From GEDs to College Degrees:

The Adult Education Transitions Collaboration between Jefferson County Public Schools

and Jefferson Community and Technical College

Julie Scoskie, Director

Joyce Griffith, Specialist

Jefferson County Public Schools Adult and Continuing Education

Origins of the Partnership• Policy environment & political imperatives• Internal issues

The Transitions Program• How it addresses gaps in knowledge & skills for success

in postsecondary education• Impact on students• How it relates to your program• Plans for the future

Ten Easy Steps--Breakout Session

Our Goals Today

Context for Collaboration Kentucky House Bill 1 (1997):

Post-Secondary Education Reform in Kentucky• A seamless, integrated system of postsecondary education leading to

greater numbers of citizens attaining college/university degreesand/or the completion of the training necessary to develop a workforce with the skills to meet the needs of new and existing industries.

Kentucky Senate Bill 1 (2000):

The Restructuring of Adult Education• A seamless, integrated system of adult education services resulting in

greater numbers of adults with GEDs and an increase in those entering postsecondary education and/or training.

Result: Aggressive enrollment and educational attainment goals.

For every For every 100100 Kentucky 9th graders: Kentucky 9th graders:

• 65 graduate from high school

• 37 enter college

• 24 are still enrolled in collegiate sophomore year

• 12 graduate with a four-year degree in 6 years

State-wide Concerns:The “Pipeline Leakage” Problem

Source: Tom Mortenson, Public School Graduation and College-Going Rates of Students Directly from High School, 2004; NCES, IPEDS Fall 2004 Retention rates and 2004 Graduation Rate Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey (ACS)

Local Imperatives Merged Government and the Brookings Report

Historic Opportunity“The Louisville region stands at a historic juncture. As (the 2003) merger creates the 16th largest municipality in the U.S., the new city has an opportunity to seize the moment, ‘get it right,’ and chart its destiny as one of the most progressive American cities.”

Serious ChallengesThe new city faces serious human capital and quality of life challenges that threaten future competitiveness, including:

• A workforce severely limited in size and skill• Low educational attainment which limits

competitiveness in the “knowledge economy”

The Solution: Build a State of the Art Workforce Development System

• Focus on the New Economy and high-skilled, high-wage jobs

• Provide “career ladders” for lower skilled adults

• Upgrade the region’s community and technical colleges

• Make adult education, colleges, and universities full partners in Louisville’s long-term economic development strategy

• Promote educational attainment from GEDs to Ph.Ds.

Educational Enrichment Services Program

• How it started

• How it works

• Impact on students

Why Partner?

• To end competition and avoid duplication of services

• To address the gaps in knowledge and skills needed for success in postsecondary education

• To stretch limited resources

• To meet state-mandated enrollment goals

• To improve retention

Self-EvaluationConfluence of events: Go Higher! campaign, Beyond Merger, Brookings Report, and Local Workforce Investment Board

We asked ourselves:

•How is education faring in our community?

• 1 in 5 students lacked a high school credential

• 70% of college entering students needed a remedial course

• 83% of entering KCTCS Students scored 17 or lower on an ACT or equivalent assessment

•What are our educational challenges?

•What are our resources?

•What are our relationships like between educational institutions?

First-Time Freshmen Testing into JCTC Developmental Courses – Fall 2007

College and Workforce Readiness

• 76% test into at least 1 developmental course

• 64% test into developmental math

• 32% test into developmental English

• 10% test into developmental reading

• 65% of 2007 high school graduates entering JCTC tested into developmental courses

Total First-Time Freshmen: 2,160

1362

667

215

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Math English Reading

JCPS Adult Education Profile 2007-08

4,819 students(1%)

(10%)

(23%)

(23%)

(7%)

(6%)

(30%)

978 students earned a GED

How We Collaborate:Rethinking the Revolving Doors

PHASE I:

Moving college students in need of basic skills into adult education services

PHASE II:

Moving adult education students into college classes

Continually moving students in the right directionContinually moving students in the right direction

PHASE I:Develop the Structure

• Development of formal MOU

• Referral system based on Compass cut scores (< 27 in math; < 21 in writing; < 45 in reading)

• Align curricula and embed skills for success

• Deliver adult education services on campus for seamless transition

• Allow students to dually enroll in EES and college courses

• Provide College Assessment Preparation classes

Factors for Success

• Commitment from leadership• Monthly communication meetings• Faculty/staff cooperation• Common data system• Tailored curricula• Community awareness

• Continuous improvement based on expanding populations e.g. ESL

PHASE I:EES Students

Average Age: 25.31

Gender:F: 62.77% M: 37.23%

Race:Asian: 1.78%American Indian: .71%Black: 50.26%Hispanic: 3.13%Not Specified: 26.77%White: 30.64%

JCTC Students

Average Age: 26.4

Gender:F: 54.16% M: 45.81%

Race:Asian: 1.22%American Indian: .28%Black: 17.69%Hispanic: 2.09%Not Specified: 31.3%White: 62.54%

Data captured: Jan. 1, 2006 through Dec. 31, 2007

Results Phase I

Fall 2003 to Fall 2007 Results:• English:

82% EES Course Completion Rate

89% Eligible to Move to Next Course or higher

• Math:

79% EES Course Completion Rate

90% Eligible to Move to Next Course or Higher

Results Phase I (cont.)

Retention Rates Fall 06 to Fall 07

0 20 40 60 80

EES Student

JCTC Student

Percentage

53%

70%

• Spring 2006: 52% (137) still enrolled

(compared to 21% of all first time students from Fall 2003)

• Fall 2007: 37% (97) still enrolled

(compared to 11% of all first time students from Fall 2003)

Results Phase I (cont.) :Tracking the original 262 EES Students

from Fall 2003

JCTC GED Recipients Enrolled by Fall Term

2023 1999 1970

1617 1592

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007

GED recipients represented approximately 10% of the total JCTC enrollment.

PHASE II: Focus on College Success

• College Bound Program – Incorporate higher education into lesson plans, link career goals with education, and address barriers (financial and disabilities)

• Award annual scholarship to outstanding GED recipient

• Provide separate orientation and admission process

• Award one credit hour of GE 100 (Introduction to College)

• Improve data tracking • Improve intervention and support system (based on

successful Career Pathways and Success Now Learning Communities)

Benefits• Tuition saved for students*

• College, Adult Education, and Student

• Serves students through a comprehensive, seamless system that reduces duplication

• Leveraged resources

• Joint marketing

*Tuition saved in 2007-08: More than $400,000

Resources• Council on Post-Secondary Education’s Double the Numbers Plan to Increase College Graduates

• http://cpe.ky.gov/doublethenumbers/

• Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Task Force on Postsecondary Education • http://www.kychamber.com/docs/governmentaffairs/postsecondaryreport.pdf

• In the Eye of the Storm: Kentucky’s Looming Workforce Crisis • http://www.kctcs.edu/compete/kctcs_ceo_summary_report.pdf

• Robert McCabe, No One to Waste: A Report to Public Decision-Makers and Community College Leaders

• Summary available at http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/25/34/2534.doc• Full Book available from Community College Press, Washington, DC

• Robert McCabe, Yes, We Can! A Community College Guide for Developing America's Underprepared • Full book available from :American Association of Community Colleges, Washington, DC.; League for Innovation

in the Community College

• Crisis at the Core: Preparing All Students for College and Work • http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/reports/crisis.html

Resources (cont.)

• Ready for College and Read for Work: Same or Different (ACT)• http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/reports/workready.html

• Tough Choices or Tough Times (National Center on Education and the Economy)• Summary available at: www.skillscommission.org/pdf/exec_sum/ToughChoices_EXECSUM.pdf• Full book available from: Jossey Bass Publishers

• America’s Perfect Storm: Three Forces Changing Our Nation’s Future (Educational Testing Service)• Summary available at www.ets.org/communitycollege07/apsfr.html

• Are They Really Ready for Work? Employers Perspectives on . . . New Entrants into the 21st Century Workforce (The Conference Board, et al.)

• www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/FINAL_REPORT_Pdf09-29-06[1].pdf

• Winning the Skills Race and Strengthening America’s Middle Class: Action Agenda for Community Colleges (College Board)

• Available at http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/prof/community/winning_the_skills_race_summary.ppt

• Awarded National Alliance of Community and Technical Colleges’ Program of Distinction, 2008

• KentuckianaWorks Excellence in Workforce Achievement for Innovative Program/Partnerships http://www.kentuckianaworks.org

• Featured at American Association for Adult and Continuing Education

• Profiled by Dr. Forrest Chisman from the Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy http://www.caalusa.org

• Selected as a model program for visitation by Boston’s Jobs for the Future Program and the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

• Cited in June/July 2005 issue of the Community College Journal

• US Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education http://www.c-pal.net

Recognition

To find out more:

Attend the Breakout Session: “Creating a Successful Transitions Program in Ten Easy Steps”

and/or

Go to: http://www.ged4u.com and click on “Transition to Postsecondary Education”