1. The Guided Pathway Approach
East Los Angeles College
The Guided Pathway Approach

2. What are Guided Pathways?
The California State Budget has provided $150 million in one-time grants to seed the expansion of the Guided Pathways framework across the California Community Colleges over the next five years.
The Guided Pathways framework creates a structured approach to student success that provides all students with a set of clear course-taking patterns that promotes better enrollment decisions and prepares students for success.

3. What is the “pathway framework?”
An integrated, institution-wide approach to student success based on intentionally designed, clear, coherent and structured educational experiences, informed by available evidence, that guide each student effectively and efficiently from her/his point of entry through to attainment of high-quality postsecondary credentials and careers with value in the labor market.

4. Why Guided pathways now?
There’s no question ELAC has made great strides in program completion and implementing new initiatives in recent years:
Transfer degrees awarded have tripled
In 2016, ELAC ranked 5th in transfers to CSU and 13th in transfers to UC.
Since 2012, ELAC has increased degree and certificate of completions by over 30%.
ELAC’s GO East LA collaboration with LAUSD and CSULA has expanded to partnerships with close to 70 public schools through an aggressive dual enrollment program
ELAC has expanded noncredit offerings by over 50% through its new School of Continuing Education

5. The problem
Despite ELAC’s tremendous progress helping students succeed, brutal facts show most students struggle to reach their goals. This data reveals most students do not meet achievement milestones within a reasonable timeframe, particularly Latina/o students.

6. A LOOK AT THE DATA…

7. For every 100 students who entered in Fall 2012, after 5 years at ELAC...53
took classes in Fall 2013 31
completed 30 UC/CSU units 20
completed BOTH
transfer-level English and Math 17
completed a certificate, degree or skill certificate 13
completed 60 UC/CSU units
On average, female students perform better than males in milestone achievements
On average, BOGG recipients perform better than non-BOGG recipients in milestone achievements
On average, the lower the placement (in English/Math) results in lower milestone achievements

8. FOR EVERY 100 LATINA/O STUDENTS WHO ENTERED IN FALL 2012, AFTER 5 YEARS AT ELAC...52
took classes in Fall 2013 28
completed 30 UC/CSU units 16
completed BOTH
transfer-level English and Math 15
completed a certificate, degree or skill certificate 10
completed 60 UC/CSU units

9. FOR EVERY 100 STUDENTS WHO ENTERED IN FALL 2014, AFTER 3 YEARS AT ELAC...53
took classes in Fall 2015 20
completed 30 UC/CSU units 16
completed BOTH
transfer-level English and Math 9
completed a certificate, degree or skill certificate 5
completed 60 UC/CSU units
Non-BOGG
On average, 55 out of 100 students who began in Fall 2014 DID NOT return in Fall 2015
On average, 34 out of 100 students completed 15 UC/CSU units

10. FOR EVERY 100 LATINA/O STUDENTS WHO ENTERED IN FALL 2014, AFTER 3 YEARS AT ELAC...52
took classes in Fall 2015 16
completed 30 UC/CSU units 11
completed BOTH
transfer-level English and Math 7
completed a certificate, degree or skill certificate 1
completed 60 UC/CSU units

11. Understanding the problem
While our Guided Pathways research is just beginning, recent surveys of students help us better understand the problem and how the Guided Pathways framework can help.

12. Elac Students’ Outcomes Do Not Match their Goals
85%
Have a declared major
71%
Want to transfer to a 4-year institution
42%
Want an associate’s degree
Source: Guided Pathways Survey preliminary results as of 11/29/2017 (N=593)
30%
Want a master’s degree
N = 593

13. Students feel Lost in a maze

14. community college students fInd choosing a major to be a daunting task:
Difficulty in choosing a major was identified as a barrier to finishing on time.
Students attributed the difficulty in choosing a major to few opportunities to explore careers and understand how majors link with different careers.
Most students felt taking courses was not a helpful strategy for career exploration.

15. Students want a sense of community and peer connection:
Students expressed a desire for connection to other students to gain support and advice.
Students especially want to connect with peers who have similar career interests or majors.

16. Four Pillars of Guided Pathways offer a way out
LEARNINGG
CLARIFY
INTAKE
SUPPORT
Equity, Social Mobility, Economic Health
California Pathways-Redesigning California’s Community Colleges

17. Clarify & support student paths and enhance intake and learning— What does that look like?
Detailed information on career and transfer outcomes
Course sequences, critical courses, embedded credentials, and progress milestones
First-year experiences to help students explore the field and choose a major
Full program plans based on required career/college exploration
Contextualized, integrated academic support to help students pass program gateway courses
K-12 partnerships focused on career/college program exploration
Ongoing, intrusive counseling

18. What we can expect as we move toward Guided pathways?
The process should highlight the good work we are already doing
It should encourage us to look at the College/programs from the student perspective
It will help departments critically exam their programs and scheduling practices
There will be increased dialogue between counseling faculty and program faculty

19. Faculty Involvement Involve faculty from the beginning
Areas of focus of guided pathways fall within academic senate purview: student preparation and success, degree and certificate requirements, educational program development and, of course, curriculum
Academic senate must be the lead on the effort 
Use governance structure and committees to keep faculty involved and engaged
Administrators support faculty efforts with time and resources

20. Classified Staff involvement
Involve classified staff from the beginning
Recognize and utilize classified staff for their expertise – ask them to participate
Organize activities to gather input from classified staff
Invite classified staff to participate in work groups       
Ask managers to encourage their classified staff to become involved in the work
Keep communication open with regular updates to classified constituent groups

21. What guided pathways is Not
Pathways is NOT a boutique program but rather a transformation to make college ready for students.
Pathways does NOT limit student choice but instead guides students to make informed choices.
Pathways is NOT curriculum reform but rather an integration of students’ college experiences.
Pathways is NOT a management driven reform but rather a collegial and faculty driven process.

22. Next steps
Submit Self-Assessment to CCC Chancellor’s Office by December 23
Submit Multi-Year Work Plan to CCCCO by March 30 (template pending)
Plan Guided Pathways Budget (budget template and guidelines pending)
Develop Problem Statement with data
Conduct student focus groups
Present and get input from committees and departments
Spring 2018 Guided Pathways Forum
Refine Problem Statement
Develop Vision and Goals

23. Thank YOU!!