Project Kitty Hawk’s Post

#MemberNews 📰 A unanimous vote by the IRSC Foundation Board to renew the IRSC Promise program means students graduating in 2024 from in-district public and public charter high schools and eligible in-district homeschool graduates can earn tuition-free Associate degrees from Indian River State College. Approved for a third year, the IRSC Promise Program has correlated to a dramatic increase in college-going among local high school graduates with greater numbers of Hispanic, first-generation and male students entering the College—impressive statistics that far exceed or buck national trends. Read more here --->>> https://lnkd.in/ek_jXz49 #BuildingSoFlo

Every day, in every school, there is something to celebrate about education. That small moment between a teacher and a child that makes the day better for both, that new idea put in place in a classroom that suddenly clicks, that school-wide initiative that is boosting outcomes, that trust-wide experiment that is going to transform the system - it all matters and we should be shouting about it more. That’s why Tes runs the Tes Schools Awards each year. We believe not only that the work schools do needs to be celebrated, but that it should be shared, too. Across our 21 award categories, we have tried to offer as many opportunities as possible for schools and trusts to be part of the awards. And because it is free to enter, and because we have kept the task of applying as workload-light as we can, we believe it is as accessible as it can possibly be, too. This year’s awards introduce two new awards for multi-academy trusts, and we are thrilled that Sir Steve Lancashire and Sir David Carter have come on board to judge these categories (you can find out more below). However, as many of you will know, Sir Tim Brighouse, a long-time Tes Schools Awards judge and hugely loved figure in the sector, died at the end of last year. Tim absolutely loved judging the community award and, for this year, we will be handing out this award in his honour, renaming it the Sir Tim Brighouse Community Engagement Initiative of the Year award for 2024. We will also be paying tribute to Sir Tim at the ceremony in June. The pressures on education are acute and we, of course, need to campaign for those pressures to be alleviated, but we also need to celebrate the amazing work schools and those who work in them do, day in and day out. Our hope is that the awards can be a fantastic way to do just that - so please take a look at our awards pages and apply before the deadline of 22 March 2024. Schools tend to be very humble places but now is the time to speak up and be proud. The Tes Schools Awards are open for entries from now until 22 March 2024. There are 21 categories and it is free to enter. You can find more information here: https://lnkd.in/eHQQNb2K

Preparing for college from 'day one' is a priority for Gorey Educate Together, a small secondary school of just under 200 students. The Deis school in Co Wexford – which currently only teaches first to third-year pupils aged 12 to 15 – is already in preparation for its first set of Leaving Cert students in two years. 'I’m not surprised more kids from Deis schools are going to college' says maths and science teacher Julie Browne. 'The groundwork is being done early.' 'We give the children career guidance, and the Schools Completion Programme is important. We have someone dedicated to working with the kids. We identify students who could leave early and we make sure there’s early intervention. As part of the Deis plan, we’re always thinking about student engagement' 'Last year, we had an accelerated maths programme, which saw the high achievers go to the DCU summer camp. One child from that has now decided they want to go to DCU. That student is 15 and already this ambition is clear, due to this groundwork. There’s something so special about our school, about its ethos. We’re really looking forward to having our first Leaving Cert students and to sending them off to college' Read the full story here: https://buff.ly/46Vul8g #feederschools #education #thirdlevel #college

The rocky rollout of the new #FAFSA could be “catastrophic” to the college enrollment of America’s high school Class of 2024, higher education experts recently told Congress. But with public postsecondary education the engine of upward mobility, the University of Maine System (UMS) won’t let that happen to our state’s students or economy, writes Chancellor Malloy in today’s BDN. Thanks to our System’s leadership in supporting prospective students and their families understand just how affordable Maine’s public universities can be, more Mainers have applied to UMS and confirmed they are coming compared to this same time last year, despite frustrations with the FAFSA. And for those who haven’t yet made their college choice, Maine’s public universities will continue to welcome students right up to the start of the semester and most who enroll will receive significant support. More than 19,000 UMS students were awarded financial assistance they did not need to pay back last year, with the average scholarship and grant package totaling $9,006. Upon graduation, they’ll enjoy more than higher earnings, employment rates and job security, the Chancellor notes. Research shows bachelor's degree holders also live longer and are happier. Read his complete commentary to learn the incredible payoff of the FAFSA and the University of Maine System: https://lnkd.in/eTNHPGsc #COLLEGEISWORTHIT University of Maine University of Maine at Augusta University of Maine at Farmington University of Maine at Fort Kent University of Maine at Machias University of Maine at Presque Isle University of Southern Maine FAME Maine Educate Maine Maine Department of Labor Maine Department of Education

Watching the challenges with this FAFSA season I unfold from a different seat than the one where I advocated for the changes has been a professional learning process to say the least. Threading the needle of what Trustees need to know about the Better Fafsa - both its benefits and the failures of its rollout - and what is far too much detail that only I am interested in (or irrate about) has been required. One element that hasn't changed since the first piece of this law passed in Dec 2019 until the rollout of the full set of changes in Dec 2023 is the impact of the FAFSA on the postsecondary ambitions, plans, enrollment, and retention of your nation's youth and adult learners. There has been much - warranted - hand wringing about how the FAFSA rollout will impact college going. And whether the students who wait to enroll will ever return. To answer this concern, Sara Goldrick-Rab has penned a column reminding students- and high schools and communities - that even though the traditional decision day for committing to college has passed, that hope is not lost and many pathways to higher education are still accessible - through community colleges.

Parents, you have options ✨ There are so many options in education. When I was young, I attended traditional public school, independent study programs, private school, and middle college. When I transferred to UCR from Cuyamaca College, I discovered their transfer agreement program that made it less stressful with admissions. There are so many opportunities, but you don't know what you don't know. 🥴 Sometimes, the school in your community isn't the best option for your child(ren). So, I'm just here to tell you something you may not already know. Here are some other options: 1. Independent study: a great option for parents who want to homeschool but don't have the necessary resources to do it full time. Independent study programs connect students with a teacher but they are not expected to attend in-person every day. It is also great for students who work at a faster pace and are high performing. 2. Virtual Public School: although virtual school is not for everyone, some students thrive in this environment. Many virtual schools are flexible, so it can be beneficial for families who are experiencing temporary setbacks (e.g. medical challenges). Many virtual schools offer the same advanced coursework as brick and mortar schools (i.e. honors, AP, dual credit, etc.), and they often have less hurdles to access those programs. 🙃 3. Private School: if you've wanted to send you child(ren) to a private school, but don't have the financial resources, many private schools offer scholarships. Don't count yourself out! 4. Middle College High School: middle colleges are popping up everywhere! I attended Grossmont Middle College High School in San Diego my senior year and was able to graduate high school with a full semester of college credits. Many of these programs begin during junior year. The best thing about it - you're not taking double the classes. Similar to dual credit classes, your college courses also count toward your required credits for HS. A double win! (and it's FREEEEEEE) If you have additional questions about any of these programs, let me know! I'm happy to help. 🔁 Share this with someone you know. ✔️ Follow Persist Education Services #schoolchoice #studentsupport #parentinvolvement

Check out this GSA Business Report story on SCC's bold goals propelled by $1.3M in investment by Movement 2030. The plan calls for 70% of the county's high school graduates to obtain a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2030. 💡📚💼 The investment will be used for dual enrollment programs so high schoolers can take college courses. SCC plans to double its dual enrollment program to serve 2,500 by 2030. Also, the investment will support new pilot programs to improve the quality and capacity of academic advising tutoring, promote resources to students, and train faculty and staff. Further, SCC will expand adult education programs to allow adults to complete their degrees or certificates while juggling work schedules, childcare and other completion barriers. Emergency funds are also available for students in need. https://bit.ly/42PNJn2 #everyonecanthrivehere #movement2030 #learnwithsam

Attention Higher Education Community! 📣 We're facing a concerning 30% decrease in FAFSA submissions compared to last year. The revised process has proven challenging, leaving many students frustrated and delaying their applications. Great article from The Hechinger Report https://bit.ly/3VFTD8I This alarming trend could lead to a significant loss of students from the higher education pipeline, impacting future workforces, economic mobility, and America's global competitiveness. We're committed to supporting students through this process. We've prepared a FAFSA guide to help families complete their applications swiftly. Click below to access the guide and share it widely within your networks. Together, we can ensure no student is left behind in their pursuit of higher education. https://bit.ly/4awktUT #FAFSA #HigherEd #CollegeAccess #StudentSuccess