A Principal on Setting Expectations for College – Podcast Episode 126 | Classnotes Podcast Episode 126

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Classnotes Podcast (August 12, 2013) Deep in the heart of the Texas Rio Grande Valley, something amazing is happening. Many in our nation don’t expect much of economically disadvantaged minority students who are in under resourced schools in depressed areas like those near the Mexico border. But the leaders in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district expect a lot.

Linda Carrillo, principal at the district’s College, Career & Technology Academy, asks how often do teenagers hear, “You didn’t finish high school, start college today”? She describes how, rather than giving up on students who fall through the cracks, PSJA supports them to come to a new high school to graduate with college hours.

Linda is interviewed by Hector Bojorquez, an IDRA education associate.

Show length: 12:32

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Resources

College Ready School District with Dr. King: Video Interview
See this video interview with Dr. Daniel P. King, superintendent of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) school district [04:46 min]. In 2007 PSJA had 500 students drop out each year, many in their senior year. In this interview, he describes how he and his district brought them back to a new environment not only to graduate but to do so with college credit.
http://budurl.com/IDRAVidKing

Higher Education Success – Key System Strategies
María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter
http://www.idra.org/resource-center/higher-education-success/

Defining a Schoolwide College-Readiness Culture for All Students An Interview with Roland Toscano
M.S., Principal at East Central High School in San Antonio, IDRA Newsletter
http://www.idra.org/resource-center/defining-a-schoolwide-college-readiness-culture/

Describing the First-Year Experience for First-Time-in-College Students at Major Community College
Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., and Albert Cortez, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter
http://www.idra.org/resource-center/describing-first-year-experience-first-time-college-students-major-community-college/

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Show Notes

  • Linda offers an overview of the Early College model used at CCTA. She emphasizes the importance of creating a new mindset with the students, so that “from day one,” they know the goal is to “to get them college ready.”

  • Linda talks about the CCTA orientation sessions for students in the district who didn’t graduate high school that year. Students can immediately meet with college counselors and learn about opportunities to complete their graduation requirements and earn college credit.

  • Linda explains the benefits of instructional coherence strategies, such as the common instructional framework and the use of “instructional rounds.”