Assistant Commissioner Division of P-16 Initiatives Texas A&M Chancellor Summit on Teacher Education October 2, 2012 Dr. Judith G. Loredo Assistant Commissioner Division of P-16 Initiatives

Texas remains on track to meet statewide Participation goal THECB 2.24.10 4/8/2017 Texas remains on track to meet statewide Participation goal Total Increase in Enrollments at Public and Independent Colleges and Universities 2000-2011 Goal: 630,000 This chart outlines the progress we have made on our broad participation and success goals for Closing the Gaps. It shows that Texas is well on its way to meet our goal of adding 630,000 more students to our universities and community colleges over 2000 enrollment levels. Since 2000, our enrollments have increased by 53%. With 4 years left on our master plan, we need to add approximately 23,000 more students each fall to meet our goal. It is important to note that while our aggregate enrollment numbers are exceeding targets, we continue to face challenges among Hispanics and African American males. As a percentage of total Hispanic population in Texas, Hispanics enroll in college at the lowest rates compared to other racial/ethnic groups. This challenge is magnified by the fact the Hispanic population is the fastest growing in the state. A similar trend exists among African American males. African American females enroll in college at the highest rates relative to their population. However, male enrollment lags significantly behind. THECB 2.24.10

Texas is on track for meeting statewide Success goal THECB 2.24.10 4/8/2017 Texas is on track for meeting statewide Success goal Goal: 210,000 186,961 This chart shows that Texas is also on track to meet our success goals for Closing the Gaps of graduating 210,000 students from our colleges and universities each year by 2015. Again, we have made significant progress on a statewide basis, but we need to accelerate the number of college completers among Hispanics and African Americans. While the number of annual degree and certificate completers for these two groups have increased significantly since we launched Closing the Gaps, they continue to lag behind completion targets. Total Annual Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates By Year THECB 2.24.10

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Division of P-16 Initiatives Developmental and Adult Education

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Oversees developmental education programs at Texas public institutions Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Statute (including TSI Assessment) Grants, Surveys, Evaluation Rules, policies, and guidelines Acceleration Initiatives sustainability scalability best practices Collaborates with TEA and TWC for DE/ABE Alignment Acceleration and Intensive Program Initiatives Braiding funding streams to move toward program sustainability of career pathway employment for lower skilled adults and youth Policy to Performance (P2P) initiative under US Dept. of Education and the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) aligning state systems to support the success of adults and out-of-school youth in attaining GED further supporting their participation and success in postsecondary education and training programs that lead to family sustaining wages

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Developmental Education Demonstration Projects (DEDP) Purpose: to provide funding for comprehensive, innovative initiatives that accelerate students through DE and increase their retention and success Round I (final report due August 2012) Round II (RFP expected May 2012) Scaling and sustaining promising practices Puente New Mathways/FOCUS IRW Pre-assessment Activities Holistic Advising (Matrix/IHE policies) NCBOs ABE/DE Alignment

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Developmental Education Advisory Committee Purpose: to seek advice and recommendations from Texas public institutions of higher education on developmental education programs and policies Initial Webinar: November 2011, 2-5 p.m. Team Selection and Charge Program Evaluation TSI Assessment TSI Rules First Meeting: January 30, 2012 (THECB Offices) Team Plans, Goals, and Timelines TSI Assessment Team Interview/Demonstration Evaluations, March 25-26 Interim Events: Non-course based options (NCBO) Rider 59 Webinar, April 3 DE/ABE State and National Trends Webinar, April 4 Second Webinar: April 26, 2-5 p.m. Webinar Discussion and Feedback Initial Discussion of First Draft: Proposed TSI Rule Changes

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: TSI Assessment RFP Evaluation and Selection Purpose: to evaluate and select a vendor to develop and implement a new TSI Assessment that is aligned with the Texas CCRS, provides diagnostic profiles, and classifies DE and ABE levels for students not college-ready Evaluation Process by SME, Assessment, and Psychometrician Evaluation Teams: RFP Posted: February 2, 2012 RPF Closing Date: February 28, 2012 Stage I Evaluation: February 29-March 1 Stage II/III Evaluation: March 2-9 Stage IV/V Evaluation: March 12-23 Interview/Demonstration: March 25-26 Recommendation to THECB: April 25 Board approved evaluators’ recommendation for The College Board as the TSI Assessment Vendor

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Developmental Education Program Survey (DEPS) Purpose: to survey Texas public institutions of higher education regarding the practices and policies of their developmental education programs results to be used to inform data-based decision-making Research Intern hired Planning and Implementation meetings conducted Live Survey of 100 IHEs took place in May and June Data Analysis and Reporting conducted June and July

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Acceleration Initiatives Purpose: to sustain and scale research-based best practices across DE programs that accelerate students through DE and increase student persistence and success Non-course Based Options: April 3, 2012 (Informational Webinar addressing program and reporting guidelines) Fall 2012 (Planning) Spring 2013 (Implementation) Integrated Reading/Writing (INR) AY 2012-2013 (Comprehensive PD for Planning and Implementation--Proposed) INR Institute August 2012 Webinars September, November 2012 Regional Workshops October, December 2012 Online Discussion Boards fall 2012 CCA FOCUS 10 Community Colleges, 350 students Comprehensive Evaluation due Summer 2012 Legislative Leadership

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Adult Basic Education Innovation Grants Purpose: Accelerate the participation and success of lower skilled adults into postsecondary education and training programs. 14 CTC received grants to establish programs that co-enroll basic skills students into a GED class or a basic skills support class and a certificate training program in Continuing Education. Programs may offer students stackable certificates so that they are more prepared to compete in the job market upon completion of program (e.g. C.N.A. + Phlebotomy). All program must partner with their local workforce board and their local adult education provider as well as local employers.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Intensive College Readiness Programs for Adult Education Students Purpose: Provide intensive, accelerated postsecondary education options to transition adult students into workforce and academic programs intensive transition program recent GED graduates adults returning to college three or more years after HS graduation. accelerate student learning so that they place out of DE in at least one of the skill areas after the post test Funded programs (10) must partner with a federally funded adult education service provider in their region

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Developmental and Adult Education Project: Texas State Transition Project Purpose: to provide assistance to the intensive college readiness programs and promote communication and alignment with the federally funded AE community Provided a study on the postsecondary transition efforts of the federally funded ABE programs. Conducted over 100 hours of professional development for the 55 ABE programs on the Texas CCRS. Conducted a gap analysis on the Texas CCRS and the Texas Adult Education Content Standards. Provided technical assistance to THECB staff for the annual meetings of grantees In summer 2012, will provide a curriculum framework for an effective transition program (using the intensive program models) that will be shared with the 55 ABE programs and community coalition partners

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Division of P-16 Initiatives Educator Quality

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Project: Work-Study Mentorship Programs Senate Bill 1050, 80th Texas Legislature, provided $5 million for the biennium for the development of Work-Study Mentorship Programs. The goals of the Work-Study Mentorship Program are to close the gaps by 2015 by helping to create a college-going culture among high school students and provide mentoring and tutoring to secondary and college students. The goals are based on low college-going rates among Hispanic and African-American students. The majority of Work-Study mentors (about 61 percent of institutions reporting in FY 09) were minority students serving in high schools with a large population of other minority students.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Project: Work-Study Mentorship (continued) The 32 funded programs hired 749 mentors. These mentors were 70.49 percent male, 29.24 percent female, 58.8 percent Hispanic, 19.49 percent African American, and 64.35 percent first generation college students. The college going rate in high schools served by Work-Study Mentors was 57.6 percent compared to 56.3 percent for the state as a whole. The FAFSA rate in high schools served by the mentors was 62.9 percent, compared to 56.2 percent for the state as a whole. This increase in outreach efforts, dissemination of information, and financial aid counseling to high school students, focusing on Hispanic and African American populations aligns with the THECB Accelerated Plan for Closing the Gaps by 2015. The funded programs have been renewed for 2011-2013.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Project: Texas Southern University (TSU) College Completion Project This project includes $470,000 in funding to strengthen three existing TSU programs:  Student Academic Enhancement Services (SAES); Summer Academy Bridge Program; First Year Experience (FYE) Calling Program; and the newly funded AVID program.  This package of interventions will improve the college completion rate at TSU and contribute to the success goal of Closing the Gaps by 2015.   THECB funds a portion of the SAES Advising center, the Summer Academic Enhancement Institute (SASI) bridge program, the First Year Experience (FYE) Calling Program and the AVID program. THECB funds include funding for work-study mentors and/or tutors for all programs as well as freshman seminar and orientation.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Project: First Year Experience Calling Program The First Year Experience Calling Program promotes student retention and success for all first-time-in-college (FTIC) students. The program goal is to assist postsecondary institutions retain more first-year students. The program employs trained student leaders who contact all FTIC freshmen to ask them how they are faring. Funded institutions include: San Jacinto College District, Lone Star College District, Texas Southern University, University of Houston Downtown, Houston Community College System First Year Experience Calling Program elements include:  IHE staff recruiting and hiring FYE Student Leaders to make a series of follow-up phone calls to new students throughout their critical first year of college. IHE staff providing training to their FYE Student Leaders to ensure the successful development of the Program.  A requirement that FYE Student Leaders assist with New Student Orientation and to arrange gatherings with their student cohorts at campus activities.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Project: Minority Male Initiative The Minority Male Initiative focuses on improving both Hispanic and African American male participation in higher education. This initiative was developed in response to the declining or stagnant growth in the number and percentage of Hispanic and African American male students within the total student enrollment.  This initiative provides an array of supportive activities designed to reinforce self-esteem, cultivate leadership and study skills, and nurture a sense of community among the participants through community service and public outreach.  To date, the results of these efforts have been positive notably in terms of student retention within terms.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Project: Minority Male Initiative (continued) Two programs were selected and awarded $10k each to fund demonstration projects on their campuses. They are the Lone Star Colleges System’s Minority Male Initiative and the Sam Houston State University ‘s Establishing Leadership In and Through Education (E.L.I.T.E.) Program. Each program provides role models and mentoring support for a minimum of 30 African American and Latino male students. Participating students are required to maintain a minimum of a 2.0 grade-point average and are encouraged to either transfer to a 4-year institution after completing 60 hours at LSCS or complete a baccalaureate degree at SHSU. Funding for both institutions in the amount of $10k each has been renewed for AY 2012.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Similar initiatives were funded as a part of a partnership with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Seed grants to eight public institutions of higher education (IHEs) to design and implement mentorship programs for African American men in their freshman and/or sophomore year of college. Each IHE received a $10K grant to assist in the first year of the mentorship initiative to increase the retention and graduation rates for African American males who may be in need of extra tutoring or peer mentoring support. The primary goal is to ensure these students, who currently suffer the highest dropout rate of all college students, improve their GPAs and persist in their studies through the initial 60 semester hour threshold. The participating public IHEs are: Texas A&M at Commerce, University of Houston, Lamar University, and Texas Southern University.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality College Readiness Initiative Faculty Collaboratives 4 Centers of College Readiness Standards content expertise instituted to support implementation of robust and sustainable common strategies

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Teacher Quality Grants Grants are authorized under Title II of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act Support professional development in core academic areas of greatest need: Mathematics and Science For teachers assigned out of their field, the professional development may lead to certification in mathematics or science and will lead to more teachers meeting the requirements to be highly qualified under NCLB. Approximately 500 projects have been funded to date.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Educator Quality Educator Preparation Demonstration Sites Project founded on conceptual model for the future establishment of networks of cooperating P-16 education organizations to support enhanced teacher preparation at IHEs Demo site network serves as an ongoing mechanism to bridge educator theory and practice to allow thoughtful demonstration of teaching in action to help prepare teachers to deliver the content and teaching the skills embodied in the College and Career Readiness Standards Two institutions have current Demo Sites: Texas A&M International University Stephen F. Austin University

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Division of P-16 Initiatives Student Success and College Readiness

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: Comprehensive Student Success Program (CSSP) Part of College Access Challenge Grant, funded by the United States Department of Education Supports institutions to identify entry-level courses with high rates of non- completion and use data to design and implement systems for early alert and successful intervention Rigorously-crafted student support interventions, enhanced faculty and staff training focusing on student persistence and success, and continued refinement of early alert systems Services to students included increased counseling, advising, learning strategy course components, and course embedded tutors and supplemental instructors Estimated 8,000 students served from April 2011 to August 2013

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success CSSP 2nd Year Grantees Austin Community College Houston Community College System North Central Texas College University of Houston-Downtown CSSP Pilot Grantees Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas Woman’s University University of Houston University of Texas-Pan American Pilot grantees will begin serving students this summer 2012.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: AVID Postsecondary Purpose: provides a full range of services to assist first-time, underprepared college students including: faculty development and program planning; implementation of First Year Experience course infused with AVID strategies and methods and; student counseling and advising intended to lead to higher persistence and completion rates for participating students. IHEs: Amarillo College Texas State Technical College-Harlingen Central Texas College Texas Woman’s University Huston-Tillotson University Texas Southern University Odessa College Texas Tech University Southwest Texas Junior College University of Houston Downtown Texas A&M Central Texas University of Texas-Pan American Texas A&M Commerce University of Texas of the Permian Basin Texas A&M Corpus Christi Wiley College Texas A&M Kingsville Texas College   AVID Postsecondary collaborates with institutions of higher education to systemically address the goals of increased learning, persistence, completion, and success beyond college.  AVID supports students in their efforts to earn a college degree and/or certificate by developing and strengthening academic skills and personal development. 

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success AVID Postsecondary Project Impact: 250 AVID tutors/mentors and 675 faculty and staff have been trained in AVID strategies and methods AVID trained tutors have served approximately 14,500 students Over 1,200 students have been exposed to AVID learning strategies through the AVID infused First Year Seminar Faculty, staff, tutors, and mentors are trained in AVID pedagogies intended to assist students in developing improved learning skills that will make them successful throughout their college years. Preliminary evaluation results indicate improvement in tutoring; outcomes data pending. Preliminary evaluations from our initial 11 piloted sites suggest improvements in tutor training, improved retention rates, improved student confidence, improved study skills, and increased persistence rates.

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: P-16 Regional Councils Promote college and career readiness message to students, parents, school administrators, and business/workforce partners Maximize the impact of the THECB’s GenTX Campaign in their respective regions Provide information for students and families about postsecondary education benefits, opportunities, planning, financial options, and college preparation; assistance in completion of FAFSA; scholarships; tutoring; mentoring; and professional development for middle and high school counselors, financial aid administrators, and college admissions counselors  

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success P-16 Regional Councils (continued) Grantees: E3 Alliance Upper Rio Grande Valley P-16 Council/The University of Texas-Pan American South Plains Closing the Gaps P-20 Council/Texas Tech University Lower Rio Grande P-16 Council/Texas State Technical College Harlingen Citizens for Educational Excellence The El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence/The University of Texas at El Paso Deep East Texas P-16 Council/Stephen F. Austin State University Abilene Regional P-16 Council/Cisco College P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: Regional College Readiness Special Advisors (RCRSA) Executive-level staff from institutions of higher education and educational service centers that work with the THECB to support stakeholders at postsecondary institutions, secondary districts and schools Coordinate strategies to strengthen P-16 alignment and the successful implementation of the College and Career Readiness Standards Collaborate on local, regional, and statewide initiatives that increase use of best practices and improve cost efficiencies in higher education Since 2010, RCRSA have continued to support vertical alignment, Texas Pathways Projects, Regional P-16 Councils and the GenTX Campaign Engaged approximately 30,000 educators across the state in CCRS, curriculum alignment and best practice professional development

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Regional College Readiness Special Advisors (continued) Partners: Amarillo College Austin Community College Cisco College Region XX Education Service Center Stephen F. Austin State University Texas A&M International University Texas Woman’s University University of Houston University of Texas-Pan American

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Regional College Readiness Special Advisors (continued) Initiatives: Math faculty develop lessons designed to transition students from the use of calculators Faculty teams develop “practice-tests” to prepare students for EOCs based on identified critical skills of the CCRS College of Ed and social science department faculty develop workshops for teachers on teaching CCRS Above are examples of work undertaken by the RCRSAs. We are seeing across the state stronger relationships b/w ESCs (a key conduit to ISDs and the primary vehicle of professional development for ISDs) and IHEs Calculators lessons: THE argument between HS and IHEs math faculty are the use vs. non-use of calculators. Faculty designing lessons/activities/assignments to help students transition to the IHE expectations of no calculators. (HS, DE, entry-level college math courses)

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: Texas Pathways Project Regional consortia of higher education institutions and school districts, in collaboration with the Coordinating Board, collect, share, and analyze student-level data (including grades) to determine performance and achievement patterns from 8th grade through participation in four-year higher education institutions. Teams of district personnel and higher education faculty use data to inform work to vertically align curriculum and practice to increase successful secondary to postsecondary transition of students. Regional Partnerships, led by the following IHEs: Alamo Community Colleges (CB funded) El Paso Community College (CB funded) Houston Community College (Houston Endowment funded) San Jacinto Community College (Houston Endowment funded) University of Texas-Pan American (CB funded) Being developed by UT and UTEP

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: Texas Pathways Project (continued) Data Modules Web-based dissemination of training on how to interpret and ask critical questions of data, and how to use data to drive institutional and programmatic decision making Training will provide guidance to P16 stakeholders on understanding cohorts, basic interpretation of statistical information, how metrics like graduation rates and persistence rates are computed, building project logic models, basic evaluation techniques, and how to move from data to action Completion date August 2013 Being developed by UT and UTEP, to support Pathways and other educational stakeholders

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: Success Project: Vertical Alignment Training Provide training in the facilitation of local horizontal and vertical alignment Create and extend sustainable vertical alignment secondary and post-secondary networks throughout Texas Twelve regional Education Service Centers (2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, ,13, 14, 15, 16, & 20) and their partners (faculty and staff from ISDs, colleges, universities, and P-16 Councils) have been selected to participate Training begins summer 2012 Contract with UNT

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: College Readiness Project: College Readiness Assignments Field Test (CRAFT) Refine and develop College Readiness Assignments Field test in HS and IHEs Engage in partnerships Evaluate the efficacy of CRAs Disseminate CRAs and provide professional development Partners: University of Texas at Austin with multiple ISDs, ESCs, and high schools and colleges across the state

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: College Readiness Project: Summer Bridge Programs Purpose: To decrease need for developmental education and increase student success Targeted to High School and College students Rising 11th and 12th graders not college ready College students at risk of dropping out of college Requires at least 4 weeks of intensive academic instruction in ELA, math, or science for at-risk students Requires partnership with and financial support from high schools, if for HS students

Division of P-16 Initiatives Unit: College Readiness Project: Summer Bridge Programs Promising Practices: Begin planning activities 9-12 months before program offered Recruit, recruit, recruit! Involve parents, as appropriate Involve faculty early in the development of the curriculum that is solidly based on CCRS Tailor accelerated curriculum to address the needs of the targeted population Integrate instruction on learning and study skills into the content curriculum Provide a wide range of academic and social support services Require tutoring and mentoring as part of the integrated curriculum Use technology to differentiate instruction, particularly in math