Transcript Document

Improving High School to
College Transitions:
The Role of P-20
Jennifer Dounay
Education Commission of the States
For “Bridging the Gap to Promote High School & College Alignment”
New England Board of Higher Education
Worcester, Massachusetts
January 29, 2009
About ECS
• 50-state education compact est’d 1965
• Nonpartisan, nonprofit
• Serves all state-level education policymakers
and their staffs:
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Governors
Legislators
State board members
State superintendents
SHEEOS and higher education leaders
Education Commission of the States
What is P-20?
• It may include a council
• It can (and should be) more than a council:
– Data systems
– Funding mechanisms
– Ways of thinking
– Public support
– Legislation, rulemaking, executive
decisionmaking
Education Commission of the States
Why P-20?
Education Commission of the States
Passing the Buck
Middle schools
Elementary schools
Pre-K programs
Parents
High schools
4-year institutions
Employers
2-year
institutions
Education Commission of the States
Councils: Method of creation
According to ECS P-16/P-20 database (www.ecs.org/P-20):
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Govs: 11 states
Legislatures: 10 states
State boards: 2 states
Voluntary efforts: 14 states
These have changed over time: GA, IL,
MD, NV, others
Education Commission of the States
P-16/P-20 council membership
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Governors (8 councils, with rep. on 19 councils)
Legislators (19 states)
Chiefs
SHEEOs, 2- and 4-year presidents
Business and labor
Ideally, early learning reps. (18 states)
Others
Source: www.ecs.org/P-20
Education Commission of the States
Creating a P-16 council just the
starting point
• Some councils
leverage little change
• Essential elements to
consider:
– Actors
– Agenda
– Appropriation of
resources
Education Commission of the States
Actors
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Goldilocks: Not too big, not too small
Early learning
Legislative
Gubernatorial
Business community
Clarity re: council mission and roles
Meet at least quarterly
Education Commission of the States
Meet at least quarterly
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Reduces inertia, “amnesia” b/w mtgs.
Increases urgency of council to-dos
29 states meet at least quarterly
Include AZ, CO: states that have made
gains in relatively short time
Education Commission of the States
Agenda
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Not too broad (5 issues or fewer)
Specific (not “improving student success”)
Something each agency can’t do alone
Specific, measurable goals (16 states)
Balanced scorecard (Georgia)
Education Commission of the States
Common areas of activity
• High school to postsecondary
transitions: 26 states (can take many forms)
• Data systems, use of data: 19 states
• Teachers: recruitment, preparation,
retention, prof. devt.: 19 states
• Postsec. retention/transfer/completion:
13 states
• Early learning: 8 states
Education Commission of the States
Setting goals
• Don’t know if you’re getting there if you
don’t know where you’re going
• Numeric goals, based on reliable data
• 16 states
– Most goals re: HS or PS completion
Education Commission of the States
Florida’s Next Generation P-20
benchmarks
• Approved by state board Dec. 2008
• Six “focus areas”, including:
– Improve college/career readiness
– Expand opps. for PS degrees and certs.
– Align resources to strategic goals
• 2007-08 baseline data
• Annual perf. measures FY09 to FY15
• www.fldoe.org/Strategic_Plan/pdfs/StrategicPlanApproved.pdf
Education Commission of the States
FL benchmarks: Sample view
Education Commission of the States
Appropriation of resources
• Financial resources
– Communications can build public support
• Human resources
– Research policy solutions
– Support policy/program implementation
Education Commission of the States
Financial resources
• State funds (leg. appropriation or built in
agencies’ budgets) – 22 states
• “Other” funds – 10 states
– Foundation
– Business
– Federal
• “Sustainability”: NE, WY
Education Commission of the States
Human resources
• Council supported by min. .5 FTE: 21
councils
• Include councils that have made
substantial gains
Education Commission of the States
Promising practices:
HS to PS transitions
“Promising,” not “best,” because:
• Many initiatives new
• Student data lacking
Include:
• Better alignment of HS exit/college entry courses,
standards
• Better awareness of PS testing expectations
• Teacher and counselor issues
• Dual enrollment/early college high schools
Education Commission of the States
HS/College course alignment
• IN, OK, SD, OH*: HS grad reqts. aligned with
4-year admissions reqts.
– IN: End-of-course to measure to state
expectations
• TX, others: Rigorous expectations for all
• MN, RI: Integration of college-ready English
and math expectations in HS standards
• CO, SD, TX: Informing all students of 4-year
admissions requirements
Education Commission of the States
HS awareness of PS testing
expectations
• ACT (CO, IL, KY, MI, TN, WY), SAT(ME) for all
• ID spring 2011: ACT, SAT or COMPASS
• SD, TN, TX: What ACT, SAT scores matter
• TX: College-ready items in HS tests
• CO: Backmapping K-12 standards,
assts. from “postsecondary ready” def.
• AR, FL: Let HS students take placement
exams
Education Commission of the States
Teacher and counselor issues
• Info on PS placement exams in teacher
preservice/inservice (No state doing this?)
• Explicit training on college prep. in
counselor certification, PD programs (No
state doing this?)
• College admissions info in teacher
preservice/inservice (CO grant program comes close)
• Use state policy to ensure counselors
spend time on college prep. activities (CO
grant program)
Education Commission of the States
Dual enrollment
• www.ecs.org/html/hsdb-de
• No state has “perfect” policy… yet
• State policy should address:
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Off. mandatory or voluntary?
Funding K-12 and PS equitably
Fair student eligibility requirements
Student/parent notification
Instructor, course quality
Institutional reporting
Program evaluation
Education Commission of the States
Early college high schools
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Relatively new approach
Early college HS: diploma + AA in 5 yrs.
Aimed at at-risk students
Emerging research ► positive student
outcomes
• Few in New England?
• State-level policies in 6 states (CO, MI, NC, PA,
TN, TX)
Education Commission of the States
ECHS: Model policy components
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Access and support
Instructional and curricular quality
Finance and facilities
Alignment with 2- and 4-year institutions
Program accountability and evaluation
• ECS state policy database: www.ecs.org/hsdb-echs
• ECS Oct. 2008 report: “Improving Outcomes for
Traditionally Underserved Students Through Early
College High Schools” (search “7863” on www.ecs.org)
Education Commission of the States
Now for more about the state
perspective…