Perceptions of Hawai'i TRIO talent search staff and target high school administrators of college access factors and project effectiveness.

摘要

Despite an overall increase in college enrollment over the past 50 years, low-income and first-generation students have not achieved the same success. In fact, the gap between low-income and high-income enrollments has increased during the same time period of apparent gains. Educational Talent Search, is a federally funded outreach program that provides services that target low-income and first-generation students, and is attempting to narrow the achievement gap nationally and on the island of Oahu, in the state of Hawaii. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of two Talent Search directors, six Talent Search staff members, and seven target high school principals or vice principals regarding factors that contribute to college access, and program effectiveness. The results showed that social support and cultural capital, along with academic preparation were perceived as the most influential access factors in terms of promoting college access. Help with financial aid applications were perceived as important and effective. Three themes emerged from the research. The first was that cooperation of the school was perceived to increase program effectiveness. The second theme was that immediate postsecondary access was perceived as the ideal goal, but there were external factors that inhibited access. The third theme was that qualitative formative evaluation is perceived as effective and has the potential for improvement.