Reading time: Six minutes

Many small college access organizations focus on retention to completion with a wide range of success or lack thereof. This perspective of a very small nonprofit (Advancing Academics) shares a how to model for increasing retention and completion rates among low-income college-bound students. Through the implementation of a liaison system with a schedule of checkpoints and the flexibility to respond to individual needs, Advancing Academics in partnership with the Human Services Center Mon Valley and other minor partners has attained exemplary results with a low-cost model.

Thanks to our membership in the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), Advancing Academics started utilizing Student Tracker from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) in 2013 as a means to assess persistence to completion for our college bound students. This tool has provided us with exceptional data documenting our retention rate of over 80% through all of our cohorts since inception in 2006. Early on in our humble beginnings, we established a mentoring component for college bound students which quickly evolved into a paid liaison working with multiple students during those years. The results suggest a model for others to consider that could help to improve the outcomes for low-income college students whose success rates have long lagged their peers with financial means.

In the world of college access, where the path from high school graduation to postsecondary success can feel overwhelming, we have come to believe that no best practice is more important—or more impactful—than the intentional building and maintaining of rapport and relationship with the students. At the core of this work lies a simple truth: students are far more likely to thrive when they feel seen, heard, and supported by a trusted adult.

In our experience, the students who are most successful in their postsecondary journeys are not necessarily those with the fewest obstacles, but those who have someone in their corner when challenges arise. Too often, students don’t fail because of a single academic setback or financial aid issue, but because of a lack of direction, support, and consistent guidance from someone who believes in them. That’s why relationship-building must be more than a soft skill—it must be a strategic priority in any college access program.

Being that trusted adult means more than just offering advice. It means being the one they turn to when Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) updates feel confusing, when a class schedule doesn’t line up with a part-time job, or when they simply don’t know what their next step should be. It's in these moments that strong relationships translate directly into student persistence.

Although we have had many examples of this throughout the years, one student we worked with exemplifies this idea. She graduated high school in 2019 and attended Clarion University (Clarion, PA) to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education. Her college journey was anything but smooth—her classes shifted dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and during her final semester, she became pregnant and needed to take time off. These are the kinds of obstacles that can easily derail a student’s progress, especially without a strong support system in place.

But because we had built a deep and trusting relationship over years of working together, she reached out throughout these challenges. She knew she could count on us to help her navigate a leave of absence, re-enrollment procedures, and balancing her responsibilities as a new mother and a student. Her persistence, paired with personalized support, paid off: she graduated and secured a long-term substitute teaching position—at the very same high school she once attended.

This past year, we worked together side by side, supporting the next generation of students. It was a full-circle moment that reinforced everything we believe about this work: the relationships we build today create the foundation for student success tomorrow.

This full-circle started with a college access environment that does not just act as transactional and pushes students through to their future destinations, but one where students know they are cared for as a person, not just an outcome. When there is a foundation set in high school that we are reliable to support students through hurdles they face and care about details in their lives, it is a natural transition to support students and continue to care about the details of their adjustment to college. With this relational foundation, college students are more free to invite us in when applying for an internship, looking into transferring colleges, or when experiencing adverse life events.

Maintaining rapport with students from high school into college involves staying in touch with students as many aspects of their lives change. When the proximity that our relationship was built upon ends, we must be creative about staying connected. Utilizing Zoom, FaceTime, or text when students are on campus or meeting in person over college breaks is helpful. However, supporting students now looks more like ensuring they know we are available to help when needs arise, connect to resources on campus, or reminding of upcoming deadlines.

The support students need does not look the same as it did in high school and we cannot assume it will. They are the experts of themselves, their college experience, and their needs and we can be a trusted person students turn to because we have proven to be so in the past.

This building and maintaining rapport does not just begin and end with individual students, but continues into families and communities. We have worked with past students’ siblings and friends, these new relationships built out of the trust experienced in the first one. New college students, as the experts just one step ahead, are eager to return to their high school on holiday breaks and speak to younger students about their experiences, growth, and adjustment in the most relatable way possible.

In the fundraising field, the expression is the three Rs are essential: rapport, relationship, retention. While toward a different outcome, the formula applies for college persistence to completion as well. Everything we do with the students is relational and builds toward the greatest outcome that can be achieved. Over the past 20 years, Advancing Academics and the Human Services Center Mon Valley have partnered to ensure the best outcomes for the college-bound students served through a liaison system with dedicated staff engaging the students over time in a meaningful relationship toward a brighter future.

Our specific recommendations are:

• Building rapport and relationship during the college application process will ensure contact throughout college during persistence and results in retention.
• Set expectations of regular communications and check ins.
• Be available for emergencies and crisis situations.
• Celebrate the milestones even if from afar on social media.
• Utilize student tracker to stay on top of the data.
• Designated contacts build the best relationships that will endure the student's time in college and in many cases as they enter their careers.

College access is not just about applications and deadlines—it’s about people. When we prioritize authentic connection, we don’t just help students get to college; we help them stay, succeed, and return to inspire others.

Contact the authors

Kaelynn Hillegass, MA – College Liaison, Advancing Academics, Lead Youth Development Associate, Human Services Center Mon Valley, khillegass@hscmonvalley.org

Siani Tjards, MSW – College Liaison, Advancing Academics, Youth Development Associate, Human Services Center Mon Valley, stjards@hscmonvalley.org

Dave Coplan, MPA, MSW – Director, Advancing Academics, Executive Director, Human Services Center Mon Valley, dcoplan@hscmonvalley.org

Read More:

• How Can Schools Advise Students When They Don’t Know How Their Grads Are Doing?
• Still They Rise: Encouraging Black Student Enrollment Beyond 2024
• I’m Excited for Dr. Mandy Savitz-Romer’s Webinar Series; You Should Be, Too!

By Karla Robles and Andy Schmitz, via The74

Reading time: Four minutes

This story first appeared at The 74, a nonprofit news site covering education. Sign up for free newsletters from The 74 to get more like this in your inbox.

Imagine a principal tasked with reducing chronic absenteeism for her senior class. She relies on student data systems to analyze attendance numbers, broken down by demographics. Now imagine that the most recent data is two years old. How can she address current challenges with stats from when the seniors were sophomores?

Fortunately, real-time attendance data is standard in most districts. Yet when it comes to understanding what happens to students after high school — trade school or college enrollment, persistence and completion — many schools are left with years-old, incomplete, or nonexistent information. Without timely insights, schools cannot meaningfully evaluate or improve practices, interventions, or partnerships.

Nationwide, schools are making concerted efforts to improve college and career outcomes, but they are hamstrung by data limitations. School and district leaders often turn to publicly available state report cards which provide a snapshot of postsecondary enrollment information. At best, these report cards include data from the previous year’s graduating class — though, in many cases, the snapshots are even older. This gap is a serious issue. School and district leaders, as well as the public, need timely access to this data to make informed decisions and improve college and career advising practices.

The National Student Clearinghouse database, containing enrollment and completion data from over 3,500 colleges nationwide, is shared with the vast majority of states three times a year and includes updates on the most recent graduating class. States could combine these statistics with, for example, employment data from their department of labor to offer school districts a comprehensive view of student outcomes after high school. However, most states fail to make clearinghouse data accessible in their publicly available report cards and, based on OneGoal’s experiences in seven states — Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin — this information is also not shared directly with districts.

Our district partners in those seven states report that none received the most recent clearinghouse data release from November 27, which includes enrollment information for the Class of 2024’s first fall semester. In a separate, 50-state analysis of publicly available state reports and postsecondary enrollment data, we found that just 23 states made available college enrollment data from the high school Class of 2022, while nine offered only older data. For researchers interested in general postsecondary enrollment trends, this might suffice. But it’s not enough for school and district leaders who need timely information to guide their work. 

While some districts with adequate resources buy a StudentTracker subscription directly from the Clearinghouse, this option is often unknown or unaffordable. It’s also unnecessary — states already purchase this data on behalf of districts. But if it’s not passed on, school and district leaders can’t improve their advising practices for the next graduating class, as they won’t understand what happened to the graduating class that just walked across their stage.

Still, in the last several years, school districts nationwide have established novel solutions to build bridges from high school to college, supported by data sharing at the state level:

• Wisconsin published class of 2023 enrollment outcomes for the 2023-24 school year in a publicly available portal that offers interactive visualizations of trends over time and disaggregates data by student subgroups. School leaders can securely access individual student-level data to inform their practices.
  
• Vermont displayed an “equity index” on its state report card to help school and district leaders analyze the difference in postsecondary performance between students who have been historically underserved in schools and their wealthier peers.
  
• Mississippi shares real-time clearinghouse data directly with districts through its state student information system and is training school and district leaders to use it.
  
• Indiana combines two- and four-year enrollment statistics with employment data through its GPS (Graduates Prepared to Succeed) dashboard to paint a holistic picture of what happens to students after high school graduation, including non-degree pathways.

These efforts are a good start. But as every teacher, counselor or leader knows, real-time, disaggregated data is needed to meaningfully inform advising practices and interventions.

• School leaders should advocate for access to their state’s most recent student data. Almost every state has a direct contract with the clearinghouse. If feasible, they can also consider purchasing a StudentTracker subscription.
  
• State education agencies nationwide need to follow the lead of states like Wisconsin and create better systems for sharing data as soon as they receive it. They should also form collaboratives with other state agencies like the department of labor to obtain data on students who enter the workforce directly after graduation. These agencies also need to join a coalition organized by the Council of Chief State Schools Officers, which is working with the US Department of Defense to help standardize the process of sharing military enlistment data with school districts.
  
• Partnerships with organizations like OneGoal, Education Strategy Group, and the National College Attainment Network can complement school district efforts by providing robust data analysis expertise.

Developing a shared understanding of postsecondary enrollment patterns can inform schools’ advising practices, course sequences and partnerships with local organizations, colleges and universities, community colleges, and employers. More access to data means a more inclusive approach to postsecondary preparation and better access to pathways aligned with students’ interests and workforce needs.

Disclosure: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and Heckscher Foundation for Children provide financial support to OneGoal and The 74.

Read More:

• Still They Rise: Encouraging Black Student Enrollment Beyond 2024
• I’m Excited for Dr. Mandy Savitz-Romer’s Webinar Series; You Should Be, Too!
• Opinion: Give HBCUs Their Full Slice of the Pie Post SCOTUS Ruling

I was a junior at Howard University in November 2008, serving as a student reporter for The Hilltop, Howard’s student newspaper. I spent that election day running around Arlington County, VA in the rain, capturing quotes for a story on the county using electronic voting.

As former President Barack Obama made history that night, college students from across the city gathered to celebrate (still in the rain, mind you). I know being one of those students, this moment probably meant a little more to the Black students in the crowd. It was an affirmation that maybe, just maybe, we could actually be anything we wanted to be, as our generation had been told to believe, even president of the United States. Believing is one thing, but seeing is another.

And now, days after the 2024 presidential election, folks advocating for increasing the Pell Grant, forgiving student loan debt, improving financial literacy, and increasing the socioeconomic mobility of millions of first generation students, students of color, and students from low-income backgrounds, I imagine I’m not alone in feeling livid, frustrated, while struggling to find the energy to keep fighting the good fight.

But this isn’t about me; it’s not even about us.

It’s about figuring how we encourage our students, the students who’ve gotten through virtual learning during the pandemic, a widely unorganized return to in person learning, lost social experiences, the return of school shootings, and oh yes, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) deciding that considering race in college admissions is unconstitutional, followed by a cumbersomely rolled-out Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Resilient is an understatement.

We know students are scared. The day after the election, Black students across the country began receiving text messages threatening to, “send students back to slavery.”

Students are also concerned. What does this mean for college affordability? The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that Black students are the largest demographic of Pell Grant awardees. Will there be extreme budget cuts to Pell or work study, and even further stripping or altering of race based institutional aid?

On the other end, NCES also acknowledges that Black students have the largest student loan balance on average at $34,000, which is $4,000 more than their white counterparts and $8,000 more than their Hispanic counterparts. What happens to programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and the SAVE program?

No one has the answers, and none of us can foresee the future. So what can we do? How do we encourage them to not only enroll in a postsecondary pathway but to persist and see it through?

“Nothing About Me, Without Me”

We do so much for students, but the days ahead require us to include students. Our job now goes beyond simply affirming their voices and taking them with us into rooms only we inhabit; no, our job now is to partner with students to hone their message, teaching them how to strategically elevate their voices in those same rooms.

Let’s prep them to tell their story to their lawmakers at every level. It’s so much easier to vote yes on hurtful policies when the students are faceless. But meeting with our students, them sharing their concerns, being inundated with calls, letters, emails, sometimes even in person visits if we can swing it holds lawmakers accountable to support equity-based policies. If you’re new to advocacy, we encourage you to bring your students to our Leadership Summit a great way to build your advocacy skills and learn the most recent trends and ideas in educational attainment. As an added bonus, student registration for the Leadership Summit is free.

Community based organizations’ college success programs are built on affirming their students, but without the institutions’ explicit support, a crucial piece of the puzzle is missing. The SCOTUS decision on using race in admissions also led to the shuttering of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility offices on campuses nationwide. Never mind that these decisions don’t just hurt Black students, but also Muslim, Jewish, Palestinian, LGBTQ+ students, and other marginalized demographics.

University of Southern California’s Race and Equity Center Founder and Executive Director Shaun Harper wrote that now is not the time for a “lay low” approach to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Harper stressed the importance of being proactive in protecting students before violence strikes, calling on universities to implement task forces and other measures to ensure not only student safety, but to truly create a campus wide culture of belonging for impacted students. Don’t just shutter offices and lay off employees; I call on universities to get creative within the bounds of compliance and stay steadfast to the mission of these programs. Students are depending on your ingenuity and dedication.

And I know, I’ve being incredibly vocal about the academic and social value of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and while HBCU enrollment is rising, I want to remind everyone that HBCUs makeup 3% of the higher education landscape. Black students, no matter which pathway or institution they choose, deserve to feel safe and seen in higher education.

As a new administration is ushered in, this feels like a tense round of ‘wait and see.’ We must prepare now to ensure the equity gap for Black students doesn’t grow any wider. We’re all in this together, and remember, now, more than ever, that “we” includes our students.

Read More:

• 2025-26 FAFSA Now Available to All
• How the Sweet Magnolia Bus Tour Supports College and Career Readiness in Mississippi
• Five Findings on How (and Whether) Schools Advise Students

Reading time: Two minutes

If there’s one thing National College Attainment Network (NCAN) members know about supporting students on their postsecondary pathway, it’s this: that path isn’t just about grades and test scores. It’s about understanding who our students are, what drives them, and how we can equip them with the tools and knowledge to achieve their dreams. That’s why I couldn’t be more excited for NCAN’s upcoming webinar series featuring Dr. Mandy Savitz-Romer, a national thought leader on how practitioners can employ an approach that meets students where they are developmentally, including in terms of identity, mindset, and motivation.

The first webinar in the series is Wednesday, December 5 from 2-3PM ET. Registration is open now. Future dates will be announced in the new year!

Dr. Savitz-Romer, author of Ready, Willing, and Able: A Developmental Approach to College Access and Success, has spent her career exploring the critical role of identity formation, self-belief, and goal setting in postsecondary attainment. Her insights offer a fresh perspective on the work NCAN members do every day to support students. This series is not just a chance to learn; it’s an opportunity to reimagine how we engage with students as whole people, not just future applicants.

The series will feature four webinars, each diving deep into a key concept from Dr. Savitz-Romer’s book. From why a developmental approach is critical, to understanding motivation, identity, and self-regulation, these sessions will explore how these concepts can be woven into your programs and practices. Whether you’re a school counselor, a college access advisor, or a district leader, the insights shared will spark new ideas for how to meet students where they are and support their growth.

As NCAN’s longtime data director, I don’t often get the chance to engage with the socioemotional and developmental aspects of postsecondary advising. Reading Dr. Savitz-Romer’s book this past year was eye-opening and affirming, and so much of what I have heard members talk about during my tenure with NCAN leapt off the page. I spent a lot of time nodding my head as I saw the practical advice for implementing this approach in the real-world.

What makes this series even more compelling is its interactive component. Dr. Savitz-Romer will also participate in two virtual peer exchange sessions, where you and your colleagues can bring your questions and share experiences. Plus, each webinar will be accompanied by an in-depth blog post, offering practical opportunities for reflection and action.

This is more than a webinar series; it’s a chance to elevate your practice and bring your partners—school districts, community-based organizations, or colleagues—along for the journey. Together, we can deepen our collective understanding of the developmental milestones that help students succeed and strengthen the systems that support them.

Importantly, this webinar series is open to NCAN members and non-members alike. Registration is now open—secure your spot and invite your peers! Let’s ensure students are not only ready, but also willing and able, to achieve their goals.

Read More:

• Still They Rise: Encouraging Black Student Enrollment Beyond 2024
• NCAN's Events Calendar
• NCAN's Public Webinar Archives

It often feels as though students, families, and those aiding in Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion have been jumping from crisis to crisis since the 2024-25 form launched nearly three months late.

Had the rollout been smooth, students would have still had less time to complete the FAFSA. Unfortunately, it was anything but – especially for applicants from mixed-status families. Although these problems have largely been addressed, some contributors continue to face challenges.

The delayed launch was compounded by later adjustments as required by federal legislation. In January, the US Department of Education (ED) updated the supporting data tables used in the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation to account for inflation, which meant FAFSA applicant data didn’t start flowing to institutions until mid-March – nearly six weeks later than expected. Even after ISIRs were flowing, a calculation error related to dependent students with assets meant some ISIRs sent prior to March 21 have to be reprocessed, adding additional delays.

As a result, many institutions may not be able to provide financial aid award letters until well after their decision deadlines, and accepted students are being told not to expect letters until May or even June. Prospective students are being forced to decide where (if at all) to attend school in the fall before knowing how much it will cost them.

The bumpy rollout, compressed timeline, and lack of clarity around financial aid have all combined to form a perfect, potentially catastrophic storm for this year’s high school seniors, especially those who rely on financial aid to attend college.

As of March 22, FAFSA submission numbers stood at just 33.7% for the high school class of 2024, down 30.7% compared to this time last year, according to the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) FAFSA Tracker. If these numbers hold true, we estimate the Class of 2024 could submit between 300,000-500,000 fewer FAFSAs than their 2023 peers. This would likely mean tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of high school seniors choosing not to pursue a postsecondary education this fall.

Put bluntly, we will be facing a major enrollment crisis if we don’t act now.

Institutions could see a drop in attendance rates, leading to a dip in revenues and potential budget crises. Fewer students from the Class of 2024 could choose to pursue a postsecondary degree, meaning their long-term earnings outlook will be lesser than their college-going peers. Most affected will be students of color, those from low-income backgrounds, and first-generation college-goers, which would exacerbate already-existing inequities. In short, a decline in FAFSA submissions this year will have grave consequences for years, if not decades, to come.

Fortunately, it’s not too late to act. There’s still time to close the FAFSA submission gap if we act now. Providing FAFSA completion support through the spring and summer will be key. For their part, The White House and ED have announced a FAFSA Week of Action April 15-19 to encourage students to complete the form. This year is not yet lost for FAFSA, but we’re fast approaching the point of no return.

Read More:

• FAFSA Submissions Are Down 40+%; How to Find Your Schools’ Data
• FAFSA Now Works for (Almost) All
• Record Turnout at DC Capital One Café FAFSA Event

I saw a tweet a few days after the Supreme Court ruling on race conscious admissions practices being unconstitutional that said, “welp, HBCUs better build more dorms!” It was the response I knew would come, and I was ready for it, as I saw more versions of the same sentiment being shared.

It’s no secret that I fiercely advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); I wrote a five-part series on them for Black History Month. HBCUs are what brought me into education in the first place. I’m a proud alumna of Howard University, and I take every opportunity to bring these illustrious institutions to the forefront of the conversation.

But it’s more than just school pride. It’s incredibly unfair to ask or expect HBCUs to suddenly take on massive (or even considerably gradual) influxes of students without the proper and necessary systemic support.

The Math

HBCUs represent 3% of America’s higher education system. More people lived in Lincoln, NE during the 2020 census (291,000) than the total HBCU enrollment in fall 2020 (279,000).

Part two of the February series discussed the history of gross underfunding of HBCUs, which highlighted Tennessee State University and all four Maryland HBCUs suing their respective states for owed state appropriated funds.

In June, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University students (FAMU) sued the state for unequal per student appropriations when compared with the University of Florida. “Over 33 years, from 1987 to 2020, that shortfall amounted to approximately $1.3 billion, though the two schools share the distinction of being the state’s only two public land-grant colleges.” In 2020, FAMU received $2,600 less per student than the University of Florida. This impacts everything, from the quality of research labs to the condition of gyms and dorms to the experience level faculty a university can afford.

North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University (NC A&T) has been historically underfunded compared to its predominantly white counterpart North Carolina State University (NC State). A 2022 Forbes study highlighted drastic differences in state funds earmarked for research: NC A&T received $9.5 million, while NC State was awarded $79 million. It has been estimated that since 1987, after adjusting for inflation, NC A&T has been underfunded by $2.8 billion.

Meanwhile, NC A&T was fined by the state university system $2 million for exceeding their limit of out of state students. Rules are rules, sure, but explicitly being denied the totality of owed state funding means NC A&T and other HBCUs must continuously do more with less and find revenue streams how they can. Understandably, HBCU enrollment dipped in 2020 due to the pandemic; 279,000 students down from 289,000 in 2019, but it bounced right back in 2021 to 287,000.

Why It Matters

Let’s focus on Black students for our purposes (although HBCUs have been and continue to be beacons of diversity). The National Center for Education Statistics reports that there were 2.3 million Black students enrolled in college in 2020, of which 211,000 were enrolled at an HBCU. Currently, HBCUs are serving nine percent of Black student enrollment with a funding deficit already in the billions.

It’s a catch-22: without funding levels equal to their predominately white counterparts, HBCUs typically can’t offer the same level of innovative programs and cutting-edge research that would then help them secure larger private grants and federal contracts. Did you know that not one HBCU is classified as a R1 research institution by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education? Of the 133 R2 research institutions, only 11 HBCUs meet the classification standards. They’re making strides to reach R1 status, but again, without the necessary funding, it’s an uphill battle they shouldn’t have to fight.

Pushing more students to already underfunded and under resourced HBCUs will make a difficult situation worse. HBCUs have historically provided a better cultural experience for students of color, but they are not sufficiently funded to provide the best of the best in terms of financial aid, housing, facilities and mental health services. Historically telling HBCUs to make do with less is problematic and unjust to both these institutions and the students they serve.

If we’re asking or expecting HBCUs to do more, be more, help more students across the finish line, federal and state policymakers must renew their commitment and right these wrongs. Meeting the need created by the ruling on affirmative action requires more than lip service. HBCU revenues need to rise to support current and incoming students, and one of the easiest ways to raise revenues is to pay HBCUs what is rightfully owed to them.

Read More:

• Solving the Puzzle: Resources to Make an HBCU Possible for Your Students
• House Republicans Propose Huge Cuts to Education
• NCAN Members Respond to SCOTUS Ruling on Race in College Admissions

Photo Credit: Andy Barbour

This article is part of an opinion series from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) on issues affecting postsecondary attainment. The viewpoints and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of NCAN.

June is Pride Month, and the LGBTQ+ community and our nation as a whole has a lot to celebrate. We’ve come far as a country – just over two decades ago, same-sex marriage was legal in only one state. 10 years later, that number had increased to 50. Gallup surveys have shown a steady increase in support for same-sex unions, from 50% in 2011 to 70% in 2021¹. From openly gay CEOs to presidential candidates, it’s clear that as a society, we’re more accepting of individuals regardless of how they identify or who they love.

However, now is not the time for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies to rest on our laurels. According to the Human Rights Campaign, a record 70 anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been enacted so far this year targeting gender-affirming care for transgender youth, drag performances, school curriculum and books, and more². While cisgender LGBTQ+ individuals might feel secure and satisfied by the progress made in recent decades, transgender and nonbinary individuals, especially children and students, are increasingly the target of social conservatives and religious extremists. Recent actions by red state governors and legislatures have shown an increased willingness to target all members of the LGBTQ+ community, often under the guise of protecting minors.

In Montana, Governor Greg Gianforte (R) recently signed the so-called “LGBTQ Erasure Bill” into law which bans LGBTQ+ individuals from bringing claims of sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination, bans transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, and requires certain official documents to list an individual’s gender as assigned at birth rather than how they identify.

In particular, Florida has seen a slew of proposed and enacted legislation. Last year, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill which bans public school teachers from holding classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity. In May of this year, DeSantis signed multiple bills that banned gender-affirming care for minors and severely restricts it for adults, forcing transgender individuals to use the bathroom associated with their sex assigned at birth and expanding the scope of last year’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

It Was Never About Protecting Children

Governors like Gianforte and DeSantis, along with their supporters, claim that recent laws are about protecting children and students. “We are going to remain a refuge of sanity and a citadel of normalcy, and kids should have an upbringing that reflects that,” DeSantis stated when signing recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. However, as research shows, LGBTQ+ youth face higher suicide risks than their straight and cisgender peers. The gender affirming care and education that many states have banned can reduce those risks³. LGBTQ+ youth are also more likely to be bullied due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, a problem only exacerbated by hateful rhetoric and stigma⁴.

If these lawmakers truly cared about protecting minors, they would focus on creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, regardless of who they are. They would listen to the parents of LGBTQ+ students who are pleading with them to stop creating a hostile environment for their children. They would address real threats to student safety, such as gun violence in schools.

Instead, governors like DeSantis are more interested in placating their most extreme supporters and funders on the far right, grabbing the attention of the national media, and trying to “out conservative” each other, all in an attempt to increase their national standing as some prepare for the 2024 Presidential election. As is often the case, the victims of this reckless and hateful behavior are society’s most vulnerable – in this case, LGBTQ+ children.

Resources for Educators

As attacks on LGBTQ+ youth increase, school staff and faculty are increasingly acting as a last line of defense against hostile state governments. However, there are many free resources and tools available for educators looking to make a difference:

• A Queer Endeavor: This nationally recognized center for gender and sexual diversity in education works to build partnerships with districts and schools to create safer, more accepting environments for LGBTQ+ students and their families.
• AllyEd: This site features a podcast on how educators can become better allies to their LGBTQ+ students and families, a free course on media literacy and LGBTQ+ inclusion, a newsletter, and more.
• Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN): Founded by teachers, GLSEN has a plethora of resources for educators, ranging from educator guides to lessons plans to a safe space kit.
• Gender Spectrum: A searchable database of resources for students including support groups, events, and therapy.
• Learning for Justice (LFJ): LFJ’s “Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students” is a publication that features guidelines and teaching resources for creating a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students.
• Pride and Less Prejudice: This organization donates LGBTQ+-inclusive books to Pre-K through 3rd grade classrooms.

You Can’t Cherry Pick

Despite widespread support and acceptance of same-sex unions, our society has shown less acceptance for transgender individuals. An increasing percentage of Americans say that whether a person is a man or woman is determined by the sex assigned to them at birth. A plurality of Americans say that society has gone too far in accepting transgender individuals. Numerous Americans also favor the potential illegalization of health care professionals to provide minors with gender-affirming care. It’s clear that certain members of the LGBTQ+ community (i.e., cisgender individuals) enjoy higher levels of support or acceptance compared to others.

This Pride Month, while you’re hosting events to celebrate your LGBTQ+ students or decorating your offices with rainbow flags, rejoice at the progress we’ve made as a society with regards to LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance. Remember that the fight isn’t over and that there are powerful individuals working to roll back progress. But most importantly, ask yourself if you have any biases or misconceptions about transgender or nonbinary individuals. Do all the students you serve feel comfortable and supported, regardless of their gender identity? Is your organization really doing all it can for your transgender and nonbinary students? Pride Month is about all members of the LGBTQ+ community, not just a select few letters.

Sources:

• ¹https://news.gallup.com/poll/350486/record-high-support-same-sex-marriage.aspx
• ²https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/roundup-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation-advancing-in-states-across-the-country
• ³https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/?section=AffirmingSpaces
• ⁴https://www.hrc.org/news/new-cdc-data-shows-lgbtq-youth-are-more-likely-to-be-bullied-than-straight-cisgender-youth

Read More:

• Reflections from BIPOC-Centered Learnings at NCAN 2022
• Opinion: Schools Should Be Places of Learning, Not Violence
• Opinion: Stop Awarding Scholarships Based on Merit Alone

This article is part of an opinion series from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) on issues affecting postsecondary attainment. The viewpoints and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of NCAN.

Another day, another mass shooting. Monday’s tragic events at Michigan State University (MSU) are just the latest in the endless stream of violent events plaguing America’s academic spaces. From elementary schools to universities, no one and nowhere is immune to this uniquely American disease.

From Columbine to Blacksburg to Newtown to Santa Fe, gun violence has affected (and will continue to affect) schools nationwide. According to an analysis by The Washington Post, there have been 366 primary and secondary school shootings since 1999, claiming the lives of 191 children and staff and exposing more than 338,000 students to gun violence. 2022 alone saw 46 school shootings – the most on record. And these numbers don’t even cover the countless acts of violence that have occurred on college campuses.

Monday’s events in Michigan came a day before the 5th anniversary of the deadliest high school shooting in American history, when 17 students and staff members were murdered and 17 more injured at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland, FL.

Since 1999, active shooter drills have become a normal part of the academic routine, and today’s college seniors don’t know a world without them. This nation has raised a generation, me included, who have become normalized, even desensitized, to the threat of violence and death at school and on campus. Some of us have even been exposed to multiple traumatic events. Jackie Matthews, a 21-year-old senior at MSU, was a student at Reed Intermediate School in Newtown, CT in 2012 when a gunman opened fire at nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 26 students and staff.

Having started kindergarten in 2000, active shooter drills were a regular occurrence. I remember turning off the lights, locking the classroom door, and huddling in the corner with my fellow students, praying that it was a drill and the footsteps that echoed in the hallway were that of the principal, not a murderer.

Violence in academic spaces disproportionately affects students of color. The Washington Post analysis found that while mass shooting perpetrators are almost always White, Latino/a students are twice as likely to experience campus violence, while Black students are three times as likely. Shooters typically target a specific person at schools with majority Black student population, which limits the number of victims and subsequent media coverage.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

What Can We Do?

You may feel (understandably) hopeless and powerless in the face of yet more news of violence at an American school - know that you are anything but. There are solutions to our nation’s gun problem:

• Support common sense gun control. Let’s face it – it’s far too easy to access a gun in this country. Reforms like universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and extreme risk laws, which empower family members, law enforcement, and educators to get a civil court order temporarily preventing an individual from accessing a firearm, could prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
• Support mental health and wellbeing in schools. Students should be able to access mental health services via school psychologists, counselors, or nurses. Unfortunately, recent data has shown that the student-to-psychologist ratio is 1,381-to-1, far higher than the recommended 500-700-to-1. Tell your elected officials to provide sufficient funding to improve access to mental health services for students.
• If you do have a gun, store it somewhere safe. Don’t leave your firearms or ammunition unlocked – they should be securely stored somewhere only you can access. The Be SMART program has more information on how to do so.
• Don’t become desensitized or indifferent. It’s easy to do so given the frequency of mass shooting events, but don’t not get outraged. This isn't normal, it doesn’t happen in other high-income countries, and we shouldn’t have to live like this.

Where Can I Find Support?

Have the events at MSU affected you or your students? Perhaps you yourself are experiencing trauma as the result of a mass shooting? My colleague Zenia Henderson wrote this excellent article last November in the wake of the murder of 19 school children at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. It details tips and tools you can use to support students grappling with violence and trauma that is too often a part of our daily lives.

The Jed Foundation also has a helpful article with tips for coping with traumatic events, as well as how to recognize when trauma experienced requires professional health. While your priority may be the students you serve, don’t forget to also take care of yourself.

Schools should be safe spaces where students can learn and grow without fear. Preventing mass shootings doesn’t look like arming teachers or more police officers in schools or even bulletproof backpacks – it means treating the root causes of the disease and effecting true policy change. Until we do that, nothing will change.

Read More:

• Supporting Students through Trauma and Violence: Tips, Tools, and a Call to Action
• Five Resources to Build Your Mental Wellness Toolkit 
• Keep Calm and Carry On: Exploring Mental Health and Wellness Options at HBCUs

Reading time: Five minutes

This article is part of a new opinion series from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) on issues affecting postsecondary attainment. The viewpoints and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of NCAN.

Educational causes rank as the second-most popular charitable giving choice for individuals and family foundations in the United States. Encouragingly, many these donors to education direct their gifts to postsecondary causes like establishing scholarship funds. This is a wonderfully generous thing for philanthropists to do.

But are these scholarship funds set up to be impactful and make a key difference in the lives of the thousands of students who are applying for scholarships each year? Well, that’s debatable.

Donors are well-intentioned and want to help and inspire students, but unfortunately, too many scholarship donors insist on award selection based on student characteristics that center only on achievement. Scholarships based on merit have a real appeal to people who concentrate on excellence as a means of evaluating worth or importance.

However, merit-based scholarships do not consider a student’s financial background or family situation. Instead, they are awarded to a student based on some specified achievement, often in school activities, sports, volunteer service, hobbies, or essay writing.

Need-based scholarships are granted to individuals based on an assessment of their financial position and ability to pay for college. Eligibility is based on the assets and income of the prospective student and their family.

If financial need is not a requirement, a student with significant family income and assets is just as entitled to a merit award as a student from a low-income background. Merit-based scholarship providers may choose to give awards for a student’s tennis team involvement, volunteer work at the local zoo, excellent essay writing in a contest, participation in stamp collecting, or holding a position in student government, for example.

Helping students who meet some standard of merit determined by the donor, rather than channel scholarship dollars to support students from low-income backgrounds and students of color who otherwise would not complete postsecondary education, only exacerbates the already large income achievement gap in degree completion. Most scholarships housed at US college foundations, community foundations, and private foundations are merit-based. Effectively, they serve as a well-deserved reward for students who have excelled already, regardless of other factors.

Although some foundation and institutional scholarship programs administer scholarship funds that have financial need as a component, it is not usually the first priority. Compounding the problem, in almost every case, scholarships are relatively small dollar amounts often set by the donor, are one-time awards and non-renewable, and lack a possible tie to support services.

Even if students with financial need are a focus of the foundation’s vision, most donors only help the cream of the crop. They end up selecting a small subset of students with extreme financial need and the highest GPAs and perfect resumes, but this does little or nothing to advance the community levels of college degree attainment. Research shows that the students at the top of the class usually go to college anyway. Giving those students at the top of the class all the scholarships is not the best way to make a measurable impact.

It’s long past time that we all make a commitment to distribute scholarship resources in a more equitable way. One of the best ways to increase college degree attainment is to deploy scholarship dollars using a strategic approach. We should lift up students with financial need who would not otherwise access and complete a postsecondary credential or college degree.

Awarding scholarships in a strategic, need-based manner means incorporating elements in a scholarship program such as

• Quality and consistent college preparedness and career advising services or coaching in high school years through to college graduation.
• Awarding scholarships in tactically significant amounts to fill existing gaps in the student financial aid package without displacing other grant aid.
• Giving awards that are renewable each year with simply earning satisfactory academic status (2.0 GPA).
• Ensuring that scholarships are allowed to cover any expenses in the total cost of attendance budget for the student’s college or university.

Scholarship dollars are much more powerful when a student has a proper financial aid package, with federal, state, and institutional dollars, with any gaps filled by private scholarships.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with encouraging all students to achieve and participate in school activities, take up hobbies, excel in class, engage in community service, or play sports. These actions might help shape students in a positive way and provide healthy inspiration to reach for their goals.

Ultimately, postsecondary scholarships are a means of providing financial support for college, so shouldn’t a student’s financial situation be the most significant determining factor in award selections? If scholarships were only about recognition of a variety of achievements, and not also about the dollars, then wouldn’t giving a certificate at a ceremony would be sufficient? There would be no need to send a scholarship check to the college financial aid office.

Need-based scholarships affect students in two ways. The first is the direct impact of the money, and the second is the motivation to make the best effort to persist in college each year until degree completion. Something as simple as a well-designed scholarship can have a profound and lasting impact on a student’s life and career prospects. And when it comes to donors, if they are suitably armed with relevant information and data on student needs, they often readily understand and embrace the opportunity to establish need-based scholarship funds.

Scholarships can make a difference if properly constructed. Strategic need-based scholarship programs can be an effective tool to support students with financial need to access and complete a degree, a vehicle for significantly reducing student and family loan debt, an efficient way to increase overall postsecondary attainment, a fantastic investment in human capital talent, and a valuable means of achieving educational equity.

Read More:

• Need-Based Financial Aid Drives Economic Mobility, New Study Finds
• State Policy Page: Need-Based Student Aid
• College Affordability Challenges Persist for Students from Low-income Backgrounds