Supporting Success: Building Holistic Systems of Support for Today’s Learners
Today’s learners enter postsecondary education or workforce training programs with the goal of completing a credential of value that puts them on the path to career success. However, the path to completion isn’t always easy as today’s learners have unique needs, are often working, supporting families, or struggling with low-wage jobs. They need a comprehensive set of integrated supports that consider their individualized needs to help them achieve success. But current systems of support have not evolved to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners.
Ascendium’s grantees are building and strengthening systems of support and exploring innovations that focus on learners’ experiences as they move through postsecondary education institutions and workforce training programs. Providing individualized holistic supports that address both basic needs and academic needs for learners is just one strategy they are using. Our partners are learning how to support learners from a systems level so their interventions are most effective and can be scaled, sustained, and replicated.
Many of our partners are using innovative and comprehensive approaches to addressing students’ basic needs.
Georgia State University’s National Institute for Student Success
Georgia State University's National Institute for Student Success is working with six colleges and universities to implement a comprehensive set of reforms that identify and resolve institutional barriers to completion. Georgia State made considerable improvements in learner success rates through reforms including technology-supported advising, predictive analytics, career advising, and redesigned onboarding — all in service of better supporting today’s learners. Based on their success with these reforms, they are now providing services to other institutions in order to advance student success and completion of credentials of value.
More Structural Redesign Initiatives on the Horizon
- The Success Center at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, in conjunction with the California Community Colleges system, is evaluating the feasibility of offering eight-week courses in response to the needs of today’s learners, who are often working or caring for children and need flexibility in their schedules.
- Achieving the Dream and Community College Research Center are working together to scale and evaluate shortened academic terms at community colleges across the country. This initiative is the first multi-state project to scale academic terms in community colleges, building further evidence about this compelling innovation.
Our grant partners are leading efforts to redesign systems of support that meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. From mental health and emergency aid to academic innovations and structural reforms, our partners are focusing on holistic, scalable solutions that help more learners from low-income backgrounds complete credentials of value and achieve upward mobility.
