Earlier today, Knight Foundation released a report on key factors that promote college access and success.’ The study, conducted by OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, took Philadelphia and Miami as case studies, and identifies opportunities for increasing college graduation rates.

With data from the National Student Clearinghouse, OMG demonstrated significant achievement gaps based on race, gender and the timing of college enrollment (directly from high-school vs. delayed enrollment). A Philadelphia Inquirer article about the report published this morning shines a spotlight on the daunting challenges facing the city, where only 10% of 9^th grade students can expect to ultimately graduate from college within six years, compared to the national average of 20%.

The report outlined a series of recommendations for school districts that include:

• Building a college-ready culture, particularly in neighborhoods with low enrollment rates;
• Promoting college enrollment directly after high-school graduation;
• Enhancing resources at the college-level to help students stay in school.

Ultimately, the report demonstrates the need to view college access and completion as an issue for all sectors. Improving education cannot be done by any one sector alone; from teachers and parents to civic and business leaders, it requires the entire community to get involved.

For the full report, see www.kflinks.com/college