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

Figure 1. College Bound Program Model
A Blueprint for Success
Data-­‐Driven Practices
According to College Bound St. Louis, the organization collects, tracks, and reports on the milestones
and indicators that predict and verify college persistence through degree completion. College
Bound St. Louis uses third-party validated information such as student transcripts, ACT scores, letters
of admission and Student Aid Reports as a means of verifying outcomes. College Bound St.
Louis does not use student self-reporting for outcome reporting. Milestones and indicators for high
school and college success were drawn from evidence-based and peer-reviewed literature such as articles
and reports from The Pell Institute, Lumina Foundation for Education, Education Trust, the
U.S. Department of Education, and The Toolbox Revised.
To set milestones and measure indicators, College Bound St. Louis collects a vast amount of data,
including results from pre- and post-tests administered by CB-STL, ACT scores, financial aid information,
and attendance data at CB-STL events. Some sample measures include:
Student pre- and post-test results from our ‘College Knowledge’ curricula module
Student pre- and post-test results from our ‘Financial Literacy’ curricula module
Student baseline and final ACT scores
Student pre-and post-test results from our summer academy (College Bound Summer
Institute), for rising high school juniors.
Educational Policy Institute 32 www.educationalpolicy.org