PROBLEM STATEMENTS

Linda Wells, Ed.D.

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AGENDA

Welcome!

�Common Issues with Problem Statements - 15

Problem Statement Analysis - 15

Revision Using Draft Template

Breakout Groups – optional – 15

Individual meetings – 15 (must sign up)

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48AFA92AA1FCC70-k12swp#/

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

• Most Important Section
• Sets tone, shows credibility,
• Shows your need is
• Compelling
• Urgent
• Important

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CONSIDER THE READER

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• Educated
• May know education, but may not know CTE
• Does not know your situation, so provide info for them to understand your challenges and opportunities
• Write your problem statement like you are telling the reader a story
• Be sure to connect the dots
• They want to give you funding!

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TWO COMMON PROBLEMS

• Presenting solution as problem.
• Sloppy. �Problem Statement unclear, unfocused, inconsequential

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PRESENTING SOLUTION AS THE PROBLEM

• “We need pre-apprenticeships.”
• That’s YOUR problem – the service provider’s – not the students’ problem
• You want pre-apprenticeships but you never convinced the reader why they are important. Ask WHY.
• Never engaged the reader about the students’ problem.
• Educators focus on solutions & bypass problems.
• Reader may not notice, but it’s not compelling.

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REVISING THIS…1

• 85% of our Latino students come from families that work in service careers. The only way these youth acquire tech experience is through our academy. It is extremely challenging for them to network into a tech career with no contacts. We will establish 20 tech pre-apprenticeships at each academy so students receive the opportunity to successfully enter this career.

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REVISING THIS…2

• To solve this issue of livable wage careers, our students can meet our industry partners employment needs, but the students need experience and an entre into the field. �Pre-apprenticeships provide a model to train an ideal employee while providing support and networking for a youth new to the field.

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SLOPPY PROBLEM STATEMENT

• The problem is not stated clearly.
• Too much info cluttering the issue.
• Language is not specific and not compelling.
• No urgency to problem.
• Caused by having too much info and/or waiting until the last minute to write

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PROBLEM STATEMENT ANALYSIS

• We will examine a sample to sharpen our understanding of how to craft an effective Problem Statement.
• We will use a template to draft a Problem Statement
• Our example comes from NOVA
• As we read the example, identify the problem
• It’s long, but this is what the reader experiences.

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PRESENTATION TITLE

11

Using Work-Based Learning to Create Equitable Onramps to High School, College, and Career Success

Problem Statement (2483 characters)

We need to engage underrepresented students in high wage career pathways through expansion of college and career exploration, and work based learning.  A family livable wage in the Bay Area is $124,800, while median income for Latinos in the Bay Area is $44,050, & only 44% of Latinos in the Bay area have completed some postsecondary education. Latino students make up 54% of the student population in Santa Clara County schools. (BACCC & SCCOE)  District course enrollment data reveals that Latinos, & other disproportionately impacted student groups, are severely underrepresented in high tech & high wage CTE classes & pathways. In Santa Clara County, only 29% of students enrolled in Computer Science & STEM classes/pathways are female, & only 23% enrolled are non-White & non-Asian. (STEM) When we crosswalk district student enrollment data w/Center of Excellence LMI data we see that, by a ratio of 4:1, underrepresented students are enrolled in courses with 75% or less the median wage rate of high tech & high wage sectors and pathways. The BACCC/Regional Plan puts equity at the center of CTE programs. CALPADS completer data confirms those underrepresented students present are also 40% less likely to complete the pathways. In CTE courses that have a higher percentage of Latino, female, SPED, EL, SED, & transition students, there is a need to increase the STEM elements & transferable skills that will help students navigate higher tech & higher wage pathways to community college & the workforce. There is a need to expose target students to high tech & high wage career opportunities so they feel they belong in those postsecondary pathways & so they are motivated to enroll in those CTE classes & progress along the work-based learning continuum that leads to enrollment & completions of high tech and high wage community college programs of study, including certifications and apprenticeships along with associate degrees.  All of the consortium pathways supported by this grant are either High Priority Sectors or Priority Sectors within the Regional Plan.  A review of Center of Excellence LMI data indicate all sectors provide high wage and high demand jobs by 2028.  For example, Information and Communication Technologies/Digital Media will have 36,320 job openings by 2028 and an average of $72,968 Annual Earnings; Health sector LMI projects 112,580 jobs by 2028 with $63,327 annual earnings.  All pathways, however, are a point of entry for student support.

 What is the problem?

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WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

• 45% or our students are Latino. A living wage in our area is $125K but Latinos are earning $44K. If we enrolled these students in our Tech Pathways they would have a way to earn a livable wage. But right now, they don’t feel prepared or welcome.
• Our tech industries need well-trained employees, more than 70K jobs paying $75K. These businesses want a diverse workforce.
• We have strong partnerships with our community colleges and they have great tech programs and connections with local tech companies. We need to get our Latinos students into these programs and make sure they complete them.
• One way we can get these students into Pathways is through WBL. Middle school kids will get exposure and see tech is a viable career option for Latinos. HS students can job shadow and complete internships to gain experience and the sense of belonging they need. Visits to our college partners will encourage enrollment.
• WBL supports program completion. By increasing our offerings we can build a seamless program that ensures Latino students enter the tech field, feel welcome and confident, and continue to post-sec education and employment.

CREATE TEMPLATE FROM RUBRIC

COMPLETE TEMPLATE

• Follow steps on template
• Draft uses 3063 characters
• Review checklist
• First and last sentences are most important – craft for greatest impact
• Spend words wisely

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PRESENTATION TITLE

15

Delete Unnecessary Words – Be Brutal

Problem Statement

We need to engage underrepresented students in high wage career pathways through expansion of college and career exploration, and work based learning.  A family livable wage in the Bay Area is $124K,800, while Latino median income for Latinos in the Bay Area is $44K,050, & o Only 44% of Latinos in the Bay area have completed some postsecondary education. Latinos comprise students make up 54% of the student population in Santa Clara County schools. (BACCC & SCCOE)  District course enrollment data reveals that Latinos, & other disproportionately impacted student groups, are severely underrepresented in high tech & high wage CTE classes & pathways. In Santa Clara County, only 29% of students enrolled in Computer Science & STEM classes/pathways are female, & only 23% enrolled are non-White & non-Asian. (STEM) When we crosswalk district student enrollment data w/Center of Excellence LMI data shows we see that, by a ratio of 4:1, underrepresented students are enrolled in low-wage pathways. courses with 75% or less the median wage rate of high tech & high wage sectors and pathways. The BACCC/Regional Plan puts equity at the center of CTE programs. CALPADS completer data confirms those underrepresented students present are also 40% less likely to complete the pathways. In CTE courses that have a higher percentage of Latino, female, SPED, EL, SED, & transition students, there is a need to increase the STEM elements & transferable skills that will help students navigate higher tech & higher wage pathways to community college & the workforce. There is a need to expose target students to high tech & high wage career opportunities so they feel they belong in those postsecondary pathways & so they are motivated to enroll in those CTE classes & progress along the work-based learning continuum that leads to enrollment & completions of high tech and high wage community college programs of study, including certifications and apprenticeships along with associate degrees.  All of the consortium pathways supported by this grant are either High Priority Sectors or Priority Sectors within the Regional Plan.  A review of Center of Excellence LMI data indicate all sectors provide high wage and high demand jobs by 2028.  For example, Information and Communication Technologies/Digital Media will have 36,320 job openings by 2028 and an average of $72,968 Annual Earnings; Health sector LMI projects 112,580 jobs by 2028 with $63,327 annual earnings.  All pathways, however, are a point of entry for student support.

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WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?

• Simple and clear
• Review it with a colleague for feedback
• Draft early so you can wordsmith
• Use language that is simple, clear, powerful, and precise
• Writing improves with practice

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BREAKOUT GROUPS

• Discuss your problem statement and where you are at with it
• Complete one section of template, if you like
• What are your next steps?

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THANK YOU!

• Contact:
• Linda Wells, Ed.D.
• Linda.Wells.Ed.D@gmail.com

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• Regional Contacts:
• Giselle Bice, Giselle.Bice@canyons.edu
• Don Daves-Rougeaux, don@baccc.net
• Sharon Turner, turnersharon@fhda.edu

• Please complete eval: https://forms.gle/iKnrAQwkiygF1NZE7

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