California State UniversityMiddle School Counselor Conference

KEEPING IT REAL: CONNECTING WITH FAMILIES

Wednesday April 16, 2008

Academic Excellence and College Access for AAcademic Excellence and College Access for ALLLL Students Students

HISTORY

•The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act established the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) to enhance the college-going rates of low-income students.

•Enabling legislation stipulates that colleges and universities should partner with middle schools “to increase the number of low-income students prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education.”

•Nationwide, this middle school reform program has served over 2.3 million students in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and three territories in its first six-year grant cycle.

“To develop and sustain the organizational capacity of middle schools to prepare all students for high school and higher education through a statewide network of support for the adults who influence middle school

students, specifically their counselors, faculty, school leaders and families. As a result of this expanded

capacity, a higher proportion of students, particularly from backgrounds and communities that have not

historically pursued a college education, will enroll and succeed in higher education.”

PROGRAM GOALPROGRAM GOAL

GEAR UP IN CALIFORNIAGEAR UP IN CALIFORNIA

•Since 1999, the State program and the 68 partnership projects have impacted over 1/3 of the 1200 middle schools in California, with the State grant serving over 233,000 students in 229 schools in 88 school districts.

•The state model is designed to create a sustainable college-going culture by working with whole schools through the adults that have the greatest impact in student life and experience: principals, teachers, counselors, families and community members.

Resources for Middle Grades Counselors and Families

“The greatest barrier to learning is not what students know but what teachers,

counselors and families believe.” ~ Wade Nobles

• PROGRAM RESOURCESPROGRAM RESOURCES

• Counseling Institute: One-day workshops to encourage counseling staff in their role as college advocates and to provide resources to promote academic planning for all students (March 2008)

• The complete pocket guide for California Colleges & Universities: accessible inventory of all California Higher Education institutions. Over 33,000 distributed statewide. More information visit: www.castategearup.org

• GEAR UP “Kids On Campus: A Journey that Changes Lives”. Over 3,500 distributed statewide. DVD available in May 2008 in English and Spanish.

• Hosted by castategearup.org• Customized for Audience• Menu Pages• Short and Detailed Answers• Links to websites and partners• Flexible site navigation to match users need

• The Resources and Materials Clearinghouse: a single source from which information, materials and resources can be accessed to support middle grades educators in meaningful conversations about college and career planning.

• Available in three formats: CD version, College Corner kiosk and at the GEAR UP website

Ideas for Using the GEAR UP Clearinghouse

For Educators

• Access current information and frequently asked questions about college preparation

• Assist students in college and financial aid exploration activities• Demonstrate educator support resources on-line• Explore and identify on-line student support resources for a

variety of topics• Research lesson plans, activities, and instructional methods

utilized by other educators around the world

• WWW.CASTATEGEARUP.ORG

Ideas for Using the GEAR UP Clearinghouse

For Families

• Provide answers to grade-specific frequently asked questions• Show families how to assist students in exploring colleges and

financial aid opportunities• Familiarize families with computers and demonstrate the

importance of technology• Encourage families to explore and utilize resources available • on-line• Teach families how to use and navigate the school website

WWW.CASTATEGEARUP.ORG

New in the Fifth Edition of the Clearinghouse:

• Updated website for easier access to specific information• Updated content and Professional Development Calendar• ‘Customizable’ materials for individual school logos

•Now Available on Home Page:Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions PowerPoint presentations in English and Spanish Curriculum lesson plans

…COMING IN JUNE 2008

The official website for college and career planning in California

Developed in collaboration with: California Community Colleges (CCC) California State University (CSU) University of California (UC) Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) California Department of Education (CDE)

218 public and private universities are represented

californiacolleges.edu is FREE to all users

• Access resources specifically designed for families and educators from the bottom of the home page.

• Use California’s FREE online source for college and career planning –

• CaliforniaColleges.edu

Download a training manual to familiarize

yourself CaliforniaColleges.edu

Print out the Career Exploration worksheet

to use with your students.

Order materials for your students and

their families.

A-G course planning charts in 5 languages

and the entire College: Making It Happen

publications in English and Spanish.

Counselor and Family Resources

For new and engaging lesson plans to use with students: check the Educator Tools and Resource page at californiacolleges.edu in the coming months

For easy to understand information for families about the California ScholarShare program check the “Finance” section in May 2008

“In California, the achievement gap is defined as the disparitybetween white students and other ethnic groups as well asbetween English learners and native English speakers;socioeconomically disadvantaged and non disadvantaged; and students with disabilities…”

~State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell

Family Services to address the achievement gap: • FAMILY INITIATIVES PROJECT• PARENT INSTITUTE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION

The ELEVATION of a Nation Begins in the Homes of Its People.

~ African Proverb

FAMILY INITIATIVES PROJECTKeeping It Real…

• Brings together families, schools and communities as equal partners in the education process.

• Family gatherings provide information, resources and tools to support families as advocates for their students.

• Services based on recommendations from GEAR UP school leadership teams and the unique contributions of each school community.

• Facilitators and volunteers are recruited from within the school community whenever possible, and are trained by California GEAR UP.

PROJECT TOPICS

Five Week Sessions:• Understanding the Middle School Years• Family Dynamics and Positive Communication• How to Motivate Your Student Academically • How the School System Functions• The Road to The University/Family Celebration

Family University

FAMILY UNIVERSITY:

A Weekend Family Gathering

Project Topics:• Understanding the Middle School Years and

Positive Communication• Steps to follow and available resources to attend

college• Families make a difference • Celebration and Next steps

MAKING THE CONNECTION

A continuous process of schools building relationships with families

Why It Works…

How To Promote aFIP Family Gathering

PROMOTING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: CREATE THE BUZZ…

• Principal invitation to families• Additional postcard to African American families• Phone calls to families• Principal automated calls to all families• Principal invites feeder schools• Counselors invite targeted families• Students invite families for extra credit• Club advisors and organizations invite member’s families (AVID,

athletic clubs, band, after school programs, etc.)• Student involvement (create and distribute posters and flyers)• Promote FIP at other school events (sports games, open house)• Signage-Banner, Marquee• Announcements (Newsletter, calendar, website)

IDEAS FOR REACHING FAMILIES

REACHING ALL FAMILIES…“It Takes a Village”…

1. MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY to support family gatherings2. MAKE THE CONNECTION: Address family survival needs and

Community Challenges3. PROVIDE INCENTIVES: Meals, door prizes, childcare and

transportation4. TAKE IT TO THE STREETS: Community-based organizations,

businesses (Local newsletters, announcements, flyers, posters, booth sign-ups)

5. MAKE IT PERSONAL: Phone calls and Home visits6. SPREAD THE WORD: PSAs, newspaper, program broadcast,

TV, Radio, Recruit DJ to “Adopt the Cause”

Attract and Motivate Families: Be Creative!!

• Address real problems and issues• Incorporate open-ended questions and learning

activities • Understand the basic attributes of school

performance• Support the physical, mental, emotional and

social needs of ALL students

The ELEVATION of a Nation Begins in the Homes of Its People.

~ African Proverb

The future and strength of our economy, democracy and society as a whole depends on our ability to educate EVERY CHILD WELL and to prepare them to take control of our society.

KEEP IT REAL…..

Parent Institute for Parent Institute for Quality EducationQuality Education

www.piqe.orgwww.piqe.org

MISSIONMISSION

To bring To bring schoolsschools,,

parentsparents, and , and businessbusiness

communitycommunity together as together as

equal equal

partners in the partners in the education of education of every childevery child

Illustration: S Guevara.

VISIONVISION

A community in which A community in which parents and teachers parents and teachers collaborate to transform collaborate to transform each child’s educational each child’s educational environment, both at environment, both at home and at school, so home and at school, so that all children can that all children can achieve their greatest achieve their greatest academic potential.academic potential.

Illustration: S Guevara.

Illustration: S Guevara.

PHILOSOPHYPHILOSOPHY All parents love their children All parents love their children and want a better future for and want a better future for themthem

Every child can learn and Every child can learn and deserves the opportunity to deserves the opportunity to attend and complete a college attend and complete a college educationeducation

Parents and teachers need to Parents and teachers need to work together to ensure the work together to ensure the educational success of every educational success of every childchild

For children, learning is a For children, learning is a natural process that parents natural process that parents and teachers facilitate.and teachers facilitate.

PROGRAM COMPONENTSPROGRAM COMPONENTSNine-Week ProgramNine-Week Program

• Elementary School LevelElementary School Level• Middle School LevelMiddle School Level• High School LevelHigh School Level

Follow-Up ProgramFollow-Up Program

Teacher WorkshopTeacher Workshop

Family Financial LiteracyFamily Financial Literacy

Planning SessionPlanning Session

6 Core Weekly Classes6 Core Weekly Classes

PIQE Nine-Week ProgramPIQE Nine-Week Program

Principal’s DialoguePrincipal’s DialogueParents’ Graduation!Parents’ Graduation!

Middle Middle School School

CurriculumCurriculum

The Road The Road to Collegeto College

How the School How the School System Functions System Functions in Middle/High in Middle/High

SchoolSchool

Adolescence: A Adolescence: A Time of Change Time of Change

and Growthand Growth

Positive Positive Communication Communication Enhances Self-Enhances Self-

EsteemEsteem

How to Motivate How to Motivate Teenagers to Read.Teenagers to Read.

Obstacles that Get in the Obstacles that Get in the Way of Success in Way of Success in

SchoolSchool

Connecting parents to the child

Connecting the parent to the school & university community

Connecting parents to the decision making school

committees

Conducting action research by parents to impact policy

Electing parents to Boards of EducationParent Institute’s FIVE Parent Institute’s FIVE

Step Model for Parent Step Model for Parent EmpowermentEmpowerment

CSU - PIQE AgreementCSU - PIQE Agreement

On Feb. 7, 2006, PIQE signed a historic On Feb. 7, 2006, PIQE signed a historic agreement with the California State agreement with the California State University (CSU) systemUniversity (CSU) system

CSU Chancellor pledged $575,000 for 3 CSU Chancellor pledged $575,000 for 3 yearsyears

Nine-Week classes implemented in 15 Nine-Week classes implemented in 15 schools in each of the 23 campus regionsschools in each of the 23 campus regions

Each child of a PIQE graduate will receive Each child of a PIQE graduate will receive a “college identification card”a “college identification card”

COLLEGE ADMISSIONCERTIFICATE

Presented to:_____________________________________________

For the successful completion of the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)nine-week Parent Involvement Program by their parent(s), the child(ren) listed below is/are conditionally admitted to one of the California State University’s campuses upon graduation

from high school and upon meeting the admissions requirements of the California State University.

_______________________ ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ ________________________

This _______ day of __________________, 2007

______________________ ______________________ ______________________Charles B. Reed, Chancellor CSU Campus President David Valladolid, President

California State University PIQE

ResultsResults

More than 400,000 parent graduates in California since October 1987 from 1,500 Elementary, Middle, and High

Schools. The PIQE Program has been taught in 16 languages by facilitators from each of the different

communities…

Illustrations: S Guevara. Illustrations: S Guevara.

Book: “MI HIJA, MI HIJO, EL AGUILA, LA PALOMA” Book: “MI HIJA, MI HIJO, EL AGUILA, LA PALOMA”

Author: Ana Castillo; Dutton Books, New York.Author: Ana Castillo; Dutton Books, New York.

Elaborated by: Elaborated by:

David ValladolidDavid Valladolid

Emilia Alvarez Emilia Alvarez

20062006