By Mary Velan
Gov1
The public school systems across the United States vary in many ways - such as diversity and funding - yet all share the common goal of getting students into college or on a strong career path upon graduation. While many public schools are able to get students into colleges, many are failing to fully prepare them for the demanding coursework and lifestyle changes they will encounter their first year on campus.
This disparity in preparation can be attributed to several factors - the most important being how high schools and colleges operate. The vast majority of public high schools are focused on test scores and graduation rates, leaving little time or resources dedicated toward collegiate academics. Likewise, colleges and universities are not monitoring the activities and trends in public high schools to better understand new students each year. Because high schools and colleges operate in silos, there is ample opportunity for students to feel overwhelmed or not succeed after high school. This is especially prevalent in low-income neighborhoods, making it especially difficult for young adults to escape the poverty cycle.
Long Beach Plan
In Long Beach, California, one third of local children live in poverty. The local officials have identified the need to improve student academic success at both the high school and collegiate levels to boost economic growth and development. Therefore, the Long Beach public schools are collaborating with the local community college and the state university to address educational gaps and disparities that arise from:
- Poverty
- Racial discrimination
- Limited educational opportunities
Known as the Long Beach College Promise, the partnership includes Long Beach Community College, California State University - Long Beach, the city of Long Beach and Long Beach Public Schools. The goal of the collaboration is to create pathways for public school students to prepare for, enter and complete college. The partnership provides participating students with:
- One free semester of tuition at Long Beach Community College
- Guaranteed admission to California State University - Long Beach
- Early outreach programs
- Intensive support
How It Works
The Long Beach College Promise is designed to improve college preparation, access and completion for participating students in the community. By bringing together educational and community institutions, the program is able to help students overcome obstacles in the way of academic success.
The project is the most recent example of a Seamless Education Partnership between three institutions. Data shared among the three institutions is used to identify, prioritize and address the needs of freshman and transfer students entering college life. The desired (and achieved) outcomes of the partnership focus on equitable student access, retention and progress toward degree and graduation.
Starting with the very youngest of students, Long Beach made universal preschool for disadvantaged children a top priority.
The Long Beach College Promise guarantees high school graduates will be admitted into either the community college or the state university. The local economy in Long Beach has struggled to rebound after the economic downturn, leaving many families unable to afford college tuition. By offering financial aid and a gateway into a strong college system, the promise has enabled more than three-quarters of the community’s high school graduates to enroll in college - which is 10 percent above the national average. The community college, university and city mayor launched a fundraising effort to ensure all preschools are on the path toward college graduation.
Community and state college campuses are then introduced to students starting around 4th and 5th grade. The goal is to show the students what they are working toward and what opportunities lie ahead.
By junior year of high school, students are taking early assessment exams to identify which students are on track for graduation and which have fallen behind. Those who score poorly are provided with rigorous academic programs to bring them up to speed to meet admissions requirements. By making college a priority for students at a young age, they are continually working toward that goal. According to the program, last spring more than 10,000 advanced placement exams were conducted, up 41 percent from the spring of 2013. Furthermore, Long Beach high school graduates have earned $96 million in scholarships, up $40 million from 2012, The New York Times reported.
Among the partnership stakeholders there are about 200 joint ventures linking public schools and colleges. These collaborations offer students with a variety of resources such as courses in Mandarin and ethnic studies designed by college professors but taught at the high school level.
California State University - Long Beach reserves a seat for every eligible applicant from the Long Beach community, despite receiving more than 56,000 applications annually. Even if the students graduating from the Long Beach program do not as high a GPA as other students applying to the university, the Long Beach students are equally likely to graduate. As a result, California State University - Long Beach boasts a 67 percent graduate rate in six years, which is 20 percent higher than at comparable schools. What’s more, the school reports a 63 percent graduation rate for low-income and minority students, which is 25 percent higher than that at similar universities, The New York Times reported.