Effect of Learning Communities on Gatekeeper Completion 
How one school is using Estudias to decrease time-to-degree

AtD Strategy Institute Workshop
Thursday,  February 7, 8:45 am-10:15 am
Westin Peachtree, Atlanta, GA
 

The following is a presentation of ZogoTech's data warehousing / reporting presentation given by Southwest Texas Junior College at the Achieving the Dream Strategy Institute Workshop.  The full presentation can be found here: PowerPoint Presentation

This scenario shows how one school used Estudias to decrease time-to-degree and increase graduation rates:

• Analysis:  Why are students taking so long to graduate?  In the case of SWTJC, Estudias showed that students were taking too long between completing the last developmental classes to completing the first college-level class.
• Analysis:  Which first college-level class is most strongly correlated with higher graduation rates?   English? History? College Level Algebra?  In the case of SWTJC, Estudias showed that College Level Math was the strongest predictor.  In fact, after 4 terms of completing College Level Algebra, 35% of the students had graduated -- more than double the graduation rate of the students who had completed the Reading and Writing gatekeeper classes.
• Action:  SWTJC looked at students who scored in created learning communities for those students who just barely missed testing out of remediation.  In this case, SWTJC had students take the final Developmental Math class and College Level Algebra in the same semester.  With Estudias, advisors were able to record all contacts with these students and run reports on them.  Researchers have access to all these contacts for assessment purposes.
• Assessment:   Did the interventions have an impact?  In the case of SWTJC, students in the learning communities completed College Level Algebra at the same rate as students who were not enrolled in the learning community.  The breakthrough?  Estudias showed they completed the class significantly sooner than the students who were not in the learning community.