Wraparound Services

How Can States Increase Their College Attendance Rates?

The United States used to lead the world in adult postsecondary attainment, but has gradually slipped to 12th. To help the U.S. regain its former position as a world leader in adult postsecondary attainment rates, many states have set aggressive postsecondary completion or attainment goals over the past several years. To achieve these goals, states are adding a variety of ingredients into the recipe to get more youth and adults into and through postsecondary programs. But notably absent from the “cookbook” in most states are dedicated efforts to improve secondary students’ access to high-quality college counseling. A December, 2014 report from the Education Commission of the States (ECS) identifies state approaches that may not reap the hoped-for gains in college-going and highlights recent research pointing to new, successful approaches to increase college-going rates – and a few states implementing promising efforts.

Nashville Data Sharing to Support Student Achievement

START! The Successful Transitions and Retention Track Program: A Comprehensive Approach to Supporting GED Holders Entering College

This report highlights the Successful Transitions and Retention Track (START) Program at Idaho State University. The START Program, which consists of three components (classroom instruction, career and personal counseling, and math/English tutoring), is aimed at providing holistic support to students in order to increase the retention of GED holders entering college. This report also discusses some positive preliminary results on START initiatives, and provides first steps for implementing a START program.

Creating Postsecondary Pathways to Good Jobs for Young High School Dropouts: The Possibilities and the Challenges

This paper focuses on strategies for creating postsecondary pathways for high school dropouts in order to close the skills gap as well as connect the talents of these youth to postsecondary skills and credentials. The paper argues that in order to improve educational and economical outcomes for high school dropouts, there must be alignment of secondary, postsecondary, workforce, and adult education systems and several actions must be taken.

Stepping It Up: Building Pathways to College Success in Pennsylvania and Nationwide

This paper presents findings from the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference on Higher Education in March 2009 surrounding ways to improve college success. The paper presents four steps to achieving this derived from analysis of the presentations. The steps include: 1) identifying the challenges to increased college success; 2) creating and action plan for success; 3) putting the plan into action; and, 4) working together to increase college success.

The Educational Experience of Young Men of Color: A Review of Research, Pathways and Progress

This report sponsored by the College Board identifies the research-based factors that contribute either to the persistence or to the attrition of young men of color within the education system. The author synthesizes the literature in context of the communities to find connections and intersections in the literature for each of these racial/ethnic groups.

The Community Schools Approach: Raising Graduation and College Going Rates—Community High School Case Studies

This report from the Coalition for Community Schools discusses how eight high schools across the country are decreasing dropout rates as community schools. The author examines how these schools have been increasing achievement and preparing students for careers, college and life through focused leadership, robust partnerships, and critical programs and services. Case studies on each of the schools are included, highlighting background, programs and services, partnerships, leadership, and results.

Engaging Older Youth: Program and City-level Strategies to Support Sustained Participation in Out-of-school Time

This study by the Harvard Family Research Project and Public/Private Ventures explored strategies of out-of-school programs for middle and high school students which were associated with retention of youth (i.e., duration of participation). Results were based on data from 198 program surveys, 28 program interviews, and 47 city-level respondents. The study authors identified five program characteristics (two program practices and three structural features) associated with high retention.

The College Ladder: Linking Secondary and Postsecondary Education for Success for All Students

This compendium describes several secondary-post-secondary learning options (SPLOs) and highlights the research that assesses their effectiveness. SPLOs include dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), Tech Prep, Middle College High Schools (MCHS) , early college high schools (ECHS), programs serving disadvantaged youth, college access programs [such as International Baccalaureate (IB)], Career Academies, and summer enrichment programs.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Wraparound Services