State Policies to Increase Retention and Persistence

David T. Conley, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

University of Oregon

Director, Center for Educational Policy Research

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Historical Background of the High School-College Connection

High school and college evolved along separate paths in the U.S.

U.S. high schools have always been concerned with more than college prep

U.S. postsecondary system is the most complex in the world

Communications between systems are ad hoc and outside formal governmental control

Policies connecting the systems are largely the result of practice, rather than vice-versa

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What Is The Challenge? A range of surveys conclude that 90% of

students entering high school say they are going to college

About 40% take a full program of study that prepares them to do so

Well over 2/3 eventually go on to postsecondary education

A large proportion drops out during or after the first year or takes remedial courses

There is a mismatch among aspiration, preparation, and performance: Why?

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Bridge Project Findings Study of student knowledge of UC, CSU, and

community college systems requirements 450 students at high schools in or near

Sacramento, California 25% white, 75% other races/ethnicities Predominantly middle and low SES Survey data Focus groups also conducted

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Bridge Project Findings: College Aspirations Survey asked students to indicate all types of college to

which they aspired at 9th and 11th grades 20% of 9th graders aspired to community college: by

11th grade this had doubled to 40% The proportion aspiring to a CSU campus increased by

about 8% 51% of 9th graders aspired to UC Davis; this decreased

by 11th grade to 45%, but those aspiring to other UC campuses increased by 10%

All racial groups aspired about equally to community colleges, but African-Americans had significantly lower rates of aspiration to all UC campuses and to CSU campuses other than the local CSU

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Who Provides Information?

Most students use parents and teachers The percent talking to counselors

increased from 45% in 9th grade to 77% in 11th grade

Students get information from teachers and counselors but also from older siblings, parents, friends

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Aspirations by GPA

The stronger the GPA, the less interest in community college, and vice-versa Students are realists

The “crossover point” for all groups is between a B- and a B This is the GPA at which students begin to clearly

differentiate themselves What does a “B” GPA tell us about their college

readiness? Significant differences begin to come into play at the B+. This indicates a form of grade inflation or at least a lack

of consistent school-wide grading standards

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Knowledge of Curricular Requirements

Course Requirements- UC Davis

9th graders 11th graders

3-year math requirement 31% 51%

2-year science requirement 32% 30%

2-year foreign language requirement

47% 54%

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Knowledge of Curricular Requirements

Course Requirement

African-American 11th

graders

White 11th graders

UC Davis 3-year math requirement

42% 55%

CSU 3-year math requirement

44% 60%

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Knowledge of Placement Test Policies

Placement Exam

9th graders 11th graders

Knew UCD had both an English and math test only

10% 24%

Knew CSU had both an English and math test only

17% 40%

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Summary College preparation is knowledge-intensive In general, the knowledge is more prevalent among the

more privileged Schools have few systematic means to ensure all

students have this knowledge This study did not investigate challenges associated

with admissions tests (i.e., SAT, SAT-II), including student registration problems, knowledge of deadlines, prep options, fee waivers

Schools and communities face a serious challenge continuously educating students regarding college admissions requirements

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Characteristics of First-Generation Students Lack of familiarity with processes Unreal expectations, anecdotal

knowledge Subject to influence and to rapid decision

changes College attendance not necessarily a life-

long goal or family focus More oriented toward community colleges Need info on requirements, financial aid

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The Complexity of College Preparation The more complex a process, the more it

favors those who understand the system and disadvantages those who don’t

College prep is complex, and students can make bad decisions

Procedures for selective universities are particularly complex

Despite some recent reforms, high schools continue to be largely fragmented experiences for students (and teachers)

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What Are Key Steps To Take? Develop a simplified system where students

can’t make bad decisions Common core of academic expectations aligned with

college admission Incorporate personal educational profiles where

students see the trajectory they’re on and any gap between their academic plan and their goals

Develop common standards for grading across similar classes Produce exemplars of student work to illustrate

expectations and requirements

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Create High Expectations and A Common Core

Expectations for certain key elements of the curriculum need to be common and challenging

Even if all students don’t reach the desired level, all are on a trajectory to do so

Discussion of common standards, review of exemplary work, agreement on common grading practices are first steps

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Focus on Proficiency Over Credits

Getting students to identify what they need to know, what they know, and the gap between the two is a key transition high schools must make if they are ever to prepare students better for college success

To achieve this goal requires moving beyond credits and, particularly, a focus on the high school diploma

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Create Proficiency-based Transitions What are the systems for moving students into

and out of the high school? Do all enter and exit in the same general time

frame? Incoming h.s. freshman should be subject to

college-like placement testing and granting credit to allow faster movement or more focused remediation

Proficiency-based assessment linked to entry-level college skills and generic work readiness competencies facilitate exit transition

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Plan System Alignment In each state, K-12 and higher education

systems would be required to meet on a regular basis to analyze how the systems align or fail to align from high school to postsecondary education. These meetings would include mandatory examination of a range of policies

Require K-12 and postsecondary systems to develop programs jointly that enable students to make successful transitions from secondary to postsecondary education.

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Align Policies and Procedures Match high school exit criteria and postsecondary admission

criteria

Examine the nature and content of postsecondary education placement policies, the instruments used to make placement decisions, and the alignment of these policies and instruments with state standards, assessments, curriculum frameworks, and high school educational offerings

Align and articulate teacher education program content and exit standards with state content standards and K-12 assessments

Articulate student data systems to allow more complex and valid information on student performance to pass from K-12 to higher ed.

Coordinate Tech-Prep programs to ensure students in these programs do not lose the option of college

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Align Incentive Systems Cultivate and expand statewide early admission, dual

enrollment, and dual credit programs Adopt common policies for offering college credit and making

placement decisions based on Advanced Placement, SAT-II, International Baccalaureate examinations

Coordinate and integrate outreach programs to increase the pool of students from underrepresented groups who are capable of first, being admitted to college, and, second, succeeding in college

Set requirements for financial aid and scholarships in the ways that influence student preparation in high school toward desired skills, not just high GPA

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Take Action Create a “high school-postsecondary articulation

commission” comprising members of the state education department, the state postsecondary governance agency or agencies, and the governor’s office. This commission would be charged to do the following: Address issues of articulation and expectations across system

boundaries Determine how successfully students make the transition from

high school to postsecondary education Recommend policies to increase the success rate of students

transitioning successfully from high school to postsecondary education

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Close the Gap Between K-12 and Higher Education The postsecondary education system develops statements of

knowledge and skills for postsecondary success in a format that parallels state academic content standards

These standards are cross-referenced to state standards and assessments to determine the match in expectations

Joint h.s./college committees address the gaps and clarify overlaps in expectations to create a fully aligned system designed around progressively more challenging standards

K-12 system modifies its standards and assessments accordingly

Postsecondary system modifies its admissions requirements and placement methods accordingly

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State-Initiated Policy Actions The state creates a budget category for programs that span

the K-12 and postsecondary systems and develops an interagency process for generating this budget request

The state sets performance targets and timelines to reduce remediation rates. The commission studies the causes of freshmen failure and develops policy changes to reduce remediation rates

The state sets goals to increase the proportion of students from underrepresented groups who are prepared to apply to college. The high schools are charged to increase the proportion of students

from these groups enrolled in college preparatory programs High schools and postsecondary systems are charged to guarantee

that the quality of college preparatory courses is adequate to ensure college success for these students

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Demonstration Projects Federal, state, and local funds would be made

available for demonstration projects. The purpose of the demonstration projects

would be to create successful models of articulation and high student success rates

Successful projects would serve as the templates for state policies and programs

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Standards for Success

Knowledge and Skills for University Success Developed by 17 leading research

universities, endorsed by 26 AAU universities Identify what students need to know and be

able to do to succeed in entry-level university courses

Are being incorporated into national admissions tests

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Standards for Success Align KSUS with state standards to

provide a continuous development path for students

Develop curriculum that broadens and deepens writing and analytic skills

Use KSUS to set high exit standards for honors diploma

Use University Work Samples to create common understandings of desirable student work