Preliminary Report of the WTCS Underprepared Learners Work Group

1. 8/2/05 Preliminary Report of the WTCS Underprepared Learners Work Group

2. 8/2/05 Many Students Are Not Prepared To Succeed in College Postsecondary enrollees’ readiness for college-level math, reading, writing and science is an issue across the nation. Nationally, 42% of entering freshmen at public two-year colleges and 20% at four-year institutions enrolled in at least one remedial course in fall 2000. Enrollments in WTCS remedial and developmental courses are increasing.

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4. 8/2/05 Helping the Underprepared Succeed One study estimates that only 10% of underprepared students who attend college are likely to obtain a degree without intervention. However, data clearly suggest that, with appropriate assistance, underprepared students can be just as successful in higher education as their better prepared colleagues.

5. 8/2/05 The WTCS Underprepared Learner Work Group was formed in late 2004 at the request of WTC System President Daniel Clancy. The group is comprised of district faculty representatives (WEAC and WFT designees), district staff representing different functions and constituencies, and representatives from the WTCS state office. The group began meeting in December, 2004, and outlined initial findings in the spring of 2005.

6. 8/2/05 Charge Develop an instructional model to prepare learners for technical college instruction.  Include a sequential laddering process, allowing learners to begin at pre-program level as determined during admissions Explore the option of tuition-based, financially aidable, state aidable, pre-college instruction

7. 8/2/05 Work Group Findings Placement tests given at admission are generally used only for program admission, not course placement Most students who receive recommendations about increasing academic readiness do not act on those recommendations A non-interventionist open enrollment approach can default to a student “right-to-fail”— the work group rejects this stance Colleges’ advising can be more insistent

8. 8/2/05 Entry expectations for programs and courses often are not defined well enough We do not have consistent, coherent curriculum pathways to get under-prepared students ready for their academic requirements However, the recent WTCS work on General Studies helps define entry expectations for AAS students, and provides opportunity for a more organized approach Findings, cont.

9. 8/2/05 Findings, cont. We have large, and growing, enrollments in remedial and developmental education Colleges vary in how they organize and define remedial and developmental Students are not ready for college work in different ways, not all academic, and require different kinds of support We need to keep both returning adults and recent high school graduates in mind as we respond to this issue

10. 8/2/05 Findings, cont. High school and technical college curricula are not sufficiently well aligned and articulated, contributing to new high school graduates coming to us underprepared Considerable data are available to help guide efforts to improve student preparedness

11. 8/2/05 Concept Proposal Elements Create a new category of transitional courses—General College—to support the AAS degree Place students in courses based on more careful assessment Work with high schools to close curricula and achievement gaps Mount a sustained effort to develop instructional and student support strategies, including insistent advising, that improve student success

12. 8/2/05 Element One: Create A New Category of Courses to Improve Student Readiness 

13. 8/2/05 In one-third of our colleges, 70% or less of our students passed Applied Associate degree General Chemistry courses Passing percentages for Applied Associate degree Algebra courses ranged from 53% to 84%. At over half our colleges, more than one-third of students did not pass. Students Struggle In Key General Education Courses

14. 8/2/05 Students Struggle In Key General Education Courses In one-third of our colleges, 70% or less of students passed Applied Associate degree General Chemistry courses Passing percentages for Applied Associate degree Algebra courses ranged from 53% to 84%. At over half our colleges, more than one-third of students did not pass.

15. 8/2/05 A New Category of CoursesKey Points A thin layer of courses, called General College, just below General Studies Three- to five-credit sequences of learning in reading, writing, math, science – possibly other areas – that articulate with specific General Studies courses Postsecondary aid code – tuition-bearing Courses would carry college credit but not count toward degree completion

16. 8/2/05 Key Points cont. System-wide, faculty-driven development of General College courses Flexibility in how to offer courses (e.g., modules, timing) A separate level of remedial/developmental would continue to exist

17. General College Curriculum ModelIllustrated Graphic shows a box divided into six parts, each a different color, each representing a course category including math, reading, writing, science, social sciences. Graphic then shows only four sections to include math, reading, writing and science. Graphic shows a box divided into six parts, each a different color, each representing a course category including math, reading, writing, science, social sciences. Graphic then shows only four sections to include math, reading, writing and science.

18. General College Curriculum ModelIllustrated

19. Other Preparatory Coursework Opportunities

20. 8/2/05 Element Two: Place Students In Courses Based On More Careful and Coordinated Assessment

21. 8/2/05 Key Points Become more insistent regarding student preparation Design a system of standardized assessment and placement in the proposed General College courses (colleges should retain a moderate degree of discretion) Investigate adopting a policy of mandatory placement in General College courses

22. 8/2/05  Requiring Preparation is Common Nationally, most public two-year postsecondary institutions require (not recommend) that students become prepared. 62% require remediation in reading 70% require remediation in writing 68% require remediation in mathematics

23. 8/2/05 Element Three: Work With High Schools To Close Curricula And Achievement Gaps 

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25. 8/2/05 Persistently communicate new General Education expectations to high schools Make greater use of Tech Prep network to promote WTCS and K-12 information sharing and teacher collaboration Get involved as a partner with high school redesign/reform efforts Share data about student readiness with high schools as often as possible Necessary Steps

26. 8/2/05 Element Four: Develop and Sustain Instructional And Student Support Strategies That Improve Student Success 

27. 8/2/05 Practice more insistent advising and review its effectiveness Share successful approaches within the system, and continue to scan other states for effective practice Use the System’s institutional and QRP performance data to monitor student and program success and plan continuous improvement

28. 8/2/05 Adopt what works: increase tutorial support implement learning communities with other disciplines offer mathematics anxiety workshops integrate classroom and computer-supported instruction provide focused learning prescriptions for underachieving students

29. 8/2/05 Instructional and Student Support Strategies, cont. What works, continued enhance support labs on all campuses improve advising Assess more frequently Provide interim progress reports to students (e.g., via email accounts)

30. 8/2/05 End ofUnderprepared LearnersWork GroupSummary