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

A Blueprint for Success
Partners that support our “new sites”
In New Orleans, CT partners with the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, which provides facilities’
and transportation costs, does joint fundraising, and supports CT’s parent and volunteer programs.
In Aurora, CO, CT has partnerships with Summit54 and the Aurora Public Schools. Summit54
is an organization that seeks to support and collaborate with existing programs benefiting academically
motivated students who lack the school, home or financial situations to help them attend
and graduate from college. CT has developed specific criteria for selecting large scale partners.
College Track fosters strong partnerships with colleges, universities, and scholarship programs to ensure
the highest levels of support for CT students. These partnerships benefit students by helping
them connect with admissions officers, EOP offices, and other supports, as well as providing financial
resources. The partnerships are seen as a “synergy of services that benefit both sides” and help
meet student needs at low or no cost.
Evidence of Success
College Track actively engages students from the summer before 9th grade and supports them
through college graduation. The program aims to provide seamless, longitudinal services that build
and reinforce the habits and skills necessary to succeed. Over the last 13 years, CT has served over
1,100 students, of which 100 have already graduated from college. In addition, College Track has
achieved the following results:
100 percent of CT seniors graduate from high school
90 percent are admitted to a four-year college
55 percent of students graduate from college within six years
In addition, Kaplan ACT Test preparation and repeated test taking (paid for by CT) appear to boost
achievement among CT high school seniors. For this past year, 57 percent of seniors graduated from
high school with ACT scores that indicate they have college-level ELA competencies. In math, 32
percent of seniors are predicted to be ready for college-level coursework. These scores are a notable
increase from 42 percent in ELA and 9 percent in Math before the test preparation program.
Among seniors who graduated high school in June 2011, 96 of 111 seniors (86 percent) have been
offered admission to at least one college, with students receiving 3.5 offers of admission on average
(up from 3 last year). Fifty percent of seniors received 3 or more offers and the top 25 percent of seniors
received 6 or more offers. For all CT program graduates, 508 students have been admitted and
enrolled in college. Of this group, approximately 98 students have graduated (19 percent), and 300
(60 percent) are still enrolled in a postsecondary institution. Due to a transition year in 2005-2006,
College Track lost touch with some students, but has been trying to reconnect with them and succeeding
with many.
Educational Policy Institute 57 www.educationalpolicy.org