Higher Education

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education December 14, 2015

Higher Ed allows children of immigrants to validate parents’ sacrifices

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

A guest post by Jennifer Olmedo Rodriguez

American employers have an untapped resource: first-generation Americans. The children of immigrant parents constitute a potentially deep talent pool for American companies. Motivated and numerous, these individuals feel compelled to achieve the ubiquitous American Dream not only for themselves, but also as a means of validating their parents’ sacrifices and pride.

The question many American companies must ask, however, is how to harness that motivation, drive and determined spirit and transform it into a skilled workforce. Higher education is the key to building a ready team of loyal workers fiercely dedicated to achieving the American Dream.

The numbers are significant. The Pew Research Center noted that the U.S. has more immigrants than any other country in the world. Heading into the 2014-2015 school year, Education Week reported that for the first time ever minority students were expected to outnumber non-Hispanic whites thereby signaling a shift to a “Majority Minority” school system. In 2012, children who have at least one immigrant parent constituted approximately 11.5 percent of the population and that number is expected to rise to 18.4 percent by 2050.

The importance of this population transformation cannot be ignored. In 2013, researchers at Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that over 55 million jobs would become available in the next few years – the majority of which would require education and/or training beyond high school – and there will be a shortage of workers to fill those jobs. Companies must plan ahead to source an educated talent pool from available sources.

The solution is simple and readily available to employers who have the foresight and understanding to tap into it: their very own employees who are immigrants or the children of immigrant parents. Employers who invest in educating this community for future careers are effectively planting the seeds they can harvest to meet their future labor needs.

As a partner at a national law firm, I am often involved in hiring decisions. Being the child of immigrant parents, I understand the challenges that immigrants and employers each face. My parents arrived in this country as children. Throughout our childhood, they instilled in my sister and me the importance of hard work and an education. My parents never attended college. Instead, they and my grandparents were focused on making ends meet and ensuring that my sister and I could strive for more, achieve more. It always was expected that we would.

It was never a question of “whether I went to college” – it was just a matter of “when I went to college.” I enrolled in Florida International University and became the first in my family to obtain a college degree. My sister followed and earned her nursing degree. Thereafter, my hard work paid off and I attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law. When I graduated with honors, I knew I had validated all of the sacrifices my parents and grandparents made when they immigrated to this country; sacrifices I was keenly aware of each time I pushed myself to reach new goals.

When I meet children of immigrants, I feel a connection to their drive, their ambition, their unparalleled desire to succeed. Some employers are recognizing that shared characteristic and have begun playing a role in educating existing workers — especially first-generation immigrant students. By supporting their employees’ educations, employers are nurturing their labor pool and potential leaders from within their own organizations.

How can your company start building tomorrow’s workforce, today? Consider offering:

Tuition reimbursement to employees seeking degrees to further their careers. Work with company Human Resources to inform employees that this benefit is available and work to ensure it is part of any benefits package for future employees.

Scholarships for employees or the children of employees who have expressed an interest in higher education. Sometimes, knowing money is available can prod prospective students to enroll in higher education institutions.

Funding scholarships through community organizations or local universities. There are a wide variety of schools and organizations that offer scholarships, grants and other financial aid to immigrants to further their education. Your company can support these programs through annual giving or by hosting company-wide fundraisers to engage employees and company contacts.

Setting up mentoring programs through which the children of immigrant employees are able to experience first-hand the varying career opportunities available within your company and hosting seminars to provide guidance on topics such as American business culture, higher education systems and financial aid opportunities.

Such programs become part of the very fabric of a company’s commitment to give back to its community, while developing a loyal and incredibly motivated workforce.

In my experience, child immigrants and the children of immigrant parents share a common ethos, a commonality in their DNA. Their parents and elders often overcame extreme adversity and worked long hours in blue-collar jobs to support and provide for their families with, at times, little more than basic schooling. Yet, those elders repeatedly espoused the importance of an education.

In our household, the refrain was constant — “get an education… no one can ever take that away from you.”

So I did. I worked and paid my way through FIU with student loans, earning my bachelor’s degree in three years and receiving the Minority Participation in Legal Education Program (MPLE) scholarship through the Florida Education Fund that provided me a full scholarship to law school. Now it is my time to give back, to mentor.

Today, some would say I am “successful” – an example to the new generation of students who are either immigrants themselves or the children of immigrant parents. Success is a matter of personal perspective. Regardless, employers who support immigrant students are discovering that the same dedication and drive that fueled so many like me translates into stellar employees, motivated by a commitment to make their parents proud and, oftentimes, serve as a role model for siblings and younger family members. In the end, it is relatively simple — family honor transforms the desire to succeed from a selfish goal into a validation of their family’s sacrifices.

For many of these students, education becomes a launching pad to greater success, upward mobility and family honor. Each time my parents learn of something I accomplish, no matter how mundane it may seem to me, they beam.

“That’s my daughter…I’m bursting with pride,” my mom boasts.

Such accolades usually cause me to shift uncomfortably with embarrassment. Any success I may achieve is not solely my own. I owe it to her, my father and the incredible foresight my grandparents had when they fled Cuba for the United States to forge a new life. The enormity of that foresight became readily apparent on my recent trip to Cuba. Walking the streets of Havana among crumbling buildings, the shortages and hardships endured by the people – my people — presented me with a stark realization. I will never know those shortages and hardships thanks to my grandparents’ courage. All opportunities I have had, I owe to them. I cannot and will not fall short of realizing my ultimate potential because they endured unfathomable sacrifices to provide me those opportunities. I must succeed.

I, too, find myself “bursting with pride” each time I hear a story of a first-generation American who achieves the American Dream – a college education – and validates their family’s sacrifices. It’s a shared chorus among immigrant families and the companies that employ them.

U.S. immigrant population projected to rise, even as share falls among Hispanics, Asians, Pew Research Center, Mar. 9, 2015, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/09/u-s-immigrant-population-projected-to-rise-even-as-share-falls-among-hispanics-asians/

U.S. School Enrollment Hits Majority-Minority Milestone, Education Week, Aug. 19, 2014, http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/08/20/01demographics.h34.html

Report: Economy Will Face Shortage of 5 Million Workers in 2020, U.S. News & World Report, July 8, 2013, http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/07/08/report-economy-will-face-shortage-of-5-million-workers-in-2020

___________________

Jennifer Olmedo-Rodriguez is a shareholder in the Miami office of law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. She focuses her practice on commercial litigation and civil appellate litigation. She serves on the President’s Council at Florida International University and is dedicated to making a difference in the education of first-generation students such as herself by working on the President’s Council’s First Generation Task Force Committee to raise funds to benefit the First Generation Scholarship Fund.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform December 14, 2015

4 Ways That Politics Impacted Higher Education in 2015

Politics impacts education in various ways, and they are not always apparent. Here are the ways that politics impacted higher education in 2015.

Accreditation at the center of reauthorization of the higher education act. A Senate white paper detailed issues with the process that many higher education institutions go through to achieve accreditation. In the paper, the question on how to improve accreditation for post-secondary schools was addressed, but it was done to question if schools are properly preparing their students for the workforce.

As mentioned in the paper, a study produced by two professors from the University of Virginia and New York University showed that just 36 percent of students demonstrated “any significant improvement in learning over the course of their four years in college.” It also showed that many college students lacked basic literacy skills, critical thinking ability, and could discern “if their car has enough gasoline to get to the next gas station.”

What may be worse is that colleges are graduating students who are not ready for the workforce. Many business leaders surveyed said that “new workforce entrants with a four-year college degree are ‘deficient’ in writing, a basic skill.”

So it seems that the report was really asking if the accreditation process needs to change since some students aren’t being properly educated and trained. Some of the information included in the white paper was critical and warranted, but it is tough to discern a student’s ability to learn based solely off test scores and surveys.

On the other hand, there should be some way to judge colleges and universities on how well their students are retaining information once they graduate. For that reason, properly judging and questioning the accreditation process is just and deserves proper scrutiny if our future workforce is in jeopardy due to the lack of academic institutional control.

Democrats want changes to Pell grants. With the cost of college rising and cuts being made to higher education in many states, some Democratic politicians are pushing for changes to how students may pay for college.

According to thehill.com, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) proposed to allow students to use Pell Grants for three semesters instead of two. She also wanted to “increase the Pell Grant maximum for the 2014-2015 school year from $5,730 to $9,139.”

By way of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), spending on Pell Grants from 2006 to 2011 rose by 158 percent. The data also shows that the increase in spending was due to an uptick in the number of participants in the program. But as of late, Congress has created a bottleneck of sorts around Pell Grants. Restrictions have been put in place, so many students do not have access to receive them.

Another proposal put forth by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) had the aim of providing “two years of maximum Pell Grants to qualifying middle-school students who maintain good grades through high school, to help them pay for a college or university.” According to Stabenow, her bill would encourage middle school students to go after a college degree if they have some form of guaranteed funding starting in the 8th grade.

These ideas were surely meant to secure needed funding for students who would otherwise struggle to pay for college. But they were also a way for Democrats to show their strength on higher education compared to their Republican counterparts.

Both proposals from Stabenow and Hirono will have to be pushed through a Republican-controlled Congress, one that already placed constraints around Pell Grants

so that the program isn’t so economically stressed.
Still, students need new and innovative ways to pay for college. They also need help from the government due to the rising cost of college. Increasing the max Pell

Grant amount and extending the offer to middle school students seem to be good incentives to keep students interested in attending college and tamping costs down.

House bill tackle sexual violence on college campuses. A bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California, and Patrick Meehan, a Republican from Pennsylvania, aimed “to toughen federal oversight of how colleges respond to campus sexual violence.”

According to The Washington Post, the legislation “would require colleges to survey their students on sexual violence every two years, increase the maximum penalty (to $100,000, from $35,000) for each violation of a campus-safety law known as the Clery Act…” In essence, colleges and universities would be heavily fined for failing to properly protect students who claim that their civil rights were violated by sexual assault.

An increase in fines would certainly help, and is a good starting point, but the heart of the bill lies with its language, mandating that the public know more about colleges that are under investigation by the federal government because of sexual violence on campus.

The bill, with almost 30 co-sponsors, was introduced in the right environment. It certainly seems that America has no appetite for sexual violence against young adults, specifically young women.

Because the bill must make its way through a House filled with conservatives, it may be too early to tell if it will pass or not. Even so, this bill is needed. Far too many young women feel uneasy and unsafe at school, a place that is supposed to be reserved for learning and safety. Protecting our students should be a top priority for administrators and this country’s lawmakers. Hopefully we will see positive moment on H.R. 2680 as it makes its way through Congress.

Wisconsin makes sizable cuts to higher education budget. Yet another state may be in the process of cutting funding to higher education. Wisconsin lawmakers grappled with the idea of slashing upwards of $150 million from higher education this year.
According to insidehighered.com, the Wisconsin Legislature may put into a place a mandatory tuition freeze and “a 13 percent reduction in the higher education budget.”

The article stated just how dire the situation may be for the University of Wisconsin system. With no tuition increases, little leftover revenue due to tax cuts, and funding contractions that totaled $300 million, the university’s chancellor Rebecca Blank said that there may be 430 layoffs. “I particularly regret the impact these cuts will have on our employees and their families.”

Delving deeper into the problem that these cuts will have on jobs, insidehighered.com detailed that the University of Wisconsin system would offer “early retirement of more than 1,000 employees…and leave more than 90 vacant positions open.”

Regarding Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the legislature’s decision to cut higher education funding so severely, this was certainly an undue injustice to students attending schools within the University of Wisconsin system.

As mentioned earlier, the system hasn’t been allowed to approve tuition increases because that decision sits with state lawmakers. With employment reductions and cuts totaling $300 million, the quality of education that students will receive will greatly reduce if these cuts are allowed to stand.

Can you think of additional ways that politics impacted higher education in 2015?

Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 11, 2015

Diverse Conversations: Is a 4.0 at an HBCU the Same as a 4.0 at a PWI?

Historically black colleges and universities or HBCUs have an important tradition in the United States. It’s not necessarily a straightforward tradition, but it’s one we still grapple with.

One of the biggest struggles, perhaps, is the equalizing of values, of recognition, and importance. The problem addressed in this interview – my interview with George Johnson, Student Accounts Manager at Georgetown University, (former graduate of 2 HBCU’s) – is that of academic weight. Does a 4.0 at an HBCU have the same value as a 4.0 at a PWI?

Q: The first question, then, is one that seeks to generalize. Generally speaking, does a 4.0 at an HBCU have the same value as a 4.0 at a PWI? If not, why not?

A: Generally speaking a 4.0 at an HBCU does have the same value as a 4.0 at a PWI. I say this because a 4.0 simply means you were able to master the subject matter being studied with the highest grade possible for the requirements of the degree or course. If we use the old adage of “2+2 = 4”, then in general terms a 4.0 is a 4.0 is a 4.0. I say that because the true debate is not if it has the same value, but is the criteria required to receive a 4.0 more arduous at a PWI vs. an HBCU. To date, there is no real scientific evidence to prove or disprove this theory. Furthermore, this statement falls apart on the merits, as professors from PWI’s teach at HBCU’s and vice versa. In terms of value, what does getting a 4.0 really mean? There are students who graduated without honors who are millionaires. There are students with 4.0’s that are currently out of work. As I stated in a previous article, we should be commending anyone who is able to get a 4.0 regardless of the institution it was received from, for that truly takes hard work.

Q: In what contexts do you think there is the greatest gap in value between 4.0s from HBCUs and 4.0s at PWIs? Is there anything in particular that continues to perpetuate this gap?

A: The greatest gap in value comes from the refusal to change the hierarchy created within colleges and universities across the US. Even PWI’s are separated into “Ivy League” vs. everyone else. When you look at USA Today’s top college rankings, there is no HBCU listed in the top 20. This perpetuates the belief that the education at an HBCU is below the standards of our nation’s top universities which is simply untrue. The formula used to create the top 20 is based on various categories that have nothing to do with academic standards. They rely on stats like graduation rates, retention rates, the high school SAT scores of incoming students, and “education experts” to determine this ranking. There is no true academic valuing tool or method that is being used to determine this. Furthermore, many of the HBCU’s are accredited by the same governing body as the PWI’s. So they are good enough to be accredited by the same academic standards, but the academic standards are still unequal. A very flawed argument at best.

Q: How is the overall relationship between academic excellence at HBCUs versus PWIs determined and how, if at all, is that relationship changing?

A: Unfortunately, perception is reality when it comes to this question. As stated previously there is no scientific method to the determination of this statement. The overall standard is rooted in perceived ranking of Top PWI’s vs PWI’s. PWI’s vs HBCU’s, and the unfortunate ranking of HBCU’s vs HBCU’s. Although not used as frequently, during the civil rights era, the term “The Black Ivy League” was coined for certain HBCU’s that “pulled the best and most privileged black students”. Howard University, for years was deemed to be “The Black Harvard”. Although not heralded as it once was, this hierarchy has created a dissention in the African American community’s views on academic excellence amongst HBCU’s. If we are unable to agree that HBCU’s across the board have an equal standard of learning with each other, how can we debate that they are comparable to PWI’s? I do believe that in recent years, the views of the “hierarchy” of HBCU’s has significantly declined, but I feel that if we want to be perceived and recognized as equals with PWI’s, we must come to an agreement that we are equivalent to one another. The fact that many students that attended HBCU’s for undergrad were able get graduate degrees from PWI’s is under researched evidence of the relationship change.

Q: What have been some of the most significant strategies for equalizing the perceived values of academic excellence at HBCUs versus PWIs?

A: I am not sure if I would necessarily say it is a strategy, but the recent visibility of HBCU graduates, alumni, and dropouts have created a change in perceived values. The commencement speech at Howard University by Sean Combs, the celebrity appearances in commercials advertising HBCU’s have brought a new found attention to these colleges and universities. The addition of new degree programs, including masters and doctoral at many of the HBCU’s are also helping in equalizing this standard. Another strategy that has been utilized is the raising of the academic requirements to attend HBCU’s. Long lives the stigma that HBCU’s are “last resort” or “willing to accept everyone”. Although they do tend to have lower requirements for admission, it does not change the fact that the academic standard is one of high quality. I like to believe that HBCU’s are schools that give “second chances” and are more willing to put in the work to bring out the “diamonds in the ruff” compared to PWI’s. The continuing partnerships that many of the HBCU’s are creating with corporate America, study abroad programs, and STEM programs are also helping to decrease the perceived inequality of learning.

Q: What can administrators and educators at HBCUs do and what can their counterparts at PWIs do to try and overcome the remaining gaps, the remaining discrepancies in values?

A: I feel that administrators and educators need to re-instill that the value is in receiving the college education, and not where you receive it from. Perception is reality on this subject. If tomorrow, ten former HBCU graduates became the CEO’s of ten fortune 100 companies, people would begin claiming that there is something that HBCU’s are doing that PWI’s aren’t. Too much weight is being put on where you are getting educated based on what people are doing with their education. Educator’s need to remind students of the reasons they attended college. Making sure that students are engaged and not only able to repeat information, but also apply it. The 4.0 does not guarantee that you will be more successful in life, regardless of where it is received. It does not guarantee wealth, health, or how you will be able to apply your knowledge to life situations.

It also becomes the responsibility of the student’s that attend HBCU’s who are doing well in their respective fields to be visible. We have to push the message that we are equivalent to those who graduate from other institutions. We must be vigilant in reminding students at HBCU’s that their degrees have worth and value. That Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are excellent schools based on the academic, societal achievements of their alumni and professors, not based on the devaluation of other institutions.

I conclude by saying that the pursuit of knowledge is a valiant one. It brings together people from all walks of life, different shapes and sizes. It should not matter if you choose to attend an Ivy League, HBCU, PWI, or Community College. Your GPA should not be a topic of debate because you got it “here” instead of “there”. The fact that you chose higher education is to be applauded and respected. To devalue that choice in any way is simply unacceptable.

I would like to thank George Johnson for sitting down to talk with us.

Read all of our posts about HBCUs by clicking here.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education December 11, 2015

Tips for training your brain to become a faster study

A guest column by Brooke Chaplan

Every student wants to learn faster, but it seems like your brain doesn’t always cooperate. Along with healthy living and brain health supplements, developing smart study habits can really make you a more productive study. Studying effectively and keeping those facts stored and ready to access is a skill not many are privy to. If you want to further define and develop good study and memorization habits, following the four tips below can help.

Regular Exercise
Research from Harvard Medical School shows that regular exercise improves both memory and thinking skills. Researchers have long known that regular exercise has excellent emotional and physical health benefits. However, exercise not only gets the heart pumping, but also temporarily boosts the size of the hippocampus, which is the brain’s memory and learning center. Additionally, intense exercise also stimulates the body to release important chemicals, such as endorphins that fight stress, and other chemicals that stimulate brain cell and blood vessel growth. Exercising also reduces common cognitive impairments, such as stress, anxiety, and poor sleep quality.

Brain Workouts
Weight training involves increasing muscle mass through controlled, repetitive movements. The brain also grows through cognitive exercises and students should practice memorizing new information according to their own personalized system with custom pneumatic techniques. For example, you can practice quickly memorizing other people’s names or things you see in public. In a boring class you could practice memorizing details about students and then trying to recall them. This is important because the brain naturally resists information overload through protectively ignoring random details. Try to systematically train your brain to memorize this unfamiliar information instead.

Explore Different Skills
Learning new skills or information actually creates new neural pathways. The famous cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner postulated that there are actually different types of intelligence, such as spatial, logical, and kinesthetic intelligence. Therefore, IQ tests inaccurately reflect an individual’s intelligence because they primarily test factual knowledge. However, music expands a students’ ability to translate visual information to physical performance. On the other hand, studying art or architecture increases the students’ spatial comprehension. Therefore, students should explore different skill sets in order to increase the time and quality of their brain’s learning.

Academic Training
One of the most comprehensive ways to become a better learner is to formally study education. A degree in education is a great way to learn the fundamental principles of education through teaching others. In fact, an education degree will lead to greater understanding of the socio-cognitive learning processes. Students will learn the most effective techniques for increasing memory, creativity, and comprehension. For example, education degree programs and education masters degrees online provide students insight into how the learning process is highly individualized and as a result, you will be able to assess and understand your own learning preferences.

Clearly, there are proven ways to increase the brain’s learning effectiveness, such as exercise, memorization, skill expansion, and studying education. Don’t fall behind this year in school. If you take the time to rewire your thinking system, you can find new ways of studying faster.

_______________________________________________

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening.

Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 11, 2015

2 States That Made Big Investments in P-20 Education in 2015

In order for education in the U.S. to regain its former preeminence, we must start to fully fund education. Fortunately, many state governors got the memo and decided to do just that. Here is a shortlist of states that made investments in education in 2015.

Michigan governor invested millions in P-20 education. Higher education and public schools received a shot in the arm from the Michigan legislature earlier this year when Governor Rick Snyder approved a new funding bill for the 2015–2016 school year.

According mlive.com, the legislature sent $16 million worth of education funding to the governor’s desk for approval in June. Within the budget was an increase of over $18 million for higher education, $1.53 billion for the state’s public universities, an over-$23 million increase for community colleges, and $50 million “for a possible agreement on Snyder’s plans for Detroit education reform. The reform money will go towards paying down “the debt of Detroit Public Schools.” More antecedents included were money for at-risk funding and a bump in per-pupil funding, from $70 to $140.

Because the education budgets received bipartisan support and votes, Snyder signed off on them. He received the money he requested for education reform, and there seem to be no coming cuts to higher education.

State legislatures across the country have struggled to balance budgets without cutting higher and public education. This money addresses the needs of low-income, or poor, school districts and will pump more money into Michigan’s public universities.

Hopefully Michigan sets a trend nationwide where lawmakers will refrain from freezing or cutting money from higher and public education.

Arizona governor invested $3 billion in K-12 education. In October, Arizona politicians took a small sigh of relief when Governor Doug Ducey signed an education bill that will pump over $3 billion into K-12 schools.

According to azcentral.com, the bill was signed after leaders squabbled over coming to terms on funding due to a five-year-old lawsuit “that sets conditions on when the K-12 formula can be denied inflation funding.” This new plan calls for $3.5 billion to go to Arizona schools in the next decade by raising the base amount of K-12 dollars. That base will then be adjusted annually for inflation, and an extra $625 million will be added from the state’s general fund.

It took several weeks of negotiations between Ducey and school officials. Democrats weren’t fully behind the deal, which was championed by Republicans and signed into law by a Republican governor. But in the end, students seem to be the winner, so there’s no reason to grasp for partisanship.

In the next 10 years, K-12 schools in Arizona will see an uptick in funding due to the deal. That could mean more teachers, better facilities, and better resources for students to utilize. Of course, oversight of these funds is essential, and my vote is always to improve education conditions for minority and underserved students (especially in bilingual Arizona), but we will see how it all falls into place.

The semantics of the deal, or how we arrived here, may be debatable. But in the end, students seem like they will come out ahead with Arizona’s latest education law.

Can you think of any additional states that made big investments in P-20 education in 2015?

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 9, 2015

Change is Here: Why Higher Education Needs the Hispanic Community to Succeed

The face of higher education is rapidly evolving as more middle- to low-class young people find ways to obtain a college degree or technical training. The Hispanic population in the U.S. is no exception as the number of college applicants and enrollees increase every year. While these strides benefit this specific group of students, everyone stands to benefit from Hispanic higher education success.

The Numbers

The U.S. Census reports that the estimated Hispanic population in the nation is 52 million – making residents of Hispanic origin the largest minority in the country. In fact, one of every six Americans is a Hispanic. That number is expected to rise to over 132 million by 2050 and Hispanics will then represent 30 percent of the U.S. population. Children with Hispanic roots make up 23 percent of the age 17 and under demographic — making future higher education legislation critical for this growing and thriving minority group.

The Issues

Young people of Hispanic origin face specific challenges when it comes to higher education. Many prospective students are first-generation Americans, or even undocumented residents, and do not have the first-hand experience or guidance from parents regarding the college experience in the U.S. Like all other ethnic groups, Hispanic youth face financial difficulty when trying to determine if college is a possibility. Many young Hispanics may feel overwhelmed by the social and financial pressure associated with college attendance and are in need of the right guidance. While higher education initiatives are changing to address these issues, only 13 percent of the Hispanic population over the age of 25 had a bachelor’s degree or higher in the 2010 Census.

Federal Initiative

The Obama administration recognizes the rapid growth of the Hispanic community, specifically as it impacts higher education, and has put several pieces of legislation into motion including the DREAM Act. First introduced in the U.S. Senate in August 2001, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act was designed to reward children in good standing that came to the country illegally. Temporary residency is granted for a six-year time frame for young people that seek out higher educational pursuits with an option for permanent residency after completion of a bachelor’s degree or beyond.

The bill went through several iterations before President Obama announced in June 2012 that his administration would stop deporting undocumented immigrants meeting DREAM Act criteria. While this legislation applies to more than Hispanic immigrants, they are the group that stands to benefit the most from its enactment. With no fear of deportation, Hispanic youth with higher education aspirations are free to pursue them and work toward a better individual and collective future.

What’s Ahead?

Increasing higher education opportunities for Hispanics has obvious positive benefits for the demographic itself, but the influence will be felt even further. Think of it as a ripple effect, where the Hispanic community represents the initial splash and all other ethnic groups feel the impact too. The Obama Administration has made known its goals to make the U.S. the leader in college degrees earned in proportion to population. In order for this goal to be met, Hispanics (specifically those of Latino descent) will need to earn 3.3 million degrees between now and 2020. The economic success of geographic areas, specifically urban areas, is directly affected by the number of college graduates that study and stay there. In states like Texas, this is an especially poignant point where a one-point college graduate rate increase can result in $1.5 billion more in annual economic activity for cities like San Antonio. Without the help of Hispanic youth, these numbers are difficult, if impossible, to achieve.

Legislation like the DREAM Act is just the start of changing the culture of higher education to be more welcoming to Hispanic youth. Individual colleges and universities must also step up and offer academic and financial aid programs with specific Hispanic needs in mind. The future achievements of higher education in the U.S. are dependent upon the inclusion and success of Hispanic students and the same is true of a stable economic climate. The sooner that federal and state initiatives, along with colleges and universities, embrace these inevitabilities, the better.

Matthew Lynch published in HBCU's, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 8, 2015

2 Most Embarrassing HBCU Scandals and Mishaps of 2015

The HBCU (historically black colleges and universities) world had its share of scandals and mishaps during 2015. In order to grow and survive in the current economic climate, HBCUs will have to learn from these mistakes. Here are the biggest scandals and mishaps HBCUs faced in 2015.

Spelman bids adieu to Bill Cosby professorship. Bill Cosby could not escape bad news in 2015. After information from a lawsuit against him was leaked, Cosby’s worst year ever continued. Based on what was revealed, it seems to be for good reason.

According to The Associated Press, top HBCU Spelman College decided to end its relationship with Cosby and his wife Camille in the face of this information. “Spelman told The Associated Press in a statement Friday that the college has parted ways with the 78-year-old actor and comedian. A deposition released this month shows the married father of five acknowledged he got sedatives to give to women before sex.”

The report also mentioned that “the Cosbys donated $20 million to the college in 1988.”

In addition to ending the endowed professorship, the college also returned “related funds to the Clara Elizabeth Jackson Carter Foundation,” a foundation started by Bill and Camille Cosby.

While Cosby hasn’t been charged with a crime, the details of the lawsuit seemed to be substantial enough for Spelman and other colleges to severe ties with Cosby.
Temple, Amherst, and the University of Massachusetts, all schools that Cosby attended, have decided to part ways with the famous comedian.

Spelman, and all other educational institutions who have received money from Cosby could have continued to use the funds given to them. But it was not worth the bad PR and potential loss of current and future students. Spelman, a school for women, has a social responsibility to uphold, and considering what Cosby has been accused of, this move is warranted.

Georgia HBCU set to merge with PWI. In less-than-stunning news, the Georgia Board of Regents decided to merge HBCU Albany State University with a Predominately White Institution (PWI) Darton State College. The new school will boast close to 9,000 students and will retain the Albany State University name.
While the move to combine two state colleges isn’t shocking, it did take some by surprise that the board decided to merge an HBCU and a PWI. In recent years, we’ve seen HBCUs merging in order to keep their cultures intact, not shutter their doors, but the move in Georgia doesn’t follow that path.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the move was partially made because of declining enrollment at both institutions. “Both schools have faced enrollment declines in recent years. Albany State’s enrollment has dropped 25 percent in five years; Darton has seen a 14 percent enrollment decline since its peak in 2012.”

The Journal also reported that the school will become southwest Georgia’s largest college.

Even without the declining enrollment figures, some have concerns that Albany State will lose its culture and identity by merging with a PWI. Hank Huckaby, chancellor of the university system of Georgia, said that Albany State’s history and culture will not be compromised by the merger (but he didn’t really give specifics on how that will happen).

This announcement was not the first on mergers in the state. A merger between Kennesaw State and Southern Polytechnic State universities was finalized earlier this year. The largest merger, between Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College, is in the works now.

I have mixed feelings about this particular merger. On one hand, it’s a way to keep both universities going and not leave students with no options. It does feel like the identity of Albany State will somehow get a little lost, but I suppose time will tell.

Did we miss anything?

Read all of our posts about HBCUs by clicking here.

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Higher Education December 8, 2015

Diverse Conversations: The Technology to Successfully Connect College Students

By Matthew Lynch

Kim Rubenstein, Psy.D., is a faculty member at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the co-founder of Compatibility, a program that attempts to increase student engagement and empowerment in their college experiences. The program does this through tools that look for the best compatibility when it comes to roommate, peer and mentor (peer/faculty/alumni) relationships, as well as club and organization involvement on campus or in the community.

Question: What are colleges and universities doing right when it comes to serving whole students, as opposed to just providing academics?

Answer: Assumed within this question are two very important statements: (1) Service matters and; (2) Students are complex, representing more than the cognitive mastery demonstrated to gain acceptance into the academic institution. In fact, those factors which may have most contributed to acceptance, may not ultimately represent what keeps them enrolled.

There is a paradigm shift occurring in higher education. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, nearly one-third of students who started college in 2012 didn’t return to a U.S. school the following year. Institutions of higher learning are listening to what is ultimately an informal call to action. Many are investing human capital and resources in the form of technologies and programming towards supporting student success even beyond the first year. They are holding themselves accountable, recognizing that the responsibility to the student goes well beyond recruitment and onboarding.

On the front end, there is a slow trend towards colleges and universities becoming either test optional or weighting less heavily, traditional standards for admissions. Students are being evaluated for entry based upon a broader range of criteria. These innovative methods may ultimately prove themselves as more inclusive models, providing expanded opportunities for students. Expanding admissions criteria may also help to diversify the campus population, lending to an enriched academic community of learners and contributors.

Colleges and universities are making progress towards alternative opportunities for learning and growth outside of the classroom. Curricular changes, such as service learning, immersion programs and community engagement not only serve the student’s potential, but provide opportunities for students to become engaged learners and leaders. In addition to competency-based learning, these changes are helping schools to reconsider the meaning of student learning outcomes and program effectiveness.

Schools are working to get smarter. They are asking better questions, such as, “From the inordinate amount of institutional and other student-related data, which is most meaningful?” Instead of feeling burdened by data, colleges and universities are learning to prioritize the most relevant information to create more impactful dialogue, enhance decision making, and ultimately, gain deeper insights into their student population.

Q: How is technology playing into a positive shift of better retention when it comes to college students (and how can it be used more effectively to do so)?
A: When technology is embraced as a means towards improving retention efforts, the impact can be substantial, particularly with regard to student yield, engagement and supporting a campus culture of innovation. Models for course delivery, such as Blackboard or Canvas, have demonstrated success as a means to engage both students and faculty. These systems provide open access of instructional materials, interactive pedagogical exercises and the facilitation of dialogue.

One positive impact towards engagement (and ultimately retention), is that the student has the opportunity for real-time performance feedback. Students are reminded that their contributions matter. In fact, they are expected to pull from internal resources to participate, being held (and holding themselves) accountable to maintaining a level of academic investment. Success therefore, demands consistently-applied effort. Additionally, students feel empowered in an environment that values their voice and associated contributions. For example, real-time feedback provided through mid-term course evaluations allows the student voice to be considered. In this regard, the technology serves as a developmental tool, supporting both faculty and student engagement. Ultimately, this type of relationship with technology can promote a sense of connection and progression towards course learning objectives and outcomes.

Other areas in which technology has become embraced can be found in various offices for retention and student success on campus. For example, Student Affairs at the University of North Texas at Dallas has recognized that students prefer to use their mobile devices as an optimal form of communication. In response, they’ve chosen to interact with students by making information accessible through technology. Events are posted on a shared calendar, as are online workshops, webinars and podcasts, each of which are intended to keep students engaged. Other schools are similarly rethinking first-year student experience by offering online first-year seminar courses and/or providing laptops for those who don’t have access.

The twofold challenge is where and how to best reach students. Some schools have observed that students may not always read and respond to email and have opted for systems that can text information, for others, the jury is still out.

Q: What was the motivation for developing Compatibility?

A: As a faculty member, I recognized the importance of student (and faculty) engagement and the mediating role played by relationships. Specifically, I was compelled by attributes of students who’d persist versus those who struggled or did not complete their studies. I was also a fan of Nancy Schlossberg’s theory of Marginality and Mattering (1989), which essentially posed the questions, “Am I central or marginal in a community and as a result, do I belong?”
Anecdotally, it seemed that students who felt a sense of belonging and connectedness to the program/institution appeared to engage with faculty, peers and course material. I admired how they took advantage of opportunities to participate in co-curricular and scholarship activity; whereas, I felt helpless when I’d learn of a student, who for one reason or another, did not complete the program.

I couldn’t negotiate in my mind how it could be that a student who appeared well-equipped upon entry may have lacked the intrinsic or external tools to support them in becoming engaged with the academic experience, specifically relationships beyond the classroom. Did we know if students felt as if they mattered to anyone on campus? Could it have changed the student’s trajectory?

Along comes Andrea Meltzer, a colleague and now co-founder/CEO of Compatibility. Andrea called me with a simple question, “Is there any scientific means to match college roommates?”

Given Andrea’s question and my curiosity about intrapersonal and interpersonal characteristics associated with student success, we embarked upon years of research to explore the connection between relational experiences and student success.

We’ve since learned that while similar personal attributes are important in student connections, elements of individual and cultural differences play a significant role. Sometimes it’s the differences that make all the difference.

Q: How do tools, like the Compatibility system, contribute to a more diverse college landscape?

A: The predictive analytics that Compatibility employs in its programs connect students based on elements of individual and cultural differences that are far more profound than surface level characteristics.

Students are in ongoing processes of identity development. We’ve learned from students who have used the Compatibility program that the experience has helped them meet and establish relationships with students who they may not have otherwise met. For example, when social media is encouraged as a method for students to meet, there tends to be an over-reliance on self-created profiles. Often, these profiles represent the student’s attempt at looking, “their best” or how they think they, “should” appear to others. Students may have a tendency to seek people who “look like” them. From what we’ve ascertained, this is not necessarily predictive of strong relational outcomes.

By incorporating methods that consider values, behavioral preferences, personality characteristics and attitudes, we can support students in their search for others on campus. Our method helps students make more deeply- informed choices. It’s still the job of the student to make any relationship work; however, we’re confident that our method will help identity those relationships most poised for success.

Through facilitating connections to students based on the science of successful relationships, whether to roommates, peers, mentors, and clubs/ organizations, Compatibility allows students to break out of the silos in which they’ve traditionally lived and explore meaningful relationships with others who on the surface, may appear very different. We are committed to learning, to the best of our ability, the degree to which we can help create a more diverse landscape of students that persist.
Q: How can colleges and universities up their graduation rates, particularly for disadvantaged students?

A: Increasing graduation rates for marginalized students begins first and foremost with values. The first step is to value and really know your student population within the context in which they are entering and exiting the academic system.

Simply recognizing that all applicants and admitted students enter the academic system with varied knowledge and ability isn’t enough. Disadvantaged students may have equal potential as their more privileged peers on campus; however, they face more barriers towards success. Therefore, the question becomes, “how do you identify and support a student’s needs and potential?” A nice place to start may be found in expanding admissions criteria to include more broad representations of a student’s life experience. This type of data can help schools prepare appropriate early interventions.

Colleges and universities should prioritize funding for initiatives that support disadvantaged students. For example, providing access to resources and experiences outside of the classroom in which students can establish relationships with faculty, alumni and professionals in the community, can help prepare them for internships and future employment. Additionally, creating opportunities on campus for students to exchange ideas and contribute to a culture of innovation and service can help disadvantaged students experience a felt sense of community, contribution and success.

In order to promote persistence and success for disadvantaged students, schools need to think outside the box. The campus community is a microcosm of a larger system that is in desperate need of change. If academic institutions change how they prioritize disadvantaged students, graduation rates for these students will soar.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here.

Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 7, 2015

3 Biggest Losses for K-12 Education in 2015

All in all, 2015 was a good year for K-12 education. However, for all the great wins we experienced, we also had some major losses. Let’s look back at just a few of these disappointments.

In 23 states, poor students see less school funding. Poverty makes it more difficult for children to succeed in school, and they come to school at a disadvantage. These students tend to have more needs than their middle-class and well-off peers. Children from poor families are behind their counterparts on nearly every measure of academic achievement.

In 23 states, state and local governments together spend less per student in the poorest districts than those that are more affluent, according to 2012 federal data reported in The Washington Post. The differences in funding are severe in some states. Pennsylvania spends 33 percent less on the poorest school districts per pupil than on the wealthiest. In Missouri, the difference is 17 percent.

Across the United States, states and localities on average spend 15 percent less per pupil in the poorest districts than in the most affluent, according to The Washington Post.

This news is troubling. We need to find ways to ensure that children from low-income families receive an excellent education and their fair share of federal assistance. Our country needs to work hard to find ways to help homeless students and those in poverty and provide resources such as after-school and summer programs to help our poorer students succeed.

In addition, if we want to narrow the education gap, we have to help our underprivileged students. Poverty doesn’t mean that students cannot succeed; they can.

However, poverty does place additional pressures on children and add some additional challenges. Funding is one big way we can help our students from poorer schools and give them a better chance at success.

The opportunity gap is widening in America. The economic status of the parents of today’s K-12 students determines the long-term economic quality of the children’s lives more today than in previous generations. Children living in poverty conditions today are more likely to stay in them throughout adulthood than in previous generations, according to new information from Robert Putnam, author of “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis,” which examines how kids experience inequality the most and the devastating long-term effects.

Putnam revealed to Mind/Shift that the opportunity gap is making it impossible for a third of kids to gain access to the right steps to achieve the American Dream. This “opportunity gap” is a result of many factors, including a lack of equality in resources and treatment of students in America’s school systems, starting as young as preschool.

I think that the only way to truly close the opportunity gap is in our K-12 education system. As a society, we cannot go into homes and change what takes place there, at least not on the mass scale that is needed. We can, however, educate our nation’s children and give them the tools to elevate their quality of life. Schools are certainly places where social services, like free and reduced-price lunch programs, are appropriate, but to really facilitate long-term change, we need to give students the educational tools to rise above issues like poverty as they grow. This is only possible with targeted programs in at-risk areas that take specific backgrounds and life situations into account and employ teachers who come from similar backgrounds so students have relatable role models.

2016 USDOE funding is $2 billion less than 2015. Congress went to work on education funding in 2015, and the results aren’t pretty. According to ThinkProgress.org, the Senate Appropriations Committee put forth a bill that included education funding for the next fiscal year. The funding level is about $2 billion less than it was in 2015, which means a potential loss of programs.

The Senate’s version wasn’t as bad as what the House came up with. The appropriations committee in the lower chamber wanted to slash $2.8 billion from the Department of Education.

What’s at stake is the department’s research ability. Think Progress’s article stated that the department “would lose 80 percent of its research budget and all funding for preschool development grants, School Improvement Grants, and the Advanced Placement Test Fee program, which allows low-income high school students to afford tests that provide them with college credits.”

That’s fairly significant.

In December of last year, the department awarded the preschool development grant to 18 states. That totaled almost $300 million that went towards allowing more kids access to preschool programs. If the House and Senate continue cutting the grant, this will hurt thousands of children nationwide.

When we see politicians making drastic and harmful decisions like this, it shows just how empty politics can seem at times. Getting rid of the education department’s research budget and slashing preschool grants may save money, but it will hurt us in the long run.

Hopefully, both sides are able to compromise so that the cuts stop short of hurting kids who are about to start their education.

What were the biggest losses for K-12 education in 2015? What did I miss?

Click here to read all our posts concerning the Achievement Gap.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 6, 2015

2 Biggest K-12 Education Wins of 2015

2015 was a good year for K-12 education, and we had some great wins. Let’s look back at a couple of these accomplishments:

Social programs keep child poverty rates from doubling. More children are living in poverty conditions in the U.S. than official numbers present, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Measuring Access to Opportunity in the United States Report uses the Supplemental Poverty Measure, a standard first implemented by the U.S. Census in 2011 that measures the impact of important social programs like SNAP and the Earned Income Tax Credit on true poverty rates. It also accounts for rising costs and other changes that affect a family’s budget. Unlike the federal “poverty level” standard, the SPM takes geographical costs of living into account.

According to SPM measurements, without social assistance programs, the child poverty rate would almost double from its current 18 percent to 33 percent. Not surprisingly, children of color are more likely to live in poverty than their white peers. The report found that both Latino and African-American children have a 29 percent SPM rate, while white children sit at just 10 percent nationally.

A few other findings from the report:

• California has the highest child poverty rate, using the SPM, followed by Arizona and Nevada.
• States with some of the largest child populations, like Florida, New York, and Texas, have among the highest child poverty rates using the SPM. Poverty rates among southeastern states are also higher than the national average.
• The lowest rates are in the upper Midwest and northern New England.

So what do these findings mean for the children in our K-12 schools? Correlating a child’s poverty rate to success in life (and in school), The Annie E. Casey Foundation suggests the following steps:

• More support of quality early-childhood education opportunities.
• Expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit so families can keep more of their earnings.
• More access to programs like SNAP and child care and housing subsidies.
• Better job training and childcare support for parents.

You can read the full report here.

I’ve long believed that educational assistance is the biggest step towards breaking the cycle of poverty for all children, especially minorities. When we look at our future generations, the key to eradicating poverty lies in the opportunities we provide kids in our K-12 schools and the assistance we give their families to raise their quality of life.

K-12 education news coverage on the rise. Mainstream media drive conversations, so analyzing what is being covered in the news gives a general indication of public perception on issues.

A new report from leading education reform policy strategist Andrew R. Campanella, titled “Leading the News – 25 Years of Education Coverage,” reveals how news media has presented K-12 education stories over the past quarter-century. So what does education news coverage look like?

In short, coverage of K-12 education in the news media is on the rise — up 7.7 percent in 2014 over the average of the 25-year span.

Not surprisingly, local news outlets provide the most education news coverage. In fact, local news outlets commit 6.82 percent of their air time to covering K-12 education or schools. That’s nearly three times higher than the national news coverage average of just 2.3 percent. What’s more is that local education news coverage appears to be on the rise.

From 2010 to 2014, the top education news story topic by far was sports, garnering 13.6 percent. At a distant second was special events (5.1 percent), followed by education funding (5 percent) and academic subjects (4.65 percent). As far as groups of people, students get the most mentions at 62 percent, followed by administrators (42.7 percent), teachers (28.3 percent), and parents (23.5 percent).

Coverage of educational policy is on the decline though — down 36 percent in 2014 over the 25-year average. Within the education policy category, funding and school choice were the most-covered topics. These two topics garnered 2.5 times more coverage than all other educational policy reporting combined (which includes 10 other specific issues).

Looking ahead, the report forecasts that coverage of school choice, school safety, and state education standards will continue to rise while teacher issues, funding, federal programs, and class sizes will continue to decline.

This is just a snapshot of all the report entails. You can read the rest of it by clicking here.

I can’t say I’m very surprised that local outlets provide the most coverage on K-12 education, but I was surprised to see that funding and federal programs are seeing less air time. I’d be interested to see an update of this report in another 5 years to find out if the trends in K-12 educational coverage continue on the same path.

What were the biggest wins for P-20 education in 2015? What did I miss?