graph depicts our progress toward increasing African American enrollment in postsecondary education. The good news is that the numbers are increasing steadily and enrollment is above target. However, 63.4% of these students are female. We must continue to work harder to assist African American males in their motivation and preparedness for higher education.
THECB, 2009

9. Change in Hispanic public and independent higher education enrollment from Fall 2000
129,484
439,000
236,600
183,006
Read:
Note how far below target Hispanic enrollment is on this graph. Because the Latino population is the fastest growing in the state, it is essential to our economic future that these students achieve postsecondary education. Here again, we must do more to help these students be ready for college.
THECB, 2009

10. Change in white (non-Hispanic) postsecondary education enrollment from Fall 2000
58,553
101,000
90,500
62,648
Read: In case you thought that all is well with the white, non-Hispanic population, think again. While there was an initial boost in enrollment (due in great measure to increased access to dual credit courses in high school), numbers have been declining and, in 2008, have fallen below target for the first time. That is why we must advance our efforts in helping ALL students be college and career ready.
THECB, 2009

11. Bachelor’s, Associate, and Certificates
155,542
210,000
171,000
156,200
Read: The second goal in Closing the Gaps is to increase the number of degrees and certificates awarded to 210,000 by As you can see, we are just slightly below target in What does this have to do with middle and high school staff? The more college and career ready students are when they enter postsecondary education, the more likely they are to successfully complete it. We do indeed contribute to degree completion.
THECB, 2009

12. Graduation goals in critical fields
STEM
Nursing/Allied Health
Read: This bar graph illustrates our deficits in the fields of technology and nursing/allied health where we need more degreed individuals. The green depicts 2010 targets, the blue shows progress through 2006, and the red vividly portrays the number of graduates we need to meet our targets in these critical fields. We must spark student interest in these fields in middle and high school and counsel them into the types of courses they will need to be successful.
THECB, 2009

13. Getting to college
Early and complete information on what classes to take as prerequisites for college and financial aid opportunities is critical to postsecondary opportunities
Students of color and low socio-economic status are least likely to receive this information
Only 18% of high school students and 30% of their parents have information on college costs.
72% of students whose parents did not mainly speak English at home had parents who expected them to go finish college, compared to 65% whose parents mainly spoke English.
Further, 67% of students whose parents were not born inside the U.S. had parents who expected them to finish college, compared to 63% whose parents were. 13
From: Achieve, Inc./American Diploma Project

14. Financial aid FY 2008 THECB, 2009 80% 100% 60% 40% 20% 0%
Read: Speaking of financial aid, the bar graph on the left shows the percentage of students who receive financial aid at various types of institutions . Review the data on the slide and have the participants respond to why some are higher and lower than others.
The circle graph indicates that 622,766 students or 51.1% of all students attending non-profit institutions of higher education received some type of financial need-based aid. Clearly, with continuous increases in tuition and fees, students and their parents must receive comprehensive information on financial aid. More information will be shared on this topic during Module 3.
THECB, 2009

15. Workforce needs
Global shifts to an information, service, and technology-based economy require a college-educated workforce.
Seven out of every ten jobs depend on advanced skills gained through postsecondary education or training.
The organization Achieve, Inc. through its American Diploma Project has conducted extensive research on workforce needs as well as college readiness. Their researchers found that the skills needed for college and work are closely aligned. Thus, if we promote college readiness, we also promote career readiness. . .AND if we promote career readiness, we will promote college readiness. Why? Review the information on the slide.
From: Achieve, Inc./American Diploma Project

16. College and career readiness
Challenging courses – especially in mathematics – open the doors to postsecondary opportunities
Most well-paying jobs require a certificate or a college degree
Again, The skills needed to get and keep good jobs — both white collar and blue collar — are very similar to what colleges demand of incoming freshmen. Taking challenging courses in middle and high school paves the way to achieving a certificate, an associate’s and/or a bachelor’s degree and then getting a well-paying job.
From: Achieve, Inc./American Diploma Project 16

17. Strategies for success
Allocate resources to promote college and career readiness for all students.
Increase opportunities for school counselors to directly interact with students.
Provide professional development programs on career and college readiness, financial aid opportunities and postsecondary application strategies.
Read: These three strategies are essential to achieving our vision of a college and career ready culture. Review the information on the slide.
This training session focuses on the second and third strategies.

18. Funding options High school allotment Title I and Title V
Compensatory education
Career and technical education
Grants from state and foundations
PTA, booster clubs
Community organizations
Local businesses
Read: In response to the first strategy, allocating resources, this slide provides some suggestions for funding the efforts to promote college and career readiness that you will hear about throughout this training.
Review the information on the slide.
Any or all of these funding options should be tapped. In applying for funds, emphasize how creating a college and career ready culture will make a difference for our students and, eventually, the future of our state socially and economically.

19. Partners for success Students Counselors Parents Administrators
Community
Campus Staff
Teachers
Read: Students need a circle of caring to achieve success. Who are these partners for success?
Counselors
Teachers
Administrators, especially the principal
Other campus staff (specialists, school psychologists, nurses, special education staff)
Parents
Community and business leaders - recruit individuals who can influence and hold the confidence of the school decision makers
These partners can form a steering committee and sounding board to assist a district/campus in:
Guiding efforts to create a culture of college and career readiness
Reviewing results of needs assessments
Making recommendations for program development
Reviewing accountability data and outcomes research
Locating internal and external funding sources
Remember, it takes a village, a community to raise a child.

20. Framework
This training session has been built on the foundation of these two frameworks: the Program Development Guide for a Model Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools and the College and Career Readiness Standards which are being incorporated into state curriculum and assessments. Each of you will receive a copy of these invaluable resources, and we will refer to them during the training.
Thank you for your participation. We look forward to working with you to enhance this program and to build on the projects currently underway in your communities to achieve our vision of a college and career ready culture throughout the great state of Texas.
Thank you for your participation. We look forward to working with you to enhance this program and to build on the projects currently underway in your communities to achieve our vision of a college going, career ready culture throughout the great state of Texas.

21. Questions?
Take questions from the participants. 21