USI
  Under- prepared
 Student
 Initiative
Paradise Valley
Community College
graphic of person climbing a ladder within a ladder
Maricopa Community Colleges:
iStartSmart Pilot History & Background
 graphic of someone in a cap & gown standing on their diploma
New USI Site
Welcome/Home
History & Research
Overview of Student Success Pilot
Research-based Project Components
 
 
 
 
 
 
FAQs & Feedback
MCCD Logo
 
Overview:

The iStartSmart Pilot Project is designed to support student retention, student persistence, and student success within the MCCCD. The iSSPP was researched and developed over the last five years by the Paradise Valley Community College Under-prepared Student Initiative (USI) Project Team. The recommendations include changes to current policies of the Maricopa Colleges including late registration and course repetition.

The iSSPP charts a new and more purposeful path for specified student cohorts who enroll at PVCC. Specifically, students in these cohorts will participate in a series of required activities: course placement testing, advisement, orientation, registration, and enrollment in COL101, an exciting and innovative college success course.

PVCC will integrate its newly developed, web-based, interactive student planning tool, iGoal, into the orientation, advisement, and the new COL101 components of the iSSPP. iGoal will help students identify and monitor individual educational, personal, and career goals. An Agenda for Student Success and Learning provides the overarching context for iGoal and opens as a separate (pdf) document.
i-goal @ PVCC

Projected Implementation of the Pilot Project:
          
   New students enrolling for Spring 2007 semester.

Core Elements of the SSPP:

  1. Required course placement testing for all first-time, degree-seeking students. These students will complete all three placement tests (English, math, and reading).
  2. A required integrated orientation, which includes assessment in reading, English, and math; advising; and registration program. During the integrated session, students will set goals using iGoal, a newly developed web-based PVCC system for helping students develop, track, and evaluate their goals.
  3. A required, exciting, and innovative college success course, COL101. COL101 is a one-credit, eight-week course that will transfer to state universities and will be taught by PVCC faculty (FT and AF) and staff who have completed the required training and possess a master’s degree.
  4. The SSPP will be assessed by students, faculty, staff, and college leadership.

Targeted Student Cohorts:
First-time (new to college), full-time, degree-seeking students (enrolling into 12 or more credits, regardless of test scores - i.e., may or may not have tested into developmental classes).
First-time (new to college), part-time, degree-seeking students who tested into one or more developmental courses (enrolling into at least 6 but less than 12 credits).

Potential Pilot Project Partners:

Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Scottsdale Community College

Resources Required:
          Under development.

Last updated: 07-Aug-2009
Student Success Pilot Project - URL-http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/usi/
Send Questions & Comments to bob.bendotti@pvmail.maricopa.edu,
paul.dale@pvmail.maricopa.edu, or rick.sheets@pvmail.maricopa.edu
© 2006 Maricopa County Community College District. All Rights Reserved.