The Roosevelt Institution
In the spring of 2007, following up on its work on college outreach and advising programs in the fall, the Center on Education began to study socio-economic diversity in higher education from another perspective: that of the high school guidance counselor. It conducted an analysis of test scores and college-going rates at local New Haven public high schools and interviewed local education experts and students, aiming to build an understanding of the challenges facing guidance counselors, as well as the results their efforts have achieved.
In New Haven, college-going rates are relatively high, considering the challenges high schools face. The rates of students enrolling directly in a college or university vary from 60.9% at the Sound School to an impressive 96% at Hill Regional Career High School. Five area high schools match or best the statewide average of 78% college enrollment, despite having high proportions of the student body eligible for free or reduced price lunch (a common measure of economic disadvantage). However, upon closer examination, room for improvement can clearly be found. The high total college enrollment numbers mask the fact that half or more of graduates enroll in two-year community colleges rather than four-year universities, despite scoring proficient or above on the challenging CAPT standardized tests. Moreover, SAT scores are notoriously low at several schools, indicating that students could benefit from more targeted tutoring and test preparation.
To further examine these problems and to explore the most effective solutions, the Center on Education is organizing an open forum for high school guidance counselors, in which they will be able to discuss the obstacles they face and their most effective strategies for dealing with them with a group of the peers, policy makers and district officials. Topics of discussion will include how to guide students in long-term planning and goal setting; the academic support and general advising they provide for students; how they navigate the complex waters of standardized testing; the logistics of filling out college applications and the hidden obstacles in the forms; and their approach to teaching their students about financial aid and filling out the FAFSA form. The Center on Education will act as the link between the counselors' views and recommendations and the New Haven school district, Board of Aldermen, and other policy makers.
Stay tuned for more details on the Open Forum on New Haven College Guidance and the findings of the Center on Education.
Meetings:
Spring 2007
Group members:
Abby McCartney