Ford Foundation Community College Bridges to

Opportunity

David PrinceSr. Research Manager,

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Research Project

Create a better understanding of low-income students

Identify the state-level policy implications

Study Approach

Follow cohort of working age adults, new to college for 5 years after start:

Identify those likely to be low-income Measure success for educational attainment,

employment, earnings and access to further education and training

Work backwards from success to identify roadblocks and pathways- examine issues raised by task group last spring and others that emerge

Society’s economic health is directly related to the economic attainment of its members. How are we doing?

More than 1/3 of the working age population = adults (25-49 yrs) with high school education or less, and younger adults (18-24).

Both have lower socio-economic status and higher unemployment. Both have lower levels of education and training.

State Population Survey 2002

$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000

< 9

th

Gra

de

HS

Vo

c

Cert

AA

Deg

BA

Deg

MA

Deg

Pro

f

Deg

PH

d 0%5%10%15%20%

Earnings Unemployment

Educational attainment and economic attainment continue to be closely linked.

Economic attainment: 1 year of college level credit + a credential is the tipping point for students struggling to find career pathways. Highest value-added for work success - 1 year + credential gives future earnings bump:

= $6,600 more per year for ESL students = $9,200 more per year for an ABE student = $4,900 and $2,700 more per year (respectively) for

workforce students entering with a GED or HSD only Jobs that need 1 year college level credit +credential are

among those in greatest demand.

This is the key for most to go beyond poverty wages … to make a lasting difference in their futures …

It is the niche the 2 yr college system has claimed.

Up and down the Educational Pipeline, the 2-yr system is hemorrhaging working age adults with high school education or less, or ESL

9 out of 10 ABE/ESL = modest skills gains, at best earn a GED … but go no further

2 out of 3 workforce and transfer students who enter with GED - leave with less (many, a lot less) than 1 year of college and no credential

6 out of 10 who enter with high school diploma – also leave with less (some, a lot less) than 1 year of college and no credential.

Entering Classes: Almost 1/3 of every new entering class is made up of prime working age (25-49) - with HSDs or less or non-English speaking.

One group of students is poised to benefit now … but services to them are full of holes

70% of ABE and ESL students who make the transition to college level work have HSDs/GEDs in hand.

Now eligible for developmental education and financial aid.

at best, only 1/3 receive these services (ESL less than ABE).

Coulda: Dev Ed and Basic Skills could have identified full need for applied learning AND filled counseling and other gaps that

affect access to aid.

2 to 3 times more likely to complete credentials and increase their educational attainment (vs similar unaided and unsupported students). BUT ….

Another far larger group of students, seemingly equally prepared to benefit, never go beyond basic skills.

Nearly 6 out of 10 ABE students with HSDs/GEDs go no further.

8 out of 10 ESL students with HSDs/GEDs go no further. Latino/Hispanic ESL students with HSDs are half as likely as

other students to transition beyond basic skills. Males who earn a GED (particularly Latino/Hispanics) are

less likely than women to go further in their education. Because they earn relatively more than women, men also

forgo more wages when they attend.

Shoulda: Programs should have designed and marketed services with these factors in mind.

Many jump start training, but their opportunities are cut short before real gains are made.

Short, 1st step training focused exclusively on getting a job, with less attention to educational attainment results in lower future earnings when students don’t return – and they often don’t Customized job training plan only:

Students who complete a plan (but attain less than 1 year of college credit) earn $3,900 less per year than those who have credential + 1 year of college level credit … $8,300$8,300 less per year if they started from basic skills.

These tend to be more uncertain of their long-term goals (and act accordingly).

Woulda: The system would have avoided dead-end starts and false promises by ensuring that low-skilled students had both

short- and long-term strategies for real attainment.

Every step – especially the 1st step – must be additive to the final goal of substantial attainment.

Students need to see people ahead of them take the next step, and experience success!

To stop the hemorrhaging of students from our programs, meet student and employer needs, and improve the economic climate of society, 2 yr colleges need to re-think and re-design services for low-skilled working adults.

Design career pathways that are easy to use, provide meaningful mileposts, and real destinations.

Unskilled Labor

Semi-skilled Labor

Entry Level – Skilled Labor

Entry level - Technician

Skilled Technician

Technical Professional

Workplace Readiness

Vocational ABE/ESL

Tech Prep – Bridge Training

1 Yr Credit + Credential

OJT, AA, Apprenticeship

Professional development, B.A.

Degree, etc.

Build the pathways for commuters. Run it on their schedules, accommodate lots of on and off traffic, facilitate good connections to long-term destinations.

Provide a full map clearly in view for stops that really exist.

Provide guidance and support so people don’t get lost.

Anticipate different types of traffic - Who is already waiting at the 2nd stop; how many from the first stop will go to the 2nd?

Measure success in terms of a transport - lots of riders, lots of trips, all stops meaningful, many short trips but always set up to go further and faster.

Findings and Implications for System Discussion

Educational attainment for the least educated adults in society is an important (and often neglected) health indicator for our economy.

Pipeline hemorrhaging working age adults with high school education or less and ESL across the missions.

The broader need for applied learning spans (and may go beyond) the more parochial missions of basic skills and developmental education.

1+ Yrs of college level credit + credential sets a meaningful goal to design and market plans for all.

Operationally, system should resemble a mass transit. There are groups poised to benefit, but more than 1st platform

needs to be there.

Data sources and Examples

College and student level demographics, course enrollment and transcripts, degrees

Employment records

Welfare Records

Educational Attainment 5 Years After Start Detail-by Functioning Educational Level at Start

Start

After

ESL

N=12,519

<HS

N=14,973

GED

N=3,037

HS

N=10,464

HS+

N=3,068

Other

N=2,739

GED/HS (earned & left)

1% 9%

<10 Cr 7% 16% 28% 17% 18% 23%

10-44 Cr 2% 7% 28% 31% 35% 28%

45+ Cr 1% 2% 13% 15% 11% 8%Plan 1% 1% 3% 3% 3% 5%Certificate 2% 2% 7% 8% 6% 11%Degree 1% 1% 10% 17% 18% 9%Non-Cr 86% 61% 12% 9% 9% 16%

Educational Attainment 5 Years After Start Detail-by Race/Ethnicity

5 Years Post

Bl/Afr Am

N=3,102

As/Pac

N=3,611

Lat/His

N=9,410

Na Am

N=1,180

Wh

N=23,696

GED/HS (earned & left)

2% 1% 2% 5% 4%

<10 Cr 18% 13% 8% 21% 17%

10-44 Cr 19% 10% 5% 15% 20%

45+ Cr 7% 6% 1% 6% 8%

Plan 2% 1% 1% 1% 2%

Certificate 5% 5% 1% 4% 6%

Degree 5% 6% 2% 5% 10%

Non-Cr 41% 58% 80% 43% 33%

4 groups that comprise working age adults with high school/GED or <HS or ESL to start

ESL (n=919) and Basic Skills students who have or earn high school diploma/GED (n=2,863) and subsequently move on to college level academic and workforce preparationESL (n=3,861)and Basic Skills students who have or earn high school diploma/GED(n=3,608), but don’t move on to collegeESL (n=376) and Basic Skills students who enroll in college level classes with less than high school/GED (n=1,299)Other (not in basic skills)1st time students attending with high school/GED who leave college early (n=13,000)

Income Profile for Working Age Adults 1st Time Students Starting at ESL, GED/High School or Less

Low wage earner (n=24,000)

Recent or current welfare recipient

(n= 43,600)

Resides in community proportionately lower income (N=46,790)

ESL start 87% 16% 78%

< HS start 82% 29% 66%

GED 78% 29% 60%

HS 73% 14% 57%