Changes in Colorado remediation rates

COSPRA meeting - April 2, 2013

Prepared by Colorado Department of Higher Education

What we’ll coverO Highlights of new reportO New calculation methodO Benefits of new methodO Why change now?O DHE reporting obligationO Examples of change by district, schoolO Timeline for public rollout of reportO Explaining changes to your

communities

Embargo

O Data contained in this presentation is not to be publicly discussed, disseminated or otherwise shared until after the public release of the remedial report on April 16

New calculation method

O Two key changes in calculation method:1 – Starting point - DHE started with K-12 graduation data for the Class of 2011 and moved forward, instead of starting with higher education data and tracking back2 – Who’s included - DHE included data from enrollment in remedial classes in addition to data on the number of students assessed as needing remediation (an additional 2,000 students)

Benefits of new methodO Better data – The new method provides

a more complete picture of the number of students deemed in need of remediation

Example – The old method would track a college student backwards to look for a high school record. This resulted in limited data as approximately 30% of records were missing

Benefits of new method, 2

O The more complete data will allow schools to better pinpoint where students might need an earlier and more focused intervention

O The more comprehensive data will allow the state to highlight successes and for schools and districts, if they choose, to adapt those strategies on a wider scale

Why change now?O Recent advances in data-sharing

between the Department of Education and the DHE have allowed researchers to take a closer look at how we’re tracking students

O In some cases, such as this one, we’re discovering room for improvement

Why change now? 2O A school district using graduation data to

track remediation rates asked the DHE last summer to clarify discrepancies

O DHE conducted a pilot project testing different ways of calculating remedial rates

O DHE consulted with researchers at higher education institutions, the Department of Education and several school districts

O Ultimately, this was a DHE decision

DHE reporting obligation

State law (C.R.S. 23-1-113.3) defines the responsibility of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education with regard to remedial education, including:O To design a reporting system that provides

the General Assembly with information on the number, type and costs of remediation;

O To provide feedback to Colorado high schools about the level of college readiness of their recent high school graduates.

Examples of new ratesO The report will include three years’ worth

of remediation data, calculated with the new method, by school

O Schools must have 16 students in the graduating cohort to publicly report rates

O The report will not include school remediation data calculated under the old method

O The report typically has not included overall district rates and will not do so this year

Timeline for public rollout

O Embargoed copies of the remedial report, including high school tables, will be released to districts at 1 p.m., April 11

O Embargoed copies of the report will be released to media at 1 p.m., April 15

O Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia, who is also the DHE executive director, will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m., April 16

O Embargo lifts at start of press conference

More details on press event

O Media will be invited to a “learning session” on the new method before press event

O Press event will be held at Adams 14’s Kearney Middle School

O Additional speakers will include representatives of K-12 and higher education

O Three initiatives aimed at lessening the need for, and time spent in, remedial classes will be highlighted

Explaining the changesO The DHE, after consulting with CDE, CASE

and CASB, is preparing these materials:O One-page summary of rate changesO One-page executive summary of reportO One-page FAQ remediation backgrounderO Potential media questions and answersO Drop-in article for parents, communitiesO Informational video for general audience

Feedback? Contact usO If you have questions or concerns,

contact:

Nancy MitchellDHE Communications DirectorNancy.Mitchell@dhe.state.co.us303-866-4742 office303-478-4573 cell & text