Recently, the appointees to Colorado's Education Leadership Council (P-20 council created by Governor Hickenlooper earlier this year) were announced. It is encouraging that the council includes the representation that ECS has found is correlated with a council's ability to move a P-20 agenda forward--legislators, the governor's office (here in the form of Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia, who will chair the council), business, and two early learning representatives, in addition to the K-12 and postsecondary leaders and practitioners normally found on P-20 councils.
The council's first meeting is September 20th. This blogger is looking forward to seeing the areas of work the council establishes for itself, and hopes the council's work gains as much traction as did the work of the most recent council created by former Governor Ritter.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Texas: What Are Best Practices in College Readiness Assessments?
Texas enacted legislation several years ago to incorporate college-readiness indicators in high school end-of-course exams. But the Lone Star State is not stopping there. H.B. 3468, enacted this session, directs the state education agency and the higher education coordinating board to conduct a study of best practices for and existing programs offering early assessments of high school students in order to determine college readiness, identify any deficiencies in college readiness, and provide intervention to address any deficiencies before high school graduation.
In conducting the study, the Texas Education Agency is to look at existing assessments in the state, including end-of-course exams and postsecondary placement exams, dual credit, and various other programs, and the cost and effectiveness of different assessments and intervention models. The report must be submitted to the governor and other state leaders by December 2012. Interestingly, the report must also provide "recommendations for
promoting and implementing early assessments of college readiness
that are of a diagnostic nature"--more states are adopting diagnostic college readiness assessments, most commonly through the ACT-affiliated EXPLORE and PLAN, but statewide implementation of such assessments is still far from commonplace.
What is most interesting, however, is that while different states have taken various approaches to the question of early assessment of high school students' college readiness (older information on the diversity of approaches here), I have not seen a state call for a "best practices" study. Am looking forward to seeing the study's findings.
In conducting the study, the Texas Education Agency is to look at existing assessments in the state, including end-of-course exams and postsecondary placement exams, dual credit, and various other programs, and the cost and effectiveness of different assessments and intervention models. The report must be submitted to the governor and other state leaders by December 2012. Interestingly, the report must also provide "recommendations for
promoting and implementing early assessments of college readiness
that are of a diagnostic nature"--more states are adopting diagnostic college readiness assessments, most commonly through the ACT-affiliated EXPLORE and PLAN, but statewide implementation of such assessments is still far from commonplace.
What is most interesting, however, is that while different states have taken various approaches to the question of early assessment of high school students' college readiness (older information on the diversity of approaches here), I have not seen a state call for a "best practices" study. Am looking forward to seeing the study's findings.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Texas: Seeking to Improve High School to Postsecondary Transitions
Back in the blogging saddle after a few months away. Texas, which as usual had a very busy legislative session this year (they are in regular session only in odd-numbered years), enacted numerous pieces of intriguing legislation designed to improve college completion.
Some of these enactments are clearly designed to help students transition from high school to postsecondary--one such piece of legislation is H.B. 2909, which makes various changes to the state's public awareness campaign promoting higher education. Among the changes: the campaign now must provide information on the benefits of obtaining postsecondary education, the types of postsecondary institutions and degree programs available, the academic preparation needed to successfully pursue a postsecondary education, and how to obtain financial aid and the types of financial aid available. Perhaps even more importantly, the legislation specifies that the higher education coordinating board must work with other agencies to implement the public awareness campaign (previously such coordination was voluntary), and directs the board to collaborate with the Texas Education Agency (i.e., state SEA), the P-16 council, and other appropriate entities, including regional P-16 councils and businesses.
This is definitely a step in the right direction for a state that has already done much policy-wise to enhance students' college readiness, and has set its sights on closing the gaps (both in-state and nationally) on college participation and success.
More 2011 Texas enactments on improving transitions and postsecondary completion may be highlighted at a later date either here or on my other blog, which is geared at policy and research innovations in general.
Some of these enactments are clearly designed to help students transition from high school to postsecondary--one such piece of legislation is H.B. 2909, which makes various changes to the state's public awareness campaign promoting higher education. Among the changes: the campaign now must provide information on the benefits of obtaining postsecondary education, the types of postsecondary institutions and degree programs available, the academic preparation needed to successfully pursue a postsecondary education, and how to obtain financial aid and the types of financial aid available. Perhaps even more importantly, the legislation specifies that the higher education coordinating board must work with other agencies to implement the public awareness campaign (previously such coordination was voluntary), and directs the board to collaborate with the Texas Education Agency (i.e., state SEA), the P-16 council, and other appropriate entities, including regional P-16 councils and businesses.
This is definitely a step in the right direction for a state that has already done much policy-wise to enhance students' college readiness, and has set its sights on closing the gaps (both in-state and nationally) on college participation and success.
More 2011 Texas enactments on improving transitions and postsecondary completion may be highlighted at a later date either here or on my other blog, which is geared at policy and research innovations in general.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Hawaii P-3 Receives $1.5 Million for Demonstration Project
As reported by the University of Hawaii, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has given a $1.5 million award to Hawai‘i P-20’s early education program, Hawai‘i P-3. The funds will take the Hawaii P-20 council's current Kellogg-funded P-3 efforts "from capacity building toward shared public education transformation." The funds will also support a fifth demonstration project to improve alignment of early education to elementary schools, with the goal of children reading on grade level by grade 3.
As the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education Web site makes abundantly clear, early learning is a core component of both their work and their leadership. In fact, not only is Hawaii one of the relatively rare states that explicitly includes the "P" in the P-20 council's agenda and membership, but Hawaii's P-20 council seems to be the only one in the nation that includes an explicit early learning representative as a council leader.
Would external funding--from a Kellogg or another philanthropy or business representative--increase the likelihood that other councils would follow Hawaii's lead and make early learning a core component of their work and leadership? Or does the commitment from council leadership need to be there first, and the funding will follow?
As the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education Web site makes abundantly clear, early learning is a core component of both their work and their leadership. In fact, not only is Hawaii one of the relatively rare states that explicitly includes the "P" in the P-20 council's agenda and membership, but Hawaii's P-20 council seems to be the only one in the nation that includes an explicit early learning representative as a council leader.
Would external funding--from a Kellogg or another philanthropy or business representative--increase the likelihood that other councils would follow Hawaii's lead and make early learning a core component of their work and leadership? Or does the commitment from council leadership need to be there first, and the funding will follow?
Friday, May 27, 2011
Oklahoma: P-20 Council Task Force
S.B. 206 signed by Governor Fallin earlier this month creates a 9-member P-20 Council Task Force to explore the "feasibility, value and structure" of a P-20 council or partnership in Oklahoma. The task force is charged with reporting its findings, including legislative recommendations to the governor and house and senate leadership by December 31, 2011.
It will be interesting to see what the task force determines. In recent years, Oklahoma has taken steps forward on P-20 issues--such as becoming one of the first states to adopt graduation requirements aligned with postsecondary admissions requirements, and establishing the P-20 Data Coordinating Council. What will be next for P-20 alignment in Oklahoma?
It will be interesting to see what the task force determines. In recent years, Oklahoma has taken steps forward on P-20 issues--such as becoming one of the first states to adopt graduation requirements aligned with postsecondary admissions requirements, and establishing the P-20 Data Coordinating Council. What will be next for P-20 alignment in Oklahoma?
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Georgia: College and career academies
A number of states, including Georgia, have "career academies", high schools that offer specialized instruction in one or more career/technical education (CTE) fields, after which students may continue technical training or go directly into the workforce. Until now, career academies in the Peach State were charter schools developed via partnerships between one or more districts and a technical school. 2011 S.B. 161 replaces these with "college and career academies"--programs with a clearer connection to both postsecondary education and business/industry and communities to enhance workforce development.
According to the legislation, college and career academies in Georgia are still charter schools, but may come about through a more varied set of stakeholders--through a partnership "between one or more local boards of education, a private individual, a private organization, or a state or local public entity in cooperation with one or more postsecondary institutions" (not just two-year schools). S.B. 161 legislatively establishes the Office of College and Career Transitions in the Technical College System of Georgia to coordinate between the state board of education, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia and accredited not-for-profit postsecondary institutions in the professional development, curriculum support, and development and establishment of college and career academies.
The bill directs the the Office of College and Career Transitions to develop a college and career academy certification process. The certification applicant (i.e., academy) must demonstrate how the proposed college and career academy "will increase student achievement, provide for dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities, increase work based learning opportunities, and address workforce development needs; articulates how the collaboration between business, industry, and community stakeholders will advance workforce development; demonstrates local governance and autonomy; and shows other benefits that meet the needs of the students and community."
The measure also calls for reporting and data analysis--programs must annually provide, among other components, "an evaluation of the progress relative to relationships between and among the business, industry, and community stakeholders, and any other information requested by the board to demonstrate the yearly progress or effectiveness of the college and career academy." The Office of College and Career Transitions is charged with evaluating program data related to program effectiveness. (It will be interesting to see what level of data are reported, and how they will be used to improve programs--and what implications these data have for replication of this model in other states.)
While I'm not sure why the sponsor encouraged the switch from "career academies" to "college and career academies", the legislation seems to hold several potential benefits:
According to the legislation, college and career academies in Georgia are still charter schools, but may come about through a more varied set of stakeholders--through a partnership "between one or more local boards of education, a private individual, a private organization, or a state or local public entity in cooperation with one or more postsecondary institutions" (not just two-year schools). S.B. 161 legislatively establishes the Office of College and Career Transitions in the Technical College System of Georgia to coordinate between the state board of education, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia and accredited not-for-profit postsecondary institutions in the professional development, curriculum support, and development and establishment of college and career academies.
The bill directs the the Office of College and Career Transitions to develop a college and career academy certification process. The certification applicant (i.e., academy) must demonstrate how the proposed college and career academy "will increase student achievement, provide for dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities, increase work based learning opportunities, and address workforce development needs; articulates how the collaboration between business, industry, and community stakeholders will advance workforce development; demonstrates local governance and autonomy; and shows other benefits that meet the needs of the students and community."
The measure also calls for reporting and data analysis--programs must annually provide, among other components, "an evaluation of the progress relative to relationships between and among the business, industry, and community stakeholders, and any other information requested by the board to demonstrate the yearly progress or effectiveness of the college and career academy." The Office of College and Career Transitions is charged with evaluating program data related to program effectiveness. (It will be interesting to see what level of data are reported, and how they will be used to improve programs--and what implications these data have for replication of this model in other states.)
While I'm not sure why the sponsor encouraged the switch from "career academies" to "college and career academies", the legislation seems to hold several potential benefits:
- Clearer involvement of the business and local community leaders in the development of their future workforce
- Clearer focus on "increasing student achievement" as one of the goals of college and career academies
- Integration of dual enrollment opportunities into career education.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Oregon: Taking on transfer
Legislation on its way to Governor Kitzhaber in Oregon has the potential to improve student transfer from two-year to four-year postsecondary institutions in the state.
H.B. 3521 directs the joint boards of education (the state board of education and board of higher education) to develop standards to apply community college credits toward four-year degrees. The legislation provides the standards may include:
H.B. 3521 directs the joint boards of education (the state board of education and board of higher education) to develop standards to apply community college credits toward four-year degrees. The legislation provides the standards may include:
- Admission standards to four-year schools for students who have earned an associate transfer degree
- The maximum number of credits a student who has earned an associate transfer degree must complete to receive various types of baccalaureate degrees
- The maximum number of credits a student who has completed a transfer program (1-year program to allow a student to earn credits toward a baccalaureate degree) would need to complete to earn various types of baccalaureate degrees
- A process by which a community college would award an associate's degree upon completion of necessary credits, regardless of whether a student applied to receive the degree or the student had earned the credits at a 2-year or 4-year campus
- Any other issues identified by the joint boards of education related to community college courses of study and student ability to transfer credits to a 2- or 4-year institution, to be admitted to a 4-year institution, or to earn a degree at a 2-year or 4-year institution.
- Requirements that students must meet to benefit from the aforementioned five standards.
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