1. Building a College Culture at Fremont HS

2. Key Determinants to College Attendance & Choice
Having college plans by the 9th grade
Attending a college-focused high school
Having parents who expect you -- and can help you plan -- to go to college

3. Class Differences Produce College Planning Differences
Students whose parents
attended college:
Get a head start on college preparations
Know about different types of colleges
Know about admissions requirements
Take the right K-8 courses
First-generation college
bound students:
Develop aspirations later
Have aspirations often cultivated by teachers or counselors
Experience conflicts between present and future worlds

4. Who Frames Students’ College Perceptions?
Families
Friends
Schools
Secondary Sources: movies, music,private counselors, freeway signs, radio/tv/newspaper ads, direct mail

5. Success in College
Rigorous curriculum is a greater factor in determining college graduate rates than class standing, standardized test scores, or grade point average.
-- Answers in the Toolbox 2001

6. Success in College
College graduation rates are 75% Whites, 87% Asians, 60% Latinos and 45% African-Americans
When the most rigorous courses were added to the mix, 79% of Latinos and 73% of African-Americans graduated.
“Answers in the Toolbox,” 2001

7. How Do Schools Influence College Preparation & Choice?
Expectations and assumptions
Flow and content of information
Specific options highlighted or downplayed
Distilling college choices to a manageable number (>33004-20)

8. Creating a College Culture: Overarching Goal
All students are prepared for a full range of post-secondary options through structural, motivational, and experiential college prep opportunities.

9. Creating a College Culture: Specific Objectives
School leadership is committed to building a college culture
All school personnel provide a consistent message to students that supports their quest for a college preparatory K-12 experience
All counselors are college counselors
Counselors, teachers, and parents are partners in preparing students for college

10. Principles of a College Culture
1. College Talk
2. Clear Expectations
3. Information & Resources
4. Comprehensive Counseling Model
5. Testing & Curriculum
6. Faculty Involvement
7. Parental Involvement
8. College Partnerships
9. Articulation

11. College Talk
Clear, ongoing communication about what it takes to go to college
Create a college-going identity among students
Faculty, administrators share own experiences

12. What it might look like: College Talk
Newsletters, newspapers distributed to all students, faculty, staff
“Your Educational Journey” conducted by high school principal
College Club for middle school students
Essay contest based on college application questions

13. Clear Expectations Explicit goals of college preparation are defined
Goals communicated consistently, clearly, in a variety of ways
Students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff are aware of their roles in college preparation

14. What it might look like: Clear Expectations
SLC meetings discuss college preparation
Monthly meetings with primary project staff to refine goals of creating a college culture
Ongoing communication with district and school administration about goals of project

15. Information & Resources
Students must have access to up-to-date, comprehensive college information
Counselors may have primary responsibility, but use of this information must extend beyond counseling office

16. What it might look like: Information & Resources
College Centers at all high schools, middle schools
Counseling staff has extended hours & availability
Sessions for students on
Test preparation
Financial planning for college
High school coursework planning

17. Comprehensive Counseling Model
All counselors are college counselors
All student interactions with counselors are college counseling opportunities
All decisions about students’ coursework and career futures are made with a full range of options in mind

18. What it might look like: Comprehensive Counseling Model
New counseling position at middle school level
All high school counselors attend UC/CSU conferences
Counselors at all grade levels have ongoing collaboration

19. Testing & Curriculum
Students must have knowledge and awareness of necessary tests
Students must be given the opportunity to prepare for these tests
Testing fees must be taken into account
Students must have access to all necessary coursework

20. What it looks like: Testing & Curriculum
PSAT given to all 10th graders, with fees waived
Students at middle school level receive PSAT preparation
Master schedules have been changed to accommodate more students in A-G, AP classes
Students learn organizational skills
Test
results

21. Faculty Involvement Teachers must be active partners
Faculty must be kept up-to-date on college knowledge
Professional development opportunities must be available
College Talk in the classroom
Parental connections

22. What it might look like: Faculty Involvement
Teachers incorporate College Talk into their curriculum
Math teachers work with students to interpret PSAT results and to build their skills
Teachers understand their roles in college preparation
A - G classes
AP classes

23. Parental Involvement Parents as informed partners
Parents must have opportunities to gain knowledge and recognize their role
Parents must have access to faculty, counseling staff

24. What it might look like: Parental Involvement
A College Fair attracting hundreds of students and parents
Parents attend evening workshops to learn about college preparation, financial planning
Parents learn that their children are “college material”

25. College Partnerships
Active links between school and local colleges and universities
Field trips
College fairs
Academic enrichment programs

26. What it might look like: College Partnerships
Students at all grade levels visit local college campuses
College dress days, door decoration contests, guest speakers
Tutoring programs
Pen pal program with college students

27. Articulation
Students should have a seamless experience from Kindergarten through HS graduation
Ongoing communication among all schools in a feeder group
Work at one school site should connect with activities at other levels

28. What it might look like: Articulation
Middle schools connect with students as young as fifth grade
As early as kindergarten, students are seeing themselves as college material
High school and middle school counselors are pooling resources and making connections

29. What will we do to build a college culture at Fremont?
Critical Question:
What will we do to build a college culture at Fremont?
College ideas