Indiana College Access Challenge Grant UPDATE February 11

Indiana College Access Challenge Grant UPDATE February 11, 2011

The COMPLETION Challenge ALL STUDENTS • Only a third of college freshmen earn a degree on-time. • Just over half graduate within six years. TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCHOLARS • Access: High school graduation rates – Significantly above low-income peers – Slightly above the general student population • Success: College completion rates – No better than low-income peers – Significantly below the general student population

Initiative Overview • Indiana’s College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) is funded through the U. S. Department of Education • CACG is designed to support efforts that increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education • Indiana currently receives $2. 4 million through CACG (anticipated annually over five years)

Indiana’s Focus • Indiana’s program focuses on the following components: – PLANNING: Resources to help Hoosiers plan and prepare for postsecondary education – PLANNING: Professional development for school counselors on key issues (financial aid and college admissions) – PREPARING: Outreach activities for students at risk of not enrolling in or completing postsecondary education – PREPARING: Intensive support to Twenty-first Century Scholars through college completion – PAYING: Information on financing options for postsecondary education and activities that promote financial literacy and debt management – PAYING: Support related to completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Indiana’s Approach • Tiered Support Services Based on Student Need: 1) Communication Campaign Support 2) Online Support 3) On-the-Ground Support

Indiana’s Approach

CACG Partners • Indiana Commission for Higher Education / Learn More Indiana • Indiana Youth Institute / Indiana Mentoring Partnership • Indiana High Schools – – East Chicago: East Chicago Central High School Fort Wayne: Paul Harding High School Gary: 21 st Century Charter of Gary Indianapolis: Fall Creek Academy, Fountain Square Academy, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, Manual High School – Evansville: Benjamin Bosse High School • Mentoring Organizations – – – East Chicago: Communities in Schools of East Chicago Fort Wayne: East Allen County Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast IN Gary: Educating to Excel Indianapolis: Starfish Initiative, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis Evansville: Southern Indiana College Access Network (SICAN)

Campaign Support Communication & Campaign Support – WHO: All students in selected high schools (and students statewide) – WHAT: Resources related to Learn More Indiana’s three statewide college access and success campaigns (College GO! Week, Cash for College, Know. How 2 GOIndiana) – HOW: Resources provided by Learn More Indiana

Campaigns Overview • Three annual statewide campaigns: 1) College GO! Week (Planning) –– FALL 2) Cash for College (Paying) –– WINTER 3) Know. How 2 Go (Preparing) –– SPRING/SUMMER • Guiding principles: – Clear college success focus for each campaign – Specific, practical steps for students at each level – State driven, locally led

Online Support – WHO: All students in selected high schools – WHAT: Online college and career readiness tool – HOW: Schools selected the online tool of their choice with related training and support provided

Online Overview • Online Support Options: – Naviance: Data-based approach – Navigation 101: Curriculum-based approach – Indiana Career Explorer: Assessment-based approach

On-the-Ground Support • Student Mentoring Services: – WHO: Select Twenty-first Century Scholar students enrolled in participating Indiana high schools – WHAT: Mentoring services for Scholars beginning in high school (11 th/12 th grade) and continuing into college – HOW: Local mentoring organizations connected to partner high schools through an application process

On-the-Ground Overview • College Access & Success Mentoring Model: – GOAL: Support students in accessing and succeeding in education and training beyond high school. – STRATEGY: Provide quality mentoring to 21 st Century Scholars at the secondary and postsecondary levels. – OUTCOME: Participating students complete a college credential.

Other Supports Additional CACG Support Services: – WEBINARS: Relevant financial aid and college admissions information for school counselors – TRAINING: Implementation support for Indiana’s Gold Star School Counseling Initiative – HELP: Collaborative community-based support from local College Success Coalitions (where available)

Partner Roles • Communication Campaign Support – State level: Learn More Indiana – Local level: High Schools • Online Support – State level: Varies (Naviance, Navigation 101, Indiana Career Explorer) – Local level: High Schools • On-the-Ground Support: Mentoring – State level: Indiana Youth Institute/Indiana Mentoring Partnership – Local level: Mentoring Providers (in collaboration w/ partner schools)

QUESTIONS?