Success for All

Programs to Support Students Throughout Their College Experience

Melisa N. Choroszy, Theodor M. Meek, Melisa N. Choroszy, Theodor M. Meek

• Publisher: University of Nevada Press
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781948908597
• Topic: Didattica
• Subtopic: Didattica generale

While the most important measure of success for many degree-seeking students is the timely attainment of a Bachelor's degree, there remains a host of other indicators of student success that vary by student population and students' personal goals. Many of these smaller successes lead to the ultimate goal of graduation and are significant triumphs throughout the journey through higher education. Success for All is a strategic guide for administrators and educators that offers methods for advising students through the myriad of challenges they face. Every bit of success contributes to the accomplishment of a larger goal, and this book highlights success at every level. It provides a specific roadmap to the research, services, and programs at the University of Nevada, Reno and Truckee Meadows Community College that support student success in undergraduate and graduate programs regardless of a student's social, emotional, or prior academic experiences. Contributors discuss how to make students feel welcome in their social and educational environments and how to directly assist them with the timely completion of their degree. Administrators and educators demonstrate how these programs help make a positive contribution to the students and the institutions they serve while implementing practical solutions to increase graduation rates.

PART I

Success Beyond the Traditional Classroom

Student success extends beyond the traditional classroom setting. A critical complement to the attainment of professional goals is participation in our curricular and co-curricular programs, activities, and organizations. Some programs begin serving students as early as middle school for college readiness, while others serve students later in their college career and enhance their educational experience. This section highlights how the Davidson Academy prepares bright, young minds from middle school to the time they graduate from the program and enter college, how students who are in community college define success, and how STEM programs can take the next steps in creating certification programs that students earn while reaching their degree. In addition, the section reveals how different programs at the University of Nevada, Reno, help students academically, financially, physically, and mentally.

CHAPTER 1

Home Means Nevada

Students from Across the Country Attend Davidson Academy

COLLEEN M. HARSIN, M.A., MSW

Colleen M. Harsin, M.A., MSW, is the director of the Davidson Academy, a unique public school designed to serve profoundly gifted middle and high school students located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Idaho, followed by a master’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Social Work. Both master’s degrees were completed at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Introduction

Since the beginning of the 2006–2007 academic year, the University of Nevada, Reno campus has been home to the Davidson Academy, a one-of-a-kind public middle and high school for profoundly gifted students. This small school designed to educate some of nation’s brightest students started because Nevadans were thinking big. While there are other selective public high schools in the United States (Finn and Hockett), the Davidson Academy is the only public middle and high school specifically designed for students who perform at the upper extreme of the intellectual continuum. Often described as “profoundly gifted,” these students are at the 99.9th percentile of the population as measured by intelligence, as well as, aptitude or achievement tests.

Thinking Big and Giving Back

Educational software entrepreneurs Jan and Bob Davidson led the charge for finding and serving exceptionally bright students who needed the opportunity to learn at a level in tune with their abilities. Highly able students without the opportunity to experience meaningful academic challenges are at risk of underachievement and disengagement from learning (Reis and McCoach). The Davidsons realized that supporting student learning beyond what was offered to students as standard grade-level material was critical to fostering an ongoing love of learning and persistence through challenges. Providing educational opportunities for highly intelligent young people is an investment in the future of those individuals, and ultimately, the future of our country. In 1997, after selling Davidson & Associates, their educational software company (“Mission Goals”), they were determined to “give back” to education in ways that stood to make a positive difference for our nation’s brightest young people, who were too often underserved in a regular school setting. In 1999, The Davidson Institute for Talent Development was established in Nevada as a 501c(3) private operating foundation with the mission “to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young people and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference” (“About Us”).

It is no secret that the public education system has room for improvement in addressing the needs of our brightest students (Cloud; Colangelo et al., Vols. I–II). It can also be said that private elementary and secondary education options are not consistently prepared to address the needs of exceptionally bright students (Davidson and Davidson). This leads to several questions about educational opportunities for highly-able young people (Assouline et al., Vol. I; Assouline et al., Vol. II). Who is focusing on the needs of the students who are ahead of their peers in terms of their learning? What happens to students who do not have the opportunity to learn to the extent of their abilities? What can be done to support exceptionally bright so that they may thrive? With solid research in place, what can be done to put pedagogy into practice?

The Davidsons summarized what they learned from their investigations into these and other questions, pulling together the stories they learned from parents, educators, and experts, and published their call to action, Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds (Davidson and Davidson). In parallel, throughout the development and implementation of successful programs and services offered by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development (“Davidson Institute”), families of exceptionally bright young people increasingly asked the Davidsons about starting a school. While many families were clear that they were most interested in having such a school in their own backyard, so to speak, the Davidsons believed that such an endeavor was best built in the Davidson Institute’s backyard, Northern Nevada.

Educational Opportunities in Nevada

The local landscape for proposing a new educational option turned out to be quite favorable. The Davidson Institute for Talent Development continued to grow. Families of profoundly gifted young people from all over the country were increasingly showing interest in an educational option designed for their children. The Davidsons’ commitment to education, profoundly gifted young people, and Nevada set the stage for breaking the mold on current public education for these students. Converging interests in raising the bar for education in Nevada drove important discussions about how to maximize opportunities for these students and set a nationwide example. University of Nevada, Reno leadership played a vital role in making this vision a reality. Initially embraced by President John Lilley, the dynamic and supportive University leaders which followed have continued to be invaluable to the success of what is now the Davidson Academy.

In 2005 Nevada legislative action in support of a “university school for profoundly gifted pupils” made providing public education specifically designed for students at the upper extreme of the intellectual continuum a reality. Opened in 2006 with thirty five students, Davidson Academy is a public, special purpose school, located on a university campus where students are placed in classes based on ability rather than age-based grade level. By definition, a university school for profoundly gifted pupils is not a charter school, not affiliated with a school district, and not funded by a university. The mission and location of the school provide the opportunity for profoundly gifted students to be educated in a manner that aligns with their abilities and interests, and provides access to advanced rigorous curriculum across all subject areas. Distributive school account (DSA) funding is provided consistent with the formula established for public school in Nevada to receive per-pupil funding (Profoundly Gifted Pupils; University Schools for Profoundly Gifted Pupils). The Davidsons also remain committed to funding the school in order for it to continue to progress. In 2019 the Davidson Academy remains a unique public school with over 150 students attending middle and high school in the Jot Travis Building on the University campus, and over thirty students attending classes via the online campus. The Academy’s program of distance education was authorized via NRS 388C.130 as of the 2015 Nevada legislative. Ideally, by setting a legislative precedent and making the school public, other states may be in a better position to follow in providing aspects of this model, if not the model in its entirety.

Mission, Goals, and the Role of the University of Nevada

“The mission of the Davidson Academy is to provide profoundly gifted young people an advanced educational opportunity matched to their abilities, strengths and interests” (“Mission & Goals”). The synergy of the Academy with the University campus and community contributes greatly to the overall optimal match between highly-able students and their educational environment.

The Davidson Academy addresses educational and social-emotional needs of local and national students at the upper extreme of the intellectual continuum, who are often overlooked and underserved in schools (“National Statistics”). Approximately 40 percent of the students at the Reno campus originally lived outside Northern Nevada, and moved with their families in order to access the Academy. This influx of students moving to Northern Nevada from different parts of the country brings varied experiences and interests to bear, adding to the college-like atmosphere of the Academy. This increased diversity enhances opportunities for students to learn from one another in meaningful ways. Recognizing that not everyone is in a position to move to Reno as a family, the full-time online campus opened beginning with the 2017–2018 school year (“Online School”). This is yet another way that students stand to benefit from interacting with intellectual peers from all over the country.

A multi-dimensional working relationship with the University is an inherent element of the success of the Davidson Academy. Between the Reno and Online campuses, there are no fewer than twenty one staff members who graduated from University of Nevada, Reno. This includes seventeen staff members who earned their bachelor’s degrees, fourteen who earned their master’s degrees, and three who earned their doctoral degrees. Eleven Academy instructors have either previously taught at the University, or are currently teaching there while also teaching a course at the Academy. In addition, the Reno campus employs at least a dozen Honors Program students each semester to oversee study hall and lunch periods at the Academy, as well as chaperone Academy students under age 16 to and from their University classes.

Mutual benefits are apparent in the context of day to day operations, as well as the goals identified by the Academy during the initial accreditation process for the school (“Mission & Goals”), conducted by Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and later subsumed under Cognia, the current accrediting organization (“Cognia”).

Seven Identified Goals of the Davidson Academy

1. “To provide a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) that appropriately challenges each student’s abilities, allowing him or her to engage in learning opportunities at a pace and depth consistent with the student’s knowledge, skills and personal motivations.”

All Academy students participate in a dynamic advising process that places them in rigorous core courses based on demonstrated abilities. In the context of a dual-enrollment agreement with the University of Nevada, Academy students academically and socially ready for university courses may enroll in them as part of their PLP advising process. Approximately one-third of Reno campus students take one or more classes at the University of Nevada each semester. These range from 100-level elective courses to 400-level math, science, philosophy, and computer courses; all in the context of the students’ PLPs. Students graduating from the Academy often have demonstrated success in 200 and 300 level courses, or higher, which helps increase the likelihood of them being considered as competitive and compelling applicants at post-secondary institutions of interest to them. Students’ high school credits are tracked to ensure that their graduation criteria are being met by their traditional graduation age. Some students graduate early, but most choose to stay and maximize the benefits of the Academy and the University before moving on to their post-secondary plans.

2. “To allow students the opportunity to develop their talents and skills at an advanced level and be supported by teachers, professors and other experts in their fields of interest.”

Academy students who progress to an advanced level in a particular area of interest often enjoy competitions to further develop their expertise. Academy instructors support and coach students on these endeavors, as do qualified parent volunteers and University professors. Davidson Academy students have developed competitive teams for a number of events, including but not limited to, Academic World Quest, DECA, MATHCOUNTS, Speech & Debate, Science Bowl, and Science Olympiad. These teams have had successful competitions at local, state, and in many cases, national levels. Access to aspects of the University raises the ceiling for all Academy students. Experience in courses of interest, including advanced and University courses, prepares them for lab and other research opportunities on campus for which they become qualified. Some Academy students even contribute to publications with University students and professors. In addition, Academy students enjoy the benefits of special events and experiences at the University, including spending time with Discover Science series speakers prior to the public speaking engagements they do on campus (“Discover Science Lecture Series”).

3. “To provide students an opportunity to learn with intellectual peers.”

While there are a plethora of rigorous in-depth options available for academic study, particularly in the online environment, what is often missing is access to intellectual peers within a similar age range. Learning with students who are near one’s age and who share similar intellectual capabilities allows students to express, explore, and to be themselves in developmentally appropriate ways. Academy students often report that the Academy experience is the first time they have really been challenged in an academic environment, as well as the first time they felt they could really be themselves. Students at the Academy are placed by ability, not age, so there is typically a two- to three-year age span in any given class. Class sizes are also relatively small, approximately fifteen students, which facilitates coursework focused on critical thinking and expression, consistent with the upper levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy so often sought after for bright students: analyzing, evaluating, and creating (Bloom, 1956). As students approach high school graduation age, they are well prepared to be active participants in University courses as well.

4. “To provide students a learning environment that fosters integrity, personal responsibility, conscientious citizenship, understanding and an appreciation of individual differences, along with respect for others.”

The Davidson Academy Core Values (respect, responsibility, integrity, leadership, balance, and the pursuit of knowledge) guide all aspects of the Academy. Safety and inclusion are paramount to the Academy experience. Academy students and families have formed a community that generally looks out for one another, while also seeking ways to benefit the larger community. Whether they came to the Academy from another school in the area or from another state, students and their families tend to embrace the opportunities afforded by being part of a larger campus at University of Nevada, Reno. Several parents of students work at the University, and it is also an exceptional draw for Academy graduates as well. Responsibility as good neighbors on campus is essential to the success of the Academy. The privilege of accessing University courses and other benefits depends in large part upon the maturity and overall readiness of Academy students, including strengths consistent with these core values.

5. “To provide students guidance in identifying and developing their unique talents and abilities counseling for the college application process, procurement of scholarships, and access to professional areas of interest an...