KEEPING COLLEGE WITHIN REACH: SHARING BEST PRACTICES FOR SERVICING LOW–INCOME AND FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS HEARING BEFORETHE SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, JANUARY 28, 2014 Serial No. 113–42 Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and the Workforce ( Available via the World Wide Web: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/ committee.action?chamber=house&committee=education or Committee address: http://edworkforce.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 86–370 PDF WASHINGTON : 2015 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE JOHN KLINE, Minnesota, Chairman Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin George Miller, California, Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon, California Senior Democratic Member Joe Wilson, South Carolina Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey Virginia Foxx, North Carolina Robert C. ‘‘Bobby’’ Scott, Virginia Tom Price, Georgia Rube´n Hinojosa, Texas Kenny Marchant, Texas Carolyn McCarthy, New York Duncan Hunter, California John F. Tierney, Massachusetts David P. Roe, Tennessee Rush Holt, New Jersey Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania Susan A. Davis, California Tim Walberg, Michigan Rau´l M. Grijalva, Arizona Matt Salmon, Arizona Timothy H. Bishop, New York Brett Guthrie, Kentucky David Loebsack, Iowa Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee Joe Courtney, Connecticut Todd Rokita, Indiana Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio Larry Bucshon, Indiana Jared Polis, Colorado Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Northern Mariana Islands Martha Roby, Alabama Frederica S. Wilson, Florida Joseph J. Heck, Nevada Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Richard Hudson, North Carolina Mark Pocan, Wisconsin Luke Messer, Indiana Juliane Sullivan, Staff Director Jody Calemine, Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina, Chairwoman Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin Rube´n Hinojosa, Texas Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon, California Ranking Minority Member Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania John F. Tierney, Massachusetts Tim Walberg, Michigan Timothy H. Bishop, New York Matt Salmon, Arizona Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Brett Guthrie, Kentucky Carolyn McCarthy, New York Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Rush Holt, New Jersey Joseph J. Heck, Nevada Susan A. Davis, California Susan W. Brooks, Indiana David Loebsack, Iowa Richard Hudson, North Carolina Frederica S. Wilson, Florida Luke Messer, Indiana (II) R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C C O N T E N T S Page Hearing held on January 28, 2014 ......................................................................... 1 Statement of Members: Foxx, Hon. Virginia, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training ............................................................................... 1 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 3 Hinojosa, Hon. Rube´n, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training ................................................ 9 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 25 Statement of Witnesses: Anderson, James, A., Dr., Chancellor, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina .............................................................................................. 27 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 29 Del Balzo, Mary, B., Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, The College of Westchester, White Plains, New York .................. 41 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 43 Garrido, Josse, A., graduate student, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, Texas ............................................................................................ 50 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 52 Holtschneider, Dennis H., Rev., President, Depaul University, Chicago, Illinois ............................................................................................................ 54 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 56 Additional Submissions: Chairwoman Foxx: 5000 Role Models is 20 years old, still stepping ..................................... 5 Prepared statement of Ron Haskins ........................................................ 80 Mr. Hinojosa: The National HEP CAMP Association .................................................... 11 The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund MALDEF ................................................................................................ 17 Hon Jared Polis, a Representative in Congress from the State of from the state of Colorado: Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 91 (III) R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C KEEPING COLLEGE WITHIN REACH: SHARING BEST PRACTICES FOR SERVING LOW–INCOME AND FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS Tuesday, January 28, 2014 House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:04 a.m., in Room 2175, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Virginia Foxx [chair- woman of the subcommittee] presiding. Present: Representatives Foxx, Petri, Thompson, Walberg, Salm- on, Brooks, Messer, Hinojosa, Tierney, Bishop, Bonamici, Davis, and Wilson. Also present: Representatives Kline and Miller. Staff present: Janelle Belland, Coalitions and Member Services Coordinator; James Bergeron, Director of Education and Human Services Policy; Amy Raaf Jones, Deputy Director of Education and Human Services Policy; Nancy Locke, Chief Clerk; Brian Melnyk, Professional Staff Member; Daniel Murner, Press Assistant; Krisann Pearce, General Counsel; Nicole Sizemore, Deputy Press Secretary; Emily Slack, Professional Staff Member; Alissa Strawcutter, Deputy Clerk; Tylease Alli, Minority Clerk/Intern and Fellow Coordinator; Jody Calemine, Minority Staff Director; Eamonn Collins, Minority Fellow, Education; Eunice Ikene, Minor- ity Staff Assistant; Brian Levin, Minority Deputy Press Secretary/ New Media Coordinator; Megan O’Reilly, Minority General Coun- sel; Rich Williams, Minority Education Policy Advisor; and Michael Zola, Minority Deputy Staff Director. Chairwoman Foxx. Good morning. A quorum being present, the subcommittee will come to order. Tim Bishop asked if I am respon- sible for the cold in here, and I am really not. In the country we would say, ‘‘This is cold enough to hang meat,’’ so I don’t know— that means it is cold. Welcome. I thank our witnesses for joining us today to discuss ways postsecondary institutions are working better to serve low-in- come and first-generation students. This is the 12th hearing the committee has held examining a wide range of issues facing the higher education community. (1) R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C 2 From simplifying federal student aid programs to increasing transparency, each hearing has provided a forum to discuss ways we can strengthen the nation’s postsecondary education system to meet the evolving needs of students and the workforce. One of the committee’s top priorities for the upcoming reauthor- ization of the Higher Education Act is improving postsecondary ac- cess and affordability. To achieve that goal, we must take steps to close the education achievement gap and to increase postsecondary opportunity for low-income and first-generation students. Children from disadvantaged families often struggle to access im- portant mentoring, tutoring, and other hands-on services designed to help encourage high school completion and the pursuit of post- secondary education. Sadly, these students are often unprepared for college academics and require remedial courses that add to the challenges of com- pleting a program. Too many disadvantaged students simply give up on even apply- ing to college because they are confused by the application process, overwhelmed by the cost, or unaware of the available financial aid options despite our best efforts to ensure the information is avail- able and understandable. Recognizing these challenges, the federal government has created several programs to help disadvantaged students access the sup- port necessary to realize the dream of a college degree. For example, college preparation and retention programs such as TRIO, Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Serv- ices provide a pipeline of support services that encourage low-in- come students to graduate high school and earn a postsecondary degree. Additionally, the GEAR UP program helps the middle and high schools with high numbers of at-risk students offer academic sup- port, mentoring, career counseling, college visits, and other services designed to better prepare students for success in postsecondary education. Taxpayers dedicate nearly 1 billion each year to support the TRIO and GEAR UP programs, but despite the expenditures of sig- nificant federal resources in these important initiatives, more must be done at the state and institutional level to prepare disadvan- taged students effectively for college and the workforce. Additionally, it is important that we examine the current pro- grams to ensure they are working as intended and meeting the goal of helping students make the best choices. Fortunately postsecondary institutions are already rising to the challenge. In my home state of North Carolina, for example, Fay- etteville State University is pursuing strategies to assess students’ skill levels before they begin attending classes and use academic analytics to track students’ progress throughout their curriculum. In New York, the College of Westchester provides students with a variety of support services such as success coaches to mentor freshmen and predictive tool kits that allow students to prepare for academic shortfalls and track their progress. Chicago’s DePaul University has taken steps to coordinate with local high schools to ensure students are on the right track for col- lege while also offering remedial education services. R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C 3 We have with us today representatives from each of these insti- tutions who can share more information about the ways they are working to help disadvantaged students realize the dream of a col- lege degree, and we look forward to their testimony. We want all Americans to have the opportunity to earn a post- secondary credential if they choose to do so. At this hearing today, we will discuss additional steps which can be taken at the institu- tional, state, and federal levels to improve college access and com- pletion for all seeking postsecondary education. A number of this subcommittee’s members have hands-on experi- ence in higher education and mentoring programs. Recently I met with Representative Frederica Wilson about the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Projects she started during her tenure as a high school principal in Miami. I was pleased to learn about this program that pairs disadvan- taged high school students with mentors to encourage them to graduate and pursue further education. Members have received a short synopsis of this program in their folders, and I encourage all to speak to Representative Wilson about her efforts. I ask unanimous consent to submit this summary to the official hearing record. [The statement of Chairwoman Foxx follows:] Prepared Statement of Hon. Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training Good morning and welcome. I thank our witnesses for joining us today to discuss ways postsecondary institutions are working better to serve low-income and first generation students. This is the 12th hearing the committee has held examining a wide range of issues facing the higher education community. From simplifying federal student aid pro- grams to increasing transparency, each hearing has provided a forum to discuss ways we can strengthen the nation’s postsecondary education system to meet the evolving needs of students and the workforce. One of this committee’s top priorities for the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act is improving postsecondary access and affordability. To achieve that goal, we must take steps to close the education achievement gap and increase postsecondary opportunity for low-income and first generation students. Children from disadvantaged families often struggle to access important men- toring, tutoring, and other hands-on services designed to help encourage high school completion and the pursuit of postsecondary education. Sadly, these students are often unprepared for college academics, and require remedial courses that add to the challenges of completing a program. Too many disadvantaged students simply give up on even applying to college because they are confused by the application process, overwhelmed by the costs, or unaware of the available financial aid options, despite our best efforts to ensure the information is available and understandable. Recognizing these challenges, the federal government has created several pro- grams to help disadvantaged students access the support necessary to realize the dream of a college degree. For example, college preparation and retention programs such as TRIO’s Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Services pro- vide a pipeline of support services that encourage low-income students to graduate high school and earn a postsecondary degree. Additionally, the GEAR UP program helps middle and high schools with high numbers of at-risk students offer academic support, mentoring, career counseling, college visits, and other services designed to better prepare students for success in postsecondary education. Taxpayers dedicate nearly 1 billion each year to support the TRIO and GEAR UP programs. But despite the expenditure of significant federal resources in these im- portant initiatives, more must be done at the state and institutional level to prepare disadvantaged students effectively for college and the workforce. Additionally, it is important that we examine the current programs to ensure they are working as in- tended and meeting the goal of helping students make the best choices. R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C 4 Fortunately, postsecondary institutions are already rising to the challenge. In my home state of North Carolina, for example, Fayetteville State University is pursuing strategies to assess students’ skill levels before they begin attending classes and use academic analytics to track students’ progress throughout their curriculum. In New York, the College of Westchester provides students with a variety of sup- port services, such as success coaches to mentor freshman and predictive toolkits that allow students to prepare for academic shortfalls and track their progress. Chi- cago’s DePaul University has taken steps to coordinate with local high schools to ensure students are on the right track for college, while also offering remedial edu- cation services. We have with us today representatives from each of these institu- tions who can share more information about the ways they are working to help dis- advantaged students realize the dream of a college degree, and we look forward to their testimony. We want all Americans to have the opportunity to earn a postsecondary creden- tial, if they choose to do so. At this hearing today we’ll discuss additional steps which can be taken at the institutional, state, and federal levels to improve college access and completion for all seeking postsecondary education. A number of this subcommittee’s members have hands-on experience in higher education and men- toring programs. Recently, I met with Rep. Frederica Wilson about the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project she started during her tenure as a high school prin- cipal in Miami. I was pleased to learn about this program that pairs disadvantaged high school students with mentors to encourage them to graduate and pursue fur- ther education. Members have received a short synopsis of this program in their folders and I encourage them to speak to Rep. Wilson about her efforts. I ask unanimous consent to submit this summary to the official hearing record. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we begin work on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. With that, I yield to my colleague, Mr. Rube´n Hinojosa, the senior Democrat member of the subcommittee, for his opening remarks. R E TILL S DI with M O O R C O D W EVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA C 5 R E CEWDOCROOM with DISTILLVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA Insert offset folio 49 here 86370.049 6 R E CEWDOCROOM with DISTILLVerDate Mar 15 2010 14:03 Feb 08, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 C:\E&W JACKETS\86370.TXT CANDRA Insert offset folio 50 here 86370.050