Providing Opportunities for Postsecondary & Career Readiness

Becky Nelson & Erin LarsenSD Department of Education

October 16, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pYqsShxqD4

What does your data tell you about students in your district?

Sample School Data: English ACT Sub-scores

Students

Taken ACT

English

: Sco

ring b

elow 18

English

: Sco

ring 1

8-23

English

: Sco

ring 2

4+0.00%

10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%

69.70%

17.39%

47.83%34.78%

23 out of 33 4 out of 23 11 out of 23 8 out of 23

Sample School Data: Math ACT Sub-scores

23 out of 33 5 out of 23 9 out of 23 9 out of 23

Students

Taken ACT

Math

: Sco

ring b

elow 20

Math

: Sco

ring 2

0-24

Math

: Sco

ring 2

5+0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

69.70%

21.74%

39.13% 39.13%

Other Considerations• Previous coursework taken• Grades• Motivation• Commitment• Schedule/work load• Learning style

COLLEGE-READY COURSEWORKAccuplacer – My Foundations Lab

The BasicsWhat is it?• Coursework in math, reading, and English

Who should take it?• Students who have modest skill gaps

Benefits• Students can avoid remedial coursework at

Board of Regents institutions and South Dakota’s Technical Institutes– Save both time and money

• Tailored coursework is generated – Targets students weaknesses– Supported by certified teacher

Option #1• Online through SD Virtual High School– First-come, first serve

• $125-$175– Dependent on timeframe– 10 weeks, 6 months, & 12 months

• State funding available to reimburse costs for approximately 400 enrollments for public students

Option #2• Face to Face course at your school

• State funding available to cover costs of coursework for public districts

• Currently 14 school’s offering math – Options: replace current course such as consumer

math, independent study, or additional section of math

• Students take an online proctored exam (Accuplacer)

How does the program work?

Personalized Learning Path Generated

Students Take Final Assessment (Accuplacer)

I’m Interested….Who do I contact?Virtual Option• Register through the school• DOESDVirtualSchool@state.sd.us

Face to Face Option• Contact Becky Nelson or Sam Shaw @ DOE• Becky.nelson@state.sd.us or

sam.shaw@state.sd.us

RIGOROUS COURSEWORKAP & Dual Credit Courses

Ready for Rigorous Coursework?AP Courses• Curriculum & exams set by

College Board• Teacher is a high school

teacher, trained by College Board

• Score 3+ on final exam: Many colleges offer credit

• No fee for Learning Power AP courses

Dual Credit• Coursework set by

Universities or Technical Institutes

• Instructor employed by the University or Technical Institute

• Wider range of offerings• Credit is honored at specific

university – transferability based on university

• Reduced cost ($40/credit)

www.sdvs.k12.sd.us

Reduced-Rate Dual Credit• Detailed information at www.sdmylife.com

Reduced-Rate Dual Credit• 11th & 12th Graders• School district MOU• Spring Semester Registration• Guidance resources for policies and

participation– Students & Parents– Counselors & Administrators

Reduced-Rate Dual Credit• High school credit value?– District decision– ½ credit?– 1 credit?

• Home School Students– No enrollment in school district for reduced-rate

program– Certificate of Exemption

NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE (NCRC)

Portable validation of students’ abilities to apply what they’ve learned

Travis Aslesen, HS PrincipalElk Point-Jefferson School

District 61-7 on NCRC

“I hope all school districts will discover that this opportunity is very worthwhile. All high school graduates should be allowed this epiphany in what their high school diploma actually means. Administering this exam provides credibility to the skills students are learning on a daily basis. We use that rationale when we talk with our seniors on the day of the exam. For them to ponder that businesses actually use these results to glean through candidates is a powerful concept. The old saying of, “When are we going to use this stuff?” becomes immediately relative.”

NCRC• Portable credential • Demonstrates achievement and a certain level

of workplace employability skills – Applied Mathematics– Locating Information– Reading for Information

• Measures "real world" skills employers believe are critical to job success

NCRC• 77% of all jobs require assessed skills• Used across all sectors• Documents cognitive skills such as: – critical thinking– applying information from workplace documents– using work-related text– applying work-related math calculations– synthesizing graphical information

NCRC• Four certification levels:– Bronze (16% of jobs)– Silver (67% of jobs)– Gold (93% of jobs)– Platinum (99% of jobs)

• Approximately 3-4 hours• Online assessment

NCRC• Career planning resources – the results mean

something to each student!

NCRCACT measures:• Content knowledge• General educational

development:– English– Mathematics– Reading– Science

• Capacity to complete college-level work

NCRC measures:• Applied skills in

– Reading for Information: Skill used when reading written text

– Applied Mathematics: Skill in applying mathematical reasoning, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques

– Locating Information: Skill in working with workplace graphics to find and analyze information

NCRC Test QuestionsApplied Math – Level 3• In your job as a cashier, a

customer gives you a $20 bill to pay for a can of coffee that costs $3.84. How much change should you give back?

Applied Math – Level 7• The farm where you just

started working has a vertical cylindrical oil tank that is 2.5 feet across on the inside. The depth of the oil in the tank is 2 feet. If 1 cubic foot of space holds 7.48 gallons, about how many gallons of oil are left in the tank?

NCRC Test Questions• Reading for Information – Level 3

You are a cashier. According to the notice shown, what should you write on a store employee's receipt?A. The employee's

identification numberB. The employee's

department numberC. The amount of sales taxD. The 20% discount priceE. Your initials

NCRC Test Questions• Reading for Information – Level 7

You have hired a consultant to work with your firm. Based on the agreement shown, what will happen if the consultant’s business is taken over by a major competitor?A. The agreement will confidentially

go into arbitration.B. The agreement will not be

enforceable and is void.C. The consultant is bound by the

agreement.D. The obligations will pass to the new

owner.E. You must renegotiate the

agreement with the new owner.

NCRC Test Questions• Locating Information – Level 3

You regularly check the pressure gauge on a large tank. According to the gauge shown, what is the current pressure (in PSI)?

NCRC Test Questions• Locating Information – Level 6

You are a road contractor and you have analyzed a soil that you want to use for road fill. Your analysis shows that the soil contains 15% sand, 65% silt, and 20% clay. You need to know what the shrink-swell potential is for the soil because it will affect the durability of the road. Based on the diagram and table shown, what is the shrink-swell potential at a 30-inch depth for this soil?

NCRC Program?• Partnership effort– Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR)– Department of Education (DOE)

• 11th or 12th graders• Application to School Performance Index (SPI)

NCRC for SPI• Incorporated into College and Career

Readiness (CCR) indicator • Can have up to 30 points, 15 points each for

subject areas of Math and English/Language Arts if the NCRC is not taken

• If students take the NCRC, Math, English/Language Arts, and the NCRC each have up to 10 points

NCRC for SPI• Options for CCR SPI points:

Option A Option B

Math- 15 pointsELA- 15 points

Math- 10 pointsELA- 10 pointsNCRC- 10 points

Total 30 points 30 points

NCRC – Sign us up!• For more information, including how to

schedule a testing session, please visit the Department of Labor and Regulation website.

• Contact:– Scott Kwasniewski (605) 688-4352 – Barb Unruh (605)773-5821

QUESTIONS?

Stay in Touch• College Readiness

Courses:– Becky Nelson– Sam Shaw

• AP Courses:– Sam Shaw

• Dual Credit:– Erin Larsen

• National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC): – Tiffany Sanderson (DOE)– Scott Kwasniewski (DLR)– Barb Unruh (DLR)