Module 4: Creating a College-Going Culture in the Middle School
Module Four: Final ProjectFall 2015
Name:
Title:
School:
The CAP Class Final Project consists of two parts:
Part I is a set of questions for your thoughtful consideration and response.
Part II is an opportunity for you to learn, first-hand, about plans underway to cultivate a high-expectations, college-going culture at your school through your district’s participation in the GEAR UP Middle-Grade Initiative (MGI), and to reflect upon what you learn.
NOTE: The text boxes in the below chart will expand as you type.
Please use all the space you need to fully express your ideas.
PART I: Discussion Questions
Reference: Creating a College-Going Culture Resources Guide
1. Indicators of a College-Going Culture
Identify the indicators of a college-going culture that you see in your school and areas that you believe could be improved. Please discuss both indicators and areas/strategies for improvement:
2. Student Academic Preparation and Postsecondary Readiness
What are some barriers that you see students in your school face, to achieving academic readiness for postsecondary success, and some strategies that you believe could effectively address those barriers? Please discuss both barriers and strategies:
3. Awareness of Post-secondary Education Options
What choices do students in Arizona have for education/training after high school? What are some strategies to increase students’ knowledge and awareness of these post-secondary education options? Please discuss.
4. Academic Planning and Transitioning to High School
What difference does course-taking and course selection have on students’ preparation for high school, career, and college – and how do you see that students in your school are guided or supported in this area now? Please discuss.
5. School-wide Strategies for CCR in the Middle Grades
How might college and career planning principles and activities be infused or imparted by way of a school’s curriculum or other ‘school-wide’ opportunities/activities?
6. Resources to Promote College and Career Readiness and Development
What are some of the local, state, and/or national resources available to schools that you believe could be most useful in promoting students’ readiness in the middle school years? How or why? Please discuss.
PART II: Project Activity
References:
-- Middle Grade Initiative 2015-16: CCR Action Plan (for your district)
Background. The multi-year Middle Grade Initiative (MGI) is a partnership between NAU GEAR UP and nine Arizona school districts in rural communities that is premised on using data to drive a sustainable, high-expectations, college-going culture in middle grade schools. The effort aims to show an increase, over the length of the program, in percentages of eighth grade students entering high school on-track to graduate college and career ready. Recognizing that “the level of academic achievement that students attain by the eighth grade has a larger impact on their college and career readiness by the time they graduate from high school than anything that happens academically in high school” (The Forgotten Middle, 2008), the MGI promotes professional development and use of data to inform improvements in curriculum and instruction (early readiness), as well as students’ preparation and motivation for a full range of postsecondary options (early awareness).
Steps:
1. Read your school/district’s MGI-CCR Action Plan.
2. Learn who the individuals are that are serving on the MGI College and Career Ready Team (CCRT) at the school(s) within your district. (see last page of Action Plan)
3. Based on what you have learned from the CAP class readings and discussion, make a list of questions that come to mind about your school’s plan in 2015-16, for creating a sustainable, high-expectations, college-going culture in your school. What would you like to know or better understand about: a) the Early Readiness component of the Plan this year sections 1.1 and 1.2) and/or the Early Awareness component (sections 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3).
4. Request and arrange to meet with one or more of the individuals on the CCRT to discuss your questions.
5. Prepare a narrative summary (below), that:
a) pre-interview, informs of your primary interest area (readiness or awareness) and why, and the questions you had, and
b) post-interview, informs on what you learned/took away from the discussion; ideas/thoughts generally, since, including suggestions and recommendations related to successful Plan implementation, considerations for the future, etc.
Narrative Summary:
3