The (Not So) Little Program that Could:Leading At-Risk Students Down

the Pathway to College Completion

Pathway Program GenesisAs four-year institutions in Virginia become

increasingly competitive, more traditional-aged students are enrolling in community colleges with the intent of transferring.

Many high school students who declare their intent to attend Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) are not successfully enrolling.

The population of students in NOVA’s service area who are academically-qualified but at-risk of persisting in post-secondary education continues to grow rapidly.

Program Development TimelineProgram Development TimelineNOVA’s President, Dr. Robert Templin, met with NOVA’s President, Dr. Robert Templin, met with

executive leadership of two K-12 systems (FCPS and executive leadership of two K-12 systems (FCPS and LCPS) and George Mason University (2004) LCPS) and George Mason University (2004)

Executive leadership established a multi-institutional Executive leadership established a multi-institutional Task Force to address regional issues and educational Task Force to address regional issues and educational trends in the region (2004-2005)trends in the region (2004-2005)

Program Charter completed and ratified; Memoranda Program Charter completed and ratified; Memoranda of Agreement approved (2005)of Agreement approved (2005)

Program pilot launched in 12 high schools in FCPS and Program pilot launched in 12 high schools in FCPS and LCPS (2005-06)LCPS (2005-06)

Pathway Consortium OperationsPathway Consortium OperationsConsortium is run by an External Steering Committee Consortium is run by an External Steering Committee

with representation from all program partnerswith representation from all program partnersExternal Steering Committee is comprised of senior External Steering Committee is comprised of senior

leaders from program partners (Director, Vice President, leaders from program partners (Director, Vice President, Assistant Superintendant, Provost, etc.)Assistant Superintendant, Provost, etc.)

Steering Committee meets annually to review program Steering Committee meets annually to review program goals, operations and to approve calendar and process goals, operations and to approve calendar and process for following yearfor following year

Additional meetings with individual program partners Additional meetings with individual program partners are held on an as-needed basisare held on an as-needed basis

Pathway Student Selection CriteriaStrong post-secondary academic potential Long-term academic goal is to complete a

baccalaureate degreeDesire and focus toward future academic

achievement Strength of character and maturityAppropriate attendance and behavioral conductParticipation in another college access program

At-Risk Population93% of Pathway students meet one or more US Department of Education criteria known to adversely affect academic persistence in college:

Immigrant or child of immigrant parentsMember of a minority groupLow income or single parent householdFirst generation college studentPresence of a disabilityWard of the state

At-Risk Population100% of Pathway students are faced

with one or more of the US Department of Education’s Barriers to College Success:

AcademicSocialInformationalComplexityFinancial

Pathway Student DataHigh School GPA Range: 1.0-4.2Median GPA (HS): 2.7035% of students completed at least one

college-level course while enrolled in high school

55% of students completed at least one Tech Prep or Vocational/Technical course while enrolled in high school

46% of FAFSA-filers are within 250% of Federal Poverty Level

72% are immigrants or children of immigrant parents

The Pathway to the Baccalaureate Model

Cohort-Based

Intrusive & Developmental

Financial Support

One-Stop Case Management

Key Program InterventionsHigh school program services provided on-

site at participating high schools during regular school hours

True one-stop, case management model providing intrusive, developmental advising

Financial literacy training and program-specific grants and scholarships

Learning community & cohort-building beginning in high school

Early, continuous investment by all consortium members in student success

Pathway to theBaccalaureate

Program Design

High School SeniorReceives PathwayTransition Services

onsite at participatinghigh school

Student is admittedto and attends

another institutionof higher education

(2 year/ 4 year)

Student attends NVCC,Receives PathwayRetention/ Transfer

Services from NVCC &George Mason

Student elects non-academic post-

secondary option(employment,

military service,etc.)

Student is admittedand attends GeorgeMason University,Receives PathwayRetention Services

Student earnsBaccalaureate Degree

Student is admittedto and attends

another four-yearcollege or university

Transition ProgramPlacement testing, academic advising and

early course registration on-site at high schools

Counselors as liaisons with high school & college departments and ensure that all required documentation has been submitted

Transition Counselors work on-campus in July and August (funded by NOVA) to verify that transition processes are completed

Hand-off to Retention Program

Retention/Transfer ProgramContinued one-stop, case management modelBridge and learning community coursesAcademic, transfer, career, and social

programming at NOVA and MasonEarly Alert Program: mid-semester progressMandatory academic advising each semester

(THE HOLD!)Required participation in campus life and

community serviceEarly, Guaranteed Admission to George Mason

with 2.75+ GPA (2.85 F2013) and an Associate in Arts or Sciences Degree

New InitiativesNew InitiativesEnhanced student support Enhanced student support Increased expectations and enforcementIncreased expectations and enforcementService Learning and LeadershipService Learning and LeadershipStudent Learning Outcomes focused on Student Learning Outcomes focused on

mapping the path to successmapping the path to successExpansion of optional parental Expansion of optional parental

programmingprogramming

Retention Program at MasonContinued academic monitoring by Pathway

Advisor at MasonComprehensive orientations for transfer

studentsContinued participation in cohort meetings,

workshops, and events for Mason degree candidates

Early review for Mason financial aidMentoring of younger program students

Program Assessment Data85% of cohorts 1-5 successfully transitioned

from high school to higher education (National Average: 63% in 12 years)*

98% of students earn college credit in the first year (National Average: 47% in 12 years)*

First to second semester persistence rate for cohorts 1-5: 90% (NOVA average: 77%)

Year-to-year persistence rate for cohorts 1-5: 81% (NOVA average: 65%)

* US Department of Education, NEL Study

Program Assessment Data73% of students in good academic

standing after the first semester (Average among similar control groups: 40-50%)*

66% of deferral and “stop-out” students enroll or re-enroll within one year

72% of participants receive Federal Financial Aid

Four year Pathway graduation rate is double NOVA’s general graduation rate

* Lumina Foundation, “May 2004 Newsletter”

Current Pathway Funding ModelSchool systems and NOVA jointly fund the School systems and NOVA jointly fund the

Pathway Program, with minimal grant supportPathway Program, with minimal grant supportCost of program to district is based upon Cost of program to district is based upon

number of schools and students servednumber of schools and students servedEach transition counselor serves up to 360 high Each transition counselor serves up to 360 high

school studentsschool studentsEach retention counselor serves up to 500 Each retention counselor serves up to 500

college studentscollege studentsHigh schools selected at discretion of school High schools selected at discretion of school

system based on funding and needsystem based on funding and need

College Readiness PilotPathway Connection College Readiness Pathway Connection College Readiness

pilot launch in 2011-12 pilot launch in 2011-12 Focus on reducing need for remediation Focus on reducing need for remediation

among at-risk students by 50%among at-risk students by 50%Pathway Connection will use a one-stop, Pathway Connection will use a one-stop,

case management approach to early case management approach to early remediation of lagging academic skillsremediation of lagging academic skills

Two year program pilot will serve 800 10Two year program pilot will serve 800 10thth and 11and 11thth grade students at 8 high schools grade students at 8 high schools

Replication StrategiesReplication StrategiesStart Small!Start Small!Establish Strong Partnerships at Every LevelEstablish Strong Partnerships at Every LevelHONEST discussions of regional issues and HONEST discussions of regional issues and

needsneedsCreate a taskforce, share & compare dataCreate a taskforce, share & compare dataJOINT ownership is critical : “OUR” studentsJOINT ownership is critical : “OUR” studentsMight only replicate pieces Might only replicate pieces

Questions, more information?Pathway to the Baccalaureate Management Team:Kerin Hilker-Balkissoon, Director (khilker@nvcc.edu)Shannon Ingram, Coordinator, Transition (singram@nvcc.edu)Monica Gomez, Coordinator, Pathway Connection

(mogomez@nvcc.edu)Fran Troy, Coordinator, Retention, (ftroy@nvcc.edu)http://www.nvcc.edu/pathway/ Follow us:Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ptbnovaTwitter: @ptbnova