A BluePrint for Success: Case Studies of Successful - Educational ...

A Blueprint for Success
With operating funding always a challenge, it is better to find better uses for funding rather than just
trying to raise more. The pockets can be limited in their depth, especially in certain areas of the
country, and especially during a downturned economy.
Intrusive
These projects work very intrusively with students. What has been learned over the years is that atrisk
students need someone inside their box, so to speak, in order to get them to focus and work toward
their goals. This only happens when the strategies and practices are designed specifically to be
intrusive in nature. As with intentionality, the intrusive nature must be planned and intentional.
Follow-through is required with regard to the needs of students and parents. Keeping lines of communication
not only open but regular. We sometimes call these student touches: ensuring that students
know they must keep focused and that someone “has their back.” Critics of some of these programs
prefer a more hands-off manner. But hands-off doesn’t work with these students. If it did,
they likely wouldn’t need these services to begin with. Because of this, some programs ensure that
they are present in students’ home schools every single day and are a visible force. College Bound, for
instance, estimates that it spends 800 hours of work by the time students graduate from high school.
High Expectations
Successful programs have high expectations for everyone involved in the program, from students to
staff to board members and advocates. They expect everyone to deliver in order for the program to
be successful. The greatest emphasis, of course, is on students. All of the programs reviewed in this
study were very clear about the expectation of high quality student work and effort. Motivation was
seen as an important aspect of student success, but motivation without high expectations—especially
regarding academic development—is limited in its utility.
The College Road espouses “creativity and ‘no boundaries’ thinking” as their mantra. Chief Academic
Officer Julie Allen noted that “setting [high] expectations was intentional when we developed the
program and was at the forefront when we identified the staff members who would lead it.” She said
this enables The College Road to “respond to the ever changing environment,” which in turn “contributes
to success both in program outcomes and in attracting and sustaining the funding needed to
deliver the program.”
College Bound St. Louis excels is combining “high expectations with high levels of support.” Lisa
Zarin noted: “Helping students develop a mindset of self-advocacy, resilience and determination is
central to success, as is acquiring the academic skills, cultural capital and social supports necessary for
thriving in a campus setting.
Bridges to a Brighter Future described that once the program identity is clear and the right people
are on board, it is crucial to maintain a program culture of high expectations to ensure an overall
high program performance.
Educational Policy Institute x www.educationalpolicy.org