Your search found 86 results.

Descriptors:
Community Colleges; Access to Education; Equal Education; Graduation; College Graduates; College Preparation; Graduation Rate; At Risk Students; Educational Policy; Disadvantaged Youth; Academic Persistence; Minority Groups

Abstract:
In an era when college completion dominates the policy agenda, matters of access and equity are critically important. The allure of raising completion rates by reducing access for students thought unprepared for college and incapable of finishing is too attractive to deny. This article discusses the importance of linking access and completion to ensure that equitable outcomes are obtained by community college learners and examines the question of how policy affects access in the context of the nation's college completion agenda. Key national initiatives undertaken to increase completion are examined with an eye toward understanding how the strategies developed by these initiatives affect student access and success. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Higher Education; Dislocated Workers; Technical Institutes; Advisory Committees; Military Personnel; Adult Learning; Adult Students; Community Colleges; Colleges; Surveys; Interviews; Minority Group Students; Disabilities; Administrator Attitudes; Academic Degrees; Nontraditional Students; Access to Education; Education Work Relationship; Public Colleges

Abstract:
To date, no research has examined the AB degree through a state policy lens or has acknowledged the scope of involvement of 4-year colleges and universities. This omission limits current understanding of the AB degree as a potential contributor to the higher education system and to the nation's college completion agenda in particular. The primary goals of this study were to document the extent to which AB degrees are offered by higher education institutions in the 50 states, to examine different approaches and models for implementing and awarding these degrees, and to explore the state and institutional policy contexts that surround the awarding of AB degrees by community and technical colleges and 4-year colleges and universities. The study was conducted in two phases, beginning with a national inventory of AB degrees in the U.S. public higher education sector (Phase 1), and extending into a multicase study of 6 states (Phase 2). In 2009, the authors began the second phase of the study by conducting case studies in six states (Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington), which were selected because of their engagement in AB degrees, but also because of their diversity in policy and program approaches to various forms of baccalaureate degrees. In looking at the six states that were the focus of Phase 2 of the study, several themes emerged. First, despite a paucity of impact data, state and institutional administrators believe that AB degrees benefit adult learners, particularly those who are currently working or who are using the degree as a means for job advancement. Also important to this investigation was the fact that interview and online survey results confirmed that students targeted for AB degrees are overwhelmingly adult learners who are working, but this group also included unemployed or dislocated workers and active military personnel. Students of color and students with disabilities were identified by program directors responding to the authors' survey, as was also evident in their field observations and interviews. The findings lead to several conclusions about past developments in and potential of the AB. The authors offer several recommendations to continue to advance research and development concerning the AB degree. Appended are: (1) The Applied Baccalaureate Project Advisory Committee Members; (2) State-by-State Inventory; (3) Identified Applied Baccalaureate Programs in the Six Selected States; and (4) The Applied Baccalaureate (AB) Online Survey Instrument. (Contains 2 figures, 11 tables and 1 footnote.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Conferences (Gatherings); Semiskilled Workers; Trade and Industrial Education; Vocational Education; Community Colleges; College Role; Credentials; Bachelors Degrees; Transfer Students; Articulation (Education); Human Capital

Abstract:
The evolution of AB degrees has been influenced by an increased emphasis on workforce development, baccalaureate degree attainment, and transfer on the state and institutional levels. Beginning as primarily programmatic decisions made by a few institutions, over time AB degree program decisions have involved more institutions, and eventually states. Led by Barbara Townsend until her untimely death on June 11, 2009, the authors' research team surveyed education agencies in all 50 states and found that as of 2008, AB degrees were offered in at least one public 4-year institution in 39 states. Lumina Foundation's "Big Goal 2025" (n.d.) focuses on increasing the percentage of Americans with postsecondary credentials to 60% (compared to 39% at the start of Big Goal 2025) and advocates for a policy agenda designed to improve the credentialing of adult and transfer students in the nation. To that end, Lumina encouraged and supported a "Convening" on the AB degree to bring together policy experts, practitioners, and researchers to discuss the status of the AB degree, draw on the authors' research, and encourage dialogue on the potential of and challenges to AB degrees in the future. This paper summarizes some of the most salient themes that emerged during the Convening from sharing the authors' research, hearing from panelists and presenters, and participating in discussions among attendees. In reflecting on the dialogue among participants in the Convening, four primary themes emerged that deserve further exploration in this paper: (1) Defining the AB; (2) Clarifying the relationship between the AB and the CCB; (3) Defining a baccalaureate education; and (4) Accrediting the AB degree. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Community Colleges; College Students; Student Educational Objectives; Acceleration (Education); College Readiness; Remedial Instruction; Developmental Studies Programs; College Credits; Educational Change; Followup Studies; Career Exploration

Abstract:
An educational initiative that is receiving increased attention nationally is accelerated developmental education, and the Community College of Denver (CCD) is at the forefront of this reform activity. As part of CCD's portfolio of developmental education strategies, the accelerated program called FastStart has become an important vehicle for delivering remedial education. By compressing developmental courses normally offered over two semesters into one term, CCD strives to create a developmental education option that enhances student success in terms of their retention and graduation. This report describes student outcomes by including multiple cohorts enrolled in three accelerated developmental math sequences. Measures of developmental progression and college success were computed, including certificate and 2-year degree completion, transfer, retention, and college credits at 24 and 36 months of enrollment, beginning with the term in which the students participated in the FastStart program. Gains were analyzed for the FastStart math and English/reading cohorts from 24 to 36 months to assess the change in developmental progression and college-level outcomes for cohorts that had sufficient time to be enrolled for 36 months. The number of students involved in computation of gains is relatively small, but is helpful in providing an initial understanding of how FastStart students progress toward college completion outcomes. Results of this follow-up study reinforce the importance of determining college success in multiple ways, beyond completion of a developmental course sequence, so that outcomes such as passing gatekeeper courses, retention, accumulating college credit, transfer, and graduating with certificates and degrees are used to present a comprehensive picture of student performance. Because students who enroll in the FastStart programs have multiple pathways to follow into college (FastStart encourages career exploration rather than career-specific training), it is important to understand a range of retention and completion outcomes. (Contains 14 tables, 13 figures and 4 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Out of School Youth; Transitional Programs; Community Colleges; Grants; Mathematics Tests; Reading Tests; College Readiness; Program Effectiveness; Adult Education; Statistical Analysis

Abstract:
In fall 2007, the state of Colorado received one of four federal grants from the Ready for College (RFC) grant program of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), U.S. Department of Education. The Colorado (CO) SUN project (where SUN stands for Success UNlimited) was designed to identify and enhance innovative practices from Colorado's Adult Education and Family Literacy program and extend them to other Adult Secondary Education centers across the state. The project was commissioned by the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) Foundation, and it aligned well with other initiatives of the Governor's P-20 Education Coordinating Council, the Colorado Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Title II Workforce Investment Act, and other state agencies. The overarching goal of CO SUN was to create innovative transition programs and practices to promote the successful transition of out-of-school youth to community colleges. This evaluation utilized qualitative and quantitative methods to examine Colorado's RFC initiative, including documenting implementation of key components of the College Connection program and assessing student performance on required OVAE performance measures and related outcomes identified by the CCCS leadership as important to the Colorado context. Results of the evaluation reveal promising outcomes for the overall learner group, referred to as the CO SUN participants, and for the sub-group of students who met the RFC criteria: (a) was 18 to 24 years of age prior to or during the CO SUN program, (b) had taken the TABE reading or math pretest, or both, and (c) had 60% or better attendance in the CO SUN program. The following results provide insights into the impact of the College Connection program on student outcomes: (1) The majority of RFC learners showed gains on the TABE reading and math tests; (2) A total of 16 (26.2%) RFC learners tested college ready in at least one subject; (3) The majority of RFC learners in five of six pilot sites showed one or more level gains in developmental math, with 64.6% of the RFC learners in Site 1, 73.9% in Site 2, 100% in Site 3, and 50% in Sites 4 and 5 showing one or more level gains; (4) RFC learners in five sites showed gains of one or more levels in developmental reading, with 59.9% of RFC learners in Site 1 showing a gain of one or two levels and 55.5% of RFC learners in Site 2 showing a similar level of achievement; (5) RFC learners in two pilot sites showed gains of one or more levels in developmental English, specifically 59.5% of RFC learners at Site 1 and 50% of RFC learners at Site 3; and (6) A total of 49 (80.3%) of the 61 RFC learners enrolled in college-level community college courses, either while participating in the CO SUN program or after completing it. A list of recommendations that support future implementation of college transition programs is also presented. Colorado SUN College Connection Survey is appended. (Contains 8 tables and 18 figures. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
College Preparation; Evaluation Methods; School Readiness; Readiness; Models; Alignment (Education); Career Education; Developmental Studies Programs; State Legislation; State Standards; Pilot Projects; State Programs; Multidimensional Scaling; Measurement Techniques

Abstract:
The purpose of this brief is to understand the Illinois College and Career Readiness (CCR) Act in light of David Conley's college readiness model. Although not mentioned specifically by the Illinois statute, evaluation results gathered by the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) show alignment between a number of programs and services that Illinois' CCR pilot sites are implementing and Conley's framework. There are also areas where Illinois' pilot sites are not aligned, suggesting opportunities to explore what is meant by college and career readiness and consider whether adopting additional dimensions of Conley's model would help the state move toward the goal of preparing all students for college and careers. Furthermore, a description of the evaluation methods is provided at the end of this "BRIEF". (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Bachelors Degrees; Associate Degrees; Program Implementation; Stakeholders; Context Effect; Models; Community Colleges

Abstract:
The applied baccalaureate degree, which integrates once-terminal applied associate degrees and course work into a four-year degree, is a relatively new phenomenon in higher education. This article presents findings from the first of two phases of research conducted--utilizing Kingdon's (1995) Multiple Streams framework--exploring the status of these degrees in both traditional associate- and baccalaureate-granting institutions and the policy context surrounding their implementation. Results of two purposefully chosen state-level cases showed implementation of applied baccalaureate degrees happens when an individual or a group of individuals drives the conversation toward the adoption of such degrees. It is a combination of the right time and place, as well as the right people, that make the applied baccalaureate degree a reality. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Pilot Projects; Program Implementation; Program Effectiveness; Remedial Instruction; College Preparation; Career Education; School Readiness; State Legislation; Educational Objectives; Transitional Programs; Developmental Studies Programs; Alignment (Education); College School Cooperation; Educational Diagnosis

Abstract:
In 2007, the Illinois General Assembly passed Public Act 0950694, "The College and Career Readiness Pilot Act", in an effort to reduce remediation within Illinois' community colleges. An important objective of this legislation was to better prepare students to be successful in transitioning from high school to college. According to the grant guidelines developed by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), recipients of the CCR pilot funds were expected to engage in activities to assist the Board in meeting the five elements of the Act, including the: (1) Diagnosis of college readiness by developing a system to align ACT scores to specific community college courses in developmental and freshman curriculums; (2) Reduction of remediation by decreasing the need for remedial coursework in mathematics, reading, and writing at the college level; (3) Alignment of high school and college curriculums; (4) Provision of resources and academic support to students to enrich the senior year of high school through remedial or advanced coursework and other interventions; and (5) Development of an appropriate evaluation process to measure the effectiveness of readiness intervention strategies. An external evaluation was funded by the ICCB to determine the impact of pilot programs funded by the CCR Act. Evidence of student outcomes, including student transition to the community college with reduced remedial courses were seen as measures that would help to determine the success of CCR; however, before student outcomes could be measured, it was important to understand how the pilot sites were implementing the CCR programs. What changes were community colleges and their high school partners making? What programs and services were they offering to improve students' math, reading and writing competencies? Beginning with program implementation during the 2007-08 year, the state's evaluation of the CCR pilot programs has documented the evolving partnerships between community colleges and local high schools and provided quantitative and qualitative evidence of the how CCR programs and services are being implemented. The evaluation used a mixed-method approach to assess college preparatory (pre-college remediation) programs involving five community colleges and their many high school partners. The authors' evaluation shows the pilot sites are making recommended changes in response to lessons learned about program implementation in year one, and they are likely to continue to do so as they participate in subsequent years with the CCR initiative. (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Educational Principles; Program Effectiveness; Program Implementation; Program Evaluation; Models; Allied Health Occupations; Guides; Federal Legislation; Educational Change; Partnerships in Education; Secondary Education; Postsecondary Education; Accountability; Vocational Education; State Government; Federal Government; Job Skills; Labor Force Development; College School Cooperation; School Business Relationship; Leadership Responsibility; Access to Education; Equal Education; Relevance (Education); Curriculum Development; Teaching Methods; Professional Development; Program Improvement

Abstract:
This guide begins with background information useful to understanding Illinois' framework for implementation and evaluation of Programs of Study. It starts with a visual depiction of the relationships between activity at the federal, state and local levels that evolved to the creation of Illinois' Career Cluster Model. This Model, which is based on the States' Career Clusters Initiative, is also discussed, along with a visual depiction of the relationship between the 16 career clusters, the 79 career pathways, and numerous Programs of Study. An example of this relationship is provided using the Health Science cluster since this cluster is one of the first tapped for statewide implementation in Illinois. Following the introduction, it presents the six guiding principles for implementation and evaluation of Programs of Study. Each principle has its own section with the following information: (1) The guiding principle statement: A brief, straightforward statement of the principle; (2) A principle overview: The what, why and how of implementation relevant to the principle; (3) An "In Practice" example: A promising practice in Illinois pertaining to the principle; (4) An "In Perkins IV" statement: Legislative language that is aligned with the principle; (5) "Design Elements at a Glance": Design elements associated with the principle; (6) Tools and Resources: Selected tools and resources for implementing the principle; and (7) Appendices: A copy of one selected tool or resource, reprinted with permission of the publisher or author. The concluding section of this guide, titled Moving Forward, presents some activities planned for Illinois' journey with Programs of Study. Appended are: (1) Principle One: Leadership, Organization, and Support; (2) Principle Two: Access, Equity, and Opportunity; (3) Principle Three: Alignment and Transition; (4) Principle Four: Enhanced Curriculum and Instruction; (5) Principle Five: Professional Preparation and Development; and (6): Principle Six: Program Improvement and Accountability. (This publication was prepared pursuant to a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Community College Board and is funded 100% through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Outcomes of Education; Adult Education; Program Implementation; Teaching Methods; Demonstration Programs; Pilot Projects; State Programs; Program Evaluation; Models; Developmental Psychology; Change Strategies; Educational Assessment; Educational Indicators; Transitional Programs; Articulation (Education)

Abstract:
This report provides initial results of Illinois' Shifting Gears Initiative that operated between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009. This mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) evaluation sought to accomplish three goals: (1) to assess program and student outcomes for two models (adult education and developmental education) for two target groups (6-8.9 grade level and 9 grade and above); (2) to test three hypotheses regarding innovative program implementation; and (3) to analyze the strength of evidence needed to support systemic and policy changes related to bridge program development and implementation. Three of the pilot demonstration sites chose the Model A-Developmental Education approach that sought to move students from developmental education to college-level course work, and Model B-Adult Education approach that students sought to transition students from adult education and English literacy to postsecondary education, with all seeking to implement innovative instructional approaches. (Contains 24 tables and 5 footnotes.) [This report was supported by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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