From talks by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to references by St. Louis’ own Regional Chamber and Growth Association, one of today’s hot topics in education is the decreasing rate of college graduation despite the increase of college attendance.
Despite the fact that college attendance has increased considerably over the last three decades, the proportion of students who complete college has decreased. Internationally, the United States’ college completion status is plummeting – over the past three decades the U.S. has fallen from first to twelfth in completion rates among 36 developed nations.
The news is even bleaker for students from impoverished backgrounds: just 1 in 10 low-income students graduate from college by age 24.
Despite the dim outlook, there is hope for real change. Right here in St. Louis, local nonprofit organizations College Bound and Boys Hope Girls Hope were two of 10 organizations recently selected out of a national pool of nearly 400 by the Educational Policy Institute for having thorough evidence that their programs are impacting college completion. Educational Policy Institute (EPI) is a major international nonprofit research corporation based in Washington DC.
After an intensive six-month study, EPI recognized College Bound and Boys Hope Girls Hope for their outstanding strategies and programs, which now can be studied and replicated by other organizations nationwide to improve college completion. The results are published in A Blueprint for Success: Case Studies of Successful Pre-College Outreach Programs – the second of two reports by published by EPI with support from TG. The first was the 2012 National Directory of Pre-College Programs, based on a large-scale national survey conducted by the EPI in 2011.
Historically, postsecondary institutions were considered the only stakeholders who could impact college completion, but in recent years college access organizations such as College Bound and programs like that of Boys Hope Girls Hope have taken on the critical role of helping students reach this goal.
The EPI study concentrated on programs whose work is specifically with students from low-income families – the population of students most underrepresented in U.S. higher education and most likely to drop out. The programs selected for the study demonstrated proven strategies and methodology and showed excellent outcomes. The study revealed common practices and strategies capable of being replicated and scaled by hundreds of access programs nationwide. The findings can also contribute to policy recommendations at the state and federal level.
Boys Hope Girls Hope was selected for this study in part for its long-term approach – children generally enter the program between the ages of 9-11 and remain part of the program until completing college – and for its success rate. Since 1991, 100 percent of children completing the program have gone on to pursue higher education. Once enrolled in college, between 88 and 94 percent remain enrolled in college throughout the course of the academic year: a dropout rate more than 30 percentage points lower than the national average.
“This is extremely important for Boys Hope Girls Hope,” says Julie Allen, Boys Hope Girls Hope’s Chief Academic Officer. “It’s external validation of our methods and practices. It means that an outside evaluator is saying, ‘This works. This is effective.’”
College Bound was recognized for its long-term, whole-child approach to college access and success. College Bound students typically enter the program at the end of their ninth grade year and remain until they graduate from college. College Bound provides a year-round curriculum that includes career exposure, community engagement, test preparation and academic enrichment so that students not only get into college, but also graduate from college. Since its founding, 100 percent of College Bound students have matriculated into college. The students who started with the program in 2006 are beginning to graduate from college this year and 75 percent are on track to graduate within 6 years – the same rate as students from the highest income families.
“College Bound is very proud to be part of a report by such a distinguished research group as EPI,” says Lisa Orden Zarin, College Bound Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We hope that our outcomes and dissemination of our practices will expand the vision of not only who can attend college but also who can impact college completion rates.”
For further information about Boys Hope Girls Hope, please contact the National Office at 314.298.1250 or visit www.boyshopegirlshope.org. For further information about College Bound, please call 314.361.4441 ext. 112 or visit www.collegeboundstl.org. To learn more about the EPI, visit www.educationalpolicy.org.
Top Ladies of Distinction Job Fair
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Cardinal Chapter will present a Job Fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9 at Jennings Senior High School, 8850 Cozens Ave.
St. Louis County Police Department, Whelan Security, Jennings School District, Normandy School District, Tutoring for Academic Success, Hospitality Staffing Solutions, Primerica Financial Services, Felicia’s In Home Health Care Services, Extracare Home Health Agency, Inc., Bi-Lingual In-Home Assistant Services, Inc., We Got Next Car Wash, Job Corps and City of Berkeley will participate.
Bring at least five copies of your resume. Business attire suggested. For more information contact Councilwoman Yolanda Austin at (314) 867.9160 or mrs.focus2011@gmail.com.
