The Success Boston Initiative aims to improve college graduation rates through partnerships between non-profits and higher education institutions, focusing on providing transitional coaching and support for students from Boston Public Schools. Key findings indicate that the program has led to increased enrollment and improved graduation rates among various demographic groups. The initiative includes services such as financial aid support, life skills training, and personalized coaching to help students navigate the transition from high school to college.

1. The Success Boston Initiative Brokering Model:
How Non-Profit/Higher Education Partnerships
Boost College Graduation Rates
Presented at National Partnership for Educational Access
4th Annual Conference – April 19th-20th, 2012
10:15am – 11:30am
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2. Introductions
Boston Private Industry Council, TERI &
Bunker Hill Community College
 Matthew Power-Koch, Postsecondary Transition Coach, Boston PIC
provides coaching, navigation and connections to college, community and
employment resources.
 Miguel Colón, Education Advisor, TERI provides both city-wide and school
based college access programs throughout the cities of Boston and Brockton,
MA.
 Melissa Holster, Director of Financial Aid, Bunker Hill Community College,
Co-chair of the Success Boston financial aid team and serves as the BHCC
liaison to Success Boston coaches.
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3. Key Findings of the Report
Number and Percent of College Enrollees Who Obtained a Degree 7
Years After High School Graduation
(A) (B) (C)
College Graduates as %
Groups Attendees Graduates Of Attendees
All 1,904 675 35.5
Men 813 276 33.9
Women 1,091 399 36.6
Asian 275 143 52.0
Black 884 249 28.2
Hispanic 326 78 23.9
White 366 195 53.3
Exam School 618 366 59.2
All Other School 1,286 309 24.0
Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University & Boston Private Industry Council. 2008. Getting to the Finish
Line: College Enrollment and Graduation: A 7-year Longitudinal Study of the Boston Public Schools Class of 2000.
http://www.bostonpic.org/resources/getting-finish-line-seven-year-longitudinal-study-boston-public-schools-class-2000
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4. Mayor Menino’s Success Boston Goals
 50% increase in the college graduation rate for college
enrollees from Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) graduating
class of 2009
 52% of those who enroll will complete a 2- or 4-year degree
within six years of high school
 Double the college graduation rate for college enrollees
from BPS high school graduating class of 2011
 70% of those who enroll will complete a 2- or 4-year degree
within six years of high school
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5. Success Boston Initiative Overview
Mayor's Office
Boston Public Schools, The Boston Foundation and Non Profit Partners, Task Force
of Higher Education, Private Industry, & Non-Profit Partners
Getting Ready Getting In Getting Through
Non-Profit College Transition
Partners:
ACCESS
Boston Private Industry Council
Bottom Line
Freedom House
Hyde Square Task Force
TERI
Boston Public Schools: Key Higher Education Higher Education Institutions:
Higher Education Partners Institutions: UMass Boston (Lead)
Bunker Hill Community College a consortium of 37 Higher Education
Roxbury Community College Institutions
Massachusetts Bay Community
College
Benjamin Franklin Institute of
Technology
University of Massachusetts Boston
Suffolk University
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6. Transitional Coaching Organizations &
Coaching Philosophies
 Boston Private Industry Council (PIC)
The PIC is extending its high school career specialist model to help
students persist in college while continuing to live in the
community. PIC postsecondary coaches help students connect to
valuable campus and community resources, navigate deadlines and
requirements, and balance the demands of school, life, and
employment. PIC postsecondary coaches teach life skills and help
students make the connection between degree attainment and career
opportunity.
 TERI
TERI Education Advisors supports the young adults in our program to
develop the self-understanding, confidence, leadership skills, and social
awareness to successfully navigate their path through education and
life. We use an affirming strength-based approach, involve parents as
much as possible, and help students build and utilize a network of
resources to sustain their ongoing achievement.
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7. Transitional Coaching Organizations &
Coaching Philosophies
 Bottom Line
Bottom Line has a one-on-one, relationship-focused coaching philosophy.
We provided outcomes-based support delivered by full-time staff members,
which is driven by a rigorous curriculum. In-person support is central to our
programs, and that is supplemented by frequent e-mail and phone
communication.
 Freedom House (PUSH)
Preparing Urban Students for Success in Higher Education
PUSH provides holistic support to students as they transition from high
school to college via a Summer Institute, On and Off Campus advising and
a Mentor Network. PUSH staff guide students through the academic,
financial and social realities of college.
 Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF)
HSTF‟s mission is to develop the skills of youth and their families so they
are empowered to enhance their own lives and create a safe and vibrant
community. The Near-Peer approach is a leadership model where older
teens serve as teachers and mentors to younger teens with a strong
emphasis on personal experiences and relationships.
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8. Transitional Coaching
The common threads:
 Relationship building
o Beginning senior year
o Continues with regular meetings through college
 Navigation
o Support through summer preparation
o Guidance through college infrastructure
 Case Management
o Assessing needs
o Crisis resolution
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9. Transitional Coaching
Who
 Coaches can be:
o Adults (more of a mentor role)
o College students (near peer focus)
Where
 Coaches can build relationships with students by:
o Community-based with frequent visits to campus (external)
o Having a fixed space on campus (internal/embedded)
How
 Coaches can support students through:
o Brokering opportunities and services
o Connection building
o Modeling behaviors
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10. What is the Brokering Model?
Connecting students to resources on campus
 Financial Aid offices
 Student payments
 Academic Advising
 Tutoring and Academic Support Services
 Registration and course selection
 Career Services
 On campus student groups
Connecting students to resources off campus
 Financial resources – grants, scholarships, budget management
 Housing
 Employment assistance
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11. Coaching / Services
Life Skills
 Time Management
 Family and home issues
 Career / Job counseling
 Personal / Professional Boundaries
Academic Skills
 Study Skills
 Schedule Management
 Class selection
 Academic Progress
Communication and Advocacy Skills
 Self Advocacy
 Problem Solving / Conflict Resolution
 Communication with adults and follow up
 Networking
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12. Benefits for Students
 Bridges high school guidance counselors and college based
supports
 Summer transition assistance
 Flexibility to meet student needs
 Mentors that advocate and model effective behavior
 Establish a culture of college completion
 Goal setting, life mapping, awareness of course sequence and
degree requirements
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13. Case Study
Gabriel joined the Success Boston Initiative in the Summer of 2011 after
graduating from BPS in the Spring. “Last summer, I went to Belize on a
family trip and was unable to be at Bunker Hill in person to access my
Scholarship from my High School. After talking to my success Boston
Coach Miguel, I was able to get in contact with my guidance counselor from
high school and work with the Financial Aid and Student Payment offices at
Bunker Hill to make sure my Scholarship went through.”
- Gabriel, BHCC, Class of 2013
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14. Bunker Hill Community College
About the College:
 Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is a multi-campus urban institution
located in the Charlestown section of Boston, Massachusetts.
 Bunker Hill enrolls over 13,000 students in day, afternoon, evening. Late-
evening, midnight, weekend and web-based and distance learning courses each
semester. BHCC is the largest community college in Massachusetts.
Financial Aid at BHCC:
 69% of BHCC degree seeking students apply for financial aid, and of those,
75% are eligible for a federal Pell grant.
BPS at BHCC:
 Over the past five years, enrollment of new Boston Public school students in
the fall semester has increased from 84 to 280 (233%)
 766 freshmen students („11-‟12) are graduates of Boston Public high schools
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15. Outcomes
Students are better served:
 Students easily navigate enrollment process
 High risk students are brought to administration attention sooner
Network expansion includes other organizations with similar
missions:
 Working together in innovative ways through connections with third party
organizations
Systemic change being built:
 Greater learning of partners through problem solving
 Adjusting infrastructure of statewide organization to involve greater
collaborative efforts
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16. Additional Success Boston Partnerships
Financial Aid Working Group: Two area-financial aid directors, ACCESS
organization staff representatives, BPS , Director of College Readiness
Initiatives, 10 financial aid directors and staff from Boston-area institutions
Goal: Standardize the ways in which institutions communicate their costs and
financial aid awards to BPS graduates and other students.
1. Financial Aid Liaison
 Created to have a staff member designated as a point-person for BPS
students and graduates, BPS high school counselors, and nonprofits
helping students plan for college
 Designed to build consistency in information and contribute to overall
retention efforts
2. Award Letter Supplement
 Created to assist students in understanding award letter terminology
and comparing out-of-pocket costs at multiple institutions
 Shares internal and external resources to support students making
college financial decisions
 Designed to build consistency in information and contribute to
enrollment and lower default rates
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17. Outcomes of Financial Aid
Working Group
 Financial Aid Liaison Position:
 25 campus representatives committed for 2012-2013 award year
 Collaborated with BPS, ACCESS on district-wide roll out plan
 Ongoing professional development
 Potential benefits
• Award Letter Companion:
 9 campuses committed for 2012-2013 award year
 Initial student experiences
 Overlap and collaboration with federal initiatives
 Potential impact
o Coaches analyzes award letters with 1500+ BPS seniors
o 100-200 applicants to BHCC
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18. Benefits for Non-Profits
 Maximizes resources and collaboration
 Identification of best practices, common tools and strategies
 On campus relationships
 Visibility and familiarity
 Complimentary expertise
 Referral of students and parents to the non-profits‟ community-based
services
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19. Data from first 3 Cohorts
We measure Progress (accumulation of credits toward a degree),
Performance (GPA), and Persistence (re-enrollment).
Cohort II Cohort III
Success Boston Results Cohort I
(Class of (Class of
(as of 4/2/12) (Class of 2009)
2010) 2011)
Number of students in
282 288 308
Cohort
Enrolled in semester 1 98% 97% 97%
Enrolled in Semester 2 94% 86% 94%
Re-enroll in a 3rd semester 85% * 82%** TBD
Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or
77% 80% 83%
higher
On track to earn a degree in
time and a half (as
measured by credits earned 35% 39% 43%
toward a degree each
semester)
*Based on Fall enrollees; according to the National Student Clearinghouse the rate is 87%. ** % based on Fall enrollees only.
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20. Case Study
Aldwayne and Delroy Demontegnac are two brothers who joined the Success
Boston Initiative in the Summer of 2011 after graduating from BPS in the Spring.
“We know what we have to do, but it helps to have a Coach, like Mr. PK, to keep
us on track, and check-in on us to make sure we are successful.”
- Aldwayne and Delroy – BHCC Class of 2013
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21. Discussion
Q&A
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