Road Map to CollegeParent Workshop

GPISD College Readiness Department

Compass Points

• What is College Readiness & Why is it Important?

• Building a College Readiness Culture- Students, Parents & District Partnership

• The Road Map to College- Rigorous Courses

- College Readiness Assessment Programs

• Q&A

What is College Readiness?

College Readiness Content Knowledge + 21st Century Skills

Definition: What does it mean to be “college ready”?

Students are “college ready” when they have the

knowledge, skills, and behaviors to successfully

complete a college course, without the need for

remediation.

An Alarming Statistic

38%

62%

Percentage of Students Who are College Ready

College ReadyNot Ready

College Board PSAT Report 2013

While 86% of students whose parents have a bachelor’s

degree or higher enroll immediately after high

school, only 51% of students whose parents

have high school diplomas or less enroll in college immediately after high

school

First Generation

IN FACT: Out of every 100 students who enter a 2-Year College, only

30 will go on to graduate within 3 years.

58 out of 100 students who enter a 4-year University will graduate within 6 years.

Why the Focus on College Readiness?

According to Time Magazine Oct 2012: Student loan debt has topped $900 billion

Only 3% of the students at the top 146 colleges come from families in the bottom fourth of household income

$900 BILLION DEBT

Why College Readiness?

Only one out of four high school graduates on the 2011 ACT . . .

managed to meet or exceed the basic skills needed to succeed in all 4 tested areas: reading, math, writing, and science

From CBS Moneywatch (August 2011):

X X X

Today’s College Students, in Brief• Percentage of Undergrads

who need Remedial ClassesYear Percentage

2000 28%2007 36%

Students from Low Income Families

2010-2011

8.9 MILLION

1973-74

176,000

Four Year University (within 6 years)

Two Year Community College (within 3 years)

0%20%40%60%80%

58%

30%

Graduate on Time

Graduate on Time

Time, Oct 2012

Today’s College Students, in Brief

Time, Oct 2012

1993 2011$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$14,500

$26,600

Average Debt (2011 dollars)

Average Debt (2011...

38%

Percentage of College Ready Students according to College Admissions Ex-

ams

College ReadyNot Ready for College

Conley’s Key Elements to College Success

Key Content MasteryAcademic BehaviorsContextual Skills & AwarenessKey Cognitive Skills

Dr. David Conley University of Oregon Policy Improvement Center 2007

Problem solving and problem generating

Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation Hypothesizing / Scientific Method Logic and Deductive Reasoning Interpretation Precision and Accuracy

Texas TEKS / AP Syllabus What we want kids to know College and Career

Readiness Standards embedded

SAT / ACT Admissions Tests PSAT Test FAFSA / TAFS Financial Aid Application Process The Essay GPA

Study skills Time Management Goal Setting Self Awareness Persistence Collaborative

Learning Student Ownership

of Learning

HOTSHigher Order Thinking SkillsCritical & Creative Thinking

Scholarly Habits of Mind

“College Knowledge”

Skills / Knowledge

Conley’s Four Keys to College Readiness

How do you

THINK

KNOWWhat do you

How do you

ACT

GOHow do you

Key Cognitive Strategies Problem formulation, research, interpretation, communication, precision and accuracy

Key Content KnowledgeKey terms & terminology, factual information, linking ideas, organizing concepts, academic and technical skills

Key Learning Skills & TechniquesTime management, study skills, goal setting, self-awareness, persistence, collaborative learning, student ownership of learning, technological proficiency, memory

Key Transition Knowledge & Skills Postsecondary program selection, admissions requirements, financial aid, career pathways, postsecondary culture, role & identity issues

• How to take notes

• How to organize and manage time

• How to study

• How to work as a team

• How to problem-solve and think critically

What are 21st Century Skills?

PERSISTENCE

DIGITAL

LITERACYSELF AWARENESS

CREATIVITY

In fact . . . what is the ONE THING that researchers have found will ensure success in school and life more than

anything else?

If a student has this key ingredient, they can almost guarantee their SUCCESS!

GRIT is having passion and perseverance to

meet long term goals. It is stamina. It is

working really hard for a long time for

success. It is getting back up when you get

knocked down. It is like running a marathon;

not a sprint.

GRIT

ChoiceCollege Readiness provides students with

more choices in life

Why is College Readiness important?

The College Advantage: Weathering the Economic Storm Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, August 2012

Why is College Readiness Important?

The cost of college is rising

*Includes tuition, fees, room & board rates College Board Report Trends in College Pricing 2012

AVERAGE ANNUAL COSTPublic 2-year $ 10,550Public 4-year $ 17,860Private 4-year $ 39,518

The More You Learn, the More You Earn!

Future Job Openings

* According to a 2010 study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

42%

63%

Percent of job openings that will

require some postsecondary

education by 2018

Current percent of Americans who earn an

associates degree or higher by age 25

Top Five Factors Influencing College Admission Decisions

The rigor of the coursework in a student’s high school career COUNTS

Essay

Class Rank

Grade Point Average

SAT or ACT Score

Grades in College Prep Courses

0% 10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

23%

31%

54%

59%

74%

Importance in College Admissions

Importance in College Ad-mission

The rigor of the coursework in a student’s school career

COUNTS!

The path to College Readiness

begins early!

Third Grade: A Pivotal Year

• 3rd grade is a pivotal year in a child’s life where students are either on track or derailed from graduating on time

• Third grade marks the beginning of student participation in STAAR testing

• 16% of third graders who are not reading on level do not graduate on time

Build a College Readiness

Culture

How to

A partnership between the district and

parents

It is important that parents and families be part of the process to build a college-going culture, and that connections are made between schools and students’ families and their community.

Parents

Are you helping your child develop college dreams?

Is your child:• attending school regularly• arriving on time• behaving appropriately• becoming a self

motivated learner • performing well

academically

Is your child making good personal choices?

Encourage your child to:• Surround him/herself with

friends who inspire them to achieve their best and avoid the influence of those who are willing to settle for too little

• Discover their passions and their purpose

Is your child building a strong academic foundation?

Encourage your child to:

• Love learning and embrace challenge

• Work hard to build reading, math, and writing skills

• Learn to print and to write cursive

• Check their work for accuracy

• Ask their teacher for help

• Complete their work on time

Building a strong academic foundation . .

• Come to class prepared EVERY day – this is critical for success

• Explore areas of interest through reading and research

• Build resiliency and persistence

• Foster their imaginative and creative side

• Sign up for the most rigorous courses he/she can handle as they leave elementary and enter middle school

The Power of Grades• Grades are one important way people determine

what they know and how prepared they are

• Students use grades to prove themselves to others, but they shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that there is more than grades: there is learning and passion.

Read . . . Read . . . Read!

Develops a positive attitude toward reading

Expands a child’s vocabulary

Increases a child’s attention span

Creates a life-long learner

Actively build their vocabulary! • Make and use flashcards • Tackle about 10 new vocabulary words a week • READ: look for vocabulary in context • WRITE: use vocabulary as they journal and express

themselves • SPEAK: use vocabulary to communicate and get comfortable

pronouncing each term

Help your child learn to persevere.

• Encourage your child not to give up just because something is tough

• Once children learn to keep

trying until they succeed, to work through the discomfort of trying something unfamiliar, and to push themselves, they won’t settle for less just because less in easier.

“Genius is 1% inspiration and

99% perspiration.”

Thomas Edison said of his electric light bulb

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

The Way to PlayIs your child participating in enrichment and extracurricular activities?

• Access free and low-cost academic, enrichment and extracurricular programs

• Go on field trips to museums, visits to colleges, competitions, plays and concerts

Finding Passion and PurposeAre you helping your child explore college and career choices?

• Create consistent routines (homework, meal and bed times, etc.)

• Cultivate your child’s interests . Help them to discover their passions and their purpose

• Talk with your child about how his/her interests are related to college and career choices

• Don’t confuse being good at something with being passionate about it.

• Encourage your child to do what they are passionate about and work toward leadership roles.

Time to ShineSTAAR and College Readiness Assessments

• Be aware that students begin participation in STAAR tests at 3rd Grade

• Recognize that STAAR testing can give you important information about your child’s strengths and weaknesses

• Help your child plan for assessments while reducing test anxiety

• Highlight your child’s strengths

• Accelerated and Advanced courses are structured to be more rigorous and to

move at a faster pace

Setting High Academic Expectations at Middle School

• High school courses taken at the middle school level are graded using high school grading policies, and are used to determine a student’s GPA and class rank.

• A challenging learning environment is MORE important than making the “A”.

• Students in accelerated and

advanced courses are expected to be self-

starters.

• Time management is critical, especially in an advanced course.

• Coming to class prepared EVERY day is critical for success.

• Students should not be afraid to ask for help.

• Middle School students in advanced courses should expect extensive reading and independent research to be a part of the class.

• Students should set academic goals early about AP course choices and options, and plan for the most rigorous high school experience they can manage.

Educate Yourself EARLY

about the Timeline for

College Readiness

Develop Strong Study Skills

Take the most challenging courses

you can handle

Start “THE LIST”

Get involved in Extracurricular

Activities

Work on your vocabulary

Take Algebra I Participate in DUKE TIP if you

qualify

From www.ktprep.com2012

College Prep Time Line for

High Scho

ol

Take the PSAT in the fall and the

SAT in the Spring

Take challenging AP and/or Dual Credit courses

Study SAT Vocabulary

Don’t get “senioritis” - Stay focused!

Update “THE LIST”

From www.ktprep.com 2012

District

Rigorous, College Preparatory and/or College Level Course Offerings

Opportunities for Distinguished Level Achievement and Performance Acknowledgements

College Readiness Assessment Programs

Prep for College Entrance Exams

Rigorous Courses

Is one of the Most Effective ways to prepare

for college

Taking

• Available in grades 6-12 in ELA, math, science, social studies, fines arts, as well as world languages

• A more in-depth study of content, taught at a more accelerated pace

• Strategies designed to build the foundation for college level work

GPISD Pre-Advanced Placement Program

GT or Pre-AP Algebra I – 7th or 8th

GT or Pre-AP Geometry – 8th or 9th

GT or Pre-AP Algebra II – 9th or 10th

GT or Pre-AP Pre-Calculus – 10th or 11th

AP Calculus AB – 11th or 12th and/or AP Stats and/or AP Computer Science

AP Calculus BC – 12th and/or AP Stats and/or AP Computer Science

MAT

HArticulation of Math Courses

New Rules for Students in Early Algebra I• Legislative changes in 2013: State and Federal

accountability requirements• Students in Algebra I course will take both the

8th grade and Algebra I state assessments• Algebra I math teachers will provide additional

support for students

NEW

Articulation of Spanish CoursesSP

ANIS

H

• GPISD offers college-level AP courses taught in a wide variety of subject areas

• Opportunities for students to earn college credit with an exam score of 3 or higher

• 511 qualifying AP scores in 2013, saving parents thousands of dollars in tuition costs

• Over 1900 exams were administered to GPISD students during the first two weeks of May 2013

GPISD Advanced Placement Program

AP Biology

AP US Government

AP Spanish Language

AP S

tatis

tics

AP Calculus

AP English Literature

AP US History

AP Studio Art 2D, 3D, and DrawingAP Music Theory

AP Physics

AP Environmental

Science

AP Chemistry

AP

Psyc

holo

gy

AP English Language

AP Art History

AP Macroeconomics

AP W

orld

His

tory

AP Spanish Literature

AP Human Geography

AP Courses and College Success

No AP Courses One AP Course Two AP Courses

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

33%

59%

76%

Probability of an Entering College Freshman Completing a Bachelors Degree

Probability of Completing a Bachelors Degree

From Answers in the Toolbox: Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and Bachelor’s Degree Attainment 2004

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)• College Tutors• Note-taking strategies (Cornell

notes)• Organizational Skills• Study Skills• Self Awareness• Check with academic counselors

College “Go Centers”• College Mentors• Financial Aid Forms• Scholarship Applications

GPISD Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program

Dual Credit Opportunities at Dallas County Community Colleges

• FREE TUITION

• Offered at the High School & Community College Campus

• TSI standard required

• Earn up to two dual credit courses per semester

• Can begin as early as the summer after a student’s sophomore year

Dual Credit Opportunities at the University of Texas at Arlington Honors College

• For motivated high school students to enroll in university courses

• Earn up to 8 dual credit hours per semester ($150 per course)

Annually Renewable Scholarships for students who:

• Score 1200 on the SAT (CR and Math)

• Complete at least 6 hours of UTA credit prior to graduation

• Maintain at least a “B” average in each UTA course

Understanding Weighted Grade Point Average

• Beginning the Grade Point Average (GPA)– Taking high school courses in middle school begins a

student’s GPA (grade point average)– Once a credit has been awarded, courses cannot be re-

taken for a higher grade

• Weighted GPA– Regular classes are weighted on a 4.0 scale– Pre-AP classes are weighted on a 4.5 scale– AP and Dual Credit classes are weighted on a 5.0 scale

Weighted GPAA grade of 95:In a regular course receives a 4.0In a Pre-AP course receives a 4.5In an AP course receives a 5.0

A grade of 85:In a regular course receives a 3.0In a Pre-AP course receives a 3.5In an AP course receives a 4.0

A grade of 75:In a regular course receives a 2.0In a Pre-AP course receives a 2.5In an AP course receives a 3.0

KEY TO NOTE• While GPA is important, it is not THE most

significant factor in getting into or being successful in college!

• The most significant factors are:– The rigor of a student’s high school coursework – The student’s acquisition of key content

knowledge and skills– The student’s ability to think critically, to analyze

and evaluate, and to apply learning in predictable and unpredictable situations

These are the critical factors to college success

House Bill 5 Accountability Measures

4 Key Areas• Academic Achievement• Student Progress• Closing the Achievement Gap• Post Secondary Readiness

NEW

Personal Graduation Plan (PGP)

• 6th Grade and Up• Identifying interests and career possibilities• Setting Goals• Selecting course pathways• Researching colleges

NEW

Elementary College and Career Readiness Curriculum

• New this year• Implemented at 5th Grade for all GPISD students• Early exposure to college and career readiness

exploration• Career Inventory• Connecting post secondary with career• Researching and locating colleges of interest• Researching the SAT and ACT NEW

Opportunities for

Distinguished Level of Achievement and

Performance Acknowledgements

develop a student’s 21st century skills

Participating in

NEW

NEW

Health ½ credit

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

College Readiness Assessment

Programs

Opens doors to college programs

Understanding the

College Readiness Assessment Programs

DUKE TIP at 7th Grade

• Qualifying students take the actual SAT or ACT test in

December or January

• High ceiling able to determine the true ability of high achieving students

• Opportunity for state and national recognition through Duke University

College Readiness Assessment Programs

College Board Readi-Step Exam at 8th Grade• Low stakes assessment

• Critical Reading, Math, Writing

• Score range 1.0-7.0

• Critical feedback on student strengths and weaknesses

College Readiness Assessment Programs

PSAT/NMSQT Early Participation Program FALL 10th and 11th Grade

• Practice for the SAT

• Can identify students who show potential for success in an AP course

• Students who take the Preliminary(Practice) SAT statistically score better on the SAT

• Scholarship opportunities for the

National Merit Program

College Readiness Assessment Programs

SAT / ACT Spring of 11th Grade• The most widely used college

admissions tests

• Tests skills in critical reading, math, and writing (and science on the

ACT)

• Writing section has been found to be the best predictor of college success

ReadiStep PSAT SAT

Grade Level 8th Fall 10th & 11th Spring 11th Fall 12th

3 areas tested

Critical ReadingMathWriting

Critical Reading MathWriting

Critical ReadingMathWritingEssay

Score Range (each subtest)

1 -7 20-80 200-800

Perfect Score 7 x 3 = 21 80 x 3 = 240 800 x 3 = 2400

Uses Low stakes diagnostic to identify strengths and weaknesses

Practice for the SATNational Merit Qualifying Test for 11th graders

Used to determine college admissions and scholarship offers

Comparison of College Board Exams

GPISD Prep Courses for College Entrance Exams

GPISD SAT Prep Courses

• Offered to 10th-12th graders

• Students develop a deeper understanding of critical reading, math, and writing

• Offered each spring and fall semester

• Average gain of 200 points

• Can make the difference with scholarship offers

Helpful ResourcesApply Texas www.applytexas.org Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation www.everychanceeverytexan.org/about/scholars/ Texas College and Career Readiness Program: www.txccrs.org/ College Portraits: www.collegeportraits.org/The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board www.thecb.state.tx.us/

AP Potential: www.appotential.collegeboard.orgThe College Board: www.collegeboard.org/You Can Go: youcango.collegeboard.org/Big Future: bigfuture.collegeboard.org/Common Application www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspxTOPCAT: www.collegefortexans.com/National Center for Education S: www.nces.ed.gove/collegenavigator

Collegeboard.org

Bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Commonapp.org

Go to:

http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp

Want to know how many college credits that students can acquire with an AP Score?

SAT Question of the Day

SAT Sample Practice Questions

SAT Free Practice Test

SAT Resources to Purchase

Personal SAT Study Plan

Register for the SAT

The Launch of College Board’s New Site for College Readiness: bigfuture

www.youcango.collegeboard.org

PSAT Score Report for 10th Grade

Student Access Code

www.quickstart.collegeboard.org

My SAT Study Plan

My Personality

My Major and Career Matches

My Online Score Report

My College Matches

My AP Potential

• Think “College Bound” …

• Nurture scholastic achievement

• Monitor and guide your student’s educational journey • QUALITY is key . . . balance rigor and reality!

• Insist that your college-bound student takes: the PSAT/NMSQT in 10th and 11th grades; the SAT or ACT at the end of 11th grade; and some practice tests!

• Get your student involved and get yourself involved - take an active approach!

REMEMBER THIS:

Contact InformationJeffrey Miller

Executive Director of Post Secondary Readiness

Debbie MidkiffDirector of Elementary College

Readiness

Cathy ShaverDirector of Secondary

College Readiness

Jerry Burkett, Ph.D.Director of College Readiness

Partnerships

Jeffrey.Miller@gpisd.org Debbie.Midkiff@gpisd.org Cathy.Shaver@gpisd.org Jerry.Burkett@gpisd.org

972-237-4039 972-237-4032 972-237-4036 972-237-4024