Creating a College Readiness Culture. Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate, discusses the importance of creating a school-wide culture of college readiness. She outlines a number of key competencies that educators can cultivate to prepare students not just for entering college but also for successfully graduating from college.

1. College Access and Success –College Access and Success –
Creating a College ReadinessCreating a College Readiness
CultureCulture
Dr. Nilka Avilés, IDRA Senior Education
Associate
National Migrant Conference, April 7, 2014
Listen to the related Classnotes Podcast
eposide (#141) at www.idra.org/Podcasts/

2. Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions
• Background and Context Information of the
Importance of a College Education
• Creating a College Culture
• College Readiness Competencies
• Developing College Readiness Competencies Activity
• Best Practices in Action
• Exit Ticket

3. Objectives
• To cultivate the importance of a college
education and prepare students to be college
ready.
• To build a college going culture and lead
others to pursue a post secondary education.
• To examine the college readiness
competencies for success.

4. Background and Context
• Significant college completion gap for Hispanic
students and dire need to address the roots of this
gap (Census Bureau, 2009; NCES, 2011)
• Lack of college readiness has a direct impact to the
future of the nation with the changes in
demographics (Glover-Blackwell, Kwoh & Pastor, 2010)
• Achievement and opportunity gap, deficit-based
thinking, lack of college access and culturally
responsive curricula (Darling-Hammond, 2010; Contreras, 2011; Valencia, 1997; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Howard
2010)
4

5. Degree-attainment Rates Among AdultsDegree-attainment Rates Among Adults
(ages 25-64) by population group(ages 25-64) by population group
59.36
42.96
26.84
22.83
19.21
61.32
43.91
28.06
32.08
16.86
Asian White African American Native American Hispanic
United States Texas

6. Increase the proportion of
individuals with high-quality
degrees and credentials to 60
percent by the year 2025
Latinos constitute 1 in 6 individuals in the
United States, with a college completion rate
of only 19.2 percent. In Texas, the completion
rate is 16.8 percent. This situation is very
similar in many other states.

7. Creating a College Readiness Culture
• State requirements for a college going culture
“What does college readiness mean to you?”
• Stand up, hand up, pair up
- Home partner
- Emergency partner
- High 5 partner
• Reflection circle; Share your responses

8. Random Teams
•Team Roles
Reporter – Shares team information with the class
Gatekeeper – equalizes participation and gather
materials for the group
Praiser – encourages participation of all
members
Reflector – leads the team in looking back
•How do we start creating a college culture?

9. Creating a College Readiness Culture
•Increase college readiness developing a
community-wide college-going culture
•Address the attitudes, beliefs and mental
blocks that may be hindering students' progress
•Increase PK-20 collaborative partnerships
9

10. College Readiness Competencies
• Goal Setting
• Inquiry/Creativity
• Expression/Communication
• Critical Thinking/Problem
Solving
• Collaboration
• Organization
• Self-discipline and self-
directed learning
• Attentiveness
• Involvement
• Reflection
• Persistence/Resiliency
• Study Skills
• Time Management
• Determination
• Sense of efficacy

11. Developing Successful Competencies Activity
• What are your views on each of these
competencies?
• How do you assist students in having the
competencies they need in order to be
successful in school and in college?
• What are the educational implications if
students are prepared?

12. Developing Successful Competencies Activity
• What attitudes and beliefs we should strive
for and model for students?
• What is your commitment in ensuring your
students master these competencies to be
successful in college and in life?
• Present your work

13. Best Practices in Action for College
Access and Success
• Review the description on slips provided
• Decide which heading fits your description
• Reflect with each other and report to the
group

14. Intercultural Development Research
Association
Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, President & CEO
5815 Callaghan Road, Suite 101
San Antonio, Texas 78228
210-444-1710 • contact@idra.org
www.www.idraidra.org.org
Assuring educational opportunity for every child
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