Program Spotlight: Catholic Charities' El Programa Hispano

The Oregon College Access Challenge Grant provides schools, districts, colleges, universities, and community-based non-profit organizations opportunities to serve youth in their college-going dreams. Today's blog post features a currently-funded community based organization.

 

On Tuesday, March 13^th, Catholic Charities’ El Programa Hispano had the honor of graduating its first class from the Juntos para una mejor educación (Together for a Better Education) program at David Douglas high school in East Portland. This six-week course teaches Latino high school students and their parents about the importance of graduating high school and pursuing a post-secondary education. After graduating from the Juntos program, parents have said: “Because of my participation in the Juntos program, I feel better able to ask for help for my child.” and “I feel better able to find information to help my child get to college.” El Programa Hispano is currently offering Juntos at Reynolds high school and will offer another class to Latino students and families at Centennial high school in the coming weeks. 

Juntos Graduates from David Douglas High School

OrCAN Symposium Follow-up

The Oregon College Access Network held a statewide symposium on March 15, 2012. More than 150 college access providers, school leaders, and others with a vested interest in assisting Oregon's students in reaching their higher education dreams participated in the day-long discussion. If you weren't able to be there (or even if you were), you can still access the wealth of information shared.

Session materials from Access 2012 are available on OrCAN's website, which will also soon host video of the keynote address from Ben Cannon, Governor Kitzhaber's top education advisor.

New Video Series: College Talk

Oregon's CACG and GEAR UP staff are collaborating on a series of short videos we're calling "College Talk." The idea behind the series was sparked by a previous blog post about college jargon and how difficult it can be -especially for first generation college students- to learn the "language" of college. We hope these videos will help.


The first in the series is all about the various buildings and names on a college campus. In addition to watching it here, you can also find it on the CACG YouTube page.


We'd really like to hear what you think - and, even more, we'd love to hear what your students think. Please share comments below or send an email to Adrienne and/or Dana with your thoughts.

College Board Launches New Web Resource for Students

"Today the College Board launched a free resource on its website, BigFuture, aimed at engaging students in the college-planning and -search process. With bolder graphics, more videos, and a process that draws in users with questions, the tool is pumping up the hip factor in an appeal to tech-savvy students."

Of particular interest to Oregonians, this new resource as designed in collaboration with the Portland-based Education Conservancy, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping ease the angst and confusion of the college admissions process.

You can read more about the launch in the College Bound blog.

In the News: No Diploma, No GED, No Aid

"Students who wanted to attend college, but didn’t have a high school diploma or GED, used to be able to get federal grants and loans through a back door: either take a basic skills test to prove their “ability to benefit” from a college education, or successfully complete six credits.

"This year's federal budget, in an effort to trim spending on Pell Grants, shut off both routes. As of July 1, newly enrolled students are required to have a high school diploma or GED in order to receive federal financial aid. College administrators say they worry the new policy will shut out older students seeking training to find a new job, immigrants, and students in states where money for basic adult education has been cut in budget crises."

Read more at Inside Higher Ed. Then share your thoughts about how this might impact students with whom you work or the programs you offer.

Graduation Rates for Oregon Colleges

Much of the talk about college access is now, rightfully, turning to a conversation about completion - or persistence to graduation. Colleges and universities are finding themselves in the position of needing to provide evidence that they can support students all the way through to earning a degree (and beyond).

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published a website showcasing this data in graphics and interactive charts showing graduation rates, completion rates, and the cost of taking a student from entry through completion. The data is incredibly robust and organized first by state (allowing you to compare Oregon, for example, to any other state in the nation), and then by school type - 4-year public, 2-year public, private non-profit, 4-year for-profit, and 2-year for-profit, and then by institution.

One example of the interactive charts available on the site; this one shows Oregon's public 4-year graduation rates as compared to states nationwide. At the high end is Delaware (70.8% and 54.8% for six and four year rates, respectively); at the low end is the District of Columbia (7.7% and 2.4%). A similar chart showing Oregon's 2-public completion rates puts the state at 41st in the nation, while Oregon's private, non-profit graduation rates are 12th in the nation.

If you're interested in seeing how Oregon's institutions of higher education compare to those around the nation, this site is a great place to start. Following this link will take you to the page for Oregon's 4-year publics, but a few quick clicks will allow you to explore all the types of institutions within our state and around the nation.

Free Tuition for Foster Youth

Effective January of 1012, House Bill 3471 requires Oregon universities and colleges to waive tuition and fees for foster youths. 

Learn more about the bill and how to help students take advantage of the benefit by visiting Oregon Foster Youth Connection and click on the "Free Tuition" link. Once there, you'll find a host of resources. If you're looking to educate yourself about the law and how you can help youth, start with "Tuition Waiver Adult Info Sheet."

4 Things to Know about Financial Aid Awards

If you're working with seniors or others who are headed off to college in the fall, this post from college admissions/financial aid expert Lynn O'Shaugnessy is worth a look. Since there's no standardization in financial aid awards, it can be difficult to compare offers from more than college or university. Ms. O'Shaugnessy provides readers with the four things to pay special attention to:

1. Check for grants and scholarships
2. Look for the cost of attendance
3. Watch out for loans
4. Look for your expected contribution

Visit CNN.com for more details.

In the News: Budget Cuts Threaten Access to College Placement Tests

"Because of a federal budget cut, thousands of low-income students across the nation may not be able to afford the fees for their Advanced Placement exams this spring — exams that could save them thousands of dollars in college tuition."

According to news in one of the listservs I'm on, the impetus for this article from The New York Times came from a school counselor in Washington state who has been paying close attention to the impact of these new cuts on low-income students in the Pacific Northwest. I haven't been able to find statistics that describe the full impact on Oregonians, but this is one more funding issue on which we should keep an eye.

Read the full article in The New York Times.

FAFSA Completion Data Tools

The following is the text of a press release from the U.S. Department of Education. It was distributed to Oregon CACG staff via the national College Access Challenge Grant community. You can reach information about Oregon's high school FAFSA completion rate by clicking on this link.

 

Education Department Launches New Data Tool to Help High School Officials Increase FAFSA Completion and College Accessibility

March 13, 2012

Contact:

Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new tool that will help high school counselors and school leaders by giving them a resource to monitor FAFSA completions and better help students access higher education. School officials can now track FAFSA submission and completion statistics at individual high schools on the FAFSA Completion website, which will help them ensure that their students are filling out the FAFSA and therefore are able to determine their eligibility for federal student aid – a key factor in families’ college decisions.

“We know that completing a FAFSA is a critical component of accessing higher education, and this data will be a key tool for high school guidance counselors and local officials,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We hope that by providing this resource in the heart of FAFSA filing season we can empower school leaders as they assist students and families in preparing for college.”

Making the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) easier to use has been a key part of the Administration’s effort to increase access to college and help the nation reach President Obama’s goal to lead the world in college graduates by 2020. In addition to determining eligibility for federal student aid, which includes Pell grants, federal student loans and work study opportunities, many states, institutions and private organizations rely on the FAFSA to determine eligibility for non-federal sources of aid, so filing a FAFSA has become the gateway to accessing funds for college. Key studies have indicated that FAFSA completion correlates strongly with college enrollment, particularly among low-income populations.

Program Spotlight: Portland OIC/Rosemary Anderson High School

The Oregon College Access Challenge Grant provides schools, districts, colleges, universities, and community-based non-profit organizations opportunities to serve youth in their college-going dreams. Today's blog post features a currently-funded community based organization.

Portland OIC/Rosemary Anderson High School

Transitions Program

At PortlandOpportunities Industrialization Center we reconnect alienated at-risk youth affected by poverty, family instability and homelessness, with high school education through Rosemary Anderson High School (RAHS), and with career training through POIC Work and Opportunity Trainings (WOT). We continue to mentor and support our graduates in post-secondary education until they reach the age of stable maturity at 25, through our Rosemary Anderson Transitions Program (RATR).  The Transitions Program was awarded OUS College Access and Challenge grant funds in order to increase the amount of college exposure activities for younger students and to support the retention of current college students participating in the Transitions Program. 

College Access Agenda (NACAC to the 112th Congress)

The National Association for College Admissions Counseling has published their College Access Agenda for the 112th Congress. As college access practitioners, we are eligible for membership in NACAC but also beneficiaries of the work they do.

The three primary presented by NACAC to be addressed by Congress are as follows:

1. Access to Quality Counseling
2. Need-based Financial Aid
3. Rigorous Curriculum for All Students

Read the brief for greater detail.

In the News: Tuition Equity for Undocumented Students

"Hugo Nicolas, a 19-year-old graduate of McNary High School in Keizer, is unable to attend college at the University because unlike other Oregon graduates, he would have to pay out-of-state tuition. A standout high school student, Nicolas had hoped to attend college to make a better life for himself and his family. He hopes to run for Congress someday."

Many of you work with students like Hugo. As you know, the options they have for higher education are limited. Hugo is one student working to do something about it.

"Hugo’s story is a common one among undocumented students trying to go to college, a struggle that has lasted for more than a decade as the Oregon State Legislature has continued to consider — and ultimately vote down — the idea of tuition equity, a provision that would allow undocumented students who attended K-12 within the state to pay in-state tuition at Oregon colleges."

Read more in Oregon Daily Emerald.

Question of the Week - 3/8/12

A recent article in The Boston Globe, detailing three reasons that college still matters, shares the following statistic:

If you are the child of a family making more than $90,000 per year, your odds of getting a BA by age24 are roughly 1 in 2; if your parents make less than $35,000, your odds are 1 in 17.

Given that the College Access Challenge Grant is designed to assist low-income students in their quest to achieve higher education dreams, what is one strategy you use to better the odds of your students?

Please share your expertise and ideas with your colleagues around the state! None of us can do this work alone, and sharing ideas can make the difficult tasks seem a bit easier. 

In the News: College Is Key to Success

Commentator Robert Reich, chancellor's professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley, argues for increased access to college for low-income students. What do you think of his ideas for funding it?



Read the transcript at American Public Media's Marketplace.

Opportunity for High School Juniors

The following message comes from a 2010 CACG recipient, the Northwest Education Loan Association. Take a look! This opportunity might be perfect for some of your students!

Do you serve students who have talked about attending college, but don’t know the steps to take to get there? Or students whose families simply lack the financial resources or previous college experience to provide their children with college-going guidance? We would like to offer our support with our free Mentor 2 College^® program. We will work with you to get students enrolled in our program, support your in-school work with our after-school programming and keep in communication with you to make sure college is an opportunity for every student. We are accepting applications from students who will be high school seniors next school year to participate in the 2012-2013 class of our Mentor 2 College program.
Mentor 2 College^® is NELA^® Centers for Student Success^SM curriculum designed to equip high school seniors with the necessary tools to become successful college applicants. As a part of this free program, students participate in structured curriculum focused on college discovery and selection, scholarship pursuit, and financial aid applications. Students meet once a week with a volunteer mentor, as well as attend workshops to make sure they are on the right path to college. Applications are available to students who meet at least two of the following criteria:

• Low-income.
• Student of color.
• First-generation college student.

Students who successfully complete the curriculum are eligible to apply for a scholarship for their freshman year of college.
Please download an application to share with your students or visit www.centersforstudentsuccess.org to learn more about Mentor 2 College. For best consideration, we encourage students to apply by April 13.

I encourage you to share this information with your colleagues in case they know of a student who might benefit from Mentor 2 College. Please feel free to contact me by email to jennifer.alkezweeny@nela.net. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Alkezweeny
Manager
NELA Center for Student Success in Portland

Program Spotlight: Pathfinder Academy

The Oregon College Access Challenge Grant provides schools, districts, colleges, universities, and community-based non-profit organizations opportunities to serve youth in their college-going dreams. Today's blog post features a currently-funded community based organization.

 

Pathfinder Academy is an accredited alternative school serving pregnant and parenting teens. In addition to a comprehensive academic program, Pathfinder Academy operates a Post-secondary Transition Program preparing students for education and employment opportunities beyond high school.  This program includes:

• college exploration classes
• hands-on job training
• individualized education plans
• one-on-one tutoring to prepare for college entrance testing
• access to trained college transition specialists
• computer labs and resources
• intensive case management

Through the Teen Parent College Access and Success program, Pathfinder Academy and Insights Teen Parent Program partner to help teen parents develop skills and access resources ensuring their successful transition to college.  We provides wrap-around services and intensive case management to assist students in accessing childcare, housing, and parenting support while providing comprehensive referral services when necessary. Students also participate in college/trade fairs and campus tours with staff.

The Post-secondary Transition Program will reach 200 parenting teens with post-secondary options and resources. We provide at least 30 enrolled students the tools, support and guidance they need to accomplish their education and career goals. Of those 30 enrolled students, 17 will enter a post-secondary program and be on their way to completion by fall of 2012. Successful completion of the Post-secondary Transition Program makes possible a future in a livable wage job ensuring the long-term success of our students and their families.

To find out more about our programs go to www.thepathfinderacademy.org