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, 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) –– WINTER 3)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 – 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 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)

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