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Orange County, CA November 2, 2004 Election
Smart Voter

Improving 4-year University Attendance of GGUSD Graduates

By Kim Oanh Nguyen-Lam

Candidate for Board Member; Garden Grove Unified School District

This information is provided by the candidate
GGUSD is doing a fine job in getting our children learn the basic skills and graduating from high schools. In order to become fully contributing members of society, these students need to go on to higher education and earn a bachelor degree, minimally. The district must set a clear vision and higher expectations to prepare our children for the 21st Century.
Recently, Garden Grove Unified School District was awarded the Eli Broad Award. This is a validation for the good work that the district has been doing in raising the standardized test scores of the students. Many people mistaken the award for high academic achievement but it is not. The award acknowledged the district as having the most improved test scores. GGUSD is NOT the highest achieving school district in California or nation.

It is important to make this distinction because although the district is doing great in providing students with basic skills to graduate from high schools, they are not preparing students for higher education. Only 1 in 4 seniors graduating from GGUSD are eligible to attend a U.C. or C.S.U. college. That is a much lower rate than that of the county or state. Generally, students who attend a four-year institution have a much higher chance of completing their course of study and earn a bachelor degree than those who transfer from the community colleges.

In today's economy, a high school graduates cannot make a decent living and be contributing member of the society. Without a college degree, most people will have a very difficulty time finding a job that pays adequately to support a family, especially if they plan to remain in Orange County. With additional planning n the district part and more collaboration with students and parents, the district can certainly improve the rate of students eligible for U.C. or C.S.U admission without putting a strain on their budget. To prepare more students for higher education, the district must establish and promote a "Going to College" culture and policy which include the following:

  • Provide incoming Freshman students and parents with a clear year-by-year course-of-study plan detailing UC and CSU admission requirements

Schools that have high rate of students eligible for 4-year colleges and universities start giving students and parents information before they enter high schools. The students and parents are given easy-to-follow forms and checklist to begin planning for college admission at the onset of the students' high school education regardless of their future plan. These forms can be in electronic forms which could be updated periodically. Parents should be able to access them from their home computer and ask the school counselor for clarification as needed.

  • Schedule regular meetings for students to go over the plan with school counselors, homeroom teachers, university mentors (at least 4 times a year)

Students and parents should have the most up-to-date information on the students' progress toward meeting the university admission requirements. School counselors should monitor this progress and remain in communication with the students and parents on this matter. Schools can also involve homeroom teachers and college aides or college volunteers who are knowledgeable in this matter. Peer advisement in which students from upper class give advise to younger students also work well in other districts. This form of support inspires the upper classmen to stay on top of their university attendance plan to help younger students.
  • Quarterly and semester report cards sent home should include information on student's progress toward meeting university coursework admission requirements

Currently report cards are being sent home on a quarterly or semester schedule contains only the classes that students are taking and their grades. It would not be difficult to add the information on the student' progress toward making the course requirements for university admission on the report cards. This information would give parents opportunities and incentives to discuss with their children, teachers, and counselors if adequate progress is not made. Currently in GGUSD, parents have no knowledge of how their children are advised to take their courses each semester. They have no means to follow how far along their high school children are moving toward meeting university entrance requirements. Without proper and timely information, parents cannot support their children's plan for higher education.

  • Build partnerships with local colleges and universities to hold some high school class sessions on university campuses to instill and reinforce higher education aspiration

The GGUSD has many students who would be first generation that attend colleges and universities. These students have no role models who can mentor and inspire them that a university education will make a big difference in their lives. They do not see themselves as a U.C. or C.S.U. student. In order to instill and reinforce higher education aspiration, the district should build stronger partnerships with local California State Universities like CSU Fullerton and CSU Long Beach or University of California at Irvine to bridge this gap. Many university faculty and student groups would welcome high school students to their campuses. There are programs that allow and encourage high school teachers to hold classes on university campuses to get underperforming students to aspire to college education.

Let us work together to help Garden Grove Unified better prepare our children for the 21st Century.

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ca/or Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 30, 2004 15:41
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