1. Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream: Supporting Community College Student Success Richard Kazis Jobs for the Future Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Higher Education October 9, 2007

2. Success is what counts. What is Achieving the Dream? An initiative to help community college students succeed Success: complete courses, earn certificates and degrees To promote broad institutional improvement informed by student achievement data 84 colleges; 15 states

3. Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream Core Components Provide planning and implementation grants to colleges Help colleges develop and implement strategies to improve student success and build a culture of evidence Conduct research on effective practices and student achievement Work to influence public policy to support college efforts Engage the public

4. Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream State Policy Goals By the end of 10 years, participating states will: Make community college success an explicit public policy goal Routinely use student outcome data to inform decision making Implement specific policy changes that promote success of underprepared students

5. Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream State Policy Activities Research and knowledge development to identify “best in class” policies that states can adapt to their own environments Lead organization works with JFF and Achieving the Dream partners to assess current policies, identify priorities, set goals, and promote policy innovations

6. Success is what counts. State Policy Priorities Clear public policy commitment Strong data and accountability systems Alignment across education systems K-12 / higher education 2-year / 4-year Incentives for improving services to underprepared students Developmental education First year persistence Financial aid policies that promote persistence

7. Success is what counts. Examples of State Policy Progress Changes in state accountability measures (TX, NC) Making student data more accessible for planning and improvement (CT, VA) Statewide placement test cut score policy (NC, CT, NM) State data analysis on college innovations (FL, WA) Stronger transfer policy (PA) Expanded financial aid for low-income students (NM)

8. Success is what counts. Achieving the Dream in Arkansas Funding: Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Four colleges National Park CC, Hot Springs Ouachita TC, Malvern Phillips CC, Helena Pulaski CC, North Little Rock State lead: Arkansas Department of Higher Education Planning year: 2007-08

9. Success is what counts. Arkansas Policy Priorities: Initial Proposal FY 2007-08 Develop state-level benchmarks for student success, disaggregated by key subgroups, to improve institutional completion rates Create and adopt a new funding formula for institutions based on student success Establish a partnership between adult basic education and higher education at the state level Support new approaches to teaching and learning

10. Success is what counts. Performance Funding: State Experience Almost all states have experimented with performance accountability Performance Reporting: 43 Performance Budgeting: 21 Performance Funding: 15 Typical indicators Retention and persistence rates; transfer rates; graduation rates; job placement; student satisfaction

11. Success is what counts. Performance Funding: Do Colleges Change? Funding is not the biggest incentive– financial impacts are modest But signals from incentives do seem to have impact–focus, clarity Remediation outcomes Retention and graduation rates Job placement rates

12. Success is what counts. Performance Funding: Design Challenges High costs of collecting data Danger of gaming the system Lower academic standards Higher enrollment standards Inadequate or inappropriate measures Inequality of institutional capacity Instability of state funding

13. Success is what counts. Kentucky: New Success Incentive Proposal In the current budget proposal $1000 to high school for every student above baseline who graduates college-ready $1000 to college for every student above baseline who successfully earns degree

14. Success is what counts. WA State: Student Achievement Initiative Incentives to colleges for students who pass key “momentum points” Improving preparation for college level courses Building to a year of college credit Completing college level math Completing certificates, degrees, and apprenticeship training

15. Success is what counts. WA State: Student Achievement Initiative $4M for this biennium $500K for incentives $3.5M for success projects at colleges 2006-07: research, design, “buy-in” 2007-08: “learning year”

16. Success is what counts. For More Information: Jobs for the Future www.jff.org 617/728-4446 RKazis@jff.org