Over the past decade, the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning has served as the research and evaluation partner in more than a dozen foundation-supported efforts to improve college access and success outcomes, not just within individual programs, but also at a community level. In this workshop, the presenters will: a) present lessons learned from these community-level efforts; and b) guide participants in using a systems lens to identify how and where they fit in their local college access and completion system.

1. Impacting College-Going and Completion Rates in Your Community: Taking a Systems Approach NPEA Conference Workshop April 29, 2011 Sarah Singer Quast Project Manager sarah@omgcenter.org 1

2. OMG’s CAS research: Current and past partners

3. Key CAS Trends: Moving towards “Systems-Change” An increasing number of foundations are supporting systems-level change initiatives. Foundations are trying to figure out ways to impact larger number of students through broader policy and practice changes. CAS efforts focused on discrete programming – academic tutoring, college fairs, financial aid information, in-college supports. Traditional Approach Cooperation among CAS players for a coordinated system of supports – need for system-level and -informed changes to take us from current patchwork of programs to a coordinated system of comprehensive services and supportive policies. New Approach

5. Multiple uncoordinated funding streams supporting the same goals

6. Perceptions of inefficiencies in the way resources are being distributed; potential duplicative efforts/initiatives

8. Community college policy change in San Francisco

9. New York City’s data warehouse

11. 1. Identifying Community CAS Stakeholders Understanding who is already operating in your college access and success environment, both the usual and less usual players, is a first step in identifying new opportunities for impact. Players that directly interact with students Foundation-Driven Collaborations Business Community City Government-Driven Collaborations Parents, family, adult mentors Independent and Parochial Schools Funding Partners School District Students Broader network that influences policy and system-level efforts Intermediaries and Technical Assistance Providers Community or School-Based Organizations Institutions of Higher Education Research Organizations Advocacy and Communications Groups Policymakers Collaborative efforts that bring together multiple stakeholders Federal Government-Driven Collaborations Nonprofit-Driven Collaborations 7

13. Comcast

14. Independence Blue Cross

16. Guidance Counseling and Promotion Standards

17. Teaching and Learning

18. High School Reform Policy and Research

20. US Department of Education

22. Philadelphia Youth Network

24. PA State Universities

25. PA State-Related Universities

27. Philadelphia Academies

28. Philadelphia Education Fund

29. Philadelphia Futures

30. Project GRAD

32. Metis Associates

33. Philadelphia Education Fund

34. OMG Center for Collaborative Learning

36. Mayor’s Chief Education Office

37. Congressman Chaka Fattah

38. Governor RendellCiti Postsecondary Success Program City-Level Partnership Education First Compact Mayor’s Council for College and Career Success College Prep Roundtable 8

40. Who are the other stakeholders that might have influence at the policy or system level?

41. Are there existing collaborations or collaborative efforts where multiple partners are coming together?

44. Which CAS efforts are targeting change at the student, school, or system level?

45. Where are you operating in the CAS system?

46. Which stakeholders are operating in the same space as your organization?

49. What challenges/barriers are holding back unsuccessful students the most?

50. How could successful factors be replicated for students by nonprofits, at the school level, through district policy, etc?

52. Other known data sources

57. What indicators would help answer these questions?

58. What data is your organization already collecting?

59. What data might be available through other stakeholders in the system?