Committed College Committed College Coach ProgramCoach Program

Board of Lucas County Board of Lucas County CommissionersCommissioners

Commissioner Skeldon WozniakCommissioner Skeldon Wozniak

Problem IssuesProblem Issues

•There is low college enrollment There is low college enrollment among graduating Toledo Public among graduating Toledo Public School/ Lucas County studentsSchool/ Lucas County students

•Many college students do not Many college students do not return for their second year of return for their second year of collegecollege

•Low rate of college enrollment Low rate of college enrollment for adults completing their GEDfor adults completing their GED

Educational Attainment Educational Attainment in Lucas Countyin Lucas County

• 17.1% of the adult residents do not 17.1% of the adult residents do not have a high school diplomahave a high school diploma

• Less than 14% of adult residents have a Less than 14% of adult residents have a bachelor’s degreebachelor’s degree

• Only 7.3% have an associates degreeOnly 7.3% have an associates degree• 22% have not completed their college 22% have not completed their college

degreedegree• Therefore, 71% of Lucas County adults Therefore, 71% of Lucas County adults

do not have a college degreedo not have a college degreeOhio Department of Development

More StatsMore Stats• Ohio’s graduation rate was 74.3% in 2006Ohio’s graduation rate was 74.3% in 2006• In Toledo Public Schools approximately In Toledo Public Schools approximately

50% of the graduates will attend a 2 or 4 50% of the graduates will attend a 2 or 4 year college year college (Toledo Promise Scholarship Study)(Toledo Promise Scholarship Study)

• Nationally, every year, 1 in 3 young adults—more than 1.2 million people—drops out of high school

• 50% of adult GED students state they intend to pursue a postsecondary education– Only 27% actually enroll in

postsecondary education (Reach Higher America)

Ohio ranks lower than Ohio ranks lower than National AveragesNational Averages

• Ohio adults have less postsecondary education than the national average.– In 2004 23.3% of Ohio adults had a

bachelors degree or higher which is lower than the national average of 27%

• “It would take an additional 287,865 {Ohio} residents with an associate degree or higher today to have a population with education levels comparable to the nation’s.” (Ohio Policy Matters)

College Drop-Out College Drop-Out ProblemProblem

• Many students do not return after Many students do not return after their first year of college (national their first year of college (national statistics)statistics)•In 2-yr colleges – 50% will not In 2-yr colleges – 50% will not return for 2return for 2ndnd year year

•In 4-yr colleges – 30% will not In 4-yr colleges – 30% will not return for 2return for 2ndnd year year

•In 4-yr colleges – fewer than 50% In 4-yr colleges – fewer than 50% complete their degree complete their degree (Toledo(Toledo Promise Scholarship

Concept Study)

Toledo’s College CultureToledo’s College Culture• Less than 14% of Toledo Residents have a Less than 14% of Toledo Residents have a

bachelor’s degree or higher bachelor’s degree or higher (Ohio Department of Development) (Ohio Department of Development)

• Reliance on high paying manufacturing jobs Reliance on high paying manufacturing jobs after high school is on the decline in Toledo after high school is on the decline in Toledo

• Adolescents in Toledo mistakenly believe they Adolescents in Toledo mistakenly believe they can get a high paying job after high school can get a high paying job after high school graduationgraduation

• Parents who didn’t go to college have a Parents who didn’t go to college have a greater tendency not to promote college to greater tendency not to promote college to their childrentheir children

• Parents that have not gone to college are less Parents that have not gone to college are less familiar with the steps to send their child to familiar with the steps to send their child to college college (Toledo Promise Scholarship Concept Report)

Educational Levels Affect Educational Levels Affect Economic Well-BeingEconomic Well-Being

• Toledo unemployment rates exceeds Toledo unemployment rates exceeds the state and national average. the state and national average. ((

WTOL WebsiteWTOL Website))

– Aug. 2009 unemployment rateAug. 2009 unemployment rate• National 9.7National 9.7• Toledo 13.2Toledo 13.2

• Toledo’s poverty rate of 22.6% Toledo’s poverty rate of 22.6% exceeds national and state averages exceeds national and state averages (City-Data Website)(City-Data Website)

• Toledo was ranked the 8Toledo was ranked the 8thth poorest city poorest city in the US in the US (US Census Bureau)(US Census Bureau)

Toledo Public SchoolsToledo Public Schools• Low income student population has Low income student population has

increased within Toledo Public School increased within Toledo Public School (TPS)(TPS)

• 70% of the TPS students qualify for 70% of the TPS students qualify for free/reduced lunchfree/reduced lunch

• Children living in poverty tend:Children living in poverty tend:– Begin school with lower levels of Begin school with lower levels of

academic readinessacademic readiness– Achieve lower test scoresAchieve lower test scores– Less likely to pursue post-secondary Less likely to pursue post-secondary

educationeducation (Toledo Promise Scholarship Concept Study)

Changing the CultureChanging the Culture

• The Community needs to believe college is The Community needs to believe college is an attainable goalan attainable goal

• Families need encouragement through the Families need encouragement through the college going processcollege going process

• Families need to be exposed to college Families need to be exposed to college atmosphereatmosphere

• Families need to be connected with Families need to be connected with resourcesresources

• Families need someone to help them Families need someone to help them navigate along the waynavigate along the way

• Need “buy-in” from the schools, parents, and Need “buy-in” from the schools, parents, and communitycommunity

Committed College Committed College CoachCoach

• Coaching program Coaching program – Accompanying website for additional Accompanying website for additional

information & career interest resource information & career interest resource • PurposePurpose

– Increase high school graduates enrollment in Increase high school graduates enrollment in post-secondary educationpost-secondary education

– Increase college student retention rateIncrease college student retention rate– Change the college-going culture in Lucas Change the college-going culture in Lucas

CountyCounty• Coordinate with existing programs not Coordinate with existing programs not

replace themreplace them• This is only a small piece in changing the This is only a small piece in changing the

culture culture

Committed College Committed College CoachCoach

• Committed College Coach is someone who will Committed College Coach is someone who will commit to encouraging and helping the commit to encouraging and helping the adolescent on their path to collegeadolescent on their path to college– They do not have to have attended college They do not have to have attended college

themselvesthemselves– Commit to the youth from grade 5 through Commit to the youth from grade 5 through

their sophomore year in collegetheir sophomore year in college• Coach declares their intent to be committed to Coach declares their intent to be committed to

the adolescent through signing the the adolescent through signing the Committed College Coach Declaration Committed College Coach Declaration (guardian signs also)(guardian signs also)

• Complete Coach/Student Action Steps each Complete Coach/Student Action Steps each semestersemester

Why So Long?Why So Long?• Why starting so early?Why starting so early?

– ““Interventions must begin around the 5Interventions must begin around the 5thth grade in order to be effective” grade in order to be effective” (Big Brother/Big Sister (Big Brother/Big Sister Mentoring Toward College)Mentoring Toward College)

– Youths often have difficulty transitioning Youths often have difficulty transitioning from elementary school to middle school from elementary school to middle school (United (United Way of Northeast Florida)Way of Northeast Florida)

– Difficult transition to middle school is a risk Difficult transition to middle school is a risk factor for dropping out of school factor for dropping out of school (Michigan (Michigan Department of Education)Department of Education)

• Why not stop at 12Why not stop at 12thth grade? grade?– High rate of dropout after the first year of High rate of dropout after the first year of

collegecollege– Adolescent needs support/encouragement Adolescent needs support/encouragement

while adjusting to a new college environment while adjusting to a new college environment

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Coach & Student Activity Schedule

Budget ConsiderationsBudget Considerations

• Program coordinator salaryProgram coordinator salary• Cost of running & maintaining Cost of running & maintaining

Committed College Coach Committed College Coach WebsiteWebsite

• Cost of printed package materialCost of printed package material• Cost of yearly kick-off eventCost of yearly kick-off event• Cost of transportation to college Cost of transportation to college

visitsvisits• Cost of coach training sessionsCost of coach training sessions

ChallengesChallenges

• Who will teach the college coaches?Who will teach the college coaches?– Develop information sessions for the coaches Develop information sessions for the coaches

specific to each yearspecific to each year

• Who will monitor that coach/student Who will monitor that coach/student activities are being completed?activities are being completed?

• What if youth is unable to identify What if youth is unable to identify someone to be their coach?someone to be their coach?

• What if the coach quits?What if the coach quits?

Why Not All Lucas County Why Not All Lucas County Schools?Schools?

• Need to start with only one school Need to start with only one school districtdistrict– Need to test the program in one school Need to test the program in one school

district before implementing in all district before implementing in all Lucas County school districtsLucas County school districts

• Toledo Public School District has the Toledo Public School District has the highest number of students in a highest number of students in a dense areadense area

Philosophy Philosophy

• Psychosocial Theory – Erik EricksonPsychosocial Theory – Erik Erickson– The most basic value that underlies psychosocial The most basic value that underlies psychosocial

theory is that all individuals are innately worthytheory is that all individuals are innately worthy– All individuals have the capacity to learn and adapt All individuals have the capacity to learn and adapt

to change their social & physical environment to change their social & physical environment

• Person-Centered Approach – Carl RogersPerson-Centered Approach – Carl Rogers– Rogers believed that humans are basically goodRogers believed that humans are basically good– He argued that we He argued that we have an innate drive to reach have an innate drive to reach

an optimal sense of ourselves & satisfaction with an optimal sense of ourselves & satisfaction with our livesour lives

– People require interactions with others & most People require interactions with others & most people mustpeople must be accepted in order to achieve self-actualization

Committed College Coach Committed College Coach PhilosophyPhilosophy

• Every youth deserves at least one Every youth deserves at least one person in their life who cares about person in their life who cares about them and wants to see them succeed. them and wants to see them succeed.

• Through acceptance & Through acceptance & encouragement, adolescents will encouragement, adolescents will achieve their optimal goalsachieve their optimal goals

Committed College CoachCommitted College Coach

A highly educated community A highly educated community has greater health, welfare, has greater health, welfare,

and economic outcomesand economic outcomes

Thank you for you time & Thank you for you time & considerationconsideration