College OPTIONS: An Innovative Intersegmental Educational Partnership

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College OPTIONSAn Innovative Intersegmental
Educational Partnership
Strengthening the college-going culture in
Northern California

• College OPTIONS is funded in part by The
  McConnell Foundation, Redding, California. The
  McConnell Foundation is a private, nonprofit
  organization, whose mission is to help build
  better communities through philanthropy.

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Siskiyou and Shasta Counties Two hours north
of Sacramento on I-5 Largest city in area
Redding Population 85,000
Redding the north end of the Central Valley
You are here
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Four Major Challenges to Our Students Attending
College
Geographic Remoteness and the Rural Life Costs
and Financing Non-prevalent College-Going Culture
Academic Constraints
Source Dr. Patricia McDonough, Rural College
Opportunity A Shasta and Siskiyou County
Perspective, December 2001
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Geography

• Siskiyou County one community college
• Shasta County
• One community college
• One small, private, Christian university
• One small branch of National university
• One small bible college
• One small vocational/technical college
• Closest UC 2 ¼ hours from Redding
• Closest CSU 1 ¼ hours from Redding
• Many families move to/stay in rural areas because
  of quality of life and do not want children to
  move away
• Going away to college often means leaving home
  permanently (especially in Siskiyou County)

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Costs and Financing

• Living at home lowers cost of schooling, but it
  is not an option for majority of students (even
  for students attending community college)
• Rising gas prices prohibit commuting
• Dramatic fee increases at CSU, UC and community
  colleges have outpaced income
• Housing costs renting or buying in Shasta and
  Siskiyou counties have skyrocketed (doubled in
  last 4 years)

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College Going Culture

• Education patterns of adults in region

Source United States Census Data, 2000

• Lack of exposure to higher education, myths and
  perceptions of the cost of going to college,
  especially when coupled with the economic
  realities of the region result in higher
  education being often seen as costing too much.

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Shasta-Tehama-Siskiyou
Source CPEC Educational and Demographic Profile,
Shasta County
Siskiyou-Shasta-Modoc
Local attitude toward community college Im
just going to Shasta College
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Academic Constraints

• Small rural schools cannot offer complete a-g
  course lists
• Larger high schools offer complete a-g courses,
  but often only limited AP (Advanced Placement)
  courses
• Lack of local universities means fewer summer
  enrichment opportunities for local students
• Result our students, even our best and
  brightest, do not have the opportunities students
  in other parts of the state have, and are less
  competitive for highly selective schools

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Shasta-Tehama-Siskiyou
Source CPEC Educational and Demographic Profile,
Shasta County
Even with those constraints, our students are
completing college-preparatory curricula close
to the same rate as students throughout the
state. Our students are capable of succeeding in
higher education. We need to give them choices
about life after high school.
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College OPTIONS Partners
The Shasta Partnership Shasta Union High School
District
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College OPTIONS Goals

• Increasing the number of students who are UC/CSU
  eligible
• Increasing the number of students who enroll in
  baccalaureate degree-granting institutions as
  first-year students and as transfers
• Increasing higher education opportunities in the
  region.

• Increase the number of high school graduates in
  Shasta and Siskiyou Counties who enter
  baccalaureate degree-granting institutions as
  first-time students and who transfer from local
  community colleges by

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College OPTIONS Components

• Resource Center in Redding (Shasta County)
• College OPTIONS Advisor in Every Public High
  School
• College Campus Field Trips
• Dedicated Financial Aid Advisor
• Professional Development for School Personnel
• Special Events for Students, Families, Educators
  and Communities
• All services are offered at NO COST to
• students, schools and community members

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RESOURCE CENTER
On-Site Appointments with Academic Advisors

• Assistance with high school course planning
• Personalized help with college applications and
  essays
• College entrance exam preparation
• Line by line FAFSA help

Public-Access Computers may be used to search for
college/scholarship information, complete on-line
college and financial aid applications
Reference Materials
College Planning College Access Financial
Aid
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Services Provided at Each High School
College OPTIONS Academic Advisor to serve the
entire school for one full day each week
One-on-one student advising regarding college
prep courses
Assistance with college applications for
admission, applications for scholarships and
financial aid
Workshops on college preparation, test
preparation, and career exploration
Because many North State students have had no
exposure to college or university campuses, field
trips are especially important. Field trips are
funded by College OPTIONS and are offered at no
cost to participants.
Present at Parent Information nights
Field trips to college campuses and cultural
events
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Financial Aid Assistance

• Individual appointments for students and their
  families
• 14 Cash for College events held in 2005-06
• Specialized training for local financial planning
  experts on impact of investments on financial aid
  eligibility
• Specialized training for high school counselors

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College OPTIONS Target Schools

• Siskiyou County High Schools
• Butte Valley
• Dunsmuir
• Etna
• Happy Camp
• Mt. Shasta
• Tulelake
• Weed
• Yreka

• Shasta County High Schools
• Anderson (GEAR UP)
• Anderson New Technology
• Burney
• Central Valley
• Enterprise
• Fall River
• Foothill
• North State Independence
• Shasta
• Shasta Secondary Home School
• Stellar Charter
• University Preparatory School
• West Valley

Target Middle Schools
Sequoia Mt. View Parsons Sisson Weed
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Challenges ahead

• Maintain funding for partnership
• Federal funding (TRiO) has been eliminated from
  Presidents budget for the last two years
  (reinstated, but reduced by Congress each year)
• CSU/UC outreach funding targeted for elimination
  last two years in state budget
• College OPTIONS sustainability committee
  investigating alternative funding sources
• Increase level of outreach to parents
• Increase level of professional development to
  educators (turn everyone into a College OPTIONS
  ambassador)

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College OPTIONS Educational Partnership

• Buffy Tanner, Assistant Director
• 1890 Park Marina Drive
• Redding, California 96001
• 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday Thursday
• 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Friday
• 530-245-1845
• www.collegeoptions.org