Johnson County Community College
JCCC developed and launched three Student-Success-in-Math strategies as part of its Achieving the Dream work.
Accelerated Review Courses were developed in partnership with ALEKS Corporation to build unique math courses for students placed in developmental math. The software is initially used to improve skills mastery, then students are tested and placed into class sections based on their particular math needs. Several of the 60 students who voluntarily participated in Fall 2010 were able to skip a class in the developmental math sequence. In Spring 2011, nearly half of the 60 participants skipped at least one class.
Supplemental Math Projects provide special lab sections of College Algebra—the college's gateway math course—with student mentors who model skills and facilitate connections between students and support services.
The Eastern Kansas Math Education Summit for stakeholders to discuss ways to improve P-16 mathematics.
JCCC serves residents of eastern Kansas and it is the state's largest community college. In Fall 2010, it had 20,900 students. Six percent of the student population was African American, six percent were Hispanic, three percent were Asian, and one percent were American Indian. Sixteen percent of students received Pell grants in 2009-2010.
During 2010-2011 JCCC used formative data to retool interventions and summative data to inform plans. Core Team meetings shifted from operational updates regarding strategies toward discussions about college policies, practices, and systems. These conversations have helped advance ideas that are not strictly part of Achieving the Dream activities, but that work toward the goal of student success in developmental education courses.
JCCC's work to improve student success in developmental education includes:
- Revising the First-Year Connections program to focus on student relationships with counselors and peer mentors.
- Adding Supplemental Instruction to English and reading courses.
- Developing a College Prep Academy, which will complement and may eventually replace developmental math, English, and reading offerings.
- Piloting a Reading and Writing Learning Community.
- Embedding Advisors in developmental courses.
JCCC faculty and staff members are also planning:
- Mandatory Testing.
- Mandatory Orientation.
- Early and Continuous Enrollment in math.
- Professional Development on the nuances of different cutoff scores on placement tests.
The Achieving the Dream Model
Achieving the Dream community colleges commit to our Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. Based on four principles, the model frames the overall work of helping more students, particularly low- income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree.
Each college approaches the work differently, but Achieving the Dream’s five-step process provides practical guidelines for keeping the focus where it belongs and building momentum over time. Throughout the process, Achieving the Dream coaches offer customized support and help each college’s core team implement data-informed programs and policies that build long-term, institution-wide commitment to student success.
