College Connection TAAC Meeting Presentation to Community College

College Connection TAAC Meeting Presentation to Community College Presidents April 18, 2007

Closing the Gaps Response

Closing the Gaps in Participation • Closing the Gaps warns that if more Texans do not receive college degrees by 2030, the State could lose up to $40 billion in annual household income. • The goal is to increase student enrollment in higher education by 630, 000 by 2015. • Most students will elect to start at a community college. • Austin Community College expects 15, 000 more students by 2015.

College Connection Overview

Improving High School to College Transitions • Create an expectation that “College is in everyone’s future. ” • Increase percentage of high school seniors who enter college after high school graduation.

“Attaining advanced levels of education for disadvantaged students cannot be done without developing a college-going culture in every middle school and high school in the state of Texas. . . then suddenly, (going to college) changes from being a possibility to an expectation. ” Raymund Paredes Commissioner, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board January 6, 2005

Why Make A College Connection?

Excuses For Not Continuing Your Education No one in my family has ever gone to college. I’ve been in school for 12 years. That’s enough! I just want a good job. I can’t afford it. I don’t know what I want to do with my life. College is too hard. I won’t fit in. I don’t know how to apply or where I want to go. Source: Adapted from The College Board’s “Seven Excuses Not to Go to College and Why They’re Lame”

Austin Community College Service Area College Transition Rates Texas High School Graduates from FY 2005 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 School District Austin Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2 -year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * 3, 732 1040 28% 687 18% 2, 005 54% Bastrop 446 105 24% 102 23% 239 54% Blanco 63 18 29% 14 22% 31 49% 360 57 16% 67 19% 236 66% Dripping Springs 234 114 49% 54 23% 66 28% Eanes 576 256 44% 53 9% 267 46% Elgin 211 58 27% 42 20% 111 53% Fredericksburg 228 90 39% 30 13% 108 47% Coupland** Del Valle Doss** *Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the Fall semester immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state. **Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report. Source: http: //www. thecb. state. tx. us/Reports/PDF/1161. PDF

Austin Community College Service Area College Transition Rates Texas High School Graduates from FY 2005 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 School District Georgetown Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2 -year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * 530 189 36% 95 18% 246 46% 33 17 51% 4 12% 12 36% Hays 531 164 31% 77 15% 290 55% Jarrell 38 10 26% 18 47% Johnson City 58 23 40% 9 16% 26 45% Lago Vista 65 21 32% 8 12% 36 55% Lake Travis 320 150 47% 54 17% 116 36% 1, 016 312 31% 282 28% 422 42% Liberty Hill 138 42 30% 30 22% 66 48% Lockhart 241 66 27% 28 12% 147 61% Harper Leander *Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the Fall semester immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state. **Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report. Source: http: //www. thecb. state. tx. us/Reports/PDF/1161. PDF

Austin Community College Service Area College Transition Rates Texas High School Graduates from FY 2005 Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 School District Total High School Graduates Students Enrolled in Texas Universities Students Enrolled in Texas 2 -year Colleges Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education * Luling 81 17 21% 7 9% 57 70% Manor 140 27 19% 26 19% 87 62% 59 10 17% 13 22% 36 61% 940 334 36% 202 21% 404 43% Round Rock 2, 202 747 34% 398 18% 1, 057 48% San Marcos 400 102 26% 64 16% 234 59% Smithville 105 25 24% 24 23% 56 53% Wimberley 160 65 41% 34 21% 61 38% 12, 907 4, 059 31% 2, 414 19% 6, 434 50% Mc. Dade** Nixon-Smiley Pflugerville Prairie Lea** Total *Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the Fall semester immediately following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state. **Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report. Source: http: //www. thecb. state. tx. us/Reports/PDF/1161. PDF

College Connection How It Works

Program Assumptions • The college enrollment process is intimidating, especially to firstgeneration college students. • Removing barriers and establishing relationships will ease college transition.

Program Hallmarks • Austin Community College provides hands-on, one-on-one support to assist every student through each step of the college admissions process. • During graduation ceremonies, high school graduating seniors receive acceptance letters to Austin Community College.

Students Receive Services at the High School: Required • • • Admission application ASSET or COMPASS Pre-advising Academic advising Graduation letter Recommended • Senior presentation • Financial aid application Optional • • • Student life info Teleconference Campus tours Registration Other

College Connection Activity Grid Sample District Lead: San Marcos HS Lead: Sylvia Garza, 512 -393 -6742, sylvia. garza@smcisd. net Chad Kelly, 512 -393 -6800, chad. kelly@smcisd. net Admin. Assistant: Lisa Jordan, 512 -393 -6805, lisa. jordan@smcisd. net ACC Lead: Mary Hensley, 223 -7618, mhensley@austincc. edu/Luanne Preston, 223 -7355, luanne@austincc. edu Exec. Assistant: Esther Buzard, 223 -7618, ebuzard@austincc. edu College Connection Lead: Luanne Preston, 223 -7354, luanne@austincc. edu Admin. Assistant: Laurie Clark, 223 -7354, lclark 2@austincc. edu Senior Count: 424 (SMHS) Activity Date Time Signature Letter of Release August 30, 2006 Senior Assembly September 8, 2006 9: 45 -11: 15 a. m. Admissions Application October 3, 2006 Make-Up Day October 6, 2006 ASSET Assessment (paper and pencil) Financial Aid Location Equipment Communication San Marcos HS Contact (*Lead Contact) firstname. lastname@smcis d. net ACC Contact (*Lead Contact) name@austincc. edu Template letter • Letters to *Cecily Moore cecily. moore *Luanne Preston luanne *Cecily Moore cecily. moore *K. Leigh Forell khammfor *Cecily Moore cecily. moore *Linda Kluck lkluck *Cecily Moore cecily. moore *Holly Delacroix hdelacro *Cecily Moore cecily. moore *Gail Braswell gbraswell parents contest SMHS Auditorium and Library • Notice in parent 8: 20 a. m. – 3: 55 p. m. Library computer labs/ English classes • Non-citizen February 6 & 8, 2007 8: 20 a. m. – 3: 55 p. m. Room A 123; Library • Schedule to April 12, 2007 8: 20 a. m. – 3: 55 p. m. Library Information sheet disseminated to students @ school & via web site newsletter • Notice on high school website students must obtain alternate ID before completeing application parents & on web site SHADE/BOLD – Required College Connection Activities

Lifetime Acceptance • Application never discarded • Provide a permanent college home • Students come to ACC • • In summer for transfer After military service After career changes Co-enroll while attending 4 -year institution • Cohorts can be tracked by semester of entry; ACC collects longitudinal data for retention, completion and success

College Connection School Districts 2003 -04 (Year 1) 2004 -05 (Year 2) 2005 -06 (Year 3) 2006 -07 (Year 4) San Marcos Austin Bastrop Del Valle Leander Hays San Marcos Leander Austin Bastrop Blanco Del Valle Elgin Fredericksburg Harper Hays Jarrell Johnson City Lago Vista Leander Liberty Hill Lockhart Luling Manor Nixon-Smiley Pflugerville Prairie Lea Round Rock San Marcos Smithville Manor Pflugerville San Marcos

College Connection Program Growth Over 3 years: • 1 school district to 22 • 2 high schools to 48 • 400 students to 12, 000+ ACC’s Future Goal: • Include all 30 school districts in our service area

Program Results

Diversity of College Connection Participants • • • Anglo - 41% African American - 11% Hispanic - 39% Asian - 4% Other - 5%

Traditionally Underrepresented in Higher Education - Students Enroll at ACC • More than 55% of College Connection enrollees are minorities • Higher percentage entering ACC through College Connection than in the general ACC student population

The ACC College Connection Program Works! Increase in Texas Higher Education District San Marcos Austin Bastrop Del Valle Leander Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education Fall 2003 273 2, 155 286 293 444 66% 56% 69% 77% 48% Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education Fall 2004 219 2, 066 234 312 459 Violet = Year after College Connection started Source: http: //www. txhighereddata. org/Reports 55% 56% 57% 80% 48% Students Not Located in Texas Higher Education Fall 2005 234 2, 005 239 236 422 59% 54% 66% 42% % Increase of Students Located in Higher Education 7% 2% 15 % 11 % 6%

The ACC College Connection Program Works! Increase at Austin Community College District Students Enrolling at ACC Fall 2003 Students Enrolling at ACC Fall 2004 Students Enrolling at ACC Fall 2005 Students Enrolling at ACC Fall 2006 % Increase of Students Enrolling at ACC 2003 -2006 Austin ISD 560 527 630 741 32. 32% Bastrop ISD 33 35 70 55 66. 67% Del Valle ISD 38 31 58 49 28. 95% Hays CISD 61 70 66 77 26. 23% Leander ISD 173 165 242 209 20. 81% Manor ISD 16 20 19 19 18. 75% Pflugerville ISD 83 79 67 95 14. 46% San Marcos CISD 33 48 49 36 9. 09% Source: http: //www. txhighereddata. org/Reports and ACC Office Of Institutional Effectiveness and Accountability

College Connection Results for ACC, 2004 -2006 • Positive effect on fall enrollments • Immediate great results: 37. 6% increase first year • 59% increase over two years • Positive effect on Early College Start enrollments • 25. 6% increase in enrollment from ‘ 04 to ’ 05 • 45% increase in enrollment from ’ 04 to ’ 06 • Positive effect on Tech Prep enrollments • 714% increase in number of students receiving Tech Prep credit • 36 students in 2003 -04 • 48 students in 2004 -05 • 293 students in 2005 -06

Related Initiatives • Mini-College Connection for Adult Education • College Connection Scholarships

College Connection Program National Acclaim & Recognition

Program Recognition • THECB Star Award • Excelencia in Education Award Recipient • Bellwether Award November 2006 Semi-Finalist October 2006 Finalist December 2006

Texas Community Colleges Adopting College Connection Program • • • Alamo Community College District Coastal Bend Community College Del Mar Community College Houston Community College District Temple Community College Victoria Community College

Other Texas Community Colleges Express Interest in College Connection Program • • Vernon College Odessa College Central Texas College El Paso Community College

External Funding TG Public Benefit Grant - $155, 000 Texas Pioneer Foundation - $50, 000 Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce $108, 000 Round Rock ISD - $18, 000

Mobile Go Center

Mobile Go Center Funding • Advanced Micro Devices • AT&T Foundation • College For All Texans Foundation • Assist in College Connection services • Make non-College Connection visits to malls, community centers, etc.

College Connection Website www. austincc. edu/isd • Access to scheduled activities for students, parents, and school officials • Calendars • Links to pertinent ACC sites

Mary Hensley Austin Community College Vice President College Support Systems and ISD Relations 5930 Middle Fiskville Road Austin, TX 78754 Office: (512) 223 -7618 Fax: (512) 223 -7895 mhensley@austincc. edu

For a copy of this presentation: www. austincc. edu/isd/president/ 041807 Presentation. ppt