Pierce College Leadership Retreat:

Achieving the Dream Overview:

August 23, 2011

What is Achieving the Dream?

Dr. Terri Manning & Dr. John Nixon

ATD: A national initiative for student success

ATD defines student success: earning degrees, certificates, or transferring.

ATD focuses on all students but attempts to eliminate gaps for certain cohorts of students who lag. ATD uses data to study college barriers, ask the why questions, and develop and implement likely solutions. ATD understands that trial and error is necessary in this process but expects ramping up of successful pilots.

Success is what counts.

ATD has built a NATIONAL NETWORK

Over 130 institutions, 24 states & District of Columbia More than1 million students enrolled in ATD colleges

Success is what counts.

The Issues
More students are coming to community colleges regardless of their readiness to learn.

Community colleges are not producing adequate numbers of graduates or completers. The national spotlight is on community colleges. The public does not understand our attempts to explain away our failures. The public and funding agencies want to see results. Increasingly our funding will come from our results.

Success is what counts.

Goals of Achieving the Dream

Students progressing successfully through developmental courses

Students advancing from developmental courses into and through gateway courses Students successfully completing college-level courses (grade of C or better) Students re-enrolling from one semester to the next, and from year to year Students earning degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Success is what counts.

Roles of the coaches in ATD: We are your CRITICAL FRIENDS.

Communication through at least two visits yearly for two yearsTHREE THIS FIRST YEAR

Conference calls, email, telephone advice Reporting processes Asking key questions Connecting to similar institutions, possible partners Encouragement to engage in crucial college conversations Guide and provide feedback on the collection, analysis and use of data

Success is what counts.

Creating a Culture of Evidence

Component One
Whats Wrong?
(Outcome Measures)

Component Two
Why?
(Underlying Factors)

Component Three
Intervention(s) Use data from Component Two to revise or design new interventions to effectively address the underlying factors impeding student success. Review and consider changes to existing college policies that impact the underlying factors impeding student success.

Component Four
Evaluation &
Modification

Use Longitudinal, Disaggregated, Cohort data to assess Student Success Outcomes (e.g.,
Persistence, Course Completion rates, Degree comp. rates) to determine:

Many Colleges: Skip 1) Which student groups (a) Focus Groups Loosely rely on national (b) are less successful than Surveys literature (Engagement) others (Equity Gaps in Lack a local Reviews (c) Literature understanding Student Success). based on qualitative data Learning Outcome

Collect, analyze, and use second set of LOCAL data to identify the underlying factors (barriers or challenges) impeding student success:

Collect, analyze, and use evaluation data to answer: 1) To what extent did the interventions (or policy changes) effectively address the underlying factors impeding student success? 2) To what extent did the interventions increase student success? Make modifications based on evaluation results.

2) Which high enrollment courses have the lowest success rates.

Assessment

Reference:

Gonzalez, K. P. (2009). Using data to increase student success: A focus on diagnosis. Achieving the Dream Inc. www.achievingthedream.org

What happens to our students?

Who are They?

Every Fall at Pierce:
Approximately 3,000 new students begin their higher education career 48% are female

75% are under 20 years old

Over 1/3 are Latino Over 75% are LAUSD graduates from the previous year

Success is what counts.

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They enter the pipeline

Where they enter and where they go. depends on Success is what counts. 12 where they have been and what they have done.

Degree seeking, college ready in all subjects

Undecided, need remedial in all three subjects Transfer in credit in math and English

Casual student, no placement tests on file

Success is what counts.

Transfer out only taking 12 hours

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Lets look at one cohort of students

In Fall 2007, 2,988 new full and part-time students entered Pierce. Here is what happened to them.

Success is what counts.

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For every 100 new students who entered Pierce (full and part-time)

Success is what counts.

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91 are left by the end of the first term (9 didnt make it).

Success is what counts.

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Only 67 return in the next spring term.

Success is what counts.

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Only 55 come back the next fall.

Success is what counts.

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After two years, 41 are still with us.

Success is what counts.

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Within three years, 5 have earned a degree or certificate.

Success is what counts.

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What happened to the other 95 students?

22 are still enrolled 2 are certified to transfer

71 remain unaccounted for

Success is what counts.

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Issues Impacting Our Students Are National Issues Impacting Other Community College Students

(we are not alone)

What We Know Nationally

Of 2002 Achieving the Dream Cohort, % Needing Developmental Education

Success is what counts.

Source: Achieving the Dream Data Notes,1(6) July/Aug 2006.

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How are they doing?

Percent of 2002 AtD Cohort referred to developmental education that attempted and completed at least one developmental course during their first term, by race.

Success is what counts.

Source: Achieving the Dream Data Notes, 1(6) July/Aug 2006.

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How are they doing?

Percentage of AtD students persisting by developmental status at the end of the first year.

Retention Rates
Referred to DE did not complete any

2nd Term
57%

2nd Year 45% 65%

80% 54% 57%
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Referred to DE partially completed Referred to DE completed all

Not referred to DE = college ready All students

85%
94% 66% 70%

Success is what counts. Source: Achieving the Dream Data Notes, 3(4), July/August 2008.

Pierce Students
Placement test scores (tested in summer or fall of 2009)
English Count At College Level (transfer level) One Level Below Two Levels Below Three Levels Below Four or more Levels Below Total with Scores % Count Math %

458
1393

12%
35%

842
1308

20%
31%

1689
395 N/A 3935

43%
10% N/A 100.0%

1438
601 90 4279

34%
14% 2% 100.0%

Success is what counts.

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First-Time Freshman Persistence: Fall Cohorts 2004 2009

Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009

Cohort

Enrollment Count Persistence to Spring Semester

3,549 3,719
69% 68%

3,300
68%

3,567
68%

4,057
68%

3,905
66%

Success is what counts.

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An Example of a Data Set

We Need to Take a Serious Look at Our Issues

We begin now with todays activity.

We want the great minds of the college to look at the data and begin to address the issues related to student success. We are not going to talk about why our students have issues until we better understand what the issues are.
Success is what counts.
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Table Discussion
Dr. Terri Manning

Instructions for Table Top Activity

Each table has flip chart paper, and an envelope. Distribute the contents of the packet to everyone at the table includes a data set and three questions. We are looking at 5 data sets today (each table has only one): Progress in Developmental Math Progress in Developmental English Gatekeeper Courses Persistence by Subgroups Awards Earned by Subgroups

Success is what counts.

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Table Top Activity

Assign a timekeeper, recorder and reporter

Review your data, discuss it as a group (30 minutes)

On the flip chart paper, list the following:
1. 2. 3.

Whats the story line? What surprised you the most? What additional data/information would you like to see about this particular data set?

We will then report out.

Success is what counts.

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Roles and Responsibilities

Achieving the Dream Institutional Change Principles

1. Committed leadership CEO and leadership team actively support efforts to improve student learning and completion 3. Broad engagement Faculty, staff, students, and community stakeholders participate in efforts to improve student success

2. Culture of evidence 4. Systemic institutional Colleges routinely analyze improvement student data to assess progress Colleges orient all planning and and outcomes activities around student success agenda

Success is what counts.

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Roles of the Core and Data Teams

Core Team
Broadly representative with key faculty involved Thorough understanding of College data and assessment of initiatives

Data Team
Broadly representative with key faculty involved Collect, disaggregate, and study data; call for additional information

Guiding team for discussion, prioritization, implementation of improvements Crucial communication link to larger communities
Success is what counts.

Provide support to the Core Team

Aid in establishment of appropriate assessment of all initiatives

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Whats Next?

Next Steps, Timeline and Deliverables

Fall Semester 2011

Look at Qualitative Data via focus groups and surveys to identify the underlying factors impeding student success (the why) Examining existing policies and practices Diagnose Causes of Problems Disseminate Findings and Hold Additional Conversations Prioritize Problem Areas to Address

Success is what counts.

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Next Steps, Timeline and Deliverables

By August 31: Establish Core and Data Teams Fall Semester 2011: Engage Key Stakeholders

Schedule Courageous Conversations to reflect on the Quantitative Data (the what) Identify Key Issues and Achievement Gaps

Success is what counts.

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Next Steps, Timeline and Deliverables

Spring Semester 2012 Set Priorities, Goals and Measurable Outcomes

Review Best Practices Attend the ATD Strategy Institute Develop Strategies (Interventions) to Address Underlying Factors Impeding Student Success (Summative Goal: Achieve Increases in Student Success Outcome Measures) Submit Final Version to MDC by May 15, 2011 July 2012 June 2013 Implement and Evaluate Plan

Success is what counts.

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Q&A