Prepare to PersistVita Soto, Director, Career and Life Skills

Anthony Sessoms, Special Assistant to Executive Director

Jonathan D. Mathis, PhD, Executive Director

The Next Step Public Charter School

Opening Questions:

What do you hope to hear or learn more about today?

What challenges/trends exists, from your perspective?

• Introduction and Opening Activity • Context: Demographic Data and Outcomes• Persistence: Framing our Efforts

– What Matters to Student Success– College Knowledge

• Best Practices for Educators• Cultivating Self-Authorship: Student Ownership

– Self-Efficacy– Metacognition – Self-Management

• Preparing for Success: Experiences and Activities• Discussion

Our Time Together

Introductions and Opening Activity

“That’s Me”

Demographic Data & OutcomesEducational Attainment

Level of Education Percentage of Population, Ages: 18-24

Less than high school 17.1%

High school/Equivalency 16%

Some college 38.1%

Bachelor’s degree or higher 28.9%

Source: American Community Survey, US Census.

Educational Attainment

Demographic Data & Outcomes

Level Male (18-24)

Female (18-24)

Some college 34% 36.2%

Bachelor’s degree or higher 43.9% 18.6%

Source: American Community Survey, US Census.

Demographic Data & Outcomes Full-time Retention

(Fall 2016):

National: 75.1%Virginia: 79%

Transfer Students(Fall 2016):

National: 1,360,510Virginia: 33,319

George Mason University Undergraduates

25,010

Male: 49.7%Female: 50.3%

Northern Virginia Community College

51,190

Male: 48.5%Female: 51.5%

Graduation Rate within 150% of Normal Time, 4-year institutions (2010)

National: 54.9%Virginia: 65.4%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics.

Persistence: Framing our Efforts

Persistence: Framing our Efforts

• Enrollment Choices

• Academic Preparation

• Aptitude & College Readiness

• Family & Peer Support

• Motivation to Learn

• Demographics- Race, Gender, Socioeconomic Status

(Kuh, et al., 2006)

Pre-College Experiences

Persistence: Framing our Efforts

• Study Habits

• Peer Involvement

• Interaction with Faculty

• Time on Task

• Motivation

• Other

(Kuh, et al., 2006)

Student Behaviors

• First Year Experience

• Academic Support

• Campus Environment

• Peer Support

• Teaching & Learning Approaches

• Other

(Kuh, et al., 2006)

Institutional Characteristics

• Key Content Knowledge–Content awareness; Proficiency in reading

and writing

• Academic Behaviors– Time Management; Study Skills; Note-

taking; Communicating with faculty

(Conley, 2010)

College Knowledge

• Cognitive Strategies– Problem formation; Research; Interpretation;

Communication; Precision and accuracy– Critical Thinking

• Contextual Skills and Knowledge– Culture, norms and traditions; Processes and

resources(Conley, 2010)

College Knowledge

Best Practices: Counselors• Foster a college-going culture

• Incorporate pre-college experiences for all students

• Sustain college-going culture over the summer

• Integrate career resources to guide conversations with students—demonstrate relevance beyond “school”

Best Practices: Counselors• Expand the notion of where students receive

support in and throughout their college transition

• Keep trending, remain innovative

• Model and cultivate self-advocacy

• Nurture relationships with community partners

Best Practices: Teachers

• Ensure collaboration with college and career advisors

• Demonstrate relevance by aligning instruction with real-life situations or expectations

• Help students identify their needed areas for growth

Best Practices: Teachers

• Utilize assessments to determine needed academic supports and interventions (i.e. Accuplacer)

• Ensure students experience the academic rigor and collegiate cultural expectations

• Model self-advocacy for needed academic supports

Best Practices: Leaders

• Align master schedule with academic needs—diversity of course offerings

• Ensure access to relevant supports for assessments (Kahn Academy, SAT Day)

• Advocate and ensure access to postsecondary educators and experts

Best Practices: Leaders

• Facilitate professional development with university faculty, staff, and secondary educators

• Remain aware of and draw attention to assessments and outcome data

• Solicit feedback from students to shape academic program, especially alumni

Aspirations and Self-Efficacy

Why might we include a

focus on success in high

school and beyond?

How might our

intentionality support

college access AND

success?

Cultivating Self-AuthorshipSelf-Efficacy

• Provide mentoring for students by recent high school graduates, currently enrolled in college

• Facilitate relationships with peers planning to attend college; structured extracurricular activities

• Assist students in their college search, including coordinating college visits

Cultivating Self-Authorship

Metacognition• Ensure that students understand what constitutes

a college-ready curriculum• Utilize performance data to identify and inform

students about their academic proficiency• Provide hands-on opportunities for students to

explore different careers

Cultivating Self-AuthorshipSelf-Management

• Develop a four/six-year course trajectory

• Identify existing assessments and data available to provide an estimate of college readiness

• Organize workshops for parents and students focused on college affordability, scholarships, and financial aid processes

Preparing for Success

Experiences and Activities: 6-8th grades

• Start investigating career interests and pathways

• Introduce the idea, value and potential opportunity costs of college

• Investigate college saving options and accounts

• Begin researching scholarship opportunities

• Summer college exposures (Upward Bound, etc.)

Outline of Experiences: 9th Grade• SMART Goal Setting & High School Four Year Plan

• Investigating Career Options

• Understanding College: Institutional History and Type

• College Academic Experiences and Expected Behaviors

• Practicing Cognitive Strategies

• Awareness of Contextual Skills & Knowledge

• Résumé Building and Essay Writing

Outline of Experiences: 10th Grade

• SMART Goal Setting & High School Four Year Plan

• Investigating “College Fit”

• Understanding College: Applications and Essays

• Interviewing Alumni and Alumni Panels

• Practicing Cognitive Strategies

Outline of Experiences: 10th Grade

• Awareness of Contextual Skills & Knowledge

• Creating a Junior Year Plan and Initial College List

• Job Shadowing/Internships

• Résumé Building and Essay Writing

Outline of Experiences: 11th Grade• SMART Goal Setting & High School Four Year Plan

• Self-Assessments and Reflective Exercises

• College Application and Essay Drafts

• Early Assessment and Placement Exams

• Academic Enrichment Exposure Activities

Outline of Experiences: 11th Grade• Career Shadowing and Guest Lectures

• Etiquette for College Recruiter Correspondence

• Mock College and Scholarship Interviews

• Scholarship Search, Essay and Portfolio Presentations

Outline of Experiences: 12th Grade• SMART Goal Setting & High School Four Year Plan

• Individualized College Enrollment and Completion Plan

• College Application, Essay and Financial Aid Completion

• Career Shadowing and Guest Lectures

Outline of Experiences: 12th Grade• Near-Peer Experiences: Activities and Presentations

• Scholarship Search, Essay and Portfolio Completion

• “Know Where to Go”: Campus-based Student Services

• College Readiness Inventory

• Faculty-led Research-based Project

Discussion

Question and Answer Session

ASPIRATIONS AND SELF-EFFICACY

What do you suppose happens when we inquire about, document and invest in students’ aspirations?

We develop well-rounded and resilient young people.

We create conditions for metacognition and transfer of knowledge.

We promote resiliency and a lifetime of success.

ASPIRATIONS AND SELF-EFFICACY

We demonstrate a care and concern that extends beyond instruction.

We assist student’s understanding of the relevance of content and skills acquired.

• refers to people’s assessments of their effectiveness, competence, and causal agency(Gecas, 1989)

• an efficacy expectation is the conviction that one can successfully execute the behavior required to produce outcomes (Bandura, 1977)

ASPIRATIONS AND SELF-EFFICACY

Helping students navigate the path to college:

What high schools can do

What Works Clearinghouse