OAKLAND, Calif., May 2, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GreatSchools.org is proud to announce the winners of the 2019 College Success Award, which recognizes and celebrates 1,722 high schools in 25 states around the country that excel in ensuring students are prepared for college and ultimately careers. [1] These schools successfully graduate students who are prepared for college-level courses, enroll in two- or four-year colleges and persist into their second year, according to available data from each state.
Last year, the inaugural College Success Award recognized schools in only nine states based on the availability of post-secondary data.
"We're gratified that an additional 16 states have made available the school-level post-secondary data that makes the College Success Award possible," said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools.org. "These 25 states are true leaders and recognize that post-secondary school-level data is critical for identifying successful schools—and enabling educators and other schools to learn from their promising practices. We encourage every state to join this movement to give schools, parents, educators, and policymakers the information they need and deserve to help students succeed in college and beyond."
With the 2019 College Success Award, GreatSchools.org offers a view of whether a high school provides opportunities for all students to prepare for, enroll in and succeed in college. The Award helps us understand whether a high school achieves favorable results for students—regardless of their background and circumstances—when they leave high school and head to college. The 1,722 schools represent only 12 percent of all public high schools in the 25 states—in an economy where a majority of all jobs are projected to require a post-secondary degree by 2020. [2]
"Our nation's high schools play a critical role in setting students up for future success," said Kevin Greer, Partner, Learn to Earn Fund at New Profit, which is part of a consortium of funders providing support for the College Success Award. "That's why we must understand which schools are excelling on this front, learn from them and celebrate them— especially those schools that do a great job of preparing students from low-income families to succeed in college."
"We are honored to be named a winner of the 2019 GreatSchools.org College Success Award," said Dr. Linda Gallegos, principal at Veterans Memorial Early College High School in Brownsville, Texas. "Many of our students come from difficult circumstances, and we know how important it is to expose them to the experiences and opportunities that will equip them to excel in college, careers and beyond. We're thrilled that GreatSchools.org has recognized our focus on preparing our youth for success, and we look forward to continuing to guide our students on pathways to rewarding futures."
To learn more about the Award methodology, download lists of winning schools by state, and to see videos stories from College Success Award National Spotlight Schools, visit https://tinyurl.com/y2yfrmpl.
1. The College Success Award-winning schools are in these 25 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming.
2. The 12 percent figure is based on a total of 13,844 public high schools active in the GreatSchools.org database. The 65 percent figure is from "Recovery: Job Growth and Education Requirements Through 2020" from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
About GreatSchools.org:
GreatSchools.org is the leading national nonprofit empowering parents with essential information to improve educational opportunities for their child. Using GreatSchools.org's trusted ratings and school quality information, parents can find the right school for their family and take action to improve schools in their communities. Thousands of articles, tips and interactive tools offer parents easy-to-use resources to support their child's learning and well-being every day. Families, community leaders and policymakers turn to GreatSchools.org for the school information they need to guide children to great futures.
SOURCE GreatSchools.org
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