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TRANSCRIPT
GO Centers: A Catalyst for Establishing Strong Community Partnerships
Presenters:
Dr. Anita Perry, Director of Academic Advisement
Dr. Stacy M. Burrell, Coordinator of Academic Advisement
Fort Worth Independent School District, TX
Mrs. Glenn Spoons, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce (TX)
Learning Objectives
• Conceptualize how GO Centers can promote a college
and career readiness initiative
• Examine effective strategies to engage community
partners in providing resources in GO Centers
• Learn best practices for collaborating with community
and educational partners to offer greater impact in
providing specialized services
FWISD Student Profile*Total Enrollment 84,588
• Bilingual/ESL 29.1%
• Economically Disadvantaged 77.1%
• Limited English Proficient (LEP) 30.5%
District Demographics:
• Hispanic 62.8%
• African American 22.7%
• White/Anglo 11%
• Asian/Pacific Islander 1.3%
• Native American 0.1%
*As reported by the 2012-2013 Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS)
My Educational Journey was . . .
• Scenic route
• Congested
• Extended Vacation
• Stop & Go
• Bumpy Road
• Stop Signs
• Guided Tour
• Smooth Sailing
• No Traffic
• Uphill
• Delayed Flight
• Sinking ship
• Hang gliding
• Adventure Tour
• Foggy
• Foggy, but clearing
• Detour
• Searching
• Rolling a Rock Uphill
• Stepping Stones
• Fly by Night
?
Mission of GO Centers
To create and sustain a college-going and workforce
ready culture in that prepares all students for the
academic rigor and discipline needed to enter and
successfully participate in college and a life-long career.
Education. Go Get It.
History of GO Centers
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
• Closing the Gaps by 2015 (Begin in 2000)
Close the Gaps in Participation
Close the Gaps in Success
Close the Gaps in Excellence
Close the Gaps in Research
• Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce leads initiative in
Tarrant County
Closing the Gap Goals• Participation – Close the gaps in participation rates across
Texas to add 630,000 more students
• Success – Increase by 50% the number of degrees, certificates and other identifiable student successes from high quality programs
• Excellence – Substantially increase the number of nationally recognized programs or services at colleges and universities
• Research – Increase the level of federal science and engineering research funding to Texas Institutions by 50% to $1.3 billion
GO Centers
• Each school and community entity that establishes a GO
Center is immediately connected to:
a statewide network of resources
a body of individuals committed to:
educating the youth of Texas and
preparing them to excel in higher education and life
beyond the classroom.
• The GO Center is open to all students on each school
campus.
Types of GO Centers
• Traditional
High School, Middle Schools, Elementary Schools
Colleges & Universities
• Community/Satellite
Public libraries
Local workforce center
Community centers
Faith Based Locations (churches)
• Mobile GO Centers
Ability to travel to a variety of locations
Tarrant County GO Centers Locations:
View at Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Website: http://www.fortworthchamber.com/education
GO Center Elements
• Accessible location in a comfortable, clean environment
• Computer and internet access
• Informational brochures, posters, and application forms
• GO Center Sponsor/Coordinator
• Organizational leadership buy-in, support and ownership
GO Centers
• 6th – 10th graders spend time: exploring career options,
researching colleges and training opportunities, and
learning how to adequately prepare for college during their high school years.
• 11th and 12th graders spend time: getting ready for life after high school by preparing for the
SAT/ACT tests,
researching scholarships,
researching and applying for specific colleges and training programs, and
applying for financial aid.
GO Center Sponsor/ Coordinator• Promote higher education to every student!
• Assist students with researching career, financial aid, and
higher education options.
• Recruit and organize G-Force members.
• Fulfill administrative duties that G-Force members, as
students, may not be allowed to do.
• Motivate G-Force members.
• Assist G-Force members with preparing, launching and
running the GO Center.
• Plan or coordinate activities related to creating a college
going culture (collaboration with P-16 Specialist).
G-Force Members
• A network of students, concerned citizens, and/or
organizations committed to creating a college-going
culture in their school and/or community.
• G-Force members raise awareness among students
and their families on the value of a higher education,
show them how to prepare for college both
academically and financially, and motivate students
to successfully pursue higher education.
Higher Education Partners
• GO Centers are matched
with a higher education
partner to assist with the GO
Center and work with the
students. A GO Center
Sponsor will provide direct
support and assistance to G-
Force members and will
promote the college-going
message to other
professional staff.
FWISD Partners:
Texas Christian University
Texas Wesleyan University
Tarrant County College
District
Texas Women’s University
University of North Texas
University of Texas-
Arlington
Tarleton University
FWISD GO Center Staff
• College & Career Coaches
Grant funded, Title I, School District’s Local funds
• G-Force Peer Mentors
University of Texas Arlington, TX Wesleyan, Texas Women’s
Texas Christian, University of North Texas- Denton
• College Advising Corp
Texas Christian Univ. Department of Education
• Educational Talent Search
Tarrant County Boys & Girls Club
• Counselors
College & Career Readiness Coach
• Full-time employees of FWISD
• 187 contracted days; earn additional pay for summer
employment
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Do not have to be certified teacher or counselor (attract
professionals from other disciplines such as student personnel, social work,
and family sciences)
• Work at the school location; may have flexible schedule
to accommodate before and after school activities
• Support school counselors and other student support
professionals
FWISD GO CentersGO Centers are resource hubs that exposes students to the vast array of post secondary opportunities.
Services Provided:
College Admission Awareness
College Application Assistance
Financial Aid Application Assistance
Financial Aid Advising
Career Exploration
Scholarship Assistance
College Advising
College Campus Visits and Tours
Academic Advising
Community & Educational Partnerships
1. Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
2. United Way of Tarrant County
3. Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County
4. Local Non-profit Agencies
5. Universities & Colleges
6. Businesses & Corporations
7. Foundations
The Fort Worth Chamber- Education
• Help interlace education with future workforce needs
Strategic Pathways for Student Success Committee and
Taskforce
• Involve business in curriculum development, mentoring,
applied learning
College & Career Days Mentors
Beyond School Walls host business sites
Quality Workforce Development Committee
GO Centers Resources
Tarrant County GO Center Partners Meetings
The Fort Worth Chamber- Education
• Legislative Advocacy
Metro 8 Chambers of Commerce position statement current
development
Texas House Bill 5 (HB5) Ideas
Bolster counselor resources to implement personal
graduation plans
Sustain funding to implement graduation endorsements
Continue to implement the criteria of HB5 for secondary
schools
Provide updates on the new 60x30 Texas 2030
United Way of Tarrant County
• Grant funder of GO Centers for 12 middle schools and 1 high school
• Community convener through public conversations forums
• Develop strategies for deep and meaningful community collaborations
• Establish metrics for on-time graduation promotion
• Evaluate UWTC sponsored programs & share results with community and other public entities
Program Indicators:
• Increase school engagement
• Increase Promotion Rates
• Increase Graduation Rates
• Decrease Absence Rate
• Decrease Core Course Failure Rate
• Decrease Discipline Referral Rate
• Decrease overall Early Warning Index Score
• Decrease Dropout Rates
Student Achievement Goals
Working with Community and Educational Partnerships
• Shared vision with realistic outcomes
• Constant communication
• Connect internal systems with external systems
• Transparency in program development
• Flexibility in implementation
• Strong assessment outline
• Collaborate on additional funding opportunities
• Align pre-existing resources to leverage new ideas
• Be creative and innovative
Lessons Learned
Strategic Opportunities for Partnerships
• College Night
• College Experiences/Financial Aid Help Sessions
• Middle School College & Career Expo
• College & Career Days
• College campus tours & enrichment field trips
• Summer Camp
• Beyond School Walls Program
• Community Mentoring Activities/Events
College NightCollege representatives interact with over 7,000 attendees exposing
them admission requirements to their institutions. Workshops help
families become more knowledgeable about the college admittance
process.
College Experience & Financial Aid HelpProvides one-on-one assistance with completing college applications, scholarships, and essays for any student. Financial Aid Sessions will be offered in English and Spanish to help students and parents with completing the FAFSA/TASFA application.
Middle School College & Career ExpoCollege, business, and community representatives interact with over
5,500 8th grade students to expose them to information that will help
them with their future success.
College & Career DaysOpportunity for Business and Community leaders to share their
expertise with students about their personal college experience and
professional career path.
IROC Summer CampIROC! (I’m Ready for the Opportunity of College!) is a 3 week summer camp that helps middle school students investigate their potential for college attendance and career exploration. Students are exposed to various collegiate campuses, business environments, and community service projects while using the national Kids2College curriculum. They also take summer enrichment course at a local community college.
Beyond School Walls ProgramBeyond School Walls is a mentoring program that expands a student's
post-secondary perspective by spending one-on-one time with their
mentors during the school day in the workplace.
Community MentoringBusiness and community leaders discuss with students their future
aspirations over lunch.
Staff Training OpportunitiesCommunity members provide workshops for staff in various workforce
opportunities
Contact InformationDr. Anita Perry, Director of Academic Advisement
Dr. Stacy M. Burrell, Coordinator of Academic Advisement
Mrs. Glenn Spoons, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce