Assessing and Mitigating Disproportionate Impact in Matriculation Services

Presenters

Rogeair D. Purnell

Bri C. Hays

A guide to help examine and monitor equitable access and success

Assessing and Mitigating

Disproportionate Impact

in Matriculation Services

To start…By a show of hands, how many of you would say that your knowledge about and familiarity with disproportionate impact can be described as follows:

A.I know everything there is to know

B.I know just enough to get in trouble

C.I know barely anything at all

2Disproportionate Impact| RP Group Conference | April 2013

Session Objectives• Define disproportionate impact• Outline how to access and analyze available

data• Highlight promising mitigation strategies


ENSURING STUDENT EQUITY

Why the focus on disproportionate impact?

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Advancing student success• Student Success Taskforce

• Focus on Strengthening Support for Entering Students

• Student Success Act of 2012• “Refocus” core matriculation services so that

more students are receiving these services while requiring colleges to use common assessments and an accountability scorecard

• Student Support (Re)defined• 6 support success factors

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DEFINING THE TERM

What is disproportionate impact?

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Definition (CA Ed code 55502 (d), Title

5)

Disproportionate impact occurs when the percentage of persons from a particular racial, ethnic, gender, age or disability group directed to a particular service or placement based on an assessment instrument, method, or procedure at a rate that is significantly different from the representation of that group in the population of persons being assessed, and discrepancy is not justified by empirical evidence demonstrating that the assessment instrument, method or procedure is a valid and reliable predictor of performance in the relevant educational setting


In Simpler Terms…Condition where some students’ access to key resources and supports and ultimately their academic success may be hampered by inequitable practices, policies and approaches to student support


CALCULATING THE MAGIC RATIO

How can I determine whether disproportionate impact is a concern?

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Assessing for Disproportionate ImpactSample Research Questions:

•Do male and female students access counseling services in different proportions relative to their representation on the campus?•Are younger students more likely to complete an orientation course?•If a student is older (26 years or older), is s/he more likely to assess into basic skills level math?•Is race/ethnicity associated with lower success rates in prerequisites in certain fields of study?


The 80 Percent RuleThe benchmark for the ratio of selection or participation rates between a minority group and the reference (majority) group

Disproportionate Impact (<80%) =the access (or placement or success) rate for

the given group÷

the rate of the reference group


RESOURCES TO HELP EXPLORE & MONITOR

What if I need help to assess disproportionate impact as it relates to matriculation services?

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Guide’s Focus

Matriculation Services:designed “to increase community college

student access and success” Admissions Assessment and Placement Orientation Counseling and Advising (education planning) Follow-up (evaluation of student progress) Prerequisites


Guiding Questions ● Where is disproportionate impact an issue?● What strategies and approaches have

colleges successfully implemented to mitigate it?

● What data can be accessed to explore the issue?

● What relevant analyses can be conducted to monitor changes in disproportionate impact?

● How can colleges use this information for action planning and improvement?


Guide Outline• Context• Available data• Relevant analyses

• Guidelines for data analysis (80% rule)

• Sample data tables

• Highlighted areas for analysis

• Additional research questions• Promising strategies and approaches• Action planning for improvement


Context: Matriculation ServiceAccess and OutcomesService When could DI be an issue?

Admissions Late registration

Assessment Placement decisions

Orientation Session attendanceCourse enrollment / completion

Counseling & Advising Completion of ed planAccess to counseling

Follow-up Early alert warningAcademic probation

Prerequisites Restricted access to courses w/ prereqsRetention and persistence in field of study


Available Data


Relevant Analyses: 80% Rule


Calculation: Steps 1 and 2

1. Disaggregate the target population of students by gender, age, and ethnicity and calculate percentages for each group (e.g., 50% female, 50% male)

2. Calculate the percentage of students within each group that received a particular service, placed into a course or level, or met the prerequisite skill level for a course


Calculation: Steps 3 to 5

3. Identify the majority or reference group and use that group’s percentage as the benchmark

4. To obtain the ratio, divide the percentages for each other student group (minority group) by that of the majority or reference group

5. Highlight any group with a ratio of less than 0.80 or 80% = disproportionate impact


Example: The 80 Percent Rule

1. The majority ethnic group is White students

2. 60% of White students accessed the service

3. 60% would serve as the reference rate

4. Divide minority group’s rate by 60% (reference rate)

5. So, if 50% of Hispanic/Latino students accessed the service, divide 50 by 60 to obtain the ratio for Hispanic/Latino students (50 ÷ 60 = 83%).

Since the ratio for Hispanic/Latino students is

greater than 80%, there is no evidence of disproportionate impact for this group


Sample Data Table: Orientation

EthnicityFall 2010 First-Time

StudentsReceived Orientation

ServicesRatio

African American 240 8% 120 50% 83%

American Indian/ Alaskan Native

30 1% 12 40% 67%

Asian 300 10% 144 48% 80%

Filipino 120 4% 50 42% 70%

Latino 930 31% 465 50% 83%

Multi-Ethnicity 180 6% 104 58% 97%

Pacific Islander 30 1% 15 50% 83%

Other, non-white 120 4% 72 60% 100%

White 1,050 35% 630 60% 100%

Total/Overall 3,000 100% 1,612 54% --


Shaded group represents the reference groupBolded rows identify groups for which disproportionate impact has occurred

Promising Strategies & Approaches


Service Strategies & Approaches

Admissions No late registration

Assessment High school transcript data

Orientation Student success courses

Counseling & Advising

Online degree audit

Follow-up Mandatory counseling / success course

Prerequisites Accelerated pathways

Action Planning: Questions for Consideration• How are you monitoring disproportionate impact?• What other factors may have contributed to the

findings?• Who is or needs to be involved in this effort?• How often should available data be examined to

note progress or a need for additional changes?• Which groups of students are likely to be affected

and/or targeted?• What kind of training or professional development

is needed?


Q & A


For more information

Check the RP Group website for updates! www.rpgroup.org

Rogeair D. PurnellRP Group, Senior [email protected]

Bri C. HaysSD Mesa College, Campus [email protected]

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Thank You!

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Documents

Assessing and Mitigating Disproportionate Impact in Matriculation Services