New Recommendations to Put College Education Within Reach for All Americans; National Alliance Calls for Government, Education, Business Leaders to Implement College Access 'To Do' List

2/19/2004

From: Ken Gullette, 319-337-1028 or kengullette@act.org; Ann Coles, 617-556-0581 or coles@teri.org; both for the Pathways to College Network

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Today the Pathways to College Network -- an alliance of national organizations to improve college access and success for the nation's many underserved students -- challenged leaders in all sectors of society to make college education a realistic goal for all Americans. Its report, A Shared Agenda, released today, includes nearly 100 research-based recommendations for state and federal policymakers, middle and high school leaders, college administrators, outreach program leaders, communities, and families.

"We challenge the nation to place a college education within reach for all of our young people," said Ann S. Coles, director of the Pathways to College Network. These 34 national organizations created A Shared Agenda as a "to do" list for leaders in government, education, and all sectors of society."

The report underscores the achievement gap that still exists after three decades of national investment in equal educational opportunity:

--Only about half of African American and Latino ninth graders graduate from high school within four years, compared to 79 percent of Asian Americans and 72 percent of Whites (Greene & Forster, 2003).

--Of high school graduates, those from high-income families enter college at rates 25 percent higher than those from low- income families (Mortenson, 2001).

--A child from a family in the top income quartile is five times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree by age 24 than a child from the bottom income quartile (Mortenson, 2001).

"A Shared Agenda shines the spotlight on the continuing chasm between the high levels of learning everyone needs and what students from poor and minority communities too often receive," said Carol Geary Schneider, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, a partner organization of the Pathways Network.

The report bases its specific recommendations for leaders and practitioners on more than 650 research studies and six core principles. The Pathways principles encourage high expectations and high-quality academic preparation for all students. Key recommendations include:

--Making the college-preparatory curriculum the standard high school curriculum for all students. Whether or not students go to college, they need demanding preparation in high school.

--Committing financial aid early so postsecondary education is seen as a realistic goal for all young people. How to pay for college can't be a guessing game for students from low-income families.

--Using data and assessment to develop effective support programs to help all students achieve successfully at the college level.

"A Shared Agenda is a call to action for concerted, collaborative efforts by all stakeholders. Getting a college degree must become what graduation from high school has been in this country since the 1950s," said Coles.

The full report is available on the Pathways to College Network's Web site at http://www.pathwaystocollege.net.