Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, states have been seeing drastic decreases in undergraduate enrollment. This certainly is the case in Kentucky,
which has seen a 44% decline in the enrollment of working age adults (age 25-49) compared to the 2012-13 academic year. With aspirations to change this, and given racial disparities in degree attainment, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)
and the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) have partnered with OneGoal, an NCAN member, for a two-year initiative. The $1.5 million endeavor is funded by pandemic relief funds.
OneGoal, a leader in the education equity field, is dedicated to closing disparities in degree attainment and creating an equitable future for all students. Their classroom model targets historically underserved students. NCAN previously wrote about OneGoal
when they released their Postsecondary Readiness Rubrics and announced a partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Aaron Thompson, the President of the Kentucky CPE shared in a press release, “In order for students to earn degrees and credentials that lead to sustainable and well-paying careers, their education, from preschool through college, should have built-in
supports to help them successfully transition to the next level.”
The participating districts will be paired with OneGoal coaches who will assess their postsecondary readiness to identify specific needs. The coaches will then work with the district to build a clear path towards addressing and improving said needs. This
will be unique to each school, but overall districts will receive regular coaching, data analysis, and strategy refinement.
All of this is especially exciting news after a UChicago Inclusive Economy Lab Study found very promising results comparing students
who have participated in a OneGoal program to a control group with similar academic profiles and socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings of that evaluation included that OneGoal Fellows were:
More likely to complete high school (99% vs. 83% in the control group)
Submitting more college applications (1.6 more on average, a near 19% increase)
46% more likely to enroll in college
47% more likely to persist for at least two years in college
40% more likely to graduate from college
“KDE and the Kentucky Board of Education are committed to equity in the Commonwealth’s public schools. For many of our students, their pathway to success will involve more education beyond high school. This partnership will help our students be ready
for the opportunities that higher education can give them,” said Education Commissioner and Commonwealth Education Continuum Co-Chair Jason E. Glass via press release.
The program will begin to roll out during the 2022-2023 school year with their inaugural cohort identified by district leaders interested in systematic change.
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