Strategies in Action

Support on-track credit attainment in 9th grade

• Fort Worth ISD (TX) is investing $5.8 million in Freshmen Success Teams at all schools that will create a structure to support students staying on track and provide individualized support.
• Rhode Island is investing in its All-Course Network platform which will include Readiness Courses to prepare students for high school math and English.

Embed college and career advising in the school day

• Huntsville City Schools (AL) is ensuring secondary teachers provide students College and Career Readiness Indicator advisement weekly and increasing advising support for college-bound students that includes intensive coaching through the application and financial aid process, a College Crash Course, college visits, and financial aid sessions for parents.
• Nevada is investing $4 million to establish a statewide program modeled after the Dean’s Future Scholarship Program at the University of Nevada, Reno which assists first-generation students with college and career advising beginning in sixth grade.

Expand participation in high-quality career pathway programs aligned with in-demand labor market opportunities that pay a family-sustaining wage

• Knox County Schools (TN) is establishing sustainable industry partnerships for each high school to align the scope and sequence of technical programs to post-COVID industry needs.
• Indiana is creating a Regional Pathways Innovation Fund that will offer competitive grants to encourage K-12 leaders to partner with local community organizations and employers to design and execute career pathway programs.

Scale pathway-aligned work-based learning opportunities

• Chicago Public Schools (IL) is creating a new Work-Based Learning Center and partnering with the City Colleges of Chicago to provide work-based learning opportunities.
• New Mexico is investing $6 million to set up a joint program with local municipalities to provide students with paid summer internships in in-demand industries.

Invest in near-peer advising supports to expand students’ social capital

• Houston ISD (TX) will offer near-peer tutoring along with increased ACT/SAT preparation.
• Arizona is investing $600,000 in a partnership with AdviseAZ AmeriCorps which places current college students and recent college graduates as part-time advisors in high schools across the state.

Expand equitable access to and success in advanced courses

• Milwaukee Public Schools (WI) will offer camps to prepare students for AP and college-level courses, expand dual enrollment, fund transportation for on-campus dual enrollment courses, and help pay for books, materials, and teacher certification for advanced courses.
• Tennessee’s Advanced Placement Access for All will provide students across the state access to virtual AP courses, making all advanced placement courses available to every student and allowing students to earn college credit for free.

Increase high-quality industry-recognized credential attainment

• Council Bluffs Community School District (IA) is investing nearly $1 million to enhance the Plus One Pathways program which includes opportunities to participate in pre-apprenticeship programs and earn college credit and professional certificates.
• Georgia is providing opportunity grants to schools to fund access to industry credentials.

Increase FAFSA completion and college applications

• Long Beach Unified School District (CA) is investing $200,000 to hire an HBCU College and Career Specialist to provide students with information about HBCUs, connect students with HBCU recruiters, and assist with admission and financial aid applications.
• Arizona is investing $1.5 million in Ask Benji, an artificial-intelligence chatbot that assists students in completing the FAFSA.

Build bridges through summer to postsecondary education and training

• Buffalo Public Schools (NY) partnered with local colleges to create a transition course, the first half of which will be offered in high school while the second half will be offered at the higher education institution.
• Indiana created the Bridging the Gap Initiative to provide students who do not currently meet college or career readiness benchmarks in English and math with free summer coursework at Ivy Tech Community College.

Track and analyze postsecondary outcomes data to target support

• Buffalo Public Schools (NY) will implement a data tracking system to provide enrollment and graduation data to postsecondary institutions.
• Oregon is updating its data system to provide LEAs information on postsecondary success metrics such as employment and college enrollment, persistence, and completion.