Feb 19 2016 Guidebook highlights how intersector collaboration supports students’ post-secondary success
Students’ post-secondary success involves several steps, from applying to college to staying enrolled to graduating and finding work. Within this complicated process, there are equity gaps in student retention and success, leaving many students without the support they need to succeed after high school. “Strong support systems are necessary to help students complete their post-secondary programs, and these supports must come from both inside and outside the classroom,” according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). IHEP, with support from the Lumina Foundation, recently released a tactical guidebook that details how sectors can work together in their communities to ensure student success in college and employment.
Cross-sector collaboration is key in improving students’ post-secondary success, IHEP highlights in the guidebook, because each sector has a clear role to play. Government entities such as school districts can partner with colleges and non-profits to aid student readiness for the college application process and ensure student familiarity with placement tests. Non-profit organizations can provide coaching for students throughout the college search and into the transition to campus life. Businesses can offer internships for students and employment opportunities following graduation. With each sector playing a distinct role, communication and collaboration among these diverse stakeholders is key.
“Cross-sector partnerships that aim to improve rates of persistence and completion, particularly among underserved students, can be difficult to manage and maintain unless communities have clear guidance, objectives, and strategies.”
IHEP acknowledges that “cross-sector partnerships that aim to improve rates of persistence and completion, particularly among underserved students, can be difficult to manage and maintain unless communities have clear guidance, objectives, and strategies.” But it can be done. In the guidebook, IHEP provides an in-depth interview with Dr. Joan Becker, Vice Provost for Academic Support Services and Undergraduate Studies at University of Massachusetts Boston and a member of the Strategy Group for Success Boston. Success Boston exemplifies how a synergy between higher education, government, foundation, and non-profit partners can make an impact on student success in an urban community. Dr. Becker notes that these partners needed to be “flying in formation” in order to best connect students to the services they need.
Similarly, managing and maintaining a multi-sector partnership was crucial to successfully bridging education and career readiness at the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH), speaking to a tactic from our Intersector Toolkit: Establish a Governance Structure. P-TECH is a program that graduates New York City students with a no-cost Associates in Applied Science degree in in-demand fields, putting them on track to enter jobs in the STEM field. A Steering Committee made up of individuals from the New York City Department of Education, The City University of New York, City Tech, and IBM assumed responsibility for moving forward the plans for P-TECH, in accordance with the vision developed for the school and its students. After the creation of the program, the Steering Committee has continued to meet monthly and guide decisions for the school. Their decisions and discussions are based on the work of planning committees, which develop recommendations and provide updates on specific areas of school functioning, such as course scope and sequence and workplace learning. Then, Principal Davis, working with partners, operationalizes the vision and decisions of the Steering Committee. With so many moving parts, establishing a clear governance is key to the collaborative process because it encourages inclusivity and investment in the collaboration by nurturing consistent, meaningful engagement and alignment of sector-specific interests. To read the more about P-TECH, see The Intersector Project’s case study “Preparing Students for STEM Jobs in New York City.”
We recommend IHEP’s “Supporting Students’ Post-Secondary Success: A Tactical Guidebook” for anyone interested in learning the ins and outs of cross-sector collaboration to ensure students succeed in college and go on to high-quality employment, presented with helpful examples, interviews, tools, and additional resources.