Indiana College Access Challenge GrantUPDATE

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: 21st 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, KnowHow2GOIndiana)

– HOW: Resources provided by Learn More Indiana

Campaigns Overview

• Three annual statewide campaigns:1) College GO! Week (Planning) –– FALL 2) Cash for College (Paying) –– WINTER3) KnowHow2Go (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

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 (11th/12th 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 21st 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?