Appropriated: $375,000 (FY01); $275,000 (FY02); $261,250 (FY03), $258,500 (FY04)

Coordinator: Richard C. Sutton, Senior Advisor for Academic Affairs and Director of International Programs

Participating Institutions: University of Georgia (lead), Dalton State College, Gainesville College, North Georgia College and State University, Georgia Southern University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Initiative Update

The original University System consortium of four USG institutions in the northern third of the state was expanded in FY03 to include Georgia Southern University. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is scheduled to join the program in FY04. The consortium's pilot project focusing on (a) a strategy to increase the number of K-12 personnel qualified to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages; and (b) an outreach/marketing strategy to encourage more Latino youth to pursue higher education in the University System of Georgia, is being replicated to include two new geographic areas of the state with growing Hispanic populations.

When this initiative began in fall 2000, project participants inventoried programs and services then in place at each institution and identified those that should be expanded or added. In 2001, the consortium initiated five specific projects to address the primary goals of this initiative. These projects were conducted in close collaboration with K-12 school districts and community organizations. In 2002, successful projects were repeated, and certain projects were enhanced and expanded. Fall 2002 saw the creation of additional projects in the areas of outreach and community awareness.

This initiative was funded at $261,000 for FY03, but the project budget was reduced by $13,750 (5%) for FY03 as part of mandated cuts in state agency operations. Funding has been further reduced for FY04 to $258,500, with an additional cutback pending in light of the latest state budget curtailment announced in August 2003. Despite the ongoing reduction of financial support, most elements of the initiative have continued at more modest scale, and two new member institutions were added.

Increasing Educational Attainment Levels of Georgia's Hispanic Population

The number of Hispanic students graduating from Georgia high schools has increased 48% since this initiative began. The number of Hispanic students attending USG institutions has increased 57%. Two key elements of this initiative are contributing to these trendlines.

Steps to College: The first component of this outreach initiative is the "Steps-to-College" (STC) program for middle-school and high-school students whose first language is not English. This five-week program establishes ongoing mentoring relationships, promotes English language skills, and assists students in preparation for high-school graduation tests. In addition to strengthening academic skills, the Steps to College program allows Hispanic students to attain some familiarity with a college environment, making them more likely to pursue a college certificate or degree.

The 2001 program attracted more than 140 student participants to programs at Gainesville College and Dalton State College. The program for Summer 2002 was expanded, and 138 students at participated in the program at Gainesville College; 80 students at Dalton State, and 38 students at UGA's new Steps to College Program. A continuation and expansion of the summer STC program took place throughout the 2002-2003 academic year and included tutoring and mentoring programs and other campus-oriented activities. In 2003, 214 students participated in Dalton State College's Steps to College program, while 93 successfully completed the Gainesville College program. The University of Georgia maintained an enrollment of more than 30 Steps to College participants. All three institutions will continue their summer Steps activities throughout the academic year.

Georgia Southern's El Proyecto Ayuda (Project Help), similar to the Steps to College program, attracted more than 30 middle- and high-school students. El Proyecto Ayuda offered an 8-week series of seminars on site at Bulloch County schools during the regular school day. Students participated in enrichment programs to enhance academic and English-language skills. These programs included the Youth Mentor Program (one-on-one academic assistance to Hispanic youth) and the Enrichment Program, which provided supplementary academic enrichment and special programs such as guest speakers, campus visits, and other activities during after-school hours.

College and University Awareness Program: For FY03, the service learning project component was restructured to focus on college preparatory efforts and has been renamed the College and University Awareness Program (CUAP). The goal of CUAP is to provide funding to stimulate the development of innovative projects that are responsive to the needs of Hispanic students in Georgia by linking USG institutions with local school systems and community organizations and outreach efforts. Specifically, CUAP supports activities designed to increase the numbers of Hispanic students and parents who are informed about the advantages of attaining a high school diploma and pursuing post-secondary education.

Projects for the 2002-2003 year included programs to assist Hispanic students with successful performance on the Georgia High School Graduation Test and statewide standardized tests; a program to assist middle-school students with English writing skills; a mentoring program matching college students with middle- and high-school students; two programs to educate parents and students about the benefits of graduating from high school and the resources available to them in higher education; and two campus-based programs that encourage students to pursue careers in nursing/health care and family and consumer science fields after completing degree programs at USG institutions. Approximately180 students participated in these seven College and University Awareness Programs. Select projects will continue throughout the fall of 2003.

Increasing the Numbers of Georgians with Bi-lingual (Spanish-English) Abilities

USG enrollments in English as a Second Language courses and in Spanish language courses have increased 24% since this initiative began. Project funding has been dedicated primarily to ESL teacher preparation, which will have a long-term continuing impact on bi-lingual skills of Hispanic students.

Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): During 2001, the project team developed a Web-based endorsement series to increase the number of ESOL-certified primary- and secondary-school teachers in Georgia. The Hispanic Pilot Project trained 12 USG instructors to teach the online endorsement series, which consists of three courses: Language and Culture in the Classroom, ESOL in P-12 Settings, and First and Second Language Acquisition and Development. This online TESOL endorsement series is available in CD-Rom format for use by any USG institution and affords participants access to ESOL training at any time.

In fall 2002, 137 primary- and secondary-school teachers enrolled in the online ESOL endorsement courses. 137 Georgia K-12 teachers began the three-part endorsement series. Teachers in these courses hailed from 25 schools throughout 12 Georgia counties: Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Elberton, Forsyth, Fulton, Hall, Jackson, Lowndes, Madison, Oglethorpe, and Walton. In addition, six groups of students were taught onsite at USG institutions in north Georgia. An online session was available for those unable to attend onsite classes. This endorsement series continued into the spring and summer of 2003. Another three-part series of endorsement courses will begin again in fall 2003.

Supporting Campus-based Initiatives, Academic Exchanges, and Pilot Programs that Are Responsive to the Needs of a Georgia Student Body with Growing Hispanic Representation