Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 8/25/99
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   23

Editors: Photo accompanies release   Please note local interest
SLU'S HIGH SCHOOL COOPERATIVE PROGRAM ADDS 10 SCHOOLS
     HAMMOND -- Schools in seven parishes will participate this fall in the award-winning
Southeastern Louisiana University program that reduces the number of college freshmen who
need remedial courses.
     Participation has risen from seven schools in three parishes to16 schools in seven parishes in
the Southeastern College of Basic Studies' High School Cooperative. The program saves students
and the university time and money by giving students the opportunity to meet developmental
requirements in English or mathematics before entering Southeastern. The High School
Cooperative recently won national recognition as a school-college partnership from the Council
for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). 
     The program's administrator, Sarah Spence, head of Southeastern's Developmental Education
Department, said East Ascension High and St. Amant High in Ascension Parish; Destrehan High
and Hahnville High in St. Charles Parish; Franklinton High in Washington Parish; St. Helena
Central High in St. Helena Parish and Hammond High, Loranger High, and the new Northwood
Prep charter school in Tangipahoa Parish are joining the program this fall.
     Last year, the High School Cooperative partnered with Livingston Parish's Walker High,
Tangipahoa Parish's Amite High and Independence High, and St. Tammany Parish's Slidell
High, Salmen High, Mandeville High and St. Paul's High School.
     At those seven schools, 143 participating students had a success rate of 76 percent, Spence
said. That translates, she said, into an approximately $44,000 savings in tuition costs for students 
and $22,000 in savings for the state.
     Participating high schools offer special English and math courses to seniors with ACT scores
of 16 and below in English and 17 and below in mathematics. Southeastern developmental
education faculty share university criteria and guidelines with teachers so that the high school 
courses reflect standards and skills required in Southeastern's developmental courses.  Students
"test out" of college developmental courses either through portfolios which are graded by 
Southeastern faculty or by retaking the ACT. 
     On Aug. 11, Spence and co-director Gwen Autin held the program's annual workshop for
participating schools then joined President Sally Clausen, College of Basic Studies Dean Barbara
Allen and other guests at a reception in honor of the CASE award. One of the guests, retired
Amite High School principal Ora Finn, who was an early supporter of the High School
Cooperative, praised Southeastern for "reaching out to our students."
     Finn said teachers and administrators frequently are challenged about under-prepared
students. "They ask us 'what is it you're not doing?'" Finn said. "Southeastern asked us, 'What can
we do to help you prepare your students?' That made the difference."
     Walker High English teacher Tracy Amond, who has been a part of the High School
Cooperative since the program was piloted three years ago, said it is  "one of the most wonderful
things we've ever done."
     Amond said all but two of the 23 students in her "Transition to College English" course
either tested out with successful portfolios or raised their ACT English score above 16. English
ACT scores improved an average of 4.51 points and "the 12 students who retook the ACT
collectively raised their English scores by 59 points. One student went from an 11 to a 20,"
Amond said. She added that several students improved their scores enough to qualify for TOPS
scholarships.
     "Ninety percent of the course is the same as a normal English IV class," Amond said, "but
we're able to pull these students together in one course and concentrate on the skills they need."
     "This is the right thing for us to be doing," said Southeastern President Sally Clausen, "and
I think it will catch on nationally." 
                             -SLU-
     This press release is available on the World Wide Web:
       www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf99.htm