A Philanthropy Connects program presented by the Donors’ Education Collaborative (DEC) and the Public Education Grantmakers Network (PEGNET).
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: This session is for all funders who are interested in strategies and reform that create improvement in access to and success in college.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
In 2008, more than 70% of the recent public school graduates who entered one of CUNY’s (City University of New York) community colleges had to take remedial coursework. Far fewer than half of the City’s public high school graduates had taken the math classes necessary to start college “even” – without the “remediation” that delays receipt of college credits. Sadly, while these statistics are dismal, they are not unique to New York City. Throughout the country, college-going and graduation rates have become a source of concern and debate. Policymakers, educators, businesspeople, and researchers are asking,
How high schools can better prepare students to enter and complete college successfully?
And they are finding some surprising answers. While ensuring that students take the right classes is one obvious, albeit not so easy to implement, strategy, others less related to academic rigor also may be of value. For example, actively engaging youth in their schools and communities turns out to be a significant factor in increasing college enrollment. So does helping families fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
Join us for a discussion of college readiness that highlights strategies and reforms that have been shown to improve access to and success in college and how these can be or are being implemented in New York City schools.
PRESENTERS
- Jill Constantine, Associate Director of Research and Education Area Leader, Mathematica Policy Research, and co-author of “Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do.”
- Cass Conrad, Executive Director, CUNY School Support Organization.
- Ruth Genn, Director, College and Career Pathways, New Visions for Public Schools.