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G2S Project Code: 2020-FL-84377
State: Florida
Fiscal Year: 2020
Grantee
Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative

Project Director
Director Name: Vicky Stever
Director Phone: 850-609-5102
Director Email: vstever@myokaloosa.com
General Information
Title: Career Online High School - Okaloosa 2021
State Project Code: 20-LSTA-B-15
Start Date: 10/01/2020
End Date: 09/30/2021
Abstract: The grant project empowered ten (10) adult residents to continue an interrupted high school education through entry into Career Online High School, an accredited, private online school offering a diploma completion program. The Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative purchased a year’s access to the school’s prerequisite portal and ten (10) tuition scholarships; there was no out-of-pocket cost to students which removes a barrier to continued education. The opportunity was targeted to county residents aged 19 and above who did not already have a GED or a diploma. An active library card with the Cooperative, which is free to county residents, was required to apply. Eligible residents who completed a prerequisite course within a time/score constraint were personally interviewed by a scholarship panel. Applicants who received a scholarship have 18 months from enrollment to complete their diploma. Graduates also earn a certificate of career readiness in a selected field. Credits from previous high school experience may transfer toward the diploma. The school assigns each student a personal academic coach. Students began the program throughout the grant period and progressed at different rates with various transfer credits. They work at their own pace to complete courses.

The Library Cooperative staff administered tuition scholarships and facilitated enrollment and diploma completion through grant activities that included:

  (1) marketing the opportunity
  (2) maintaining an informational webpage for prospective students
  (3) interviewing scholarship applicants
  (4) administering enrollment
  (5) monitoring progress
  (6) communicating with students and academic coaches to improve retention
  (7) planning and hosting a graduation ceremony
  (8) purchasing, recordkeeping and reporting for the grant

Ten (10) scholarships were awarded. Within the grant period, the students completed ninety-five (95) courses of instruction. Three (3) students exceeded 90% completion rate toward the diploma; they were invited to participate in a graduation ceremony on October 23, 2021. All students have achieved success in coursework and continue to actively work toward their diplomas.

State Goal: Goal 1 - Services: Floridians use information and innovative and responsive services from all types of libraries and archives that meet diverse information needs.
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$15,450.00
$0.00
$4,519.00
$19,969.00
Intent(s)
Improve users' formal education.
Education
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Career Online High School
Narrative: Grant activities are described in the phases of activity that moved students through to enrollment to completion of diploma and career certificate. Since students entered the program at various times, the activity phases overlapped and ran concurrently. The Cooperative had existing students from scholarships funded in previous years. The activities of monitoring student progress and planning a graduation ceremony included those individuals as well as grant-funded students.  

1. Solicit scholarship students from eligible residents. Staff marketed the scholarship opportunity through outreach activities, in-library marketing, social media posts and targeted partnerships. They developed marketing materials to supplement those provided by the school. Both online and physical marketing was conducted. Since the project staff have previous experience as Career Online High School partners, they determined the most likely candidates are found among young parents, so that was the primary target audience. A web page dedicated to Career Online High School is hosted on the Cooperative’s website https://readokaloosa.org/cohs.ocplc   Contacting the county’s vocational-technical school yielded multiple referrals from persons aging out of those programs.

2. Manage prerequisites. Prospective students complete an online eligibility assessment that is accessed through the library website. Staff reviewed eligibility requirements for scholarship: minimum age of 19, living in Okaloosa County, no previous diploma or GED, possession of a library card. Eligible applicants were emailed a link to the prerequisite course with explanation of qualifications required to advance to a scholarship interview (complete the course within 14 days, score of 70 or above). Staff monitored progress in the prerequisite course every 1 to 2 days.

3. Interview for scholarships. Applicants who successfully completed the prerequisite were scheduled for personal interview. An interview panel composed of 2 project staff and 2 librarians met with each applicant to determine who would be a good fit for the program. Interview questions brought out considerations such as available time for coursework, access to the needed technology, support system of family/friends, perceived obstacles to completion. An important factor in each interview was assessing the applicant's motivation to achieve the goal. Interviewers completed a scoring metric and made a group decision regarding awards. Students signed a commitment pledge to indicate they understand the expectations pace of coursework and continued communication with mentors. Interviews were scheduled during the period of December 2020 through September 2021. All ten (10) scholarships purchased through the grant were awarded during the project period.

4. Qualification period. Activities during this phase are mostly monitoring and communicating. Staff notifies Career Online High School of a scholarship award. The student is enrolled in the next course. The 30-day qualification phase begins immediately upon enrollment. During this time period, a student must complete 2 courses to demonstrate they can sustain the pace of work. If they do not sustain the pace, the scholarship awarded to them may be revoked and saved for another student. The student is assigned an academic coach by Career Online High School. The coach assists them in getting started and in obtaining transcripts for high school previously attended. Progress reports on these students are monitored almost daily. After completing enrollment, staff communications with students are mostly to assist in obtaining high school transcripts since the student is expected to show self-reliance during this period. Staff communicate with academic coaches about student progress.

5. Monitoring active students. Students working toward diploma have 18 months to complete. Since enrollments are ongoing and individual, the 18-month periods have differing end dates. Monitoring the progress of students working toward diplomas occurs concurrently with all other activities of the program. The amount of previous high school credits transferred greatly influences the time frame of completion. Student progress was monitored 2-4 times weekly through a variety of reports provided by the school’s real-time dashboard. Data points on the dashboard include percentage of diploma completion, last activity date, current course enrollment, number of assignments completed, and others. From the wealth of data, staff can understand how the student is progressing and whether assistance might be needed. They communicate with students through email, phone or text to answer questions; troubleshoot technical difficulties; encourage progress and acknowledge accomplishments. While the school’s academic coach is the primary mentor to students, project staff play a visible and active support role. They work with students to remove barriers to diploma completion. For example, the Cooperative owns laptops to lend to students with computer problems. One recent graduate was greatly assisted by this service when his personal computer malfunctioned and needed repair.

6. Diploma completion. When students complete the program, the school mails them a diploma. The Library Cooperative provides an in-person commencement ceremony for those who wish to participate. Because students finish all throughout the year, an annual ceremony is planned to include all who finished and students very close to completion (90% or above). A ceremony was held on October 23, 2021, to recognize students graduating in 2020 and 2021. Although the ceremony occurred after the grant period, it is being included because most of the planning activities occurred during the grant period. Of the 8 participants in the ceremony, 3 were recipients of scholarships purchased with this LSTA grant. Those students were above 90% completion but not yet graduated. The Library Cooperative partnered with the City of Niceville and Niceville Public Library to host the event at the City’s community center. The Cooperative purchased cap & gown and diploma cover so there was no cost to participants. Families, friends and the community were invited to attend. The traditional elements of a graduation ceremony were included: procession to “Pomp & Circumstance,” speakers, individual diploma award, photo sessions and a reception. Speakers at graduation included the Florida State Librarian, a representative from Career Online High School, and a county commissioner. The ceremony was publicized by local media outlets and filmed in entirety by the Okaloosa County public information office.

7. Administrative support. Activities of tracking results and documenting grant activities occurred throughout the project period. Mid-year and Final reports were produced to meet the grant requirements. Staff consulted with the county’s grant department to ensure financial tracking and compliance with county policies. Staff attended a COHS continuing education webinar to remain current on the program. During the grant period, Career Online High School ended its relationship with the third-party vendor, Gale Cengage, from whom the Cooperative had made the grant purchases. Online meetings and correspondence were part of the transition process.

Intent: Improve users' formal education.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Other
Format: Virtual
Other: adult students were provided online instruction to complete their high school diplomas


Quantity


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Suburban
For what age groups: 18-25 years
26-49 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: Yes: Adults aged 19 or older who do not have a high school diploma.


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: OKALOOSA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY COOPERATIVE
Address: 206 N. PARTIN DR.
City: NICEVILLE
State: FL
Zip: 32578

Activity Details
Title: Procure scholarships
Narrative:

The subscription to the student portal was active in late November. LSTA funds renewed the existing subscription paid the previous year by the Cooperative. This renewal ensured no gap in access for prospective students to begin the application process. Administrative tasks such as quoting and purchasing the student portal and scholarships took about an hour and a half. This was a quick process due to previous contractual relationship with the vendor. The Coordinator purchased 12 months of access to the entry portal for students, which includes the platform for eligibility assessment, the prerequisite course and marketing support. The subscription was purchased to extend the subscription paid by the library cooperative the previous year.

Ten scholarships at a price of $1,295 each were purchased. Through the terms of the service, scholarships fund 18 months of tuition and include assignment of a personal academic coach to each student. Scholarship awards are probationary until a student successfully completes the 30-day qualification period. If the student is not successful, the scholarship can be rescinded and saved to award to another student.

Procurement was through a third-party vendor, Gale Cengage. Midway through the grant period, Smart Horizons Career Online Education, the school district that administers Career Online High School, ended its relationship with the vendor. SHCOE honored all purchases and terms made through Gale Cengage. There were transitional webinars, phone calls and emails to ensure a smooth changeover.
Intent: Improve users' formal education.

Activity: Content
Mode: Other
Format: Digital
Other: virtual scholarships


Quantity


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Suburban
For what age groups: 18-25 years
26-49 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: Yes: Adults aged 19 or older who do not have a high school diploma.


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: OKALOOSA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY COOPERATIVE
Address: 206 N. PARTIN DR.
City: NICEVILLE
State: FL
Zip: 32578
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
1. Outcome measures for activity -- Solicit students from eligible residents (a) Outreach activities including social media posts: 70 (b) Requests for information received by email or phone: 37 (c) Self-assessment surveys completed by prospective students: 66 (d) Total communications with public including marketing contacts: 107 2. Outcome measures for activity -- Manage prerequisites (a) Access to prerequisite course provided to eligible persons: 58 (b) Enrollments in prerequisite course: 15 (c) Applicants completing prerequisite course on time with eligible score: 12 (d) Staff communications with public: 18 calls or emails 3. Outcome measures for activity -- Interview for scholarships (a) Interviews scheduled: 12 (b) Interviews conducted: 11 (2 via Zoom) (c) Interviews scheduled: Dec 2020, two; Feb 2021, one; Mar 2021, two; April 2021, two: Aug 2021, one; Sept 2021, three. (d) Scholarships awarded: 10 (e) Communications with applicants: 62 4. Outcome measures for activity -- Qualification period (a) Students completing qualification period: 9 (10th student completed after grant period ended) (b) Communications with students and coaches: 29 5. Outcome measures for activity -- Monitor active students (a) Students enrolled at end of grant period: 11 (1 from other funding source) (b) Completion % of grant-funded students: Above 90%, 3 students; 50-90%, 3 students; 26-49%, 3 students; 0-25%, 1 student. (c) Contacts with enrolled students: 34 6. Outcome measures for activity -- Diploma completion (a) Grant-funded students completing diploma during grant period: 0 (b) Grant-funded students participating in graduation ceremony: 3 (c) Attendance at graduation ceremony (held after grant period ended): 150
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
Outcome measures tell us that identifying and reaching the target audience of eligible residents is a slow, continual process. We performed 70 various outreach activities that resulted in 37 direct inquiries and 66 individuals completing the first step of filling out a very brief interest survey. The scheduling of scholarship interviews illustrates the range of time that elapses: December 2020, two interviews February 2021, one interview March 2021, two interviews April 2021, two interviews August 2021, one interview September 2021, three interviews The follow-through rate of interested persons is low. All 66 eligible applicants were invited to attempt the prerequisite course but only 15 actually enrolled. Two individuals enrolled but did not start the course. Of the 13 who enrolled, two people needed multiple attempts to complete the course within 2 weeks. One was not successful. Of the 12 invited to interview, 11 participated. Ultimately, it took 66 participants to find 10 solid candidates. The selection process is designed to winnow out those with a casual interest and identify those with the best likelihood of success in this type of learning environment. Outcomes also demonstrate the length of time required to build momentum for the program despite repetitive marketing. It takes a long time to move students through the process once they are accepted. There is not a steady stream of applicants and those who apply are in varied stages of previous high school completion. Students receiving grant-funded scholarships ranged from 0 previous high school credits to entering COHS with 60% of courses already completed. From initial contact to diploma completion takes at least four months, even for students with many transfer credits. Students have different paces of work and available time for study. For most students, the process takes at least a year. Many others will require nearly the entire 18 months allocated. This explains why outreach activities that began in October 2020 resulted in zero students completing the diploma within the grant period. This was an expected result. Outcomes highlight the role of staff communications with prospects and students. Lots of contacts and communications occur during solicitation but there are fewer during the prerequisite and qualification periods. Students receive guidance on what they need to achieve but staff does not offer further assistance or encouragement. This is deliberate; applicants are expected to demonstrate self-reliance and motivation during these periods as criteria for the award and retention of scholarship. After the qualification period is finished, staff actively communicate with enrolled students to build personal relationships. Individual communications that encourage and motivate are important in student retention and success. Of the 10 students enrolled during the grant, 100% are continuing actively at an appropriate pace of work. Students did not give up despite personal challenges such as computer crashes, household moves, illness, and even death of a parent. Project planning should include sufficient personnel and time to follow-through with students all the way to their completion.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Public libraries have a mission of lifelong education for all ages. Libraries are very good at providing programs and services for children and for seniors, but we may fall short in meaningful service for the ages in-between. Our experience, based not just on the grant period but encompassing 4 years as a COHS partner, is that almost all applicants are mid-20’s to early-40’s in age. Most have kindergarten to elementary school-age children in the home. The majority are women who have reached a life stage where they now have time for their own education and development. Almost all our students, male or female, cite being a role model to their children as a driving force in the desire for a diploma. Career Online High School is a valuable tool in assisting adult learners to achieve an educational goal and to improve the quality of life for their families. Partnering with COHS allowed us to reach a demographic that is often underserved -- the parents of young families – to address their needs rather than their children’s. For a library interested in replicating this project by becoming a Career Online High School partner, the lessons to impart are these: 1. Marketing within the library and library channels is not sufficient to reach the target audience. A very wide reach into the community is needed to get the message to people who are not engaged with the library. An active library card is required to log into the initial prerequisite class. We found the percentage of people who had a card when they filled out the interest survey was less than 10%. That was a significant drop-off point in the process; when people were advised how to get a library card so they could proceed, most of them did not do so. Large group outreach activities, such as Back-to-School Fairs or community festivals did not take place. Both would be excellent opportunities to publicize the COHS opportunity and have proven highly successful in past experiences. 2. Evaluate your community to learn where your target audience may be working, shopping, receiving services or interacting with the education system, either for their children or for themselves (adult education, vo-tech programs). On social media, investigate interest groups that are based on geographic neighborhoods, on helping others find services or sharing used furniture and clothing. These locations, whether physical or virtual, are often frequented by persons with lower incomes and young children which was the most common demographic of our COHS applicants. Social media postings also generate excellent word-of-mouth to relatives, friends and neighbors of people not in that social media group. The secondary target audience is workers in minimum wage/part-time/service industry jobs who are seeking better employment. Workforce development/unemployment offices are a natural outlet for marketing because they tend to serve the same target audience. 3. Expect this to start slowly and build momentum. It’s not easy to find effective channels that bring in exactly the people who want this opportunity and are a good fit. It takes a long time for word-of-mouth, which ultimately has been the strongest referral system, to expand throughout your area. A one-year program is not enough. COHS should be viewed as a multi-year project. A library is advised to approach it with intent of an ongoing service and working to identify potential sources of future funding. With student enrollments lasting up to 18 months, planning a 12-month project doesn’t best serve the community. The grant year was the 4th year of our participation and has been the most effective in terms of student success. COHS is more widely known and understood in our county, and the library staff are better skilled in promotion and retention. 4. This program is deeply personal to individuals. Each student is an individual. Each has different challenges in reaching the goal of a high school diploma. If their education experience had been easy, they would not be in the target audience. A successful program will have a caring and interactive staff at the heart of the library partnership with Career Online High School. The school assigns each student an academic coach, and by all student reports the coaches are amazing, caring and helpful. Yet the continued interest and support of the scholarship team who helped the individual into the program is also influential throughout the student’s journey. Expressions of encouragement and “tough love” establishes a rapport that increases the likelihood students will ask for help if they need it. Reminding students of the goals they expressed in their interviews keeps them motivated. When the library team says, “we believe in you and we know you can do this,” students feel known and seen and supported in a way that probably didn’t exist the first time they attempted high school. That matters a lot. Empowering people to change their own lives is why librarians do what we do. Being part of an adult learner’s success story brings deep personal satisfaction. If a library is able to host a graduation ceremony to celebrate their graduates, the success resonates throughout the larger community. Library stakeholders and taxpayers can feel a sense of pride that through the publicly-supported library, they, too, contributed to someone’s educational success. That emotional buy-in feeds the cycle of more media coverage, more word-of-mouth marketing, more referrals, and more diplomas. Adults with a high school diploma typically earn more and by extension, spend more in the local economy. They provide a better quality of life for their families. They pay more in taxes. This, too, feeds the cycle -- that of growing the economy, contributing, and giving back. The lesson learned is that each individual’s educational success has the power to contribute to the well-being of the entire community, and that public libraries play a pivotal role.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: