LUMINAFOUNDATIONL U M I N A F Winter 2008 Lessons

Students aren’t just data points, but numbers do count Lessons: on the inside Page 4 ’Equity for All’ at USC 12 Page Chicago’s Harry S Truman College Page 22 Tallahassee Community College

Writing: Christopher Connell Editing: David S. Powell Editorial assistance: Gloria Ackerson and Dianna Boyce Photography: Shawn Spence Photography Design: Huffine Design Production assistance: Freedonia Studios Printing: Mossberg & Company, Inc.

On the cover: Indonesia-born Kristi Dewanti attends Tallahassee Community College, where a concerted emphasis on outcomes data is boosting student success. PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE

Our grantees wield ‘a powerful tool:’ data Having spent most of the last two decades as a higher education researcher and analyst, I’ve developed some appreciation for the importance and value of student-outcomes data for colleges and universities. Such information is used for a variety of purposes, from informing collaborative action planning on campus, to the actual implementation of those plans, to the assessment or benchmarking of results based on the work undertaken. Robust, reliable data are vital for institutional decision mak- ing and accountability. Compelling data can be the driving force in fostering a “culture of evidence,” leading to measur- able impacts on students and lasting campus change. Too often, casual observers might think that a data-driven institution is one that focuses mainly on the processes of collection and analysis. But at Lumina Foundation for Education, we have always considered data a power- ful tool to better meet students’ needs. From the Achieving the Dream initiative – which has done ground- breaking work to support data-driven decision making at community col- leges – to the important results that have been attained at minority-serving institutions under the Building Engagement and Attainment for Minority Stu- dents (BEAMS) project, Lumina’s investments in data-driven campus change have been gratifying. In this issue of Lumina Foundation Lessons, we highlight the work of grantees at three distinct postsecondary institutions: Tallahassee Community College in Florida, Harry S Truman College in Chicago and the University of Southern Califor- nia. In unique and impressive ways, leaders from these insti- tutions are demonstrating that data can be the difference between a good and a great institution – between moder- ately successful students and those with the potential to be transformative leaders in their communities. As the new president and CEO of Lumina Foundation for Education, I celebrate these successes in our ongoing work to support data-driven decision making on campuses. I believe that data can be even more useful, however, when seen as a critical tool that helps to inform people who make decisions that can have a broad impact – including state and federal policymakers, influential experts in the field and many others. As we embark on the next phase of Lumina’s work to expand access and success beyond high school, we will be looking at new Lumina Foundation Lessons is an occasional publication and better ways that data can be used. Our goal is to foster in which we share the results of our grantees’ work. innovation and support scalable change, building on the excit- By thoughtfully evaluating the programs we fund ing successes of the grantees highlighted in this publication. and then sharing what we learn, we hope to broaden the impact of our grant making, while also boosting the effectiveness of the organizations and individuals who do the vital work of increasing students’ access to and success in college. Jamie P. Merisotis President and CEO Lumina Foundation for Education

’Equity for All’ at USC

Going under the microscope to create macro-level change

stela Mara Bensimon considers her work a return to her Eroots as a community organizer working on behalf of Puerto Rican youth in New Jersey’s poorest cities in the early 1970s. These days, Bensimon isn’t a street-level activist, she’s a researcher – the founding director of the Center for Urban Education (CUE) within the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. Still, CUE specializes in what Bensimon calls “action research” and reflects the professor’s determination “not to write anymore only for people like myself. I wanted to do something that brings about change.”

5 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 From offices high above USC’s cam- what to do with all of the information. The eight-member Long Beach evi- pus, Bensimon and her team are work- While enrollment and graduation data dence team examined the records on all ing to help colleges and universities usually are available by race and ethnic- 43,547 first-time college students come to grips with their shortcomings, ity, seldom do institutions look closely enrolled between 1999 and 2005. Han- especially in achieving equity for under- enough to identify which students dis- nah Alford, the college’s research ana- served minority students – not just appear into the lowest level of develop- lyst, ran the numbers and produced equity in admissions or in theory, but mental courses and never come out. PowerPoint slides with the raw data. “equality as a fact and equality as a As Marshall “Mark” Drummond, chan- The team sat around a table, and “ques- result,” as President Lyndon B. Johnson cellor of the Los Angeles City Colleges tions begat more questions,” says Fred put it in a famed 1965 commencement and former chancellor of the California Trapp, administrative dean for Institu- address at Howard University. Community Colleges system, puts it: tional Research and Academic Services. Bensimon’s path-finding work – first “Our ‘back door’ (is) much less diverse The biggest surprise was how many on her Diversity Scorecard project and and equitable than our ‘front door.’” students dropped off the radar screen now on an effort called Equity for All – The Equity for All project took Ben- just one or two courses shy of being has drawn national attention and the simon and her researchers out to a dozen ready to transfer to a four-year college. support of Lumina and other major community colleges in and around Los Many were stymied not by math, but foundations, including the James Irvine by requirements for courses on critical Foundation, the Ford Foundation and thinking and speech communication. the William and Flora Hewlett Founda- The pass rate in Beginning Algebra, the tion. It involves working closely with “These institutions lowest-level remedial course, was 35 faculty, counselors, deans and researchers percent. A third of those 43,547 enter- to mine their own institutional data were already diverse; ing students had indicated their goal about how many students move up the was to transfer to a four-year institution academic ladder, and to break down the they didn’t have a and earn a bachelor’s degree. But only data by race, ethnicity and gender. problem with access. 659 – 1.5 percent – made it in the six Bensimon is less concerned about the years that the LBCC team reviewed. large, four-year institutions and more The problem was One finding was particularly startling. worried about what happens at the There were 87 students who completed urban community colleges and compre- with success – and transfer requirements in three years – hensive universities that enroll minority practically warp speed at LBCC – but students in the largest numbers. “These no one was really who never transferred. They were institutions were already diverse; they looking at that.” dubbed “the missing 87.” didn’t have a problem with access. The “Equity for All gave us the validity problem was with success – and no one and credibility to move forward with was really looking at that,” says Bensi- Estela Mara Bensimon, this agenda,” says Leticia Suarez, dean mon, a native of Argentina whose fam- Center for Urban Education, for Learning Resources, Teaching and ily moved to New Jersey when she was University of Southern California Technologies. “Nobody could question 12. Now, thanks to CUE, more institu- this data. It was solid. And at the same tions are putting their data under the time, it was borne out by what the fac- microscope. More often than not, they Angeles. They trained “evidence teams” ulty and students themselves were are surprised by what they find – and of faculty and administrators on how to sift experiencing. We all knew this was motivated to do something about it. through existing data and raise new ques- happening, but now we know why.” “Researchers aren’t supposed to have tions. Invariably, there were big surprises. The numbers harvested for Equity for an agenda, but we do have an agenda,” Bensimon herself attended monthly All sent shock waves through the insti- says Bensimon. “Our agenda is to bring team meetings at Long Beach City College tution. The evidence team made pre- to light that there are inequalities and (LBCC), 25 miles down the freeway from sentations to different academic (to show) that something can be done Los Angeles. Almost two-thirds of Long departments and returned with requests about them.” Equity for All is not Beach’s 27,000 students are minorities; for more data. They published three merely a search for data. Indeed, it is one in three is Latino. Long Beach had newsletters explaining their findings. based on the idea that the most impor- tried to produce a student equity plan in Shauna Hagemann, counselor for Dis- tant thing is for a team of faculty, staff 2002, but faculty members were skepti- abled Students Programs and Services, and administrators to engage in the cal about the data the college produced. says, “We went through all of the process of inquiry, jointly deciding “Equity for All gave us the opportunity different phases: disbelief, shock, anger. what to look for and, ultimately, what to come at it fresh rather than revisit I found myself saying, ‘This can’t be to do about what they find. the heartaches of the earlier, failed true. These numbers cannot be true.’ In Bensimon’s view, colleges “are attempt,” says Linda Umbdenstock, Every time we saw a (new) slide from drowning in data” but clueless about administrative dean for planning. Hannah, it was a shock.”

6 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Estela Mara Bensimon, founding director of the Center for Urban Education (CUE) at the University of Southern California, is committed to the use of data to increase student success. English instructor Jordan Fabish leads a reading-development class at Long Beach City College, whose faculty members are embracing the Equity for All project.

Lee Douglas, head of the Center for the students, didn’t know where it was,” transfer to Cal State-Long Beach Learning Assistance Services, says: “We says English instructor Jordan Fabish. instead of UCLA. Juan Ruiz – a pseudo- were finding out this information our- For students who did find their way to nym used by Bensimon – told the inter- selves. We as a campus had ownership the center, there were limits on how viewers that he felt overwhelmed by the of it. It wasn’t some outside group com- many pages they could print out from grandeur of Royce Hall and other ing in and telling us what we should college Web sites, and the office space buildings on the UCLA campus, while do.” Suddenly, instead of waging a was shared with another program. Cal State-Long Beach “felt like a sec- defensive fight against the numbers, Students had to make appointments a ond home.” Ruiz said, “I thought I was faculty members were eager to learn week or two in advance for a 15- or 30- going to collapse on the UCLA pave- more. Long Beach Vice President Don minute appointment with a counselor. ment…It was just bad vibes.” Berz says: “It’s courageous for a college At university fairs, they could walk up Another honors student, Marisol to be willing to engage in this intro- to the California State University rep- Carrion (also a pseudonym), transferred spection and self-reflection.” LBCC resentatives, but they had to arrange in to Cal State-Fullerton, but quit after even invited leaders of other community advance to talk with admissions officers one semester and returned to LBCC to colleges to share what they were learning. from UCLA, Berkeley or other UC take child-development courses so she Long Beach staff members secured a campuses. For Bensimon, the data would qualify for a job as a teacher’s grant from the Hewlett Foundation to revealed not only a transfer gap but aide. Fullerton didn’t “feel right,” she take a closer look at “the missing 87.” what she calls a “choice gap.” Almost said. “They didn’t make it feel as homey They interviewed dozens of current or 200 of these 520 fast-track Long Beach as here. I just felt like it wasn’t where I former students, as well as faculty and students had grades that qualified them was supposed to be.” counselors. They were able to track for the more selective University of The one member of the “missing 87” down only one of the “missing 87,” California system, but only 40 actually who consented to being interviewed despite offering $30 and eventually $50 enrolled at Berkeley, UCLA, Irvine, was Raquel Roque (not her real name), gift cards as an inducement to partici- Santa Barbara or the rest. Long Beach’s who graduated in 2004 with an associ- pate. Many could not be found; home best students usually enrolled at a Cal ate’s degree in nursing and opted for a addresses had changed. Some did not State institution. hospital job. Roque was saving to want to talk about their Long Beach A Filipino honors student who return to college and was determined experience. But other students men- attended Long Beach on scholarship not to take out student loans. (After the tioned that the transfer center was hard from the Rotary Club and Bank of interview, she was admitted to Cal to find. “Most of the teachers, let alone America explained why he decided to State-Long Beach, with her hospital

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8 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Buildings just one sign of LA Southwest’s rebirth

Two years after the 1965 Watts riots, Los Angeles South- within five semesters. Eight of 91 Latino students (8.8 per- west College opened its doors to serve many of the city’s cent) made the grade. Only 41 of the original 1,169 develop- poorest neighborhoods. It’s still serving them, with a student mental English students (3.5 percent) passed college English. population of 6,000 that is 75 percent African-American and The team further found that, though 44 percent of Spanish- 19 percent Latino. The college, which sits on a 69-acre cam- speaking Latino students from basic-skills math class per- pus east of Los Angeles International Airport, today is under- sisted through five semesters, African-American and going a $65 million rebirth, with cement being poured and English-speaking Latinos persisted at only half that rate. new academic buildings rising at a furious pace. Gone are the Dean of Academic Affairs Dan Walden, the team leader, last World War II-era military bungalows. says it was “big news” to discover that only 7 percent of all The physical plant isn’t the only thing that needed work at students placed in developmental classes ever got to college- LA Southwest. With five of six entering students placed in level math or English. “This started opening a lot of eyes,” developmental English and math, the college long has strug- says Walden. “It wasn’t just something we sort of knew anec- gled with low student persistence and success rates. But an dotally; we actually had data on the page in front of us.” accreditation team that visited in March 2006 commended It typically takes 7.6 years for a student to earn an associ- LA Southwest “for moving toward a culture of evidence that ate’s degree at LA Southwest. “The majority of our students is being fostered by the increase in available quantitative data.” are part-time. They take a course, two courses, then they Some of that data came from its participation in the Equity stop out. They face all kinds of issues (including) children, for All project – and it informed a reorganization of staff. child care, transportation and basic subsistence,” says Daniels. Developmental communications instructors who had been Math Professor Ed Hector entered with the first class in in the English department now are part of a new Learning 1967 and graduated two years later. “I didn’t even take algebra Assistance Department. The handful of tenured English fac- in high school,” says Hector. But after Hector got a B in col- ulty still will be teaching some courses that start two steps lege algebra, the instructor convinced him he could become below college-level English. But students with the greatest a math major instead of a gym teacher. “I believed him,” says deficits – including some who read at third- and fourth-grade Hector. “Two and a half years later, I’m taking differential levels – will be placed in classes taught by developmental equations and integral calculus” at UCLA. Hector worked for reading specialists. Interim President Jack E. Daniels III says: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and IBM before joining the LA “We struggle with these titles just like the students. Some- Southwest faculty in 1995. He now has a doctorate in education. times they get smacked with that (basic skills) title, and they His classes fill up fast. “I’m a strong believer in using multi- don’t want to move on.” media and group collaborative learning,” Hector says. “I try The college’s Equity for All team tracked 747 students who to implement a whole gamut of things to create a learning signed up for developmental math and 1,169 in developmen- environment. It’s a nontraditional learning environment.” And tal English or English as a Second Language (ESL) in Fall he never forgets the impact that a few words from his math 2002. Of the 655 African-American students who started in professor had on him four decades ago. “A good instructor will basic-skills math, 36 (5.5 percent) passed college-level math affect students in ways he doesn’t even realize,” says Hector.

Dan Walden (center), dean of academic affairs at Los Angeles Southwest College, says the data produced by CUE experts such as Alicia Dowd (next to Walden) are “opening a lot of eyes” on his campus.

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paying part of her tuition.) Roque spoke highly of the job that the profes- sors in her honors classes and the Long Beach counselors did in encouraging students to transfer. But she added, “I guess it would help to nag a little more so students can’t miss it.” Matt Lawrence, an LBCC philosophy instructor, has moved beyond nagging. He got counselor Ruben Page to put all of the university transfer fliers into a PowerPoint show that he projected at the start of classes this fall. “The Miss- ing 87 project has helped us develop a bit more of a transfer culture and think critically about what we as individual faculty or administrators can do to make a difference,” says Lawrence. This fall he asked students to sign a contract Long Beach City College philosophy instructor Matt Lawrence (left), here promising to come see him if they with student Oscar Campos, says efforts to focus on outcomes data have failed the first exam or if they were helped create “more of a transfer culture” at the two-year college. considering dropping the class.

At Rio Hondo, empty parking lots spell trouble

Traffic is a nightmare at Rio Hondo College outside Los with African-American students the lowest, and Mexican-Ameri- Angeles during the first week of fall classes. Cars snake up can students rating the highest. The team looked at what happened and down the hillside drive, newly hired security guards in to the 9,545 first-time students ages 18 to 25 who entered the neon vests wave STOP signs, and anxious drivers nose down college in Fall 1998-2001. Half of the Mexican-American stu- the parking lot aisles, looking for a vacant spot. dents but only about 1 in 10 black students completed English But fast-forward a couple of months, and the parking prob- 101 and Math 100, the courses required to transfer. Ultimately, lems are gone long before the semester is over. Rio Hondo, a 527 students who entered in Fall 1998-2001 earned associ- largely Latino community college, is an Equity for All campus ate’s degrees, including 52 who started in basic-skills math. whose faculty and administrators share a passion for using Robert Holcomb, an associate professor of English as a data to improve opportunities and outcomes for students. But second language, says, “That jumped out at us: The lower no statistics are necessary to understand one important fact that students place in the basic-skills sequence, the longer it about Rio Hondo. Says Antonio Flores, dean of Counseling, takes and the less likely they are to go into freshman English Outreach and Matriculation: “When you have a full parking transfer-level courses. It’s kind of the law of diminishing returns,” lot four weeks into the semester, and it’s half empty by the says Gail Chabrán, dean of communications and languages. tenth, eleventh, twelfth week, something is not right.” “None of these things was shocking to us, but we’re constantly Rio Hondo served a mostly Anglo population when the looking for ways to eradicate some of the weaknesses.” Whittier, Calif., campus opened in 1961, but today the area Katie O’Brien, faculty counselor for Extended Opportunity is 70 percent Latino. Most Rio Hondo students place into Programs and Services, says: “So many of our conversations basic-skills math classes – the lowest level. Still, 718 of the led to more questions, really good questions. We wanted to 20,000 students completed an associate’s degree in 2005- delve into the data more.” Now, as a test site for the Califor- 2006, and hundreds more earned certificates in vocational nia Benchmarking Project, they will have that opportunity. programs from automotive technology to drafting to welding. “We have the data that show the baseline …, so now Rio Hondo persevered through Equity for All even though where do we want to go every year – and how do we get it had no bona fide institutional researcher during most of the there?” asks Flores, the dean of counseling. “Nobody’s think- work. The Rio Hondo team, led by Henry Gee, vice president ing we’re going to do something magical, but making small for Student and Community Services, found that the college’s steps and getting some small victories is important to get one-year persistence rate ranged from 21 percent to 36 percent, more people on board.”

1 0 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Los Angeles Southwest College mathematics Professor Ed Hector – a graduate of LA Southwest who went on to UCLA and later earned a doctorate in education – emphasizes collaborative learning in his classes.

Math instructor Kristin Hartford says of which now are undergoing badly lege and two other Equity for All cam- the project has “changed my function- needed face-lifts. Drummond left puses, Los Angeles Southwest College ing every day. It reminded me of all Sacramento in July to resume running and Rio Hondo College (see accompa- these little things I knew were impor- the 180,000-student Los Angeles Com- nying stories), are piloting the Califor- tant to students, but I lost focus of” – munity College District, the nation’s nia Benchmarking Project, in which including such details as the clarity of a largest. Drummond, a former business evidence teams will set goals for teacher’s handwriting on the board. professor and an ex-president of East- improving the pass rates of basic-skills Equity for All isn’t taking place in a ern Washington University, has an students in “gatekeeper courses,” intro- policy vacuum. Colleges in California MBA as well as a Ph.D. “I like to know ductory courses – often in math or Eng- and across the country are feeling the what’s going on,” he says. “I welcome lish – characterized by high enrollment heat from accreditors and regulators, who audits. If something’s wrong, I’d rather and high failure rates. The Hewlett and are demanding that institutions be more know about it (so I) … can get to the Ford foundations are underwriting the forthcoming about student performance. bottom of it and make things better.” work, which is being led by Bensimon’s Community colleges in California are “We should all be disaggregating and colleague, Alicia C. Dowd, an assistant required to prepare equity plans, and, finding out exactly what’s happening to professor at the Rossier School. in 2004, the state legislature created a these different groups of students,” he Bensimon says her projects help fac- performance-measurement system for the adds. In Los Angeles, “80 percent of our ulty “to become anthropologists, in a California Community Colleges (CCC). students are either Hispanic or African- way, of their own institutions” and to Last March CCC released the first American. If you’re dealing with a pop- look at institutional practices with new results in a 767-page report that includes ulation of that magnitude and it’s not eyes. “It’s normal to want to teach to the six pages of data and comparisons on succeeding, it seems like there’s a social students who are the smartest and are the state’s 109 two-year public colleges. responsibility to find out what’s going getting it, and to ignore the ones who As state chancellor, Drummond put on and why and fix it,” he says. seem to be falling behind,” adds the up $300,000 in matching funds to help For her part, Bensimon already has community organizer-turned-academic. launch Equity for All in 2004. He also embarked on the next stage of her “The problems we are dealing with can helped convince California voters to efforts to help colleges achieve what only be resolved in the classroom approve $2.1 billion in construction LBJ called “equality as a fact and equal- because that’s where a big part of the bonds for community colleges, many ity as a result.” Long Beach City Col- inequities are being created.”

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Chicago’s Harry S Truman College

Giving students a safe start inside a bilingual bubble

n a late August morning, in a gritty urban landscape two Ostops north of Wrigley Field on the Chicago Transit Authority’s elevated Red Line, two dozen would-be college students gather in an oasis of opportunity. At first glance, they seem unlikely scholars – 18- and 19-year-olds, most of them immigrants from Mexico and Latin America. Many are recent graduates from Chicago public high schools; others were plucked from GED classes taught in Spanish. They have limited English and even more limited means.

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Yet these students are bright, and from Truman with high honors. By they are eager for the academic journey Spring 2009, the evaluators projected, that will take many of them beyond almost a third of the original class (nine these streets, where condos and Star- of the first 28 students) and more than bucks outlets flank seedy hotels and half of the second (14 of 24) will have check-cashing parlors beneath the clat- earned a two-year degree and/or trans- tering “el” trains. The first stop on that ferred to a four-year college or university. journey – their oasis today and perhaps “Students’ lives have been positively for two years or even longer – is Harry influenced by teachers who take time S Truman College, a community col- to get to know them, challenge them lege with deep roots in this Uptown with new ideas and concepts, have an neighborhood. These two dozen stu- understanding of their life circumstances, dents have been recruited to form the demonstrate respect and dedication, and newest Transitional Bilingual Learning have an appreciation for their cultural Community (TBLC) at Truman. heritage,” wrote evaluators Lizanne The TBLC program, launched in DeStefano and Trinidad Molina Villegas. 2002, groups promising Latino students On this August morning, the newest into cohorts that take four credit-bear- group of TBLC recruits can already feel ing courses linked by a unifying theme. that positive influence. Classes are still Most TBLC members also receive a week away, but the students are Harold Washington Scholarships, a spending all morning in the fourth of City Colleges of Chicago award of full six orientation sessions here at Truman tuition for students who maintain a 3.0 College. Two women sit with their GPA and meet other high academic teenage daughters at tables arranged in a standards. Texts are in English, but horseshoe facing a half-dozen professors classes are initially taught in Spanish, and program leaders. A week earlier, at with the bilingual instructors gradually the first orientation, 10 proud parents switching to English by year’s end. accompanied their children, listening The idea is to create a safe and sup- attentively as the professors and TBLC portive early environment for these at- coordinator Carlos Martin spoke in risk students, to give them a head start Spanish and English about the program – in at least two ways: First, because they and about their own educational journeys. attend all classes with the same peers, “How come some people manage the students form bonds of mutual sup- con muchas cosas en contra” (against many port and assistance. Second, because of obstacles) while others slack off even if its bilingual nature, the program allows their parents are paying for college? students to earn college credits while instructor Elizabeth Iehl asks the class. they build their English-language skills “You have to be motivated,” says Iehl, a – not after those skills have been built in computer instructor and director of the non-credit, developmental courses. At Computerized Tutoring Center. “We will the end of their first two semesters at offer you a nice environment to study, Truman, TBLC students should have 24 but it is up to you....Concentrate on the to 30 credits in math, technology and goal. Be on time. Get the work done.” social science and also be ready to suc- Truman provides more than scholar- ceed in all-English courses. ships to help these students succeed. So far, according to a Lumina Martin, a Spaniard who first came to Juan Martinez (left), a Foundation-funded evaluation of the Truman as a fellow with the Kellogg native of Coacalco, Mexico, program, TBLC has shown promising Foundation’s ENgaging LAtino Com- talks with Carlos Martin, results. Evaluators from the University munities through Education (ENLACE) coordinator of the Transi- of Illinois recently reported that among initiative, now holds a permanent posi- tional Bilingual Learning the first 124 students, 87 percent fin- tion in Truman’s Student Success and Community (TBLC) at Truman ished the one-year program and stayed Leadership Institute. Martin regularly College. Martinez, who at Truman. As of Spring 2007, 17 from scouts for talent in Chicago high schools completed the TBLC program the first three TBLC classes had com- and spots promising students in Truman’s in 2005, was later elected pleted associate’s degrees, and seven GED classes. He personally serves as student body president at had transferred to four-year institutions the TBLC students’ chief adviser, the Chicago college. in the Chicago area. Seven graduated ombudsman, advocate and mentor. Helen Valdez (right), chair of the math department at Truman College, encourages TBLC students to “take as much math as possible.” At least one of her charges, Miriam Heligio, is certainly following that advice. She wants to be a math teacher.

It is no coincidence that a TBLC English teacher Kimberly Steffen support that a majority of our students alumnus, Juan F. Martinez, 27, from tells the group that she will be teaching don’t get,” says Steffen. Coacalco, Mexico, was elected presi- them in one of Truman’s “Studio Class- Helen Valdez, chair of the math dent of the Truman student government rooms,” which make heavy use of lap- department at Truman and TBLC pro- this year. Nor is it coincidental that top computers, small-group instruction gram director, urges students to follow Martinez and other TBLC students and tutors. “This is a great program. If in her footsteps. “A lot of opportunities have founded a service organization you take advantage of it, you can really are available for those who will not let called Latinos United for Education do well. It’s hard to go to school, to math hold them back,” she tells the (LUFE), which sponsors cultural events, work, to have a family – I don’t know audience. “You really should take as much films and workshops. all your situations – but we offer the math as possible – and science, if you’re

1 6 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 inclined. There are great opportunities In this, TBLC’s sixth year, Martin for scholarships and internships.” Part concedes the program has not yet pro- of their education will also be exploring “What you have an duced a four-year college graduate, the National Museum of Mexican Art though Truman officials expect that to (formerly the Mexican Fine Arts Center opportunity to do is happen this winter. “The transition is Museum) that Valdez helped found in to select something taking longer than we thought, but the the early 1980s with fellow teachers pipeline definitely has been strength- from Bowen High School. to do in life so that ened,” Valdez says later. Elena Berezaluce Mulcahy, a retired Even with classes clustered in the Truman administrator and former head Monday mornings are morning so afternoons are free for of bilingual education for Chicago’s study and part-time work, it will take public schools, tells the young people not horrible for you. these students years to amass enough that where she grew up, “going to work You can get yourselves credits to transfer to a four-year institu- was a chore. Everybody dreaded Monday tion. “Life gets in the way of their mornings. What you have an opportu- into positions that ambitions,” says Mulcahy. If they do as nity to do is to select something to do most of the 124 students in the five pre- in life so that Monday mornings are not you will love and vious TBLC classes did, most will revert horrible for you. You can get yourselves to part-time status after the first year. into positions that you will love and that will make you Their grades – usually 3.0 or better in that will make you feel fulfilled.” feel fulfilled.” the first semester – will slip, which The students listen raptly. No one means they stand to lose the Harold seems to notice when the orientation Washington Scholarship. Pregnancies, runs 30 minutes beyond its allotted two too, keep some from earning a degree. Elena Berezaluce Mulcahy hours. Toward the end, the students – Eleven percent of the female students Retired Truman College administrator Gabriela, Silvia, Marisol, Airon, Nathali, in past TBLC groups became pregnant Franco, Lucia, Yuliana, Miriam and oth- sometime after their first year. ers from across Mexico, Guatemala and to Northwestern University and The name of Harry Truman is hal- elsewhere in Latin America – speak of become a dentist. Others have nursing lowed in community college circles. their aspirations. A young woman careers in their sights; one wants to President Truman commissioned a higher wants to be an elementary school become a pharmacist, and another is education panel in 1947 that first gave teacher. Another, to Valdez’ delight, is interested in computer science. currency to the term “community college,” determined to teach math. A young The students have lofty goals, yet and Truman helped lay the groundwork man from Uruguay aspires to transfer they face long odds. for the postwar growth of these institutions.

Truman College Interim President Lynn Walker praises the bilingual learning community program as “a grassroots effort that combines our faculty, our community and our students.”

1 7 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Today they enroll almost half of all U.S. undergraduates. Fittingly, busts and drawings of Harry Truman occupy places of honor in the Truman College Data Quality Campaign lobby, and the college has a personal connection with the 33rd president as well: Grandson Clifton Truman Daniel is director of public relations at Truman, Among education reformers, the impor one of seven colleges in the City Col- leges of Chicago system. weather: Everybody talks about it, but Last fall, 4,700 of Truman’s 12,700 students were degree-seeking students. That is, until the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) came along. Four out of five attend part time, and For the past two years, this small but potent initiative has almost half are Latino. Students typically mounted a savvy crusade to unite the major players in the edu- are in their late 20s. The graduation rate cation world – governors, state education officers, higher edu- for the first-time freshmen who enrolled cation chancellors and more – in a single-minded effort to allow full-time in 2003 was 15 percent; for all state information networks and systems to talk to each other. students, it was 5 percent. The graduation The organizer for this campaign is Aimee R. Guidera, who rate was 9 percent for white, non-Latino says: “We are data-rich but information-poor in this country.” It students, 5 percent each for Latino and is a battlefield conversion of sorts for this veteran policy wonk, Asian students, and 3 percent for African- who confesses: “I was always one of those people writing in my American students. The college’s retention reports that ‘data matter’ and ‘you can’t change what you can’t rate was 44 percent for full-time students measure,’ but never giving it more than a paragraph.” and 30 percent for part-time students. The National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA), Like many community colleges, which a think tank based in typically serve students who face signif- Austin, Texas, helped icant barriers to success, Truman wants to launch the campaign in improve those statistics – and the TBLC 2005 with support from The federal No Child program is a step toward that goal. the Bill & Melinda Gates Left Behind law has “There’s no other program like Foundation. “My organi- TBLC in the City Colleges,” says Lynn zation (NCEA) was made school officials Walker, Truman’s interim president. really frustrated with the “We’re really proud of its accomplish- quality of data coming hungry for better data, ments. It’s a grassroots effort that com- out of states, and we but “in higher bines our faculty, our community and found that a lot of other our students. Truman’s always been an policy organizations felt education, we do not innovator in terms of the creativity of the same way,” says our faculty, technology and pedagogy.” Guidera. have that corresponding Sharon Todd, the institution’s director Soon 14 managing sense of urgency. of grants, calls it being “Trumanized.” partners (see accompa- This openness to new ideas is seen in nying list) were gathered We need it.” the quick launch of the TBLC program under the DQC’s big in 2002. “We got the idea in May 2002 tent and putting their and had the program going full-tilt that stamp on a 10-point Michael Sessa, fall,” recalls Mulcahy. The college’s campaign to improve the Postsecondary Electronics penchant for innovation is also evident production and sharing Standards Council in the rapid expansion of the Studio of vital information Classroom approach – with heavy use about students and the of laptops and tutors available within schools and colleges they attend. “It’s an amazing partnership,” larger classes to work individually with says Guidera. “Absolutely nothing goes out with the DQC logo students. “We just jumped up and did on it unless every single organization has signed off, shaped it it,” says Todd, a Truman alumna whose and made it their own.” heritage is part Native American. The DQC is pushing states to have longitudinal data systems Truman once had a special program in place by 2009 to track the performance of individual students serving Native students whose families all along the education pipeline. It has laid down what it calls had moved to this section of Chicago the 10 essential elements of such systems: in the 1950s and 1960s.

Continued on Page 20

1 8 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 wages war on information poverty tance of gathering good data recalls Mark Twain’s quip about the nobody does anything about it.

1. A unique statewide student identifier from pre-K through The DQC director, who cut her teeth on education policy work Grade 12. with the National Governors Association, sees big challenges 2. Student-level enrollment, demographic and program- ahead. Perhaps the biggest hurdle to be cleared is to allay fears participation information. about privacy while modifying the Family Educational Rights 3. Ability to match students’ test records from year to year to and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) so it doesn’t impede school- measure academic growth. improvement efforts. “We need to respect basic privacy tenets, 4. Information on untested students. but at the same time, we need to update that law,” says Guidera. 5. A teacher identifier system with the ability to match Recently, with support from Lumina Foundation and the teachers to students by classroom and subject. Gates Foundation, the DQC has initiated talks among educa- 6. Transcript information, including courses completed and tion policymakers and funding organizations about the need to grades earned. align the largely separate data systems for pre-K-to-12 and 7. Student scores on college-readiness tests (SAT, ACT, higher education. At a June 2007 DQC conference held at the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and others). U.S. Department of Education, Michael Sessa, executive direc- 8. Complete graduation and dropout rates. tor of the Postsecondary Electronics Standards Council, said 9. Ability to match students’ records from pre-K to K-12 to that the federal No Child Left Behind law has made school offi- postsecondary systems. cials hungry for better data, but “in higher education, we do not 10. State audit systems to verify data accuracy and quality. have that corresponding sense of urgency. We need it.” Larry Fruth, a former science teacher and Ohio education This summer, the Institute of Education Sciences within the official who heads the Schools Interoperability Framework U.S. Department of Education awarded $62 million in grants to Association, likens the current difficulties of incompatible data 13 state education departments to help them build longitudinal systems to the situation in which 19th century railroads ran on data systems. If states want answers to questions such as: different-width tracks before the British gauge of 4 feet 8½ “Which schools and classrooms produce the greatest academic inches was adopted as the standard. growth for students? What teacher-training programs have the “All the tracks should be the same width,” Fruth told the greatest impact on student achievement or what percentage of DQC conference. “Of all the visions of grandeur you hear in high school graduates take remedial classes in college?” they education for e-learning (and) autonomous learning,” interoper- need much better information systems than those that now ability is the key, Fruth says. It’s “not sexy,” but without it “you exist in most states, Guidera argues. can’t put those other pieces into play.”

Data-driven partners The 14 organizations that constitute the managing partnership of the Data Quality Campaign are: Achieve Inc., the Alliance for Excellent Education, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Education Commission of the States, The Education Trust, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Association of System Heads, the National Center for Educational Accountability, the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, the NGA Center for Best Practices, the Schools Interoperability Framework Association, Standard & Poor’s School Evaluation Serv- ices, the State Educational Technology Directors Association, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers.

1 9 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Continued from Page 18

At Truman, and at many community four years ago; and sisters Johana and colleges, the non-credit and credit Jazmin Medrano, also from Mexico. tracks are different worlds, and Latinos Sanchez, who came to Chicago two are overrepresented in the adult educa- years ago at age 17, learned about TBLC tion, General Educational Development when Carlos Martin spoke in his ESL class. (GED) and English as a Second Lan- “After he was done, I asked for information, guage (ESL) courses. That is why and he told me I could get a scholarship TBLC, with just 25 students a year, has with my GED score,” says Sanchez, who been watched so closely and engen- fixes computers on the side. “For me, the dered such support at Truman. best part of TBLC is the scholarship. Some of the biggest boosters are the Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to study.” students from the first TBLC classes, Luz Solis chimes in: “The scholarship dozens of whom are still working on was important, but the other thing for their associate’s degrees. Several spoke me was that the program was in Span- on a panel to the new TBLC students on ish and English, with a lot of support. the first day of orientation, returning a That was really good for me. At that week later to speak with a visitor about time I thought I could not do it in what the program has meant in their English only.” lives. Among them were Luz Solis from Martinez, 27, also learned about the the 2004-05 group, a Mexico City native opportunity while taking ESL and GED who does kitchen work at Comiskey classes in Spanish at Truman. Martinez Park in the summer; Christian Sanchez had taken some psychology classes at a (2005-06) of Guayaquil, Ecuador, who university in Mexico and scored high wants to become an electrical engineer; enough on the GED that Martin Juan F. Martinez (2004-05), the student offered him a scholarship. “This is my body president who came from Mexico last semester here,” says Martinez, who wants to become a clinical psychologist. Johana, 22, the younger of the Medrano sisters, went through the pro- gram in 2003-04, two years before her older sister. Martin recruited Johana when she made the National Honor Society during her first and only year in Chicago’s Roberto Clemente High School. An engaging young woman, she works as a bank teller and has used the French she learned at Truman to when she first arrived in Chicago at help customers who speak that language. 19 with little knowledge of English. “I really liked (TBLC) and I learned a “I thought I was just going to take ESL lot of things. I’m still here at Truman classes and work,” she says. TBLC because I haven’t been full time all “helped me to think more in the future. those semesters,” says Johana. “When With the TBLC, I learned that there are I started at TBLC, the sociology and more opportunities, even though Eng- math classes were in Spanish. I didn’t lish is not your first language.” even notice when they changed to just The students spoke highly of how English. It was very helpful.” She hopes TBLC taught them to work as a group. to transfer next year to nearby Kendall Their core classes, including sociology, College to earn a degree in culinary arts. are organized around a central theme Jazmin Medrano, 26, expects to earn such as Uptown: Immigration and Neighborhood an associate’s degree next May and aims Change and Chicago, Latinos and its Neigh- to transfer to the University of Illinois- borhoods, and students go out in groups to Chicago, to the UI campus in Urbana- explore the surrounding neighborhoods. Champaign or to Northwestern “I really like to work with a team, not With help from the bilingual program, University to become a Spanish individually. It’s one of the things TBLC Uruguay native Franco Fernandez teacher. Jazmin, now president of the teaches,” says Johana Medrano. “You’re hopes to transfer to Northwestern student organization LUFE, says that not the only one who can come up with University and study dentistry. she had no thoughts of going to college ideas. We can learn from each other.”

2 0 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Jazmin Medrano (in blue shirt), president of Latinos United for Education (LUFE), leads a meeting of the group as they plan campus activities for Hispanic Heritage Month. Medrano, 26, plans to earn a four-year degree and become a Spanish teacher.

TBLC alumni echo Johana’s positive Johana. “It’s very hard to study and well as thriving; they want to retain views on peer learning – and at least one work at the same time.” their heritage, but they’re also looking graduate of the program takes it even a Another area for improvement – one ahead – to places far beyond the reach step further as he offers encouragement that TBLC students mentioned again of the Red Line trains. to those following in his footsteps. “We and again in response to survey ques- “I would like to mention something,” feel like a family. We are like a family,” tions posed by University of Illinois says Jazmin Medrano. “I believe TBLC says Luz Solis. “We feel like we are models evaluators – concerns the next step teaches students how to adjust to the for them. It’s another good thing about along the academic road: transfer to a culture. It teaches you that it’s OK to TBLC. It is a good bridge for people four-year institution. “(I need) more study and use your language, but at the who want to start a college education.” information about how to transfer to same time it teaches that you have to These self-confident students are the university,” read a typical response. learn English; you have to understand learning leadership skills as well as aca- “At this point, I do not know how or the American society in order to become demics at Truman. When asked how what I need in order to do so.” Another a successful person. It’s wonderful to the TBLC program might be improved, student urged: “Definitely (give me) speak your language and be proud of the students answered with one voice: more information about how I can the country you are from,” she says. more scholarships. “A lot of students transfer to a university.” “But also it’s part of your responsibility as work more than they study,” explains Clearly, these students are striving as an immigrant to adjust to the culture.”

2 1 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8

Tallahassee Community College

Keeping students’ eyes on the prize – through every lens possible

y almost any measure, Tallahassee Community College (TCC) is Bnot your typical community college. The 258-acre campus is a showcase in Florida’s capital, with architecture and facilities that many four-year institutions would envy. Half of its 14,000 students attend full time. They come from across the state, many straight from high school with hopes that TCC will be their steppingstone to nearby Florida State University. The FSU student newspaper is distributed in boxes on the TCC campus. The 2,016 associate’s degrees that TCC awarded in 2005-06 placed it in the top 20 of the nation’s 1,200 community colleges. Almost 500 of those degrees went to African-American students; only 10 community colleges awarded more.

2 3 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 But what has really enhanced Talla- selected in the first round of colleges to Latino. Sharon Jefferson, vice president hassee Community College’s reputation participate in Achieving the Dream: for student affairs, says a team of TCC lately is the very public way it has owned Community Colleges Count – a national faculty and administrators returned to up to shortcomings and mounted initiative aimed at improving success rates campus fired up from the first national efforts to improve student success rates. of community college students, particu- Achieving the Dream conference and Spurred by President William D. Law larly students of color, first-generation decided to learn everything they could Jr., TCC has overhauled its orientation students and low-income students. A about the class that entered in 2003. and advising to help keep more stu- central tenet of the initiative is that it “We pulled together deans, directors, dents on track and has installed early- seeks to build a “culture of evidence” registrars, everybody who had some- warning signals that alert professors within community colleges. Achieving thing to do with these numbers and and counselors at the first signs of trou- the Dream – launched with Lumina asked: ‘What are they telling us? How ble. TCC requires students who place Foundation funding on 27 community many of these students were college- into two remedial courses to take a college campuses in five states – has ready?’” she recalls. College Success class. More than 2,800 since grown to include more than 80 Law preached the gospel that student students were enrolled in 103 sections colleges in 15 states. Conceived and success was everybody’s responsibility of that course last year. implemented by a partnership that and suggested that the best measure of Law, a New Yorker who earned his success was how many students fin- doctorate at Florida State and worked ished the courses they started. “Every on higher education governance for the intervention we had was predicated on Florida legislature and the state’s board low GPAs. Wrong indicator. The inter- of regents, returned to Tallahassee in ventions should be on successful com- 2002 after leading community colleges pletion of courses,” says Law. In a in Illinois and Texas. This was no turn- report immediately shared with its around assignment; TCC was flourish- board of trustees, TCC found that 80 ing. But Law also sensed that “we were percent of students who dropped no not very introspective. We were good more than one course in their first because we knew we were good.” semester returned for a second semes- TCC knew surprisingly little about ter. But those who dropped two or the students who didn’t make it through more had an 80 percent likelihood of to transfer to Florida State, Florida A&M not returning. TCC quickly moved to and other four-year universities. “We make tutors and extra labs available in weren’t capturing any information to the classes where most students were advise our decision making,” Law recalls. stumbling; they also harnessed technol- “We did not know what paths students ogy to provide early warnings for fac- were taking, and where the choke points ulty and counselors. were. We had no data on students. Our “The challenge for all of us at TCC is systems essentially fed state reports. There’s Sheri Rowland, director of the Student not to settle for just the one who gets a big difference between state reports Success Center at Tallahassee Com- through to graduation, but to ask: and management data on which you’re munity College, focuses intently on ‘What about the five, the 10, the 15 left going to organize and assess programs.” students who are in danger of being behind?’” says Sheri L. Rowland, direc- To begin the shift toward a more “left behind.” tor of the Student Success Center. strategic use of data, Law brought in “When you have a staff of 12 or 14 Kay McClenney, director of the Com- includes eight nonprofit organizations, counselors and 14,000 students, you munity College Survey of Student Achieving the Dream is now supported don’t have to be a mathematician to fig- Engagement (CCSSE) at the University by 19 funding organizations whose ure out that there aren’t enough hours of Texas at Austin. She spoke with the combined support for the initiative in a year’s time for us to serve that many faculty about the growing movement totals nearly $100 million. (See Pages students one on one.” Rowland adds: for accountability in higher education 26 and 27 for more details.) “We have wonderful, committed coun- and told them how the best institutions Looking back on TCC’s entry into selors who really believe in student were gleaning information from assess- the initiatve, Law says: “It could not service. The difficulty has been in mov- ments to improve teaching and learn- have come at a better time for us.” In ing them out of the old way of doing ing. A few faculty members may have 2004, Law had already set TCC’s sights things, into using technology… (and) wondered what all the fuss was about, on enrolling more students from rural, moving from individual, face-to-face but most bought into Law’s vision for neighboring Gadsden County, the counseling sessions into group advising.” making a good college even better. poorest county in Florida. TCC’s Here, as elsewhere, the demands of This new direction gained further enrollment is 57 percent white, 32 college often come as a shock to traction in 2004, when TCC was percent African-American and 6 percent first-year students who did well in high

2 4 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Tallahassee Community College President William D. Law Jr. says the data-driven nature of the Achieving the Dream initiative “could not have come at a better time for us.” school. After earning good grades in Plantation, Fla., James Emerson, 20, was surprised to land in developmental Achieving the Dream seeks reading and math at TCC. Fortunately for him, Emerson was randomly selected to be in the cohort of 216 “Dream Big: Achieving the Dream” stu- The 27 original community colleges in dents who received extra counseling and help. “At first I thought it was a bad thing: ‘What did I do?’” Emerson their five-year journeys to help more relates. But he soon felt otherwise. His group received what Sharon certificates. The effort has expanded Jefferson calls “intrusive advisement,” including tips on time management and test-taking skills, as well as regular digging deeply into data to figure out encouragement to get involved in stu- dent activities and invitations to events on campus. A fourth round of colleges was added in April, along with a “The program keeps your morale up,” dozen new funders. With Lumina Foundation’s recent $18 mil- Emerson says. “I met periodically with lion pledge to extend its involvement in Achieving the Dream my guidance counselor. We would go through 2012, Lumina and its partners now have committed over things and fill out the success upwards of $100 million to this effort to improve student suc- checklist. It kept me focused.” Emer- cess by helping two-year institutions embrace “the culture of son’s first-semester grades (a 3.7 GPA) evidence.” Now organizers and funders are starting to talk about were his best since elementary school. the next phase: a A close friend didn’t fare nearly so well. national expansion that “My roommate didn’t really have anyone would allow all 1,200 “The theory behind to go over stuff with him. He registered U.S. community colleges for classes, his guidance counselor told to benefit from the Achieving the Dream him what was needed, but that was basi- Achieving the Dream is that careful analysis cally it,” says Emerson. The roommate model, which uses data to develop strategies for of hard data will lead Continued on Page 28 improved rates of stu- dent success. college administrators, “A committee of the faculty and staff to national partner organi- zations is working on fig- accept some responsi- uring out what the next iteration might be,” says bility and ask what they Carol Lincoln of MDC themselves might do Inc., a North Carolina- based nonprofit that differently to lead to serves as the initiative’s managing partner. When better outcomes.” Achieving the Dream does ramp up, it proba- Tom Brock, MDRC bly will rely less on foun- dation grants and more on the colleges and states themselves paying for the work. That work includes bringing in data “coaches” to advise an institution’s president, faculty and staff on how to disaggregate data and communicate what they learn to wider audiences. And what about the pioneers of this approach? Kristi Dewanti, a native of Indonesia, MDRC and the Community College Research Center at praises TCC’s College Success course Columbia University’s Teachers College last spring published a as “really helpful” in easing her 157-page evaluative report of the early results being shown by transition to a new academic setting. the initiative’s 27 original Achieving the Dream campuses.

2 6 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 to stem traffic out colleges’ side doors

the Achieving the Dream initiative are past the midpoint of low-income and minority students stay in college and earn degrees and to 83 campuses in 15 states where faculty and administrators are why so many students exit college too soon.

The report, Building a Culture of Evidence for Community Community College Sur- College Student Success: Early Progress in the Achieving the vey of Student Engage- Dream Initiative, documents baseline student performance and ment (CCSSE), a project early developments in the first two years of a five-year commit- of the Community College ment. One of its findings is that students on these campuses Leadership Program at “are struggling academically.” Only one in nine who started in the University of Texas at 2002 earned a diploma or credential within three years, and one Austin. CCSSE surveyed in five of those referred to developmental math and one in three students from more than referred to developmental English passed those courses in that 500 community colleges time frame. Seventy percent of students who began in 2002 last spring. The survey’s returned for the second semester, but fewer than 25 percent primary aim is to provide were still around two years later. The colleges found gaps in institutions with informa- achievement by racial and ethnic groups, with some gaps running tion to bolster student counter to what was expected. Latino students persisted at learning and retention. higher rates than white and African-American students, but that When CCSSE was persistence did not translate into degree completion. launched in 2001 with Tom Brock of MDRC, the lead evaluator, says faculty mem- support from Lumina and Tom Brock of MDRC, who is bers and administrators at these institutions often were sur- other foundations, com- leading the evaluation of prised by how many students were failing or giving up. The munity college presidents the Achieving the Dream theory behind Achieving the Dream is that careful analysis of insisted on making all of initiative, praises the hard data will lead college administrators, faculty and staff to the data public. Kay participating colleges, accept some responsibility and ask what they themselves might McClenney, director of calling them “trend-setters.” do differently to lead to better outcomes, Brock says. He CCSSE, says their rea- applauds these colleges for being willing to break down their soning was that community colleges “are overwhelmingly pub- data by race, ethnicity, gender, income and other factors and lic institutions. They are going to be held accountable, but they go public with the results. “These colleges are trend-setters,” should be held accountable for the right stuff… (namely) the says Brock. quality of the education experience that students encounter The courage of these institutions is reinforced by George when they show up on the campus.” Both CCSSE and Achiev- Kuh, chancellor’s professor of higher education at Indiana Uni- ing the Dream strive to deliver better data to college adminis- versity and director of IU’s Center for Postsecondary Research trators and faculty, who can use that information to develop an and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Kuh institution’s strategies for improved student performance. says increased accountability “is the way of the world,” but “Somehow, we’ve managed to get by for a long time without adds: ”Higher education has been one of the last adopters of seriously looking at the truth of what happens to students” at this mantra.” More than 600 colleges and universities take part community colleges, says McClenney, who is a coach for sev- in NSSE, which surveys freshmen and seniors to gauge what eral Achieving the Dream colleges. “Typically, community col- they gain from attending college. NSSE, first piloted in 1999, lege people are there because they want students to have better seeks to give institutions information they can use to improve chances in life.” Data that raises questions about their own per- the undergraduate experience. formance “may cause them a little angst,” McClenney admits. Two-year colleges, which enroll 6.5 million students, are “But pretty quickly, they are going to roll up their sleeves and learning much about themselves from a companion effort, the say: ‘OK, now what can we do about this?’”

2 7 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Continued from Page 26 wound up dropping a couple of classes degree in computer studies. She doesn’t TCC is moving on other fronts to and wasting Florida prepaid-tuition funds have a car, but she’s never failed to catch bolster retention and success rates. on which his family had counted. the bus in time to reach the all-commuter Starting in Fall 2006, it required 8,000 “College can get rough sometimes,” campus. “I never miss my classes. I just students – two out of three – to com- says Emerson, who plans to become a think if I miss a class, it’s going to make plete individual learning plans. The marriage counselor. “It’s good to have me miserable. This is not my first lan- plans were mandatory for all first-time somebody there to let you know, ‘OK, guage,” she says with determination. students, as well as for those in honors you might be slipping now, but you can Tallahassee is still tracking the per- or developmental courses, those in the still go and achieve what you need to formance of its Achieving the Dream Achieving the Dream cohorts, interna- get better grades.’” students in comparison with a control tional students, disabled students, those Kristi Dewanti, 25, from Jakarta, group that received no extra services. who had dropped 25 percent of the Indonesia, was also in an Achieving the Since students customarily take several courses they had attempted, and any- Dream cohort, although she hardly years to complete an associate’s degree one with a GPA below 2.0 after 46 seems to need an extra push. Back or transfer to a four-year institution, it is credit hours. home in Indonesia she worked as a sec- unclear how much difference the extra This summer TCC extended orienta- retary for the manager of a U.S. counseling and services have made. tion from a half day to a full day, sched- Agency for International Development But as of September 2007, here is uling scores of sessions from late May project, and the manager sponsored her where things stand for the 1,712 stu- through August. It also overhauled its to study in the United States. dents who enrolled as first-time, full- computer systems and Web portals. At Dewanti, who has a 3.6 GPA and works time freshmen in Fall 2003: Tallahassee, the students not only have for the international student affairs 374 or 21.8 percent already graduated. TCC e-mail addresses, but also – office, took both ESL and a remedial 185 (10.8 percent) still enrolled. through a program called TCC Pass- English course, as well as the College 254 (14.8 percent) not enrolled for port – they can personalize their own Success course. “It was really helpful,” the current semester. Web pages, complete with blogs and says Dewanti, who plans to return to 899 (52.5 percent) dropped out, pictures, much like Facebook. Indonesia after earning a bachelor’s including 334 after the first semester. TCC Passport has a more serious purpose, too. As William Campman, vice president for information technol- ogy, explains, the new system allows the college to track student use of online resources, including online tutoring and learning centers. Students and counselors have access to the stu- dent’s full academic record, and an elec- tronic “dashboard” prominently features green, yellow and red traffic lights to let students know where they stand on registration, paying for classes and meeting degree requirements. Says Law: “We know a lot about our students that we didn’t used to tell them. Now everything we know about a student shows up in that student’s portal. The student has access to his or her whole record. When the faculty member sits down with a student, the record is fully available to both parties.” Chemistry professor and science department Chair Carol Zimmerman, who helped pilot the system last year, found that the technology helped her stay in closer contact with her advisees. Before classes start, faculty members get e-mails from the counseling center William Campman (left), vice president for information technology, worked listing the names of students who require to create TCC Passport – a Web portal that gives President Law and other TCC extra attention. “The memo will say: staff a full picture of each student’s academic progress. ‘These are your first-time-in-college

2 8 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Carol Zimmerman (center), chemistry professor and science department chair at TCC, helps students Shieta McKenzie (left) and Danielle Koehler prepare for an upcoming test. Zimmerman says the TCC Passport portal’s early-warning system helps her do a better job with her advisees. students, and these are the ones to worry ‘Can you go in and see that teacher? Is Law has convinced faculty and staff about.’ Because, if they can get a couple of there anything you can do to pull that up?’” of the power of data to improve out- semesters under their belt, they are more Janita Patrick, TCC’s Achieving the comes. “We are no longer afraid of likely to stay in and graduate,” says Dream director, says, “We’re now put- numbers,” insists TCC’s president. “We Zimmerman. A few weeks into the semes- ting all these components and things understand that is actually how you ter, instructors add comments to TCC we’ve learned together into a package, make progress. In fact, it’s the only way Passport that explain how these students so from application to graduation there professionals are going to change their are doing in their classes. Both the student are steps and signposts and milestones opinion, when credible information and the counseling staff see the feedback. for the students. The dashboard (on the challenges what they believe. Zimmerman liked the approach so student Web pages) lets them know all “Community colleges have lived on much that she helped her other advisees the things they have to do. Just because access,” Law adds. “We pride ourselves draw up individual learning plans. “You you’re green now, two months from on giving people a second and third could see this moving into the whole now you could be in the yellow. There chance. We’re proud that the poorest advising system,” she says. “We can are always more greens, yellows and kids can get here. We ought to be proud check to see if they have any warnings. reds they have to go through. We’re of that. But it’s not enough. If it was If we see a bad grade, we can ask them: measuring along the way.” ever enough, it’s not enough today.”

2 9 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Epilogue: Shift in the use of data is

By Davis Jenkins Senior Research Associate, Community College Research Center

n the past, the focus of research by numbers of students who might not most public colleges and universities otherwise pursue higher education. The Ihas been on providing “snapshots” of increased attention that many commu- how many students are coming through nity colleges are now paying to student the door and how many are graduating. progression is great news. It offers This attention to enrollments and promise that postsecondary success degrees awarded is not surprising. rates among traditionally underserved Enrollments are a key basis by which students might increase. higher education funding is determined Several forces underlie this trend. in most states. In addition, colleges First of all, families have a greater stake understandably want to celebrate their in college completion than ever before – successes. As a result, public institutions both because of rising college costs and of higher education have traditionally the increasing economic benefits that a collected data for two primary pur- college degree affords. Policymakers, poses: first, to comply with government too, want assurances that the invest- reporting requirements, and second, to ment of public funds is paying off in promote themselves through public terms of increased numbers of qualified relations and fundraising. graduates. Also, accreditation agencies, The projects profiled in this publica- spurred by policymakers and the pub- tion reflect a trend whereby public col- lic, are putting much more pressure on leges and universities are increasingly institutions to provide evidence of using data and research for another pur- learning by all students, particularly by pose: to improve student success and those who face barriers to success. As institutional performance. They are postsecondary education becomes part of a larger movement to focus on increasingly essential for our individual student outcomes, not just enrollments. and collective prosperity, public col- With this new emphasis on outcomes, leges and universities are recognizing colleges and state higher education that they cannot fulfill their mission if agencies are now examining what hap- large numbers of students fail to com- pens to all of their students, not just plete a program of study. those who succeed. They are tracking That’s why colleges that are serious the progression of entering students to about achieving substantial improve- locate “leakage points” where students ments in student outcomes are focusing tend to struggle; they also are identify- squarely on student-outcomes data. ing gaps in achievement among differ- They’re making this information the ent student groups, such as students of basis for academic program review, color or older, “nontraditional” students. strategic planning and, ultimately, Longitudinal cohort analysis of this budgeting, so that resources are sort helps move discussions of student directed to programs and practices success beyond anecdotes. It dispels shown to enhance student success. the myths that abound on campuses They are also creating data “portals” about why many students falter, and it that allow students to monitor their focuses attention on what the institu- progress and take greater responsibility tion can do to help them succeed. The for their own learning. involvement of a growing number of This trend toward examining pro- community colleges in these efforts is gression and outcomes for students especially significant because these generally discourages the all-too-com- institutions play an important role in mon tendency for colleges to imple- providing “open door” access to large ment “boutique” programs that serve good news for students

relatively few students. Instead it within and across departments – faculty not only within institutions, but across encourages them to consider systemic collaborating with counselors and educational systems. Some states are changes in practice, such as rethinking remedial faculty working with faculty already taking steps in this direction, orientation and advising processes, in college-level programs – to figure but for these efforts to have a broad aligning remedial and college-level out why some students are not succeed- impact, leadership is needed at multiple curricula, and setting clear learning ing and to identify ways to help stu- levels: superintendents and school boards, outcomes for courses – changes that dents overcome barriers to success. college leaders and boards, and state have potential to benefit students on The Transitional Bilingual Learning agency officials, legislators and governors. a large scale. Community at Harry S Truman College The Data Quality Campaign (see These developments have put pres- (see Page 12) is an example of a product Page 18) is seeking to build support sure on higher education institutions to of this sort of collaboration – in this among policymakers for tracking stu- strengthen their information systems case focused on helping students with dents across the educational continuum and research capacity. They are also language barriers make the transition from preschool through college. making “institutional research,” tradi- to college. Increasing alignment among state edu- tionally an administrative function, The pioneering work of Estela Mara cation data systems will facilitate such more central to the management of the Bensimon of the University of Southern alignment at the local level. This in institution. Increasingly, colleges and California (see Page 4) provides a turn has the potential to produce a universities are elevating institutional method by which colleges can build powerful base of information that research directors to cabinet-level “evidence teams” to address other barri- stakeholders – including educators, positions with authority over institu- ers – particularly those that hamper employers and labor and community tional planning and effectiveness as underserved students. A similar groups – can use to create clearer and well as traditional research. This can approach is being taken by Achieving straighter pathways to college degrees create resource challenges, particularly the Dream: Community Colleges and careers. for community colleges. Community Count, an initiative that works with Institutions that use student-outcomes colleges receive proportionally less community colleges across the country data in this way – to the ultimate bene- funding than four-year institutions, even to improve outcomes for underserved fit of the students they serve – will be though community college students are students by building a “culture of those that most fully realize the mission in general less well prepared and there- evidence and inquiry” focused on of public education. fore more challenging (and expensive) student success. to serve. Changing the culture of an institu- Davis Jenkins is a senior researcher with the Increasing investments in institu- tion requires strong leadership. Strong Community College Research Center at tional research staff and more user- leadership can move institutions tradi- Teachers College, Columbia University. He friendly information systems to make tionally preoccupied with access to works with colleges and state education, work- data on student outcomes broadly adopt a new emphasis on access and force and economic-development agencies to available to faculty, staff and students success. Leadership is critical to creat- analyze patterns of student progression and use offers the potential to enhance deci- ing a climate on campus where faculty this information to identify ways to improve sions about the design, delivery and and staff feel sufficiently secure to have education and labor market outcomes for students, management of programs and services. “courageous conversations” that allow particularly those However, improving information sys- them to question their ingrained practices from disadvantaged tems and research will not by itself lead and experiment with new approaches. backgrounds. Jenk- to improved student outcomes. Before This is the sort of leadership exemplified ins also serves as information can be useful, the potential by Tallahassee Community College a data consultant users need to ask the right questions. President William Law (see Page 22). (or “facilitator”) at For real change to occur, faculty and Under Law’s leadership, an institution three Achieving the student services staff in particular must that was already doing well by many Dream institutions, be centrally involved in the process of students is using its data to uncover including Talla- asking and answering tough questions ways to do better by all of its students. hassee Community about what happens to their students. The next frontier in this work College. They then need to work together involves analyzing the flow of students

3 1 L UMINA F OUNDATION L ESSONS W INTER 2 0 0 8 Lumina Foundation for Education P.O. Box 1806, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1806 www.luminafoundation.org

© 2008 Lumina Foundation for Education, Inc. ® All rights reserved.

January 2008