The ABE Transition Program at Rio Salado College
The ABE Transition Program at Rio Salado College has been in existence since 1998. The program's mission is to provide information, guidance, and support to adult GED and ESOL students in order to help them transition into the postsecondary educational and training opportunities in the ten colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). The Transition program is funded through Rio Salado College and works very closely with the GED and ESOL coordinators of the Adult Basic Education program in the district (which is also administered through Rio Salado College.)
Program Model
Staffing
The Rio Salado ABE Transition program has a full-time program coordinator, three full- time Transition advisors, one of whom works exclusively with ESOL students, and a full-time Transition secretary. The Transition advisors recruit students from the ABE system through visits and presentations to 30 to 40 higher level ESOL classes and GED classes.
Student Eligibility
To qualify to participate in the program students must demonstrate that they are academically ready and have the English language skills to enter classes at a community college. For ESOL students, the program uses the language portion of the TABE Survey Form 7, Level D to assess readiness. Students are required to score 18 out of the 25 questions. This indicates a student's ability in grammar and writing and also provides information on where a student needs remediation. GED students must be close to passing the GED test.
Design
The process begins with a presentation to the whole class that provides students an overview of the programs and support services available at MCCCD as well as promoting the idea that these students do belong in college and will feel part of the community when they attend college. The Transition advisor provides the students with material that will help them make an informed decision about their readiness for college.
After the presentation students are encouraged to make an individual appointment with a Transition advisor. Once the student has a one-on-one meeting with the Transition advisor, the student is considered a participant in the Transition program. (Some students will, however, fail to enroll in a college class either initially or at all. The team does follow-up on these "advised only" students.) In 2002/2003, 435 students from the ABE program made an individual appointment with a Transition advisor. Of those, 140 went on to enroll in a college class for the first time. Another 130 students who had transitioned from prior years also enrolled again in college classes in 2002/03.
Generally, students will meet two to three times with the advisor. The first meeting addresses the student's goals, motivation, and academic preparedness for college including setting up placement testing. The Transition advisor helps the student understand the assessment - the CELSA (College English Placement Test) for ESOL students and the ASSET for GED students - that they will have to prepare for to enter college. Transition advisors work very closely with students and with their GED and ESOL instructors providing them with material and exercises designed to help students prepare for college placement testing. The Transition program also offers free writing and computer workshops designed to help students prepare for college in the months before their first class.
The second visit usually includes a visit to the college, assistance with admissions and help with the financial aid process. The Transition advisor helps the student with class selection. Many students meet with their Transition advisor again to continue to explore the support systems available on the college campus. The Transition students receive a tremendous amount of support while being exposed to the college culture and system.
All GED and ESOL students from Rio Salado's ABE Program who decide to take part in the Transition Program can apply for the Transition scholarship. The scholarship is for students with financial need to help them get started in college. The scholarship pays for one class the first semester (usually 3 credits but sometimes more) and, upon completion of the first class with a C or better, one class the second semester. In addition, the scholarship will pay for a third class in college survival skills for GED students who wish to have more support; this class can be taken the first or second semester. The scholarship is good at any of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges and also covers registration fees and any special fees connected to the class the scholarship is paying for.
Indicators of Success
Over the five years of the program's existence, the coordinator has tracked the drop/withdrawal rates and the pass/fail rates of transition students. There has been a dramatic and consistent decline in the drop/withdrawal rates and a corresponding increase in the pass rate for these students. There has also been a significant rise in the number of students receiving federal aid and other grants or scholarships, a direct result of information students have gained through participation in the program.
Anecdotal evidence and feedback from the colleges suggest that the program is placing better prepared students into college classes and that students are continuing their studies through multiple semesters. Moreover, some students are reporting the achievement of an Associates degree, other certificates or transfer to a university.
To learn more about the Rio Salado ABE Transition Program please visit their web site http://www.riosalado.edu/ci/programs/transition.shtml or read Relationships Count on line in Focus on Basics http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu/fob/2004/lombardo.html
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