(Your Community College Name Here) Our New Agenda For Student Success

A Coordinated Effort for Change In 2012, the AACC responded to President Obama’s education agenda with a challenge to community colleges: Educate 5 million more students with degrees by 2020. AACC launched the 21st Century Initiative, with the goal of redesigning community college education to promote student success. After conducting a nationwide listening tour, AACC released a final report with 7 recommendations to increase degree completion. We are proud to be part of the nationwide, coordinated strategy by community colleges to implement these recommendations and improve student success on our campus.

Our Challenges The American Dream is at risk for many of our students if they can’t complete their degree and secure a family-supporting job. Historically, fewer than half of students (46%) around the country who enter community colleges with the goal of earning a degree have attained that goal. <insert your state’s data> Community colleges need to be a gateway to the American Dream for our students by addressing the obstacles that get in the way of student success.

What follows is our plan to improve student success on our campus. The Solutions We are joining a nationwide coalition of community colleges led by the AACC committing to a new agenda for student success. We will redesign, reinvent and reset our institutions to meet these challenges, including: New policy frameworks Increasing student support Strengthening relationships with local partners We have one goal in mind: giving our students the tools, motivation and support they need to finish what they start—whether it’s gaining the skills required for a family-supporting job, transitioning to a four-year college, or advancing in their career. What follows is our plan to improve student success on our campus.

Our Action Plan

Action #1: Increase Completion Rates To meet the challenge of increasing college completion rates by 50% nationwide by 2020, we are fundamentally redesigning our students’ educational experiences. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> We have doubled associate degree completion rates for participants in our Accelerated Student in Associate Programs initiative. In the program, students: are grouped according to selected majors have consolidated schedules in morning, afternoon or evening receive intensive support from faculty

Action #2: Dramatically Improve College Readiness To ensure students arrive prepared to succeed in college-level work, we are partnering with local K-12 institutions to improve college readiness. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> Through our College Connections program, we: connect with local high school seniors encourage them to attend college help them successfully transition The program provides: college advising free placement testing assistance with college and financial aid applications

Action #3: Close the American Skills Gap While employers have unfilled positions, too many Americans still cannot find family wage supporting jobs. To close the skills gap, we will prepare our students with the knowledge and skills required for jobs in the competitive 21st century labor market. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> To identify current and potential job growth, we are using: strong connections with local employers sophisticated workforce data analysis extensive engagement in regional economic development For example, we played a central role in development of the region’s vineyards and wineries by educating both the workers and the people who built the businesses.

Action #4: Refocus Mission and Redefine Institution Goals To ensure that students can access the educational tools they need to reach their goals, we are moving toward a more open learning environment where students can customize their learning experiences. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> We are using My Academic Plan (MAP), a technology-supported process for developing and monitoring each student’s academic plan. Our students work with an advisor to design an efficient program of study and then use the MAP system to view their plan and to find the classes they need to progress toward their goals.

Action #5: Invest in Collaborative Support Structures To increase efficiency and strengthen our capacity to service to students, we are collaborating and pooling resources with other community colleges. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> We partnered with a local non-profit to help students assess their eligibility for financial aid and apply for a variety of college supports. The non-profit has connected tens of thousands of community college students with well over $100 million in financial and other support, including: tax credits financial counseling food stamps energy subsidies

Action #6: Target Public and Private Investments To make sure community college is affordable, we must make the most of every available funding stream. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> Through the Benefits Access for College Completion program, we are one of seven community colleges working to fill the gap between financial aid and the resources needed to attend and persist in college. We are testing ways to connect students to supports including: child care subsidies food assistance tax credits

Action #7: Implement Policies to Promote Accountability To make our college increasingly accountable to our students and community, we are voluntarily embracing ways to measure our own progress and share our progress transparently. On our campus: <customize the example below to show the actions your campus is taking to address this goal> We use data from the Voluntary Framework Accountability (VFA)—the first national system of accountability designed specifically for community colleges—to identify and remove roadblocks to progression and credential completion. Based on our initial collection of VFA data, we plan to invest in improved tutoring labs. To better serve our students that transfer to and from other institutions around the state, we are exploring new ways to report our college’s data and incorporate into statewide data systems.

Our Vision Together, we are taking the bold action to ensure we deliver on the promise of educational and economic opportunity to all of our students in search of the American Dream. Join us and support our new agenda to help our students succeed in the 21st Century.