CINDY PEREZ , PREP FOR PREP SHE ILAH SHAW HORTON, LOYOLA UNIVERS I TY MARYLAND

R ICCO S IASOCO, PREP FOR PREP

The Educational Lifecycle of African American and Latino/a Students:

From Middle School Preparation to College Admission & Completion

National Partnership for Educational Access Conference April 25, 2014

•  What are the socio-economic barriers to, and cultural capital necessary for, college success among African American and Latino/a students?

•  How might an educational lifecycle that focuses on intensive middle school preparation and extends into college matriculation impact the graduation rates of African American and Latino/a students?   

•  How can colleges and community-based organizations partner to support these specific student populations?

Key Questions

•  Vice President of Student Development and Dean of Students

•  Director of College Guidance

•  Director of Undergraduate Affairs

•  Professional experiences that span all sides of the table •  Colleges and universities

•  Community-based organizations

•  Clinical field experience

•  Extensive work with first-generation college students at all stages of educational lifecycle

Who Are We?

•  International comparison of Academic Achievement. Fact Sheet by Alliance for Excellent Education

•  Study by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) looked at fifteen year-old students from the United States compared with fifteen-year-olds in other OECD member countries in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) to measure of academic proficiency •  In 2012 U.S. ranked 17th out of 34 OECD countries in reading literacy •  Seventeen percent of U.S. fifteen-year-olds did not reach PISA baseline

of reading proficiency •  U.S. raked twenty-first out of thirty four OECD countries in scientific

literacy •  U.S. average performance in mathematics was below the OECD

average , U.S. students ranked twenty-sixth out of thirty-four OECD countries.

How Does U.S. Achievement Compare to Other Countries?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

All Students Black Hispanic White

High Sch Grad College Grad

U.S. Graduation Rates (Class of 2011)

Source: Alliance for Excellent Education

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

All Students Black Hispanic

Below Basic Basic

U.S. Literacy Rates (Class of 2011)

Source: Alliance for Excellent Education

•  Educational Attainment trends between 1990-2012 •  At least a high school diploma for 25-29 year olds increased from 86% to

90% •  Bachelor’s degree or higher increased from 23% to 33%

•  Racial/Ethnic breakdown •  At least a high school diploma •  Whites: 90% to 95%

•  Blacks: 83% to 89% •  Hispanics: 58% to 75%

•  Bachelor’s degree or higher •  Whites: 26% to 40% •  Blacks 13% to 23% •  Hispanics 8 to 15%

Educational Attainment Trends

• Academic foundation

• Social/emotional development

• Vision for success

Part I: Middle School to

High School

• Academic skill development

• Leadership skills • Interests defined

Part II: High School to

College Matriculation • Academic Achievement

• Personal and professional Development

Part III: College Transition to Graduation & Career

The Educational Lifecycle

• Academic foundation • Social/emotional

development • Vision for success

Part I

Part I: Middle School to High School Preparation

•  K-6 •  Universal Pre-K

•  Baby College (Harlem Children’s School)

•  Middle School Programs •  Community-based and public school programs

•  Prep for Prep

•  Family Engagement

Early School Interventions

•  Transitions •  Identify them and stressors that normally occur

• Academic Life •  Assessments •  Time Management

• Social/Extra-curricular •  Interest and level of involvement

Transition from Middle School to High School

• Academic skill development

• Leadership skills •  Interests defined

Part II

Part II: High School to College Matriculation

• Barriers •  Diversity of student issues with race and ethnicity

•  Financial Challenges

•  Family Support

•  Utilizing Resources

•  Interpersonal Challenges

•  9-12 Academic Achievement

•  College Guidance

Transitioning from High School to College

•  Assessment of current student situation •  Curriculum rigor and achievement •  Academic and Social •  Identifying gaps •  Family influence •  Motivation

•  Interests and college fit

Providing College Access

•  Financial considerations •  Intervention •  Secondary school College Counselors •  AVID: Advancement Via Individual Determination

•  National College Advising Corps •  Pre-Summer College Programs •  Franklin and Marshall College Prep Program

•  Community Based Organizations •  Prep for Prep, Urban Youth Collaboration, City Squash, Posse Foundation,

REACH Prep and Figure Skating in Harlem.

Providing College Access

•  Prepare Campus for the arrival of diversity

•  Strategically align resources

•  Target to Open Resources

•  Connect with Outside Resources

Strategies

• Academic Achievement

• Personal and professional Development

Part III

Part III: College Matriculation to Graduation & Career

•  Academic + Social = Professional Advancement

•  Vision for Future + Realistic assessment of skills and Career Requirements = Opportunity

•  Practical Skills •  Self Advocacy

•  Asking Questions

•  Breaking Tasks into Manageable Parts

•  Using the resources = empowerment

Equations for College Success

•  Summer Bridge Programs

•  Loyola University Maryland: Ignatius Scholars Program

•  Boston College: College Transition Program

•  College Guidance (Prep for Prep)

•  Graduation Rates

Successes for Male Students of Color

•  At college level:

•  What outside organizations do your students attend? Is there organizational collaboration?

•  Does your bridge program extend into academic year? •  Does it expect ongoing relationship with faculty of advisors – how is this

structurally designed?

•  How has the environment prepared itself for the diversity?

•  Educated staff and faculty

•  Physical environment of openness

•  Consider potential financial barriers to early support and success

•  Created programs to target specific groups

Questions for the Audience

•  Cindy M. Perez •  Director of College Guidance

•  cperez@prepforprep.org

•  Sheilah Shaw-Horton •  Vice President for Student Development, Loyola University

•  sshorton@loyola.edu

•  Ricco Siasoco •  Director of Undergraduate Affairs

•  rsiasoco@prepforprep.org

Contact Information