Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success

National data indicate that almost 30 percent of entering college freshmen must enroll in at least one remedial course.

Western Connecticut State University's innovative collaboration between university faculty and teachers at Danbury and Bethel High Schools to improve core subject college readiness, Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success, has produced dramatic reductions in the number of students needing remediation in mathematics and writing. It has also improved retention levels from freshman to sophomore year among students who participated in Bridges while in high school.

After the first year of collaboration and revisions to senior-level classes, students' placements dramatically improved. Whereas 61 percent of juniors had previously placed into remedial English classes, only 37 percent of seniors entering Western from the two high schools did. (By the third year, that number dropped to 15.5 percent.) Additionally, while 62 percent of juniors had placed into remedial mathematics, Bridges reduced the level to 40 percent.

"The project helped us realize necessary changes had to be made within the school district on a systemic level. The results indicate substantially more of our students are finding success at the university level."

William Glass
Associate Superintendent
Danbury school district

Reducing the number of remedial classes necessary for incoming freshmen saves students time and money, and makes higher education more accessible. Working closely with the high schools has also produced a continuing benefit for the students in higher education - increases of between 8 and 13 percent in first- and second-year retention.

Simply put, high school students are more likely to continue on to higher education, less likely to need remedial classes when they get there, and more likely to stay in school after their freshmen year. Another important benefit has been the establishment of a collaborative working relationship between the university and high school faculties, and the impact it has had on both curriculum and student achievement.

The success of the initiative at Western led the state legislature to provide funding to the Connecticut State University System (CSUS), through the Department of Higher Education (DHE), in FY2009 to extend the college readiness program.

Western is working to expand Bridges to include Science, in addition to English and Math, and is establishing connections with local middle schools. 

CSUS is also moving forward to implement the Bridges model at Southern, Central and Eastern Connecticut State Universities in collaboration with additional pilot communities in the coming years. Southern is currently developing plans with the Meriden, Hamden and New Haven school districts; Central is establishing working relationships with the New Britain and Bristol school districts; and Eastern is working with the Windham and Norwich school districts. At Southern, the program is called "Galileo."

The Bridges initiative began following action by the Connecticut State University System Board of Trustees aimed at improving academic performance, promoting access and reducing costs at the post-secondary level. In July 2003, the Board approved a policy requiring all full-time, first-time-in-college freshmen to successfully complete any necessary remedial courses within their first 24 academic credits. Any student failing to complete remediation prior to the sophomore year would not be allowed to register for credit courses in any of the four system universities until the remedial courses were completed successfully.

Middle School Programs

Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities offer programs that regularly bring middle school students to university campuses. Faculty and students also work with middle school students and their teachers in a wide range of activities aimed at enhancing education and better preparing young people for high school and post-secondary education.

The Connecticut State University System (CSUS) is an active participant in the statewide initiative, KnowHow2Go, which specifically targets middle school age children, offering them critical information and encouragement regarding college readiness.

A recent report by ACT indicated that "eighth-grade achievement is the best predictor of students' ultimate level of college and career readiness by high school graduation - even more than students' family background, high school coursework, or high school grade point average." CSUS is committed to strengthening Connecticut's future by working collaboratively with middle schools today.

Central Connecticut State University

• American Voices Program
  CCSU recently began a three-year “American Voices” program funded by a $965,000 U.S. Department of Education grant where students and teachers from 13 Connecticut school districts work with CCSU's History and Reading and Language Arts departments and the Connecticut Historical Society Museum. It combines learning history with developing reading and writing skills for middle school students. Teachers, professors and historians develop classroom lesson plans.
  
  The districts include: Bristol Public Schools; Cromwell Public Schools; East Hampton Public Schools; Ellington Public Schools; Marlborough Public Schools; Meriden Public Schools; Newington Public Schools; Rocky Hill Public Schools; Wallingford Public Schools; West Hartford Public Schools; Wethersfield Public Schools; Regional District #4 which includes Essex, Chester and Deep River; and Regional District #10 which includes Harwinton and Burlington.
• ConnCAP
  The CCSU ConnCAP Program is a college preparatory program for selected New Britain public middle school seventh and eighth grade students who plan to attend New Britain High School.
  
  Students accepted into the program as a seventh-grader commit to participate through high school graduation. Both seventh and eighth grade students participate in an after school program where they learn study skills, strategies to improve grades, and what it takes to go to college. Students also have field trips to cultural and educational events, including college visits. Seventh and eighth grade students are required to participate in a six-week summer academic program.
  
  Upon graduation from eighth grade, ConnCAP middle school students who are active participants in good academic standing are recommended for admission to the ConnCAP New Britain High School program.
• Partners in Science
  The Partners in Science program is a partnership between CCSU and Southington and Meriden middle school students. CCSU faculty offer workshops in subjects ranging from molecular biology and physics to earth sciences and computer technology. The program is also offered afterschool at Hartford's Bellizzi Middle School, Kennelly School, Dr. James H. Naylor School, The Sport and Medical Sciences Academy and Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Sciences with a physiology focus and chemistry workshops.
• Robotics
  CCSU's School of Technology and Engineering sponsors annual robotics competitions on campus for middle and high school students. The fifth annual Connecticut BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology) Robotics Competition was held in October in CCSU's Student Center. The competition included about 70 middle and high school students statewide and from New York and New Jersey. The students had six weeks to design and build a working prototype robotic control system for a hypothetical factory workplace and demonstrated them at CCSU.
  
  Other competitions include the Connecticut First Lego League Robotics Competition in which teams design and build robots relating to a theme; and the VEX Robotics Competition where students build innovative robots.
• Young Engineers Program and Young Business Leaders
  CCSU's Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD), School of Engineering and Technology and the Consolidated School District of New Britain teamed up for the Young Engineers Program to encourage student interest in engineering, construction management and information technology careers. The three organizations came together to offer the Young Business Leaders Program to provide middle school students workplace skills and teach about business, marketing and economics.

Eastern Connecticut State University

• College Knowledge
  Eastern Connecticut State University’s “College Knowledge Days” program is designed to inspire Connecticut middle and junior high school students to dream of college and help them plan for their postsecondary education and future careers. The program is geared toward students in grades five to nine. Held each year in early June, more than 1,500 Connecticut students from 23 different schools across Connecticut come to campus to participate in this unique program.
  
  Students participate in a full day of engaging age and grade-appropriate sessions focusing on academic preparation, financial planning and career exploration. The College Knowledge program also helps Connecticut youth begin their college planning process early and encourages them to establish realistic and attainable educational goals for themselves.
• Future Teachers Conference
  The Future Teachers Conference is hosted annually each summer by Eastern’s Department of Education to reach out to middle and high school students interested in the teaching profession. Last year 250 students from across the state attended the conference. Students visit the Eastern campus for an intensive half-day experience with two workshop sessions. The program includes speeches from educators, a college fair and an awards ceremony. Workshops cover a variety of topics, ranging from public speaking and making math fun to cultural diversity and team building.
• Summer Institute for Future Teachers
  The Summer Institute for Future Teachers Conference is hosted annually in July by Eastern’s Department of Education, with support from CREC and the Connecticut State Department of Education, for rising juniors and seniors in Connecticut’s high schools interested in the teaching profession. Since 1997, about 30 students each year across the state attend the residential program in July on Eastern’s campus. Activities include service-learning experiences in summer programs in the Windham Public Schools, workshops on curriculum in pedagogy, educational technology, and cross-cultural understanding, and preparation for academic success in teacher education programs.
• Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program (STEP/CAP)
  At Eastern Connecticut State University, the Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program (STEP/CAP) is an alternate admissions opportunity that provides access and academic support to eligible first-time college students. The program is open to high school graduates who are either the first to attend college, are from low-income families, or are from groups traditionally under-represented on college campuses.
  
  Last June, 67 students hoping to enroll at Eastern for fall of 2010 arrived to begin the 27th year of STEP/CAP. Students from Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Waterbury, Willimantic and out-of-state attended intensive credit-bearing courses in math and writing, as well as rigorous workshops in social sciences, library research methods, public speaking, study skills and critical thinking. Of these students, 65 successfully entered Eastern for the start of the academic year.
• Dual Enrollment Initiative
  The Dual Enrollment Initiative was created by Eastern, Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) and Hartford Public High School. Spearheaded by Eastern President Elsa Núñez, the program began by enrolling nine at-risk youths from the Hartford area in three courses at QVCC in fall 2008. The students also took one course at Eastern and lived in Eastern’s residence halls. The students, who came from low-income backgrounds and were not planning to apply to college, were recommended for the program by guidance counselors at Hartford Public High School and interviewed by Eastern staff members prior to admission.
  
  Seven of the nine students who enrolled in fall 2008, and eight of the second cohort of 10 who enrolled in fall 2009, have continued their studies at Eastern; a third group of 10 enrolled in the program in fall 2010. Eastern recently won the New England Board of Higher Education’s 2011 Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Achievement as well as a College Board regional award for the program’s innovative approach to providing access to college to inner-city youth. U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney also recently announced a $300,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant to help support the dual enrollment initiative, one of several public and private grants Eastern has received in support of the program.

Southern Connecticut State University

• The Galileo Project
  The Galileo Project at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) is an initiative designed to provide students from Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Hamden High School in Hamden and Maloney High School in Meriden with better preparation for college-level math and composition classes.
  
  SCSU faculty in mathematics, English and education teamed up with math and English teachers from those high schools to share curriculum information, visit each others’ classes and develop strategies to improve instruction. The program, in its second year, is funded by a state Department of Higher Education grant and aims to reduce the number of students who need remedial-level prerequisite courses in college.
• Eighth-Grade Career Fair and CAMPY
  More than 1,300 New Haven eighth grade students visited SCSU to listen to professors and speakers from a variety of careers to encourage them to explore career options in an eighth grade career fair. In addition, SCSU’s Elementary Education Department annually hosts CAMPY (Connecticut Association for Mathematically Precocious Youth) for 60 advanced middle school students statewide for math, science and technology workshops.
• New Haven Science Fair
  The New Haven Science Fair (NHSF) annually hosts 43 schools and 8,000 students. Last spring SCSU communication science students acted as mentors for middle and high school students to develop their science projects. SCSU faculty judged the NHSF and led seminars to teach how to mentor science fair participants.
• Connecticut Science Fair
  SCSU’s Physics Club takes part in the annual Connecticut Science Fair by mentoring middle school students as they design science fair projects. Six Physics Club members spent 150 hours mentoring students who participated in the 2009 science fair.

Western Connecticut State University

• Meteorology Bridge Program
  WCSU launched a Meteorology Bridge Program for middle school students from Rogers Park and Broadview Schools in Danbury and Bethel Middle School. Last spring 14 students learned about weather from WCSU meteorology student mentors and created a PowerPoint presentation of their own weather broadcasts from WCSU’s Weather Center. The broadcasts were shown on Bethel’s community television channel.
• Exploration Academy
  Bridges program organizers also developed the Exploration Academy specifically targeted toward middle school students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Last spring, about 100 students from the Exploration Academy at Rogers Park Middle School visited WCSU for a half day of enrichment activities that culminated in a campus tour.
• STEM Summer Camp
  At Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) two-week summer camp for Danbury seventh grade students taught them about astronomy and sea turtle conservation.
  
  The camp was funded by a three-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is a collaboration between Theodora Pinou, WCSU assistant professor of biological and environmental sciences; Anne Mead, administrator for the Danbury schools extended learning program; and Harry Rosvally, STEM curriculum administrator for the schools.
• Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success
  Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success (Bridges) is a partnership between WCSU and the Danbury and Bethel school districts to ensure high school students are ready for college-level courses in math, writing and science. High school teachers and WCSU faculty have met to align course curriculum.
  
  High school students and WCSU first-year students participating in Bridges continue to excel. Only six percent of students beginning at WCSU in 2009 were required to take the remedial writing class, and 29 percent were enrolled in the remedial math class. That compares to 37 percent in remedial writing and 41 percent for remedial math before Bridges began in the 2004-05 school year. In addition to state support, Praxair, Inc., of Danbury, also contributed $50,000 to support the program.
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Know How 2 Go

KnowHow2GO is a national public service advertising campaign that combines education, community-based and government partnerships to raise awareness among low-income and first-generation students in grades 8 through 10 about preparing for college.

Connecticut's KnowHow2GO initiative is coordinated by the state Department of Education, state Department of Higher Education, and a coalition of public and private organizations, including the Connecticut State University System.

The KnowHow2GO website includes information and links, including the critical steps that students can take as early as middle school to begin getting on track for college. The steps include talking with adults about both academic classes and financial support, and remaining persistent in efforts to prepare for college.

Recent studies have found that the middle school years can be pivotal. A recent report by ACT found that "Making sure that all eighth-grade students have attained the knowledge and skills that put them on target to becoming ready for college and career is the single most important step that can be taken to improve their college and career readiness."
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Newspaper In Education

Connecticut KnowHow2GO, the Connecticut State University System and the Hartford Courant's Newspaper In Education program have collaborated on a series of activity pages for students, primarily in the middle school grades, encouraging them to begin thinking about college.

The initiative is endorsed by the State Department of Higher Education, State Department of Education. The activity pages, which are used in classroom discussion, urge students to "take the tough classes" to prepare for college. They appeared in the Hartford Courant in October and November, 2009. Schools in Waterbury, Stratford, Canaan, Bridgeport, Bloomfield, New Britain, Hartford, Manchester, East Hartford, Bristol, Enfield, West Hartford, Tolland, and New Haven participated. More information at www.courantnie.com

Related Initiatives

KnowHow2GO also works closely with College Goal Sunday, an initiative where students and parents can talk to experts and get in-depth help filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Additional information on College Goal Sunday is available at www.collegegoalsundayct.org

Eastern Connecticut State University offers "College Knowledge" Days in early June. This unique program provides middle and junior high school students with the opportunity to visit the university and participate in a series of college readiness workshops. In 2010, more than 1,400 5th - 9th grade students from across Connecticut participated. For more information about the 2011 program, contact the Admissions Office at Eastern.

College Goal Sunday

The annual College Goal Sunday is designed to assist prospective college students and their parents in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid administrators offer this service at no charge, at locations throughout Connecticut on the Sunday before the Super Bowl each year. Please sign up in advance; check the College Goal Sunday website for additional information. Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut State University are among the College Goal Sunday host sites in Connecticut.
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CTMentor

CTMentor offers access to information and admissions applications for statewide and independent colleges and universities within Connecticut. The student is usually responsible for the standard fee charged by a college or university upon submitting an application for admission, but, mentor assistance can be provided free of charge.
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College.gov

college.gov is the U.S. Department of Education's new website, built in collaboration with students. This site is intended to be the go-to source for information and resources about planning, preparing and paying for postsecondary education (such as 2- or 4-year colleges and universities, and vocational or career schools).
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Center for Student Opportunity

The Center for Student Opportunity is dedicated to promoting higher education opportunities for first generation and other underserved college-bound populations. The CSO College Center is a national clearinghouse for admissions information and college programs.
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Pathways to College Network

The Pathways to College Network is an alliance of national organizations that advances college opportunity for underserved students by raising public awareness, supporting innovative research, and promoting evidence-based policies and practices across the K-12 and higher education sectors.
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