DEVELOPMENTAL MATH REFORM IN WASHINGTON STATE –

CAN WE/SHOULD WE INNOVATE TOGETHER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS?

Rebecca Hartzler – Seattle Central CollegeBill Moore – WA State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

WHAT’S TRENDING ACROSS THE NATION?Performance Based Funding Models - 20 states with five more in process

Policies for Pre-college MathTennesseeFloridaVirginiaOhioConnecticutNorth CarolinaTexas

WHAT ARE THE NATIONAL SUCCESS RATES?

Jaggars & Stacey, CCRC, 2014Courtesy Jeff Wagnitz, Highline CC

Students in Washington CTC Pre-College Courses

In 2012-13:

Nearly 71,000 students enrolled in pre-college courses13,665 FTE (full-time equivalent) students in pre-college courses, 9% of all state supported FTEsPre-college math accounts for 72% of all pre-college FTEs45% were recent high school graduates (most of the rest 25+)Younger students enroll primarily for transfer, older students for workforce educationLow socioeconomic students (SES) are most likely to be below college-ready when they start college.

Source: SBCTC Pre-College Education Report

Starting college-ready in math shortens the time…

…To complete college math (leading to higher college credit accumulation and degree attainment)

…To degree completion (reducing the economic and other life situation opportunity costs to students for enrolling and staying in college)

 

(A)

% of Group that Completed

College Math by Winter

2014

(B) % of

College Math Completers

(Column A) that Completed

within 1st Year

(C ) %

of College Math Completers (Column

A) who Complete College or Earn at Least 45 Transfer Credits by Winter

2014Never

Enrolled in Pre-College 41% 86% 68%

2 Highest Pre-college Levels 44% 52% 50%

All Pre-College Levels

Combined 36% 42% 40% Source: David Prince, SBCTC

WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED IN WA STATE? Rethinking Pre-College Math

Transition Math Project

Dual Algebra Tracks for STEM and non-STEM majors

Multiple Pathways – Statistics and Quantitative Reasoning

Achieving the Dream

Acceleration by Design

“Avoidance” strategy

Core to College

Use Smarter Balanced 11th grade assessment as part of college placement process

Co-design college readiness (“transition”) courses offered to 12th grade students who are not yet college-ready

Develop and/or sustain local college/school district partnerships

Acceleration by Design: “Avoidance”

Improving Placement Assessment

Emphasize identifying skills/needs, not screening students into precollege level

Use multiple measures and offer students options

Simplify and clarify process for students

Acceleration by Design: “Diagnosis”

Course Redesign

Statewide acceleration model developed based on national research and college best practices

Meaningful pathways with relevant, challenging math

Infuse technology to support student learning

Incorporate intentional strategies to help students as math learners

Acceleration by Design: “Relevance & Focus”

What We’ve Learned

Sustaining Improvements in Student Achievemen

t and Completion

Collective responsibili

ty for shared vision

Networks for

professional learning

Principles and

people, not just “best practices”

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OLYMPIA?YOU SAY THAT LIKE IT’S A BAD THING!

PROPOSED SYSTEM WORKPLAN:

Convene task force and national advisory board for math acceleration and success.

Inventory current policies and practices in Washington on pre-college and college level math

Examine current efforts, state policies and evidence of success in other state systems

Develop strategies to increase math achievement for community and technical college students, and accelerate pathways to successful completion of college level math

Develop research approach to evaluate results of system-wide approaches to math achievement

Provide regular progress reports and recommend actions to WACTC and State Board

CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE SUCCESS OF OUR PRE-COLLEGE MATH STUDENTS

What are the advantages for taking a consistent systemic approach to improving student success in pre-college math?What kind of data and research approach do we need to evaluate the efficacy and return on investment of a system-wide approach?What are the college-level implications of pursuing multiple math pathways?What is involved in building the professional community of faculty needed to support and sustain an initiative at scale system wide?