October 9, 2006

AtD Update #3: October 9, 2006

 The Link between Student Success Initiative and Achieving the Dream at Lone Star College System

 

Since 2004, Lone Star College System's Student Success Initiative (SSI) has focused on helping our students reach their educational and career goals.  By increasing the rigor of course prerequisites, revising practices which hindered student success, and developing My Education Plan to help students track their progress toward a degree or certificate, Lone Star College System has worked to ensure that students:

• advance from remedial to credit-bearing courses;

• enroll in and successfully complete gatekeeper courses;
• enroll from one semester to the next; and
• earn degrees and/or certificates. 

As Lone Star College System begins its first year of participation in the Achieving the Dream (AtD) initiative, one question that has surfaced is,   "Given the similarities between these two initiatives, how will the goals of SSI and AtD be meshed during implementation?"   

 

First, AtD is not intended to replace the Student Success Initiative.  Rather the resources of AtD will be used to enhance the District's efforts to analyze data and craft policies which further enhance the success of our students - including a heightened focus on the success of low-income students, first-generation college students, and students of color.  An initial $50,000 grant has been awarded to Lone Star College System to collect and analysis data and to solicit input from both internal and external stakeholders as to how best improve student success.  Additional implementation grants will be available in Years 2 - 5.

 

In addition to funding, AtD resources include access to a data facilitator to assist in the collection and analysis of student success data and an AtD implementation coach who is providing guidance in identifying practices to improve student success and implementing change. 

 

Second, the philosophical principals of AtD are being integrated into SSI to strengthen that initiative. For example, a core belief of AtD is that there must be open and forthright discussion of the college's current performance for student success to improve.  Further more, when areas of concern are identified, efforts much be made to actively set goals and implement strategies for improvement.  As an organization committed to student success and an active member in the AtD consortium, Lone Star College System is committed to:

• examining data on student achievement;
• basing decisions on data;
• confronting and addressing achievement gaps;
• monitoring our progress closely; and
• sharing our findings broadly.

 

A direct result of this commitment to frank discussion of institutional performance has been an increased effort to involve staff and faculty in understanding what factors support as well as hinder student success.  SSI data as well as data from other sources such as the 2005 Lone Star College System Community Colleges Survey of Student Engagement are being widely distributed and discussed in committees across the District.  AtD is requiring Lone Star College System to grow its capacity to perform critical education research.  If you are interested in doing research on issues related to student success, please contact Lea Campbell, Director of Student Success Initiatives, to find out research projects currently under development. 

 

We can help more students be successful.  It is possible to close the achievement gap.  However, progress toward such ambition goals cannot be made without the support and participation of each and every Lone Star College System employee.  Get involved because for our students, success is what counts.

                                                                                   

The AtD Updates are produced by the Lone Star College System Core Team and distributed to the Lone Star College System community in an effort to inform as well as promote discussions on issues critical to improving student success.  Should you have any questions about the information contained in the AtD Updates, need clarification about the data or simple wish to comment please contact Lea Campbell, Director of Student Success Initiatives (832-813-6584, carol.l.campbell@lonestar.edu).