webinar: adult learners: a key piece of the college completion puzzle
DESCRIPTION
Presented by Patrick Lane, WICHE This webinar focuses on why reengaging adult learners (particularly those with some college credit but no degree) is such an important part of any metropolitan strategy to increase degree attainment. With demographic and workforce projections showing that the traditional education pipeline will not provide sufficient students to meet the future needs of employers, bringing back adults who have started but not finished a postsecondary credential is crucial. In addition to focusing on the need to serve these potential students, the webinar also shares promising strategies to develop collaborative relationships with other stakeholders to increase degree attainment.TRANSCRIPT
Adult Learners: A Key Piece of the Completion Puzzle
Patrick LaneWestern Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)November 1, 2013
What is WICHE?
Promotes access and excellence in higher education for all citizens of the West
So…what is it, exactly, that you do?
The Adult College Completion Network
Overarching goal: Share promising policies and practices among all stakeholders to increase degree and certificate completion by adults with prior college credit
The Adult College Completion Network
Nationwide collaborative learning networkPartnering with:
State higher ed agenciesMetropolitan-based projectsWorkforce-focused organizationsEconomic development organizationsInstitutionsNon-profits“Etc.”
Funded by Lumina Foundationwww.adultcollegecompletion.org
The ACC Network assumption
We can’t reach our ambitious attainment goals through improvements in the traditional education pipeline alone.
Why educational attainment matters
Workforce needsEconomic competitivenessIndividual income gainsCivic improvements (crime, civic participation, health care costs)
Estimated 2020 degree/certificate shortfall: 5 million
(Source: Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, 2012)
Why can’t we get there by fixing the traditional pipeline?
“Graying” of our workforceRelatively high educational attainment of the generation approaching retirementAn increasingly knowledge-based economyNo projected growth in high school graduates
If states all improved their “traditional pipelines” to the average of the top 3 performing states, we’d still fall short of our 2018 workforce needs by 3 million workers with postsecondary education.
(Sources: NCHEMS, Georgetown CEW, WICHE)
ADULTS WITH SIGNIFICANT COLLEGE CREDIT
“Near completers,” “stopouts,” “ready adults,” etc.
“Significant college credit” but no degree
Specific definition depends on city, state, institution, organization, etc.
“Low hanging fruit”
What do we know about near completers?
Census data limited to “some college, no degree” category
Not “first time, full time” students
Institutions and state systems may not track near completers separately from adult students
In short, data are limited.
Background Demographics: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
Source: WICHE Analysis of National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979
Variables HS Diploma
Assoc. Deg Bach Deg. Above
Bach.Near
Comp.
Income (2010) $41,324 $48,560 $77,395 $103,416 $49,902
Library card (1979)
68.6% 73.4% 83.3% 86.2% 77.9%
Mother’s Educ. 10.6 10.7 12.5 13.1 11.7
Father’s Educ. 10.6 10.9 12.9 13.3 11.8
Near completers: Background demographics
Source: WICHE Analysis of National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979
Variables HS Diploma
Assoc. Deg Bach Deg. Above
Bach.Near
Comp.Poverty line (1979) 23.3% 20.3% 10.9% 11.2% 18.5%
ASVAB Score 36.1 44.8 63.8 70.5 48.9
What conclusions can we draw from this?
First the caveats: One data source, preliminary analysis, etc.
Near completers are as expected on most college access/success predictor variables
Depending on the year, near completers (as defined!) are 6%-10% of the sample
WHAT ROLE CAN CITIES PLAY IN ADULT DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE COMPLETION EFFORTS?
Credential completion: That was then…
State Higher Ed Agencies
Institutions ofHigher Ed
Improved policies and practices
Improved policies and practices
Increased degree completion
…this is now
State Higher Ed AgenciesInstitutions of
Higher Ed
Increased credential completion
Workforce Agencies
Economic Development
Agencies Local Government
Local employers
National employers Business
organizations Education providers
Community Organizations
National Organizations
Chambers of Commerce
Connections with cities
State Higher Ed AgenciesInstitutions of
Higher Ed
Increased credential completion
Workforce Agencies
Economic Development
Agencies Local Government
Local employers
National employers Business
organizations Education providers
Community Organizations
National Organizations
Chambers of Commerce
What do we know about collaborative efforts?
Collective Impact: The hot topic
The commitment of key stakeholders from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem.
Source: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2011
Why do some collective efforts succeed, and others fail?
Factors associated with success:Common agenda & metricsContinuous communicationBackbone support organizationsEstablishing “professional” trust and cooperationJoint planningInteracting with the target population
(Sources: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2011; Turrini, et al., 2010)
Some commonalities, in the form of questions?
Who is leading the initiative?What is the goal?Why are we pursuing this?How will we reach this goal?How and when do partners meet and communicate?How will we know if we are successful?
WHAT’S WORKING – MARKETING AND OUTREACH
Outreach approaches
Adult students are a diverse bunch…no one size fits all approach.
Data mining and direct targetingPublicity-based campaignsFormal advertising campaigns
Outreach approaches: Messages that resonate
Intrinsic:Others are in the same situationYou can find a school that’s the right fit for youYou can finish what you started / You’ve started, it’s time to finishSchools empathize with the sacrifices of returningSchools care about returning students
Extrinsic:There are personal financial and economic benefits to returning to complete a postsecondary degree“The more you learn, the more you earn”Your degree may be closer than it appearsCollege might be more affordable than you think
(Sources: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, University System of Georgia, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities)
Marketing examples—Georgia Billboard
Marketing examples—Georgia Billboard
Marketing examples—West Virginia
Communicating externally: Market research (cont’d)
EXAMPLES:Minnesota, West Virginia, GeorgiaPSAs, billboards, radio spots, etc.
www.adultcollegecompletion.org/mktingCommunications
Challenge: Evaluating effectiveness
Building stakeholder support
Another form of outreach and marketing
Decision-makers aren’t always data-driven
Communicate with data and stories about constituents, employees, students, etc.
ENGAGING HIGHER ED
Key policies and practices
Prior learning assessmentCompetency-based learningLowering the cost of credentialsCollaboration between workforce and higher edEffective and relevant adult advisingEtc., etc., etc.
ENGAGING EMPLOYERS
Employer partnerships: Promising strategies
What support can businesses provide throughout the path to completion?
Identify interested potential studentsConduct outreach, marketing through HR departmentsProvide classroom spaceAllow flexible work schedulesInclude education goals in employee reviewsReward completers with increased responsibility and promotionsEvaluate company training through ACE CREDIT programProvide tuition assistance
$
Return on investment
Tuition assistanceTax-freeLowers recruitment costsIncreases retentionVerizon: Estimates $25 million savings through LearningLink“Assistance” > “Reimbursement”
14% usage rate vs. 5%
Sources: Corporate Voices for Working Families, CAEL, Chief Learning Officer
Examples of employer partnerships
Maine Employers Initiative http://www.mdf.org/mei_overview.php
WorkforceChicago: http://www.workforcechicago.org/Exemplary-Practices.html
Greater Louisville Degrees at Workhttp://www.greaterlouisville.com/degreesatwork
A final word: Evaluation
A better final word: “Knowing what works”
Difficult, expensive, and sometimes inconclusive
But better than investing in failure
Knowing what works
Project X in City Y
Adul
t Enr
ollm
ent
Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Yr. 4 Yr. 5
Project starts
Knowing what works
Project X in City YData from City Z
Adul
t Enr
ollm
ent
Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Yr. 4 Yr. 5
Project starts
No project
But in collaborative networks…
Project X in City YData from City ZData from City A
Adul
t Enr
ollm
ent
Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Yr. 4 Yr. 5
Project starts
Project starts
Project starts
The final final word
Comparison is crucial, not for competition, but for knowing what works
Sustainability
Investing in successful programs
Networks with projects starting at different times are naturally set up for comparisons
Resources & contact info
Going the Distance in Adult College Completion: Lessons from the Non-traditional No More Project
www.wiche.edu
WICHE’s Adult College Completion Networkwww.adultcollegecompletion.org
CONTACT INFO:
Patrick Lane303-541-0266