1. College Access Matters II
Diverse Student Pathways to College in Minnesota
2233 University Ave. West, Suite 220
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114
651.645.7400
www.mmep.org
3. Board Officers
Stephanie Crosby, chair, Robbinsdale Area Schools
Vanessa Abanu, vice chair, University of Minnesota, College of Education & Human Development
Anthony Galloway, secretary, West Metro Education Program
Lydia Lee, treasurer, Minneapolis Public Schools
Thank you to the individuals and institutions who made this report possible.
Board Members
Lisa D. Albrecht
University of Minnesota
Stanley Brown
Hopkins Public Schools
Dr. Brenda Cassellius
East Metro Integration District
#6067
Dr. Bruce Corrie
Concordia University
Diane Cowdery
Pacific Educational Group, Inc.
Tyrize Cox
Minneapolis Public Schools
Jamie Edwards
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Jeremiah Ellis
Saint Paul Public Schools
Leann Enninga
Community Member, Greater
Minnesota
James B. Field
Minnesota Independent School
Forum
Jacqueline Fraedrich
Community Member
Dolores H. Fridge
Medtronic
Danielle Grant
Minneapolis Public Schools
Dr. Nadine Haley
Metropolitan State University
Sunny Kase
Minnesota Private College Council
Jennifer Kolden
Securian Financial Group
Kazoua Kong-Thao
Saint Paul Public Schools
Keith Lester
Brooklyn Center Schools
Mike Lopez
Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities
Dr. Avelino Mills-Novoa
St. Cloud State University
Wm. Tex Ostvig
University of Minnesota
Dr. Robert K. Poch
University of Minnesota
Rául Ramos
Minnesota State Colleges &
Universities
Mark Robertson
Northwest Suburban Integration
District
Bruce A. Schelske
University of Minnesota TRiO
Elona Street-Stewart
Saint Paul Public Schools
Karen Woodward
Saint Paul Public Schools
Foundation
MMEP Staff
Carlos Mariani Rosa
executive director
Jennifer Godinez
associate director
Amanda Ziebell-Finley
program director
Caren Custer
office administrator
MMEP Interns and
Volunteers
Jaleesa Joy
student worker, MMEP
Kelly Custer
student volunteer, Augsburg College
Denisse Linares
student intern, Minneapolis
Community & Technical College
Keith Mensah
student intern, Augsburg College
Marco Tulio Martinez Mercado
student intern, Minneapolis
Community & Technical College
Principal Investigator
Gale Mason-Chagil, Ph.D., of
Cultural Inquiry Consulting
Report Design
Kirsten Wedes
3M Foundation
Otto Bremer Foundation
B.C. Gamble and P.W. Skogmo
Fund, The Minneapolis
Foundation
General Mills Foundation
Great Lakes Higher Education
Guaranty Corp.
Jay & Rose Phillips Family
Foundation
Securian Foundation
Travelers Foundation
Board of Directors
Staff, Interns,
Volunteers , and
Consultants
Funders
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
4. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter from MMEP Board Chair and Executive Director | 2
Executive Summary | 3
Methodology | 7
Respondent Demographics | 8
Findings | 9
Academic Preparation
Selecting and Applying
Financial Aid Knowledge
Career Exploration
Conclusions | 13
Recommendations | 16
Tables and Figures | 18
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership, Inc. | 19
Appendices | 20
End Notes | 26
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
5. This report, the second we have issued in recent years, is meant to contribute to the practical
knowledge needed to effectively reach students of color. We have conscientiously reached out across
the entire state including; Greater MN communities, American Indian reservations as well as the
Twin Cities, to pull together insights from over 3000 students. This unprecedented scope of direct
information from young people has informed this report. Our approach here is consistent with the
MMEP belief that powerful education policies and practices come from tapping directly into the
wisdom and experiences of communities of color. Because of this, MMEP is widely known and
trusted by people of color in Minnesota and that in turn gives us confidence in the validity of the
information shared in his report.
We encourage you to use the information in this report to engage and work with students of
color and positively impact their access to college. We also ask that you approach your efforts with a
willingness to work collaboratively. There is work to be done in Minnesota to produce a place where
every student has the opportunity to advance their knowledge skills. We believe all students are best
served when our schools, colleges, non-profits, government and community groups all work together
to maximize resources on their behalf. If you are committed to racial equity and high quality
educational outcomes, please collaborate with us in advocating for better policies and practices that
produce greater diversity in post-secondary success in our state. Consider joining MMEP’s Minnesota
College Access Network and help us to sustain this critically important work.
For several years the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership,
Inc (MMEP) has invested in the creation of the Minnesota College
Access Network (MCAN), as a statewide association of racially
and culturally competent collaborators who can further the
skills of local communities and institutions to effectively reach
into communities of color to make post-secondary participation
a reality. We believe that the interests of students of color
and of the state in general are mutually inclusive. Minnesota
will prosper only if communities of color prosper. To do that,
students of color must successfully attain higher education skills
and degrees.
We believe that the interests of students of color and of
the state in general are mutually inclusive.
Stephanie Crosby
Board Chairperson
Carlos Mariani Rosa
Executive Director
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II2
6. In the 2006 the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership report
titled College Access Matters, The Opportunity for College Access
Programs in Minnesota identified the capacity needs of the college
access field in Minnesota in addition to trends of demographic
change, declining college affordability and educational disparities.
The report noted that the white population of Minnesota is
declining while communities of color are growing; that the
global economy demands a more skilled labor force; that higher
education costs continue to rise and that significant racial
disparities continue to exist at every education level.3
Taken
together this “perfect storm” threatens the economic and social
well-being of the state.
As Minnesota’s college-age population becomes increasingly
diverse, this reality has serious implications for the state due to
our failure to reach adequate levels of college enrollment and
completion with students of color. The Minnesota Office of
Higher Education projections indicate that by 2015, students of
color will comprise about 20 percent of Minnesota high school
graduates. The largest increases are projected to be in the number
of Hispanic and Black graduates; two student populations
with historically low college participation and low high school
graduation rates.4
Additionally, Minnesota has one of the largest
gaps in the nation between whites and persons of color when it
comes to degrees awarded per 100 college students.5
Now, as Minnesota’s demographics continue to shift, the
overall share of young people in the state with at least a bachelor’s
degree is expected to decline.6
As it currently stands, the
percentage of Minnesotans ages 18 to 24 enrolled in college is 9
percent lower for persons of color compared to whites. The racial
gap is much higher when it comes to post-secondary graduation
rates at four-year institutions. Minnesota’s four-year institutions,
for example, have a 16 percent lower graduation rate for all
students of color, which breaks out to a discrepancy of 12 percent
for African American students and 26 percent for Hispanic
students.
In order to meet the needs of Minnesota’s workforce and to
ensure that students are prepared and equipped to participate in
the knowledge economy, action is needed now to boost college
enrollment and completion among students of color, beginning
with college readiness and access.
College Readiness and
Access, a New Paradigm
A recent study by the Institute for
Higher Education Policy (IHEP)
focusing on college qualified students
who did not enroll in postsecondary
education found that almost all “non-
college-goers”7
were not taking the
steps necessary to enroll in college.
The study revealed that students of
color and low income students fell
disproportionately into the population
of “non-college-goers.” This finding is
in direct contrast to student aspirations
nationally: according to findings by the
Bridge Project at Stanford University,
88 percent of all high schools students
Executive Summary
In his 2009 address to Congress President Obama said the goal for the United States is to
have the world’s highest proportion of college graduates by 2020 and that“in a global
economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education
is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.1
”According to the
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 16 of the 20 fastest
growing occupations in the state require education beyond high school. To meet this
demand, Minnesota will need to increase the rate of students who finish some type of
post-secondary education by 50%.2
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
3
7. surveyed and over 80 percent of African American and Hispanic
high school students said they plan to attend some form
of postsecondary education.8
These statistics are echoed in
Minnesota: 88% of all students surveyed for the current College
Access Matters II report indicated that they planned to attend
some type of postsecondary institution.
Steps outlined in Promise Lost: College Qualified Students
Who Don’t Enroll in College included the traditional academic
readiness steps, but also identified “college knowledge” related
preparation and steps including selecting and applying to college,
taking college entrance exams and applying for financial aid,
etc.9
Similarly, researchers, programs and funders around the
country are calling for a new paradigm of college readiness and
access that encompasses key academic and cognitive strategies
and content knowledge alongside the contextual and college
knowledge students must possess to be ready for college.10
This is especially crucial for traditionally underrepresented
students who in many cases come from families with limited
or no college experience and attend high schools that provide
only minimal college guidance.11
Taking a holistic approach
to students’ readiness and access to college must include the
academic preparation, the financial preparation and the social
preparation necessary to be successful in both accessing and
completing postsecondary education.12
It must also include a
There is no specific pathway to college for
students of color in Minnesota. Minnesota’s high
school students want to attend higher education:
88 percent of all students responding to the MMEP
survey indicated they plan to attend some type of
postsecondary education. In order to achieve this
dream, students need accurate information and advice
about college going. Unfortunately, there is no one
pathway or framework in place to ensure that students’
aspirations become reality.
There is no aspiration gap. 88 percent of all
Minnesotan students responding to the survey
indicated that they planned to attend some type of
postsecondary institution.
Students of color utilize many access points
for college going information. Students of color
indicated that they receive advice and information
related to college access and readiness from a variety
of sources, while white students consistently received
information at home.
Families play a crucial role in the college-going
process. More than 50% of all respondents, regardless
of race, indicated that they spoke with family members
first when seeking information about college. 80%
or more of the respondents for every ethnic group
reported that they spoke with someone in their family
about their future“sometimes’or“often.”
College access matters for students of color.
When asked about activities related to“college
knowledge”such as selecting and apply to college and
financial aid, students of color (excluding American
Indians) were more likely to be advised by college
preparation program staff than their white peers.
Students of color more likely to receive advising
regarding the college preparation process from other
adults or organizations in the community.
Students indicated they do not receive career
exploration advice from educators; they receive
advice from family members. When discussing
future careers, all of the respondents, students of color
and white students said that family was the first group
of people who advised them to complete activities
regarding career exploration. For some demographic
groups, students reported that no one advised them on
career options.
Key Conclusions
In this study MMEP explored how
Minnesota students are meeting
a new college readiness paradigm
and who is advising them along
their journey to postsecondary
education. MMEP explored the
types and prevalence of college
preparation activities that students
in Minnesota were participating in,
and which people in the student’s
lives were advising them to
complete these activities.
Executive Summary
X Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
4
8. solid college readiness and access infrastructure of advising,
information and supports in order to assure that all Minnesota’s
students are taking the necessary steps to prepare for and enroll in
postsecondary education and training.
In 2010, a new MMEP research study, College Access Matters II
(CAM II) explored how Minnesota students are meeting this new
college readiness paradigm and who is advising them along their
journey to postsecondary education. The study explored the types
and prevalence of college preparation activities that students
in Minnesota were participating in, and which people in the
student’s lives were advising them to complete these activities.
COLLEGE ACCESS MATTERS II
Data for this study was collected through a survey instrument
developed for this study. The survey was designed to ask high
school student to report about their college preparation activities.
Over 3000 students from urban, rural and suburban districts
throughout the state of Minnesota responded to the survey. The
survey included three different sections: 1) student demographic
information 2) student’s post-secondary plans and who in their
lives advised them on these plans, and 3) whether students had
completed 14 different activities and who had advised them
to complete these activities. The 14 activities are grouped into
four distinct areas, also called domains: academic preparation,
knowledge about selecting and applying to postsecondary
institutions, financial aid knowledge and career exploration.
These domains are identified in existing literature as being crucial
to the new college readiness paradigm.
Academic Preparation
Academic preparation has been identified as a crucial factor
in college readiness. Several studies have documented that the
intensity and quality of students’ high school courses is the most
powerful factor in increasing students’ chances for completing
a four-year college degree, and that the impact is far greater for
African American and Latino students than any other pre-college
opportunity.13
Advanced courses, in particular, have positive
effects on student achievement, particularly in science and math,
in students’ preparedness for college, and in their success in
college-level work.14
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Goals Matter: The current pathway to college for Minnesotan students is
faulty. In order to reach our students’aspirations and our state’s workforce needs,
the State of Minnesota should establish quantitative goals for college and career
readiness and implement tools and strategies to achieve them.
2. Families Matter: Minnesotan students tell us that their families
are an important part of their college going process. Engaging and
educating all families regarding college readiness steps, admissions
and financial aid processes and the importance of a postsecondary
education in the new economy is crucial to increasing higher
education attainment.
3. College Access Matters: College preparation programs
provide important supports for students of color in Minnesota.
These supports should be expanded and capacity should be built
in order to reach more students, in more geographic areas, earlier
in their education.
4. School Infrastructure Matters: By building the college
access and readiness capacity of school-based staff, including
instructional, counseling and support staff more students will have
the opportunity to engage with knowledgeable adults regarding
the college going process.
5. Career Exploration Matters: Minnesotan students need to
be better prepared for careers in a global economy. Businesses, high schools
and higher education institutions should work together to structure curriculum,
instruction and experiences that foster career exploration and readiness.
Executive Summary
7Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
5
9. In order for students to be academically prepared for college
they must understand the importance of a rigorous high school
curriculum to their futures.15
Students should enroll in college
preparatory classes, monitor their academic progress and plan
out their high school coursework. Because students’ course of
study is key to their attending a four-year college, the sequence of
these courses, leading to advance work in high school, must start
in middle school and early high school.16
Selecting and Applying to College
In addition to academic preparation, research has identified
that students need to complete a number of discrete steps in
high school to enroll in college, such as taking college entrance
exams, searching for and identifying colleges, submitting college
applications, and selecting a college.17
In order to complete these
tasks and make informed decisions about their postsecondary
options students must possess a high level of college knowledge.
For example, low income students are less likely to engage in wide-
ranging information gathering, which may be related to finding
and good college match. Research shows that finding a college
which coincides with students’ social and academic expectations
and interests may be a critical factor in their success in and
completion of college.18
Compared to students of other socioeconomic backgrounds
with similar levels of academic performance, students from
underrepresented backgrounds are more likely to attend two
year colleges or less selective four year colleges.19
Many times, this
decision may be based on a lack of information about all of the
options available and which options will align with the students’
educational and career goals. When exploring and applying to
colleges, knowing how to identify a list of appropriate colleges
from numerous options and then complete the necessary steps to
enroll has important consequences.20
Financial Aid Knowledge
Research regarding the new college readiness paradigm
identifies “financial readiness” as a key component of college
readiness. Studies have shown that parents and students from
underrepresented groups consistently are the most misinformed
about college costs and financial aid21
and that a lack of accurate
information causes students to overestimate the costs of college,
underestimate available financial aid resources, and misjudge
the viability of going to college.22
These students face the greatest
information barriers as they are less likely to have experience
with financial aid programs and assistance with completing the
processes required to obtain aid.23
Therefore, when low income
students and families view college as financially out of reach,
access to accurate financial aid information is critical.24
This is particularly true for low income students: more than
20 percent of low income, college qualified students do not enroll
in college at all due to cost.25
In addition, a broader perspective
on the financial advantages and costs of college, along with
details about the process of receiving aid, improves students’
understanding of the complete financial decision to attend college
and increases the likelihood of enrollment in postsecondary
education.26
In short, financial aid financial aid knowledge and
information regarding the availability of aid and the financial aid
process are critical in order to impact college-going rates27
and
meet the national goals for degree attainment.
Career Exploration
Career exploration has been identified in existing research as
an aspect of readiness that must be incorporated in order for
students to be college and career ready. Studies have shown that
exposure to various careers may foster student motivation to
succeed academically and to find the financial resources necessary
to pursue the education needed for a preferred career.28
For
example, middle school students who receive career interventions
before entering high school are better able to make effective
educational decisions in course specificity, sequencing, and
appropriateness for post secondary education.29
Additionally, the home lives of low income students may
not expose them to as wide an array of professions as wealthier
students and many parents of all backgrounds are not aware of
the necessity of a college education in the new global workforce,30
therefore career development programming is necessary to
facilitate more appropriate goal setting, academic decision
making, and course selection which heighten commitment and
increase the likelihood of students being college-ready.31
Executive Summary
8 Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
6
10. The survey was made available to respondents in electronic
and/or paper form. Most of the 3000+ respondents to the
student survey completed the survey on paper, and the data was
input into a website by MCAN staff and volunteers. The student
survey (See Appendix A) included three sections: 1) student’s
demographic information 2) student’s post-secondary plans, and
3) whether each student had completed 14 different activities
related to college preparation and who had advised them to
complete these activities.
Demographic information collected included student’s
gender, grade, school district, ethnicity, eligibility for free or
reduced lunch at school (indicator of household income), home
language, and mother’s education level. Data related to post-
secondary planning included items such as what they plan to do
after high school and who did they talk to about post-secondary
plans.
Utilizing a survey developed for this study, high school
students were asked to provide information about their
college preparation activities.
METHODOLOGY
COLLEGE PREPARATION ACTIVITIES
1. Academic preparation (Tierney et. Al. 2009)
n Enrolled in high school classes that prepare you for college.
n Kept track of or monitored your grade point average (GPA).
n Planned out which classes you will take in high school.
n Enrolled in high school classes that are challenging for you.
2. Selecting and applying to post-secondary institutions
(Tierney et. al. 2009)
n Visited one or more colleges.
n Identified a type of college would be good for you.
n Completed applications to enroll in one or more colleges.
n Applied to take, or have taken, ACT or SAT tests.
3. Financial aid knowledge (De La Rosa and Tierney, 2006)
n Identified scholarships that you can apply for.
n Identified two types of financial aid to help you pay for
college.
n Completed the federal financial aid form (e.g. FAFSA).
n Applied for college scholarships.
4. Career Exploration
n Identified jobs that you would like to do in the future.
n Identified two careers that you want to learn more about.
The final section of the survey asked students to indicate, yes
or no, as to whether they had completed each of 14 different
activities related to college preparation. Each student was
then asked to indicate who advised him/her to do this activity.
Students did this by circling, “family,” “adults at school,”
“community member,” or “college preparation program staff,” or
“no one.” Students were asked to indicate “college preparation
program staff” only if they were enrolled in a college preparation
program. The fourteen activities are grouped into four distinct
areas: academic preparation, knowledge about selecting and
applying to postsecondary institutions, financial aid knowledge
and career exploration.
The data were analyzed for differences between, and within
ethnic groups, and for a variety of SES characteristics, including
gender, income (as indicated by access to Free or Reduced lunch
at school), grade levels, and mother’s level of education, which
is known to be the most stable indicator for all groups regarding
education level.
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II 7
11. Figure 3 Response by Race/Ethnicity
Figure 5 Students Who Speak a Langage
Other Than English in Their Home
*Approximately 300 students did not indicate which school district
they were enrolled in.
Figure 7 Response by School District
Figure 4 Eligibility for Free and Reduced Lunch
Figure 6 Mother’s Highest Education LevelFigure 2 Response by Grade
Figure 1 Response by Gender
The survey responses captured information
from 3172 students from across the state.
The following demographic data is available for the respondents and
shows that they were relatively evenly distributed by gender (Female
54%, Male 46%) and grade (21% from 9th grade, 28% from 10th grade,
30% from 11th grade and 22% from 12th grade). The respondents
also provided information regarding the students’ eligibility for
free or reduced lunch, what language is spoken in the home, their
mother’s education level and their school district.
RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
*Approximately 1/3 of the respondents (35%) spoke a language
other than English in their homes.
10
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II8
12. The four items on the MMEP student survey related to
academic preparation in high school were:
1. Enrolled in high school classes that prepare you for college.
2. Kept track of or monitored your grade point average (GPA).
3. Planned out which classes you will take in high school.
4. Enrolled in high school classes that are challenging for you.
Notable exceptions to these generalizations are:
n African American/Black and Asian American/Pacific Islander
Male respondents were more often advised by family members.
n In 9th and 10th grade students of color (excluding American
Indian respondents) were generally advised by family members,
but 11th and 12th grade student of color respondents were
advised more often by adults at schools.
n Students of color (excluding American Indian respondents)
respondents who indicated their mothers had lower education
(e.g., no formal education, elementary school, and high school)
were more often advised by adults at school. Respondents with
mothers who had a 2-year or 4-year college education indicated
they were advised by family.
Table 1
Academic Preparation Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Ethnic Group
Gender
Male Female
African Amer./
Black
Family Adults at School
African Adults at School Adults at School
Asian Family Adults at School
Hispanic/ Latino Adults at School Adults at School
American Indian No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix B.
Table 2
Academic Preparation Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Grade
Ethnic Group
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th Grade 12th Grade
African Amer./
Black
Family
No
Trend
Adults at
School-
Family
Adults at
School
African
No
Trend
No
Trend
Adults at
School
Adults at
School
Asian Family Family
Adults at
School
Adults at
School
Hispanic/
Latino
No
Trend
No
Trend
Adults at
School
Adults at
School
American
Indian
No
Trend
No
Trend
No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/
White
Family Family Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix B.
Table 3
Academic Preparation Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Mother’s Education Level
Ethnic Group
Mother’s Highest Education
No
formal
Elementary
school
High
school
2-year
college
4-year
college
Graduate or
Professional
African Amer./
Black
No
Trend
No Trend
Adults at
School
Family-
Adults at
School
Family No Trend
African
Adults at
School
No Trend
Adults at
School
No
Trend
No
Trend
No Trend
Asian
Adults at
School
Mixed
Response
Adults at
School
Family Family No Trend
Hispanic/
Latino
No
Trend
Adults at
School
Adults at
School
No
Trend
No
Trend
No Trend
Native
American
No
Trend
No Trend
No
Trend
No
Trend
No
Trend
No Trend
Caucasian/
White
No
Trend
No Trend Family Family Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix B.
Academic Preparation
When preparing themselves academically in high
school for college level work, overall students of
color indicated that they received advice from
adults at school, and Caucasian/White students
indicated that they received support from family
members.
Finding 1
FINDINGS
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II 9
13. Selecting and Applying to College
The four items on the MMEP student survey related to
selecting and applying for post-secondary institutions were:
1. Visited one or more colleges.
2. Identified a type of college which would be good for you.
3. Completed applications to enroll in one or more colleges.
4. Applied to take, or have taken, ACT or SAT tests.
n All subgroups of students of color for which data was
available were advised by college preparation program staff.
Family members were the primarily source of advice for
Caucasian/White students.
n A majority of Caucasian/White respondents were not
enrolled in a college preparation program, therefore it is not
surprising that college preparation program staff were not
the people these students derived advice.
Overall, students of color (excluding American
Indians) were more likely to be advised about
selecting and applying to colleges by college
preparation program staff.
Finding 2
Table 4
Selecting and Applying Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Ethnic Group
Gender
Male Female
African American
Black
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
African
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
Asian
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
Hispanic/Latino No Trend
College Preparation
Program Staff
American Indian No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix C.
Table 5
Selecting and Applying Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Free or Reduced Lunch
Ethnic Group
Gender Free or Reduced Lunch
Male Female
Receives Free or
Reduced lunch
Does not receive
Free or Reduced
lunch
African Amer./ Black
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
African
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
Asian
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
Hispanic/ Latino No Trend
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
American Indian No Trend No Trend No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family Mixed Response Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix C.
12
findings
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
10
14. Financial Aid Knowledge
Overall, students of color
(excluding American Indian
students) received advice
regarding financial aid
from college preparation
program staff. Caucasian/
White students received
advice primarily from family
members.
Finding 3
Table 7
Financial Aid Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Free and Reduced Lunch
Ethnic Group
Free or Reduced Lunch
Receives
Free or Reduced lunch
Does not
receive Free or Reduced lunch
African Amer./ Black
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
African
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
Asian
College Preparation
Program Staff
Family
Hispanic/ Latino
College Preparation
Program Staff
No Trend
American Indian No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix D.
Table 6
Financial Aid Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Ethnic Group Gender
Male Female
African Amer./ Black
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
African
College Preparation Program
Staff- Adults at School
College Preparation
Program Staff
Asian
College Preparation
Program Staff
College Preparation
Program Staff
Hispanic/ Latino No Trend
College Preparation
Program Staff
American Indian No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix D.
The four items on the MMEP
student survey related to financial
aid knowledge were:
1. Identified scholarships that you
can apply for.
2. Identified two types of financial
aid to help you pay for college.
3. Completed the federal financial
aid form (e.g. FAFSA).
4. Applied for college scholarships.
Notable exceptions to these
generalizations are:
n For students of color (excluding
American Indian respondents),
12th graders were generally
advised by college preparation
program staff, except for
12th grade African American
respondents were also advised by
family.
n A very small percentage of White
students were enrolled in college
preparation programs.
findings
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
11
15. The two items on the MMEP student survey related to future
careers were:
1. Identified jobs that you would like to do in the future.
2. Identified two careers that you want to learn more about.
A notable exception to this generalization is:
Several sub groups of African American and Hispanic/Latino
students reported that no one advised them, including African
American female students, African American female 11th and
12th grade students, Hispanic/Latino 10th grade students
and Hispanic/Latino students whose mothers had high school
educations.
Table 8
Career Exploration Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Ethnic Group
Gender
Male Female
African Amer./ Black Family No One
African Mixed Response Mixed Response
Asian Family Family
Hispanic/ Latino Family Family
American Indian No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix E.
Table 9
Career Exploration Advising
by Race/Ethnicity and Grade
Ethnic Group
Grade
9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
African Amer./ Black Family Family No One No One
African Family Family Family Mixed Response
Asian Family Family Family Family
Hispanic/ Latino No Trend No One Mixed Response Family
American Indian No Trend No Trend No Trend No Trend
Caucasian/ White Family Family Family Family
A full chart can be found in Appendix E.
Most students, students
of color and Cuacasion/
White, reported that
they received advice on
future careers from family
members.
Finding 4
Career Exploration
findings
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
12
16. There is no specific pathway to college for students of color in
Minnesota.
Minnesota’s high school students want to attend higher education: 88 percent of all students
responding to the MMEP survey indicated they plan to attend some type of postsecondary
education. In order to achieve this dream, students need accurate information and advice about
college going. Unfortunately, there is no one pathway or framework in place to ensure that
students’ aspirations become reality.
This is particularly true for Minnesotan high school students of color who report receiving
advice about college going from multiple sources: academic preparation advice at school or home,
advice regarding selecting, applying and paying for college from college preparation program staff
and advice about future careers from family members. Many of the students surveyed reported
receiving advice from no one in particular as related to college going preparation. Without a
streamlined pathway for all students, Minnesota risks losing large percentages of students,
particularly in the only growing segment of the population—students of color, who want to
attend postsecondary education and training—because they do not have a systemic way to access
accurate information and advising about college going.
There is no aspiration gap.
Minnesotan students have gotten the message that postsecondary education is important. 88
percent of all students responding to the survey indicated that they planned to attend some type
of postsecondary institution (77% four year college, 8% two year community college, 3% technical
college). This is comparable to the national data, which also finds that 88 percent of students have
aspirations for postsecondary education and training.32
(Figure 8)
CONCLUSIONS
Figure 8
Post High School Plans
by Race/Ethnicity
Without a streamlined pathway
for all students, Minnesota
risks losing large percentages
of students, particularly in
the only growing segment
of the population—students
of color, who want to attend
postsecondary education and
training—because they do not
have a systemic way to access
accurate information and
advising about college going.
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II 13
17. Figure 9
First Person Students Access for
College Going Questions
Table 10
Summary of College Going Access Points:
Who is most likely to advise students?
College
Preparation Areas Students of Color Caucasian/White
Academic
Preparation
(in high school)
Adults at School
and Family
Family
Selecting and
applying for
post-secondary
institutions
College Preparation
Program Staff
Family
Financial aid
knowledge
College Preparation
Program Staff
Family
Future Careers Family Family
Students of color utilize many access
points for college going information.
Students of color indicated that they receive advice and
information related to college access and readiness from a variety
of sources, while white students consistently received information
at home. For activities that involved academic preparation in
high school, students of color were more likely to receive advice
from adults at schools. For activities that related to preparation
for college, including selecting and applying for post-secondary
institutions and financial aid knowledge to pay for college,
students of color were more likely to be advised by staff from a
college preparation program. When discussing future careers, all
of the respondents, including students of color, were advised by
family members. Therefore, students of color on average needed
at least three access points to have full exposure to the steps
needed to be ready for and to enter college.
Families play a crucial role in the college-
going process.
When asked “How often do you speak with someone in your
family about your future?” 80% or more of the respondents for
every ethnic group reported that they spoke with someone in
their family about their future “sometimes’ or “often.” More than
50% of all respondents, regardless of race, indicated that they
spoke with family members first when seeking information about
college. (Figure 9)
College access matters for students of
color.
Students of color were less likely than white students to receive
college knowledge at home resulting in the need to seek out
information about the college preparation process from other
adults or organizations in the community. When asked about
activities related to “college knowledge” such as selecting and
apply to college and financial aid, students of color (excluding
American Indians) were more likely to be advised by college
preparation program staff than their white peers. Students
of color received advice regarding financial aid from college
preparation program staff, while Caucasian/White students
received advice from family members. Therefore, for information
regarding the steps needed to enroll in a postsecondary program,
college access programs are a crucial supplemental support for
students of color. Unfortunately, only 1/3 of all the students who
completed the survey were enrolled in a program to help them
prepare for college.
conclusions
Students of color on average needed
at least three access points to have
full exposure to the steps needed to
be ready for and to enter college
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
14
18. Figure 10
How Often Do You Speak With Someone in Your Family About Your Future?
Figure 11
Enrollment in College Access Programs
by Race/Ethnicity
Students indicated they do not
receive career exploration advice
from educators; they receive
advice from family members.
When discussing future careers,
all of the respondents, students
of color and white students
said that family was the first
group of people who advised
them to complete activities
regarding career exploration.
For a few demographic groups,
student reported that no one
advised them on career options.
Therefore students in Minnesota
do not report receiving
significant advice on future
careers outside the home.
conclusions
More than 50% of all
respondents, regardless
of race, indicated that
they spoke with family
members first when seeking
information about college
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
15
19. 1. Goals Matter
The current pathway to college for Minnesotan students
is faulty. In order to reach our students’ aspirations and
our state’s workforce needs, the State of Minnesota should
establish quantitative goals for college and career readiness
and implement tools and strategies to achieve them.
1:1 Set aggressive statewide goals for college readiness, entrance
and completion that address the need for all students to complete
postsecondary education and training. Cultivate political and
public support for these initiatives.33
1.2 Create a statewide college readiness assessment. The
assessment should address academic, social and college
knowledge aspects college readiness and all stakeholders should
be involved in the process of creating the tool- students and
families, education from pre-K through higher education, youth
services, employers and businesses as well as community based
organizations and social service agencies. Progress towards
college readiness can then be determined and monitored
beginning in middle school by students, families and school based
advisors.34
1:3 Align curricula for college readiness. Establishing a core
curriculum required for high school graduation that aligns with
college entrance requirements at public colleges and universities
will result in all high school graduates, regardless of income
or racial background, meeting the entry requirements for
postsecondary training. Educate students and families before the
9th grade about the requirements.35
1.4 Utilize existing and collect new data to determine where
efforts and resources are most needed in order to increase college
readiness, entrance and completion for Minnesotan students of
color and American Indian students.36
2. Families Matter
Minnesotan students tell us that their families are an
important part of their college going process. Engaging
and educating all families regarding college readiness steps,
admissions and financial aid processes and the importance of
a postsecondary education in the new economy is crucial to
increasing higher education attainment.
2.1 Educate families about financial aid and financial literacy
basics beginning in elementary school. Continuously build on this
knowledge through middle and high school.37
RECOMMENDATIONS
This study explored the types and prevalence of college preparation activities that over
3000 students in Minnesota were participating in, and which people in the student’s
lives were advising them to complete these activities. The findings show us that there
are many places where the college going process can be improved, particularly as they
related to students of color and American Indian students across the state.
Minnesota will prosper only if communities of color prosper and, to do that, students of
color must successfully attain higher education skills and degrees. In a global economy
where education and knowledge are prerequisites to opportunity, in a nation with the
goal of producing the world’s highest proportion of college graduates by 2020, and
in a state with growing diversity and a shortage of skilled labor in the workforce, it is
imperative that Minnesota addresses college access in a systematic way which reaches
every student with the advising and information they need to access the life changing
benefits of higher education.
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II16
20. 2.2 Create family advising systems that pair
school staff with a family for all four years
of high school. These staff members should
assist in monitoring college readiness through
assessments, help create future education and
career plans and facilitate relationship building
between the school and the family.38
2.3 Tailor culturally relevant advising and
outreach to individual communities. Encourage
and support collaboration and partnerships with
community based and social service agencies to
more effectively deliver information to families.39
3. College Access Matters
College preparation programs provide
important supports for students of color
in Minnesota. These supports should be
expanded and capacity should be built in order
to reach more students, in more geographic areas, earlier in
their education.
3.1 Include college access curricula during the school day (e.g.,
integrated into classroom activities or advisory curricula)
including academic supports, academic planning, financial aid
information, etc.
3.2 Scale up college access efforts in all areas of the state by
incentivizing districts, community based sites and programs to
provide college access programming.40
3.3 Utilize partnerships between high schools, higher education
institutions and community based organizations to deliver college
access advising, supports and messaging.41
4. School Infrastructure Matters
By building the college access and readiness capacity of school-
based staff, including instructional, counseling and support
staff more students will have the opportunity to engage with
knowledgeable adults regarding the college going process.
4.1 Require public schools to adopt college going culture
standards based on research and best practices from high
performing schools, and hold administrators, teachers and staff
accountable for setting high expectations for every student.42
4.2 Require and provide ongoing professional development
for all school staff related to college readiness and access, such
as financial aid, college selection, career exploration, parent
engagement, etc.43
recommendations
4.3 Provide resources to fund additional staff members, beyond
regular counseling staff, that can advise students on college and
career readiness and coordinate community-based resources and
parent outreach.44
5. Career Exploration Matters
Minnesotan students need to be better prepared for careers
in a global economy. Businesses, high schools and higher
education institutions should work together to structure
curriculum, instruction and experiences that foster career
exploration and readiness.
5.1 Identify high skill, high demand, and high paying careers that
reflect the state and regional workforce needs. Create pathways
and apprenticeships that provide academic credit and prepare
students for these careers.45
5.2 Promote greater student participation in dual enrollment
options. Actively recruit students of color, first generation
and low income students for dual enrollment opportunities.
Change the funding formulas to benefit both high school and
postsecondary institutions so that student participation is
incentivized at every level. Create transfer mechanisms that are
easy and transparent for students completing dual enrollment
programs.46
5.3 Incentivize programs that utilize high school/postsecondary
and business collaboration.47
5.4 Build the capacity of school staff to incorporate career
exploration into classroom curriculum and instruction.48
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
17
21. Figures
Figure 1: Response by Gender
Figure 2: Response by Grade
Figure 3: Response by Race/Ethnicity
Figure 4: Eligibility for Free and Reduced Lunch
Figure 5: Students Who Speak a Language Other
Than English in Their Home
Figure 6: Mother’s Highest Education Level
Figure 7: Response by School District
Figure 8: Post High School Plans by Race/Ethnicity
Figure 9: First Person Students Access for College
Going Questions
Figure 10: How Often Do You Speak With Someone in
Your Family about Your Future?
Figure 11: Enrollment in College Access Preparation
Programs by Race/Ethnicity
Tables and Figures
Tables
Table 1: Academic Preparation Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Gender
Table 2: Academic Preparation Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Grade
Table 3: Academic Preparation Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Mother’s Education Level
Table 4: Selecting and Applying Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Gender
Table 5: Selecting and Applying Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Free or Reduced Lunch
Table 6: Financial Aid Advising by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Table 7: Financial Aid Advising by Race/Ethnicity and
Free and Reduced Lunch
Table 8: Career Exploration Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Gender
Table 9: Career Exploration Advising by Race/Ethnicity
and Grade
Table 10: Summary of College Going Access Points: Who
is most likely to advise students?
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II18
22. The mission of the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership,
Inc. (MMEP) is to increase the academic success of youth of
color and low-income youth in Minnesota schools, colleges,
and universities. Founded in 1987, MMEP is Minnesota’s
longest standing collaboration of communities of color and
educational institutions. It has a rich history of research,
advocacy and programming dedicated to the educational
success of students of color.
MMEP’s K-16 partners reflect the state’s public and private education systems, and include the
Univ. of MN, MNSCU and the MN Private College Council. They are joined by the Minneapolis
and Saint Paul Public Schools, and several other Twin Cities suburban school districts including
the special Integration Districts encompassing over 30 districts. MMEP has been broadly
recognized for being an effective multicultural collaborative focused on education race equity. In
2009, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) recognized MMEP as one
of the best 15 nonprofits in Minnesota strengthening democracy through advocacy, organizing,
and civic engagement leadership.
The Minnesota College Access Network (MCAN) initiative was established in 2004 by
MMEP to address the need for greater college access efforts that serve more diverse, low-
income students in Minnesota. Modeled after networks developing nationwide, MCAN has
developed unique college access pathways with community centers and libraries, K-12-University
partnerships, provided trainings and services for the field of providers and youth, and has
advised key social marketing campaigns related to access to higher education in Minnesota. The
organization is hailed for producing key information sessions with communities of color and
culturally responsive outreach sessions regarding access to higher education.
MINNESOTA MINORITY EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP, INC.
Partner Institutions
Brooklyn Center
Independent School District
#286
East Metro Integration
District #6067 (EMID)
Hopkins Public Schools
Minneapolis Public Schools
(MPS)
Minnesota Office of Higher
Education (OHE)
Minnesota Private College
Council (MPCC)
Minnesota State College
and Universities (MnSCU)
Northwest Suburban
Integration School District
#6078 (NWSISD)
Robbinsdale Area Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools
(SPPS)
University of Minnesota
West Metro Education
Program (WMEP)
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II 19
23. This survey is anonymous. The Minnesota College Access
Network (MCAN) will compile and publish the results of all
completed surveys. A complete report of survey results will be
available in Fall 2010 at www.mncollegeaccess.org.
Demographic Information
Are you male or female? q Male q Female
What school district are you in?
_______________________________________________
Write in name
What grade are you in? (check one)
q 9th grade q 10th grade
q 11th grade q 12th grade
q Graduated from
high school
q Not currently enrolled
in school
What is your ethnic group? (Check one)
q African
q Asian American/Pacific Islander
q Black/African American
q Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin
q American Indian/American Indian
q White/Caucasian
Are you eligible for free or reduced lunch at school?
q Yes q No q I don’t know.
Do you speak a language other than English at home?
q Yes______________________(write-in)
q No
The highest level of education that your mother completed is:
(check one)
q Elementary school
q High school
q 2-yr college degree (Associate’s)
q 4-yr college degree (Bachelor’s)
q Graduate or professional degree
q No formal education
Thinking About Your Future
What do you plan to do after high school?
q Work in a part-time or full-time job
q Join the military
q Attend technical college
q Attend 2-year community college
q Attend 4-year college or university
q Graduate or professional degree
q Not sure what I will do after high school
q Other: ___________________(write-in)
How often do you speak with someone in your family
(e.g. mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, etc.) about your future?
q Never q Rarely
q Sometimes q Often
Are you enrolled in a program to help you prepare for college:
q No
q Yes (which program, check below)
q Admission Possible q AVID
q Upward Bound q Get Ready
q GEAR UP q AVID
q Other_________________________________
(write-in)
Do you have at least one adult at school with whom you discuss
your plans for the future?
q Yes q No
If you have a question about college, who do you go to first for
help? (Check only one)
q Adult at community center q Your friends
q Coach
q Adult at after school
program
q Family friend or neighbor
q Spiritual leader - pastor,
rabbi, imam
q Teachers or school
counselors
q Staff at college preparation
program
q Family (mom, dad, brother,
aunt, etc.)
q Summer program leader
q Social worker q Mentor
q Boss q Youth development staff
q Write-in: ____________________________________
Appendix A: Student Survey
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II20
24. In the chart below : 1) read the statement, 2) answer yes or no, 3) circle one group of people who helped you understand why
you should do activity or be aware of this information!
Family = mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, grandfather, uncle, niece, nephew, etc.
Adults at school = teachers, counselors, teaching assistants, librarians, coaches, etc.
Community Members= staff at community centers, religious center, mentors, neighbors, etc.
Staff with college preparation program = Only if you work with a program to prepare for college
Activities to Help You Prepare for Your Future
Have you done this? Who helped you understand why you should do this activity as you prepare for your future?
(Please circle one in each row below.)
Visited one or more colleges. No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Applied for college
scholarships.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Enrolled in high school classes
that prepare you for college.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Identified a type of college
that will be good for you.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Kept track of or monitored
your grade point average
(GPA).
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog Staff
No one
Planned out which classes
you will take in high school.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog Staff
No one
Submitted applications to
enroll in one or more colleges.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog Staff
No one
Applied to take, or have
taken, ACT or SAT tests.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Completed federal financial
aid form (e.g. FAFSA)
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Identified two types of
financial aid to help you
pay for college.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Identified scholarships
that you can apply for.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Identified two careers that you
want to learn more about.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Enrolled in high school classes
that are challenging for you.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
Identified jobs that you would
like do in the future.
No Yes Family Adults at School
Community
Members
College Prep.
Prog. Staff
No one
student Survey
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II
21
29. 1. President Barack Obama. Address to Joint Session of Congress. February
24, 2009.
2. Smart Investments in Minnesota’s Students, A Research Based Investment
Proposal. Growth and Justice. October 2008, p3.
3. College Access Matters The Opportunity for College Access in Minnesota.
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership, Inc. 2007, p3-4.
4. High School Graduate Projections, Minnesota High School Graduates
Expected to Peak in 2009. Minnesota Office of Higher Education. http://www.
ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1290 Retrieved August 9, 2010.
5. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. 2008.
6. Smart Investments in Minnesota’s Students, A Research Based Investment
Proposal. Growth and Justice. October 2008.
7. Hahn, Ryan D. and Price, Derek. Promise Lost: College Qualified Students
who Don’t Enroll in College. Institute for Higher Education Policy. November
2008, p5.
8. Kirst, Michael and Venezia, Andrea. Undermining Student Aspirations, The
frayed connections between K-12 and postsecondary education set students
up for failure.
National Cross Talk. National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Spring 2003.
9. Hahn, Ryan D. and Price, Derek. Promise Lost: College Qualified Students
who Don’t Enroll in College. Institute for Higher Education Policy. November
2008, p10.
10. Conley, David T. Toward a More Comprehensive Conception of College
Readiness. Education Policy Improvement Center. March 2007, p5.
11. Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing Information Barriers to
College. The Education Resources Institute (TERI). 2004, p3.
12. Lumina Foundation for Education 2009 Annual Report A Capital
Investment. 2009 p13.
13. Oakes, J. Critical Conditions for Equity and Diversity in College Access:
Informing Policy and Monitoring Results. UC/ACCORD Research to Make a
Difference citing Adelman, C. 1999 Answers in the Tool Box
14. Oasks, J., Rogers,J., McDonough, P.; Solorzano, D., Mehan, H., &
Noguera, P. Remedying Unequal Opportunities for Successful Participation in
Advanced Placement Courses in California High Schools: A Proposed Action
Plan. University of California. January 10, 2000.
15. Bottoms, Gene and Young, Marna. Lost in Transition: Building a Better
Path from School to College and Careers. Southern Regional Education Board.
2008, p4.
16. Oakes, J. Critical Conditions for Equity and Diversity in College Access:
Informing Policy and Monitoring Results. UC/ACCORD Research to Make a
Difference.
17. IES Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What
High Schools Can Do. What Works Clearinghouse and Institute of Education
Sciences at the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance. 2009, p5.
18. Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing Information Barriers to
College. The Education Resources Institute (TERI). 2004, p10.
19. Gàndara, P. and Bial, D. Paving the Way to Higher Education: K-12
Intervention Programs for Underrepresented Youth. Washington: National
Postsecondary Education Cooperative Working Group on Access to
Postsecondary Education. US Department of Education: National Center for
Education Statistics. 2001
20. Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing Information Barriers to
College. The Education Resources Institute (TERI). 2004, p10.
21. Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing Information Barriers to
College. The Education Resources Institute (TERI). 2004, p7.
22.De La Rose and Tierney. Breaking through Barriers to College Empowering
Low-Income Communities, Schools, and Families for College Opportunity and
Student Financial Aid. USC Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis. p1.
23. Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Early and Often,
Designing a Comprehensive System of Financial Aid Information. July 2008,
p6.
24. De La Rose and Tierney. Breaking through Barriers to College Empowering
Low-Income Communities, Schools, and Families for College Opportunity and
Student Financial Aid. USC Center for Higher.
25. Hahn, Ryan D. and Price, Derek. Promise Lost: College Qualified Students
who Don’t Enroll in College. Institute for Higher Education Policy. November
2008.
26. Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Early and Often,
Designing a Comprehensive System of Financial Aid Information. July 2008.
27. U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics,
Missed Opportunities Revisited: New Information on Students Who Do Not
Apply for Financial Aid. National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS),
February 2006.
28. Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Early and Often,
Designing a Comprehensive System of Financial Aid Information. July 2008,
p12.
29. Gillie, S. and Gillie Isenhour, M. The Educational, Social and Economic
Value of Informed and Considered Career Decisions. America’s Career
Resource Network Association. Fall 2003, p11.
30. (Murnane and Levy 2004) Advisory Committee on Student Financial
Assistance. Early and Often, Designing a Comprehensive System of Financial
Aid Information. July 2008. p46.
31. Gillie, S. and Gillie Isenhour, M. The Educational, Social and Economic
Value of Informed and Considered Career Decisions. America’s Career
Resource Network Association. Fall 2003, p12.
32. Kirst, Michael and Venezia, Andrea. Undermining Student Aspirations,
The frayed connections between K-12 and postsecondary education set
students up for failure. National Cross Talk. National Center for Public Policy
and Higher Education. Spring 2003.
33. Recommendation 1.1 is based on recommendations and policy suggestions
set forth by the Minnesota P-20 Partnership (The Road Map to College and
Career Readiness for Minnesota Students, p15-16); Achieve (Accelerating College
and Career Readiness in States: P-20 Longitudinal Data Systems, p 15), the, the
American Youth Policy Forum (Brand, Betsy. Supporting High Quality Career
and Technical Education through Federal and State Policy 2008, p 4) and the
Southern Regional Education Board (Bottoms and Young. Lost in Transition:
Building a Better Path from School to College and Careers 2008, p ivIV, 12-14.).
34. Recommendation 1.2 is based on recommendationson recommendations
by the What Works Clearinghouse and Institute of Education Sciences at
the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (IES
Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools
Can Do 2009, p20-25); Achieve (Accelerating College and Career Readiness in
States: P-20 Longitudinal Data Systems, p 4); the American Youth Policy Forum
(Brand, Betsy. Supporting High Quality Career and Technical Education through
Federal and State Policy 2008, p 9) and the Minnesota P-20 Partnership (The
Road Map to College and Career Readiness for Minnesota Students, p12).
End Notes
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II26
30. 35. Recommendation 1.3 is based on the following sources: Education
Commission of the States (The Progress of Education Reform 2007, Economic and
Workforce Development Vol 8. No.2, Aug 2007); the What Works Clearinghouse
and Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation
and Regional Assistance (IES Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path
to College: What High Schools Can Do 2009, p12-15); UC/ACCORD Research to
Make a Difference (Oakes, Jeanne (Critical Conditions for Equity and Diversity
in College Access: Informing Policy and Monitoring Results); the Minnesota P-20
Partnership (The Road Map to College and Career Readiness for Minnesota
Students, p 13, 27); the Workforce Strategy Center (Jenkins, Davis. Career
Pathways, Aligning Public Resources to Support Individual and Regional Economic
Advancement in the Knowledge Economy August 2006, p1) and the Southern
Regional Education Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in Transition: Building a
Better Path from School to College and Careers 2008, p 5).
36. Recommendation 1.4 is supported by recommendations made by the
Minnesota P-20 Partnership (The Road Map to College and Career Readiness for
Minnesota Students); the American Youth Policy Forum (Success at Every Step:
How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond, p178-179);
and the What Works Clearinghouse and Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (IES
Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools
Can Do 2009, p17-18, 23).
37. Recommendation 2.1 is based on research by the Advisory Committee on
Student Financial Aid Assistance (Early and Often, Designing a Comprehensive
System of Financial Aid Information July 2008, p41-49); the Education Resources
Institute (TERI) (Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing Information
Barriers to College, p15); UC/ACCORD Research to Make a Difference (Oakes,
Jeanne. Critical Conditions for Equity and Diversity in College Access: Informing
Policy and Monitoring Results, p6); the What Works Clearinghouse and
Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation
and Regional Assistance (IES Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the
Path to College: What High Schools Can Do 2009, p38-41) and the Minnesota
P-20 Partnership (The Road Map to College and Career Readiness for Minnesota
Students, p17).
38. Recommendation 2.2 stems from recommendations from the Southern
Regional Education Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in Transition: Building a
Better Path from School to College and Careers 2008, p3, 10).
39. Recommendation 2.3 is supported by UC/ACCORD Research to Make
a Difference (Oakes, Jeanne. Critical Conditions for Equity and Diversity in
College Access: Informing Policy and Monitoring Results, p4); the Minnesota
P-20 Partnership (The Road Map to College and Career Readiness for Minnesota
Students, p13); the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Aid Assistance
(Early and Often, Designing a Comprehensive System of Financial Aid Information
July 2008, p59-69); the Citizens League (Educating Minnesota’s Immigrant
Students February 2009, p. 13); the USC Center for Higher Education Policy
Analysis (CHEPA) (De La Rosa and Tierney. Breaking through the Barriers to
College, Empowering Low-Income Communities, Schools, and Families for College
Opportunity and Financial Aid, p13 and Show Us the Money, Low-income
students, families, and financial aid, p26, 33) and the American Youth Policy
Forum (Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to
College and Beyond, p176 and Issue Brief: Moving English Language Learners to
College and Career Readiness, p9).
40. Recommendation 3.2 is supported by research and recommendations by
the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership (College Access Matters: The
Opportunity for College Access Programs in Minnesota 2006, p31); the Education
Resources Institute (TERI) (Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing
Information Barriers to College, p14); the American Youth Policy Forum (Success
at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and
Beyond and Issue Brief: Moving English Language Learners to College and
Career Readiness, p9); the What Works Clearinghouse and Institute of
Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance (IES Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path to College:
What High Schools Can Do 2009, p26-37).
41. Recommendation 3.3 is based on recommendations by the Minnesota
Minority Education Partnership (College Access Matters: The Opportunity for
College Access Programs in Minnesota 2006, p31); the Education Resources
Institute (TERI) (Vargas, Joel H. College Knowledge: Addressing Information
Barriers to College, p15); the Citizens League (Educating Minnesota’s Immigrant
Students February 2009, p5, 14) and the American Youth Policy Forum (Success
at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond,
p176).
42. Recommendation 4.1 was formulated based on recommendations by the
American Youth Policy Forum (Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support
Youth on the Path to College and Beyond and Issue Brief: Moving English Language
Learners to College and Career Readiness, p9); the Minnesota P-20 Partnership
(The Road Map to College and Career Readiness for Minnesota Students, p12);
and the Southern Regional Education Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in
Transition: Building a Better Path from School to College and Careers 2008, p10).
43. Recommendation 4.2 is based on research and policy recommendations
from the What Works Clearinghouse and Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (IES
Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools
Can Do 2009, p37,42); the Southern Regional Education Board (Bottoms
and Young, Lost in Transition: Building a Better Path from School to College and
Careers 2008, p10); the American Youth Policy Forum (Success at Every Step:
How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond, p176, 178);
the USC Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) (De La Rosa
and Tierney. Breaking through the Barriers to College, Empowering Low-Income
Communities, Schools, and Families for College Opportunity and Financial Aid,
p15-16) and the Minnesota P-20 Partnership (The Road Map to College and
Career Readiness for Minnesota Students, p18).
44. Recommendation 4.3 is based on the What Works Clearinghouse and
Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation
and Regional Assistance (IES Practice Guide Helping Students Navigate the Path
to College: What High Schools Can Do 2009, p37); the USC Center for Higher
Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) (De La Rosa and Tierney. Breaking through
the Barriers to College, Empowering Low-Income Communities, Schools, and
Families for College Opportunity and Financial Aid, p4-5) and the Minnesota
P-20 Partnership (The Road Map to College and Career Readiness for Minnesota
Students, p14).
45. Recommendation 5.1 is based on the following sources and research:
Education Commission of the States (The Progress of Education Reform 2007,
Economic and Workforce Development Vol 8. No.2 Aug 2007, p1-2); the CLASP
Center on Postsecondary and Economic Success (Funding Career Pathways
and Career Pathway Bridges, A Federal Policy Toolkit for States May 2010, p6,
37); the Workforce Strategy Center (Jenkins, Davis. Career Pathways, Aligning
Public Resources to Support Individual and Regional Economic Advancement in the
Knowledge Economy August 2006, p1-2) and the Southern Regional Education
Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in Transition: Building a Better Path from School
to College and Careers 2008, p iv, 9)
46. Recommendation 5.2 is based on recommendations and research from the
Southern Regional Education Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in Transition:
Building a Better Path from School to College and Careers 2008, p v, 12); the
American Youth Policy Forum (Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support
Youth on the Path to College and Beyond, p177) and the CLASP Center on
Postsecondary and Economic Success (Funding Career Pathways and Career
Pathway Bridges, A Federal Policy Toolkit for States May 2010, p30).
47. Recommendation 5.2 is based on recommendations and research from the
Southern Regional Education Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in Transition:
Building a Better Path from School to College and Careers 2008, p20, 37) and
the CLASP Center on Postsecondary and Economic Success (Funding Career
Pathways and Career Pathway Bridges, A Federal Policy Toolkit for States May
2010, p III, 3, 9).
48. Recommendation 5.4 is based on research by the Southern Regional
Education Board (Bottoms and Young, Lost in Transition: Building a Better Path
from School to College and Careers 2008, p6, 14-15) and on recommendations
similar to those cited in Recommendation 4.2 (see above).
End Notes
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership | Access Matters II 27
31. College Access Matters II
Diverse Student Pathways to College in Minnesota
2233 University Ave. West, Suite 220
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114
651.645.7400
www.mmep.org
