Student Success in Community Colleges: Observations after 15 Years - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Student Success in Community Colleges:

Observations after 15 Years of Reform

Oregon Community College Association 2018 Annual Conference November 9, 2018

Keynote Overview

§ My vantage points to observe the reform movement § Defining and measuring student success § Trajectory of institutional reform efforts § Lessons learned and what lies ahead

Vantage points to observe reforms

§ Institutional – Owens Community College (Ohio) (2003-2008)

§ Vice President over state & community relationships § Title III leadership committee to launched early reforms § State – Michigan Center for Student Success (2011-2015)

§ Executive Director of one of the first of these entities nationally § Developed one of the earliest statewide guided pathways efforts

§ National – Jobs for the Future (2008-2015)

§ Co-lead of the Achieving the Dream State Policy Network § Led the expansion of the Student Success Center Network

§ Academia – University of Michigan (2005-present)

§ Doctorate in Higher Education Administration § Lecturer in the Center for the Study of Higher & Postsecondary Education

§ Author - The Completion Agenda in Community Colleges

Defining Student Success

§ Consider college mission, who is served, and why

§ How should we think about “skill-builders” who take a couple courses? § What about non-credit students and corporate training that is developed in the context of partnerships with businesses? § How should we think about students who plan to transfer? § What do we know about student intent?

Context for the completion agenda

• Community colleges have historically been access-oriented

institutions with open admissions, lower-cost, and diverse programming to meet local needs. (Cohen & Brawer, 2008)

• The ground has shifted…projections in 2010 indicated that

nationally 60% of all jobs by 2018 will require some postsecondary education. (Carnevale, Smith, & Stohl, 2010)

• Nationally 46.9% of the population (25-64 years old) has a

postsecondary certificate or higher (through 2015). This is up from 37.9% in 2008 (Lumina, 2018)

Defining Student Success

Defining Student Success

Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, 2018

State-by-state educational attainment

State-by-state educational attainment

AL WY AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO AK NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI MT attainment rate > 30% > 40% > 50%

Lumina Foundation, 2018

Oregon educational attainment

Lumina Foundation, 2018

Oregon educational attainment

Lumina Foundation, 2018

Oregon educational attainment

Lumina Foundation, 2018

Implications for Equity

Racial/Ethnic Composition: Oregon, 1980-2050

Data from National Equity Atlas (nationalequityatlas.org)

Implications for Equity

Poverty: Oregon

Data from National Equity Atlas (nationalequityatlas.org)

Measuring Student Success

§ How is the cohort defined?

§ Who is included?

§ First-time students § Full-time and/or part-time students? § Transfer students?

§ How long do you measure the cohort?

§ 2 Years (100% time) § 3 Years (150% time) § Longer

§ Should remedial students or skill-builders be included?

Measuring Student Success

Third Way, 2018

Obstacles to Student Success

§ Academically unpreparedness § Lack of college-going knowledge § Financial barriers § Confusing college processes § Inadequate student supports § Lack of engagement with other students § Antiquated curricular delivery models § “Life gets in the way” § Time becomes the enemy

Key initiatives in CC reform movement

2004 Using data to drive decisions and change 2009 Elimination of long course sequences 2011 Transforming the entire institution 2015 Streamline student pathways to careers

Rethinking Mapping Programs

Career programs vs. academic transfer programs

A lá carte courses (distribution requirements and electives) Algebra as default math path Certificates vs. degrees Academic / career communities (“meta-majors”) Program maps with course sequences, critical courses, co- curricular requirements Program/field-specific math paths Degree pathways with embedded certificates/certifications

From: To:

Rethinking Student On-boarding

Job/transfer support for near completers Current semester schedule Academic assessment Pre-requisite remediation Algebra and English comp A lá carte dual HS credit

From: To:

Career/college exploration and planning for all from the start Full-program plan Holistic assessment Co-requisite academic support Critical program courses Exploration of program pathways beginning in HS

Rethinking Student Advising

Info “dump” at orientation Advising vs. teaching Full-time vs. part-time Scheduling available courses to suit college schedule Just–in-time support for major decisions along the path Advisors teach and faculty advise On-plan vs. off-plan Scheduling courses on the student’s plan to suit their schedule

From: To:

Rethinking Teaching and Learning

Gen ed learning outcomes Generic gen education In-class learning Meta-major learning outcomes Contextualized gen education Curricular + co-curricular learning Student transcripts Portfolios

From: To:

Are Guided Pathways reforms working?

• CCRC developed a set of early momentum metrics, which are

predictive of ultimate success and give institutions a indication of whether or not reforms are working:

§ Credit momentum—defined as attempting at least 15 semester credits in the first term or at least 30 semester credits in the first academic year. § Gateway momentum—defined as taking and passing pathway- appropriate college-level math and college-level English in the first academic year. § Program momentum—defined as taking and passing at least nine semester credits (three courses) in the student’s field of study in the first academic year.

27% Earned 15+ college credits in year 1 49% 11% Earned 24+ college credits … 23% 5% Earned 30+ college … 10% 33% Earned 6+ college credits … 64% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Fall FTEIC Cohort

Alamo Colleges Credit Momentum KPIs

11% 6% 2% 3% 55% 44% 30% 23% 0% 50% 100% Earned 30+ college credits in year 1 Earned 24+ college credits in year 1 Earned 15+ college credits in year 1 Earned 6+ college credits in 1st term 3-year Completion Rate, Any Credential

Alamo Colleges 3-year Completion Rates by KPI Status

Met KPI Did not meet KPI

• Note. Trends in Alamo Colleges Credit Momentum KPIs are shown in the left panel. The right panel shows completion rates for fall 2014 FTEIC entrants at

Alamo Colleges who completed any college credential (from any institution) within three years, disaggregated by whether or not students met the particular KPI definition in their first year.

25% Earned 15+ college credits in … 39% 10% Earned 24+ college credits in … 15% 2% Earned 30+ college credits in … 6% 30% Earned 6+ college credits in 1st … 58%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Fall FTEIC Cohort

Jackson College Credit Momentum KPIs

25% Completed both college math and English … 36% 45% Completed college english in … 64% 30% Completed college math in … 43%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Fall FTEIC Cohort

Jackson College Gateway Math & English KPIs

Guided Pathways…A National Movement

Community College Research Center – Updated July 2017

Role of Student Success Centers

Role of Student Success Centers

Role of Policy Change in Reforms

§ Settings statewide attainment goals § Establishing performance measurement system § Adopting outcomes-based funding models § Focusing on areas of poor alignment (i.e. dual

enrollment and transfer)

§ College readiness (or the lack thereof) § Financial aid (i.e. free college and student financial stability)

Concluding thoughts about scaling reforms

§ Drawing on my recently published book – The Completion Agenda in Community Colleges ü Identify the major barriers students encounter on their path to a credential ü Define evidenced-based reforms that lead to better student outcomes ü Provide proof of institutions that are achieving success implementing these evidence-based reforms. ü Establish/sustain infrastructure (at state, community, and institutional- levels) and resources to support implementation of reforms. ü Create a policy environment where the right conditions and incentives are in place for institutions to change the way they operate

Christopher Baldwin, Ph.D. cbaldwin@baldwin-consulting.com 517.256.6700