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2010 Lifetime of Learning conference

Monday, September 20th, 2010

We learned so much from our Higher Education Alliance partners at this year’s Lifetime of Learning conference at Auburn University Montgomery. This year’s subject was college access, student retention and service-learning.

Dr. Barbara Moely of Tulane University’s Center for Public Service opened the conference with a keynote on service-learning and student outcomes (above). She noted that meaningful service-learning provides a more positive learning experience for students, which in turn leads to increased retention and achievement.

Steve Shaw, Chair for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education; Dr. Barbara Moely of Tulane; Kristina Scott of APP; and Dr. David Potts, President of APP and Judson College

Our breakout sessions spotlighted some excellent community-university partnerships at colleges and universities across the state, including Auburn University’s Loachapoka partnership with local K-12 schools, UA’s University Fellows Black Belt Experience in Marion, and Montevallo’s Falcon Scholars program, among others.

Our lunch speaker Dr. Tony Thacker, program administrator for the Governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching, spoke of the urgent need for improved K-12 education (above). “Poverty-stricken children are product-tested,” he said, alluding to short-term, low-impact education reform programs. He gave meaningful criticism for colleges and universities interested in starting partnerships with preschool and K-12 schools.

He also noted that when low educational attainment correlates with high poverty and crime rates, a just society should do everything in its power to provide equal educational opportunities. Mr. Thacker emphasized that to educate students, we need to create meaningful learning environments, encourage innovative programming, and nourish strong teachers.

After afternoon breakout sessions, conference participants took a break in our knowledge cafe, where they brainstormed ideas and voted for their favorite outcomes of the day’s discussions.

Our final speaker, Doug Coutts of the UN World Food Programme and Universities Fighting World Hunger at Auburn University, called us to involve Alabama students in fighting hunger in Alabama and beyond (above).

Thank you to all who contributed and took part in the day’s events – speakers, attendees, and volunteers. It was a great day of learning and sharing! Hearing all of the innovative programming and passionate educators on the front lines of fighting poverty really shows us what is possible. You prove that we can build a better Alabama by working daily to educate and engage our youth.

Want to learn more?

Visit our web resources on service-learning, mentoring and youth development, and college access
Request a copy of our 2010 Higher Education Annual Report
Sign up for our higher education email list

Posted by Robyn Hyden

Tags: alabama department of education, college access, community-university partnership, higher education, higher education alliance, k-12 partnership, lifetime of learning conference, service-learning, student retention, universities fighting world hunger, world food programme
Posted in education | No Comments »

Alabama ranked 9th in poverty statistics

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

16.6 percent of Alabamians lived in poverty last year, according to newly released 2009 US Census Data. This puts us ninth in nationwide rankings of poverty rates.

During that same time, 25.8 percent of children in Alabama lived in households below the poverty line.

The poverty threshold measures household income to determine who lives in poverty. In 2009, the poverty line was $22,050/year for a family of 4, or $10, 830 for an individual.

The numbers of people living in poverty have increased due to unemployment and the recession, says Kristina Scott, executive director of the Alabama Poverty Project. The numbers of the working poor have grown, while the middle class is shrinking.

This trend is evident in the statistics of those subsisting just above the poverty line. 23.9 percent of Alabamians live at or below 125 percent of poverty, and 30.6 percent of Alabamians live below 150 percent of poverty. This means that nearly 1 in 3 of our neighbors in 2009 made the equivalent of less than $33,075 for a household of four.

Single mothers have also struggled during the recession. A staggering 51.2 percent of single female-headed households with related children lived below the federal poverty line. 68.8 percent of single-female-headed households with children lived at only 150 percent of the poverty line during the same time.

Food banks and food assistance programs have reported a dramatic increase in first-time visitors and working families who seek aid, while applications for TANF and food stamps have increased dramatically during the recession.

At the same time, Alabama has weathered the recession better than some of our neighbors, and over the past 10 years we have made significant steps to reduce poverty.

What can you do?

Short term:

Support economic development efforts. Job loss is the number one factor in increasing poverty rates.
Advocate for policies that offer temporary assistance, as well as policies to create more jobs
Help struggling friends and neighbors through trying times. Strong relationships are key to rising out of poverty.
Donate to support local assistance programs providing immediate relief

Long term:

Support college access and educational attainment for Alabama students. An educated populace is our number one economic development strategy.
Promote sustainable and healthy solutions to hunger and food insecurity. Attend our 2010 Food Summit to learn more
Invest in long-term relationships with those you serve through ministry. Attend our Alabama Possible Summit to learn more.
Have hope. Look at the positive changes going on in your community and remember what is possible

Posted by Robyn Hyden

Tags: 16.6 % poverty rate, 9th poorest state, advocacy, Alabama Food Summit, Alabama Possible Summit, college access, emerging from poverty, higher educational attainment, reciprocal relationships
Posted in Census Stats on Poverty, Economics & Employment, education, Fighting Poverty with Faith, Making A Difference | 1 Comment »

Reducing poverty through higher education

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

In today’s Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper of IHEP notes some of the benefits to increasing college access for low-income young adults. At the same time, she’s realistic about the obstacles that remain:

“Obtaining a college degree or other advanced credential has proven to be a critical factor in producing both individual and societal benefits. It is often education that breaks generational cycles of poverty. Yet it is troubling to know that 1 in 10 impoverished young adults who have a postsecondary degree still fail to immediately get out of poverty.

This is an alarming trend because these students already face greater academic and financial risks than their more well-off peers when attempting to complete college.

Who are these low-income young adults? According to our recent report at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), A Portrait of Low-Income Young Adults in Education, there are 35.2 million low-income young adults in the United States who are between the ages of 18 and 26, and whose parents’ income or their own (if financially independent) is up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

…For many low-income young adults, pursuing a college degree involves taking bold steps toward bridging education, careers, and employment. And from a national perspective, higher education success among poor young people puts us closer to achieving our national college completion goals or enjoying the anticipated economic boost that a more educated workforce will generate.”

Asha Cooper adds that young adults with a college degree still face many obstacles: degree values vary, local labor markets fluctuate, and the economic recession may hinder job availability. However, she says, an increasing number of jobs in the future will rely on secondary degrees – and a college degree is still the fastest route out of poverty.

What can we do to increase college access here in Alabama?

Our Higher Education Alliance will address this issue at our Lifetime of Learning Conference, September 17 at Auburn University Montgomery. We’ll bring together presentations on college access, student retention, and service-learning with some of the most engaged and creative people from colleges and universities across the state.

Learn about models of community outreach and service-learning that are making an impact today.

Christianna Russell of Auburn’s Loachapoka partnership will present the K-12 and community initiatives connecting Loachapoka families to the Auburn campus.
Cindy Walker of Faulkner will talk about connecting student athletes to at-risk kids in the community in a mentoring and service-learning partnership.
Athens State will present best practices for implementing a Success program in a local middle school.

Higher education faculty, staff, students, and other community partners are invited. Check out more of our scheduled agenda here. Be sure to register by August 31 for the early-bird registration rate. Contact Hannah Selles for more information.

Posted by Robyn Hyden

Tags: college access, conference, higher education alliance, higher educational attainment, institute on higher education policy, lifetime of learning, spotlight on poverty and opportunity
Posted in education | No Comments »

Creating a college-positive culture

Monday, August 9th, 2010

By 2018, nearly two-thirds of available jobs will require some form of higher education. But Alabama lags behind the nation in getting our young people to college.

Alabama’s median household income is $9,443 less than the national average. According to the Southern Education Foundation, 60 percent of that gap is due to Alabamians’ low educational attainment. For every dollar earned by individuals with a bachelor’s degree, high school dropouts only earn 32 cents and high school graduates only earn 51 cents. College graduates elevate their personal earning capacity and bring nearly $1 million in spending power back to their local communities. (The Big Payoff, US Census Bureau – PDF)

A college-going culture includes the environment, attitudes, and practices in schools and communities that encourage students and their families to obtain the information, tools, and perspective to enhance access to and success in post-secondary education.

How can you create a college-going culture in your community?

1. Have high expectations. Young people will follow your lead and work to meet your expectations.
2. Share your passion/vocation. Teens are often conflicted about the career path they wish to pursue. Share your story about why you picked the career you did, how you got there, and what you hope to see in the future. This simple act can serve as an invaluable resource to a teenager struggling to choose a career path.
3. Utilize your business or occupation. Invite local teens to shadow you or your colleagues for a day. Giving young people the opportunity to experience a career they may have not have ever considered could be one of the biggest gifts you can give.
4. Mentor a young person. Children that come from homes without a college-educated parent often do not see the value of a college education. By sharing your educational experience and encouraging a young person to pursue post-secondary education, you will dramatically increase her chances of being exposed to new opportunities.
5. Answer questions. Young people can be timid and may not always ask the questions they need to. Answering what seems like simple questions may turn into a larger conversation and guide young people to a more successful future.
6. Participate in or produce a college or career fair. Hosting a fair could be one of the most beneficial activities that you can provide for your community.
7. Contribute to initiatives already underway. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel, and by financially supporting organizations already undertaking initiatives, you allow them to increase their impact.

Check out our page on the Blueprints college access initiative for more information on why increasing college access for all Alabama students matters.

Posted by Kristina Scott

Tags: blueprints, college access, college going culture, mentoring
Posted in education, Making A Difference | No Comments »