Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

How Much Is an Education Worth?

Jane Reynolds, Susan McHale, Jennifer Pasillas | Published: June 13th, 2022 by K20 Center

Summary

Families will gain an understanding of how postsecondary opportunities increase career choices and lifetime earnings. Students and their families will investigate two career choices and discover the benefits and challenges of each. Families will identify resources and information for the potential funding of postsecondary educational opportunities.

Essential Questions

  • What are the benefits of pursuing postsecondary education or training?

  • How do student interests and skills prepare them for career choices?

  • What resources are available to help families pay for postsecondary education?

Materials List

  • Family Engagement Event Activity Design Template (attached)

  • Family Night Bingo Cards (attached)

    • Bingo markers (scrap paper, coins, checkers, etc.)

    • Bingo prizes (optional but recommended, even if only small prizes)

  • Family Night Career Interest Survey Instructions (attached)

  • Family Night Presentation highlights (attached)

  • Promotional materials

    • Posters (attached; English & Spanish, 8.5 in. x 11 in. and 11 in. x 17 in.)

    • Postcard template (attached)

    • Welcome banner (attached)

  • Promotional Message Template for Robocalls or Social Media (attached)

  • Family Night Sign-in Sheet (attached)

  • Family Night Presenter Slides (attached)

  • I Used to Think ... But Now I Know handout (attached; one per family)

  • Oklahoma's Promise Application (attached; one per student)

  • Oklahoma 529 Savings Plan Application (attached; one per student)

  • Career Choice Trading Cards (attached; two cards per student)

  • Charged school computers or laptops (one per student)

  • Family Night promotional video: "In Case You Missed It..." (linked)

  • K20 Center Promotional Videos. English: https://youtu.be/CNco-6WMrvM Spanish: https://youtu.be/APCSXBngPdk

Engage

Begin by thanking the families for coming. Ask them to sign in on the attached Sign-In Sheet and help themselves to refreshments if applicable. Display the title slide of the attached Family Night Presenter Slides as you welcome families.

Let's Play Bingo! (15 to 20 minutes): Direct families' attention to the bingo cards on their tables and invite them to play. Prizes are recommended if possible. Display slide 2, showing a sample bingo card, and explain to families that the words on the cards are all related to college and career readiness. Let them know that it is important for families and their students become more familiar with these terms as students progress toward graduation from high school, and this event is an introduction to these terms. A facilitator can call out the bingo terms and several rounds may be played as parents are arriving and settling in. It is suggested that this activity last only 15 to 20 minutes or until most parents have arrived and are seated.

Thank the families for playing bingo and remind them that the words they saw on the bingo boards were terms they will be hearing a lot in the next few years as they help their students prepare for more college and career opportunities.

Introduce staff members who are helping with this event. Transition to slide 3 and introduce the agenda for this event. On slide 4, display the GEAR UP goals and inform participants that their school has been awarded a GEAR UP grant, This grant will help the staff offer further opportunities to families and students for college and career readiness. Display slide 5 that describes some of the events GEAR UP will provide through the school.

Explore

The Top Ten Benefits of Obtaining a Post-Secondary Education (20 minutes): Show slide 6. Ask families to introduce themselves to another family and discuss what they believe are the benefits of their child or children attending college or pursuing a career tech degree after high school. Allow about five minutes for this discussion. Ask staff members to be listening to conversations as they walk around.

Ask for volunteers to share what they discussed as benefits to obtaining a postsecondary education like college or career tech. Allow 5 minutes for a few families to share. Thank those who shared and note that research actually shows there are many benefits or reasons for continuing education after high school. Display slide seven. Explain each benefit as it pops up on slide 7. Point out that several families mentioned some of these benefits (if applicable). This is approximately a five- to seven-minute discussion.

After going through all of the benefits, let participants know that the main goal of the school's partnership with the GEAR UP grant is to equip families with all of the tools they need to help their students reach their higher education goals. These goals can look like different for each student—they may include college, career tech training, military service, or some other type of training after high school.

Show slide 8, which poses the question: "How much is a college degree worth?" Ask families to consider the graphic on slide 9 and see what connection they notice. Discuss the graphic, pointing out each level of postsecondary educational (PSE) attainment, the time it takes to get to each level, and the average yearly/lifetime salary for each educational level.

Briefly go over the various types of postsecondary education on slide 10 to inform parents and students of all the education levels that they might consider pursuing.

Explain

Student Career Interest Survey (25 to 35 minutes): Tell participants that college and career readiness begins with exploring their child's skills and interests and learning how these relate to potential career choices. Explain that career choices are often based on the student's skills, talents, or interests.

Pass out laptops or Chromebooks for students to use during this part of the presentation. Then, give each student the Career Interest Survey Instructions.

Display slide 11 and explain how students can create an account at okcollegestart.org. Explain to parents and students that it is important for them to discuss student interests and skills together, as well as how those interests and skills can provide some insight into possible career choices. Guide students slowly through slides 12–15. Creating an account should take five minutes and the Career Interest Survey should take 10 to 15 minutes.

After students have completed the Career Interest Survey, display slide 16. Students should see the survey results of their two top career interest areas. Move on to slide 17. Distribute two of the attached Career Trading Cards to each student.

Instruct students to write their two top career choices on the trading cards. Ask students to add more information about what makes this career choice perfect for them or anything they are not excited about regarding these career choices (slides 18 -19). Career choice exploration and the trading cards activity should take an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Display slide 20 and lead a discussion about the results of the survey.

Extend

Financial Resources (10 minutes): Pass out the Oklahoma's Promise application and the Oklahoma 529 Savings Plan application. Tell parents that in addition to discussing career interests and options with their students, it is important to investigate and plan financial resources now so that money is be ready and available when students graduate from high school. Two resources discussed at this event are Oklahoma's Promise (OK Promise) and the Oklahoma 529 Savings Plan (OK 529 Savings Plan).

Show slide 21 and explain the guidelines for OK Promise. Stress to students and parents that enrollment begins in eighth grade and that OK Promise has parent financial requirements and student academic requirements to remain eligible through graduation. For more information on OK Promise, click here or use the full URL listed in Resources below. Consider adding more slides about OK Promise requirements and eligibility if this is an eighth-grade enrollment year.

Display slide 22 and explain the guidelines for the OK 529 Savings Plan. All families and any family members (such as grandparents or other relatives) can contribute to the OK 529 Savings Plan. The plan provides families an opportunity to contribute tax-free savings now for use later in college. Tax-free savings grow faster and an account can be opened immediately in a student's name by any family member or friend. For more information about the 529 Savings Plan, click here or use the full URL listed in Resources below.

Slide 23 displays more useful websites for students and parents. Point out that there are many parent and student resources for parents and students that can be accessed now and in the future for college and career readiness information and assistance.

Evaluate

Wrap Up (5 to 7 minutes): Pass out the I Used to Think... But Now I Know handout to each family. Explain the directions for the handout, shown on slide 24. Note that research indicates college and career readiness should begin in middle school or earlier. Getting good grades, participating in school activities, maintaining good attendance, and investigating career interests through surveys help a student prepare for college and career readiness. Parents can support students by setting high academic expectations, helping students maintain good attendance, frequenting their child's school activities, beginning a savings plan, and applying for OK Promise in eighth grade.

Offer assistance in filling out the OK Promise and 529 Savings Plan forms with parents. Thank the families for attending and allow time for parents to ask any questions. Display slide 25 so that parents can complete the required GEAR UP Rapid Feedback form.

Research Rationale

Communities in Oklahoma are like other communities in their desire to see more students graduate and pursue post-secondary opportunities. Students who attend college after graduation and complete a four-year degree enjoy greater job satisfaction and better quality of life post-graduation, and college graduates have significantly better opportunities for upward career mobility and earning a living wage (Okerson, 2016). The nation, too, benefits from a well-educated workforce in competing in global markets (Stewart, 2016; Okerson, 2016; Venezia & Jaeger, 2013). By the year 2020, 67% of all Oklahoma jobs will require a college degree or additional post-secondary training and education (Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education [ORHE], 2015b). The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OKSDE, 2016) reported the 2015-16 high school graduation rate as 83%. These graduation rates have remained fairly consistent with the national average for several years (OKSDE, 2016). Trends in college enrollment after high school have not fared as well. Oklahoma’s post-secondary institutions have shown a steady decline in college enrollment since 2011 (ORHE, 2015a). The Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education (ORHE, 2015c) reported that only 49% of the state’s fall/spring 2015 high school graduates entered Oklahoma colleges and universities. While this percentage does not take into account students who enrolled in out-of-state institutions, a significant gap still exists in Oklahoma between high school graduation rates and college enrollment. In terms of college attainment, Oklahoma ranks 42nd in the nation with only 24% of the population obtaining a bachelor’s degree (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). College and career readiness is a process that begins as early as elementary school, not a program. (King, 2012).

Resources