College Completion Agenda: Latino Edition

The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, in collaboration with the National Council of La Raza and Excelencia in Education, launched the College Completion Agenda: Latino Edition at an event co-hosted by Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board, and Eduardo Padrón, President of Miami Dade College. Key remarks were given by Governor Jeb Bush at an event that featured a dynamic discussion highlighting some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing our education system, particularly for the Latino community in Florida and throughout the country. The program brought together national and state education leaders, policymakers and advocates as part of a national effort to advance policies that lead to better college preparation, access and attainment for Latino students.

To provide insight on the college completion rates of this rapidly growing population, the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center created the College Completion Agenda: Latino Edition Progress Report.  The Latino Edition focuses on Latino educational attainment and identifies efforts that can strengthen the education system to better prepare Latinos at every stage of the P–20 pipeline and raise college completion rates. Learn about the latest P–20 data and effective policies for the nation and each state through a dynamic new website at http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/latino.

Speakers Included:

• Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board, Former Governor of West Virginia
• Jeb Bush, Chairman of the Board and President of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, Former Governor of Florida
• Eduardo Padrón, President of Miami Dade College and Chair of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans
• Alberto Ibargüen, President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (Moderator)
• Frank T. Brogan , Chancellor, State University System of Florida
• Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools
• Richard Duran, Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Anitere Flores, State Senator, Florida
• Erik Fresen, State Representative, Florida
• Jorge A. Plasencia, Chairman and CEO, República and Vice Chair, Board of Directors, National Council of La Raza
• Deborah Santiago, Vice President, Excelencia in Education
• Christopher Starratt, Vice President for Mission and Institutional Effectiveness, Barry University

Collaborating Organizations:

• NCLR
• Excelencia in Education
• Miami Dade College

Quotes:

"The College Completion Agenda: Latino Edition is a call to action. Our nation will not become number one again in college completion unless we commit ourselves to giving Latino students the support they need to achieve their full potential."
– Gaston Caperton

"College completion is a national imperative. It is the key to improving our nation's economy. Each additional person with a college credential has a significant multiplier effect on the economy." – Eduardo Padrón

"The quality of education will determine the futures of our students and our nation. After partnering with the College Board, Florida's participation and passage rates for rigorous college-preparatory courses skyrocketed, with the greatest gains coming from Hispanic students. But there is work to be done to ensure every student, regardless of background, zip code or parents' salary level, is equipped with the knowledge and skills to succeed in today's global economy." – Governor Jeb Bush

"Increasing Latino college completion is critical to meeting the nation's goals of educational attainment and these publications highlight not only the current condition but offer states a guide of policy efforts to improve Latinos' educational progress to completion. Excelencia in Education is proud to partner with the College Board and NCLR to inform these strategies as part of the College Completion Agenda." – Deborah Santiago

Florida Highlights:

In Florida, the number of ELLs in public schools has increased by 58 percent and comprises 8.7 percent of the K–12 student population. This growth drove state leaders to develop a student indicator and a reporting system that provides every enrolled student in a Florida school a unique identifying number that follows the student from pre-K (or time of entry) through grade 20 of the public education system. They also collect specific ELL demographic data that include information such as the date the student entered the United States (if applicable), years in U.S. schools, prior school, length of continuous enrollment, citizenship status, native language spoken and primary language spoken at home. Florida also collects specific ELL program service data for ELLs including basis and date of entry, exit, post reclassification follow-ups, and home language survey and instructional strategy.

In 2007, the Florida Legislature created the Merit Award Program, a voluntary performance pay program for teachers and school-based administrators. Teacher and principal evaluations are based on student performance and district-based criteria, including the ability to deliver high-quality instruction, maintain collaborative relationships, recruit and retain effective teachers and manage resources.

In Florida, students who complete an associate degree at a community college can enroll in and earn a bachelor's degree at a state university. This transfer articulation is known as the 2+2 Program in which a statewide course numbering system facilitates the transfer of students among postsecondary institutions. For example, the specifi c courses that make up the 36-hour general education block vary from one institution to another. However, if a student completes the 36-hour general education block at any community or state university, it will be accepted in total by any other public institution in Florida, and no further courses will be required to meet the general education component.

Florida has one of the strongest transfer records in the nation. By state law, every community college graduate is considered to have met all general education requirements and is guaranteed admission as a junior to a state university.

Florida has used performance-based funding since 1997 to reward colleges for the number of graduates, particularly the number of graduates with degrees from programs that are in high need. Funding is also allocated to colleges based on efficiency — the time it takes students to earn a degree — and on the transfer rate of students from two- to four-year colleges.

Florida is a member of the National Career Pathways Network, a membership organization for educators and employers who are involved in advancing career pathways, tech prep and related education reform initiatives.