Rx for ER: Prescriptions for Effective Retention is a partnership among Tomball College, a North Harris Montgomery Community College, the lead institution , and Northwest Vista College, an Alamo Community College, Texas State Technical College-West Texas, Laredo Community College, and Amarillo College.  Over the 2004-2007 academic years, the partnership has developed not only an informational site about retention issues, but also practical blueprints to guide colleges across Texas in their efforts to improve student retention and success.

Each of the five partners have tapped their expertise to develop modules that instruct about effective retention strategies.  The goal for year two was to expand the list of modules and to implement case studies of implementation projects that are highlighted under the "blueprint section" of appropriate modules.  The final year also expanded the list of modules, and culminated with an innovative "Voices Project" to listen and compare perspectives of students, faculty, staff, and administrators across a broad range of Texas community colleges.  Dissemination has been paramount in each year of the grant.

Amarillo College joined the RX for ER: Prescriptions for Effective Retention team in 2005. Under the mentorship of Northwest Vista College, Amarillo College implemented a pilot learning community in Spring 2006 that targeted prospective allied health students, using collaborative learning strategies.  The project was based on the blueprint from the modules developed by Northwest Vista College.  The learning community project exploded into a campus wide investment  and expansion of the learning community/ collaborative learning model at Amarillo College.  A case study journals the experiences in implementing a first learning community, and provides both student retention data and recommendations on the process of developing learning communities using collaborative learning.  Amarillo College also contributed a module on Supplemental Instruction.

Laredo Community College developed two modules on technology-based strategies of blended learning and distance learning that have significant impact on retention.  Laredo Community College formed a collaborative among rural colleges in South Texas to mutually share expertise about technology, particularly that required to support distance learning students.  The original intent to mentor a minimum of three institutions in rural and urban locations that planned to implement technology-base retention strategies, expanded to include nine colleges and universities that participated at their own expense.

Northwest Vista College has developed four modules over the course of the grant.  The signature modules on Learning Communities and Collaborative Learning (Alternative Courses) included blueprints that Amarillo College used in developing a prototype learning community, using collaborative learning strategies. Northwest Vista also developed a module on The Advocacy Center, a resource center that is designed to "catch and release" students who need focused tutoring, advising, counseling or administrative support to remain in their classes. The Advocacy Center will be implemented at Tomball College as a new program and Northwest Vista College will provide advice and support in that process. Finally, Northwest Vista College developed a module on Drop Counseling Training that is an integral component to ensure the effectiveness of the Advocacy Center.

TSTC-West Texas contributed the module on student services for orientation, and studied the impact of retention on rural colleges and students who face unusual challenges.

Tomball College contribued the module on the Tutor Coach, and an Overview of Retention issues.  The case study on efforts to incorporate an Advocacy Center in collaboration with Northwest Vista College is included as part of that blueprint.  Finally Tomball College coordinated the overall grant, including developing and maintaining the website, and will continue to serve as a clearing house for updates and new contributions to the program.

All five colleges collaborated on the Voices Project, in which career and technical education students across the state participated in focus groups that responded to common questions about factors that impact retention.  A forum of faculty, staff, and administrators was held.  In addition to responding to the same common questions in a focus group setting, the forum compared their responses to those of students and developed strategies to capitalize on commonalities and to meet the challenges of the differences.  A top ten list of recommendations from that experiences can be found in the Voices Project.

The partnership of five colleges well represents the diverse students populations in Texas. Laredo is a city of 200,000 in South Texas, and LCC serves a population of approximately 9,000 students of whom 96% have Hispanic heritage. Northwest Vista College serves suburban San Antonio and rural outlying towns in Central Texas and since its opening in 1998, it has grown from 700 o more that 9,000 students. NVC is a Hispanic serving institution. TSTC-WT serves Sweetwater. Amarillo College is located in the center of the Texas Panhandle and serves over 10,000 students in a nine-county area, with three sites in Amarillo, and two sites in cities within a 50 mile radius. Many Amarillo College students come from lower socio-economic communities and struggle to succeed in college. Tomball College serves approximately 7,500 students from communities surrounding the Houston suburb of Tomball, an East Texas city of 10,000. The satellite campus, Willow Chase Center is located 12 miles closer to Houston, serves about 45% of the student population.

The team members also represent individuals with passion and expertise about efforts to improve students' opportunities for a successful college experience.  Among the authors, Barbara-Griest Devora, NVC, earned her Ph.D. in the first year of the project, with a research emphasis on the impact of Learning Communities.  Natalia Trevino, NVC, appeared on a STARLINK program to share her expertise in collaborative learning strategies. 

Enrique Garcia, LCC, has extensive expertise in industry and in creating a center to provide professional development to the faculty of his college.  His leadership has resulted in a unique collaboration among technology faculty and support teams across south Texas. 

Courtney Milleson, AC, is completing her doctorate in 2007 with a research focus on the impact of Supplemental Instruction.  The team of Courtney Milleson and Charlotte Goebel have been instrumental in stimulating new ideas and excitement among the team members. 

Christine Salmon, TC, earned her doctorate in 2006, focusing on professional development for adjunct faculty.  Her expertise in technical and instructional design has been invaluable.  Peg Crider, TC, has a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, Mathematics Education, and has provided guidance and organizational oversight. 

Robert Starke, El Paso Community College and Alma Adamez, Coastal Bend College, gave support and advice as Directors of the Professional Development and Retention and Success Leadership Consortiums in Texas.  The unique strengths of the individual grant team members and the collective synergy of all of the members have contributed to a unique experience for the group in providing this valuable resource to colleges in Texas.