Underprepared Students
Please Note: Cascadia's philosophy is to NOT negatively label or describe students and/or student populations. Labeling creates a deficit model and is contrary to student success. As such, you will not find this terminology used at the college.Cascadia's philosophy regarding ESL (English as a Second Language) students is that these students are acquiring the knowledge and skills to communicate in an additional language, as such we consider ESL as a foreign language.Sometimes, students from foreign countries who are learning ESL also require remediation in basic skills, since they did not acquire these competencies in their previous educational experiences. In those cases, this student population is identified as "underprepared" by official national and state regulations and definitions. |
Cascadia Community College's vision, mission, and core values all address the college's desire to create a community of learners working collaboratively in a learning-centered college. This desire and philosophy is underlined in Cascadia's current participation in the Vanguard Learning College project sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College. One of the five objectives of this five-year project, is to "create or expand learning-centered programs and strategies to ensure the success of underprepared students." The college's current Strategic Plan 2001-2003, includes a number of goals and specific strategies to address this objective over the next two years. For example, goal 2.3 is: "Expand access to educational and career training opportunities to underprepared, underrepresented and disadvantaged populations." Specific strategies to meet this goal include recruitment of underserved groups, the provision of targeted workshops and support services to enhance learning for these groups, recruitment of underserved groups in surrounding communities, re-entry adults and special learning needs students, and the development of improved methods to assess ESL students for placement in appropriate class levels.
The college currently has several support systems in place to assist underprepared students. Students take the assessment test for accurate class level placement and the ability to benefit. They then attend a SOAR orientation and establish a learning plan with a Student Success Facilitator. A Writing and Math Tutoring Center supports additional help outside class and offers individualized computer instruction. Students enrolled in pre-college courses receive the same support services as all other students at the college. Further analysis of the needs of underprepared students needs to be done in order to be sure that appropriate classes and course times are offered.
Expected Outcomes
- Colleges will conduct thorough assessments of their current programs for underprepared students to determine student success rates, program strengths, and program weaknesses.
- Colleges will create programs of assessment, academic advising, and orientation that will ensure underprepared students are placed in opportunities where they can succeed.
- Colleges will expand the number of options for learning (lecture, laboratories, project-based, teams, mentoring, field experienced, etc.) currently offered to underprepared students.
- Colleges will design and implement staff development programs for faculty and staff with primary responsibility for underprepared students aimed at increasing student success rates.
View these and other exciting initiatives by clicking on the options to the left.
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