Achieving the Dream - Dream Big

Tallahassee Community College is proud to be part of "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count," a national initiative to help more community college students succeed. The initiative is particularly concerned about student groups that traditionally have faced the most significant barriers to success. It is working on multiple fronts -- including efforts at community colleges and in research, public engagement and public policy -- and emphasizes the use of data to drive change. TCC is one of 35 community colleges nationwide that are part of "Achieving the Dream." We have chosen to name our program "Dream Big!" because only through dreaming big do you push yourself to achieve your best.

There are disparities in student outcomes at community colleges, and this initiative is focused on identifying and dealing with these disparaties. Specifically, participating colleges are identifying practices that will help more students continue their studies and earn degrees. "Achieving the Dream" colleges do not work in isolation, but in partnership with their communities--K through 12 education leaders, businesses, social service and civic organizations and other higher education institutions--as well as, with the initiative's national partner organizations, state policy organizations and other participating community colleges to improve student outcomes.

Tallahassee Community College will evaluate overall data and data at the student level. We are gathering input from students, faculty and staff. We will then adopt strategies for improvement based on these findings. TCC's plans include concrete changes in specific practices designed to modify programs and services based on actual outcomes, such as early intervention, successful completion of developmental education, and improved and increased delivery of student support services. A $400,000 implementation grant ($100,000 per year for four years) from Lumina Foundation has been received to institutionalize such changes.

To this end, TCC is currently conducting a pilot study with approximately 10 percent of the Fall 2005 first-time-in-college (FTIC) students and a cohort group by developing Individual Learning Plans as an intervention strategy. FTIC students in the pilot study will participate in diagnostic assessments of academic readiness, personal development, social integration and life challenges; meet with their advisor a minimum of three times each semester to review assessment results, discuss academic progress, career goals and available resources; attend campus workshops and utilize campus resources addressing areas of need.

"Achieving the Dream" is funded with generous grants from the Lumina Foundation for Education, Knowledge Works Foundation and Nellie Mae Education Foundation. Other partnerships include the American Association of Community Colleges, Community College Leadership (University of Texas at Austin), Community College Research Center (Teachers College-Columbia University), Futures Project (Brown University), Jobs for the Future and Public Agenda.