Resources for Colleges

2008 STRATEGY INSTITUTE

Resources from the 2008 Strategy Institute

The 2008 Achieving the Dream Strategy Institute took place in Atlanta, Georgia, February 4 – 8, 2008. Nearly 900 people participated, including teams of faculty and administrators from each of the 83 Achieving the Dream colleges in 15 states, as well as state policymakers,  coaches and data facilitators working with the colleges, invited guests and representatives from partner organizations and funders.  Institute participants attended sessions on strategies for increasing student success while members of state policy teams discussed plans for advancing the Achieving the Dream policy agenda in their states.

Round 4 Kick-Off Institute

Round 4 Kick-Off Institute Presentations

The Round 4 Kick-Off Institute took place in Dallas, Texas, July 8-11, 2007. Nearly 270 people participated, including representatives from the 26 new Achieving the Dream colleges and seven Achieving the Dream states, several new foundations and partner organizations. Participants attended introductory sessions of the Achieving the Dream initiative such as; Values that Guide Achieving the Dream, Building a Culture of Evidence, Data-Driven Process for Institutional Change, among others.

2007 STRATEGY INSTITUTE

Resources from the 2007 Strategy Institute

The third annual Achieving the Dream Strategy Institute took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 21-24, 2007. More than 670 people participated, including teams of faculty and administrators from each of the 58 Achieving the Dream colleges in nine states, as well as state policymakers, coaches and data facilitators working with the colleges, and representatives from the partner organizations and sponsoring foundations. Most participants attended sessions on strategies for increasing student success, while members of state policy teams discussed plans for advancing the Achieving the Dream policy agenda in their states.

THE DEVELOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS LEARNING ROUNDTABLE

-- Presentations
-- Summary of Mathematics Briefs  
-- Developmental Mathematics Learning Roundtable Briefings 
Date: November 2006

Sponsored by the Student Success Institute of the Community College Leadership Program of The University of Texas at Austin. The Developmental Mathematics Learning Roundtable provided an opportunity to convene with participating Achieving the Dream college/university delegates and resident faculty to share and elevate knowledge of effective interventions pertaining to developmental mathematics.

2006 STRATEGY INSTITUTE

Resources from the 2006 Strategy Institute

Achieving the Dream's second annual Strategy Institute took place in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, January 29th - February 1, 2006. Nearly 400 people participated, including representatives from the 35 Achieving the Dream colleges and seven Achieving the Dream states, several foundations and partner organizations, and numerous outstanding resource people.

RESOURCE GUIDE

Resource Guide for Institutional Transformation to Improve Student Success 
-- View HTML file
--View PDF file 
Date: October 2005

This paper guides colleges through a six-step planning and implementation process to improve student outcomes. It discusses using data effectively to analyze current institutional performance; setting priorities, goals and measurable outcomes; developing strategies; implementing new policies and practices; evaluating policies and practices; and institutionalizing those that are effective. The Resource Guide includes over 20 tools and models that colleges can use, from self-assessment inventories to examples of action plans.

FRAMING PAPER

Increasing Student Success at Community Colleges: Institutional Change in Achieving the Dream 
Date: revised July 2006

This 15-page paper presents the rationale for Achieving the Dream and lays out the approach to institutional change that the colleges are pursuing to increase student success. The initiative emphasizes the use of data to diagnose problems, guide priorities, and assess impact. Colleges use leadership teams to mobilize broad-based involvement of people within the college and in the larger community. They seek to develop an institutional culture of inquiry, evidence and accountability.

2005 STRATEGY INSTITUTE

-- Speakers at 2005 Strategy Institute
-- Presentations at 2005 Strategy Institute

The 2005 Achieving the Dream Strategy Institute featured workshops by national experts on a wide variety of strategies related to student retention and success. Presentations and workshops handouts address the firt-year experience; developmental education; learning communities; collaborative learning; strategies to engage faculty, students, and the public; and other topics.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Sharing the Dream: How Faculty, Families and Community Leaders Respond to Community College Reform
Author: Public Agenda for Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count
Date: 2005

In an effort to understand and gage receptiveness to the Achieving the Dream initiative, Public Agenda conducted a series of focus groups with faculty (full time and adjunct), family members of community college students, and community members at three participating colleges. The resulting report is instructive for colleges preparing to introduce the Achieving the Dream initiative, and could help inform communications and strategic planning efforts as they bring the Initiative to their schools.

Facilitating Achieving the Dream Planning Through Public Engagement Strategies: A Guide for Community College Leadership Teams
Author: Public Agenda for Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count
Date: November 2004

Achieving the Dream urges colleges to involve the larger community in developing strategies to improve student success. This manual, written for the initiative by Public Agenda, offers colleges practical advice on whom to involve and how to involve them. Approaches include focus groups, stakeholder dialogues, and community forums.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ROSTER

Technical Assistance Roster  

The Achieving the Dream Technical Assistance Roster lists resource people who can help    colleges with student success strategies, data issues, and other institutional challenges. Currently this Roster is accessible only to Achieving the Dream participants.

OTHER

Opening Doors and Closing Gaps in the Learning College 
Author: Irving Irving Pressley McPhail (Chancellor of the Community College of Baltimore County) at the Achieving the Dream Summer Institute.
Date: June 2004.

The Community College of Baltimore County is strongly committed to closing achieving gaps by race. Dr McPhail presents candid data on the college's performance and describes its quests to identify causes of weak student outcomes. Based on its analysis, the college is working to change the institutional culture, providing professional development in intercultural competency, improving student services, and using "culturally mediated" instructional approaches.