PARTNERING WITH YOUR CHILD FOR COLLEGE READINESS

Dr. Erica D. Wyatt

INTRODUCTIONS & BURNING

QUESTIONS

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• The State of College Readiness in the U.S.

• Define College Readiness

• College Readiness Statistics

• Importance of Understanding the College Readiness Problem

• Ensuring that your Child is College Ready

DEFINING COLLEGE READINESS

• Refers to the content knowledge, skills, and habits that students must possess to be successful in postsecondary education training that leads to a sustaining career

• A college ready student can qualify for and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses without the need for remedial or developmental coursework

EPIC: Educational Policy Improvement Center. (2014). Understanding College and Career Readiness. Retrived from https://www.epiconline.org/Issues/college-career-readiness/definition.dot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQeOBCQLfMQ

WHY ALL THE FUSS OVER COLLEGE READINESS?

• Demographic shift taking place that is significantly impacting secondary schools, colleges and their ability to serve students

• The U.S. Census Bureau has projected that the U.S. will have a majority-minority population by 2043

• Academic achievement gaps continue to persist among minority, low-income and potential first-generation students

• Schools (both secondary and post-secondary) are facing challenges in how to close these gaps and prepare all students for college

• If the profile of the typical first-year college student will be minority, low-income and first-generation, we must do something to address college readiness for these populations

COLLEGE READINESS STATISTICS

• Of the 1.8 million high school grads who took the ACT in 2013, only 26% reached college readiness benchmarks in all four subjects

• 27% met 2 or 3 of the benchmarks

• 16% met just one of the college readiness benchmarks

MUCH WORK TO BE DONE

• Only 2 states (Minnesota & Wisconsin)—more than half of high school grads meet three or more of the ACT benchmarks

• No state had more than 56% of ACT-tested students meeting those benchmarks

• In 5 states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina) fewer than 1/3 of students met three or four benchmarks

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

• Changes in the diversity of students preparing for college makes college readiness a challenge

• Over the past 5 years, 126,000 more Hispanic students and 43,000 more African American students took the ACT

• The number of multiracial students who took the ACT increased 80 percent

• No more than 48% of African American, American Indian and Hispanic ACT-tested students met the English benchmark

• The gaps between minority and non-minority students continues to be large

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

• Each year in the U.S. 60% of first-year college students discover that they are not ready for post-secondary course work.

• These students must enroll in remedial courses which do not earn college credits.

• The majority of students who begin in remedial courses never complete their post-secondary degree programs.

• The college readiness gap is costly to students, families, institutions, and taxpayers

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. (2010). Beyond the rhetoric: Improving college readiness through coherent state policy. Retrieved from http://www.highereducation.org/reports/college_readiness/gap.shtml

WHEN DOES COLLEGE READINESS BEGIN?

• ACT Policy Report (2005)—College Readiness Begins In Middle School

• To increase the number of students who are college ready, parents and students must have information and resources to navigate high school and college preparation

• Students need challenging and rigorous high school curriculum

• High school courses must be aligned with desired major/program of choice

• Students must be academically, mentally and emotionally prepared to address the challenges of high school

WHAT CAN WE DO???

• In order to increase the number of students who are college ready after high school, we have to create partnerships between students, parents and educators, businesses and community organizations

• These partnerships will ensure that students are engaging in all aspects of college readiness prior to leaving high school

• College readiness is about more than academics; therefore, the solution to the problem must be holistic in nature

ROLE OF PARENTS IN COLLEGE READINESS

• Encourage and motivate students to take challenging and rigorous courses

• Advocate for students and teach them self-advocacy to ensure they receive all the assistance and support needed

• Seek out additional programs and resources to obtain information and resources for college preparation

• Constantly engage with your student to make sure they are on track to not only graduate but to enter into post-secondary education college ready

SOFT SKILLS AND COLLEGE SUCCESS

• Self Advocacy

• Responsibility

• Self-Management

• Communication

• Team Work and Collaboration

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Study Skills

• Comfort with Technology

• Comfort w/ Diversity

• Ability to work independently

• Ability to follow directions

• Have personal goals

• Be engaged

• Academic Motivation

• Self-Efficacy