The Role of Early College High School in P-16 Success PDF Download

Author: Melinda Martin Valdez
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
The short existence of Early College High Schools has not allowed for considerable research to assess their operational effectiveness. Furthermore, the effectiveness perceptions and reactions of students enrolled at these schools have not been given ample opportunity to be studied--an integral component of any school's operation. The purpose of the study is to focus on one specific ECHS while in its third year of existence to assess its operational effectiveness from the perspective of its students. The research methodology which was selected as appropriate for the study involves the use of qualitative research coupled with the case study method. In order to assess for reliable observations, currently enrolled students were interviewed to gain knowledge of their perception of the operational effectiveness at their early college high school. Additional qualitative data was utilized with an inductive analytic approach to provide for a detailed view of the school. Data was segmented into relevant parts to help identify emergent themes. The following themes emerged from the findings: attainable success; student roles and responsibilities; personalization; support to achieve higher-level work; highly qualified teachers; and engaging parents and community. The findings suggest that student perceptions reflect an effective school environment that enables them to meet the expectations of high school graduation and completion of up to two years of college credit. Moreover, the supplemental data collected provided evidence of effective school administration and instructional practices that foster the support and engagement of students to meet their needs as early college high school students. An objective study of an early college high school may assist its administrators to ascertain whether they are meeting the needs of their students. Future research concerning this topic may be able to utilize the results and conclusions of this study to further enrich the knowledge of effective early college high schools.

Author: Yolanda M. Calhoun
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Nationwide, there has been an enormous amount of attention paid to the importance of college readiness for high school students. The Early College High School Program was created to address the problems of low college enrollment and students' lack of preparation for college. The targeted population includes low income youth, English language learners, first-generation college goers, students of color, and other young people underrepresented in higher education. In 2004, Educate Texas made a proposal to open 15 early college high schools in Texas. According to the Texas Education Agency, 44 new early college high schools opened during the 2014-15 school year. Since its launch in 2002, some of the early college high schools surcease. Participation in an early college high school program comes with benefits and challenges, both of which affect the success of students completing the program with a high school diploma and an associate's degree. Despite the promise of Early College High Schools, only 23.3 % of the graduates earned an associate's degree or technical certificate and 77% of the graduates attended some form of postsecondary education in 2010. The purpose of this study was to examine high school students' perceptions regarding an early college high school. Specifically, this study explored students' perceptions of the benefits and challenges experienced while attending an early college high school, and the factors influencing program completion. Strategies that are perceived to contribute to students' success in remaining in the program and graduating with an associate's degree were also examined. A purposeful sample of 28 students from one Early College High School in the Houston metropolitan area was selected to participate in this study to learn about their perceptions of that early college high school program. Participants were 10th-12th grade students who were enrolled in the Early College High School during the 2015-2016 school year. Three focus groups were conducted using semi-structured interviews. The qualitative data collected from the focus groups were transcribed and coded inductively into emerging themes. Findings from this study indicate that there are benefits and challenges associated with participating in an early college high school. These benefits include the relationships students build with their teachers and peers, college preparation, attending college at no cost, and the head start experience to college life. The challenges include the competitiveness among the students, a strenuous workload, the ability to be self-driven, and the struggle in maintaining a balanced life. In addition to the benefits and challenges, the students also identified factors that influenced their successful completion of the program, such as family support and self-determination. The students never lost sight of the purpose of the program, which was to earn an associate's degree. During the process, they remained steadfast and they redefined success as surviving four years of the ECHS program by earning college hours and a high school diploma. Throughout it all, their resilience prevailed, leaving them feeling a sense of self-accomplishment. The findings may be used to inform school and district leaders about what early college high school programs offer, as well as about the challenges. This study also will contribute to the body of literature on the experiences of participants of early college high school programs.

Author: Jobs for the Future, Boston, MA.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 37

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Book Description
"Smoothing the Path" describes successful state-level strategies and policy lessons that have been learned in four states during the development of schools that integrate secondary and postsecondary education. Statewide efforts in the multi-year Early College High School Initiative, which began in Ohio and Utah in 2002 and in Texas and Georgia in 2004, show how the barriers are being addressed. Because implementing early college high schools requires coordination between secondary and postsecondary education policies, the cases also expose the systemic misalignment that must be addressed to improve the transition from high school to and through postsecondary education--independent of early college high schools themselves. In other words, the fledgling early college high school movement points to challenges states face in building more robust dual enrollment programs, expanding Advanced Placement opportunities, and promoting other approaches that integrate high school and college work. The case studies in "Smoothing the Path" present the first steps in a long-term agenda to align and integrate grades 9 through 14 so that students can move more seamlessly into postsecondary education. Two case studies look at changes in fiscal policy to support early college high schools; two address improvements in alignment across high school and college. "Smoothing the Path" also summarizes the advice the intermediaries would give to future early college high school developers: (1) Gain early support from key state leaders and stakeholders; (2) Coordinate P-16 education policies with the development of early college high schools; and (3) Make the case for financing integrated courses of study. Appendices include policies and regulations relating to early college high schools for Georgia, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. (Contains 12 endnotes.).

Author: Julie A. Edmunds
Publisher: Harvard Education Press
ISBN: 1682537609
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Early Colleges as a Model for Schooling advocates for early college high schools as an effective means of reducing academic, cultural, and financial obstacles to postsecondary education. This perceptive work evaluates, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impacts of early colleges—hybrids that blend elements of secondary and postsecondary education. It examines the strengths and challenges of early college models of different designs and explores their place in the greater education system. Julie A. Edmunds, Fatih Unlu, Elizabeth J. Glennie, and Nina Arshavsky craft their narrative around the findings of one of the most ambitious studies to date on early college high schools, a fifteen-year longitudinal study involving more than four thousand students across nineteen secondary schools that have adopted the model. They offer insight into the student experience within early college high schools and beyond. The authors demonstrate how the well-structured and supportive educational environment of early college not only prepares students academically for college-level coursework but also helps students navigate logistical challenges in applying for colleges and universities. They show how the positive outcomes of the early college experience can help tip the balance toward successful postsecondary educational experiences, especially for historically underserved students such as low-income students, minority students, and first-generation college students. As the authors point out, a shift in the way the transition between secondary and postsecondary education is implemented provides an achievable approach to improving college readiness and lowering educational barriers. They argue persuasively that wider adoption of this educational model in high schools has great potential to improve overall access to higher education.

Author: Clifford Adelman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
The Toolbox Revisited is a data essay that follows a nationally representative cohort of students from high school into postsecondary education, and asks what aspects of their formal schooling contribute to completing a bachelor's degree by their mid-20s. The universe of students is confined to those who attended a four-year college at any time, thus including students who started out in other types of institutions, particularly community colleges.

Author: Gerald S. Edmonds
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
ISBN: 0815653549
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 398

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Book Description
Concurrent enrollment programs offer high-achieving high school students the opportunity to take college credit-bearing courses taught by college-approved high school teachers. This low-cost, scalable model brings accelerated coursework to urban, suburban, and rural students. In this book, scholars explore the function of concurrent enrollment programs in addressing the gap between high school preparation and readiness for the academic and social demands of college. Experts in the education field map out the foundation for programs offering concurrent enrollment courses, including best practices and necessary elements for a sustainable, viable program that contributes to student success in higher education. Providing research-based evidence of the overwhelming benefits of such partnerships between high schools and colleges, this book is a vital tool for all educators considering adopting a concurrent enrollment program.

Author: Andrea Berger
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 130

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Book Description
In 2002, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI) with the primary goal of increasing the opportunity for underserved students to earn a postsecondary credential. To achieve this goal, Early Colleges provide underserved students with exposure to, and support in, college while they are in high school. Early Colleges partner with colleges and universities to offer all students an opportunity to earn an associate's degree or up to two years of college credits toward a bachelor's degree during high school at no or low cost to the students. The underlying assumption is that engaging underrepresented students in a rigorous high school curriculum tied to the incentive of earning college credit will motivate them and increase their access to additional postsecondary education and credentials after high school. Since 2002, more than 240 Early Colleges have opened nationwide. This study focused on the impact of Early Colleges. It addressed two questions: (1) Do Early College students have better outcomes than they would have had at other high schools?; and (2) Does the impact of Early Colleges vary by student background characteristics (e.g., gender and family income)? To answer these questions, the authors conducted a lottery-based randomized experiment, taking advantage of the fact that some Early Colleges used lotteries in their admissions processes. By comparing the outcomes for students who participated in admissions lotteries and were offered enrollment with the outcomes for students who participated in the lotteries but were not offered enrollment, they can draw causal conclusions about the impact of Early Colleges. The primary student outcomes for this study were high school graduation, college enrollment, and college degree attainment. The authors also examined students' high school and college experiences. Data on student background characteristics and high school outcomes came from administrative records from schools, districts, and states; data on college outcomes came from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC); and data on high school and college experiences and intermediate outcomes such as college credit accrual came from a student survey. The authors assessed the impact of Early Colleges on these outcomes for a sample of 10 Early Colleges that did the following: (1) Enrolled students in grades 9-12 and had high school graduates in the study years (2005-2011); (2) Used lotteries as part of the admission processes in at least one of the study cohorts (students who entered ninth grade in 2005-06, 2006-07, or 2007-08); and (3) Retained the lottery records. Eight of the 10 Early Colleges in the study were included in the student survey. The overall study sample included 2,458 students and the survey sample included 1,294 students. The study extended through three years past high school.

Author: Kristi Honoré
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Throughout the history of education, school leaders have implemented a variety of school reform initiatives to close achievement gaps for students who are low socioeconomically status, English language learners, and students of color; yet not only is this population of students faced with an achievement gap, they are also identified as underrepresented in higher education institutions. The Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI) was created to provide an avenue for the aforementioned students to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or 60 college credit hours. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if statistical differences exist in students’ performance on the Exit Level of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and the differences in the frequencies of attendance rates, dropout rates, and graduation rates between students who attend an early college high school and students attending a traditional comprehensive high school. This study was conducted in a large urban school district in southeast Texas. To measure student achievement, the Exit Level TAKS scores and the SAT scores were examined using descriptive statistics. Two-tailed t-tests were used to compare the mean of the students’ TAKS and SAT scores between the Early College High School and the Traditional Comprehensive High School. Descriptive statistics was utilized to examine the differences in the frequencies of students’ attendance, dropout rates, and graduation rates between the Early College High School and the Traditional Comprehensive High School. Additionally, the perspectives on the effectiveness of the ECHSI of the principal, counselor, and teachers from the Early College High School were retrieved by the use of focus groups with semi-structured interviews. Findings from this study indicated that there was not a significant difference in student academic performance on the TAKS between students who attended the Early College High School and students who attended the Traditional Comprehensive High School, yet there was a significant difference in student academic performance on the SAT reading and writing. Findings from this study also indicated that the attendance rates were higher at the Early College High School and the dropout rates were lower than the Traditional Comprehensive High School. Furthermore, the graduation rates for the Early College High School were higher than the Traditional Comprehensive High School, yet both schools experienced a decline in graduation rates during the 2012 -2013 school year. The common themes derived from the focus group semi-structured interviews highlighted the need for student tutorials within an effective AVID program, the need for Texas Success Initiative (TSI) support, the positive culture and climate of the campus which allows for student leadership opportunities, the need to enhance community partner engagement and support, the need for communication with parents and students about the rigor of the course curriculum including policies and procedures of both institutions, and the need for Professional Learning Communities with vertical alignment among the teachers. The implications for school leaders include the need for effective AVID programs in schools to support students with study and organization skills to be successful in college level curriculum; the need for constant communication with the community college, strategic communication to parents and students on program policies and procedures; and the benefits of students participating in rigorous college courses in preparation for academic success.

Author: Rhona S. Weinstein
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190260904
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 441

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Book Description
Achieving College Dreams: How a University-Charter District Partnership Created an Early College High School tells the fascinating story of a long-standing partnership between a university and charter district to create an early-college high school for first-generation college youth. Reflecting community-engaged scholarship and diverse voices, this book uniquely extends the knowledge base about how to better prepare low-income students of color for college eligibility and academic success.

Author: Julie A. Edmunds
Publisher: Harvard Education Press
ISBN: 9781682537596
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Early Colleges as a Model for Schooling advocates for early college high schools as an effective means of reducing academic, cultural, and financial obstacles to postsecondary education. This perceptive work evaluates the impacts of early colleges--hybrids that blend elements of secondary and postsecondary education. Authors Julie A. Edmunds, Fatih Unlu, Elizabeth J. Glennie, and Nina Arshavsky craft their narrative around the findings of one of the most ambitious studies to date on early college high schools, a fifteen-year longitudinal study involving more than four thousand students across nineteen secondary schools that have adopted the model. The authors demonstrate how the positive outcomes of the early college experience can help tip the balance toward successful postsecondary educational experiences, especially for historically underserved students such as low-income students, minoritized students, and first-generation college students. They argue persuasively that wider adoption of this educational model in high schools has great potential to improve overall access to higher education. "Edmunds and her coauthors have built a compelling case for why and how early colleges create a vision for transforming the American high school and its relationship to higher education. It is firmly grounded in years of rigorous research nationally and brought to life showing how students' experiences are positively impacted by practices and policies that weld and meld our fractured secondary and postsecondary systems." --Joel Vargas, vice president, Jobs for the Future Julie A. Edmunds is program director for Secondary School Reform at the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Fatih Unlu is a senior economist and the director of the Labor, Workforce Development, and Postsecondary Education program at the RAND Corporation. Elizabeth J. Glennie is a senior research analyst in RTI International's Education Workforce Development division. Nina Arshavsky is a senior research specialist at the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.