337. College Access and Success News

Here are links to recent news on college access and success.
by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

1. Advanced Placement Classes for All, and $100 for a Passing Score: http://nyti.ms/nFzeVJ -"As Mr. Dillon reports, beyond its inclusive spirit, the program delivers financial incentives. Each student who scores a 3 out of 5 or above on the A.P. exam earns $100, as does his or her course instructor. A participating school in Worcester, Mass., has seen its student enrollment swell to eight times its former size in just two years, with 70 percent of students scoring high enough to earn college credit."

2. Classes and Scores Soar With Incentives for A.P. Tests, by Sam Dillon: http://nyti.ms/oo6Y07 - "South High students said Mr. Nystrom and his colleagues had transformed the culture of a tough urban school, making it cool for boys with low-slung jeans who idolize rappers like Lil Wayne to take the hardest classes."

3. Helping Rural Students Leap Cultural Hurdles to College, by Diette Courrégé - http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/10/05/06rural.h31.html via @educationweek - "The lack of parental and community support is one of the reasons educators say rural students have been among the least likely to go to college. Rural areas have a 27 percent college-enrollment rate for 18- to 24-year-olds, according to a 2007 report from the National Center for Education Statistics, its most recent, compared with the national average of 34 percent and that of cities and suburban areas of 37 percent."

4. Pilot Aims to Ready High Schoolers for Community College in 2 Years, by Catherine Gewertz - http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/10/03/07highschool.h31.html via @educationweek - "Twenty-one high schools in four states are working this fall to restructure their academic programs into “lower division” and “upper division” courses that are aimed at readying all students for community college by the end of their sophomore year. Students who pass a series of exams, at that point, could leave high school and enroll—without remedial courses—in a two-year college, or stay in high school to take additional technical coursework, or pursue studies that prepare them for a university."

5. College Flash Mobs Become Pep Rallies Made for YouTube, by Tamar Lewin - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/education/04flash.html?hpw - “It’s something students will talk about, and it can help colleges brand and market themselves. It’s a way to hook students, and build community and pride in place. It gets new students superconnected, right from the start, which is one of the goals of orientation. For students, I think part of the appeal is that it goes on YouTube, and you get to watch yourself, which is a kind of self-promotion this generation likes.”

6. For Women on Campuses, Access Doesn't Equal Success, by MaryAnn Baenninger -http://chronicle.com/article/For-Women-on-Campuses-Access/129242/ - "Women underestimate their abilities and express lower levels of self-confidence than their abilities suggest. Men overestimate their abilities and express higher levels of confidence than their abilities warrant. This difference arrives with them as first-year students and leaves with them as seniors. When I talk about this, or I hear researchers describe this finding, the audience always chuckles (boys will be boys, after all)."

7. Best Colleges For Undergraduate Teaching: US News List - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/01/best-colleges-for-undergrad-teach-us-news_n_990172.html - "US News and World Report recently named the best colleges for undergraduate teaching. Ivy Leagues Darthmouth and Princeton tied for the top spot with Ohio's Miami University rounding out third place. Check out our slide show of the best colleges for undergraduate teaching. Then tell us, who was your favorite professor? Weigh in below!"

8. Read The Joe Rottenborn Daily ▸ today's top stories on college access and success via @rottenbornj ▸ http://t.co/xt4njNy8

218.Unstack the Odds--A Plan of Action

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!

by

Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

10. A Plan of Action

Necessarily, any plan of action would be based on these sound guidance principles and seek to overcome the aforementioned obstacles and barriers. But first and foremost, any plan would start early, long before students are in high school—indeed, considerably before they even enter kindergarten. Or preschool. Ideally, this early start would mean advising expectant mothers—particularly, unwed teenagers--during the critical prenatal period of their children. To be sure, there are many challenges and difficulties involved in this early approach: for example, a co-worker of mine once confronted a high school advisee, asking if she were expecting. The young lady admitted she was seven months pregnant; my co-worker then assisted her, phoning the girl’s stepmother to inform the parent! No prenatal care had been received. (The new mom returned some weeks later to show us her healthy new baby!)

Therefore, it may be more likely that measures would commonly occur during children’s school-age years. Regardless, a first step would be to encourage early reading for all children. An update of the report by Grad Nation, relating to its “Civic Marshall Plan,” emphasized importance of this reading as follows:

“Not being able to read proficiently by the end of fourth grade can put students on a path to dropping out by triggering academic difficulties resulting in grade retention. In 2009, more than 90 percent of low-income students failed to score proficiently on national reading exams. Half of all low-income fourth graders did not even reach the basic level. This foundational skill must be mastered to succeed in high school.” (Robert Balfanz, et. al., Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic—2010-2011 Annual Update, America’s Promise Alliance, March 2011, p. 20.)
http://www.americaspromise.org/Our-Work/Grad-Nation/~/media/Files/Our%20Work/Grad%20Nation/2011%20Summit/Reports/GradNation-rd6-FINAL.ashx


Another focus would be on encouraging regular attendance at school. Again to quote the Grad Nation Update,

“In recent years, there has been a growing awareness that communities with low graduation rates often have very high rates of chronic absenteeism from the early grades onward. Research shows that three out of four students who are severely chronically absent in the sixth grade never graduate from high school. (Ibid., p. 20)

Also, per the Update, is an emphasis on “early warning and intervention systems” and an emphasis on the middle grades. Indeed, according to that report:

“Research has shown that students who eventually leave high school before graduating exhibit strong predictive warning signs of dropping out, such as infrequent attendance, behavior infractions, and course failure. These warning signs — the ABCs of dropout prevention — more accurately predict whether a student will drop out of high school than any other socioeconomic factors and can be used to predict high school graduation as early as the start of middle school. Given this reality, states are enhancing the quality of the data they are collecting and are building longitudinal data systems. This is prompting the adoption of early warning systems throughout the country at the state, district, and school levels.” (Ibid., p. 21.)

Two other factors cited in the original report Building a Grad Nation are also important to emphasize. The first was parental engagement, of which that first report stated the following:

“Research has shown that students with involved parents, regardless of their family income or background, are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higherlevel classes, attend school and pass their classes, develop better social skills, graduate from high school, attend college, and find productive work. The opposite is true for students whose parents are less engaged.” (Robert Balfanz, et. al., Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic, America’s Promise Alliance, November 2010, p. 52)

http://www.americaspromise.org/Our-Work/Grad-Nation/~/media/Files/Our%20Work/Grad%20Nation/Building%20a%20Grad%20Nation/Building%20a%20Grad%20Nation_FullReport_FINAL%2011-30-10.ashx

Another factor cited in the original report was “teacher training and effectiveness.” As that report emphasized, “Research shows that a knowledgeable and engaging teacher is the single greatest advantage a student can have to raise their academic potential.” (Ibid., p. 48.) Indeed, having served in public education for 30 years—13 years as a classroom teacher of high school social studies and 17 years as a building and district administrator—I know the importance of effective instruction and am convinced that caring and conscientious educators are probably the sine qua non to enabling all students—particularly, those at-risk—to gain college access and success.

151. MVCAP fyi

See free MVCAP e-books on college admissions and financial aid for sharing, printing, and downloading at our online resource library: http://issuu.com/mvcap

1. The 'Real World' Skills You Acquire During the Admissions Process, by Ann Derry - http://nyti.ms/fXKjFn

"In short, applying for college isn’t just a hideous process to be endured. It is excellent preparation for the rest of your life — a step into the “adult world” when you acquire basic skills like writing a résumé, setting goals, doing research, organizing your thoughts and your time, persevering to get what you want, following through."

2. The President Just Saved You $2,500 In Tuition, by Kalpen Modi - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kalpen-modi/the-president-just-saved-_b_794952.html?ir=College

‎"Political pundits and talk show hosts who have reported on the tax deal (which includes extending tax breaks for all Americans) have overlooked the president's fierce advocacy on this issue of college affordability and have even suggested that he has made a deal that ignores young people. This couldn't be further from the truth."

3. The BEST Gifts For College Students - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/10/student-gift-guide_n_794694.html#s203192

"Below, check out our top picks for student gifts this holiday season, as well as some suggestions offered by HuffPost readers."

4. Are Ivy League Professors Good Teachers? by Lynn O'Shaughnessy - http://t.co/natO40I

"When I recently wrote a post on the 25 colleges and universities with the best professors, none of the Ivy League schools made the list. In fact, the eight Ivy League schools were nowhere to be seen even among the top 100 schools on the best professor list."

5. China’s Army of Graduates Faces Struggle, by Andrew Jacobs - http://nyti.ms/eMPsYd

“College essentially provided them with nothing,” said Zhang Ming, a political scientist and vocal critic of China’s education system. “For many young graduates, it’s all about survival. If there was ever an economic crisis, they could be a source of instability.”

6. Students Know Good Teaching When They Get It, Survey Finds, by Sam Dillon - http://nyti.ms/fxurdm

"Classrooms where a majority of students said they agreed with the statement, “Our class stays busy and doesn’t waste time,” tended to be led by teachers with high value-added scores, the report said. The same was true for teachers whose students agreed with the statements, “In this class, we learn to correct our mistakes,” and, “My teacher has several good ways to explain each topic that we cover in this class.”
The questionnaires were developed by Ronald Ferguson, a Harvard researcher who has been refining student surveys for more than a decade."

7. Education Secretary Arne Duncan Rethinks His Goals, by Sam Dillon - http://nyti.ms/eEQQi6

"But with Republican deficit hawks taking control of the House next month, Education Secretary Arne Duncan will no longer have billions of dollars to use at his discretion."

8. Online And For-Profit Colleges Face Aid Audits by Education Dept, by Goldie Blumenstyk - http://chronicle.com/article/OnlineFor-Profit-Colleges/125705/

"The department, which has been beefing up the compliance-office staffing in its Office of Federal Student Aid, expects to conduct about 300 program reviews of student-aid operations next year, in contrast to about 200 this year."

9. Is an internship the new entry-level job? by Natalie Avon - http://bit.ly/glFFX7 #cnn

"Full-time employment has dropped 9 percentage points among 18-to-29-year-olds since 2006, leaving only 41 percent of millennials with full-time jobs, according to "Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next," a report released by Pew Research Center in February. These statistics hit home for the 1.5 million students preparing to graduate with a bachelor's degree."

10. Kick start: College in High School, by Virginia Shank - Tribune Chronicle - Warren, OH - http://t.co/nCTZOj1

"YSU initiated its College in High School program in 2007 with a handful of area school districts through a grant from the state education department's Educational Service Centers. The purpose was to encourage dual enrollment classes in math and science for high school students. YSU started by offering calculus in six Mahoning County districts, but the university expanded the program to include school districts in Trumbull County as well. This year some 27 in the area are participating, explained Marla Carano, program coordinator at YSU."

11. Souring on Business? by Dan Berrett - Inside Higher Ed: http://bit.ly/i04XGn

‎"But as the current economic downturn drags on and hiring continues to lag, interest in business among undergraduates appears to be static, even flagging in some circles, according to federal and college data and a nationwide survey of incoming freshmen."

12. A Lack of Leadership, by Doug Lederman - Inside Higher Ed: http://bit.ly/ec9Ne6

"For too long, policymakers and higher education leaders have engaged in a 'we need to change, but you go first' conversation," the three write. "Meanwhile, costs have skyrocketed, attainment has stagnated, and the public has grown skeptical. Failing to act will not result in catastrophic failure in American higher education, but a slow and steady erosion of confidence, investment, and quality."

13. Shortage of Math and Science Graduates Is a Myth, by Walt Gardner - http://t.co/K0ouJ3g

"A record 49,562 doctorate degrees were awarded in the 2008-09 academic year, representing a 1.6 percent increase over the 2007-08 year. According to the foundation, the growth was largely due to increases in the number of degrees in science and engineering. In 2009, 67.5 percent of all doctorates were in these two fields, a 1.9 percent increase over the previous academic year. Yet despite this growth, companies continue to insist that they need to recruit abroad because of a shortage domestically. The more likely explanation is that they prefer looking overseas because H1-B visa holders are willing to work for below-market wages."

14. No Jobs? Young Graduates Make Their Own, by Hannah Seligson - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/business/12yec.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=homepage&src=me&adxnnlx=1292245263 -

"In October, Mr. Gerber started the Young Entrepreneur Council “to create a shift from a résumé-driven society to one where people create their own jobs,” he says. “The jobs are going to come from the entrepreneurial level.”

15. Colleges Lock Out Blind Students Online, by Marc Parry - http://chronicle.com/article/Blind-Students-Demand-Access/125695/

"Roughly 75,000 students at colleges and trade schools are visually impaired, according to Education Department figures. Barriers to access could deny them equal learning opportunities. And colleges are finding that the problems are lawsuit bait, generating litigation and complaints."

16. Senator concerned about colleges' treatment of vets, by Mary Beth Merklein - http://usat.ly/hSmWQB - RT @USATODAY

"The report found soaring enrollments — and revenue — at 30 for-profit colleges by students whose education is covered by the Defense Department or by the Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress in 2008 to ensure that Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans could attend college at no cost. Enrollments increased from 23,766. in 2006 to 109,167. last year and reached 100,702. by the first half of this year."

17. When Will Black Churches Start Their Own Schools? by RiShawn Biddle - http://dropoutnation.net/2010/12/10/black-churches-start-schools/

"If education is truly the most-important civil rights issue of this era, it means that black churches must play their part in ensuring that every child in the pews and communities they serve are educated in cultures of geniuses. It is as important for them to step up and embrace school reform as it was for them to combat Jim Crow segregation fifty years ago. For these churches, they can learn this important lesson from another civil rights movement — the effort by Catholics to receive equal treatment in public schools: You must take education into your own hands and start your own schools for the children in your flock."

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