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REPORT ON THE
GRAD NATION ACTION TEAM
COLLABORATIVE CONVENINGS
College Readiness, Access & Completion
Written by Elizabeth Molina Morgan, PhD
JANUARY 2013
1
Due to the efforts and awareness initiatives of
organizations like America’s Promise Alliance, a
national conversation has developed around
ensuring high school graduation, access to
college, and college completion. Based on expert
opinions that the definition of success in a
global, interconnected world has broadened to
include the need for a quality education for all
citizens, increasing high school and post-
secondary graduation completion rates has
become a national priority. President Obama has
set a goal for the nation of attaining
the highest proportion of college
graduates by 2020. Yet, despite
aggressive goals set nationally by
various influential organizations
and individual states and school
systems, challenges remain in
achieving them.
Through the generous
support of the Bill and
Melinda Gates and Lumina
Foundations, facilitators from
America’s Promise Alliance
joined with “Practitioner-
Experts” in four cities to
explore issues and
challenges pertaining to
college readiness, access and
completion, and to form an
Action Team Collaborative for
future collective action focused
on the common goal of
ensuring that young people
are prepared to attend college and have
opportunities to achieve postsecondary success.
The project also sought to deepen understanding
of the issues by capturing testimony from those
in the field who are doing the work on a daily
basis. To that end, during 2012, four convenings
were organized across the country in diverse
communities to help fill the gap between
research and practice, and to discover successful
innovations, programs and best practices that can
be brought to scale. Each convening followed a
similar format to elicit optimum discussion.
Participants were asked to describe their best
practices, barriers they have encountered, and
solutions regarding college readiness, access, and
completion. In addition, the participants were
asked to reflect on current issues and challenges
they face and how to resolve them.
The cities visited - Baltimore, Miami, Louisville
and Denver - vary in demographics and
community cultures, however, all are grappling
with similar challenges of how to increase the
proportion of their citizens who have attained a
high school diploma and postsecondary degrees
or credentials. The expert participants in each
city represented a wide cross-section of business
and community leaders, elected officials,
P-20 educators, students, and non-profit
organizations, and provided testimonials to
the progress that is being made in their
settings toward improved readiness, access,
and completion.
Report on the Grad Nation Action Team Collaborative Convenings
E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y
2
What they had in common were conscious
efforts toward increased rigor; implementation of
innovative programs; revision of curriculum and
courses; the implementation of a P-20 structure
with involvement of all major educational
institutions in the pipeline; and the formation of
school-university-community partnerships that
have led to success in their cities and states.
They cited research and gave rich descriptions of
effective practices, offering many examples of
successful programs. They agreed that “readiness”
is defined as students not needing academic
remediation, who have been sufficiently exposed
to rigorous courses and have acquired content
knowledge, cognitive strategies, learning and
goal-setting skills, and the motivation to enable
them to be successful when dealing with college
work. A number of participants expressed that
through the creation of cross-sector partnerships
and collective strategy, programs have been
created that support high school and college
completion for an increasing number of
students.
The groups in all four cities were adamant that
the psycho-social factors that impact college-
readiness and contribute to success in school and
college, are equally as important as academic
skills. Those factors include academic mindsets,
attitudes, aspirations and behaviors, as well as
independence, social awareness, knowledge of
college culture, and an ability to integrate into
the college community. It was also noted that
these non-academic factors, including cultural
and financial barriers, can significantly affect a
student’s college-going and completion rates.
Also discussed were the challenges facing the four
cities in realizing success toward increasing high
school and post-secondary graduation rates.
They were listed as: the need to provide effective
supports and initiatives for high-poverty,
minority and ELL students in order to accelerate
readiness for the college experience and reach
completion of a degree or certificate; the need to
effectively remediate academic deficits before
students enter college; the need for college
faculty to become more sensitive to diverse
cultural and economic backgrounds among its
students; the need for awareness of the growing
Hispanic population and the implications of this
growth for change in programming and policy;
and the financial burdens of post-secondary
education that remain a major obstacle to college
completion for many students.
These challenges are multi-faceted and inter-
connected; to address them will require a great
deal of focused effort and resources. Through
cross-sector collaboration and collective strategy,
new programs can be created, and effective
programs expanded in order to support
successful completion for more students.
Several speakers and others in the various groups
reported that institutions of higher education are
focusing on improving their completion rates by
shifting to a “culture of success” on their
campuses. Each city has focused on college
access with good results, but the emphasis must
now shift to completion. All expressed a sense of
urgency that this be accomplished at a greatly
accelerated rate. Initiatives such as Lumina
Foundation’s Goal 2025 are evidence that
3
emphasis has already begun to shift from “access”
to “completion.” Organizations such as America’s
Promise can collaborate with schools, students,
parents, and communities to develop college-
completing awareness, and help increase efforts
toward ensuring that students are not just
entering college, but that they are attaining a
degree or certificate that will lead to a better
career. This will bolster the success of
individuals, local communities, and the nation as
a whole.
The issues surrounding readiness, access, and
completion have been explored by researchers
and practitioners alike. Reform leaders such as
the Gates Foundations and Lumina, along with
educational researchers, practitioners, and non-
profit organizations have made significant strides
in identifying both empirical and practical
evidence of the challenges and solutions involved
with increasing the number of high school and
college graduates in America. The Action team
Collaborative project not only corroborated the
existing research, but also shed light on new areas
for exploration.
4
Introduction
The Grad Nation campaign of America’s Promise
Alliance has dedicated its work to stemming the
tide of a national crisis that is undermining the
welfare of the nation’s youth, as well as the
strength of our nation itself. One out of four
students does not graduate high school with his
or her peers.1 The global leader after World War
II, the United States had the highest high school
graduation rate in the world, reaching the peak
in 1969.2 We now rank near the bottom for high
school completion (22 out of 27), seven
percentage points below the OECD average,3
with more than one million secondary school
students dropping out every year. For African-
American and Hispanic students, approximately
40 percent do not graduate. Of those students
who do graduate, too many lack basic skills they
need to succeed.4
Today, the definition of success in our global,
interconnected world has broadened to include
completion of postsecondary education. Our
national education goals must now encompass
ensuring high school graduation, college access,
and college completion. The Grad Nation goals
include achieving a 90 percent high school
graduation rate by 2020, with no high school
graduating less than 80 percent of students; and
regaining America’s standing as first in the world
in college completion. Attaining these
benchmarks is essential to strengthening the
nation’s competitiveness, reducing educational
inequities, and decreasing poverty.
While much has been written about successful
college readiness, access, and completion,
America’s Promise, with the support of the
Lumina and the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundations, has sought to broaden and deepen
understanding of the issues by capturing
testimony from the “practitioner experts” in the
field doing the work on a daily basis. To that
end, during 2012, four convenings were
organized across the country in diverse
communities to help fill the gap between
research and actual practice, and to discover
successful innovations and programs which can
be brought to scale. It was also the desire to
gather implications for future collective action
and policy changes, and to establish
collaborations toward the common goal of
helping prepare young people to achieve
postsecondary success.
Lumina Foundation, one of the sponsors of the
Grad Nation work that this report addresses, has
defined as its mission “Goal 2025 – to increase
the percentage of Americans who hold high
quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by
2025.”5 The Foundation is committed to
enrolling and graduating more students from
college and is the nation’s largest foundation
dedicated exclusively to increasing students’
access to, and success in, postsecondary
education. Current data show that Goal 2025
faces significant challenges. Forty percent of
entering college students require remedial
courses in math or English. Only sixty-one
percent of freshman entering a four-year college
program finish a college degree within six years;
for two-year programs, the figure is thirty-two
percent.6
1
Landscape Review
A scan of relevant research both affirms the
importance of issues of college readiness, access,
and completion and reveals useful strategies and
initiatives that can address these issues. To be
ready for college,7 high school students need
rigorous coursework that aligns with college
curriculum. A rigorous high school curriculum,
supplemented if necessary by academic readiness
programs such as summer bridge classes, has
been found to increase a student’s likelihood of
both attending and completing college, and can
reduce the need for remedial courses at the
college level. However, students need more than
academic support in the journey to
college admission. A survey of the
Greater Louisville community
revealed that students’ and parents’
misconceptions and confusions
about college academics, financial
planning, and the college
experience, in general, may present
serious obstacles to both college admission and
success.
This study reveaed the disparity between what
high school students think about college and
what college life really entails; 11 percent believe
it will be difficult, 49 percent believe that it will
not be difficult, and 70 percent anticipate having
no trouble balancing the social and academic
components of college. First-generation college
attendees, particularly, lack exposure to college
culture and demands, and experience a degree of
alienation as freshman due to lack of familiarity
with the college environment.8 Parents, too,
need help to understand the financial and
academic demands of college. Better preparation
in all arenas will lead to higher levels of success.
School-college partnership programs can address
academic, social, and financial needs, thereby
increasing preparedness, providing more
opportunities for access, and easing the
transition to post-secondary education.9 Early
intervention is key, since the students who hear
about college at a young age are more likely to
believe that it is important.10 Better preparation
and increased awareness will not only improve
students’ readiness levels, but will also increase
college completion rates.
A key component to increasing the number of
college graduates is increasing the attainment
rates of minority and low income students.
Experts recognize the vulnerability of
underserved populations when it comes to issues
of higher education access and completion, and
at the same time see the critical role these
students will play in our nation’s future. For
example, an initiative by Lumina Foundation,
the Latino Student Success effort, recognizes the
rapidly growing Latino population and seeks to
increase college attainment for Latino students
“for reasons of equity, economic stability and
national competitiveness.”11
5
To be ready for college, highschool students needrigorous coursework thataligns with collegecurriculum.
“School-college partnership programs canaddress academic, social, and financialneeds, thereby increasing preparedness,providing more opportunities for access, andeasing the transition to post-secondaryeducation.”
1
Minority and low income students are in
particular need of support both before and
during college to ensure success, since the
opportunities and pathways traditionally
available to them have been limited.12 Early
immersion in college-going culture, scholarships
and other financial support, and mentoring
initiatives are conducive to the post-secondary
success of minority students.13 Promising work
is being done through programs such as the
Achieving the Dream, the Equity ScorecardTM,
and the Pathways to Results initiative led by the
Office of Community College Research and
Leadership, all of which offer models of
improving both access and completion rates for
underserved populations.14 The current research
and data also point to the critical nature of the
work of America’s Promise/Grad Nation and its
more than 400 partners, and confirms that the
need for early intervention, strong academic
preparation, financial assistance, and ongoing
social support are the keys to assuring as many
students as possible achieve the goal of a post-
secondary degree or certification.
Increasing high school and post-secondary
graduation rates has become a national priority.
President Obama set a goal for the nation of
attaining the highest proportion of college
graduates by 2020. States like Maryland,
Kentucky, and Texas have set similar goals and
enacted policy and legislation to support that
end. Individual colleges and universities have
followed suit, developing programs and
initiatives that will support students to be ready
for the college experience, gain access to post-
secondary education, and attain a diploma in the
field of their choice.
Corporations, nonprofits and communities are
helping to advance the President’s goal. Many
programs, policies, and initiatives that align with
empirical data are being implemented. Though
many challenges remain, increased efforts,
research, and collaboration hold great promise.
6
The Convenings
Between January and August 2012, convenings
took place in four cities: Baltimore, Miami,
Louisville, and Denver. A wide cross-section of
key leaders, including political leaders, higher
education officials, P-12 school superintendents,
teachers, and administrators, state education
officials, business leaders, college professors,
representatives from non-profit organizations,
and students, as well as other decision-makers,
and practitioners, participated in each event.
The sessions were developed, coordinated and
facilitated by Elizabeth Molina Morgan, PhD,
Chief Education Advisor to America’s Promise.
Each convening followed a similar format to
elicit optimum discussion. Participants were
asked to describe their best practices, barriers
they have encountered, and solutions regarding
college readiness, access, and completion. In
addition, the participants were asked to reflect
on the following four issues: areas that needed
more attention or different strategies to make
Pre-k to 20 education successful in their
respective cities; where their cities lacked
necessary supports; in which areas their cities
need more collaboration; and what local, state,
or federal policies are needed to accelerate
student success (see attachments for convening
agendas and related documents).
Recurring Themes
Many common themes emerged from the
discussions, and it was apparent that all
participants hold the view that the social and
economic wellbeing of our country can best be
addressed by educating many more people
beyond high school. All expressed a sense of
urgency that this must be accomplished at a
greatly accelerated rate. There was agreement
that gaps and challenges among high poverty and
minority students must be eliminated, and that
there is a need to share and implement strategies
that have proven successful. Despite the
challenges expressed, the four convening groups
expressed a firm belief that given the right
supports, received at just the right time,
students, regardless of background, can be
successful and complete college.
The Grad Nation goals of 90 percent high school
graduation rate by 2020, and regaining America’s
standing as first in the world in college
completion, as
well as Lumina
Foundation’s goal
of increasing the
proportion of
Americans with high
quality degrees and
credentials to 60 percent by 2025 were embraced
by participants.
A striking common denominator among the
four cities was how dynamic leadership has
created progress. In each, it was evident that
strong, committed leadership from top officials
17
…Given the right supports…students, regardless ofbackground, can besuccessful and completecollege.
1
who communicate the need for college
completion and its benefits to the community,
who have the ability to harness and galvanize
multi-sector support, engagement, and
collaboration, and who can impart a sense of
urgency to act now are essential to building a
college-going culture. The cities visited had at
least one strong leader and advocate for higher
education attainment.
The “Practitioner-Experts” at the four
convenings provided testimonials to the progress
that is being made in their settings toward
improved readiness, access, and completion.
What they had in common were conscious
efforts toward increased rigor; implementation of
innovative program; and the formation of
school-university-community partnerships that
have led to success in these cities and their states.
All participants cited research and gave rich
descriptions of effective practice, offering
examples of successful programs.
It was noted that in three of the four cities,
there was concern expressed about the growing
Hispanic student population and issues of
language competence and immigration status.
While Hispanic students are growing in
numbers, lower high school graduation rates,
coupled with lower college entry and exceedingly
low completion rates put this population at
risk, and could compromise America’s future if
not addressed.
Five basic themes indicated a shared view of
current thinking, implications, challenges, and
solutions which are summarized here:
1. Students need to acquire the necessary
academic and non-academic skills to enter
into and successfully complete post-
secondary education programs.
A key idea, emphasized at each convening,
was that students need to be provided with
the necessary tools to enter into and
successfully complete post-secondary
education programs. Participants agreed
that “readiness” means, in part, that
students are prepared to enter college
remediation-free and ready to succeed in
credit-bearing courses. This goal can be
addressed through increased rigor in the K-
12 curriculum, which will be bolstered by
wide adoption and implementation of the
Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
Increasing the offering of, and success in,
AP courses, and opportunities to take
college courses during high school will also
improve academic readiness, as will the
alignment of high school and college
curricula. Remediation, beginning in
middle school or earlier, as needed, along
with summer bridge and other programs for
high school students, will help ensure that
students are ready for the academic
demands of college.
In each city, participants also noted that
“readiness” entails more than just academic
preparation. Non-academic factors
including cultural, social and financial
barriers can affect a student’s college-going
and completion rates. Students must be
provided ways to develop social and
emotional tools that will help them
8
1
succeed. It is important that they are
exposed to a “college-going” attitude
beginning in elementary school. Students
must develop readiness skills such as
maturity, independence, perseverance, self-
confidence, study skills, and time
management; many experts and leaders
agreed that these skills can be taught
throughout the school experience, and
perhaps in specially designed college-
readiness courses. Additionally, students
and parents must be aware of college
culture and the importance of credentials
for future success. This can be facilitated
through campus visits, seminars, and
information sessions; additionally, guidance
counselors can serve as college coaches.
Such events and resources can also serve to
educate parents and students about the cost
of college and make them aware of financial
aid opportunities, including scholarships
and grants. Financing a post-secondary
education can be daunting and may deter
some students from pursuing or completing
a degree. Parents and students need
support to navigate the financial aid
process, including help completing forms
and applications. College students need
on-going financial counseling and support
to promote both college readiness and
completion.
2. Students need to be provided with
opportunities that will allow them to access
and complete higher education.
The work of preparing students to succeed
in college needs to continue into the
freshman experience. At the college level,
the creation of student interest groups,
living and learning communities, and
cohort study groups help students form
networks and connections; through these
supportive networks, they are more likely to
remain engaged and refine their study and
social skills.
Each of the four convenings examined the
topic of college access; students need to be
provided with opportunities that will allow
them to access and
complete higher
education.
Improving access
begins in the P-12
grades with
increased exposure
to college culture
and academic preparedness, including AP
and early college courses, which start
students on the path of earning college
credits. Additionally, bridge programs,
workshops, campus visits, and other
information sessions expose parents and
students to the college environment and
educate them about the social, academic,
and financial elements of higher education.
Participants noted critical issues at the very
heart of access—increasing high school
graduation rates and eliminating the
achievement gaps among ELL and minority
students. Addressing them will ensure that
students will have better opportunities to
enter college.
9
Participants noted criticalissues at the very heart ofaccess—increasing highschool graduation rates andeliminating the achievementgaps…
In addition to addressing issues of readiness
and access, participants said that it is
essential that initiatives and reforms be put
in place to address college completion. Too
many students drop out before earning
their degrees. Living and learning
communities and cohort study groups, such
as those mentioned above, can foster
community and help college students feel
more connected. Careful academic
counseling and on-going financial
counseling can help ensure that students are
on a path to completion. Additionally,
two- and four-year colleges need to work to
ease the transfer process, and create
universal reciprocity for credits earned.
3. Increased collaboration and
communication between P-12 and post-
secondary institutions will support student
success.
An overarching theme that emerged in
relation to each of the key areas of
readiness, access, and completion was the
need for increased collaboration and
communication amongst stakeholders.
First, a strong P-20 initiative can create
collaboration throughout the education
continuum to strengthen readiness, access,
and completion. School-university
partnerships can improve academic
alignment, implement bridge programs,
organize campus visits, create remediation
programs, and provide financial incentives
and opportunities for students. School-
community partnerships also offer promise.
Business organizations can create financial
incentives, internships, and other
opportunities for students, providing them
with experience, resources, and motivation
to succeed. Communities can also support
school choice and the development of
alternatives such as charter and magnet
schools, which can meet the needs of
students in innovative ways.
4. Institutional reform at all levels of the P-20
continuum will increase success along the
educational pipeline.
In order to achieve improvements in
readiness, access, and completion,
continued reform is needed at all levels of
the P-20 continuum; this was a theme that
undergirded the discussion
at each convening. P-12
schools must adopt an
attitude of innovation to
meet the academic and
social needs of students, including the
elimination of the achievement gap and the
implementation of coherent, rigorous
curricula. Teachers and school counselors
need to be evaluated and held accountable
for their work with students. Districts
should be encouraged to develop publicly-
chartered and magnet schools, career
academies, themed programs, and
alternative school models so that families
and students can select the best fit for
students’ interests, skills, career aspirations,
and learning needs, thus increasing the
likelihood that students will graduate.
110
... Continued reform isneeded at all levels of the P-20 continuum.
1
Post-secondary institutions must also
reform their policies and programs to meet
student needs. They should develop ways
to track students’ progress and intervene at
critical junctures; they must also provide
strong academic and career advising.
College faculty and staff must have time
and resources to develop strategies that
support completion, including effective
teaching strategies for high poverty,
minority and ELL students. Additionally,
courses and programs must be revised to
align with marketplace needs. Colleges
need to be held accountable for their
graduation rates, too, which would provide
incentives for retention efforts and program
improvement.
5. Careful collection, dissemination, and
application of data will accelerate efforts.
Finally, to accomplish improvements in
readiness, access, and completion, there
needs to be careful collection,
dissemination, and application of data.
Schools need to assess and track P-20
student progress; following an individual
student’s progress and intervening when
necessary will foster readiness and
completion. Contact software can facilitate
this process. Effective, fair teacher
evaluation systems should be developed and
implemented. Schools and programs must
be assessed for effectiveness based on
current data. Finally, institutions,
community members, and other
stakeholders must share data and
information on best practices and successful
programs so these can be replicated and
brought to scale. The four convenings
provided a platform and opportunity for
this type of communication.
The Four Cities
The Four cities in which each of the convenings
was held have their own unique cultural
environments and demographics. Participants in
each city expressed individualized responses to
the questions posed and offered unique
approaches to issues related to college readiness,
access and completion. Details on each of them
follows.
BALTIMORE
Of the four cities, Baltimore has the highest
proportion of African-American students, and
has been involved in significant education reform
efforts for nearly two decades. Baltimore is
surrounded by outstanding suburban school
systems and award-winning community colleges.
The city is bolstered by excellent statewide
systems for P-20 articulation and by a statewide
college completion goal of 55 percent of its
population attaining a college degree by 2025.
Among the nation’s 20 largest metropolitan
areas, Baltimore ranks 8th in degree attainment,
with 43.9 percent of residents holding a
postsecondary degree.16 However, attainment for
whites and Asians is nearly double the rates for
African-Americans and Hispanics. Additionally,
Baltimore City has Maryland’s greatest
proportion of low-performing schools.17
11
112
READINESS MARYLAND RANK NATIONALAVG
High School Graduation Rate 72.8% 25th 70%
Remedial Enrollment, Two-year colleges 66.3% 20th (out of 27) N/A
Remedial Enrollment, Four-year colleges 25% 13th(out of 25) N/A
ACCESS
College-going Rates (HS grads) 62.9% 25th 63.3%
COMPLETION
First Year Rentention Rates,Two Year Colleges 54.6% 26th 52.6%
First Year Rentention Rates,Four Year Colleges 81% 6th 76%
AA Completion (three year rates) 21.8% 36th 29.2%
BA Completion (six year rates) 64.1% 5th 55.5%
SOURCE: With the exception of remedial enrollment, all data are from the NCHEMS Information Center,retrieved on March 22, 2012. Remedial enrollment data was retrieved on the same date from the CompleteCollege America website. The remediation data is based on all first-time degree- or certificate-seekingstudents (not just recent high school graduates).
BALTIMORE
For the performance of its P-12 educational
system, Maryland has been ranked the top state
by Education Week for four consecutive years,
and earned several #1 rankings from the College
Board for achievement on Advanced Placement
tests. Maryland was one of the first states to
adopt the Common Core State Standards, and is
a “governing” state of PARCC, the new, national
assessment system. The state’s four-year
universities (public and private) stand out
nationally in terms of retaining and graduating
students. Despite the foregoing facts, the state is
more average in many other typical measures of
college readiness, access, and success.
Racial and ethnic gaps in performance are also
cause for concern. While those gaps are
narrower than the nation as a whole in terms of
high school graduation, they are still significant.
At the postsecondary level, the gaps widen.
Though Maryland’s four-year universities
perform very well in six-year graduation rates,
they have the third-highest gap between whites
and minorities in six-year
graduation rates.
The state is home to four
historically black colleges and
universities: Morgan, Bowie, and
Coppin Universities, and the
University of Maryland Eastern
Shore (UMES). Applicants come increasingly
from a pool of more economically disadvantaged
students, many of whom may also be less well
prepared academically, are the first members of
their families to attend college, come from
schools without strong college preparatory
programs, may need remedial instruction, and
may have to work while attending school. The
historically black colleges and universities have
responded with intensive interventions to
support students toward college completion.18
The Baltimore group noted that college access
and completion entail affordability and financial
acumen, entrance requirements that are
transparent, and support in making decisions
about college. They reported that large numbers
of students in Baltimore who enter college never
graduate, and while academic preparation is a
significant factor, lack of financial aid, lack of
integration into the college community, and lack
of psycho-social skills needed for college success
create formidable barriers to college completion.
All agreed that psycho-social factors that impact
college-readiness and contribute to success in
school and college can, and should, be taught.
Those factors include academic mindsets and
behaviors, attitudes and aspirations. Participants
agreed that teacher preparation is vital to the
success of students, and view Maryland’s
Educator Effectiveness Academies as successful
vehicles for strengthening teaching practice.19
The Baltimore participants identified college
readiness as a major concern and presented a
nuanced understanding of this issue as
encompassing content knowledge, cognitive
strategies, learning skills, motivation, tenacity,
113
Too many low-incomestudents in Baltimore do noteven apply for financial aid,because the process seemsinsurmountable.
“Course redesign… has increased thenumber of students who can finish…”
UMBC President, Freeman Hrabowski
goal-setting, and transition knowledge. Another
impediment to college access emphasized in
Baltimore is financial aid. Particularly daunting
are the application processes, and it was noted
that too many low-income students in Baltimore
do not even apply for financial aid, because the
process seems insurmountable. The processes
need to be simplified and be made more
transparent. Students also need to be made more
aware of the range of postsecondary choices and
options available to them, including two-year
and career-oriented colleges – they are not
receiving enough comprehensive counseling and
support in making decisions about postsecondary
education. Parents, as well, need to be engaged
in the process.
Participants reported that Maryland’s institutions
of higher education (IHE) have focused on
improving their completion rates by shifting to a
“culture of success” on their campuses. Strategies
for retaining students in college are the first steps
toward completion. An effective approach
developed at one campus of the University
System (UMES) is the “triangle model” that
addresses the students’ social, academic, and
institutional needs. The model includes a
summer institute for incoming students that
provides orientation and remediation. Dr.
Reginald Ross, Vice President for Enrollment
Management at Coppin stated that, “Persistence
rates for freshmen who participate in summer
immersion programs are beginning to rise.” To
help promote student engagement, connections,
and support networks on campus, first-year
interest groups are formed, as well as “living and
learning communities,” – groups of students
formed by the university purposefully to ensure
students feel a sense of belonging and have a
problem solving peer group when they encounter
challenges. UMBC has successfully increased
completion by forming student study groups to
increase a student’s sense of affiliation and
connection with the college community, while
improving focus on academic work.
Additionally, several IHEs have increased
retention and completion rates by redesigning
their science and math courses. UMBC
President, Freeman Hrabowski, noted: “Course
redesign…has increased the number of students
who can finish….We plan to redo all courses.”
It was agreed that course redesign is vital to
motivating students and keeping them engaged,
and this initiative has been a major focus within
the University of Maryland System.
Advising has been strengthened during the
sophomore year, since data reveal that it is a
critical year when students decide to drop out.20
At the University of Maryland, school officials
contact students who have left college, encourage
them to return, and offer assistance needed.
Several campuses use early alert systems to
identify struggling students and provide them
with extra help.
The Baltimore group agreed that improving
college completion rates will require ongoing
collection and analysis of data by postsecondary
institutions to ascertain and understand their
students’ behavior patterns and evaluate
approaches that work. Maryland has been a
forerunner in developing a P-20, longitudinal
114
1
data system that holds great promise for studying
education dropout and completion patterns in
the future.
MIAMI
A published report by Lumina Foundation
predicted that by 2018, 59 percent of Florida’s
jobs will require postsecondary education.
Currently, 36.5 percent of the state’s 9.8 million
working adults hold at least a two-year degree.
Florida’s economic future depends on producing
more college graduates.21 One strategy to raise
that number is to encourage and assist the 22
percent of Florida’s adults who have gone to
college but not earned a degree, to complete
requirements for a degree. Florida must also
develop strategies to close the existing
achievement gaps among counties and fast-
growing groups in the state, including low-
income and first generation students, especially
Hispanic students.
Among the 20 largest metropolitan cities in
America, Miami ranks 8th in size, and 13th in
college attainment with about a third of its
adults (37.7 percent) holding at least a two year
degree.22 However, that standing is not a direct
reflection on the state’s education system, as it
includes people with college degrees from other
states or nations who reside in the area. In
addition, there are stark contrasts in educational
attainment across racial and ethnic groups.23
According to the most recent data available, the
high school graduation rate in Miami Dade is
58.5 percent.24 In this district, two in three
students (63.4) is Hispanic and an equal
proportion (63.4) of all students is eligible for
free and reduced-price meals.25
Florida also faces challenges in improving high
school graduation rate, which was 68.9 in 2009,
and a college completion rate of 25.6 percent
(also in 2009). According to the Grad Nation
index used by the Alliance for Excellent
Education, with a 90 percent high school
graduation rate, the additional graduates could
deliver an estimated $414 million in increased
annual earnings, $74
million in increased
annual state tax
revenues, and an
additional $532
million increase in the
Gross State Product.26
It behooves leaders
and educators in the
state to make citizens
aware of the high, economic stakes involved in
the initiatives to increase college readiness,
access, and completion.
Miami has been making steady progress in these
three areas. Under the leadership of Alberto
Carvalho, the Miami-Dade Public Schools has
been gaining momentum toward excellence in
college-readiness for its students. The student
population of Miami-Dade is 67 percent
Hispanic and 25 percent Haitian and African-
American, and according to Superintendent
Carvalho, “This is the face of the future
America.” He believes that “leaders must create
a hunger and demand for excellence by parents
and the community,” and effective reform must
be driven by an empowered citizenry. Because
15
The student population ofMiami-Dade is 67 percentHispanic and 25 percentHaitian and African-American, and according toSuperintendent Carvalho,“This is the face of the futureAmerica.”
116
READINESS FLORIDA RANK NATIONALAVG
High School Graduation Rate 68.9% 44th 75.5%(out of 51)
Remedial Enrollment, Two-year colleges 54.6% 21st (out of 27) N/A
Remedial Enrollment, Four-year colleges NP* N/A
ACCESS
College-going Rates (HS grads) 58.8% 39th 63.3%
COMPLETION
First Year Rentention Rates,Two-year Colleges 64.1% 9th 54.3%
First Year Rentention Rates,Four-year Colleges 77.9% 19th 77.1%
AA Completion (three-year rates) 48.1% 3rd 29.2%
BA Completion (six-year rates) 64.1% 38th 55.5%
SOURCE: With the exception of remedial enrollment and high school graduation rate, all data are from theNCHEMS Information Center, retrieved on May 22, 2012. Remedial enrollment data were retrieved on the samedate from the Complete College America website. The remediation data are based recent high schoolgraduates. NP= the State did not provide this data. Graduation rates are from the 2012 Building A Grad NationReport, using the Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate, Common Core of Data, National Center for EducationStatistics, U. S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
MIAMI
this has happened in Miami, the city has seen the
development of a proliferation of publically
chartered P-12 schools and academies with
strong support from businesses and the
community. As a result, the Miami-Dade schools
are reaping the rewards of aggressive initiatives.
Current data show that Latino and African-
American students outperform their counterparts
in all other urban districts, which was one of the
prime factors that led to the school system
receiving the 2012 Broad Prize.27
Despite these successes, students in Miami still
need a great deal of support in developing both
academic and “soft skills” such as maturity,
persistence, ability to form supportive networks
and awareness of college expectations. Award-
winning Miami-Dade College has developed a
readiness initiative by bringing together many
community partners at one location to provide
workshops for students and families on financial
aid, readiness skills, and linking college
coursework to careers. They also succeed by
fostering a campus culture that is “rabidly
student-centered,” according to a faculty member.
Participants acknowledged that readiness and
access are necessary for college success, but not
sufficient. Colleges and universities are not
trained for urban, culturally-diverse student
populations or students entering with deficits.
College faculty needs information, time, and
resources to support the increase in completion
rates, particularly for minority, under-resourced,
and ELL students. Lenore Rodicio, of
Education Success Initiatives, Miami Dade
College, remarked, “What works is known; what
is needed are resources for continuous, close
tracking of students’ progress and provision of
supports, when needed.” Additionally, to
increase retention and completion, Miami Dade
College requires students to complete a “Student
Life Skills” course. Participants suggested that
the course be pushed back to high school and
offered as a college credit-bearing course.
Other issues identified by participants included
more communication and collaboration along
the P-20 continuum; addressing the issues of
poverty; the billions of dollars in federal aid that
go unused each year; managing with cuts in
funding to education; avoiding duplication of
efforts; improving training for guidance
counselors and teachers pertaining to readiness
skills; parental awareness needs; increased
collaboration among businesses, and parents
along the P-20 continuum; improved policies to
address affordability – “tuition hikes exclude the
very students we want in college;” passage of the
Dream Act; funding for colleges and universities
based on performance, completion rates, and
student need, not based solely on “full time
equivalents” (FTEs).
LOUISVILLE
The Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in
Louisville, Kentucky, under the leadership of
Superintendent Donna Hargens, has a student
enrollment of over 100,000, with a minority
117
Miami Dade College requires students tocomplete a “Student Life Skills” course.
118
LOUISVILLE
READINESS KENTUCKY RANK NATIONALAVG
High School Graduation Rate 77.6% 23rd 75.5%(out of 51)
Remedial Enrollment, Two-year colleges 49.1% 9th N/A(out of 27)
Remedial Enrollment, Four-year colleges 8.0% 23rd N/A(out of 25)
ACCESS
College-going Rates (HS grads) 60.9% 32nd 63.3%
COMPLETION
First Year Rentention Rates,Two-year Colleges 56.0% 13th 54.3%
First Year Rentention Rates,Four-year Colleges 71.8% 40th 77.1%
AA Completion (three-year rates) 30.5% 16th 29.2%
BA Completion (six-year rates) 47.8% 35th 55.5%
SOURCE: With the exception of remedial enrollment and high school graduation rate, all data are from theNCHEMS Information Center, retrieved on July 2, 2012. Remedial enrollment data were retrieved on the samedate from the Complete College America website. The remediation data are based recent high schoolgraduates. NP = the State did not provide this data. Graduation rates are from the 2012 Building A Grad NationReport, using the Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate, Common Core of Data, National Center for EducationStatistics, U. S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
population of 43.5 percent. As a suburban/
urban consolidated school system, JCPS educates
one half of Kentucky’s African-American
students. Louisville has developed a highly
coordinated and articulated inter-agency and
community collaboration, a strong pipeline
approach, and strong mayoral support. The city
has adopted a major initiative to improve college
completion in the form of the non-profit
organization, “55,000 Degrees,” led by Mary
Gwen Wheeler, a former aide to the mayor. This
initiative has energized the city’s P-12 schools,
institutions of higher education, the mayor and
other elected officials, and the business and faith
communities. The goal is to increase the
number of Louisville residents who hold degrees
to half of the population by 2020, including
African-Americans and Latinos, the city’s fastest
growing population.28 55,000 Degrees also aims
to create a college-going community culture, use
businesses to accelerate degree attainment,
prepare students for success in college, make
higher education accessible and affordable, and
increase educational staying power.29
Kentucky has adopted the Common Core State
Standards, and students have demonstrated
continuing progress since
2008 on statewide academic
measures, lower dropout
rates, and increased high
school graduation.
Superintendent Hargens,
reported that, “Since 2008,
JCPS has enjoyed a 200
percent increase in students attending college.”
Documented successes demonstrate that
initiatives are working, are fostering expectations
from young ages of going to college, and are
creating a college-going culture in Louisville.
The City’s mayor, Greg Fischer, has
enthusiastically embraced 55,000 Degrees and is
very much hands-on in supporting the initiative
because he sees it as “helping citizens to fulfill
their human potential.” He credits the initiative
with providing a skilled workforce for many
unfilled jobs, raising the economic and social
wellbeing of the city, and transforming Louisville
into a world-class city. However, Mayor Fischer
identified an issue that remains to be addressed:
while the city has developed a college-going
culture, it also “… needs to develop a college
completion culture.”
The Louisville group described best practices
regarding improving college access as including
the creation of a “metroversity” wherein
institutions of higher learning in a metropolitan
area can access and share data, as well as
collaborate on a range of projects of mutual
interest. This leads to a strong community
collaboration and outreach. Louisville has
broadened the definition of college to include
any post-secondary institution offering
certification or a degree.
Louisville has developed the “Achieving the
Dream” initiative to support college completion.
The initiative includes a study skills and college
orientation course for freshmen. Interventions
during the “sophomore slump” also improve
completion. They noted that by the time
students earn 22 to 25 credit hours, they
119
Superintendent, Hargensreported that, “Since 2008,Jefferson County Public Schoolshas enjoyed a 200 percentincrease in students attendingcollege.”
20
consider themselves to be college students.
Participants agreed that college completion
requires persistence and engagement by students
in campus activities. Tracking systems for
dropouts and intermittent enrollees, along with
use of exit surveys, inform interventions for
completion. To improve completion, colleges
must also change to actively
embrace diverse student
populations and individual
student learning styles, and
prevent students from “falling
through the cracks.”
Combining higher education and work
experience also improves completion rates.
Transition among institutions of higher
education should be made easier by cross-
institutional collaboration. Additionally,
students must be made aware of campus
resources and feel comfortable accessing them.
Other, salient points were discussed that
addressed social and emotional factors,
particularly “engagement” as necessary for college
completion. Important aspects of engagement
are engagement of family, the community, and
the institution, all of which are essential to
support readiness, access, and completion.
Furthermore, the student should be expected to
have responsibility in the education process,
according to several participants. Dr. Aaron
Thompson, Vice President for Academic Affairs,
Council on Postsecondary Education, noted
that, “Students must be helped to become co-
facilitators of their own learning.”
DENVER
Among the nation’s most populated
metropolitan areas, Denver, Colorado, is the
tenth most educated, with approximately 47
percent of its working age population holding at
least an associate degree.30 The city boasts an
improved school system, as well as highly
regarded suburban systems. Effective city and
state partnerships create a seamless progression
for students. A city that has developed well-
coordinated, major funding for college
scholarships and college access, Denver has
adopted a “collective” approach to the whole
student and offers alternative educational models
and pathways to high school graduation. While
the city has made significant efforts regarding
college readiness and access, an area that still
poses challenges is college completion.
Thousands of working age adults in Denver have
gone to college, but have not completed a
degree.31 Encouraging those persons to complete
a degree would further boost the city’s
educational standing, as well as its economy,
since thousands of job openings expected in the
next decade will require postsecondary
credentials.
Over the past four
years, under
Superintendent
Tom Boasberg, the
Denver Public
Schools has had its highest growth in
achievement and grades. The goal for the school
system is 100 percent of students graduating
high school and ready for college and careers.
Families in Denver are providedwith pre-service regardingcollege choices, applications,and college knowledge.
“Students must be helped tobecome co-facilitators of theirown learning.” Dr. Aaron Thompson
21
READINESS COLORADO RANK NATIONALAVG
High School Graduation Rate 77.6% 23rd 75.5%(out of 51)
Remedial Enrollment, Two-year colleges 43.1% 5th (out of 27) N/A
Remedial Enrollment, Four-year colleges 8.0% 4th(out of 25) N/A
ACCESS
College-going Rates (HS grads) 62.6% 27th 63.3%
COMPLETION
First Year Rentention Rates,Two-year Colleges 64.1% 44th 54.3%
First Year Rentention Rates,Four-year Colleges 75.5% 26th 77.1%
AA Completion (three-year rates) 39.3% 5th 29.2%
BA Completion (six-year rates) 53.3% 29th 55.5%
SOURCE: With the exception of remedial enrollment and high school graduation rate, all data are from theNCHEMS Information Center, retrieved on June 5, 2012. Remedial enrollment data were retrieved on the samedate from the Complete College America website. The remediation data are based recent high schoolgraduates. NP= the State did not provide this data. Graduation rates are from the 2012 Building A Grad NationReport, using the Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate, Common Core of Data, National Center for EducationStatistics, U. S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
DENVER
1
Academic rigor begins in the elementary schools,
and following dramatic reforms in the Denver
middle schools, record improvement was
achieved in grades six through eight.
Superintendent Boasberg indicated that,
“Middle school was like falling off a cliff until
reforms were instituted.” An alternative learning
center/multiple pathways center was developed
for students unable to thrive in the traditional
high school. Students can earn a high school
diploma through the center.
Colorado’s adoption of a P-20 initiative, with the
participation of all education-related institutions,
has helped to improve college readiness, but
students need to understand all postsecondary
options available to them, including community
college. Families in Denver are provided with
pre-service regarding college choices,
applications, and college knowledge. Exposure
for students to diverse environments also helps
smooth the transition to college.
Denver is working to ensure that students are
remediation-free on entering college and have
the financial support to successfully complete.
The Denver Scholarship Foundation was created
and has been a great resource for access and
completion of college. Denver philanthropists
have also stepped up to help students and
families. Access is improved by students earning
college credits while in high school, and through
pathways for smooth transition from two-year to
four-year colleges. Attaining a career
certification that allows a student to earn money
for college improves access, as well. Denver
colleges provide intrusive support for students at
the entry point, including mentoring, coaching,
and building a supportive network. To ensure
student engagement, certification and degrees are
aligned with the needs of the marketplace. To
that end, partnerships with employers are
pursued. Undocumented students pose a
particular challenge for access and need for
additional support.
Despite good access and funding to support
students, college completion remains a challenge
in Denver. The group agreed that the message
must change from “college-going” to “college
completing.” Colleges need to be aggressive in
pursuing students who have dropped out,
especially those who are a few credits shy of
completion. A student’s need for remediation
continues to be a barrier to completion,
especially because of the
time involved. For
example, a student may
not need an entire year
for remediation.
Furthermore, Colorado
schools need to
overcome barriers for
culturally-diverse students. Rosann Ward,
President of the Public Education and Business
Coalition in Denver, stated that, “Colleges need
to be culturally responsive and support all
learners. The best pedagogy is responsive and
sensitive to kids.”
Recommendations made by Colorado’s
Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia, who also heads
the State’s post-secondary programs, include
maintaining a partnership with America’s
Promise; breaking the traditional silos in which
K-12 and colleges have operated; remediating
students before they enter college; educating
parents about college choices; strengthening early
22
“Colleges need to be culturallyresponsive and support alllearners.”Rosann Ward, Public Educationand Business Coalition
1
literacy instruction; increasing the number of
high school graduates who are workforce and
college ready; and increasing supports for
Hispanic students. Dr. Garcia also advised that:
“Education reform should not be adversarial
between K-12 and higher education; the need is
to work together for students and for us.”
Promising Practices
While the research extant on college readiness,
access and completion is corroborated and
verified by much of what was unearthed in the
four convenings, the rich discussion in the four
cities did provide new insights and directions for
practices that should be brought to scale, and
which will also pave the way for future research
and collective action. One of the goals of the
project was to form an “Action Team
Collaborative,” with the idea that best practices
and new directions could emerge that would
create a platform for activism, adoption and
change. Also unearthed were some promising
best practices that could benefit students and,
thus, are worthy of further attention and
development.
Brief mentions below, with accompanying
descriptions of best practices as noted above, are
organized by the topics of Readiness, Access and
Completion. Separate mentions of Policy
Implications and General Initiatives also follow:
23
1
ISSUE
READINESS
Students must be prepared to meet the academic
demands of college without remedial courses.
PROMISING PRACTICES
• Many states have adopted the Common
Core State Standards, which are expected to
increase P-12 academic rigor.
• Maryland will administer the PARCC pilot
assessments in 2013-14 to measure whether
students reach the new standards. Tests can
be used to measure improvement at the
state level, and the classroom level. In
addition, they provide feedback to high
schools and individual students about
readiness for college.
• Howard County Community College
(MD), for example, provides readiness
testing to high schools in the county. Some
of the schools have developed a “college-
readiness class” in partnership with the
community college for students whose tests
show they need additional instruction.
• In Louisville, increased focus on AP and
pre-AP has resulted in success in increasing
AP participation and pass rates.
• A proliferation of specialized schools and
academies and publicly-chartered schools -
such as IB, arts emphasis and early college
schools - in Miami has provided effective
pathways for students.
• Kentucky students are also able to
participate in dual credit programs while in
high school.
24
1
• Denver offers alternative educational
models and pathways to high school
graduation. An alternative learning
center/multiple pathways center was
developed for students unable to thrive in
the traditional high school. Students can
earn a high school diploma through the
center. Due to the model’s success, plans
are in the works to create additional centers
in high poverty communities in Denver.
• Denver schools create an Individual Career
and Academic Plan (ICAP) for high school
students.
25
Students must be prepared to meet the academic
demands of college without remedial courses.
Effective teachers are needed in P-12 classrooms.
• In Maryland, summer programs and
campus visits expose students to college
culture
• Miami Dade College has a summer
program in which students receive social-
emotional (non-cognitive) counseling,
assistance with planning courses and
making connections with other students.
• The Denver Scholarship Foundation was
created and has been a great, citywide
resource for access to college.
• Louisville is providing parent academies
and scholarships, creating pathways from
GED to college, and offering summer
transition and credit-bearing programs for
incoming freshmen.
• Maryland is revising its Educator
Effectiveness System to ensure teachers are
ready to teach a rigorous curriculum.
126
ISSUE
ACCESS
Students must have access to information about
college choices and support for the search,
application, and transition processes.
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
• In 2011, Louisville high schools were
redesigned to include an advisory period
with dedicated college access time, which
has changed the culture of the area high
schools. JCPS uses a number of “packaged
programs” from across the country to help
facilitate college access for students.
• Further, JCPS has received grants for
college coaches to supplement school
counselor efforts.
• In Florida, ASPIRA is a Hispanic youth
leadership development program that
promotes college readiness beginning at the
middle school level, exposing parents and
students to the college-going process.
• Miami Dade College invites students to
campus to work with staff on seeking out
and applying for scholarships in the
college’s computer lab, drawing 2,500
students to the campus last year.
• The Louisville Chamber of Commerce is
addressing readiness and access for K-12
students and adults through job shadowing
programs and Junior Achievement
programs, which provide knowledge about
careers and future jobs.
127
ISSUE
COMPLETION
Too many students who enroll in college do not
complete their studies and earn a degree.
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
• The University of Maryland Eastern Shore
(UMES) uses a “triangle model” addressing
social, academic, and institutional needs. A
summer institute provides orientation and
remediation opportunities for students
before the fall semester.
• University of Maryland Baltimore County
(UMBC) has successfully pursued group
study as a means of increasing students’
sense of affiliation and connection with the
college community, as well as improving
their focus on coursework
• Howard Community College (MD) and
other colleges use early alert systems to
identify students in need of extra help to
prevent their dropping out of classes.
• Both UMBC and UMES increased success
rates in science classes by redesigning those
courses. Now a statewide effort is seeking
to redesign math courses at the state’s
universities and community colleges, aided
by a Completion Innovation Challenge
grant from Complete College America
(CCA) which provides incentive funding
for colleges to continue work redesigning
remedial math, as well as implement
strategies to reduce time to degree for
students transferring from two-year to four-
year colleges.
128
ISSUE
COMPLETION
Too many students who enroll in college do not
complete their studies and earn a degree.
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
• There is wide use of Lumina Foundation’s
Productivity Labs (working to scale up
redesigned courses to community colleges
and independent institutions) in Maryland.
• A number of states participate in Complete
College America, an alliance focused on
state level policies to strengthen college
completion rates. Postsecondary segments
and campuses set completion targets.
• Louisville city leaders have set a shared goal
of ‘55,000 Degrees’ for the Louisville area
by 2020.
• Miami Dade College requires its students to
complete a Student Life Skills course.
• ASPIRA clubs in Miami foster leadership
skills including training students in
parliamentary procedure and appointing
students to serve as advisors to the ASPIRA
Board.
• DeVry University, nationally, utilizes
contact management software to provide
assistance to the student, as needed, in the
areas of finances, academics, and
counseling.
• The Community College of Baltimore
County participates in Achieving the
Dream (focused on accelerating remedial
coursework); University of Maryland is
involved in Access 2 Success (with an
emphasis on reducing achievement gaps).
129
ISSUE
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
• All participants recognized that the
“Sophomore Slump” needs to be addressed
and formalized as a major initiative across
the country. By the time students have
earned 20-25 credits, they consider
themselves to be authentic college students.
How to get them to the level of at least 20
credits, so they can move beyond the
freshman year, is worthy of further research,
funding and policy exploration on the part
of IHEs.
• Participants in all four cities believe that
cultural sensitivity is missing on many
campuses, and college and university
faculties are not trained for urban, diverse
student populations, nor for students
entering as the first IHE attendees in their
families. A course in diversity should be
required of all new faculty, and in-depth
professional development for veteran
professors should be offered routinely in
state university systems across the country.
• Denver has adopted as a policy a
“Collective Approach” to the whole student
and offers alternative educational models
and pathways to high school graduation,
involving a number of cross-sector
individuals brought to bear to support the
student.
• Miami believes that there should be a
change in the method for making
allocations to colleges within state systems,
based not on FTEs, but on performance,
completion rates, and student need.
Colleges that have a higher rate of
completion, or experience entering
freshmen with a higher need for
remediation should receive financial
incentives to implement the necessary
support initiatives.
PROMISING PRACTICES
130
ISSUE
GENERAL INITITATIVES
Communication and Collaboration
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
• Louisville’s “55,000 Degrees” initiative is
supported by the Chamber of Commerce
and community leaders including the
Mayor, Superintendent of Jefferson County
Public Schools, businesses, and education
organizations.
• A collaborative effort with UPS allows
college students in Kentucky to gain work
experience while they earn a degree.
• In Miami, education leaders including
Superintendent Carvalho are engaging the
business and faith-based communities,
growing existing nonprofit partners (e.g.
Teach for America) and bringing in new
national partners (e.g. ACCESS/UAspire).
The goal of these partnerships is to
improve, remediate, and accelerate student
achievement, and to use equity to promote
excellence through intervention and
strategic support, create oases of
opportunities, and to replicate successful
reform models.
• Maryland, Florida and Colorado have
adopted a P-20 educational focus, which
encourages communication and data-
sharing across academic institutions.
Furthermore, Maryland has developed a
comprehensive P-20 longitudinal data
system that includes virtually all
educational institutions in the state
generating, using and sharing data.
131
ISSUE
GENERAL INITITATIVES
Communication and Collaboration
PROMISING PRACTICES
PROMISING PRACTICES
• Louisville uses college coaches that come
from the private and public sectors to
collaborate in providing support to
students.
• Louisville has created a “metroversity”
wherein institutions of higher learning in
the metropolitan area can access and share
data, as well as collaborate on a range of
projects of mutual interest.
Conclusions
Facilitators from America’s Promise joined with
practitioners and experts on the ground in four
cities across the country to explore issues
pertaining to college readiness, access, and
completion. The cities vary in demographics
and are unique in character, yet are grappling
with similar challenges of how to increase the
proportion of their citizens who have attained a
high school diploma and who have quality,
postsecondary degrees and credentials.
The last decade has witnessed an increased
interest in education, in general, and a particular
interest in improving the high school and college
graduation rates across America. Buoyed by the
public accountability brought about by the “No
Child Left Behind” Act of 2003, the reform
movement has taken hold and produced massive
action to improve education. The issues
surrounding readiness, access, and completion
have been explored by researchers and
practitioners alike. Organizations such as
America’s Promise, Lumina Foundation, and the
Gates Foundation, along with educational
researchers and practitioners, have made
significant strides in identifying both empirical
and practical evidence of the challenges and
solutions involved with increasing the number of
high school and college graduates in America.
While some of the discussions in the four cities
confirmed information revealed in research over
the last few years a number of ideas emerged that
hold promise for future research
and action. Foremost among these ideas has
been the confirmation that each student has
specific academic, social, psychological and
financial needs that must be addressed in a
“personalized” manner; the idea that the “soft
skills” are as important to college completion as
the cognitive skills; and the daunting nature of
the financial aid application processes that cause
some students and their families to not even
apply. Policy changes were suggested that would
simplify the loan process at the federal level,
create more transparency and provide support to
students in completing the paperwork.
The participants also emphasized the need for
cross-sector collaboration and collective strategy.
Research supports the need for a unified,
collaborative effort that promotes college
awareness in the early grades,32 a rigorous high
school curriculum,33 and ongoing financial,
social, and academic supports across the P-20
continuum.
The “Practitioner-Experts” at the four
convenings provided snapshots of the progress
that is being made in their settings toward
improved readiness, access, and completion.
Increased rigor, innovative programs, and school-
university-community partnerships have led to
success in these cities and states; research and
rich descriptions of effective practice offer
further examples of successful programs.34
Clearly, progress is being made.
132
Despite these efforts, however, many challenges
remain; these, too, were articulated by convening
participants. Although challenges might vary
slightly from region to region, several key
obstacles must be addressed in order to achieve
the national degree attainment goals.
First, the deep and far-reaching effects of poverty
must be mitigated. Interventions to address the
social, academic, and financial needs of low-
income students are critical, beginning in the
earliest grades and continuing throughout the
students’ academic career.35
A second remaining challenge is the lack of
academic preparedness amongst high school
students. There is a great need for effective,
timely remediation for middle and high school
students so that they can enter college ready to
take college-level courses. The amount of
remediation done in the first year of college
could be greatly reduced so that students can
progress toward graduation in a timely manner.36
A third area is the need for increased diversity
training among college faculties who are
struggling to cope with students’ lack of
appropriate cognitive skills and strong cultural
differences from students they may have taught
in the past. Increasingly, more students enter
college as “first generation” college students,
requiring special and better orientation, as well
as supports.
The growing Latino population will be a critical
part of our nation’s success in the future; yet this
group lags behind in academic achievement and
graduation rates. Efforts must be directed
toward all aspects of readiness, access, and
completion for these students.37 Relatedly, ELL
students’ language skills must be accurately
assessed and the students provided with the
support they need to graduate from high school
and enter a post-secondary program.
Finally, the financial burden of post-secondary
education must be lightened for students. Too
many students are deterred from entering or
completing college for financial reasons; some
become daunted by the financial aid process, and
others must work too many hours to pay for
their education, which threatens their academic
success. Programs and policies need to ensure
that financial barriers do not hold students back
from accessing and completing higher education,
so that they can compete globally with students
from many other countries that offer free or very
low cost university tuition to their citizens.
These challenges are multi-faceted and inter-
connected; to address them will require a great
deal of focused effort and resources. Initiatives
such as President Obama’s goal of attaining the
highest proportion of college graduates by 2020
indicate that emphasis must now shift from
“access” to “completion.” Organizations such as
America’s Promise can collaborate with schools,
students, parents, and communities to develop a
“college-completing” attitude, and help increase
efforts toward ensuring that students not just go
to college, but that they attain the degree that
will lead to a better career. This will bolster the
success of individuals, local communities, and
the nation as a whole.
133
Endnotes
1 Balfanz, R., Bridgeland, J., Bruce, M., and
Fox, J. (March, 2012). Building A Grad
Nation:Progress and Challenge in Ending the
High School Dropout Epidemic. Civic
Enterprises, Everyone Graduates Center,
America’s Promise Alliance, Alliance for
Excellent Education.2 Kirsch, I., Braun, H., Yamamoto, K., and
Sum, A. (January, 2007). America’s Perfect
Storm: Three Forces Changing Our Nation’s
Future. Educational Testing Service, 8.3 “Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators
2012.” OECD. September 2012.
http://www.oecd.org/edu/EAG2012%20-
%20Country%20note%20-
%20United%20States.pdf4 “Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators
2012.” OECD. September 2012.
http://www.oecd.org/edu/EAG2012%20-
%20Country%20note%20-
%20United%20States.pdf5 Lumina Foundation. (2012).
http://www.luminafoundation.org/goal_
2025/goal2.html6 www.all4ed.org7 Long, M., Conger, D., & Iatarola, P. (2012).
Effects of high school course-taking on
secondary and postsecondary success.
American Educational Research Journal. 49
(2). 285-322.
Harvill, E. L., Maynard, R. A., Nguyen, H.
H., Robertson-Kraft, C., Tognatta, N., &
Society for Research on Educational
Effectiveness. (2012). Effects of College
Access Programs on College Readiness and
Enrollment: A Meta-Analysis. Society For
Research On Educational Effectiveness.8 IQS Research. (August 2012). Preparing
students to transition from high school to
college: A review of the perceptions
surrounding college and the challenges
students face as they prepare for their
collegiate experience. Special report by IQS
Research. Available at http://iqsresearch.com/
wordpress/2012/08/special-report-released-
preparing-students-to-transition-from-high-
school-to-college/9 Barnett, E., Corrin, W., Nakanishi, A., Hare
Bork, R., and Mitchell, C. (May 2012)
Preparing high school students for college: An
exploratory study of college readiness
partnership programs in Texas. National
Center for Postsecondary Research.10 Ibid 3.11 Lumina Foundation. (2012). Lumina’s Latino
Student Success Effort: America’s Economic
Future Increasingly Depends on Graduating
More Latinos from College.
http://www.luminafoundation.org/
newsroom/news_releases/2012-10-03.html12 See, for example, Martinez-Wenzl, M.,
Marquez, R., & University of California, L.
(2012). Unrealized Promises: Unequal Access,
Affordability, and Excellence at Community
Colleges in Southern California. Civil Rights
Project.13 Harper, S. R., & Griffin, K. A. (2011).
Opportunity Beyond Affirmative Action:
How Low-Income and Working-Class Black
Male Achievers Access Highly Selective, High-
134
1
Cost Colleges and Universities. Harvard
Journal Of African American Public Policy,
1743-60.14 Bragg, D. and Durham, B. (2012).
Perspectives on access and equity in the era of
(community) college completion.
Community College Review, 40 (2).
Pp. 106-125.15 Lumina Foundation. (2012). 16 http://www.luminafoundation.org/
goal_2025/goal2.html
http://www.luminafoundation.org/
state?metroareas=1 17 Balfanz, R. (March, 2012)18 The graduation gap. The Baltimore Sun.
September 23, 2012, 26
http://marylandpublicschools.org20 See, for example, Sanchez-Linguelinel, C.
Supporting ‘slumping’ sophomores:
Programmatic peer initiatives designed to
enhance retention in the crucial second year
of college. College Student Journal 2008
42(2), 637-64621 http://www.luminafoundation.org/state/
florida/22 A Stronger Nation through Higher Education.
Florida. Lumina Foundation. March 2012.
http://www.luminafoundation.org/
publications/state_data/2012/Florida-
2012.pdf23 A Stronger Nation Through Higher
Education, March 2012, Lumina Foundation;
http://www.every1graduates.org 24 Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public
Elementary and Secondary School Districts in
the United States: 2008–09.” National Center
for Educational Statistics. November 2010.
http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/search.asp
25 Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public
Elementary and Secondary School Districts in
the UnitedStates: 2008–09.” National Center
for Educational Statistics. November 2010.
http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/search.asp26 www.all4Ed.org27 http://broadprize.org28 http://55000degrees.org29 Ibid30 http://www.luminafoundation.org/
state?metroareas=131 http://www.luminafoundation.org/
state/colorado/32 IQS Research. (August 2012). Preparing
students to transition from high school to
college: A review of the perceptions
surrounding college and the challenges
students face as they prepare for their
collegiate experience. Special report by IQS
Research. Available at
http://iqsresearch.com/wordpress/
2012/08/special-report-released-preparing-
students-to-transition-from-high-school-to-
college/33 Long, M., Conger, D., & Iatarola, P. (2012).
Effects of high school course-taking on
secondary and postsecondary success.
American Educational Research Journal.
49 (2). 285-322.34 See, for example, Scrivener, S., Weiss, M. J.,
Sommo, C., & MDRC. (2012). What Can a
Multifaceted Program Do for Community
College Students? Early Results from an
Evaluation of Accelerated Study in Associate
Programs (ASAP) for Developmental
Education Students. Executive Summary.
MDRC. and Bragg, D. and Durham, B.
(2012). Perspectives on access and equity in
35
the era of (community) college completion.
Community College Review, 40 (2). Pp.
106-125.35 Muraskin, L. & Lee, J. (2004). Raising the
Graduation Rates of Low Income Students.
Lumina Foundation for Education and The
Pell Institute.36 The Condition of College and Career
Readiness, 2011. ACT®.37 Ibid. "Un Nuevo Dia.” Lumina Foundations
Focus. Spring 2011. Lumina Foundation for
Education.
This report is based on research funded by the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lumina
Foundation. The findings and conclusions
contained within are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or Lumina
Foundation.
Acknowledgements
America’s Promise wants to acknowledge the
contributions of several individuals to the
following report:
Elizabeth Molina Morgan, PhD, Principal Writer
Shulamit Finkelstein, Contributing Writer and
Principal Note Taker
Rebecca Grove, Research Assistance and
Contributing Writer (Doctoral Student at the
University of Maryland)
Mary Bruce, Highlight Notes (Miami, Louisville,
Denver)
Pamela Burdman, Highlight Notes (Baltimore)
136