PHARR-S AN JUAN-AL AMO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL D ISTR ICT

Sonia M. Sotomayor Early College High School

A Small School With A Big Heart

Rosa M. Rakay, Sonia M. Sotomayor ECHS PrincipalGuadalupe Chavez, College Readiness Director

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• PSJA ISD Quick Facts

• School Design

• Curriculum and Instruction

• Student Support Services

• College Transition

• Memorandum of Understanding

• Partnerships

• Student Persistence/Completion Data

• SWOT

• Questions, Discussion, Idea Sharing

Topics Of Conversation

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Our Location

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The Community Chal lenge

Pharr San Juan Alamo Texas

Hispanic Population 93% 96.7% 84.6% 37.6%

HS Attainment 25+ 61.3% 55.8% 59.4% 81.2%

BA Degree 25+ 13% 9.3% 10% 26.7%

Median HH Income $32,087 $33,893 $34,926 $51,900

Below Poverty Level 35.9% 31.7% 28.9% 17.6%

Language other than English at Home 88.3% 91.6% 79.7% 34.7%

Source: United States Census Bureau

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• Tri-City Public School District• 1 Early Start Pre-K School• 26 Elementary Schools• 8 Middle Schools• 6 Early College High Schools• 3 Alternative High Schools

• 32,000 Student Body

• 3,000 Dual Enrollment students• High school, college, online, hybrid, capstone

• Class of 2014• Over 500 Associates/Certificates Combined• Over half with college work

Quick Facts

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• School Design• Early College High School Model

• Associate Degree• 60 College Hours• Texas Core Complete

• Target Population: 124 Student Enrollment

• Demographics• 100% At-Risk• 100% Hispanic or Latino• 98.4% Economically Disadvantaged• 43.5% Language English Proficient• 12.9% Migrant

• Marketing and Recruitment

• Enrollment and Intake

Sonia M. Sotomayor ECHS Model

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• Curriculum and Instruction• Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

• Common Instructional Framework Model

• Instructional Coach Support System

• Rio Grande Valley Center for Teaching and Leading Excellence

• Instructional Data Room

• Professional Learning Communities

• Learning Crosswalks

• Professional Development Support

Inside the Classroom

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• Academic Support Services• Academic Intervention Tutorial Sessions

• Supplemental Instruction

• EAGLES Mentoring Program

• Lending Library Laptop Program

• Hotspots for Homebound Students

• Texas Success Initiative (College Readiness Assessment) Testing Site

• Texas Success Initiative Tutorial Sessions

Support Services

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• Social/Emotional Support Services• Mothers of Mad Scientists (MOMS)

• “Transformation Begins With Me” Program

• Saturdays Book Club Program

• Day Care Support and Transportation

• Incentive Store

• Rio Grande Valley Food Bank

• Texas Workforce Commission

• Community Engagement

Support Services

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• Other Services• College Café Center

• College Transition Center

• Counselor/Academic Advisor

• South Texas College• Senior Clearance Event• Entering Freshmen Orientation• Cap/Gown Confirmation• Commencement Participation

• Creation of a Center for Learning Excellence

Enhancing a Col lege-Going Culture

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• College Transition Specialist• Connecting Bridge to South Texas College

• Degree Plan Alignment

• Academic Advisement

• Selection of College Classes

• Financial Aid Officer• College Applications and Essays

• Federal and Texas Financial Aid Application Assistance

• Scholarship Search and Essays

• Resume Writing

Seamless Col lege Transit ion

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• Memorandum of Understanding• Leadership Team (K-12 and IHE)

• Access to all IHE Facilities, Services and Resources

• Faculty Professional Development

• Collection and Sharing of Student Data

• Summer Bridge Program

• Program Costs

• Curriculum Alignment

• Student Enrollment and Attendance Policies

South Texas Col lege Partnership

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• Other Partnerships

• Texas Education Agency

• Educate Texas and the Rio Grande Valley Focus

• South Texas College Early College High School Liaison

• School District Department of College Readiness

• School District Department of Information and Technology

• Teacher Incentive Fund Grant

Collective Impact

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• Moving Forward• On-College Campus Summer Dual Enrollment

• On-Campus Center for Learning Excellence

• On-Site Service Day Care

• On-Site Pediatric Clinic

• Community Café College Centers

• Family Adult Basic Education Seminar Series• Reading Classes• GED Classes• Computer Classes• Soft Skills• Other

In The Making

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• College Connected• 3 Certificate of Completion: Medical Office Specialist

• 13 Certificate of Completion: Multimedia Specialist

• 9 Certificate of Completion: Human Resources Assistant

• 2 Associate Degree: Criminal Justice

• 2 Associate Degree: Nursing

• 32 Medical Terminology Class

• 12 College Algebra and/or College English Class

• 12 Intro. to Sociology Class: Texas A&M University

• Class of 2014: 20 College Certificate Graduates

Current Col lege Engagement

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• Strengths (internal)• Resilient Staff and Faculty Support

• College-Going Culture and Climate

• Data Room and Student Performance Outcomes

• Weaknesses (internal)• Student Attendance

• Student Retention

• Parental Involvement Recruitment

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

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• Opportunities (external)• College and Community Alliance

• Grant Funding Opportunities

• Expansion in College Course Offerings

• Threats (external)• Other High Schools within/outside District

• Average Daily Attendance Funding

• External Student Burdens

OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS

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Questions, Discussion and Idea Sharing

THANK YOU

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PHARR-S AN JUAN-AL AMO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL D ISTR ICT