A PARENT’S GUIDE TOCOLLEGE READINESS

PART 2:MIDDLE SCHOOL

Mike Horton, AVID AdministratorRiverside County Office of Education

Topics

Welcome “College preparedness” versus

“College readiness” The four dimensions of college

readiness The middle school’s role in

college readiness

Middle Schools

There are six major things that middle schools can do in order to ready students well for college:

1)Help English Learners get out of ELD by the end of 8th grade

2)Compete Algebra 1 in 8th grade

3)Create a 4-year high school A-G plan

4)If they speak another language academically, encourage them to take the SAT2 in that language

5)Score proficient or advanced on CSTs to get into A-G, Honors, and AP courses in high school

6)Enroll in AVID

ELD and College Readiness

Although the rules are complicated, students are allowed to count one year of ELD toward A-G completion. If a student is not at least CLEDT 3 by the end of 8th grade, it’s unlikely that they’ll meet A-G.

Here’s a link to the complicated rules:

http://www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/a-g/english_reqs.html

ELCR is an AVID program intended to get long-term ELs reclassified before high school. There is a cost associated with ELCR because it is not covered by the state grant.

ELD and College Readiness

In high school, sheltered classes may be approved as fulfilling the A-G requirement if it is sufficiently rigorous. The district must submit the course to UC and request approval. Very few do.

Here’s a link to a website where one can see which courses are A-G approved for any school:

https://doorways.ucop.edu/list/app/home?execution=e1s5

Here’s a list of SDAIE courses that have been approved already:

https://doorways.ucop.edu/list/app/home?execution=e1s11

Math and College

12th- Calculus

11th- Pre-Calculus

10th- Algebra 2/Trigonometry

9th- Geometry

8th- ALGEBRA 1

The Middle School’s Role

Math and College

RIMS 8th graders who took Algebra 1: 62.0%

RIMS 8th graders who took, passed Algebra 1 CST: 38.5%

RIMS AVID 8th graders who passed Algebra 1 C or better: 70.3%

4-Year Plans

Few students are required to complete a 4-year plan

Even fewer are followed up on in high school

Even fewer are plans to go to college; most are graduation plans

Research shows that students who have college plans by 10th grade are 21% more likely to attend college compared to those completing plans in 12th grade. Imagine how much higher it is if the plans were made in middle school!

4-Year Plans

Let’s review the A-G requirements and write a sample 4-year plan like an 8th grader would create before registering for high school courses

4-Year Plans

Student 1- Failed Algebra 1 in 8th grade and needs to re-take in 9th grade. Otherwise, does well in classes.

Student 2- AVID in 6th, 7th, 8th and hopes to continue all 4 years of high school. Passed Algebra 1 and wants to take AP Calculus in 12th grade. Also plays flute and wants to be in Marching Band all 4 years.

Student 3- English Learner, CELDT Level 2. With a lot of work, could be reclassified in 2 years. Does well in SDAIE classes, but not ready for mainstream yet.

Student 4- Failed 8th grade ELA and got far below basic on Pre-Algebra. Scheduled to be double-blocked in ELA and Math in 9th grade.

4-Year Plans

Let’s talk about challenges that each student faced . . .