Unmet Needs and Opportunities

78% of students from low-income backgrounds complete high school within four years nationwide.

21% of low income students attain a college degree within six years after high school.

66% of jobs require some form of higher education and most require at least a high school diploma. (1)

By addressing gaps in our education system, RISE is working to increase access and opportunity for all students.

Opportunity Gaps

The transitions to, through, and beyond high school present significant challenges for far too many students, particularly those from historically marginalized communities. The research is clear: Grade 9 on-track achievement is the best predictor of on-time graduation, and myriad data speak to the value and importance of higher education. Yet opportunity gaps disproportionately affect students of color, multilingual learners, special education students, and those from low-income backgrounds during these key transitions.

Information Gaps

Schools depend on up to a dozen disparate data systems, which force educators to navigate multiple platforms while accessing information necessary to support student success. Too often, educators invest precious time in extracting data, merging data sets, and visualizing information. Schools and districts routinely experience inefficient and disconnected data systems, an overabundance of data without a clear plan on how to use it, and aggregate level access to data which is built mostly for compliance and lets individual students fall through the cracks. Ultimately, this results in persistent gaps and stagnant outcomes for students.

Structural Gaps

Connecticut, like many states, is hyperlocalized, presenting barriers to learning and collaboration across schools and districts. With just over 500,000 students spread across almost 200 districts, 83 of which serve fewer than 1,000 students each, schools and districts find themselves competing for limited resources and talent rather than working together to achieve common objectives. It is commonplace for innovation and proven practices to stay restricted within the invisible walls of district boundaries, thus preventing widespread adoption and learning that can impact students statewide.

Our Approach

In response to these opportunity areas, RISE partners with schools and districts to:

• Invest in key student transitions;

• Empower educators with the information and tools they need; and,

• Facilitate network improvement communities to scale impact and learnings across schools and districts.

Promising Practices

Over the past eight years, RISE has partnered with diverse high schools to study the challenges students experience as they navigate transitions to and beyond high school. Through a continuous improvement process, schools examine their data, pinpoint needs, and pursue innovations. This has resulted in a number of promising practices to support on-track achievement and postsecondary success. Strategies such as on-track coaches, Grade 9 summer bridge programs, FAFSA task forces, on-track student conferences, summer melt texting campaigns, and more are now supporting thousands of students across dozens of schools.

Data Tools

To address common data challenges and promote equitable practice, RISE supports educators with secure, user-friendly, and action-oriented data tools. The RISE Data Hub, for example, provides educators with real-time data, allowing them to pursue personalized support for students. Working in partnership with teachers, counselors, and administrators, RISE has designed and refined a series of data tools that support and streamline educator workflow. We work to merge accessible and high-quality data with educators’ expertise and qualitative experiences to ensure students’ holistic strengths and needs are fully addressed.

Networked Improvement Communities

In addition to data and a focus on key student transitions, we believe we can amplify our individual and collective impact by working together to address shared challenges and goals. RISE facilitates networked improvement communities to build momentum around promising practices and data-driven approaches. RISE creates a platform for teachers, counselors, and administrators to come together across schools and districts to share learnings and harness the wisdom of educators doing similar work in different contexts. Through cross-school professional learning experiences and our open-source resources portal, we work to replicate and adapt what’s working in new places.

(1) Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Recovery. NSC Research Center, High School Benchmarks.