“Access, Persistence and Retention: Family Involvement for Latino Success in College” 2008 Innovations Conference League for Innovation in the Community College March 03, 2008

Overview  Grant funded research project to create a Family Involvement Model that engages college students’ families in the instructional process  Measure the effect of the model on access, retention, and persistence  Document the impact of involving students’ families in the learning process  Share the model with other colleges to replicate results

What is the FIM Model?  Refers to the integration of one or more key family members of Latino students into student success initiatives throughout their academic experience

Why use FIM Model?  Involving families works according to an extensive review of successful K-12 and other similar student retention practices  Our approach will use the FIM model for the first time at the college level.

Participants  Lead Colleges Mountain View College Brookhaven College  Follow-on Colleges El Centro College Richland College North Lake College Cedar Valley College Palo Alto College

Project Timeline Year 1 Mountain View College and Brookhaven College Planning Year 2 Implementation Richland College And El Centro College Planning Year 3 Implementation Follow-On Colleges Four DCCCD and external colleges will be added Year 1 Mountain View College and Brookhaven College

Family Involvement Model Implementation Academic Year ClassFacultyDescription Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Fall 2007 Mountain View College Cultural Studies: Fiesta Oak Cliff Dr. Geoffrey Grimes & Dr. Laura Gonzalez -Family member is involved in 5 of 7 cultural events. -Genealogy Project & Guest Speakers. Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Fall 2007 Spring 2008 Brookhaven College Cultural Studies Mexico: A cultural Perspective Edleeca Thompson & Dr.Charles McAdams -Students research the history and origins of a dish that is indigenous to Mexico and bring it to class. A family member is invited to join the class for the potluck. -Students involving a key family member in 1 or more of the class activities receive honors credit for CUST 2370 and have 5 points added to their final average. Fall 2007 Richland College Cultural Studies Carlos Rovelo -Students interview family members for a polling project. -Student invite family to class and create an alter for “Dia de los Muertos for deceased relatives. Spring 2008 Brookhaven College Cultural Studies The Caribbean: A Cultural Perspective Edleeca Thompson & Giraud Polite -Students work with a family member to create a recipe for a Caribbean Culinary Project. -Students work with family members to construct a genealogy project. -Students work with family members in developing a family point of view of their ancestral homeland as part of a Postcards from the Edge Project. Spring 2008 Mountain View College Learning Communities La Raza: The History and Art of Latino Americans HIST /ART Cristina Medina & Liz Nichols -Family member will be involved in 1 of 4 of the cultural events. -Curriculum based on Mexican-American/Latino emphasis and inclusion of family involvement-brainstorming projects and researching. -Films and texts used in the class integrate family perspective. - Guest visitor presentation and presentation of a creative project.

Family Involvement Model Implementation Academic YearClassFacultyDescription Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Fall 2007 Mountain View College Cultural Studies: Fiesta Oak Cliff Dr. Geoffrey Grimes & Dr. Laura Gonzalez -Family member is involved in 5 of 7 cultural events. -Genealogy Project & Guest Speakers. Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Fall 2007 Spring 2008 Brookhaven College Cultural Studies Mexico: A cultural Perspective Edleeca Thompson & Dr.Charles McAdams -Students research the history and origins of a dish that is indigenous to Mexico and bring it to class. A family member is invited to join the class for the potluck. -Students involving a key family member in 1 or more of the class activities receive honors credit for CUST 2370 and have 5 points added to their final average. Fall 2007 Richland College Cultural Studies Carlos Rovelo -Students interview family members for a polling project. -Student invite family to class and create an alter for “Dia de los Muertos for deceased relatives.

Student Video

Mountain View College:  Learning how the Oak Cliff communities work: families, churches, schools, political groups HIST 1302 / ARTS 1301  La Raza: the history and art of Latino Americans Learning Community Cultural Studies Fiesta Oak Cliff

Brookhaven College: Cultural Studies Mexico Studies: A Cultural Perspective  Interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies human thought and relationships by considering a significant theme The Caribbean: A Cultural Perspective  Focuses on topics related to the Caribbean, with special emphasis on the African influence within the broader Caribbean, Central, and South American regions.

Richland College  Introduction to the field of Mexican-American/Chicano studies from its inception to the present. Introduce students to salient cultural, economic, educational, historical, political, and social concepts.

Faculty Video

Website

Statistical Treatment

The grant is a research grant not an implementation grant. As such, our primary focus is on documenting the results of the grant using both qualitative and quantitative measures. We do, as educators, have a desire to see our students succeed. One measure that is a pleasure to report is the faculty reporting through video techniques that the model works for their student’s success.

Types of data 1. Qualitative data in the form of video, opinionaires, and feedback sessions 2. Artifacts 3. Quantitative data from Colleague data base

Success – A,B,C Persistence – Staying in the class until the end with a performance grade Retention – Returning in the next full term Definitions

Family Involvement Enrollment Compared to General College Enrollment

The First Cohort Spring 2007 To Fall 2007 Brookhaven College Cultural Studies Mountain View College Cultural Studies Cultural Studies

The Second Cohort Fall 2007 to Spring 2008 Brookhaven College Cultural Studies Mountain View College Cultural Studies Cultural Studies Richland College Humanities Cultural Studies

Spring 2007 Persistence TreatmentControlTotal Did persist in class to performance grade 49 (48.33)35728 ( ) Did not persist in class to performance grade 10 (10.66)7881 ( )7871 Total The null hypothesis is that the two variables are independent - or, in this particular case that the likelihood of success is the same for students receiving treatment as the students not receiving treatment (control). X 2 = 1.749significance <.20 In this case the null hypothesis is accepted. The treatment did not have a statistically significant positive effect on the retention of students. However, there is the possibility of educational significance. This result should be examined further to determine the cause of the magnitude of increase in persistence. Spring 2007 Persistence

TreatmentControlTotal Did persist in class to performance grade 57 (55.65)69885 ( )69924 Did not persist in class to performance grade 11 (12.34)15501 ( )15512 Total Fall 2008 Persistence The null hypothesis is that the two variables are independent - or, in this particular case that the likelihood of success is the same for students receiving treatment as the students not receiving treatment (control). X2 =.24significance <.30 In this case the null hypothesis is accepted. The treatment did not have a statistically significant positive effect on the retention of students. However, there is the possibility of educational significance. This result should be examined further to determine the cause of the magnitude of increase in persistence.

TreatmentControlTotal Returned41 (31.23)9176 ( )9217 Not Returned18 (27.76)8176 ( )8194 Total Spring 2007/Fall 2007 Retention The null hypothesis is that the two variables are independent - or, in this particular case that the likelihood of not returning is the same for students receiving treatment as the students not receiving treatment (control). X2 = 6.49significance.01 In this case the null hypothesis is rejected. The treatment did have a statistically positive effect on the retention of students.

FAQ’s Do you offer scholarships to students? Is the grant limited in supporting classes pertaining to a specific subject area? What are the benefits for faculty? Are there guidelines for faculty to follow when using the FIM model? What will happen to the classes, once the grant’s funding has ended?

Desired Results  Models that include the family in the instructional process  Models implemented in courses with addition of minimal funding  All colleges involved in the data collection and evaluation processes

The Contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government

Jim Corvey Rene Prupes