We know that by 2020, approximately 74 percent of Colorado jobs will require some level of post-secondary education, according to the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.
Despite increases in the number of Coloradans who hold a credential, projections suggest Colorado will fall short of the number of residents with the necessary credentials to fill jobs. To meet workforce needs, it is imperative that we increase the credential completion success of all Colorado populations.
The Mapleton Education Foundation and Mapleton Public Schools have implemented the following evidenced-based strategies to help increase the number of students who will enrolled in post-secondary programs…
- “Intrusive” or Proactive Advising – a model which helps advisors anticipate students’ needs and connect students to appropriate resources and support.
- Changing the Way Scholarship are Awarded – a focus on awarding scholarships to students with the intention of closing their financial aid gap. This was coupled with coaching students to understand the overall cost of their post-secondary programs so that they could be proactive in working to cover their expenses through financial aid and scholarships.
In addition to coaching students, the Mapleton Education Foundation also reconfigured the way their scholarship committee awarded support. They intentionally focused on closing the financial aid gap for students who met their criteria.
Hilary Sontag, Co-Executive Director of the Mapleton Education Foundation will give us more insight into the impactful work they are doing via an upcoming ACYI Guest Blog. Watch for more to come…
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Mapleton Education Foundation.