First look: KC leaders set goal to boost college completion
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The Kansas City College and Career Attainment Network (KCCAN) announced a plan Tuesday to nearly double the percentage of students from low-income high schools earning postsecondary degrees by 2030.
Why it matters: Only 13% of students from low-income high schools in the Kansas City metro are on track to earn a college degree, according to KCCAN, a gap that limits economic mobility and threatens KC's future workforce.
- KCCAN aims to address what happens after high school graduation, when many students fall off the path to a degree or credential.
By the numbers: Based on research from the Urban Education Research Center at UMKC, which tracked outcomes at KCPS schools defined as low-income because at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch:
- About 85% of students from low-income schools graduate from high school.
- Roughly 51% of those students who graduate enroll in college.
- About 30% of students who enroll in college finish with a degree.
Zoom in: KCCAN's goal is to raise the 13% attainment rate to 23% by 2030.
- The strategy focuses on more consistent college and career advising for students and families, then extends support beyond enrollment to help students stay in school, earn credits on time and complete their degree.
What they're saying: "When education stops at high school, economic mobility often does too," KCCAN strategy director Mako Miller tells Axios. "This plan is about building a clearer supported path beyond graduation."
State of play: One piece of the plan is already underway.
- KCCAN hired six full-time college and career advisers who began work in six KCPS high schools last fall.
- Miller says advisers have found that students after one semester benefit most from one-on-one advising that focuses on building trust and helps them understand college options and financial aid.
What's next: KCCAN plans to begin reporting progress quarterly, using short-term indicators like advising activity, FAFSA completion and college enrollment to gauge where the plan is working.
- It will also track the number of students who graduate over time.