DESIGNFORSCALE A NEW TRAJECTORY FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION

Transcription

1 DESIGNFORSCALE A NEW TRAJECTORY FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION Lara K. Couturier Director, Postsecondary State Policy, Jobs for the Future July 10, 2015 PATHWAYS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

2 POSTSECONDARY STATE POLICY NETWORK 13 States [2004] [2009] [2011] 2

3 POSTSECONDARY STATE POLICY NETWORK 3

4 DESIGNFORSCALE: HOW DID WE GET HERE? A growing pathways movement

5 COMPLETION HAS NOT IMPROVED Why? What have we learned?...

6 PROBLEMS OF SCALE: PILOTS WON T MEET THE CHALLENGE We have learned the hard way. We re piloting ourselves to death and not really thinking about how we do long-term shifts. College administrator, Inside Higher Ed We have implemented a lot of these strategies, but isolated reforms do not add up to transformative change. Engineering faculty member, site visit

7 THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET Need multiple, integrated interventions MDRC. Need visionary leadership. Need to DesignForScale from the beginning.

8 DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES State Appropriations Enrollments Underprepared Students

9 TRAINS ON THEIR OWN TRACKS INSTITUTIONS Pilots Course Redesign Student Supports We have learned the hard way. STATES Funding Reporting Technology Often, the right work at the right time, but isolated from each other.

10 NEED STRONGER ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS Pilots Course Redesign Student Supports We have learned the hard way. STATES Funding Reporting Technology Often, the right work at the right time, but isolated from each other.

11 THE FACULTY We have done everything BUT engage the people who have to DO this. And, unfortunately, we have the results to prove it. Authentic engagement of faculty does happen. There are great examples of faculty becoming leaders of reform. It s hard work. But it s the necessary work.

12 QUALITY OF IMPLEMENTATION MATTERS Improving student success is a heavy lift. If we knew how to do this, we would have. States need: data capacity, communications, resources, evaluations of outcomes, stories of success. Colleges need: coordination, support for implementation, professional development, faculty leadership, cross-college sharing.

13 A NEW TRAJECTORY FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION Many colleges are embracing structured or guided pathways reforms. In so doing, they are signaling a willingness to commit to holistic, transformational change How can states build a new policy environment? Move from an acrimonious relationship about compliance and regulation, to one that supports those colleges that are trying to do right by their students? Build the state capacity and structures needed to sustain and scale reform?

14 DESIGNFORSCALE THEN MAKE A PLAN FOR REALISTIC IMPLEMENTATION

15 HOW TO DESIGNFORSCALE: PLAN Create your team. Engage. Analyze the existing policy environment. Identify multiple, integrated initiatives. What have you done already and how can you build on it?

16 HOW TO DESIGNFORSCALE: VISION Develop your DesignForScale vision. How are initiatives integrated and connected? Prioritize policy changes in support of transformational change. Engage.

17 POLICY MEETS PATHWAYS: A STATE POLICY AGENDA FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE A policy agenda in support of the latest evidence about what works for student success pathways reforms 1) Streamline program requirements and create highly structured programs of study. 2) Encourage colleges to redesign developmental education into accelerated on-ramps to programs of study. 3) Support colleges in implementing wraparound student supports.

18 POLICY MEETS PATHWAYS: A STATE POLICY AGENDA FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE A policy agenda in support of the latest evidence about what works for student success pathways reforms 4) Ensure that structured pathways lead to valuable credentials and durable competencies. 5) Support colleges strategic use of data. 6) Create financial incentives to encourage successoriented institutional and student behaviors. 7) Invest professional development to create intensive, authentic faculty engagement and create a deeper focus on teaching and learning.

19 HOW TO DESIGNFORSCALE: IMPLEMENT Make a plan for realistic implementation. Decide where to start. Build your state infrastructure. Engage. Infrastructure for sustained, scaled reform 1) Create structures for authentic statewide faculty engagement. 2) Engage diverse stakeholders systematically. 3) Create and support a statewide Student Success Center. 4) Encourage a systematic selfassessment of institutional policies and practices. 5) Join cross-state learning and action networks.

20 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SUSTAINED, SCALED REFORM

21 DESIGNFORSCALE What resonates? What seems too difficult? We are still working at this. We want to improve it. Google: JFF DesignForScale

22 DESIGNFORSCALE

23 LARA K. COUTURIER TEL FAX Broad Street, 8 th Floor, Boston, MA (HQ) 122 C Street, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC th Street, Suite 900, Oakland, CA