showcase session: tools for teachers
DESCRIPTION
John Fanning, Director of The Partners Program at The College Preparatory School, spoke about College Knowledge, an innovative and effective curriculum developed at Jones College Prep that provides a template for you to take back to your school administrators and colleagues.TRANSCRIPT
COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE:
Your Guide to Access and
Success
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS YOU
WANT FOR YOUR
STUDENTS?
OURS WERE:
1. Increase the %-age of students enrolling in
selective colleges with high retention and graduation rates
OURS WERE:
2. Increase the %-age of 4-year eligible students
enrolling in 4-year colleges rather than in 2-year
colleges or not going at all
OURS WERE:
3. Increase scholarship support
SOUND GOOD?
Buckle up!
OUR RESULTS:
1a. Increased the %-age of students enrolling in selective colleges
by nearly 200%
OUR RESULTS:
1b. Increased the %-age of students enrolling in HIGHLY selective colleges by nearly
300%
OUR RESULTS:
2. Cut by almost 2/3 the %age of 4-year eligible students enrolling in 2-
year college or not going at all
OUR RESULTS:
3. Increased per-pupil scholarship support 500% (baseline $6
million for 200 students)
OUR RESULTS:
4. Accomplished this in two years, with most of the gains accomplished
in the first year
OUR RESEARCH:
Potholes on the Road to College … (Roderick, et
al, University of Chicago)
MAIN POINTS:
1. Students need structured supports for school transitions and
college awareness/readiness
MAIN POINTS:
2. Students need structured supports for
college, scholarship, and financial aid apps
MAIN POINTS:
3. FAFSA completion is critical for college enrollment and
scholarship program success
MAIN POINTS:
4. Academic match & not just cultural fit is a strong determinant of
retention and graduation
OUR STRATEGIES:
1a. “Freshman Fridays” to work on transition issues into HS: 4-year
HS plan, college awareness, GPA, & so
much more
OUR STRATEGIES:
1b. 1-on-1 counselor meeting for every freshman and new
student (in addition to the usuals – Frosh
Orientation, Back to School Night, etc.)
OUR STRATEGIES:
2. Sophomore college awareness
programming (at retreat, at parents’
nights, college tours)
OUR STRATEGIES:
3. Daily 45-minute period with all 2nd-sem. JRs and 1st-sem. SRs in
highly-structured “College Knowledge”
class
OUR STRATEGIES:
4. Relentless FAFSA completion program in
January of SR year
OUR STRATEGIES:
5. Continued group and individual counseling as needed during 2nd-sem. of SR year (CK
class now with 2nd-sem JRs)
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
1. Administrator buy-in (principal) and
leadership (chair); if you want these gains, you have to plan and
work for them!
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
2. Hire/assign a freshman-only
counselor and give that person dedicated
weekly “Freshman Friday” time
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
3. Hire/assign College Knowledge teachers
(counselors work best IMHO); will need to re-assign a teacher FTE to a counselor or new hire
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
4. Use our curriculum and tailor it rather than start from scratch; set aside time and pay for
curriculum planning
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
5. Get interns involved; excellent arena for
small group and 1-on-1 supports in both FF and
CK classes. They are INSTRUMENTAL!
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
6. DATA DATA DATA. Know your baselines and data goals at all
levels, and follow them in 1st year to build
consensus around FF, SA, & CK
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
7. TALK IT UP! At staff and board meetings, in the grad program, in the press, at district meetings, etc. Make the successes public!
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
8. KNOW YOUR STUDENTS! CK was designed for 4-year eligible low-income
urban kids – but could be designed for other
students.
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
9. COLLEGE EXPOSURE IS CRITICAL, esp. for
first-gen kids. Start in soph year, or earlier!
KEYS 2 SUCCESS:
10. It’s all about RELATIONSHIPS … with students, their families, and college reps. See
your role as the “relationship broker.”
MISC POINTS:
1. Well-aligned with the ASCA national model; principals will often
need education on this model and why/how it
works
MISC POINTS:
2. Principal needs to assign non-counselor duties (registration,
standardized testing, sharpening pencils,
etc.) away from couns./CK teachers
MISC POINTS:
2 (cont’d). In other words, if principals treat counselors as
“100% other duties as assigned,” that’s
exactly what they’ll get – misc. admin.
MISC POINTS:
3. We had no teacher resistance; in fact, new
JR/SR semester-long electives contributed to
teacher buy-in and enthusiasm
MISC POINTS:
4. CK was well-received by all students and
families, not just first-gen; ‘voluntary’ (opt-out
rather than opt-in) enrollment at 99%
MISC POINTS:
5. Students reported greatly reduced stress
relative to previous year’s seniors and to peers at other HSs
(suicide prevention)
MISC POINTS:
6. Students reported understanding the process, focus on
match, appreciation for daily assistance, & being able to make
better decisions
MISC POINTS:
7. Other successful programs not identical, but similar in allocating dedicated time; THIS IS
NOT ADVISORY or ENGLISH CLASS!!!
MISC POINTS:
8. All SRs accepted into a 4-year college is a start BUT IT IS NOT
ENOUGH AND WE ALL KNOW IT; don’t feed into that standard
MISC POINTS:
9. NPO action is awesome BUT IT IS
NOT ENOUGH AND WE ALL KNOW IT; ALL KIDS
NEED AND DESERVE THIS SUPPORT!!!
MISC POINTS:
10. This is not a pipe dream, even in this
economy, but…
MISC POINTS:
10 (cont’d). …inertia is huge; are you a strong enough leader to make
the case for this program and see it
through?
LAST POINTS:
This is not rocket science.
LAST POINTS:
ACT/SAT scores count, prep
counts, but not always.
LAST POINTS:
This is where the good stuff
happens.
LAST POINTS:
CK text on the NPEA website, I hope! I can also forward
electronic copies.
LAST POINTS:
My info:John Fanning
510-652-0111
Thank you for attending
COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE:Your Guide to Access and
Success