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

A Blueprint for Success
cision early on in a program’s life about how to operate the program in order to maximize the inpact
with a limited budget parameter. Often, the difference in good and great programs is the level of intentionality
that a director, staff, and board have about the outcomes. Hoping that good things will
happen and waiting for serendipitous events to intervene is a recipe for status quo. Faith alone is not
a hallmark of success in these programs. Intentional strategies are. Good directors prepare for success
and put the pieces—and people—in place in order to improve the conditions upon where success can
breath.
Focus on Students and Student/Parent Efficacy
By far the most referred area of program effectiveness was the ability of these programs to help empower
students and “believe” they can succeed. While this is amorphous in some regards, the directors
of our case studies all believe it is an essential element of their programs. At Breakthrough Saint
Paul, the director noted that “there are no exceptions: college is the expectation of Breakthrough
students.” Bridges to a Brighter Future feels they are very successful in “creating a program that
promotes a unique family atmosphere beyond that of a typical summer program.” Bridges actively
fosters a sense of connection among its students, and incorporates “specific and intentional activities”
to do this, including the annual “Spring into Bridges” event that brings together new and returning
students and their families and a welcome weekend of the summer program that fosters teambuilding
and leadership development.
Education is Freedom (EIF) believes in “getting students to college, and working with parents/guardians
as partners along the way.” EIF empowers parents and guardians to proactively partner
with their students toward college success. The Hispanic College Fund says that they are most
successful in “empowering students by equipping them with tangible and intangible tools, which
increase hope and lead to resilience.” The HCF helps students build aspirations, expectations, develop
a life vision, increase their practical knowledge and skills base, and develop a support network.
Foundation for a College Education (FCE) says they are most successful working with students and
parents to “make sure that they have the information and the confidence to be effective advocates for
themselves.” As their director noted, FCE is designed to “empower our clients rather than having
them dependent on us.” As with Breakthrough Saint Paul, FCE attributes their success to having
college graduation as the goal from the beginning, noting that “all programs were and are developed
with this endpoint in mind.”
Data-­‐Driven Practices
Each of these programs reviewed in this project are extraordinarily data-driven. They collect data
about their students and their instructors/facilitators which are, in turn, used regularly to inform the
decision-making process. Bottom line, for instance, spent considerable funds developing its own database
to track students and runs diagnostics on students twice a year. In addition, Bottom Line
conducts formal diagnostic tests to determine areas of deficiency. College Bound St. Louis does not
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