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

A Blueprint for Success
database is exportable to Excel applications and can be accessed by all counselors. It creates files for
each student and follows them through their experience at Bottom Line. One benefit of having a
centralized database is the ability to standardize data collection efforts. Everything from the outreach
strategies, the process to get into the program, the way data is entered into the system, and the
amount of time counselors meet with students is recorded systematically in the database and information
is filterable by each of Bottom Line’s sites. Currently, Bottom Line is trying to hone in on
the data analysis to look at different cross sections of the population they serve to identify changes or
trends that can be useful for improving practices or replicating its model in new sites.
College & University Partnerships
Bottom Line does not have formal partnerships with any postsecondary institutions. However, they
do have working relationships with many individuals in admissions, financial aid, and other campus
resources at colleges throughout Massachusetts. Since the College Success Program provides services
to students at specific colleges, Bottom Line tends to build strong relationships with those colleges
over time.
Evidence of Success
According to Bottom Line, 74 percent of Boston students who participated in the College Success
Program have completed a degree within six years. The organization’s college graduation rates are
higher than the rates of students in the Boston Public Schools system, whose class of 2003 graduated
41 percent of students from college within six years.
Furthermore, an external evaluation of the College Success Program shows that students who receive
Bottom Line’s support during college graduate in six years at rates up to 43 percent higher than students
who receive support only during the college application process through the College Access
Program. This finding illustrates that Bottom Line is achieving its goal of increasing students’ chances
of earning a college degree.
For the college completion rates of Bottom Line students in recent classes, they are getting close to
the 80 percent goal that is based on the rate at which the wealthiest, best supported students typically
graduate across the nation.
Sustainability
Bottom Line has a diverse funding stream. Approximately a third of the funds come from local and
large foundations that support the organization’s growth. There are also corporate sponsorships,
which often come from companies that supply employment and internship opportunities for college
graduates. Finally, Bottom Line receives contributions from a rapidly growing individual donor base.
The organization does not receive federal funds because they run separate from the schools, and the
lack of federal monies helps the organization be “independent and flexible,” according to the CEO.
Educational Policy Institute 6 www.educationalpolicy.org