Excelencia in Education (Excelencia), in partnership with Gallup and with support from Strada Education Network, explored the services and practices of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and the accompanying outcomes of the graduating students. An institution is categorized as an HSI if at least 25 percent of the full time undergraduate students are Latino. As of the 2016-2017 school year, HSIs include 65 percent of Latino undergraduate students and 15 percent of colleges and universities across the country, and these number are only expected to increase. It is more important than ever to understand the role that HSIs play.

The findings are based on the 12 HSIs that were or currently are part of Excelencia’s national “network of institutions that leverage their collective expertise and resources to accelerate Latino student success.” The main findings include:

• “Excelencia network graduates believe their alma mater is creating an inclusive environment for the success of all students;
• Excelencia network graduates indicate they had strong support systems at college;
• There are areas of opportunity that could further support graduates in finding jobs and learning skills that carry over into the workplace;
• 27 percent of Excelencia network graduates strongly agree that they were prepared well for life outside of college; and”
• “Excelencia network graduates are more likely than college graduates nationally to be fulfilled in their work and to have higher levels of well-being.”

The full findings and analysis can be found in Excelencia and Gallup’s report, Examining Life Outcomes Among Graduates of Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

Last week, Excelencia and Gallup hosted a briefing to share the results of the survey and key findings of the report. The briefing featured presentations from the following experts:

• Brandon Busteed- Senior Partner and Global Head for Public Sector, Gallup; and
• Deborah A. Santiago- CEO, Excelencia in Education

In addition to providing background information on the survey and report, the presenters underscored the importance understanding the collected data and taking action in response to the results. The point was made that higher education systems and institutions are most successful when leaders are intentional about meeting the needs of their students. When making decisions, one must consider student values, along with data.

A panel, moderated by Sarita E. Brown, President of Excelencia in Education included:

• Lisette Garcia- Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR);
• Anne Prisco- President, Felician University and President for Latino Student Success; and
• Erin White- Senior Director, Product Development and Research, STEMconnector

The panel discussed topics such as the importance of intentionality in increasing Latino representation in higher education institutions and in the workplace, the need to pay attention to the full pipeline from secondary education through the workforce and what it will take to close both the opportunity and access gaps. There was also a call to action to bring more employers and learners together. In doing this, the students have the opportunity to learn about career paths, and industry leaders benefit from interacting with and better understanding those who will be joining the workforce. Additionally, the role of HSIs was reinforced as pivotal to students. For example, less than 10 percent of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics degree holders are Latino, and the majority of these individuals come from HSIs.

You can check out the full recording of the briefing to hear more about the topics covered.

Meredith Hills, Policy Associate

While many may think of Career Technical Education (CTE) as operating only at the K-12 level, postsecondary-level CTE programs and pathways are serving millions of learners at institutions across the nation. With the majority of “good jobs” that pay a family-sustaining wage requiring at least some college education — such as a technical certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree or another credential of value — postsecondary CTE is more important than ever before in preparing learners for high-skill, high-wage and high-demand careers.

However, for CTE to fully meet its promise for learners and communities, it is critical that all CTE programs are held to the highest standards of excellence, as affirmed in Putting Learner Success First: A Shared Vision for the Future of CTE. Specifically, a high-quality CTE program of study should span secondary and postsecondary, include an industry-validated and state-approved course sequence and standards, lead to a credential of value, and be aligned with labor market demand.

To support states and postsecondary systems in their goals for high-quality postsecondary CTE, Advance CTE added six new postseconday-focused policy profiles to the Learning that Works Resource Center. These highlight effective practices at the state and institutional levels.

States and postsecondary systems and institutions face unique challenges and opportunities in the quest to ensure program quality and relevance. These challenges include navigating a variety of governance and delivery models, state and federal requirements, and multiple layers of program approval through regional and occupation-specific accreditors. At the same time, states, systems and institutions also have meaningful opportunities to support and fund those programs that are best serving learners and their communities’ workforce needs.

The new Advance CTE profiles explore the following topics and related state or institution examples:

• Career Advisement: San Jacinto College joined the Pathways Project (coordinated by the AACC) and through this initiative planned out a trajectory for each degree and certificate program that will lead the student through educational attainment to career opportunities after graduation.
• Credentials and Assessments: Oklahoma’s statewide initiative, Launch Oklahoma, supports the goal of 70 percent of Oklahomans between the ages of 25-64 attaining a postsecondary degree, certificate or credential by 2025.
• Data and Accountability: Middle Tennessee State University utilizes the student success management system technology, which helps with analysis of student data over time. This analysis provides predictive scores so that faculty can identify the students who are at risk of not completing a degree and intervene.
• Dual Enrollment, Articulation and Transfer: Washington State created Direct Transfers Agreements (DTAs) across all public colleges. This guarantees that a student who obtains a DTA associate degree from a public community or technical college will have completed the core requirements of a public four-year institution.
• Instructor and Leader Quality: The Community College Petrochemical Initiative in Texas, with funding from ExxonMobil, addresses workforce development in the Texas Gulf Coast. One piece of this initiative is community college faculty externships with industry employees.
• Work-Based Learning: Iowa’s Work-based Learning Intermediary Network aligns career interests of secondary and postsecondary students with the necessary postsecondary experiences for that career. The program offers work-based learning opportunities in order to prepare students for the workforce.

Meredith Hills, Policy Associate

Tommy T. Welch, Ph.D., Principal of Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, Georgia, understands his students’ engagement relates to their ability to connect what they are learning in the classroom to their future goals. He was once a social studies teacher at the school and in 2011; he became the high school principal. Welch knew the high school was labeled as low performing and he would use his role as principal to change that.

Welch, who was named the Georgia School Principal of the Year in 2017-2018, has transformed Meadowcreek High School into a high performing school with impressive student outcomes. In seven years, the graduation rate has improved from 48.54 percent in 2011 to 75 percent in 2017 and SAT scores rose 40 percent. Welch credits adding Career Technical Education (CTE) courses as one of the key components of this improvement plan.

Meadowcreek has five college and career academies known as “The Schools of Meadowcreek U,” which includes the School of International Business, School of Communication and Arts, School of Information Technology, School of Health & Hospitality, and School of Science, Technology & Engineering. Each academy also features a school-based enterprise. Creating Meadowcreek U was made possible by a $3.3 million three-year federal School Improvement Grant.

Along with adding CTE courses to the high school, Welch built partnerships with the local community. These partnerships led to having Georgia’s first full-service bank in the school providing learners with invaluable work-based learning experiences. Last year the school also had a ribbon cutting ceremony with long-term partner Georgia-Tech celebrating the opening of a new makerspace for STEM related projects.

To determine the offerings leadership utilized labor market data to determine where the greatest need would be in 2020. Now, learners select an academy that relates to specific careers that align with industry demand. This strategy not only prepares learners with the skills they need for careers in their own community, but also gives students a better understanding of what they are learning, how it relates to their future careers, and increases overall student engagement and attendance.

Each academy also incorporates an after school component. For example, a learner can enroll in the School of Health & Hospitality and focus on the Culinary Arts program. Learners then have the opportunity to participate in the school-based enterprise, the Creek Catering company. Participation allows learners to gain work-based learning experience in the culinary field, building technical and employability skills, applying what they learn in the classroom, while also being paid. The money the organization earns funds instructional labs, field trips, competitive events and scholarships for secondary education. Paying students was a direct result of evaluating data, which revealed that the low participation in after-school programs was related to students need to help support their families financially. (Over 80 percent students receive free or reduced lunch.)

Welch attributes the following strategies to dramatically increasing student success:

• Using data to make informed decisions. Students complete an annual student engagement inventory (SEI). The information collected helps to create a clear understanding of students’ needs and interests. For example, social workers, counselors and teachers meet to discuss students who have missed more than 10 days of school to determine the barrier for the student, and create an appropriate intervention.
• Reduce negative perceptions of CTE. To address any false perception that CTE is for “lower performing” students, Meadowcreek offers advanced CTE classes, and ensures that all CTE courses integrate with core academics. To allow parents to see the value of CTE courses they create ways to highlight the projects and successes of CTE learners. For example, parents are invited to see their child t in action handling catering for a 400+ person event, where their gaining real-world skills in a real work environment.

The model for Meadowcreek High School is receiving national attention for its success in boosting student engagement, student participation in afterschool programs, a decrease in the dropout rate and increases in graduation rates. In fact, it’s so successful that the state has taken notice exploring duplicating this model with the opening of additional CTE-focused schools in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and Health Sciences.

To learn more visit their website here.

Nicole Howard, Communications Associate