El Monte Program

During the second 55-minute lesson, students completed an Interest Inventory online and researched careers that matched their interests. Additionally, they completed a written activity designed to help them navigate CaliforniaColleges.edu, the state’s designated repository of information on higher education that is a free online college and career planning tool.

The impact of the ICC’s CAIC curriculum in El Monte was substantial:

• 95 percent of the 3,500 El Monte middle school students who completed the counseling intervention reported that they were “some” or “a lot” more motivated to plan ahead and prepare for college.
• 96 percent of the students recommended that the lessons be offered again to their peers the following school year.

An unexpected, but important, outcome of the implementation of the student CAIC curriculum was that it ignited interest among parent leaders in two El Monte K-8 elementary school districts. Parent leaders asked ICC staff if they could observe the student CAIC lessons so they could understand the information that their children were learning. After observing, parent leaders told the ICC staff, “El Monte parents need to learn the same information their children are learning so they can help their children at home with the college and career planning process.”

Middle School Parent Lessons Pilot Tested

In January 2013, the ICC, in partnership with three El Monte School Districts and eight non-profit organizations that provide direct services to the community, began to develop and pilot test the Parent Component of the CAIC. The ICC and collaborating partners pilot tested a two-part workshop series designed to assist El Monte parents to learn:

• The benefits of graduating from college;
• Ways to help their student prepare for high school, college, and beyond;
• Financial aid options and resources to pay for college; and,
• Their child’s career interests and the education they need to pursue those careers.

More than 90 percent of the parents who participated in the two-part series pilot reported that the CAIC Parent lessons were helpful and that they would recommend them to their friends and family. Eighty-seven percent of the parents said that they would be interested in attending other lessons to help their child prepare to graduate college- and career-ready.

Middle School Family Lessons Pilot Tested

In January 2014, the ICC collaborated with Dr. Trish Hatch, Executive Director of the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCaL) and Professor at San Diego State University, and a team of bilingual credentialed school counselors, to continue to develop parent curriculum, implementation models, and instructional materials for student and parent lessons.

The ICC piloted a 7.5 hour College and Career Planning Family Academy with a cadre of students and their parents from three El Monte school districts on May 31, 2014. The Family Academy was geared towards 7th and 8th graders and their parents/guardians. The program was designed to serve 120 individuals or 60 El Monte middle school family teams. Each family team was comprised of one middle school student and at least one parent and/or guardian.

The goal of the one-day middle school Family Academy was to foster a safe environment for students and parents to talk about higher education. It aimed to provide El Monte middle school families with the attitudes, skills, and knowledge needed to successfully transition students to high school and prepare them to graduate college- and career-ready.