PROPOSED HIGHER EDUCATION PLAN FOR MONROE COUNTY

Submitted by Belmont Technical College
May, 2009

The Monroe County Community is seeking comments on the higher education plan seen below. Please submit your comments to Mr. Timothy Houston, Dean of Off Campus Operations, at thouston@btc.edu.

A memorandum of Understanding between the Monroe County Commissioners and Belmont Technical College was signed with an implementation date of July 1, 2008. The guiding principles of that memorandum are as follows:

• Monroe County desires to enhance and expand higher education opportunities for the citizens of Monroe County;
• Leadership and coordination of efforts for delivering higher education in Monroe County will be assumed by Belmont Technical College;
• The collective educational experience and expertise of Belmont Technical College’s faculty and staff will be used extensively in formulating plans, goals and objectives;
• Decisions on plans, goals and objectives will be informed and driven by relevant and valid data and will be fiscally sound.

The proposed plan that follows is based on those principles.

The Planning Process

Elements of the Plan

• Strategy 1 – Initiate a P-16 Council
• Strategy 2 – Collaborate with area high schools and career centers in meeting the new CORE requirements and in expanding articulation agreements.
• Strategy 3 – Develop multiple pathways to higher education in Monroe County
• Strategy 4 – Develop an extensive program of community engagement through expanded marketing efforts highlighting both college opportunities and student success.
• Strategy 5 – Establish a funding base for Monroe County Higher Education

*Milestones and Responsible Parties for the Proposed Strategies

• Strategy 1 – Initiate a P-16 Council
• Strategy 2 – Collaborate with area high schools and career centers in meeting the new CORE requirements and in expanding articulation agreements
• Strategy 3 – Develop multiple pathways to higher education in Monroe County
• Strategy 4 – Develop an extensive program of community engagement through expanded marketing efforts highlighting both college opportunities and student successes.
• Strategy 5 – Establish a funding base for Monroe County Higher Education

The Planning Process

• After several meetings with both the Commissioners and interested community members, a jointly sponsored consulting team, The Strategy Team, Ltd., was hired to conduct a feasibility study regarding the possible expansion of post-secondary opportunities in Monroe County.
• Based on the resulting report the above noted Memorandum of Understanding was approved.
• Belmont Technical College subsequently produced a number of studies on enrollment trends, class offerings and related information regarding existing higher education opportunities in Monroe County over the past several years.
• After reviewing the information Belmont Technical College decided to hire an outside consultant to review the available information and to conduct planning meetings with community members. The consultant, Dr. Lawrence Dukes, has nearly forty years of community college experience working in rural communities including creating new campus sites. He assisted in the preparation of this report.
• A community meeting was held in late September. A tentative version of this report was then prepared and a subsequent meeting to review and make appropriate changes took place in late January.
• A final community meeting was held in April 2009 to again review the plan and add several recommended items brought to the meeting by the Education Committee of Team Monroe.

Elements of the Plan

An underlying principle in the following planning elements is the need to change the culture of Monroe County as it relates to higher education. This will require a broad based effort to instill an understanding of the need for education beyond high school for both the individual and the economic development of the country.

The proposed plan also recognizes that different strategies are necessary for the adult learner as opposed to elementary and high school students and the proposed activities tend to separate the strategies in that way. That is not to suggest that the proposed strategies are mutually exclusive but rather that they are likely to have greater impact on one group or the other. Finally, the plan also establishes milestones in the development of each element that can lead to economically feasible expansion of course offerings, programs, services and facilities while recognizing the difficult economics times currently facing Ohio and the nation. The plan must make economic sense for all the involved partners.

The educational plan will be community driven by the Monroe County Commissioners or their designee.

Strategy 1 – Initiate a P-16 Council

A P-16 Council (Pre-School thru Baccalaureate) is designed to identify transition points in students’ education where students may experience difficulty or need additional support. Strategies to address these identified areas of concern are then developed. The ultimate goal is to establish a seamless educational experience from pre-school through a bachelor’s degree. It is important to note that a P-16 Council should represent the community as well as the schools and colleges. Specifically, social service agencies, the business community, local government, pre-school teachers and public school and college staff need to be represented. While Belmont Technical College may schedule the initial meeting and provide some support activities, the Council should be run by the community members. The establishment of a P-16 Council seemed to elicit the greatest interest among the community groups attending the planning sessions. It is also important to note that the public schools have already taken action in providing pre-school opportunities for the county which is an excellent start. The Monroe County Commissioners or their designee should become the principal organization to initiate this strategy. Possible activities for the Council follow:

• Contact the Knowledge Works Foundation to request a “coach” to work with the Council in establishing its initial operating procedures and goals.
• Contact OACHE (Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education) to present information on “what works” in encouraging high school students to consider college.
• Utilize the KUDOR career discovery software with eighth grade or early high school students.
• Review current employment opportunities in the area and engage employers and counselors (both high school and college) to identify the necessary skills needed to qualify for the currently available and future job markets.
• As noted earlier, identify areas where students are falling behind and develop intervention.
• Consider summer programs to expose students to college opportunities.

Strategy 2 – Collaborate with area high schools and career centers in meeting the new CORE requirements and in expanding articulation agreements.

The CORE curriculum for high schools requires higher level classes for all students than has previously been the case. For many rural high schools, including Monroe County, this can mean the hiring of more instructors or significant retraining of existing staff to meet the new credential standards. Possibilities for addressing this issue include:

• Belmont Technical College and Ohio University Eastern should initiate discussions with public school personnel regarding possible shared faculty to meet the new standards.
• Collaborate with the above named institutions to team teach required courses using a variety of educational technologies including interactive television, online classes and hybrid classes. Consider implementing a “senior-to-sophomore” program as encouraged by the Governor and Chancellor of the Board of Regents.
• Focus efforts on math and science curriculum as is consistent with Ohio goals for long term economic development.
• Continue to develop detailed transfer and articulation agreements between high schools, career centers and area colleges and universities.

Strategy 3 – Develop multiple pathways to higher education in Monroe County

Proposed strategies:

• Expand course offerings. Through the implementation of alternative delivery methods that could include video conferencing, hybrid courses and on-line courses.
• Create a higher education consortium to provide expanded options for higher education and to ensure non-duplication of course requirements in the county.
• Develop certificate and degree programs that can be completed without the involvement of significant travel for Monroe County residents.
• Demonstrate that the expanded programming does not require additional facilities but can be accomplished by using existing facilities, particularly the Black Walnut Broadband Center.
• Develop additional advising and support services using the same technologies noted above.
• Work with adult learners to explore possibilities for credit based on work and other lifetime experiences.
• Expand credit bearing internship possibilities for employees and traditional college students.

Strategy 4 – Develop an extensive program of community engagement through expanded marketing efforts highlighting both college opportunities and student success.

• The initial announcement of the approved plan should take place at the May Board of Trustees Meeting of Belmont Technical College, to be held in Monroe County with all of the significant players involved.
• Use elements of the OACHE model to publicize current student’s plans for college within each high school.
• Bring successful college students from Monroe County to the high schools for information sessions but not just valedictorians or other very high achieving past students. Average students need to see a possibility for their own success.
• Encourage employers to create new efforts to support employee higher education through various incentives.
• Work with Belmont Technical College and all involved higher education institutions to enhance their marketing efforts in Monroe County
• Engage the local media in publicizing the activities of the P-16 Council and other college related activities.
• Use the existing community networks to continually support the newly established educational opportunities.
• Develop and present the elements of the plan to the Monroe County Commissioners, high school faculty, parent teacher organizations, community groups and the local media demonstrating that technology can make programs available via many delivery modes.
• Consider the implementation of an “automatic acceptance” program for high school seniors.

Strategy 5 – Establish a funding base for Monroe County Higher Education

While some of the activities outlined in the above strategies require limited financial under pinning, it is nonetheless important to develop funding strategies that can support higher education in meaningful ways. Following are some possibilities to support a sustained effort.

• Seek grant funding from the Department of Education, the Regents and area legislatures for special aspects of the above noted programs.
• Establish a relationship with the Knowledge Works Foundation, first by requesting coaching assistance and secondly, with support of the P-16 Council, once it is established.
• Create an adult incentive grant, possibly one free course, to encourage and assist adults to consider starting or returning to college.
• Establish a Monroe County Fund within an existing 501(C)(3) organization to provide scholarships and other support for the Monroe County Higher Education Plan.
• Utilize TANF/WIA Funds as possible to support both career exploration and college attendance.
• Seek alternative transportation sources including expansion of the JFS College Transportation Program to further encourage ease of college attendance.
• Consider the possibility of accessing stimulus or other funding through the Regional Skills Banks.

*Milestones and Responsible Parties for the Proposed Strategies

*The dates specified in the timeline are a guide only and are subject to further review by all parties involved to assure mutual agreement and the feasibility of the final implementation timeframe.

Strategy 1 – Initiate a P-16 Council

• Monroe County Commissioners or their designee will call an initial meeting of interested and necessary parties in July, 2009, or as soon as feasible. Officers will be established and assignments for needed research and information will be made. The Council should be led by community members.
• Fall, 2009 – Contacts with the Knowledge Works Foundation and the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education to establish their help and presence will be made.
• Fall, 2009 - Meetings with one or both organizations (KWF and OACHE) will occur.
• Winter, 2010 – A strategic plan for the P-16 activities, including initial activities for fall implementation will be developed.
• Ongoing – Regular meetings of the Council will continue throughout the year to assess the success of the implementation strategies. Legislators will be invited to attend the meetings and also receive written reports of the proceedings.
• The goal of these efforts is to significantly increase the college going rate from Monroe County by the fall of 2010 with subsequent increases to follow.

• By August, 2009, the individuals to attend these meetings will be identified by the colleges and high schools.
• December, 2009 – the initial meeting of the designated individuals will take place.
• Ongoing – the meetings will continue as long as necessary and fruitful until a suitable plan for meeting the CORE requirements is in place.

Strategy 3 – Develop multiple pathways to higher education in Monroe County

• By Winter Quarter of 2010 the participating higher education organizations will have in place an expanded offering of college courses available to the residents of Monroe County using both traditional and alternative delivery methods. Full implementation of the program is contingent on sufficient enrollment. Stackable certificates will also be developed as a part of this plan.
• Marketing efforts as noted in Strategy 4 are a necessary component of this effort.
• When onsite enrollment reaches 300, every effort will be made to bring upper division programs to the site to allow associate degree holders to work toward a bachelors’ degree.

Strategy 4 – Develop an extensive program of community engagement through expanded marketing efforts highlighting both college opportunities and student successes.

• July, 2009 – Belmont Technical College, Ohio University Eastern and the Monroe County Commissioners or their designee will identify responsible individual(s) to work with area schools and businesses.
• The OACHE plan for in-school college promotion will be implemented in Monroe County high schools in the fall of 2009.
• Employers will be encouraged to allow college personnel to meet with employees regarding college opportunities and to promote tuition reimbursement where appropriate beginning in the fall of 2009.
• Fall, 2009 – The participating higher education institutions and the education committee will focus an expanded marketing effort in Monroe County.

Strategy 5 – Establish a funding base for Monroe County Higher Education

• By November, 2009 establish a committee comprised of primarily Monroe County citizens to work toward the establishment of an ongoing funding base to support students desiring to further their education.
• As funds become available the committee should find an established foundation that would be willing to hold and invest funds for the committee. The resulting Monroe County Fund could become a sub account of the already existing foundation.
• The committee should explore all available funding options to support this plan with the intent to fund both current scholarships and to establish an endowed Monroe County Fund.

Finally, this plan attempts to provide a basis for longer term planning that could include a permanent facility but that is dependent upon the growth of the student population of the county and the existing economy at the time that the growth is sufficient. At this point in time it is simply necessary to begin the process of encouraging college attendance with its anticipated impact on the economic well being of the county.