Recently, 15 state partners from the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) Postsecondary Pathways Program gathered to discuss their strategies for engaging K-12 districts and schools in college and career readiness (CCR) efforts. These partners,
which include state education agencies and college access networks, have unique relationships with district- and school-based leaders and practitioners. Christina Winstead from the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and Melany Clark from myFutureNC shared insights on how their states engage K-12 schools and districts. Check out what they had to say below!
Washington Student Achievement Council
Having 300 school districts that span across the state of Washington makes it difficult for WSAC to provide K-12 counselor and student support effectively. To expand the capacity of its team and the college access professionals they serve, WSAC implemented
a texting platform called Otterbot. Otterbot allows counselors to avoid repetitive queries like “When is the University of Washington’s admission deadline?” by automatically sending customized
responses to students’ questions related to postsecondary pathways. The Otterbot system is a partnership between WSAC and schools which means each school can program the texting system to their specific resources and events, enhancing local relevance.
If there is anything NCAN has learned from WSAC over the past year (and we’ve learned a lot!), it’s that WSAC will travel all over the state of Washington to make sure that every school has what they need to set up students for success. WSAC takes additional
steps by ensuring that each training is tailored to the student population and region they serve. They do this by inviting and training community members such as local libraries and bus drivers to speak about financial aid and the college-going process
to the students they interact with daily. Winstead emphasized that building trust with schools, districts, and community members is essential for fostering open lines of communication and support.
myFutureNC
While NCAN’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Tracker provides FAFSA completion data on a national level, North Carolina’s robust statewide FAFSA tracker serves as a
vital tool for measuring K-12 engagement in the college access space. The state’s FAFSA tracker provides districts, schools, and counselors with an inside look into which schools and regions might need the most support in increasing FAFSA completion
so that students are not left behind.
One way North Carolina used their FAFSA tracker to engage K-12 districts and schools was through a pilot program that engaged 37 pilot school districts working to increase FAFSA completion rates. By pulling the school districts with the largest opportunity
for growth, myFutureNC collaborated with each district to develop and determine an appropriate FAFSA completion goal in addition to better understanding what would be needed (e.g., funding, time, staff) to achieve that goal. At the end of the pilot
program, 10 districts surpassed North Carolina’s average FAFSA completion rate of 41.5% and four pilot districts had more students year-over-year who completed the FAFSA.
North Carolina also hosts one of, if not the largest, financial aid summits in the country. Their financial aid summit provides training to 350 college access professionals from colleges, financial aid organizations, and 64 school districts and charter
schools. Attendees leave the summit with greater knowledge about the financial aid process for seniors, the financial aid resources that are available to them in their district, community, and region, as well information about FAFSA changes. Check
out more information about North Carolina’s Financial Aid Summit in this NCAN blog post and their previous summit agenda.
The insights shared by WSAC and myFutureNC highlight the importance of how collaboration and innovation between state agencies, college access organizations, and K-12 districts and schools can transform postsecondary access. Engaging K-12 schools and
districts in postsecondary pathway programming not only empowers students but also builds trust within communities, fostering a culture of readiness that extends beyond the classroom. As we move forward, it's clear that comprehensive engagement, rooted
in local relationships and tailored solutions, is essential for equipping all students with the tools they need to succeed in their educational journeys.
If your state engages K-12 schools and districts in a unique and scalable way, please email NCAN’s Program Associate Alessandra Cipriani-Detres at alessandra@ncan.org. We would love to uplift your
great work!
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