Achieving the Dream Supporting Community College Student Success

Achieving the Dream: Supporting Community College Student Success Richard Kazis Jobs for the Future Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Higher Education October 9, 2007 Success is what counts.

What is Achieving the Dream? n An initiative to help community college students succeed n Success: complete courses, earn certificates and degrees n To promote broad institutional improvement informed by student achievement data n 84 colleges; 15 states Success is what counts.

Achieving the Dream Core Components n Provide planning and implementation grants to colleges n Help colleges develop and implement strategies to improve student success and build a culture of evidence n Conduct research on effective practices and student achievement n Work to influence public policy to support college efforts n Engage the public Success is what counts.

Achieving the Dream State Policy Goals n. By the end of 10 years, participating states will: l Make community college success an explicit public policy goal l Routinely use student outcome data to inform decision making l Implement specific policy changes that promote success of underprepared students Success is what counts.

Achieving the Dream State Policy Activities n Research and knowledge development to identify “best in class” policies that states can adapt to their own environments n Lead organization works with JFF and Achieving the Dream partners to assess current policies, identify priorities, set goals, and promote policy innovations Success is what counts.

State Policy Priorities n Clear public policy commitment n Strong data and accountability systems n Alignment across education systems l K-12 / higher education l 2 -year / 4 -year n Incentives for improving services to underprepared students l Developmental education l First year persistence n Financial aid policies that promote persistence Success is what counts.

Examples of State Policy Progress n Changes in state accountability measures (TX, NC) n Making student data more accessible for planning and improvement (CT, VA) n Statewide placement test cut score policy (NC, CT, NM) n State data analysis on college innovations (FL, WA) n Stronger transfer policy (PA) n Expanded financial aid for low-income students (NM) Success is what counts.

Achieving the Dream in Arkansas n Funding: Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation n Four colleges l l National Park CC, Hot Springs Ouachita TC, Malvern Phillips CC, Helena Pulaski CC, North Little Rock n State lead: Arkansas Department of Higher Education n Planning year: 2007 -08 Success is what counts.

Arkansas Policy Priorities: Initial Proposal FY 2007 -08 n Develop state-level benchmarks for student success, disaggregated by key subgroups, to improve institutional completion rates n Create and adopt a new funding formula for institutions based on student success n Establish a partnership between adult basic education and higher education at the state level n Support new approaches to teaching and learning Success is what counts.

Performance Funding: State Experience n Almost all states have experimented with performance accountability l l l Performance Reporting: 43 Performance Budgeting: 21 Performance Funding: 15 n Typical indicators l Retention and persistence rates; transfer rates; graduation rates; job placement; student satisfaction Success is what counts.

Performance Funding: Do Colleges Change? n Funding is not the biggest incentive– financial impacts are modest n But signals from incentives do seem to have impact–focus, clarity l Remediation outcomes l Retention and graduation rates l Job placement rates Success is what counts.

Performance Funding: Design Challenges n High costs of collecting data n Danger of gaming the system l Lower academic standards l Higher enrollment standards n Inadequate or inappropriate measures n Inequality of institutional capacity n Instability of state funding Success is what counts.

Kentucky: New Success Incentive Proposal n In the current budget proposal n $1000 to high school for every student above baseline who graduates college-ready n $1000 to college for every student above baseline who successfully earns degree Success is what counts.

WA State: Student Achievement Initiative n Incentives to colleges for students who pass key “momentum points” l Improving preparation for college level courses l Building to a year of college credit l Completing college level math l Completing certificates, degrees, and apprenticeship training Success is what counts.

WA State: Student Achievement Initiative n $4 M for this biennium l $500 K for incentives l $3. 5 M for success projects at colleges n 2006 -07: research, design, “buy-in” n 2007 -08: “learning year” Success is what counts.

For More Information: Jobs for the Future www. jff. org 617/728 -4446 RKazis@jff. org Success is what counts.