Cal State LA and Alliance College-Ready Public Schools signed a Joint Statement of Commitment Tuesday, Sept. 29, to help Alliance graduates make the transition to college, stay on track, and earn their degrees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes and Alliance Chief Executive Officer Pablo Villavicencio signed the agreement at the university. The signing formalizes and expands work the institutions began more than a year ago with Insights2Action to better understand how Alliance graduates are doing in college and where they need support.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through a secure data-sharing agreement and the Student Success Data Collaborative, the partners will examine graduates\u2019 progress from enrollment through graduation. Information about their first-year experiences and academic progress can help the partners identify challenges earlier and connect students with support, including summer programs, academic writing assistance, and mentoring. Alliance will also use what it learns to strengthen college preparation for future graduates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Alliance was founded, fewer than half of our students graduated from high school. We changed that trajectory and now we must bring the same ambition to college completion,\u201d said Villavicencio. \u201cOur students\u2019 journey does not end when they receive an acceptance letter. Timely information about their progress will help us work with Cal State LA\u202fto address obstacles before they prevent students from earning a degree.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough this partnership, students will have a clear pathway to university admission and the support to thrive once they arrive,\u201d said President Eanes. \u201cWe are proud to bring together the expertise of our institutions to help more Los Angeles students earn their degrees and realize their full potential.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The partners also plan to strengthen connections between Alliance\u2019s high school counselors and Cal State LA so students can learn about campus resources before they enroll and know where to turn for help once they arrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is more than a dashboard. It is a way to understand what happens to our students after they leave Alliance and act on what we learn,\u201d said Debra Griffith, Alliance\u2019s chief equity programs officer. \u201cWe want to help graduates get the support they need at Cal State LA while using their experiences to make the path stronger for the students who follow them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents arrive at college with hopes and plans for their future, but an early academic setback can put those plans at risk,\u201d said Jeff Gold, chief executive officer of Insights2Action. \u201cBy looking at signs of difficulty sooner, the partners can ask what is happening and respond while there is still time to help a student stay on course.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n