Kathy Cooper Mimi Maduro Sandra Schroeder Jeff Wagnitz Teresita Wisell Washington State Board CTC Oregon Department of Community Colleges & Workforce Development AFT Washington Highline Community College Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education
Today s Presentation Welcome & Introductions Overview of Community Colleges A National Perspective The Traditional Model Emerging New Models Faculty Leadership A Conversation
Community colleges are the obvious staging grounds for trying to close many of the gaps in American life They can close the gap between the immigrant promise and the immigrant experience by integrating new Americans into our national life. Dr. Mary Fifield, President Bunker Hill Community College March 20, 2006 to the Secretary s Commission on Future of Higher Education
Who are community college immigrant students? 1200 community colleges enroll almost half of all U.S. undergrads 24% of credit students come from an immigrant background Non-credit classes offered by community colleges: Adult Basic Education ESL Computer skills Civics Education & Citizenship Family Literacy Workforce Training and VESL College degree or certificate Self- improvement Community Education Assistance with credentialing foreign education
One size does NOT fit all Community colleges across the country provide access to higher education But Adult Basic Education, GED classes, and ESL classes are offered in different ways across the U.S.: In 14 states community colleges offer ABE/GED/ESL classes In 36 states ABE/GED/ESL are also provided by school districts, community-based organizations or other providers
Challenges facing immigrant students Difficulty gaining access to higher education Financial constraints Limited English proficiency Limited formal education Differences in culture/ expectations Family/work responsibilities Lack of recognition of credentials, experience and education from their home countries Minimal access to career pathways from ESL to job skills/academics to employment Issues of documentation for approx 30% of immigrants
Challenges facing community colleges Rethinking how to meet immigrant population where they are; not by current standards Responding to varying levels and needs of LEP and remediation Creating career pathways that overlap ESL and workforce training minimizing completion time when possible Developing new funding mechanisms to assist in tuition and program expenses Proper assessment of skills and strengths of immigrant population and appropriate programs to fill in the gaps Fostering a climate within the college and the community that recognizes the importance of this work
BLUE RIBBON PANEL MEMBERS Alamo Community College District, TX American Association of Community Colleges Bluegrass Community & Technical College, KY Bunker Hill Community College, MA City College of San Francisco, CA CUNY, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges, NY Johnson County Community College, KS LaGuardia Community College, NY Literacywork International Miami Dade College, FL Migration Policy Institute Montgomery College, MD National Community College Hispanic Council Northern Virginia Community College, VA Palm Beach State College, FL Pima Community College, AZ Queensborough Community College, NY Rio Hondo College, CA South Texas College, TX Washington State Community and Technical Colleges, WA Westchester Community College, NY Wilbur Wright College, IL World Education Services
Mission: To raise awareness of the important role community colleges play in delivering educational opportunities to immigrants To promote and expand the range and quality of programs for immigrant students among community colleges around the country Current Initiatives: Raising visibility thru website resources (www.cccie.org), articles, presentations Sharing promising practices thru online database and report Providing technical assistance to community colleges and practitioners Expanding advocacy & outreach to promote more effective public policies Founding member of IMPRINT to support career re-entry for foreign educated/highly skilled immigrants
Download the full report at www.cccie.org
A Framework for Supporting Immigrant Student Success: 11 Key Factors 1. Executive-level commitment and follow through 2. Proactive outreach and a welcoming campus environment 3. A community-wide needs analysis 4. The redesign of English as a Second Language programs 5. Comprehensive and culturally sensitive assessment 6. A holistic, integrated approach to student support services 7. A focus on outcomes, evaluation, and sharing data 8. Faculty professional development and participation in curriculum design 9. Development of immigrant student leadership skills 10. Meaningful, multi-sector partnerships 11. An emphasis on program replication and bringing best models to scale Source: Increasing Opportunities for Immigrant Students: Community College Strategies for Success, October 2011.
Degree - 1-year cert - Short cert - WORKFORCE TRANSFER Gen-ed gatekeeper courses Degree & certificate programs Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 1 level below college-level 2 lvls below 3 lvls below ABE/ESL Dev-ed College placementtest CASAS test
What is a Career Pathway? A series of connected education and training programs and student supports that enable individuals to secure a job or advance in a demand industry or occupations. So individuals can progress over time to increased education and wages. Higher Learning and Higher Earning for Oregonians
Goals of Oregon s Statewide Initiative To increase the number of Oregonians with certificates, credentials, and degrees. To ease transitions across the education continuum from high school to community college; from ABE/GED/ESL to credit postsecondary programs; and from community college to university or employment.
Career Pathway Roadmaps Web-based roadmaps that a visual tools for students, job seekers, advisors, counselors to learn about the skills progression, education, & labor market required for a given occupation. More than 350 roadmaps across 17 community colleges in Oregon www.mypathcareers.org/cp Statewide Green Career Pathway roadmaps www.oregongreenpathways.org
Career Pathway Certificates New state policy started 2007 Milestone or momentum point to a degree Courses include competencies required for an entrylevel job or job advancement in a career 12-44 credits stackable credential : all courses build toward a degree Currently 180+ Career Pathway Certificates across state
On ramps VESL programs that lead to a credential VESL programs that lead to jobs Oregon Pathways to Adult Basic Skills (OPABS) Five courses in reading, writing, math contextualized to healthcare, manufacturing, & business/management industries.
Campus context
Highline profile:
Degree & certificate programs WORK- FORCE TRANSFER Bridge services ABE/ESL I- I-BEST Student Transitio Dev- Ed n advising Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 funding Info & referral center Welcome Back Center Bridge services
Transition rates: ABE/ESL to credit, 2004 to 2011 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 5% 0% Qtr 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr 4 Qtr 5 Qtr 6 Qtr 7 Qtr 8
Faculty Leadership & Involvement In conversations with partners & employers In program & curriculum design For ongoing faculty training & course development In assessment of student needs & outcomes
Re-design Elements Contextualized curriculum Opportunity to accelerate & receive a certificate or credential Wrap-around student services; student supports Opportunity for internship or work experience with a local employer Certificates or credentials that are connected to labor market demand & competencies Stackable credentials Opportunity to learn & use technology