1. Rural Community College Alliance Conference Presentation by Dr. Barbara Mink Member, Board of Trustees, ACC District & Professor, Fielding Graduate University

2.  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Strategic Plan: Closing the Gaps  Austin Community College Service Area  ACC Programs Serving Rural Areas ◦ College Connection ◦ Early College Start ◦ Capital Area College Tech Prep Consortium ◦ ACC Centers  Fredericksburg Center  Lockhart Center ◦ Summer Youth Programs ◦ Mobile Go Centers

4.  Goal 1: Close the Gaps in Participation  Goal 2: Close the Gaps in Success  Goal 3: Close the Gaps in Excellence  Goal 4: Close the Gaps in Research

5. Goal 1: Closing the Gaps in Participation 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 2015. Most students will elect to start at a community college. Austin Community College expects 15,000 more students by 2015.

6. Service Area

7. 7 Black = In-district Green = Out-of-District Rural Areas

9. Overview

10.  Provide admission and pre-enrollment services to seniors on their high school campuses  Create an expectation that “College is in everyone’s future.”  Increase percentage of high school seniors who enter college after high school graduation.

11. Austin Community College District 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: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDFhttp://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF Rural districts indicated in red. 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 * Austin3,8561,11129%73719%2,00852% Bastrop46010523%7316%28261% Blanco763647%1317%2736% Coupland** Del Valle 3193210%5818%22972% Doss** Dripping Springs 2409540%6226%8335% Eanes55528050%5911%21639% Elgin1694527%2917%9556% Fredericksburg2278839%3315%10647%

12. Austin Community College District 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 * Georgetown51921441%9819%20740% Harper462963%37%1430% Hays55917732%9617%28651% Jarrell441432%818%2250% Johnson City 451636%613%2351% Lago Vista 733244%2129%2027% Lake Travis 31814445%6219%11235% Leander1,05237135%26325%41840% Liberty Hill 1204638%2420%5042% Lockhart2196228%3616%12155% *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: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF Rural districts indicated in red.http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF

13. Austin Community College District 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 * Luling872428%910%5462% Manor1312620%1612%8968% McDade** Nixon Smiley 651218%914%4468% Pflugerville96431933%23424%41143% Prairie Lea** Round Rock 2,15876535%37317%1,02047% San Marcos 4489822%5613%29466% Smithville1253125%2822%6653% Wimberley1464430%4531%5739% Total13,0214,21632%2,45119%6,35449% *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: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF Rural districts indicated in red.http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF

14.  Many high school students find the college enrollment process intimidating.  Austin Community College District 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 District.  Program is an important and effective outreach to rural students.

15. Required Admission application ASSET or COMPASS Pre-advising Academic advising Graduation letter Optional Student life info Teleconference Campus tours Registration Other Recommended Senior presentation Financial aid application

16.  Application never discarded  Provides a permanent college home  Reasons students come to ACC District ◦ Full-time or part-time student ◦ Co-enroll while attending 4-year institution ◦ Summer courses for transfer ◦ College courses after military service ◦ College courses after career changes

17. College Connection School Districts 2003-04 Year 1 San Marcos 2004-05 Year 2 Austin Bastrop Del Valle Leander San Marcos 2005-06 Year 3 Austin Bastrop Del Valle Hays Leander Manor Pflugerville San Marcos 2006-07 Year 4 Austin Bastrop Blanco Del Valle Elgin Fredericksburg Harper Hays Jarrell Johnson City Lago Vista Leander Liberty Hill Lockhart Luling Manor Nixon-Smiley Pflugerville Prairie Lea Round Rock San Marcos Smithville 2007-08 Year 5 Austin Bastrop Blanco Del Valle Dripping Springs Eanes Elgin Fredericksburg Georgetown Harper Hays Jarrell Johnson City Lago Vista Lake Travis Leander Liberty Hill Lockhart Luling Manor Nixon-Smiley Pflugerville Prairie Lea Round Rock San Marcos Smithville Wimberley Rural districts indicated in red.

18. “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

19. “The state must look for successful programs with statewide potential, such as ACCs 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

20. College Connection Program National Acclaim & Recognition

21. College Connection Awards Received THECB Star Award Award Recipient November 2006 Excelencia in Education Award Semi-Finalist October 2006 Bellwether Award Award Recipient January 2007

22.  Access to scheduled activities for students, parents, and school officials  Calendars of activities  Links to pertinent ACC school district sites www.austincc.edu/isd

23. Overview

24.  Serves juniors and seniors in high school  Take up to two college courses per semester

26. Overview

27.  Start a college technical major in high school  After high school continue at Austin Community College  Earn college credit through articulated courses

33.  Exemplary Rural Centers ◦ Fredericksburg Center ◦ Lockhart Center Fredericksburg Center Lockhart Center

34.  Alliance for Innovative Nursing Education ◦ Funded by a National Science Foundation grant ◦ Partnership with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center ◦ Augmented with online delivery to accelerate students receiving BA or BSN degree

35.  Grant pays for: ◦ Faculty ◦ Curriculum development ◦ Travel  Addresses critical shortages of nurses in rural areas ◦ LVN program ◦ Fast track LVN to ADN (RN)  Lecture instruction delivered via IVC

36.  Clinicals conducted at community hospital  Two ACC full-time nursing faculty housed at Fredericksburg Center  Nursing prerequisite courses (microbiology, etc.) delivered in high school laboratories equipped by ACC and community resources

37.  Exemplary dual-credit program in small, rural high school  Juniors and seniors take two college courses per semester during school day ◦ Juniors take:  History  English Composition ◦ Seniors take:  Government  Economics  Literature  Psychology

38.  Students routinely graduate with 18-24 transferable core curriculum college hours  Classes offered during school day by ACC adjunct faculty ◦ LHS has some adjunct-qualified faculty

40.  119 participants – 43 from rural areas  Purpose: ◦ Provides opportunities for career and college exploration ◦ Supports interest in math, science, and technology ◦ Fosters a college-going culture

41.  Offered to students in 4 th -8 th grade in two- week sessions on ACC campuses  Taught by ACC professors in a day- long format  Provides follow-up sessions during school year to monitor commitment to stay and succeed in school

43.  Trailer ◦ Length, 34 Feet ◦ Air-Conditioned  Equipped with: ◦ 17 Computers ◦ Printers ◦ Scanner ◦ Copier ◦ Satellite Internet Acquiring second Mobile Go Center – October 2007

44.  Provided by: ◦ College for all Texans Foundation ◦ Texas Pioneer Foundation ◦ Advanced Micro Devices ◦ AT&T Foundation ◦ Austin Community College District

45.  Provides college information for all institutions of higher education  Staffed by ACC student services personnel

46.  Virtual one-stop, college-information facility  Visits: ◦ Rural Communities ◦ Festivals ◦ Sports Events ◦ Supermarkets ◦ Shopping Malls ◦ Schools ◦ Other  Assists students: ◦ College Information ◦ College Admissions ◦ Financial Aid

47.  Enables ACC to reach individuals where they live, work, and/or attend school  Supports College Connection program activities  Assists in expanding ACC’s outreach efforts to rural areas

48. “For our state to have a strong and vibrant future, we must all continue to work to ensure that every Texas child who dreams of attending an institution of higher education gets the opportunity to do so.” John Montford AT&T Senior Vice President, State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Board Chairman, College for All Texans Foundation

50. Presenter Contact Information Barbara Mink Austin Community College Board of Trustees 5930 Middle Fiskville Road Austin, TX 78754 Office: (512) 223-7613

51. www.austincc.edu/isd/RCCA/091007Presentation.ppt