COLLEGE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY CENTERS
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system has established three college access and opportunity centers aimed at improving high school graduation and college participation rates among students of color and other underrepresented groups. The centers, each of which has a partnership with a local K-12 school district, will focus on improving students' college readiness by developing rigorous college-preparatory and college-level courses, by advising students and their parents on education and career paths and by providing professional development for K-12 teachers.
The centers are described below:
St. Cloud State University will use innovative and culturally sensitive approaches to improve high school graduation rates among underrepresented students in grades 8 through 12 attending St. Cloud School District 742. Working with St. Cloud Technical College, students will be recruited and assigned to in-school academic advising teams that will assess their academic skills and advise and support them on planning educational paths to careers.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Fergus Falls) will use interactive technologies to build on college readiness programs in English and math. The project will provide underrepresented high school students the academic skills and support systems they need to succeed in rigorous college-preparatory. Summer academic experiences will be provided in partnership with Minnesota State University Moorhead and the White Earth Tribal College. This support will help participating students to graduate from secondary schools and enroll in two- and four-year college.
Century College and Inver Hills Community College will focus on developing rigorous academic programs and support services, creating strong parental and family participation, enhancing professional development of teachers and evaluating program results.
