should be what the community wants for all its children

...should be what the community wants for all its children.

What the best and wisest parent wants for his child,

John Dewey, The School and Society (1900)

Welcome and Introductions• Find a partner, introduce yourself:

who you are – where you work – your role there.• Share briefly about the student’s

story you read.

Summit Goals

Align K-16 with Workforce Needs

Develop a sustainable educational system that produces a qualified workforce to satisfy those needs.

Support Career Pathways

Students exit educational levels with plans linking talents, skills

and interest with viable careers.

Business/Education Summit Agenda

1. •Setting the Context for a Business/Education Partnership: Local, State, National Perspectives

2. •Learning from Student Voices

3. •Defining our Target: Career and College Readiness Continuum

4. •Calls to Action and Planned Next Steps

Current Reality

Local Perspective

St. Clair County Labor Force

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 201270000720007400076000780008000082000840008600088000

Number of Workers

KH2GoStart

7% Increase

33% complete Degree in

6 years

Student VoicesVideos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqMNggSon2g&list=PL6279A8BFF4BA1A77http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWTKl5saC1M&list=PL6279A8BFF4BA1A77http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCAyQbKZoh0&list=PL6279A8BFF4BA1A77

K-16

Strong Academic Prep Career and Content Connections

Career and College Readiness

Support Needed

Support for academic connections and student exploration opportunities

Strong participation in mentoring, job shadowing

and apprenticeship programs

Database of employers willing to connect with schools and students

Immediate Calls to Action

Business•Contribute to employer database with viable personnel and opportunities

Education

•Conduct baseline assessment of current Career and College Readiness status

On the Job – Career Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PthJk0cRvs&feature=youtu.be

“Great careers come from great passion.”

Overarching Next Steps

Work Group(s)

•Continue to develop specific processes and supports to advance the vision.

Education

•Continue to align programs and services with Career and College Readiness Continuum

Blue Meets Green Next Steps

BMG•Continue to develop the systems and programs supporting goals•Identify ways to measure progress•Reconvene

Early or Middle Colleges:General characteristics

• They are high schools• Grades 9 – 13 (BWMCA 11 – 13)

• Provide transition into college• Provide first college experiences in a

supportive setting.• Can be ISD/RESA or local district

programs or stand alone schools.

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Origins of the BWMCA:• Low % of college enrollment and

degree attainment in St. Clair County.• College-going experiences lacking in families• College not affordable for many• College success skills lacking

• Local KnowHow2Go andLCAN initiatives gearing upto address the problem

• Discussion between RESA, local district, and SC4 administrators led to creation of BWMCA

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What makes the Blue Water Middle College unique?

• It is a charter school (PSA).

• Partners with local high schools to lessen impact on students and the districts.

• H.S. courses taken off campus at local high schools.

• Potential number of students with this model is relatively high.

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The BWMC program…• Blue Water Middle College program– Began in fall 2011– Partnered with 6 St. Clair County high schools, a

Virtual Learning Academy, and Home-school families:

– Current enrollment over 400 students!

Cohort Year Entering Students Retained Students Graduated Students2011 Fall 87 82 n/a2012 Fall 185 182 n/a2013 Fall 179 n/a n/a

Can high school students really do college level work?

• BWMC Students are!– 3.2 average high school GPA of entering

juniors– 97% retention over first year– 95% retention over 2 year span– 29 students received HS diploma this year (26

after year 13; 3 after 12th grade); • No SC4 degrees earned yet; first full program grads

will be in 2014.

Early results:

• A glimpse at some data (winter 2013)

– 654 total courses taken by 266 students.• 108 unique courses• 258 sections

– 2071 total semester credits earned– 3.033 overall SC4 GPA– Grade distribution:

• A or A- = 41.89%• B+, B or B- = 31.81%• C+, C or C- = 15.74%• D+, D or D- = 3.82%• E = 3.82%

Transfer success…The first year class who entered as seniors continued their education at some pretty impressive places:

Student Support System • BWMC staff: Monitoring; mentoring• Friday College Success Sessions• SC4 Student Services (Advising)• SC4 Achievement Center (tutoring and

accommodations), Math & Writing Centers• High School support (tutoring)• Virtual networking: Facebook, Twitter,

Skype, etc., for developing Learning Network

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Positive Relationships with Partners is Critical

BWMCA stakeholders include:• Students and Parents• Local partner high schools• Higher Ed: St. Clair County Community

College• RESA/ISD• St. Clair TEC (Technical Education Center)• Community at large

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Positive Relationship w/Community College

• Our relationship with SC4 has been great.• Excellent cooperation and support from top

levels.• Tight relationship with Students Services

Department:• Registrar• Advisors• Financial Aid

• SC4 teachers, initially cautious, have been helpful. 30

Positive Relationship w/Partner High Schools

• This has taken more time to build.• Fears and misconceptions exist(ed).• Loss of funding.• Loss of staffing.• Top academic tier students being taken• Death of AP courses• Students can’t participate in extra-curriculars• Students will be hurt when applying to colleges,

for scholarships, etc.• Relationships have become stronger as

misconceptions are cleared up.31