A COLLEGE ACCESS ADVISOR FOR EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN …€¦ · A COLLEGE ACCESS ADVISOR FOR EVERY...

A COLLEGE ACCESS ADVISOR FOR EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN UTAH: A NATIONAL FIRST

August 8, 2019

Nicole BattDirector, Utah College Advising Corps

and the Office of EngagementUniversity of Utah

Melanie HeathAssistant Commissioner of

Communications & OutreachUtah System of Higher Education

UTAH SYSTEM OF HIGHER ED (USHE) OVERVIEW

University of UtahUtah State UniversityWeber State UniversitySouthern Utah UniversitySnow CollegeDixie State UniversityUtah Valley UniversitySalt Lake Community College

UTAH SYSTEM OF HIGHER ED (USHE) OVERVIEW

University of UtahUtah State UniversityWeber State UniversitySouthern Utah UniversitySnow CollegeDixie State UniversityUtah Valley UniversitySalt Lake Community College

UTAH’S YOUNG AND INCREASING POPULATION

UTAH’S GROWING OPPORTUNITY GAP

UTAH HAS A COLLEGE PIPELINE PROBLEM…

90%Of Utah parents want their

child to go to college

But when the time comes, only

47%of Utah high school graduates attend college the next year

(Among the lowest in the nation)

2018 Survey and 2016 Focus Groups: Conducted by Cicero https://le.utah.gov/interim/2019/pdf/00002452.pdf

UTAH HAS A COLLEGE PIPELINE PROBLEM…

2/3Enroll in college within five

years of high school graduation

27%College enrollment rate of students from low-income

families

USHE Databook http://pellinstitute.org/indicators/

…EXACERBATED BY ENROLLMENT GAPS15.1%

9.6%

13.2%

13.0%

9.1%

9.8%

14.8%

White

Hispanic

Asian

Black

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Native American

Two or More

Share of 18 to 35-year-olds enrolled at a USHE institution, 2018

UTAH’S DEMOGRAPHICS ARE QUICKLY CHANGING

• 20% minority in 2018• 34% minority by 2065• 50% of growth

attributable to minority population

https://ushe.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Utahs-Growing-Opportunity-Gap-Final_updated-template.pdf

Without meaningful intervention,

Utah’s college enrollment gap will double

over the next 45 years.

Minority Group Enrollment Gap in 2065 (single year)

Hispanic 23,000

Asian 1,800

Black 1,300

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1,200

Native American 800

Two or More 1,000

Utah will forgo 290,000 degrees and certificates by 2065 without intervention.

STATEWIDE RESEARCH: UTAH STUDENTS & PARENTS

Students and parents want people to help them through the process

2018 Survey and 2016 Focus Groups: Conducted by Cicero

86%Believe college is

more important than it was 10 years ago

50%Believe college is

accessible for everyone in Utah

50%Know where to

find information about scholarships

and grants

To increase the college participation rate, and to aid in closing the opportunity gap statewide,

the USHE Board of Regents is providing a college access advisor for every high

school in the state.

UTAH COLLEGE ADVISING CORPS

UTAH COLLEGE ADVISING CORPS (UCAC)

• Started in 2007 with joint grant between USHE and University of Utah from the Jack Kent Cook Foundation

• Been in 12 Utah high schools for 12 years

COLLEGE ACCESS ADVISORS

Recent college graduate, full-time, physically in the high school

Helps students on the milestones to college:

- College test prep & registration

- College applications

- Financial aid

- Connection to college campus

- Create a college-going culture

UCAC PROGRAM STRUCTUREIntegration into local high school’s college awareness efforts and programs

Training• Week-long training• Statewide road trip!

Program DirectorUniversity of Utah

Site SupervisorSchool Counselor

High school

College Access Advisor

High school

PROVEN MODEL

42% more likely to go to college

with just three meetings with a college access advisor

10% increase in college-going rate in high schools with a college

access advisor

DATA-DRIVEN AND OUTCOME-FOCUSED• New database allows robust and

meaningful data collection:• FAFSA progress and completions• College applications and college

acceptances• Scholarship applications and awards• Number of 1:1 meetings with advisors

• Including type of meeting, what was discussed, etc.

• Number of engagements with parents/families

• College match by GPA/ACT• Etc., etc.

COLLEGE ACCESS ADVISING PROGRAM EXPANSION

PHASE I: EXPANDED INTO 34 HIGH SCHOOLS IN 4 REGIONS

Weber/Davis Counties

Utah County

Salt Lake County

Washington County

REGIONAL COORDINATORS

• Supervise 8-12 college access advisors

• Maintain regional school and community relationships as advisors roll over

• Housed at USHE institution in their region to connect to institutional resources and outreach efforts

NEW PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Program DirectorUniversity of Utah

Joint MOU

Site SupervisorSchool Counselor

High school

College Access AdvisorHigh school

Regional CoordinatorHoused at local USHE

institution

Site SupervisorDirector of Admissions/

Enrollment ManagerLocal USHE institution

CommissionerUtah System of

Higher Education

EXPANSION TIMELINEPHASE I: Fall 2019• 34 high schools• 4 regional coordinators

PHASE II: Fall 2020• 94 high schools• 9 regional coordinators

PHASE III: Fall 2021• 150+ high schools• 15 regional coordinators

$1 million• Funded by reprioritizing ongoing $ from

Commissioner’s office

$4 million• $1 million from Commissioner’s office• $3 million in state funds

$7 million• $1 million from Commissioner’s office• $6 million in state funds

PHASE I: COMPLETE!

Once expanded statewide, Utah anticipates college enrollment rates of high school grads to increase

5-9%

BENEFITS TO THE USHE SYSTEM

Creation of a statewide network of system employees, all focused on college access

EX: CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT GAPS

2XUnderrepresented students are twice as likely to go to college if they take a high

school CE class

10%Gap in CE enrollment rates between

white and minority students

23%Gap in CE enrollment rates between

low income and non-low income students

https://ushe.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/reports/3-2019_CE_annual_report_2017-18.pdf

NO MORE DIRECT-TO-STUDENT OUTREACH FROM THE SYSTEM OFFICE

Integration of system outreach efforts into the college access advising program:• Utah College

Application Week• FAFSA Nights • State-level website:

UtahFutures.org

Focused on college access, concurrent enrollment equity, and state scholarships

Invited:• USHE Board of Regents• Utah State Board of

Education (K-12)• UTech Board of Trustees

(System of Technical Colleges)• Governor’s Office• Legislators• State leaders

FIRST-EVER UTAH K-20 SUMMIT

USING COLLEGE ACCESS ADVISING PROGRAM TO COMMUNICATE THE VALUE OF HIGHER ED

ENGAGING STATE PARTNERS

• Utah State Board of Education (K-12)• UTech (System of Technical Colleges)• Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce• United Way• Governor’s Office• Utah School Counselor Association• Utah State Superintendents Association

LOCALIZED DATA: ROADSHOW

• Local chambers of commerce and economic development boards

• Editorial boards of regional media

• Easily led to conversation about the importance of higher ed to their community

MEDIA MENTIONS

PLAN MOVING FORWARD: CLOSING THE OPPORTUNITY GAP CAMPAIGN

LAYING GROUNDWORK FOR 2020 CAMPAIGN

• Benchmarking survey: Utahn perceptions of value of higher ed

• Working closely with institutional communications depts• Joint editorial calendar• Statewide license for social sharing tool

• Revving up action behind campaign:• College access advising program expansion• Reprioritization of state scholarship dollars

LAYING GROUNDWORK FOR 2020 CAMPAIGN

THANK YOU!

Melanie HeathAssistant CommissionerUtah System of Higher Educationmheath@ushe.eduTwitter: @_melheathushe.edu

Nicole BattDirector, Utah College Advising Corps and the Office of EngagementUniversity of Utahnicole.batt@utah.eduTwitter: @adviseutah