Dive Brief:
- Inequities in college access remain a persistent problem for New York City’s high school students, though some significant improvements have been made, according to a new report from the Research Alliance for New York City Schools. Particularly, on-time graduation rates rose from 47% in 2005 to 70% in 2016.
- The report notes that there has been a shift in expectations to graduating students who are prepared for college and careers. The study found more students are enrolling in two-year colleges, with fewer delaying enrollment. This trend is particularly heightening among students from underrepresented groups.
- The report found that the primary issues were gaps in college enrollment and outcomes. It is the second in a series by the Research Alliance called “New York City Goes to College,” inquiring about how high school graduation rate increases are impacting students as they ascend into college.
Dive Insight:
The increase in two-year college enrollment should be seen as encouraging that students still value a college education. Four-year college administrators have an opportunity to capitalize on this interest by collaborating with two-year schools, and even high schools, to ensure clear articulation agreements exist to promote clear and direct pathways to graduation. Such approaches could offer more opportunities for students graduating from high school if financial challenges make the cost of a four-year degree more difficult to attain. If the primary struggle continues to be with ensuring students remain enrolled and have positive outcomes in higher ed, administrators on campuses can invest in counselors who can work with students from orientation to ensure their progress remains on track.
Not only that, but building stronger relationships with the K-12 system to develop pipelines into college can be extremely beneficial, especially if a guidance counselor or career center staff is not on staff at a particular school. Just as important is setting college enrollment as an expectation for all students. While perhaps going as far as Chicago's plan to require proof of post-graduation plans before issuing a high school diploma is too far, research has shown students play to the expectations of their teachers and administrators.
In New York, Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced last week that 193 middle schools will join the “College Access for All” program, with 44,000 seventh graders having the opportunity to visit a college campus within the coming year. The program also mandates that all students will visit a campus by the 2018-19 school year, with each high school student graduating with an individualized career and college plan, along with making the SAT exam be available free of charge during the school day for all juniors. As schools try to make college visits more accessible for students who cannot attend using a variety of tools, a program like New York’s can help make the possibility of attending college more real when institutional support for such a pursuit had previously been sparing.