Wharton County Junior College
Longitudinal data collected through Institutional Research efforts identified three specific cohorts facing particularly alarming achievement gaps. These cohorts included:
- Low Persistence Rates of Hispanic Students
- Low Graduation Rates of Hispanic Students
- Low Transfer Rates for Hispanic Students
To address and to close these achievement gaps, Wharton County Junior College has implemented the following student success strategies:
- The creation of a Learning Assistance Center (LAC), which provides professional tutoring in computer literacy, math and reading/writing, and provides students a consistent place to study.
- Establishing a Student Success Course (PSYC 1300 Learning Framework), which is open to all students; but, which is required for all first-time-in-college students who are enrolled in developmental reading.
- Enhanced Financial Aid policies and practices, which addresses the fact that only 15% of all of the college’s students were receiving Pell Grants in 2007-2008.
In the fall semester of 2009 greater than 25% of Wharton County Junior College’s 6,600 students were Hispanic, and another 10% of its students were minority students of color. Only 21% of students entering Wharton County Junior College received Pell grants in 2010, which is less than half the state and national average for colleges with similar service area demographics.
Like other colleges and universities in the state of Texas, Wharton County Junior College is tasked with prioritizing the student success of—and narrowing the achievement gaps for—black and Hispanic students.
The college offers a wide range of postsecondary educational programs and services, including associates degrees, certificates, continuing-education courses, cultural affairs, and programs for the benefit of the community and a diverse student population.
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.
