Helping Urban Public School Graduates Achieve their College Dreams: Boston s Experience

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1 Helping Urban Public School Graduates Achieve their College Dreams: Boston s Experience Community College Roundtable New England College Council December 2, 2009 Ann Coles, Senior Fellow, College Access Programs, ACCESS anncoles@accessboston.org

England College Council December 2, 2009 Ann Coles, Senior

2 What the Data Tell Us Boston Private Industry Council (PIC): Getting to the Finish Line: A Seven-Year Longitudinal Study of the Boston Public School Class of 2000 Boston Higher Education Partnership (BHEP): Who s Making It: The Academic Achievement of Recent Boston Public School Graduates in their Early College Years

of 2000 Boston Higher Education Partnership (BHEP): Who s Making It: The

3 PIC Study - College Enrollment and Outcomes for BPS Graduates Postsecondary Enrollment Any enrollment activity 2-9 years after h.s. graduation Type of institution in which enrolled (public/private, 2 yr./4 yr.) anywhere in US Postsecondary Graduation Any post-secondary degree/certificate Type of institution from which degree was earned Type of degree received Recent Postsecondary Enrollment Activity Enrollment activity at any institution Type of post-secondary institution in which enrolled Data Source: National Student Clearinghouse

) anywhere in US Postsecondary Graduation Any post-secondary degree/certificate Type of institution from which degree was earned Type

4 Key Findings All colleges and universities Only 35% who enrolled in 2000 had completed degrees seven years later (24% excluding exam school graduates) African American and Hispanic graduates earned degrees at half the rates of Asian and white graduates (28% and 24% vs. 53% and 52%) 145 women earned degrees per every 100 men ( 204/100 African American, 239/100 Hispanic, 107/100 Asian, 101/100 white) Community colleges 34.5% attended community colleges as some point (39.8% African American, 42.9% Hispanic) 12.5% who began at a community college earned a degree either from the college initially attended or elsewhere

53% and 52%) 145 women earned degrees per every 100 men ( 204/100 African American, 239/100 Hispanic, 107/100 Asian, 101/100 white) Community colleges 34.

5 Boston Higher Education Partnership Study Question How are Boston Public School graduates doing academically during their early college years? Measures Persistence enrollment status Progress credits earned Performance GPA Data sources Transcripts of 946 recent BPS graduates Began college full-time in Fall Massachusetts colleges & universities Focus groups with students and staff 5

Measures Persistence enrollment status Progress credits earned Performance GPA Data sources

6 Key Findings 1. Students who were better prepared academically and attend more selective colleges persisted continuously full-time at higher rates. 2. Defining persistence to include less than full-time enrollment, the intention to pursue college goals remained high for students at less selective institutions. 3. How a student chose to persist made a difference in their academic success. Less consistent persistence results in less academic success. 6

7 Two- Year Persistence Categories by College Selectivity Group 4-yr Less Selective Total 4-Yr Medium Selective 4-yr More Selective Continuously Enrolled FT Continuously Enrolled PT Intermittent Non-Persist 7

Medium Selective 4-yr More Selective Continuously

8 Satisfactory Achievement by Persistence Category and College Selectivity Continuously Enrolled FT Continuously Enrolled PT Intermittent Non- Persist 8

9 Outcomes for Developmental vs. Non-Developmental Students Non-developmental course students were far more likely to be academically successful 83% of non-developmental students persisted compared with 64% of developmental students 91% of non-developmental students achieved at satisfactory levels compared with 74% of developmental students 55% of non-developmental students were on track to graduate in 100% time compared with 21% of developmental students

83% of non-developmental students persisted compared with 64% of developmental students 91% of non-developmental

10 Advice from graduates who persisted consistently Study hard and well Schedule your time realistically and manage it efficiently Ask your professors and advisor for help Use the college s academic support services Get to know lots of different people on campus Participate in summer bridge and first-year programs. Stoutland and Coles "Who s Making It." 10

college s academic support services Get to know lots of different people on campus

11 Recommendations 1. Use disaggregated data to identify actions needed to improve college achievement 2. Invest in improving academic preparation and college knowledge 3. Increase students engagement in college courses 4. Implement strategies to address contextual issues that affect students college achievement 5. Strengthen collaboration among higher ed, public schools, community, business and philanthropy to support student success 6. Scale up effective programs and practices to serve all students who need support 11

Implement strategies to address contextual issues that affect students college achievement 5.

12 Success Boston: Mayor s College Completion Initiative Citywide effort to double the college completion rates of Boston Public School graduates Premised on belief that a concerted effort by public schools, non-profit organizations, and higher education institutions working collaboratively can achieve this ambitious goal Overseen by Success Boston Task Force convened by the city s Mayor

public schools, non-profit organizations, and higher education institutions working

13 Success Boston: Strategy to Achieve Goal Getting Ready Remove academic barriers by increasing the curricular rigor of high school and students college and career knowledge. Getting In Expand effective nonprofit programs that help students select, apply to, and make success transitions to college. Getting Through Ensure BPS graduates receive the support necessary to earn college degrees and certificates and are prepared to enter the workforce. Achieving the goal and tackling the challenges requires working together across sectors in new and different ways, being data driven, setting benchmarks, and taking collective accountability.

Getting Through Ensure BPS graduates receive the support necessary to earn college degrees and certificates and are prepared to enter the workforce.

Who s Making It: U n d e r s t a n d i n g. The Academic Achievement of Recent Boston Public School Graduates in the Early College Years

Who s Making It: U n d e r s t a n d i n g. The Academic Achievement of Recent Boston Public School Graduates in the Early College Years U n d e r s t a n d i n g B o s t o n Who s Making It: The Academic Achievement of Recent Boston Public School Graduates in the Early College Years Sara E. Stoutland and Ann S. Coles April 2009 About the