College Readiness focuses on informing and preparing high school students for college entrance exams.  Students learn about the College Readiness Standards college and career through our speaker series, and are invited to attend volunteer-led tutoring sessions to prepare for their exams.  Students benefit from meeting community professionals and university students who bring relevance and experience to the process.
 

 

  
 

 

 
Test Prep Tutoring:  Each volunteer engages a small group of students to prepare for their college entrance exams.  Students are grouped by their specific academic needs.  Volunteers can choose to tutor students in math, reading, and /or writing.  Study materials including individualized study plans are provided.  Volunteers sign up for weekly time slots from September through May.  Volunteer schedule conflicts can be accommodated.
 
Speaking Engagements:  Volunteers speak to students about college and career.  Volunteer speakers are trained and provided with suggestions, but are encouraged to share their own experiences about their paths toward college and career.  Volunteers are invited as the speaking opportunities are arranged.  This is not a weekly commitment. 
 

 

Volunteers will guide small collaborative study groups with 2-4 students grouped by their specific academic needs for college entrance exams.  Volunteers are encouraged to use facilitative questioning to help students discover how to succeed on their exams.  Study materials, including individualized study plans, are provided.

 

Tutoring sessions are offered weekly from September through May; there will be in-class tutoring opportunities with junior and senior AVID classes and before/after school opportunities for tutoring. 

 

Volunteers working with students in the AVID classes will meet with the same groups of students during their class time to work on the test prep materials each week.  AVID is a four-year elective class for first-generation students to attend college and stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination.  After students have prepared for the exams, you may have the opportunity to help students research colleges, apply for scholarships and complete applications.

 

Volunteers working with student before/after school will meet with students who choose to attend tutoring before or after school; you may work with the same students or you may have different students each week.

 

Volunteers speak to students about the benefits of a college education and what it takes to be prepared for college and/or present information about their careers.  Volunteer speakers are trained and provided with suggestions, but are encouraged to share their own experiences about their paths toward college and career.

 

Volunteer speakers have the option of meeting with students one-on-one, in small groups, or presenting to an entire class.

 

College Readiness coaches learn to engage small groups of high school students on preparing for their college entrance and placement exams, what to expect and look forward to in college.  The two hour training for volunteers includes information and preparation for volunteering in high schools and facilitating small collaborative study groups; why the College Readiness Standards are important, how they can affect students after high school, and what students can do to prepare for their exams; and an overview of the curriculum volunteers and students will use.

 

Volunteers will receive an overview of the materials they will use with students during the training.  Each classroom or after-school program will have a set of materials (reading, writing, math) that volunteers and students will work through during the tutoring sessions.  Each objective includes detailed answers and tips for working through the different problems.  All the materials will also be available on our website.

 

Students in the College Readiness Program are typically preparing to take the ASSET or COMPASS test administered at school by Austin Community College.  These exams are the Community College’s entrance and placement exam, but students can also use these exams as a supplement to their TAKS, SAT or ACT tests to show they have met the College Readiness Standards.

 

We tailor our tutoring schedule around the ASSET/COMPASS because all of the students have the opportunity to take these tests for free at their schools; however, our curriculum will also help a student prepare to take the SAT or ACT.

 

Classroom coaching occurs during class-time and before/after school with a teacher, college counselor or College Readiness staff present and able to provide support on curriculum or behavior management as needed. 

 

Classroom Coaches support each other and are served by the Austin Partners in Education program coordinators.  Coaches can meet together before or after classes to share experiences, successes, and challenges.  Program Coordinators provide ongoing training, visit classrooms, and are available to answer questions and provide suggestions and tips between sessions via phone and email.

 

College Readiness continues to expand and collaborate with other organizations; the 2009-10 school year participants include:

 

-Anderson High (Northwest Austin near Mopac & Steck)
-Austin High (Central near Mopac & Cesar Chavez)
-Bowie High (Southwest near Mopac & Slaughter)
-Crockett High (South near Manchaca & Stassney)
-Garza High (Central/East near MLK and Chicon) 
-Lanier High (North near 183 & Payton Gin)
-LBJ High (Northeast near 183 & 290)  
-McCallum High (North/Central near 2222 & Lamar)
-Tentative:  Reagan (North/Central near 35 & 290)
-Travis High (South near 35 & Oltorf)
-Breakthrough Collaboration (Central/East near 7th & 35)

The College Readiness standards (also referred to as the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) or HERC b  (Higher Education Regional Councils) are the scores students need to meet to be considered “College Ready.” 

 

The Texas Success Initiative is a state-legislated program designed to improve student success in college. Students entering college must meet the College Readiness Standards to be eligible for college-level courses in Math, Reading and Writing.  Students must take developmental courses when they enter college in any subject(s) where they do not meet State-approved scores.

 

Press Register and you will be taken to our Volunteer Center.  Choose College Readiness from the Program choice box and you will see a list of choices.    

 

 

Program Contact: