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ensure that every high school senior attending a partner school completesa college application, a Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) form, and any testing needed to be accepted into a college, atechnical program, or the military.In analyzing our data, we found that the programs we studied fell on a series ofcontinua of the type described in Figure 3.1. While programs often included a blend offeatures, there was a tendency for academic-focused programs to include the features foundon the left side and for college knowledge–focused programs to include those on the right.Texas College Readiness Partnership ProgramsFigure 3.1College Readiness Partnership Program TypologyIntensiveLight touchShort termLong termSmall groups,targeted studentsMany students,not/loosely targetedMore directexperience of collegeLittle directexperience of collegeBenefits of College Readiness Partnership ProgramsAlthough the research literature on college readiness partnership programs containsfew examples of rigorous evaluations, there is some evidence that these initiatives maystrengthen students’ college readiness. The evidence from the more rigorous studies suggesteither positive or no difference in outcomes for students. For example, an evaluation ofTalent Search programs in Texas, Florida, and Indiana employing a quasi-experimental20
design found that Talent Search participants were more likely than comparison students toapply for federal financial aid and to enroll in public postsecondary institutions(Constantine et al., 2006). In addition, an evaluation of Texas’ Project GRAD found mixedevidence concerning student outcomes (Snipes, Holton, Doolittle, & Sztejnberg, 2006). Theevaluation, which utilized a comparative interrupted time-series analysis to compare studentoutcomes before and after program implementation, found a positive impact on theproportion of students who completed a core academic curriculum on time at the initiative’sflagship high school; however, it found no impact on student outcomes in two otherparticipating Houston high schools. A random assignment study of the impacts of UpwardBound programs on postsecondary outcomes up to nine years after graduation found nodetectable effects on postsecondary outcomes, including enrollment and financial aidapplication or receipt, or on the completion of bachelor’s or associate degrees (Seftor,Mamun, & Schirm, 2009).There are also promising data, collected from program leaders during our site visits,that suggest that some programs in the current study may help to prepare students forcollege. One developmental bridge course showed gains in student reading scores on theTexas Higher Education Assessment (THEA). 10 In another summer bridge program, datacollected using the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) 11 indicated a growthin college aspirations during the program. In general, school staff and students involved incollege readiness partnership programs asserted that they successfully foster a college-goingculture in schools. Likewise, students we met with rated the programs highly andappreciated the opportunities to experience college life first-hand and to connect with otherlike-minded students.Barriers and ChallengesThe most prevalent challenges we heard about for existing college readinesspartnership programs were related to student recruitment and retention, especially amongthe more intensive academic-focused programs. Many students had other activities andobligations that conflicted with program activities, particularly those that took place during10 Because this program ran on Saturdays alongside students’ high school academic programming, itis hard to disentangle the effects of the program and those of students’ high school coursework onstudents’ THEA scores. (THEA is a Texas-specific exam used to assess whether entering freshman-levelstudents have the reading, mathematics, and writing skills needed to perform effectively in undergraduatecertificate or degree programs in Texas public colleges or universities.)11 The LASSI is an “80-item assessment of students’ awareness about and use of learning and studystrategies related to skill, will and self-regulation components of strategic learning” (“Overview ofLASSI,” n.d.).21
Page 1: Preparing High SchoolStudents for C
Page 4 and 5: The National Center for Postseconda
Page 7 and 8: ContentsOverviewList of ExhibitsPre
Page 9: List of ExhibitsTable3.1 Number of
Page 13 and 14: AcknowledgmentsThe authors of this
Page 15 and 16: Executive SummaryIn his 2009 State
Page 17 and 18: Summer bridge programs, generally o
Page 19 and 20: Figure ES.1College Readiness Partne
Page 21 and 22: lack of funding streams that reward
Page 23 and 24: Chapter 1IntroductionIn his 2009 St
Page 25 and 26: partnerships formed by K-12 school
Page 27 and 28: There is some evidence in the liter
Page 29 and 30: In addition, the Texas legislature
Page 31 and 32: Chapter 2Research Design and Method
Page 33: The goal of the site visits was to
Page 36 and 37: Program CategoryTexas College Readi
Page 38 and 39: Key Characteristics of State and Lo
Page 40 and 41: equired by state law, 8 and incorpo
Page 44 and 45: the summer. Staff members at some o
Page 46 and 47: these situations, a community-based
Page 48 and 49: easons to work together, policy cha
Page 50 and 51: Lack of Incentives for Community Co
Page 52 and 53: Implications for College Readiness
Page 54 and 55: programming and create a more cost-
Page 57 and 58: This appendix includes a short desc
Page 59 and 60: Length/duration: Approximately 20 s
Page 61 and 62: campus resources (including the lib
Page 63 and 64: College Connection Advisors Program
Page 65 and 66: Length/duration: The program runs f
Page 67 and 68: their personal online portfolios, w
Page 69 and 70: program are that at least 80 percen
Page 71: Appendix BScan Summary of LocalColl
Page 74 and 75: Appendix Table B.1 (continued)Progr
Page 76 and 77: Appendix Table B.1 (continued)Progr
Page 79 and 80: ReferencesAchieve, Inc. (2006). Clo
Page 81 and 82: Kirst, M., & Venezia, A. (2001). Br
Page 83: Texas Higher Education Coordinating

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