Report Finds State Policies Undermine College Success

4 Mar 7:00 Current K-12 and Postsecondary Educational Policies Undermine College Success; Report Finds States Have Created Unnecessary Barriers
To: Education Reporter, National Desk Contact: Julie Slama of the Bridge Project at Stanford University 650-725-2177 or jslama@stanford.edu

STANFORD, Calif., March 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- More U.S. high school students plan to go to college than ever before, but many are being set up to fail, according to a report released today by the Bridge Project at Stanford University, in conjunction with the Institute for Educational Leadership.

The report, Betraying the College Dream, finds that current K-12 and postsecondary education systems are fractured and create unnecessary barriers between high school and college. In addition, these systems send students and their parents conflicting messages about what students need to know to succeed in postsecondary education.

These barriers and mixed messages, according to the report, particularly impact low-income students and students of color, but they also contribute to poor student preparation for college generally. Poor student preparation, in turn, contributes to high levels of remediation in college and low college completion rates.

"Our K-12 and college systems currently move in separate orbits," said Michael Kirst, co-author of the report and professor at Stanford University. "This research clearly shows that it's the students who are being left behind. And primarily, it's the students at broad-access institutions who fare the worst."

Broad-access colleges and universities enroll about 80 percent of the nation's college students. These colleges have few admission requirements, but still require students to have solid academic skills to qualify for college-level classes-a fact that catches many first-year college students unaware.

According to the report, however, misunderstandings about what it takes to succeed in college are widespread among high school students. For instance:

-- Many students think that community colleges don't have academic standards; in fact, students at community colleges must take placement exams in order to qualify for college-level work.

-- Many students think it's better to take easier classes in high school and get better grades; in fact, one of the best predictors of college success is taking rigorous high school classes.

-- Many students believe that getting into college is the hardest part; in fact, it is much more difficult to complete a degree.

"Students and parents are confused by what is expected of first-year college students," said Andrea Venezia, co-author of the report and director of K-16 projects at the Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research. "These misconceptions can be traced to the disconnect between our high school and college systems, and they contribute to poor preparation for college."

Betraying the College Dream finds, for example, that high school curricula are frequently disconnected from college coursework; students graduate from high school under one set of standards and, three months later, are required to meet a whole new set of standards in college. This is particularly problematic for students who do not complete a rigorous college prep high school graduation plan, but expect to attend college.

Standardized tests in high school often stress different knowledge and skills than college entrance requirements and placement exams, according to the report. Also, the distribution of college preparation information to parents is inequitable. Forty-two percent, 44 percent, and 47 percent of economically disadvantaged parents in Illinois, Maryland, and Oregon, respectively, stated that they had received college information, as compared with 74 percent, 71 percent, and 66 percent of their more economically well-off counterparts. Recommendations

Betraying the College Dream offers three large-scale actions, and a host of more specific recommendations, that are most promising for immediate improvement. The three actions are:

1. Provide all students, their parents, and educators-not just those at the top high schools-with accurate, high-quality information about and access to courses that will prepare students for college-level standards. A first step is to ensure that colleges and universities articulate and publicize their academic standards so that students, their parents, and K-12 educators have accurate information. K-12 and postsecondary institutions should then examine the relationship between the content of K-12 exit-level standards and assessments, and postsecondary admission and placement standards and assessments to determine if more compatibility is possible.

2. Shift media, policy, and research attention to include the broad-access institutions that serve the majority of students. Much media and public policy attention has been focused on highly selective colleges and universities where persistence and completion rates are not as problematic as at broad-access institutions. Increasing the rates of student success at these colleges is a sound public investment because it can have a tremendous impact on the economic and civic well-being of each state.

3. Expand the focus of local, state, and federal programs from access to college to include success in college. Access to college is only half the picture. True college opportunity includes having a real chance to succeed in college-and it is time to focus policy attention on improving college success rates. High school course content, academic counseling, college outreach, and other programming needs to reflect this so that students are clear about what it takes to succeed in college, including community college.

Additional recommendations can be found in the report. The findings and recommendations in Betraying the College Dream are based on six years of research in six states-California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon and Texas.

Stanford University's Bridge Project is a six-year national research project that seeks to improve opportunities for all students to enter and succeed at postsecondary education by strengthening the compatibility between K-12 and higher education. Researchers have examined K-16 student transition policies in six states, including K-12 assessments and remediation policies and college admissions requirements and placement exams. The Bridge Project is funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the U. S. Department of Education through its National Center for Postsecondary Improvement headquartered at the Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research.

Many students believe that: In truth: I can't afford college. Students and parents regularly overestimate the cost of college.

I have to be a stellar athlete or student to get financial aid.
Most students receive some form of financial aid.

Meeting high school graduation requirements will prepare me for college.
Adequate preparation for college usually requires a more demanding curriculum than is reflected in minimum requirements for high school graduation, sometimes even if that curriculum is termed, "college prep."

Getting into college is the hardest part.
For the majority of students, the hardest part is completing college.

Community colleges don't have academic standards.
Students usually must take placement tests at community colleges in order to qualify for college-level work.

It's better to take easier classes in high school and get better grades.
One of the best predictors of college success is taking rigorous high school classes. Getting good grades in lower-level classes will not prepare students for college-level work.

My senior year in high school doesn't matter.
The classes students take in their senior year will often determine the classes they are able to take in college and how well-prepared they are for those classes.

I don't have to worry about my grades, or the kind of classes I take, until my sophomore year.
Many colleges look at sophomore-year grades, and, in order to enroll in college-level courses, students need to prepare well for college. This means taking a well-thought out series of courses starting no later than 9th or 10th grade.

I can't start thinking about financial aid until I know where I'm going to college.
Students need to file a federal aid form prior to when most colleges send out their acceptance letters. This applies to students who attend community colleges, too, even though they can apply and enroll in the fall of the year they wish to attend.

I can take whatever classes I want when I get to college.
Most colleges and universities require entering students to take placement exams in core subject areas. Those tests will determine the course students can take.

Source: A. Venezia, M. W. Kirst, and A. L. Antonio, Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Education Systems Undermine Student Aspirations (Stanford, CA: Bridge Project, 2003).

I think parents of public school kids are not informed as to the opportunities for their high school aged kids at local community colleges.

I took my homeschooled 14 year old in to our local community college. They gave him a college placement test, and now he can take all his courses at the college, and get high school and college credit for them. The hitch of course is that they have to qualify through the placement test for the college work.

Good part about this program, called "dual enrollment" is that it's free. The one inequity is that if you're homeschooled, the classes are free, but you have to pay for your books. If you're a public school kid, you also get your books free. (I'm really not complaining, but I pay the same taxes as the public school parents to support the schools, so why aren't my kid's books free too.)

Many homeschool parents in our area take advantage of it. When the kid is ready to graduate from high school, they also have enough credits to get an A.A. or A.S. and then head on to a university to finish their B.A.

I do not think that the parents of kids in the public high schools are made aware of this program.

A first step is to ensure that colleges and universities articulate and publicize their academic standards so that students, their parents, and K-12 educators have accurate information.

Hmmm, I think that most colleges and universities already do a reasonable job with accurate information. Certainly, educators (guidance counselors) should know how to get ahold of accurate information. I don't think that's the problem though.

I think K-12 educators have priorities other than a good general education, which is all most students need for college.

I agree with both of you. Of course, the answer is to bypass K-12 government schools who are much more interested indoctrination than education. And kids under 18 doing well in their studies should always get started on college level coursework early! I know mine will be starting as early as 16 yrs. of age.

"The one inequity is that if you're homeschooled, the classes are free, but you have to pay for your books. If you're a public school kid, you also get your books free. (I'm really not complaining, but I pay the same taxes as the public school parents to support the schools, so why aren't my kid's books free too.)"

Sorry to dissapoint you but I have to purchase all the books for my daughter's AP classes at the local public high school. It runs about $200 per year per AP class.

Secondary school preparation for college IS pitiful. I was valedictorian of a class of 333 at a public high school, a National Merit Scholar, and I took almost every AP class they offered.

Yet I was completely unprepared for college (a state school engineering program). Graduated in 5 years, but with a GPA of less than 2.5.

I was sold a bill of goods.

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