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Promising Early Effects of a multifaceted Program to Boost Graduation Rates for at-risk Students. DREAM 2013 Anaheim, California February 6, 2013 Sue Scrivener, MDRC Daniela Boykin, City University of New York Richard Rivera, Kingsborough Community College. Session Outline.
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Promising Early Effects of a multifaceted Program to Boost Graduation Rates for at-risk Students DREAM 2013 Anaheim, California February 6, 2013 Sue Scrivener, MDRC Daniela Boykin, City University of New York Richard Rivera, Kingsborough Community College
Session Outline • Context and importance of Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) • ASAP’s history, goals, and model • ASAP at Kingsborough Community College • Early effects for students • What’s next • Q & A
Context • Only about 1/3 of community college students get a certificate or degree within 5 years • Recent unprecedented national focus on the importance of increasing graduation rates for community college students • Many reforms have been tried
Past MDRC Research • Studied several reforms, including enhanced academic advising, student success courses, learning communities, performance-based scholarships • In general, programs can improve academic outcomes, but effects typically modest and short-lived • College completion rates remain stubbornly low and field still seeking reforms that can substantially help students
Why Look at ASAP? • The City University of New York’s (CUNY’s) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) is multi-faceted and long-lasting • Brings together many promising reforms • Provides services for three years • One of the most ambitious efforts in the country to boost graduation rates for at-risk community college students
CUNY Community College Students Source: CUNY Office of Institutional Research 2011
Address barriers and streamline student experience • Students are poorly prepared • Education is often competing for their time • Colleges are large with many departments, majors and procedures “Minimize students’ uncertainty to increase engagement.” Chancellor Mathew Goldstein
ASAP History • Goal: At least 50% of students will complete an Associate’s degree within three years • 2007: • CUNY funded by Mayor’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) at $6.5 million annual budget for three years • ASAP launched 1,132 fully skills proficient students* across six CUNY community colleges • *28% of fall 2007 ASAP students had some developmental needs when recruited and • addressed over summer.
ASAP History • Fall 2009: • ASAP begins to admit students with developmental needs • Spring 2010: • ASAPexceeds 3-year graduation goal with fall 2007 cohort • ASAP funding now a permanent allocation to CUNY • Fall 2011: • Fall 2009 cohort 2-year graduation rate four times higher than comparison group • CUNY Chancellor announces plans to expand ASAP
ASAP Today… • Recruited 1,500+ new students in fall 2012 • Serve 2,200+ students • Expanding to 4,000+ students by fall 2014 of first-time full-time degree seeking students
ASAP Design Principles • Required full-time study • Limited number of majors • Sample Majors: Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Human Services, Early Childhood Education • Consolidated class schedule • Cohort design by major • Winter and summer course taking • Dedicated full-time staff at each college • Rigorous evaluation and use data
ASAP Resources and Services ASAP Financial Resources: • Tuition waivers • Free use of textbooks • Monthly MTA MetroCards ASAP Services: • Case management advisement • Academic support services • Faculty engagement • ASAP Seminar • Career development services • Special programs
KBCC Profile • 70 acre campus located in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn • Founded in 1963; only community college in Brooklyn • Serves over 30,000 students in credit and non-credit courses • Offers 2-year Degrees: Associate in Arts (A.A.), Science (A.S.) and specialized careers (A.A.S.) • Offers nearly 700 courses in 30+ majors
ASAP College Staffing Structure Under Provost: • College Director • 6 Advisors (1:100) • Career Employment Specialist • Administrative Assistants • Supplemental Instructors & Tutors
What Makes ASAP Effective… Support students by: • Removing financial barriers to full time study • Organizing classes in block schedules (morning, afternoon and evening blocks) to accommodate work &/or other commitments • Assigning them to an advisor to help address many of the stresses that deter students from receiving degrees • Developing a connection to the college and building community • Accessing comprehensive and relevant support services
Admissions Criteria • Must be a New York City resident • Agree to study full-time in an ASAP • Continuing students must have less than 15 credits and a GPA of 2.0 or above • Be fully skills proficient or have no more than two developmental course needs • Receive some need-based financial aid (PELL and/or TAP)
ASAP Program Components • Financial Incentives: • Tuition waivers (PELL/TAP recipients) • Free use of textbooks • Unlimited monthly MTA MetroCards
ASAP Program Components ASAP Services: • Intensive Academic Advisement • Blocked Courses • Priority Registration • Supplemental Instruction & Tutoring • Career Development Services • Leadership Development • Laptop Loaner Program • Academic & Cultural Opportunities • Honors Program • Travel Abroad Program
The Recruitment Process • Recruitment begins in the Spring Semester & runs through August • ASAP students & staff present to continuing students in classes during Spring Semester • Work with Testing & Freshmen Services to screen academically eligible students • Academically eligible students must then provide FA confirmation • Students meet with ASAP Staff to review requirements & expectations • Students with developmental needs are encouraged to attend summer immersion
Building A Community • Students with a developmental need are strong encouraged to attend summer immersion classes • Students (parents invited too) are required to attend a Summer Orientation Meeting • Students are required to attend a two day summer orientation (1st Day ASAP focused & 2nd Day Campus Fest)
Developmental Policies • Students w/ more than 1 developmental need are required to enroll in Summer Immersion • All students are expected to take developmental courses immediately & continuously • Students take a mix of blocked remedial courses and workshops • Tutoring is required for students w/ developmental needs
Supportive Community • ASAP Seminar and workshops • Career Employment Specialists • Additional campus supports • Advisement
ASAP Advisement • Dedicated full-time staff with a 1:120 caseload • Work with advisor through graduation • Contacts builds relationships and student comfort – number of contacts per semester are determined based on needs of students • Assess and address academic and personal needs • Follow-up with faculty about attendance and progress via mid term progress reports
The Evaluation • MDRC is studying the implementation of ASAP and its impacts on students’ academic outcomes • Study is taking place at three of CUNY’s six community colleges: Kingsborough, Borough of Manhattan, and LaGuardia • Study began in 2009 and will continue through 2014
Students in the Study • Low-income students who needed one or two developmental courses and were willing to attend school full time • About 900 students randomly assigned in 2010 • Almost 2/3 women • Most relatively young • Racially diverse
Increased Full-Time Enrollment in First Semester 2.5* 10.6*** *p ≤ .10 ***p ≤ .01
Helped Students Complete Developmental Courses in First Semester 14.7*** 46.6 31.9 ***p ≤ .01
Increased Enrollment in Second Semester 9.8*** 20.6*** ***p ≤ .01
Comparing Impacts on Credits Earned in First Semester Across Studies
Conclusions and What’s Next • Early findings very promising • Too early to speculate about longer-term outcomes like graduation • Future reports will present two- and three-year impacts, including graduation rates, and full implementation story
Source: CUNY Office of Institutional Assessment and ASAP Colleges
ASAP Expansion • Core program elements recommended for consideration across CUNY to improve retention, movement through developmental education, and graduation. • structured degree pathways • immediate and continuous developmental course taking • mandatory advisement • incentives for full-time study • Expansion over next 3 years; expected enrollment of 4,000+ students by 2014 • Expansion planning efforts supported by CEO • Central & college planning teams developed plans • Launched a citywide outreach & marketing campaign • Additional funding to be raised by CUNY Academic Affairs
Contact Information Sue Scrivenersue.scrivener@mdrc.org Daniela Boykin daniela.boykin@mail.cuny.edu Richard Rivera richard.rivera@kbcc.cuny.edu