Area Report for Board of Trustees

Core Theme

Core Theme 1: Promote student engagement, learning, and achievement

Preparing our application for the SBCTC Perkins V Implementation

(Marty Heilstedt, Interim Executive Dean, Workforce)
Federal Perkins funding supports programming in professional technical program. For next year, SBCTC has changed the focus of Perkins grant application to focus more intentionally on addressing equity gaps. In preparation for submitting our Perkins V grant, staff surveyed students enrolled in professional and technical programs In January 2020. 650 professional technical students responded to a survey on factors impacting student access, success and equity at Highline. The survey is part of the data we are using to develop the Perkins Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment that supports our annual applications for federal workforce education funding. In their responses,

• Students most frequently indicated that they first learned about their program primarily through Friends or Family (32%), the College Website (27%) a High School Teacher or Counselor (17%). Hispanic/Latino students were almost twice as likely as other groups to hear about their program from a High School Teacher or Counselor (32%).
• Students most frequently cited Passion for the Career (65%) and Income Potential (33%) as reasons for choosing their program.
• Services cited most frequently by students as most important in supporting their success at Highline were Advising (48%), Financial Aid/Funding (46%) and the Library (43%).
• 88% of the students reported that they had the opportunity for Individualized Help in their classes.
• 97% of the students agreed that their program is providing the essential skills and knowledge to work successfully in their field.

In addition, Highline has received approval from SBCTC to expand our certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security to an approved AAS and AAS-T degree.

Textbook Costs Work Group

(Marc Lentini, Educational Technology Director)
Highline College is expanding the use of low-cost and Open Educational Resources (OER) to close equity gaps in student completion. Low-cost materials allow more students to have the textbooks and resources on the first day of class. OER enable faculty to employ culturally responsive instructional practices, from customizing textbooks to creating open education activities in the classroom. The Textbook Costs Work Group is charged with developing processes and support for faculty who are moving to low cost and OER materials.

SBCTC guidelines require showing students the total cost of a course. The class schedule in ctcLink next year will require us to track, and will allow students to identify, courses by a “low cost” code and by whether they use OER as the primary instructional text.

To prepare for this, by the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, the work group will:

• Study and recommend a model to support instructors and staff in funding, creation, and/or adopting OER and low-cost materials. The model will consider the different work commitments required to adopt existing OER vs. write new materials.
• Define the needs and identify roles for campus support organizations, including the Bookstore, Library, Instructional Design, and Print Shop.
• Create a transparent path (map?) to guide instructors and staff who want to pursue OER and low-cost materials.

Update on enrollment in ABE/ESL

(Steve Washburn, ABE/ESL Director)
Our ABE enrollments are relatively unchanged as compared to last year. As of this week (1/29/20), we have 1,238 ABE FTE. Last winter at this same point in the quarter (1/29/19), we were at 1,269 ABE FTE. The 31 FTE difference is a 2% decrease. There was also a 2% decrease when comparing fall quarter of 2019 and fall quarter of 2018. It may help to also know that the overall ABE enrollments in the state have decreased 2% from last year. We are consistent with overall state enrollment trends. For additional context, Highline’s overall state FTE for this winter quarter (4,356 FTE) is 7% below last winter quarter (4,684 FTE). Given that our ABE enrollments are flat, we are monitoring under-enrolled classes carefully. So far, we will be cancelling at least one class this week and will adjust our spring schedule to align with the current enrollment trends. For example, we will be eliminating one 8am ESL section for spring. In addition, we are also increasing capacity where there is a demonstrated need.

Update on Guided Pathways planning:

Twenty-five people showed up for the first core team meeting on January 31 from 3-5 to continue work on Highline’s plan to implement Guided Pathways. We meet again on Friday, February 14. With representation from across campus, and the ability to build on work that started at Highline several years ago, the team is on track to create a stellar plan. Draft plans are due to SBCTC in early March. We will get feedback, revise and resubmit, and start work on the plan in earnest in spring 2020.

Report submitted Feb. 13, 2020, by Interim Vice President Emily Lardner, Ph.D.