INVESTIGATING MILESTONES AND COMPLETIONS AT A LOCAL

INSTITUTION BASED ON ADELMAN’S STUDY, “THE TOOLBOX REVISITED.”

What’s in YOUR toolbox?

DA N IEL M ARTIN EZ, PHDASS OC IATE DEA N, IN STITU TI O NA L R ESE AR C HR IVER SIDE C O M MU N I TY C O LLE GE DISTR IC T

Inspiration

What this is not Critique Replication

What it is What if? Verification of milestones Exploration

Difference From Toolbox

Datasets Adelman

NCES transcript-based grade cohort study Cooperative Institutional Research Project (CIRP) NCES Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) Survey

Martinez State MIS data Local administrative system Local assessment database National Student Clearinghouse

Decision rulesType of regression

Analytic Steps: Adelman

1. Demographic background & high school history

2. Postsecondary entrance3. 1st postsecondary year history4. Factors of financing postsecondary

education5. Postsecondary attendance patterns6. Extended postsecondary performance7. Final model with complete academic history

Analytic Steps: Martinez

1. Demographics2. High school history3. 1st semester performance4. 1st year performance5. Completion of transfer level English or math

within 1st 2 years of enrollment6. Extended postsecondary performance7. Continuous enrollment

Population

First time students (self-reported) in Fall 2002

Prior enrollments used to verifyAge?

Age Distribution

17.00

19.00

21.00

23.00

25.00

27.00

29.00

31.00

33.00

35.00

37.00

39.00

41.00

43.00

45.00

47.00

49.00

51.00

53.00

55.00

57.00

59.00

62.00

64.00

69.00

71.00

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Population

First time students (self-reported) in Fall 2002

Prior enrollments used to verifyAge < 20High school graduates

Demographics

Gender

Ethnicity White/Asian Black/Latino

1st generation FG4 FG2

High School History

Placement test scores English Math/Math test Reading

Self-reported high school information English grade Highest level of math Grade in highest level of math Time since last math class Geometry HS GPA

1st Semester Performance

Units attemptedUnits earnedGPADelayTime of day

1st Year Performance

Units attemptedUnits earnedGPA

Transfer Level English/Math in 1st 2 Years

Units earned in transfer level math in the 1st 2 years of postsecondary enrollment

Units earned in transfer level English in the 1st 2 years of postsecondary enrollment

Extended Postsecondary Performance

Overall GPA Transfer unitsDevelopmental education unitsSummer enrollmentWinter enrollmentPart-timeFinancial aidWithdrawalsRepeats

Final Step

Continuous enrollment

Completer

Tracked for 6 years2 year degree or certificate4 year degreeTransfer to a 4 year school

The Analyses

Step 1: Demographics

What was entered:Gender

Ethnicity

1st generation

Step 1: Demographics

What survived:GenderEthnicity1st generation (modified)

Step 1: Demographics

What survived:GenderEthnicity1st generation (modified)

R=.181R2=.033

Step 2: High School History

What was entered:GenderEthnicity1st generation

Followed by:Placement test scores

English/Math/Math test/Reading

Self-reported high school information English grade Highest level of math Grade in highest level of

math Time since last math

class Geometry HS GPA

Step 2: High School History

What survived:Gender1st generationPlacement Test: ReadingHS: Grade in EnglishHS: Highest level of mathHS: Grade in highest level of mathHS: Geometry

Step 2: High School History

What survived:Gender1st generationPlacement Test: ReadingHS: Grade in EnglishHS: Highest level of mathHS: Grade in highest level of mathHS: Geometry

R=.328R2=.108

Step 3: 1st Semester Performance

What was entered:Gender1st generationPlacement Test:

ReadingHS: Grade in EnglishHS: Highest level of

mathHS: Grade in highest

level of mathHS: Geometry

Followed by:Units Attempted 1stUnits Earned 1stGPA 1stDelayTime of day

Step 3: 1st Semester Performance

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of mathHS: Grade in highest level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1stGPA 1st

Step 3: 1st Semester Performance

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of mathHS: Grade in highest level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1stGPA 1st

R=.429R2=.184

Step 4: 1st Year Performance

What was entered:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of

mathHS: Grade in highest

level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

Followed by:Units attempted yearUnits earned yearGPA year

Step 4: 1st Year Performance

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of mathHS: Grade in highest level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

Step 4: 1st Year Performance

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of mathHS: Grade in highest level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

R=.427R2=.182

Step 5: Transfer English/Math in 1st 2 Years

What was entered:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of

mathHS: Grade in highest

level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

Followed by:Units earned in

transfer level English in 1st 2 years

Units earned in transfer level math in 1st 2 years

Step 5: Transfer English/Math 1st 2 Years

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 years

Step 5: Transfer English/Math 1st 2 Years

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsR=.478R2=.228

Step 6: Extended Postsecondary Performance

What was entered:Gender1st generationHS: Highest level of

mathHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

GPA 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 years

Followed by:Overall GPA Transfer unitsDevelopmental

education unitsSummer enrollmentWinter enrollmentPart-timeFinancial aidWithdrawalsRepeats

Step 6: Extended Postsecondary Performance

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsSummer enrollmentDevelopmental education units

Step 6: Extended Postsecondary Performance

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsSummer enrollmentDevelopmental education units

R=.520R2=.270

Step 7: Continuous Enrollment

What was entered:Gender1st generationHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsSummer enrollmentDevelopmental education units

Step 7: Continuous Enrollment

What was entered:Gender1st generationHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsSummer enrollmentDevelopmental education units

Followed by:Continuous enrollment

Step 7: Continuous Enrollment

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsSummer enrollmentDevelopmental education unitsContinuous enrollment

Step 7: Continuous Enrollment

What survived:Gender1st generationHS: GeometryUnits earned 1st

Transfer level math in 1st 2 yearsSummer enrollmentDevelopmental education unitsContinuous enrollment R=.526

R2=.276

What’s NOT Here

EthnicityPlacement test scoresPart-time enrollmentFinancial aidWithdrawalsRepeats20 unit milestone

Implications

Milestone research may not be applicable to local institutions

Effectiveness of placement tests needs to be examined

1st generation data needs to be utilizedThe outcomes used in research need to be

critically examined

Limitations/Future Research

Not disaggregated by student characteristicsMeasures could be strengthenedIdentify gateway courses and investigate

their impact on student achievement

THANK YOU