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Rural College Equity Toolkit

Despite similar graduation rates, rural students attend college at a much lower rate than their urban and suburban counterparts (AASA Rural Equity Report, 2017; Flora & Flora, 2013). In some states, this gap in postsecondary enrollment reaches as high as 20% (Pierson & Hanson, 2015). This issue appears to have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the number of rural students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) decreased by a whopping 18% from 2019 to 2020 (FSA, 2019-2020). These patterns are especially prevalent in highly competitive postsecondary programs (Byun, Irvin, and Meece 2015; Koricich et…

Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Raising High School Graduation Rates

The final (June 2023) report to the nation on a 20-year effort to boost high school graduation rates shows graduation rates rising from 71 percent in 2001 to 86.5 percent by the Class of 2020, translating into 5 million more students graduating, rather than dropping out, during that period. Despite the great progress made over the course of the 20-year effort culminating in the GradNation Campaign, equity gaps persist, and the COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on student learning and health. The report calls for, among other policy recommendations, expanding the use of Student Success Systems. Read more on…

Cal-HOSA’s Blueprint to Student Mental Wellness and Career Pipeline

In the school environment, mental health problems adversely affect students’ attention span in the classroom, aptitude for learning or study, and engagement in intramural and extramural activities; a situation intensified among students from vulnerable populations. Early detection combined with appropriate services and resources can change a child’s trajectory from a path of severe mental health issues to one of wellness and full participation in school and community life. This comprehensive guide for educators draws on the importance of connectedness and student-centered standards of practice, both core component of high-quality student success systems. It offers lesson plans and worksheets to…

Investing in Adolescents: High School Climate and Organizational Context Shape Student Development and Educational Attainment

New report from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research shines light on what effective schools do well, demonstrating the value of taking a holistic approach to student development in high school and in transition from 8th to 9th grades. Effective schools cultivate an environment in which students and teachers have positive and productive interactions, students develop peer connections and have a sense of belonging, and students’ orientation toward hard work, effort, and engagement is nurtured. Compared to schools with a singular focus on test scores, schools promoting grown on all dimensions had a greater impact on short- and long-term…

Team Reflection and Action Planning Tools

Creating a student success system that enables your school to provide the learning environment, experiences, relationships, and supports all students need to thrive in school is an on-going, adaptive process; especially since school and community capacities and student needs continually shift. These team reflection and action planning tools use a set of questions to guide inquiry, potential data sources, and related “look fors” that are focused on key attributes of effective student success systems. They are intended to spark courageous conversations that lead to reflection, collaboration, and innovation. For Student Success Teams This team reflection and action planning tool is designed…

Ews 2.0 Early Warning & On-Track System Resources

These currated resources of practical guidance and training materials on how to implement early warning and on-track systems to enable greater high school graduation and postsecondary success outcomes for all students were developed by districts and state departments of education who have implemented early warning and on-track systems, as well as leading non-profit organizations that have supported schools, districts, and states in this work.

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