Earlier this year, NCAN released our 2021 National College Access and Success Benchmarking Report, “Closing the College Graduation Gap.” The report highlights NCAN’s commitment to reporting on the outcomes of the college access and success field. We do this because our members’ work matters for students, families, communities, states, and the nation overall.
In addition to our Benchmarking Report, we are also holding up some of our members’ own efforts reporting on their program performance and outcomes.
Digital learning and adapting to remote teaching have presented several challenges for schools, teachers, students, and families. But during the 2020-21 academic year, Education Opens Doors (EOD), an NCAN
member, remained dedicated to elevating awareness around postsecondary access for their students and school communities in the Dallas area.
EOD shifted its student-centered curriculum and services onto a digital platform to promote effective learning in a virtual environment. EOD’s FY-21 Impact Report highlights some of
the organization's approaches to supporting their schools during the pandemic, such as:
Enhancing the EOD curriculum to promote high-quality remote learning.
Encouraging parent engagement through virtual platforms and services.
Remaining data-informed about best practices for promoting postsecondary preparation and success.
Developing new, Generation-Z-centric learning tools to promote program engagement.
Examples of the critical innovations highlighted in the report include:
Digitizing all program curriculum and assessments materials.
Developing EOD's first-ever Parent Programming and Resource Hub online which will be piloted across the U.S., beginning with parents in Dallas-Fort Worth in FY22.
Implementing the Middle School College Readiness Index, a new data-informed student survey designed to capture middle school indicators of postsecondary readiness and measure program impact.
Revamping in-person and virtual offerings by incorporating digital mini-lessons and videos with Gen Z voices to be more responsive to the engagement styles of their
student groups.
These efforts have demonstrated positive results for EOD’s schools and teachers. For example, 89.5% of EOD teachers surveyed found EOD curriculum content valuable in structuring activities during the pandemic. In fact, 94.7% of EOD teachers reported that
they would continue using the EOD curriculum next year and would recommend it to other teachers.
EOD’s commitment to providing high-quality materials and training to teachers has also contributed to positive outcomes for students’ postsecondary aspirations. Out of students surveyed, about 88% of EOD students reported during 2020-21 that they expect
to get a postsecondary credential (at a 2-year college, 4-year college, or trade school). This finding is encouraging as we continue to witness an overwhelming decline in college-going rates and dramatic changes in postsecondary plans for high students in the wake of the pandemic.
We look forward to following EOD’s work as they continue to expand their innovations and services to meet the ongoing needs of students and their families during this time. For more information on EOD’s programming and services, visit https://educationopensdoors.org/.
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