Strategic Planning for Illinois Strategic Planning for Illinois Tech Prep: Tech Prep: A Statewide Effort to A Statewide Effort to Improve AccountabilityImprove Accountability

National Tech Prep NetworkNational Tech Prep NetworkNovember 3, 2006 November 3, 2006

Catherine KirbyCatherine KirbyOffice of Community College Research and Office of Community College Research and Leadership Leadership University of Illinois University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaignat Urbana-Champaign

About OCCRL Research and EvaluationAbout OCCRL Research and Evaluation

Extensive TP research as Extensive TP research as NCRVE siteNCRVE site

CTE Best PracticesCTE Best Practices Academic Pathways to Academic Pathways to

Access and Student Access and Student Success (APASS)Success (APASS)

Dual CreditDual Credit CTE Transition PathwaysCTE Transition Pathways ABE/GED Adult Career ABE/GED Adult Career

PathwaysPathways

Your state’s APASS profile can be found at http://www.apass.uiuc.edu/

In 1999, OCCRL and the ICCB co-created the Tech Prep Evaluation System (TPES)

1. Onsite Review & Improvement Process2. Consortium-level Proposal and Budget Development

Process3. Annual Final Programmatic Reports4. Monitoring of enrollments and outcomes5. Website (http://www.iccb.org/techprep/)

System Components:

TPES GoalsTPES Goals

Establish systematic data collectionEstablish systematic data collection Gain understanding of Consortium Gain understanding of Consortium

activities and outcomesactivities and outcomes Identify strengths and areas for Identify strengths and areas for

improvementimprovement Use findings for program improvementUse findings for program improvement Disseminate findings for stakeholdersDisseminate findings for stakeholders

At the end of the 1At the end of the 1stst 5-year cycle… 5-year cycle…

We knew the process was workingWe knew the process was working Evaluation questions reflected improvement and Evaluation questions reflected improvement and

included more sensitive measures as local included more sensitive measures as local implementation maturedimplementation matured

On-Site visits were shortened due to constraints On-Site visits were shortened due to constraints on staff resourceson staff resources

ICCB & OCCRL determined to continue ICCB & OCCRL determined to continue evaluation improvement with “fresh eyes” taking evaluation improvement with “fresh eyes” taking advantage of the time waiting for reauthorization advantage of the time waiting for reauthorization of Perkins IVof Perkins IV

We waited … and waited…We waited … and waited…

Operationalizing the Process Operationalizing the Process (1)(1)

Announced the process at the Fall Forum Announced the process at the Fall Forum for Excellencefor Excellence

Provided Consortium “Snapshots” that Provided Consortium “Snapshots” that revealed datarevealed data

Selected statewide Advisory CommitteeSelected statewide Advisory Committee Created planning matrix including Created planning matrix including what, what,

why, when, how, who and outcomeswhy, when, how, who and outcomes predictedpredicted

Operationalizing the Process Operationalizing the Process (2)(2)

Conducted 4 regional meetingsConducted 4 regional meetings Presented formative findings at state meetingsPresented formative findings at state meetings Met mid-year with TPSP Advisory Committee Met mid-year with TPSP Advisory Committee

Updated members with info from the fieldUpdated members with info from the field Formed strategic issue subgroupsFormed strategic issue subgroups Reviewed and drafted state vision statementReviewed and drafted state vision statement

Met with Advisory Committee again in SpringMet with Advisory Committee again in Spring Solidified working group issuesSolidified working group issues OCCRL proceeded with data issues tasks OCCRL proceeded with data issues tasks

Regional MeetingsRegional Meetings Introduced Strategic Planning as a modelIntroduced Strategic Planning as a model Provided a statewide Environmental ScanProvided a statewide Environmental Scan Drafted vision statementsDrafted vision statements Discussed regional critical issuesDiscussed regional critical issues Identified and prioritized outcomes not Identified and prioritized outcomes not

being measured (accurately or at all)being measured (accurately or at all) Identified issues that impact data collectionIdentified issues that impact data collection

The TP Strategic Planning The TP Strategic Planning ProcessProcess

Create Vision/MissionCreate Vision/Mission Conduct Environmental Conduct Environmental

ScanScan Determine Strategic IssuesDetermine Strategic Issues Establish & Review Establish & Review

SMART GoalsSMART Goals Benchmark practicesBenchmark practices Assess OutcomesAssess Outcomes

See: http://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu/TPStrategicPlan/index.htm

Creating a VisionCreating a Vision

““College Tech Prep College Tech Prep provides a seamless provides a seamless transition from transition from secondary to secondary to postsecondary postsecondary education, preparing education, preparing students for students for advanced academic advanced academic studies and high skill studies and high skill careers.”careers.”

Conducting an Environmental ScanConducting an Environmental Scan

This process was This process was designed to designed to acknowledge that acknowledge that consortia face issues consortia face issues unique to their unique to their regions and regions and environments.environments.

We provided resources We provided resources for consortia to for consortia to consult.consult.

http://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu/TPStrategicPlan/EnvironmentalScan/ESindex.html

Determining Strategic IssuesDetermining Strategic Issues

Improve Data AccountabilityImprove Data Accountability

Collaborate to Reduce the Need for Collaborate to Reduce the Need for RemediationRemediation

Improve Curriculum IntegrationImprove Curriculum Integration

Working group statements will be posted at:http://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu/tpstrategicplan/WorkingGroups/WGIndex.html

Establishing SMART GoalsEstablishing SMART Goals

SSpecificpecific

MMeasurableeasurable

AAgreed-upongreed-upon

RRealisticealistic

TTime-Boundime-Bound

Designed to address the state’s strategic objectives.

Benchmarking PracticesBenchmarking PracticesWe wanted this to be an objective process.Proposal emphasized the need for outcomes that demonstrated the “best practice” nature of the program.Call for nominations went out in late spring.Blind review process determined designees.Four practices were chosen.They were featured at the Fall Forum for Excellence.

Assessing OutcomesAssessing Outcomes Outcomes of the Outcomes of the

process were process were presented to the presented to the ICCB in the Fall, 06ICCB in the Fall, 06

Strategic Issues Strategic Issues continue to be on the continue to be on the state’s radar screen state’s radar screen as we begin to think as we begin to think within the context of within the context of Perkins IVPerkins IV

““Lessons Learned” from the Lessons Learned” from the Strategic Planning ProcessStrategic Planning Process

Data accountability must be improved.Data accountability must be improved.

Consortia seek improved communication and clearer Consortia seek improved communication and clearer definitions, expectations, and processes.definitions, expectations, and processes.

Turnover of consortium level leadership affects the Turnover of consortium level leadership affects the ability to improve Tech Prep.ability to improve Tech Prep.

Consortia have limited ability to affect or influence Consortia have limited ability to affect or influence local level change.local level change.

Consortia welcome and are receptive to state-level Consortia welcome and are receptive to state-level direction for Tech Prep.direction for Tech Prep.

““Lessons Learned” from the Lessons Learned” from the Strategic Planning ProcessStrategic Planning Process

Consortia that work toward improvement are Consortia that work toward improvement are discouraged when consortia that do not are not discouraged when consortia that do not are not faced with consequences.faced with consequences.

Consortia perceive the impact of NCLB has affected Consortia perceive the impact of NCLB has affected Tech Prep in negative ways.Tech Prep in negative ways.

Support is needed to promote Tech Prep as a viable Support is needed to promote Tech Prep as a viable college pathway.college pathway.

Practitioners benefit from exposure to the broader Practitioners benefit from exposure to the broader arena of educational reform of which Tech Prep is arena of educational reform of which Tech Prep is a part, and thereby, expand the possibilities for a part, and thereby, expand the possibilities for change at the local level.change at the local level.

Questions?

Contact Information:Contact Information:

Catherine Kirby, Information SpecialistCatherine Kirby, Information SpecialistOffice of Community College Research and LeadershipOffice of Community College Research and LeadershipUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign127 Children’s Research Center127 Children’s Research Center51 Gerty Drive51 Gerty DriveChampaign, IL 61820Champaign, IL 61820PH: 217-244-0858 PH: 217-244-0858 ckirby@uiuc.educkirby@uiuc.edu http://occrl.ed.uiuc.eduhttp://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu